Jacob rejoyces at the sight of the Waggons Sect. 43. Jacob goes into Egypt His joy to see his Son Joseph Sect. 44. Joseph brings five of his Brethren to Pharaoh Obtains Goshen for his Brethren Introduces his Father Sect. 45. Joseph's prudent administration in the severe famine He is sent for by his Father Sect. 46. Ephraim and Manasseh blest Jacob's gift to Joseph Sect. 47. Jacob blesses his Sons in order His death Sect. 48. The mourning for and burial of Jacob. Joseph's death Sect. 49. The History of Job Sect. 50. Levi and Amram die Sect. 51. Israel increases Task-masters appointed Sect. 52. Aaron's birth Sect. 53. The Midwives commanded to destroy the Male-children Sect. 54. Moses born He is taken up and educated by Pharaoh's daughter Sect. 55. Moses after forty years leaves the Court and flys into Midian Sect. 56. Moses's marriage His two Sons Sect. 57. Caleb's Birth Sect. 58. The Lord appears to Moses commissions him to deliver Israel enables him to work miracles Sect. 59. Moses confirm'd and encouraged commanded to go to Pharaoh Sect. 60. Moses stopt in his journey His Son circumcised Sect. 61. Aaron meets Moses They declare their commission to the Elders of Israel Sect. 62. They go to Pharaoh The oppression of the Israelites increased Sect. 63. Moses and Aaron go again to Pharaoh The Magicians call'd in Sect. 64. The ten Plagues Chap. IV. From the Israelites departure out of Egypt to the laying the foundation of Solomon's Temple Sect. 1. THe Israelites depart out of Egypt Sect. 2. The Paschal Lamb and Passover appointed Sect. 3. The Lord conducts the Israelites by a Pillar of cloud and fire Joseph's bones carried with them Sect. 4. They encamp at Pihahiroth Pass through the Red-sea The Egyptians drown'd Sect. 5. Moses's Song Miriam a Prophetess Sect. 6. The people marching through Shur murmur for want of water Sect. 7. The twelve Wells and seventy Palm-trees Sect. 8. They turn from Elim to the Red-sea Sect. 9. The people murmur Quails given for one meal Manna falls Sect. 10. Water gushes out of the rock Sect. 11. Moses praying Joshua fights Amalek The Altar call'd Jehova-Nissi Sect. 12. Jethro's story defer'd to Sect. 51. Sect. 13. Moses call'd up to the top of Mount Sinai The terrible sight Sect. 14. The Promulgation of the Law Sect. 15. The people in fear Moses encourages them Sect. 16. Similitudes of God forbidden The Materials for Altars Sect. 17. The Judicial or Political Laws Sect. 18. The Angel of the Covenant promised to guide them The bounds of Canaan Sect. 19. Moses erects an Altar and twelve Pillars Sect. 20. Moses continues in the Mount forty days and forty nights Sect. 21. Directions concerning the Tabernacle and all its utensils and appurtenances Sect. 22. The Golden Calf Sect. 23. Moses comes down breaks the Tables Gods anger Moses intercedes for the people and sees the glory of God Sect. 24. Two new Tables of stone Sect. 25. God renews the Covenant upon Moses's prayer Moses's face shines Sect. 26. The Sabbath anew enjoyned Contribution to the Tabernacle Sect. 27. Bezaleel and Aholihab appointed chief workmen of the Tabernacle Sect. 28. The Tabernacle finished being set up is filled with Gods Glory Sect. 29. Laws given concerning the several sorts of sacrifices Sect. 30. Aaron and his Sons consecrated Sect. 31. Aaron enters upon his office Fire from the Lord. Sect. 32. Nadab and Abihu slain by fire from heaven Sect. 33. Of clean and unclean creatures Sect. 34. Womens separation Sect. 35. Laws concerning Leprosie Sect. 36. Ceremonial uncleanness in men Sect. 37. The Passover celebrated Sect. 38. Several sorts of Laws given Sect. 39. Blasphemy punished in the Son of Shelomith The Law of retaliation Sect. 40. Divers other Laws given Sect. 41. Promises and threatnings More Laws given concerning divers matters Sect. 42. The Book of Numbers Sect. 43. The Encamping of the Tribes Sect. 44. The Levites Charge Sect. 45. The Levites consecrated Sect. 46. The Offerings of the Princes Sect. 47. Laws concerning Jealousie Sect. 48. Concerning Nazarites Sect. 49. The solemn blessing Sect. 50. The Silver Trumpets Sect. 51. Jethro's story and advice Sect. 52. The Camp of Israel marches Jethro leaves them Sect. 53. Upon the moving of the Ark Moses pronounces the blessing Sect. 54. The people murmur at Taberah Sect. 55. Quails given for the space of a month A Plague follows Sect. 56. Miriams Leprosie Sect. 57. Spies search the land Sect. 58. Their different report Sect. 59. The ten Spies smitten Sect. 60. Israel defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites Sect. 61. The ninetieth Psalm composed Sect. 62. Some Laws explained Sect. 63. The Rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram Sect. 64. Aaron's Red blossoming Sect. 65. The work and portion of the Priests and Levites Sect. 66. Water of Purification Sect. 67. Miriams death Sect. 68. They murmur at Kadesh for want of water Moses strikes the Rock in anger is doomed not to enter into Canaan Sect. 69. The King of Edom refuseth them passage Sect. 70. Aaron dies and is buried upon Mount Hor. Sect. 71. Arad the Canaanite vanquished Sect. 72. The Brazen Serpent Sect. 73. Several stations of the Israelites Sect. 74. The Miraculous Well Sect. 75. Sihon slain Sect. 76. Og totally subdued Sect. 77. The Encamping at Abel-shittim Sect. 78. Balaam sent for to curse the Israelites His Ass speaks Sect. 79. Balaam attempts to curse Israel Sect. 80. The Idolatry and Whoredom of the Israelites at Mount Peor Sect. 81. Midian Conquered Sect. 82. Moses and Eleazar number the people Sect. 83. Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 84. Joshua appointed Successor Sect. 85. A repetition of the Law of sacrificing Sect. 86. Laws concerning Vows Sect. 87. The Reubenites and Gadites desire a possession on that side Jordan Sect. 88. The Journal of Israels Travels Sect. 89. The Limits of Canaan Sect. 90. The Levites Cities Sect. 91. Orders concerning the Marriage of Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 92. The Book of Deuteronomy containing Moses's dying speech to Israel Sect. 93. Moses's death Israels mourning for him Sect. 94. Joshua begins his Government Sect. 95. They come near unto and pass the river Jordan Sect. 96. Circumcision enjoyned them Sect. 97. The first Passover in Canaan Manna ceases Sect. 98. Jericho taken burnt and cursed Sect. 99. The Israelites defeated at Ai. Sect. 100. Joshua marches against Ai. Sect. 101. A Monument of stone and an Altar erected and Blessings and Cursings pronounced at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal Sect. 102. The League with the Gibeonites Sect. 103. Adonizedek and his allies besiege Gibeon Their discomfiture Prodigious Hailstones The Sun and Moon stand still at the prayer of Joshua Sect. 104. Several Kings vanquished and their Cities taken Sect. 105. The rise of the Sabbatical year Sect. 106. Joshua's war with the Northern Kings His victory over them Sect. 107. Joshua's rest from war Sect. 108. Joshua divides the land Sect. 109. Joshua and the Elders proceed to divide the land Ephraim and Manasseh complain Sect. 110.
Caleb's request to Joshua Hebron given to him Othniel's marriage Sect. 111. Seven Tribes desire a stop may be put to the division of the land Sect. 112. The first Sabbatical year Sect. 113. A solemn Feast of Tabernacles kept Sect. 114. The Camp and Tabernacle remove to Shiloh Sect. 115. The seven Tribes reproved Their lots Sect. 116. Joshua's Inheritance Sect. 117. Cities set apart for the Levites Sect. 118. Israel's possession of Canaan Sect. 119. The Reubenites and Gadites commended and blest Their Altar Ed. Sect. 120. The Elders of Israel called together by Joshua His speech to them Sect. 121. The Tabernacle removed to Sechem Joshua's Exhortation to the Israelites Joseph's bones solemnly inter'd Joshua's and Eleazar's death Sect. 122. The Book of Judges Sect. 123. Bezek taken Adonibezek's usage Sect. 124. The settlement of the Kenites Sect. 125. Hormah and other Cities taken Sect. 126. Bethel taken Luz built The Canaanites remain Sect. 127. An Angel appears to them in an humane shape and reproves them The people weep Sect. 128. Micah's Idolatry His Priest Sect. 129. The Danites carry away Micah's Idol Laish taken Sect. 130. The wickedness of Gibeah The Levites Concubine Sect. 131. A Convention at Mizpeh The War against Benjamin Sect. 132. Six hundred Benjamites in Rimmon The Virgins surprized at Shiloh Sect. 133. Israel for their sins given up into the hands of Cushan King of Mesopotamia Othniel delivers them His conquest of Cushan and death Sect. 134. Ehud kills Eglon. Shamgar delivers the people from the Philistines Sect. 135. The History of Ruth Sect. 136. Jabin oppresseth Israel Deborah and Barak Sisera slain Sect. 137. Deborahs Song Sect. 138. The Midianites oppress Israel Gideon's vision He throws down Baals Altar The Fleece dry and wet Sect. 139. Gigeon's army diminished The dream of the Barley Cake He destroys the Midianites slays their Kings Ephramites expostulate with him Sect. 140. The people offer Gideon to make him King His Ephod and death Sect. 141. Baal-berith Abimelech's Tyranny His death at Thebez Sect. 142. Tola's Government and death Sect. 143. Jair the Gileadite Sect. 144. Ammon invades Israel Jeptha's victory and vow Sect. 145. Jeptha subdues the Ephraimites His death Sect. 146. Ibzan judges Israel Manoah's vision Samson born Sect. 147. Elon and Abdon Sect. 148. Samson marries a Philistine Honey in the Lions Carcass Samson's Riddle He burns the Philistines Corn. Slays many of them Sect. 149. Breaks the bonds with which he was bound En Hakkore Sect. 150. Samson taken with Dalilah His locks cut and eyes put out He pulls down Dagons house and dies Sect. 151. Eli judges Israel Hannahs prayer Samuel born Sect. 152. Hannahs Song Samuel left with Eli. Sect. 153. The wickedness of Eli's Sons A Prophet comes to Eli. Sect. 154. Samuel call'd He denounces judgment against Eli. Sect. 155. The Philistines invade Israel The Ark of God taken Hophni and Phinehas slain Eli's death Sect. 156. The Ark carried in triumph Dagon broke The Philistines plagued The Beshemites smitten Sect. 157. The Ark at Kirjath-jearim The meeting at Mizpeh The Philistines overcome Sect. 158. Samuel made Judg. His Circuit He builds an Altar Sect. 159. Samuel's Sons very wicked The people desire a King Sect. 160. Kish sends his Son Saul to seek his Asses Samuel meets him Saul Prophesies Sect. 161. Saul taken by lot The manner of the Kingdom Sect. 162. Nahash besieges Jabesh-Gilead He requires to put out their right eyes The place relieved by Saul and the Kingdom renewed Sect. 163. Samuel shews the people their sin in asking a King Extraordinary Thunder Sect. 164. Saul raiseth forces to go against the Philistines He sacrificeth Samuel declares his rejection of God Sect. 165. The passage at Michmash Saul and his Armour-bearer take a fort of the Philistines The confusion of the Philistines Army thereupon Jonathan eats honey Saul's Sons Sect. 166. Saul sent to destroy Amalek He spareth Agag and the best Cattel Agag slain by Samuel Sect. 167. Samuel sent to Jesse the Bethlemite Jesse's Sons pass before him David taken and anointed Sect. 168. Saul's Phrensie David plays on his Harp to him Sect. 169. David leaves the Court. The Philistines invading Israel bring a Giant with them David visits his Brethren He slays Goliah Jonathan entirely loves him and makes a Covenant of friendship with him David is highly applauded Sect. 170. Saul's hatred of and designs against him David escapes to Ramah Sect. 171. David flies to Jonathan who intercedes with his father for him Jonathan and David renew their Covenant Sect. 172. David flies to Nob. He eats of the shew-bread given him by Ahimelech And takes Goliah's Sword His several removals Doegs malice Eighty five Priests slain by him David's Enterview with Saul Samuel's death Nabal's churlishness Michal being given to Phalti David marries Abigal He flies to Hachilah thence to Achish Achish going against Israel dismisseth him Saul and the Witch of Endor David defeats the Amalekites Saul and his sons slain Sect. 173. Mephibosheth's fall Sect. 174. David hath news of Saul's death He mourns The Amalekite slain Sect. 175. David's Funeral Elegy for Saul and Jonathan Sect. 176. David goes to Hebron Is there anointed Sect. 177. Abner makes Ishbosheth King Sect. 178. David marries the King of Geshur's daughter Sect. 179. War between David and Ishbosheth Abner's Challenge to Joab that twelve of a side might fight Asahel slain Sect. 180. The War continues David's six Sons Sect. 181. Abner strongly upholds Ishbosheth's side and Joab David's Michal returned to David Abner treacherously slain by Joab Sect. 182. Baanah and Rechab murder Ishbosheth Sect. 183. David made King of Israel A list of the Tribes Sect. 184. David takes Zion Hiram's Embassie to him Sect. 185. The Philistines encamp at Rephaim Their defeat Sect. 186. The Ark removed Vzzah slain Obed-Edom blest David removes the Ark to Zion and dances before it Michal scoffs Sect. 187. Levites appointed to attend the Ark. A Psalm appointed by David to be sung Sect. 188. David designs to build a Temple Nathan's message from the Lord to him about it Sect. 189. David's several wars with the bordering enemies His great Officers Sect. 190. David's kindness to Mephibosheth His orders to Ziba Sect. 191. David's Embassie to Nahash King of Ammon The base usage of his Embassadors The Ammonites and Syrians vanquished Sect. 192. Rabbah besieged David's Adultery Vriah slain Sect. 193. Rabbah taken David assumes the Crown His severe usage of the conquered Sect. 194. David's repentance His Child dies Solomon born Sect. 195. Ammon ravisheth Tamar Absalom murders him Sect. 196. The woman of Tekoa Absalom's return Sect. 197. Absalom's Conspiracy Sect. 198. David flies Several Remarkables during his absence from Jerusalem Sect. 199. A famine Saul's sons are hang'd Sect. 200. War with the Philistines Four Giants Sect. 201. David's Triumphant Song Sect. 202. David's Prophesie Sect. 203. David's Worthies Sect. 204. David's Militia Sect. 205. The people number'd Of three judgments propounded David chooses the Plague
Araunah's floor Sect. 206. David receives the pattern of the Temple makes great preparations for the building of it Sect. 207. Officers appointed for the Temple Sect. 208. Rehoboam born to Solomon Sect. 209. Abishag brought to David Sect. 210. Adonijah aspires to the Crown Solomon anointed Adonijah's submission Sect. 211. David's charge to Solomon Sect. 212. Davids farewell Exhortation to the people His Prayer Solomon's prosperity Sect. 213. David's last words to Solomon His death Sect. 214. The Book of the Psalms Sect. 215. Solomon upon the Throne Adonijah slain Joab slain Shimei's Oath not to pass over Kidron Sect. 216. Hadad the Edomite returns Sect. 217. Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter Sect. 218. Solomon setled in the Kingdom Gods appearing to him in a dream and asking him what he should give him and Solomon's choosing wisdom Sect. 219. Solomon's judgment on the two Harlots Sect. 220. Hiram's Embassie to Solomon A League between them Sect. 221. Solomon's levy for the Temple Sect. 222. Shimei put to death Chap. V. The fifth Age from the building of the Temple to the destruction of it and Captivity of Judah Sect. 1. THE Temple described with all its parts The Temple-Officers Sect. 2. The Temple finished Solomon's solemn dedication of it Sect. 3. The Lord appears to Solomon again in a dream Sect. 4. Solomon's Palace His stately Throne The house of Lebanon His Golden Targets and Shields Sect. 5. Gezer taken by Pharaoh and given to his daughter Solomon's wife Sect. 6. Hiram dislikes the Cities which Solomon offered him Sect. 7. Solomon removes his Queen to the House built for her The Song of Solomon Sect. 8. Solomon's Navy Sect. 9. Solomon's other buildings Sect. 10. Hamath taken by Solomon's forces Sect. 11. Solomon's care in matters of Religion Sect. 12. Solomon's greatness splendor and glory Sect. 13. Solomon's Wisdom His Proverbs Sect. 14. The Queen of Sheba comes to hear his Wisdom Sect. 15. Solomon's many wives and defection from God Ahijah the Prophet sent to him with a sad Message Sect. 16. Solomon writes his Ecclesiastes Sect. 17. Solomon's Adversaries Ahijah sent to Jeroboam to acquaint him that he should be King of the Ten Tribes Sect. 18. Solomon dies Sect. 19. The division of the Kingdom Kings of Judah 1. Rehoboam is petitioned for ease of Taxes Ten Tribes revolt His Buildings and Wives Shishak King of Egypt plunders the Temple 2. Abijah reigns p. 505. His army and speech to Jeroboam Israel routed 3. Asa reigns pag. 509. His Grandmothers Grove Zerah invades him and is subdued Asa's league with Benhadad and death 4. Jehoshaphat reigns p. 515. Removes all high places used for false Gods His reformation His greatness and riches His affinity with Ahab He goes to Samaria Jehu the Prophet reproves him His care of the Kingdom His Fleet broken His victory and death 5. Jehoram succeeds p. 525. His Idolatry Slays his six Brethren Elijah's Letter to him Edom revolts Libnah revolts Philistines invade him His sad end 6. Ahaziah p. 529. His wickedness Is slain by Jehu 7. Athaliah p. 532. Her Idolatry and cruelty 8. Joash p. 533 He is set up by Jehoiada Athaliah slain Baal's house pull'd down Jehoiada's good instruction of him Collection for the Temple Jehoiada dies Joash's Idolatry Zachariah ston'd The Syrians vanquish him His death 9. Amaziah p. 541. He begins well His war with Edom and victory His Idolatry Joash King of Israel defeats him Amaziah slain 10. Vzziah p. 546. His Coronation He recovers Elath Conquers the Philistines His herds and husbandry Isaiah Prophesies Also Joel Vzziah's pride leprosie and death 11. Jotham p. 554. He subdues the Ammonites Micah Prophesies Jotham dies 12. Ahaz p. 555. His wickedness Syria and Israel invade him Isaiah sent to him Jerusalem's siege rais'd Ahaz forsakes the Lord. His calamities His league with Assyria and death 13. Hezekiah p. 563. His goodness and reformation He shakes off the Assyrian yoke Jerusalem besieged Rabshakeh's blasphemy Hezekiah's prayer Isaiah's message to him Hezekiah's sickness His thanksgiving The Assyrians destroyed Ambassadors from Babylon come to him Manasses born Nahum's Prophesie Hezekiah dies 14. Manasses p. 595. His great Idolatry He is taken captive shortly after is restored His reformation Habakkuk's Prophesie Manasseh dies 15. Amon p. 600. His Idolatry and death 16. Josiah p. 601. His piety Jeremiah Prophesies The Book of the Law found Huldah the Prophetess Josiah throws down Idolatry He goes to Bethel and other places His solemn Passover His death greatly lamented Zephany's Prophesie 17. Shallum or Jehoahaz pag. 611. His Idolatry Jeremy's admonition to him Pharaoh Necho carries him away 18. Jehoiakim p. 612. His Idolatry and oppression Jeremy exhorts him to repentance Vriah's Prophesie Jeremy's bonds and yokes Baruch's roll Nebuchadnezzar conquers the Egyptians Jehoiakim taken prisoner Daniel and others carried to Babylon Jehoiakim burns the roll Nebuchadnezzar returns home His dream of the great Image made of four metals Jehoiakim revolts The Golden Image set up by Nebuchadnezzar to be worshipped Jehoiakim dies 19. Jehoiakin p. 617. His Captivity Cyrus born 20. Zedekiah reigns p. 618. His wickedness Jeremy Prophesies Several Ambassadors come to Zedekiah Hananiah a false Prophet Jeremy's Letter to the Captives in Babylon Shemaiah a false Prophet inveighs against him Jeremy prophesies his death Ezekel's first vision Jerusalem besieged His other visions His Types Zedekiah revolts Judea is invaded Ezekiel's wife dies for whom he is commanded not to mourn Jeremy imprisoned Jerusalem's siege raised The Egyptians are overthrown and the siege renew'd Jeremy put into the dungeon Ezekiel prophesies again Jerusalem taken The Temple burnt The Kingdom of Judah come to an end Kings of Israel 1. Jeroboam chosen by the ten Tribes he fortifies Shechem Sets up the Golden Calves A Prophet sent to him who declares against his Altar His hand withers The Prophet being seduced a Lion slays him Jeroboam's son falls sick and dies His own death 2. Nadab an evil King slain by Baasha p. 508. 3. Baasha reigns p. 509. He doth evil He builds Ramah Jehu's message to him Baasha dies 4. Elah reigns two years p. 511. Zimri slays him 5. Zimri burnt p. 511. 6. Omri made King His Idolatry and burial p. 512. 7. Ahab p. 512. He marries Jezabel Jericho rebuilt Obadiah hides the Prophets Elijah's miracles Elisha called Benhadad conquered A Prophet reproves Ahab Naboth's Vineyard Elijah meets Ahab Ahab slain at Ramoth-Gilead Moab revolts 8. Ahaziah p. 543. His fall His message to Baalzebub Elijah brings down fire upon two companies of fifty He dies 9. Jehoram p. 545. He maintains the Golden Calves Elijah's Translation Elisha takes up his Mantle Elisha's Miracles The Moabites destroy one another The King of Edom sacrifices his Son Elisha works more Miracles A sore famine in Samaria It s miraculous relief The Shunamite returns Benhadad sends to Elisha Hazael stifles Benhadad Jehoram recovers Ramoth-Gilead Jehu anointed Joram slain Ahaziah slain Jezabel's death 10. Jehu made King p. 585. The slaughter of Ahab's off-spring
whereby God is called upon as a Witness shall be between the Parties and if the Keeper do swear that he hath not put his Hands to his Neighbour's Goods neither knows what is become of them then the Owner must rest satisfied with that Oath and he to whom the Cattel were intrusted shall not make them good But if they be stolen from him thorow his own negligence he shall make them good to the Owner And if any of them be torn in pieces he may bring some part of them to witness it was so and then he shall not make them good v. 10 11 12 13. 20. If a man borrow ought of his Neighbour and it be hurt or die the Owner thereof being not with it he shall surely make it good And the reason of this Law seems to be to make them the more circumspectly careful of things borrowed But if the Owner thereof be with it as sometimes the Beast and its Owner might be hired together and the Owner being by might see that the Mischief which happened could not be prevented he shall not make it good If it were hired it came for its hire that is if it were not borrowed gratis but hired he that hired it shall be free paying the conditioned hire vers 14 15. 21. If a man entice a Maid who is not betrothed and lie with her he shall surely endow her that is he shall give her such a Dower or sum of Money as is used to be given with Maids of her condition and so shall marry her But if her Father utterly refuse to give her unto him in marriage He shall pay her so much as may serve to marry her to another of a suitable Condition to Her vers 16 17. Further the Lord gives them these subsequent Laws 22. Thou shalt not suffer a Witch or Sorceress (h) The Devil's Craft most prevails with womens weakness in that kind though he prevails with some men also Deut. 18.10 to live The same is decreed concerning men that had familiar Spirits Lev. 20.27 viz. That they should be stoned vers 18. 23. Whosoever lieth with a Beast shall be surely put to death And the Beast also was to be put to death Lev. 20.15 vers 19. 24. He that Sacrificeth to any God save to the Lord the God of Israel the only true God shall be destroyed as a person execrable and accursed vers 20. 25. You shall neither vex a Stranger nor oppress him for you your selves were Strangers in the Land of Egypt Lev. 19.33 vers 21. 26. You shall not afflict any Widow or Fatherless Child If thou afflict them in any wise and they Cry unto Me saith the Lord I will surely hear their Cry and my Wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the Sword and your Wives shall be Widdows and your Children Fatherless vers 22 23 24. 27. If thou lend money to any of my people (i) Unto Strangers they might lend upon Usury Deut. 23.10 that is poor by thee thou shalt not be to him as an Vsurer nor an exacting Creditor neither shalt thou lay upon him Vsury (k) The word is Nesheck which signifies a biting Usury that is a biting consuming Vsury To such as these our Saviour Commands us to lend freely not expecting so much as the Principal if they be not able to pay much less the Vse See Luke 6.34 35. vers 25. 28. If thou take such of thy Neighbours Garments and Coverlids to pledge which he useth to lie in by Night and which he needeth to cover him thou shalt restore them to him before the Sun goeth down For if he Crieth unto Me saith the Lord I am gracious I will hear him So that this Prohibition seems to forbid in effect the taking any such thing to pawn (l) See Deut. 24.12 For it were in vain to take such a thing for a Pawn in the Morning which without paying the money must be restored ere night vers 26 27. 29. Thou shalt not revile the Gods * Psal 28.16 I have said ye are Gods but ye shall die like men See Acts 23.5 that is those that fit in the place of Judgment nor curse the Ruler of thy people vers 28. 30. Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe Fruits and of thy Liquors that is thy Oil and Wine unto the Lord. For it is fit that He that gives All should be acknowledged as Lord of all by having this Tribute paid unto Him and that He should be presented first to procure his blessing upon the rest And the first-born of thy Sons thou shalt give to me saith the Lord or redeem him with five Shekels of Silver which shall be given to the Priests my Servants Numb 18.16 The like shalt thou do with the first-born of thy Bullocks and thy Sheep Seven days shall they be with their damm on the eighth day (m) Lev. 22.27 thou mayst present them unto Me. Thus the Law prescribed yet doubtless when they saw cause they might keep them something longer So that they did not delay to bring them out of an unwillingness to give them to the Lord vers 29 30. 31. Ye shall be a holy people unto Me saith the Lord ye shall not eat any Flesh that is torn of Beasts in the Field but ye shall cast it to Dogs This was injoyned them to teach them not only to abhor to eat the flesh of Beasts thus killed but to abhor all Rapine and Cruelty as sins most odious in the sight of God vers 31. 32. Thou shalt not raise nor readily receive Exod. Ch. 23. nor maliciously spread a false Report against thy Neighbour nor joyn nor combine with the Wicked to be an unrighteous Witness and so to carry on their wicked design and enterprize Thou shalt not follow the multitude to do evil neither shalt thou so speak in a Cause as to decline after the mighty (n) Rabbim signifies the mighty as well as the many to wrest Judgment Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his Cause any further than the merit and desert of it requires For Right is to be regarded in Judgment and not either Poverty or Riches Thou shalt not wrest nor overthrow the Right of the Poor in his Suit Thou shalt not strive against the Evidence of Truth to condemn the Poor in a just Cause or acquit him when his Cause is bad and unjust Keep thy self far from a false matter that is if thou be a Judge be marvellous shy either to admit of a false Testimony from others or to give false Judgment thy self especially against the life of a man The Innocent and the Righteous see thou slay not For God is a just God and will not justifie such wicked Judges And thou shalt take no Gift or Bribe For Gifts blind the eyes of the wise that is of those that seemed to be so making them judge otherwise than they should do being byassed by the
their Bodies nor their Clothes were burnt to ashes vers 5. Moses justifies God before Aaron in this his severe and tremendous stroke declaring that He will be sanctified by them that come nigh him and before all the people He will be glorified see Exod. 19.22 thereby presenting unto Aaron two arguments against Murmuring 1. Because the punishment was just 2. Because God would be glorified thereby and both the people in general and Aaron's Posterity in particular should thereby receive great good and benefit Hereupon Aaron held his peace and laying his hand upon his mouth gave a notable instance of his Piety and quiet submission to the holy will and pleasure of God Then Moses commanded Mishael and Elzaphan Aaron's Cosin-Germans to carry forth their dead Bodies without the Camp and to bury them there And He charges Aaron and his two surviving Sons Eleazer and Ithamar not to mourn for them nor uncover their Heads by taking off their Miters or Bonnets which they wore in the execution of their Priestly-Office nor rend their Clothes nor go out from the door of the Tabernacle upon this sad occasion lest they die for it and thereby also bring wrath upon the people For this was an extraordinary Judgment of God that had befallen their Brothers and they were to testifie their submission thereunto by not openly lamenting their death And they being newly anointed and now at this time prepared for their first entring upon the execution of their Priestly Office they might not break off their Service to attend the burial of their Brothers Yet the whole House of Israel were commanded to lament and bewail this burning which the Lord in consuming Nadab and Abihu had kindled among them and thereby threatned them all if they sinned presumptuously Moses upon this occasion gives to Aaron and his Sons and their Successors a Command to abstain from Wine and strong Drink when they went to minister before the Lord lest they should thorow any distemper or indisposedness (o) From this Ordinance made on this occasion some conclude that Nadab and Abibu were raised up to this presumption thorow the fume of Wine or strong Drink that might arise therefore be disabled from the execution of their Function in the two main parts of it viz. in discerning betwixt Holy and Vnholy Clean and Vnclean and in teaching the Law to the people And that this severe stroke (p) Non satis probari potest eos aeternum damnatos Peccatum enim ipsum quod attinet ex infirmitate videtur commissum non prae ebrietate ut vult R. Solomoh Quicquid igitur peccati huic inadverientiae inerat id omne temporali poena plectitur ut post nihil poena id propter iis luendum restare videatur Freidlibius upon Nadab and Abihu might not so cast down Aaron and his Sons as to make them neglect their meat or intermit their Service or be less lightsome in it then before Moses encourages them to their duty by inviting them to participate of the Provisions of the Lords Table and to eat of the Meat-Offerings and of the Shoulder and Breast of the peoples Peace-Offerings according to the manner that God had prescribed It so happened at this time that Eleazar and Ithamar upon the suddain and dreadful death of their two Brothers had as it seems being under extremity of grief and sorrow burned the Goat of the Sin-Offering mentioned before Ch. 9. vers 15. without the Camp which should not have been done the blood thereof not being carried into the Tabernacle see Levit. 4.16 17. but it should have been eaten by the Priests see Levit. 6.26 30. Moses not knowing what was become of it diligently sought after it out of a care that Gods Ordinance should be exactly observed and the Priests Rights duly maintained and understanding what Eleazar and Ithamar had done He chides them for their failing therein But Aaron extenuates his own and his Sons fault as occasioned thorow grief and the pressure of those doleful things that had befallen them intimating that if they had then eaten of the Sin-Offering it would not have been acceptable to the Lord For that great heaviness and sorrow they were now under made them unfit to eat those holy things as the Lord required who would have them eaten with joyfulness in his Presence see Deut. 12.7 and Moses allows their excuse and so passes the matter by Levit. Ch. 10. whole Chapter SECT XXXIII HItherto we have seen the Laws that concerned the Sanctification of the Priests and the Rites and Ceremonies of the Sacrifices Now general Laws are given concerning the Sanctification of the people and first for avoiding that uncleanness which they might contract from things without them And in giving these Laws God spake both to Moses and Aaron because it belonged both to the Magistrate and the Priest to see them put in execution the Priest being to teach the difference between things clean and unclean see Ezek. 44.23 and the Magistrate to take care that this difference be observed and hence is that Numb 9.6 And certain men that were defiled by the dead body of a man that they could not keep the Passover on that day came before Moses c. First Then here are Laws given what Creatures were to be accounted clean and unclean and how they must not defile themselves either with eating or touching (q) As a moral admonition that they ought to refrain from all fellowship in evil see Isa 52.11 any unclean thing but must walk as an holy people of the most holy God The Laws concerning Creatures which are to be accounted clean (r) No doubt but this distinction of clean and unclean Beasts was by revelation made known to the Fathers from the first whence that direction is given to Noah immediately before the Flood Gen. 7.2 but this seems only in respect of Sacrifices for as to eating or not eating it seems they had no distinction then of clean and unclean Beasts Gen. 9.3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you even as the green herb have I given you all things But now by this Law the Israelites are forbidden the eating of divers meats both Flesh and Fowl and Fish as unclean and that possibly to inure this stubborn people to an absolute dependance on Gods Word and Will in all things as also to restrain them from that which was usually eaten among the Gentiles and to mind them of the difference God had put between them and all other Nations and the special purity He requir'd of them above all other people see Levit. 20.25 26. And therefore the Apostle reckons this among the the legal shadows Acts 2.16 17. Let no man judge you in meat or drink c. which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ See also Acts 10.15 or unclean as to Food may be reduced to these three heads First Concerning fourfooted-Beasts Those are to be accounted clean
of our April and part of our May. of the second year after their departure out of Egypt God commanded Moses and Aaron and the Heads of the Tribes which were twelve to take the number of all the males of the Children of Israel that were fit for War except the Levites viz. from 20 years old to 60 mustering them according to their Hosts or Tribes and according to their Kindreds and Families which was accordingly performed and the numbers of each Tribe are expressed in particular and of all in general which amounted to 603550 being just the same number (u) Compare Exod. 30.11.12 and Exod. 38.26 which was taken seven months before when they were sessed for a Contribution to the building of the Tabernacle But the Levites God commanded should not be numbred or reckoned in this account being not appointed for War but for the Service of the Tabernacle (x) 'T is called V. 50. The Tabernacle of the Testimony in regard that therein was kept the Testimony of Gods Will viz. the Law written in two Tables and lying in the Ark of the Covenant Heb. 9.4 and Exod. 25.21 't is cal'd the Testimony viz. some of them to set it up and take it down and others of them to remove and carry it from place to place as occasion required And none that were not of the Tribe of Levi might meddle with it or help to take it down or set it up upon pain of death Numb 1. whole Chapter SECT XLIII GOd now prescribes the Order of the Tribes encampâ—â—g about the Tabernacle with their Standards and how the Levites should Encamp nearest to it and the Order to be observ'd by them all in their Marches and to cut off all matter of contention the Lord Himself appoints to every Tribe their several place The Order prescribed for their Encamping was according to this Scheme The Tabernacle Moses Aaron and the Priests Warriors in all 186400. East-ward Judah 74600. Issachar 54400. Zabulon 57400. Levites of Cohath Warriors in all 151450. South-ward Reuben 46500. Simeon 59300. Gad 45650. Levites of Gershon Warriors in all 108100. West-ward Ephraim 44500. Manasses 32200. Benjamin 35400. Levites of Merari Warriors in all 157600. North-ward Dan 62700. Asher 41500. Naphthali 53400. Thus we see in what excellent Order the twelve Tribes were disposed in their Encamping about the Tabernacle The Priests and Levites were to pitch their Tents round about it But the Tribes at some distance from it possibly at the distance of two thousand Cubits which is an English mile for such a space we find was between the Ark and the people when they passed over Jordan Josh 3.4 The Lord commanded that three Tribes should quarter together under one Standard which the Chief of the Three carried and so the whole Host consisted of four great Brigades or Battations The Tribe of Judah out of which the Messias was to spring has the Preheminence and is to March foremost as Captain of the rest and so Judah hath the dignity of the First-born which was taken from Reuben neither can Reuben withstand it because God hath so ordered it And thus we may conceive what a glorious sight it was to behold the Tribes thus orderly disposed in their several places and therefore it is no wonder that Balaam was stricken with admiration to behold it Numb 24.5 6. and that He cried out How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel c. Numb 2. whole Chapter SECT XLIV IN the next place we have set down the Families and Kindreds of Aaron and Moses Aaron is mentioned in the first place because his Sons as being Priests had the Preheminence of Mose's Posterity who were but ordinarily Levites And though there be no particular mention of Mose's Sons yet they are included among the Cohathites of which Family Moses was vers 27. The Lord orders Moses to give the Levites to Aaron and his Sons to assist them in their Ministration at the Sanctuary and in that Service and Worship which God had given in charge to Aaron and the whole Congregation to perform and they were to have the Sacred things of the Tabernacle under their Custody and Charge which the Children of Israel must have been charged with had not the Levites been separated to take that Charge upon them in their behalf But though the Levites were given to the Priests to be helpful and subservient to them in things that were fit for them to do yet in those things that peculiarly belonged to the Priests Office (y) V. 10. The Levite in respect of the Priests peculiar Office was a stranger they might not intermeddle upon pain of death The Lord further declares That He had taken the Levites to be His in stead of all the first-born Males of the Children of Israel (z) That is in stead of all the first-born Males that were now at present among them For all the first-born Males after this both of Man and Beast were to be redeemed or given to the Priests Numb 18.15 Exod. 13.2 and therefore orders Moses to number all the Male-Levites from one Month old and upwards which was done according to their Families For the Sons of Levi being Gershon Cohath and Merari of them the three Families of the Levites descended The whole number of the Male-Levites thus reckoned was found to be 22300. (a) So much those three sums make mentioned Numb 3. v. 22 28 34. But taking out their first-born namely such first-born as were born to them from the time of their coming out of Egypt when God did first Challenge the First-born to be His in remembrance of his slaying all the First-born among the Egyptians see Exod. 13.2 which were upon that account the Lords as they were the First-born and were not therefore to be reckoned among those that were to be given to Him in stead of the First-born of the other Tribes I say taking out these First-born which were 300 then the number of the Levites given to the Lord amounted only to 22000. * The number of the Male-Levites reckoned from 30 years old to 50 was but 8580. Numb 4.48 All which were assumed to the Service of God in lieu of the First-born of all the rest of the Children of Israel (b) V. 41. 'T is said the Cattel of the Levites shall be taken in stead of all the Firstlings of the Cattel of the Children of Israel that is As the Levites were taken for the first-born of the Israelites so the Levites Cattel were taken in exchange for the first-born of the Israelites Cattel And because the number of the First-born-Males of all the Children of Israel in the twelve Tribes exceeded this number of the Male-Levites 273 see Numb Ch. 3. vers 43. therefore was there laid upon them for every of those supernumerary Heads five Shekels a man by way of Redemption which was the price they afterwards paid for the Redemption of the First-born Numb 18.15 16.
burn Incense was within the Tabernacle at the Altar of Incense but this was an extraordinary occasion and a means enjoyned for the discovery of the Lords will whither these men or only Aaron and his Sons as formerly should enter into the Tabernacle to execute the Priests Office Corah having assembled his Confederates and the generality of the people before the Tabernacle and not finding Dathan and Abiram there as it should seem went to their Tents to talk with them see Ch. 26.10 and probably from them He went to his own Tent before Moses and the Elders came to the Tabernacle as presently they did In the mean time the 250 Conspirators on the one side taking fire from the Altar and putting it into their Censers and laying Incense thereon and Aaron near to whom Moses stood doing the like on the other God now signifies his approach and the actual manifestation of his Presence by the descending of the Cloud which used to hover over the Tabernacle to the door (x) See vers 42. of this Chap. and Ch. 12.5 thereof And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this Congreation that I may consume these Conspirators and all that joyn with them in a moment Then Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who formest the spirit of man within him Zach. 12.1 and seest and knowest the spirits and hearts of all men and art able to discern between those that sin obstinately and those that are only seduced by others and drawn hither only to see what would be done Shall one man sin viz. Corah the chief Incendiary and wilt thou be wroth with the whole Congregation Upon this intercession the Lord was pleased to spare the people that would depart from these Rebells And then imparting to Moses what He intended to do commands him to warn the Congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram Moses accordingly rose up many of the Elders of Israel accompanying him to denounce the Judgment of God against these Conspirators and he warns the Congregation to depart from the Tents of these wicked men and to get far from them and to touch nothing of theirs as judging all that they have execrable and accursed lest they perish (y) V. 26. Lest you be consumed in all their sins that is lest you be destroyed in the Judgment that will fall upon them for all their sins the cause is here put for the effect in the Judgment which was ready to fall upon them for their great Sins and Provocations The people accordingly did so and fled from the Tents of these men but Dathan and Abiram impudently came out and stood in the doors of their Tents with their Wives and Children as if they intended to out-face Moses and scorned the Judgment he threatned against them Moses then sayed Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me and hath appointed me to take upon my self the Government of this people and hath conferred the Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons and that I have not done these things on my own head If these men die the common and ordinary death of other men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord by his Almighty Power do work a new and hitherto-unheard of Miracle so that the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up quick then you must needs acknowledge that I am innocent and that these men have highly provoked the Lord. Moses having made an end of speaking the Earth immediately opened her mouth and swallowed up * An undoubted evidence of Gods concurrence with the ministry of Moses and withall an undoubted assurance of the divine truth of Moses's Writings these Rebels and all that appertained to them that were there present And the same it seems happened and probably at the same time to Corah and his Family as appeareth Numb 26.10 only some of his Children who as 't is like joyned not in their Fathers sin or if they did soon repented of it and gave over and departed from their Fathers Tent at Moses's warning were spared And of their Race came such as either composed some of the Psalms or at least were famous Singers in the Temple and Samuel also the great Prophet and Judge in Israel was of that Race see 1 Chron. 6.33 to 38. Thus perished the Ringleaders of this Rebellion All the Israelites that were near them fled at the Cry of them fearing lest the Earth should swallow up them also And as a further addition to the dreadfulness of this Judgment there came fire out from the Lord and consumed their 250 Confederates who had offered Incense and usurped the Priests Office They are punished with fire as by fire they had offended see Levit. 10.2 Moses now by Gods Command appointeth Eleazar the Son of Aaron to gather up the Censers from among the ashes of the dead bodies of these men that were burnt and consumed and to scatter the fire that was in them without the Court of the Tabernacle as shewing that God rejected it and their Service and abhorred their Sacrifice And he tells him That the Censers of these Sinners against their own Souls were now hallowed (z) Sanctificata dicuntur quia ex deputatione Dei servire deinceps debebant divina gloriae illustrandae having been presented before the Lord by his Commandment and he orders him to make broad Plates of them for a covering of the Altar (a) A parte anteriori altaris ponebantur ut a populo conspici possint of Burnt-Offerings which was covered with Plates of Brass before see Exod. 27.2 And the less need there was of them the fitter they were to be a sign of Gods Judgment against presumptuous Conspirators and of his vindicating and clearing the innocency of his faithful Servants and to be a Memorial to the Children of Israel that all Israelites and Levites excepting Aaron's Sons are to be reckoned as Strangers in respect of the Priests Office and may not aspire to it lest they perish as Corah and his Confederates did However the very next morning after those dismal Judgments had been executed all the Congregation of the people that were inclined to this Faction whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them murmured against Him and Aaron and peremptorily told them That they had killed the Lords people Moses and Aaron being thus injuriously charged looked up to God as having no other Refuge or Shelter to fly unto and immediately behold the Cloud descended upon the Tabernacle as a sign of the approach and actual manifestation of the glorious Presence of God and that he intended to speak something unto them Moses and Aaron presenting themselves before the Lord the Lord bad them get them up presently from among this rebellious Company that he might consume them in a moment But they fell
on their faces and interceeded with the Lord for them God by his Spirit informs Moses That he had sent a Plague among them and directs him what course to take for the stopping of it Hereupon he calls to Aaron to take his Censer and to put fire into it from off the Altar and to put Incense thereon and to run quickly and make atonement for the people and to stand between the living and the dead (b) Incense was only to be offered upon the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle but this was done upon an extraordinary occasion and by an extraordinary warrant of divine Inspiration for he tells him Wrath was gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron did as Moses commanded him yet the Plague ran so swiftly among the people like fire in a field of Corn that before Aaron could interpose himself to make atonement wherein he was a Figure of Christs Intercession there fell fourteen thousand and seven hundred of those rebellious Murmurers see 1 Cor. 10.10 and then the Plague was stayed and Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tabernacle to acquaint him how he had sped and to return thanks unto the Lord who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands Numb 16. whole Chapter SECT LXIV THat none might for the future presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood or aspire to it besides Aaron and his Sons God was pleased to enjoyn Moses to take of each Prince of the twelve Tribes a Rod or Staff such as they did usually carry in their hands which were it seems according to the Custom of those times made of Almond-Tree and to write every Princes Name on his Rod and to write Aaron's Name upon the Rod of the Tribe of Levi. He tells him That the mans Rod whom he did choose to serve him in the Priesthood should blossom and the rest remain dry And God orders Moses to lay all the Rods up in the Tabernacle in the most holy place before the Ark of the Testimony where the Lord did use by glorious signs to testifie his Presence and make known his Will unto them see Exod. 25.22 For upon such extraordinary occasions we need not doubt but Moses used to go into the most holy place Accordingly next morning Moses went in thither and he found that the Rod of Aaron had shot forth branches and some of them had buds on them and some blossoms and others yielded Almonds but all the rest of the Rods remaining dry as they were before Then Moses brought out all the Rods and shewed them to the Children of Israel and the Princes took every man his Rod and found them dry sticks as before but Aaron's Rod flourished and had brought forth Buds Blossoms and Fruit by which Miracle they were convinced that God had chosen Aaron and his Sons to be the only Priests that should serve Him at the Altar And hereupon God orders Moses to lay up Aaron's Rod again in the most holy place before the Ark to be kept there * See Apostol Hist on Heb. 9.6 as a Testimony against any such Children of Rebellion as should ever after presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood And by this means also he might prevent the murmurings and complainings of the people which if they went on in they would thereby bring certain destruction upon their own heads The people hearing these things and being exceedingly terrified with this threatning and the remembrance of those late dreadful Judgments that had carried away so many among them they cry out unto Moses Alas we die we perish we all perish that is we see we are in continual danger of being swept away with terrible Judgments And as men terrified are wont to conceive their danger to be greater than indeed it is they now apprehend that it would be exceeding dangerous for them to come near the Tabernacle or to be present at any Worship or Service there performed and seem to fear that God would not withdraw his Indignation from them until he had destroyed and consumed them all Ch. 17. whole Chapter SECT LXV THe people being under such a fear and consternation the Lord hereupon takes order for the guard of the Sanctuary and injoyns that every one should remain within the Verge and Limits of his duty and so they should be safe and he tells Aaron That He and the Priests and Levites shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary that is if any pollution (c) Thus the Lord shews himself reconciled and makes the Priests watch a ground of appeasing both the fear and envy of the people came to it by the people they should answer for it and bear the punishment thereof if they did not take care to prevent it and the Priests should bear the punishment of all Iniquity committed about their Priests Office if they did carry themselves amiss in it or suffer a stranger or Levite to meddle therein He tells them he had joined * Here is an allusion to Levies name which signifies joyned the Levites to them to minister to them in the outward Services of killing and slaying the Sacrifices c. but they themselves only should serve at the Altar and within the holy place before the Ark of the Testimony and the Levites shall observe the Precepts and Charge which he hath given them concerning their Ministry and concerning the sacred things of the Tabernacle which are committed to their Care that so every one keeping his station and doing his duty there may be no wrath any more upon the Children of Israel only they shall not meddle with the Service of the Sanctuary and Altar lest they die And if the Priests did not endeavour to prevent any such Errour or Miscarriage in their Brethren the Levites they should also incur the like danger Thus he appoints the Levites to minister to the Priests and orders that he that is not of the Tribe of Levi shall not be admitted to serve and minister unto them For God having taken the Levites instead of the first-born of the Children of Israel to himself he had given them unto Aaron and his Sons for his own Service and the Service of the Tabernacle Therefore he and his Sons should exercise their Priests Office in all things that concern the Altar of Burnt-Offerings and in all things which are to be done within the outward Veil whereby the holy place is divided from the Court the High Priest in the most holy place and inferiour Priests within the Sanctuary or holy place And God tells Aaron and his Sons That 't is his free Gift and favour to them that he had made choice of them before others for the Priestly Office and that He had ordained That whoever is not of Aaron's Line and goeth about to meddle with the Priestly Office shall be put to death from vers 1. to 8. The Lord having thus set down the Office and Work of the Priests and Levites he
their Gods also He had executed Judgment causing possibly some such notable accident to befal the Egyptian Idols as did the Philistines Dagon which fell down before the Ark see Exod. 12.12 Their second Station was Succoth their third Etham where the Lord began first to go before them by day in a Pillar of Cloud and by night in a Pillar of fire From Etham they turned unto Pihahiroth a narrow passage between two ledges of Mountains into which being entred Pharaoh overtook them with a great Army and thought they could not have escap'd him but God divided the Red-Sea which the Israelites passing thorow the Egyptians assayed to follow them and there were miserably drowned The Israelites having past thorow the Sea went three days journey in the Wilderness of Etham without any water and pitched in Marah Here they found the Waters very bitter insomuch that they began to murmur against Moses but God sweetened the Waters by the casting in of a Tree Exod. 15.23 From Marah they came to Elim where were twelve Fountains of Water From Elim they encamped by the Red-Sea †See Sect. 8. of this Book and from thence removed to the Wilderness of Sin so called from Sin a City in Egypt over against which this Wilderness lay Hither they came just a month after their departure from Rameses Here they murmur grievously for want of Food and God gave them Quails for one meal and Manna from Heaven which was continued till they came into Canaan From Sin they came to Dophkah and from thence to Alush and from thence to Rhepidim * See Sect. 10. of this Book where wanting water again they were ready to stone Moses but water was fetched for them miraculously out of a Rock in Horeb. Here they had a Victory over the Amalekites who set upon them From Rephidim they came to the Wilderness of Sinai Hither they came at the beginning of the third month Exod. 19.1 and stayed till the second day of the second month of the second year Numb 10.11 12. Here the Law was given and the Tabernacle framed and the people punished for making and worshipping a golden Calf and Nadab and Abihu smitten dead for offering strange fire Here the people were first numbred and then ordered as to their Encampings about the Tabernacle and in their Journeys towards the Land of Canaan From Sinai they marched by Taberah signifying a burning because there the fire of God till quenched by Moses's prayer consumed the hindermost in the Camp for their murmuring and so they came to Kibroth-Hattavah Here the people fell a lusting for Flesh again And God now gave them Quails for a whole month together in great abundance whereon they surfeited and died miserably with the flesh between their teeth Then they came to Hazeroth Here Aaron and Miriam murmured against Moses and she was smitten with Leprosie Numb 12. Then they came to Rithmath in the Wilderness of Paran near Kadesh-barnea whence Spies were sent to search the Land Upon the evil report of ten of them the people horribly murmur God was very wroth with them for it and appoints Moses to return again to the Red-Sea and declares That not one of that Generation save Caleb and Joshua should enter into Canaan Then they came to Rimmon-Parez and from thence to Libnah call'd Laban Deut. 1.1 and then to Rissah then to Kehelatha thence to Mount Shapher thence to Haradah and pitched in Makheloth signifying Assemblies so called as some think because of the mutinous Assemblies of Corah Dathan and Abiram in that place Thence to Tahath and pitched at Tarah thence to Mithcah and pitched at Hashmonah and encamped at Maseroth and then came to Bene-Jaakan and incamped at Hor-gidgad from thence to Jothathah a Land of Rivers of waters Deut. 10.7 Here the Rock Rephidim-water as it seems stopped its course * See Dr. Fuller's Pisgah-sight God suspending Miracles when he affords means and as 't is probable the Israelites drank of the water of the Country till they came to Kadesh Then they encamped at Ebronah from thence they marched to Eziongaber a place by the Red-Sea where was a Harbour for Ships in Edom's Land 1 Kings 9.26 From thence to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin Here Miriam died The people in this place wanting water murmur again and had water again given them out of a Rock Here God was very angry with Moses and Aaron for their unbelief and here they had the Sentence of Death passed on them though reprieved for a time and rendred uncapable of entring into Canaan They came hither in the beginning of the 40th year and hence they sent to crave a passage thorow Edoms Land but it was denied them God Commands them not to force it but to find another way From Kadesh they removed to Mount Hor in the edge of the Land of Edom where Aaron died Then they came to Zalmonah so called possibly of Zolom an Image For this is thought to be the place where the Israelites for murmuring again for want of water and loathing Manna were stung with fiery Serpents and the brasen Serpent was by God's direction erected for their Cure and help As for their five following Stages viz. Punon Oboth Jie-abarim and Dibon-Gad so called because it was repaired and possessed by the Tribe of Gad Ch. 32.34 and Almon-Diblathaim we find no memorable accident happening at them Thence they came to the Mountains of Abarim and then to the Plains of Moab And here God commanded Moses to charge the Israelites to drive out the Inhabitants of the Land viz. by destroying them Deut. 7.22 23. and to destroy their Pictures and molten Images and High Places and to divide their Land by lot among themselves But if they did not take care to drive them out then he declares The Canaanites should be pricks in their Eyes and thorns in their Sides and a continual Vexation to them and He would bring that destruction on them for their Disobedience which he thought to bring on the Canaanites viz. root them out of the Land Numb 33. whole Chapter SECT LXXXIX THe Lord now by Moses declareth unto Israel the Bounds (a) V. 3. The Wilderness of Zin lay at the very East-end of the South-border in the corner whereof it joyned with the East-border right against the South-end of the Salt-Sea that is the Lake of Sodom called also the Dead-Sea see Gen. 14.3 V. 7. This was not that Mount Hor where Aaron died which was South-wâ—rd in the edge of Edoms Land Ch. 33.37 38. but another Mountain on the North-side of Canaan by some supposed to be Libanus and by other Mount Hermon and Limits of the Land of Canaan lying within Jordan which he intended to give them that they might be assured they should possess it and might know how far they were to proceed in their Conquests and where to stay and according to these Bounds and Limits might make a division of the Land among the nine
whom was the Spirit of God and an extraordinary measure of Grace he employs that short time in faithfully instructing the people and earnestly exhorting them to walk steadfastly in the ways of God He rehearses to them several remarkable Occurrences and passages of divine Providence which had happened to them during their forty years travels in the Wilderness not binding himself always to exact order as to times and places in his Narration that they might remember them for their benefit And this being for the most part a new Generation the old rebellious Stock having perished in the Wilderness He sets himself to instruct them in the Laws and Statutes of God not only repeating them to them but explaining and amplyfying many of them and adding some new ones * Hence this Book is call'd Deuteronomy or a second Declaration of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi secunda vel secundaria Lex Repetitio est praecipuarum Legum ac monitorum in eorum gratiam qui tempore promulgatae Legis aut nondum nati aut per aetatem intelligendi incapaces erant Cum quibus Moses hic instaurat foedus praeterea quaedam hic nova addita to them He causes them to enter into a solemn Covenant to serve the Lord faithfully He Predicts and foretells what would befal them hereafter and solemnly blesses them before his death Chap. I And first He reminds them of Gods calling Israel from Horeb to march towards Canaan He tells them how when they had continued well nigh a full year at Horeb * In journying from Egypt to Kadesh-barnea they spent about two years and from thence to the fields of Moab about 38 years whereas from Horeb or Sinai to Canaan it was but about 11 or 12 days Journey had they not provoked God by their sins to keep them wandring in the Wilderness so long God commanded them to march towards Canaan the borders of which he describes towards the South West North and East Deut. Ch. 1. from 1. to 9. 2. He reminds them how about that time by the advice of Jethro his Father-in-law he set Judges and Officers over the people For says he finding my self not able to bear the weight and burden of governing so great a people alone I said unto you The Lord hath multiply'd you as the Stars of Heaven and the Lord God of your Fathers make you a thousand times so many more as you are and bless you choose out therefore from among you wise and understanding men and I will make them Heads over you I will Constitute some of them to be Rulers over Thousands others to be Rulers over Hundreds others Rulers over Fifties and others to be Rulers over Tens And I charged the Judges at that time that they should judge rightâ—ously between man and man and not respect persons in Judgment but should hear the small as well as the great that they should not be afraid of men for the Judgment is Gods that is it is ordained by him and to be executed in his Name and the Judges representing his Person and sitting in his Seat should in judging follow the Rule by him prescribed and should judge justly as God Himself would do see 2 Chron. 19.6 And I further said If ye find any Cause too hard for you to determine bring it unto me And many other things I delivered and taught the Judges their duty in a more full and ample manner than now I express Deut. Ch. 1. from 9. to 19. 3. He shews them that when they left Horeb they marched thorow all that great and terrible Wilderness a Land where no man dwelt and wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions Deut. 8.15 a Land extream barren and destitute of all things necessary for the sustenance of man except by miraculous supply and came to Kadesh-Barnea Then says he I said unto you Ye are come to the Mountain of the Amorites the border of the Land which the Lord our God hath given unto us Go ye up therefore and possess it as God has commanded you fear not nor be discouraged But ye desired that Spies * Atque hic certum est Exploratores esse exigente populi incredulitate missos Deum Ducem sequi dâ—bebant Cananaeos fidenter aggredi Sed Dei promissis fidem non habebant Deut. 9.23 might first be sent to search the Land and to inform you concerning it and concerning the way wherein you must go up to take possession of it and what Cities you must first assault And I having inquired of the Lord concerning it Numb 13.3 and the Lord giving way to it or at least permitting it I was content with it and took twelve men one of a Tribe and they went up into the Mountain and came to the Valley of Eshcol And the Spies brought back some of the fruits of the Land namely Grapes Pomegranates and Figgs and said The Land was a very good Land But ye refused to go up and so rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord. And ye murmured in your Tents and said Because the Lord hated us he hath brought us forth out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites and to destroy us You further said Our Brethren whom we sent as Spies have discouraged us viz. all of them but Caleb and Joshua They tell us The people of that Land are greater and taller then we their Cities are great and walled up to Heaven moreover they tell us That the Sons of the Anakims those great Giants are there Then said I dread them not nor be afraid of them For the Lord your God goeth before you and will fight for you as he did in Egypt and as he hath hitherto done for you in the Wilderness there you have seen how the Lord by his Almighty Power hath born you as a Father takes up and carries his Child in his arms and hath born with your manners and perverseness as a tender Father doth with a froward Child Yet notwithstanding this incouragement you did not believe * This unbelief the Apostle notes to be the cause why they entred not into the Land of Promise Heb. 4.6 in the Lord your God who went before you to search out a place for you to pitch your Tents in in a Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night And the Lord was angry at your Murmurings and Vnbelief and sware there should not one of that evil Generation see that good Land Numb 14.23 save Caleb the Son of Jephunneh who followed the Lord fully and Joshua the Son of Nun Numb 14.6 30 38. And says he the Lord hath since that time at the other Kadesh been angry with me for your sakes For being moved with your Provocations I offended both in unadvised Speeches and distrust and thereupon the Lord said I should not go into the Land Numb 20.1 2 12. But Joshua who is continually about me to minister unto me He should go into it therefore
had been done and the reason of it And accordingly they sent Phineas the Son of Eleazar and ten Princes of each chief House a Prince unto them When they came to them Phineas in the name of the rest spake to them after this manner What Trespass is this Brethren that you have committed against the God of Israel in building you an Altar that you might rebel this day against the Lord Is it not enough and too much that we did many years since highly provoke God to Displeasure against us by suffering our selves to be drawn by the Daughters of Moab to the Worship of Baal-Peor and shall we now afresh provoke Him against us by a new Rebellion against his Law and by a new way of Idolatry The stain and infamy of that sin of Peor still lies upon us and we have all cause to blush at the remembrance of it even now at this day And I am afraid the Infection of that Idolatry does still cleave to some particular persons among us And seeing ye have now rebelled against the Lord this I tell you before-hand will be the fruit and effect of it He will immediately and forthwith be angry with the whole Congregation of Israel and we must expect a dreadful punishment to fall upon us all for this your Transgression as you may remember when Achan transgressed in taking the accursed thing Ch. 7.1 wrath fell on the whole people for it and that Man perished not alone for that Sin but several others with him If you think the Land without Jordan unclean because you have not Gods Tabernacle and Altar with you as we have then pass over to us We had rather diminish our own Inheritances to give you a share of them than that you should fall off from the true Worship of God Gods Glory and your Salvation obliges us to make this kind motion to you The Children of Reuben Gad and the half-Tribe of Manasseh having heard these words made this reply First They appeal to the great God the Searcher of all Hearts that they had not built this Altar with any such intent as their Brethren suspected The Lord God of Gods say they the Lord God of Gods he knows how hateful the very thought of any such thing is unto us and you our Brethren shall know by our constancy in the Worship of God how far we were from building that Altar with any intent to Sacrifice thereon If we did it in rebellion against the Law of God we desire the Lord should not spare us but punish us according to the hainousness of so great a Sin Alas say they our true and only intent in doing it was this for fear lest in time to come your Children might say to our Children What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel The Lord hath made Jordan a border between you and us You have no part in the Lord. And thus in Generations to come your Children may come not to suffer our Children to offer their Sacrifices on God's Altar alledging They were not of the Church and People of God nor of Abraham's Seed and so shall your Children make our Children cease from fearing and serving the Lord. Therefore we agreed to build this Altar not to offer any Sacrifice thereon but only to be a Memorial and Witness between you and us and our Generations after us That we were the people of God as well as you and had liberty to come and offer our Sacrifices on the Altar that is before the Tabernacle equally with you and that your Children might not in after Ages bar our Children from this Priviledge Phineas and the Princes that were sent with him hearing this were very glad and much pleased therewith and Phineas replied This day we perceive the Lord is indeed among us in that He hath kept you from falling into that scandalous Sin which we feared you had committed Now we perceive that you have delivered the Children of Israel out of the Hand of the Lord by having kept your selves from that Sin which might have drawn some heavy Judgment not only upon your selves but upon the whole body of the people had you fallen into it Then Phineas and the Princes took their leave of them and returning to Shiloh made their Report hereof to the Elders of Israel there met who were exceedingly well satisfied therewith and blessed God who had hereby prevented them from going against their Brethren And so the Altar was called Ed that is a Witness or Token that they did all on both sides Jordan acknowledge and own Jehovah for the true God and their God whom they would Worship in no other way than that which He Himself had prescribed Josh Ch. 22. whole Chapter SECT CXX JOshua rebuilt the City of Timnath-serah in Mount Ephram in which he dwelt several years after God had given rest to the Israelites And having lived 110 years which was the age of Joseph and finding his death to approach He called for all Israel that is the representative body of the people viz. the Elders of each Tribe with their Magistrates Judges and Officers to come to him He tells them He was now old and stricken in years They had seen the great things the Lord had done for them and how he had fought for them and vanquished the Canaanites 'T is true they were not all yet subdued but yet He had divided the Inheritances of those that remained unto them by lot and though he died and left the Work unfinished yet they might assure themselves if they continued stedfast to the Lord He would in due time perfect the Work He had begun and perform all that He had promised and drive out the Nations that were not yet driven out He bids them therefore to be of good courage and carefully to observe the Commandments of the Lord not turning aside from them to the right hand or to the left He exhorts them to take heed of any familiar Converse with those Nations that remain'd among them or to make Marriages with them or to have any thing to do with their gods He would not have them so much as to take the Name of their false gods into their Lips with any liking of them see Psal 16.4 nor cause the men of these Nations to swear by their Idols to justifie their Sayings or confirm their Promises Neither should the Judges admit of an Oath by their Idols in the trial of any Cause much less should they bow down to them and serve them but they should cleave to the Lord their God as they had done since they came under his Government * Since that time we read not of any notable Rebellion of this people against God see Judg. 2.7 The Lord says He has driven out for you great and potent Nations None of them that you encountred were able to stand before you And He will still be with you if you will be faithful unto Him He will so Arm you with
was given to Phineas his Son with whom 't is probable his Father lived For though the Priests had their Cities by lot in other Tribes namely Judah Simeon and Benjamin see Ch. 21.4 yet that the High Priest might be near to Joshua the Governour who dwelt in Mount Ephraim and that he might enquire of the Lord for him upon any special occasion and that he might be near to the Tabernacle which at this time was in Shiloh 't is like Eleazar (y) Donarunt forsan hunc locum honorarium Eleazaro ut Joshuae contiguus habitaret qui tamen est a Filio cognominatus in posterum Anonym in loc here lived and was now here buried Josh Ch. 24. whole Chapter SECT CXXII WE are now come to the Book of Judges The Book of Iudges which comprehends an History of the Common-wealth of Israel from the death of Joshua to the days of Eli containing the space of 299 years during which time they lived under the Government of certain Judges whom God successively and extraordinarily raised up and endowed with a Spirit of Wisdom and Courage to Rule over them as His Deputies and Vicegerents There are twelve of these mentioned in this Book viz. 1. Othniel whose Government from the death of Joshua is reckoned to be 40 years 2. Ehud 80 3. Deborath 40 4. Gideon 40 5. Abimelech 3 6. Thola 23 7. Jair 22 8. Jephtha 6 9. Ibzan 7 10. Elon 10 11. Abdon 8 12. Sampson 20 299 Within which space of time we are to comprehend the Six Oppressions of the Israelites mentioned in this Book and not to reckon them apart but as included within the years of the Judges and the Rest of the Land viz. Under Cushan 8 years Eglon 18 Jabin 20 Midian 7 Ammonites 18 Philistines 20 To the twelve Judges before-mentioned Eli and Samuel succeeded whose Acts are not here set down but in the First Book of Samuel Now there being 480 to be reckoned from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt to the building of Solomon's Temple 1 Kings 6.1 we may compute them thus 40 years spent in the Wilderness 17 in Joshua's Government 299 in the times of the twelve Judges 40 in Eli's time 40 in Samuel and Saul's 40 in David's 4 in Solomon's in the Fourth Year of whose Reign the Foundation of the Temple was laid 480 As to the Pen-man of this Book of Judges 't is very uncertain who it was But it seems to be gathered by some Prophet of God out of the Publick Records and Registers that were kept of their Affairs Some think Samuel was the Compiler of it SECT CXXIII JOshua being now dead and having a little before his death encouraged the people to expel the Canaanites that remained out of the Land though they had no man at present chosen of God and set over them to Command them in chief as Moses and Joshua did and finding that it was fit for them to go on with the War they assembled together as it seems at Shiloh to consult about this matter And because the success of their first Attempts would be of great consequence either to encourage or dishearten their Enemies they thought fit that Phineas the High Priest should enquire of the Lord for them by Vrim and Thummim which of their Tribes should first begin and set upon the Canaanites that still remained among them and the Lord appointed that the Tribe of Judah the Royal Tribe and the strongest and most populous of them all should begin the War and first clear his portion of the Enemy Caleb the Son of Jephunneh is chosen General for the Tribe and the Simeonites who had their lot within theirs being invited to joyn with them they readily agreed to it the Tribe of Judah promising to assist them afterwards in clearing their lot In this Expedition they took the City of Bezek * Bezek a City in the Tribe of Judah not far from Jerusalem and after they had taken it in the pursuit when the King thereof with many of his people fled to save his life they killed ten thousand men They also took their King Adonibezek and cut off his Thumbs and his great Toes having as it seems when they took the City found some of those poor Captive Kings that had been thus inhumanely used by him or else had heard of the Tyranny he had exercised upon them in that kind and therefore thought fit according to the Law of Retaliation Exod. 21.24 to serve him after the same manner Adonibezek could not but acknowledge the justice of God upon him herein For says He threescore and ten Kings (z) Reguli diversarum urbium Ante Ninum teste Justino quisque Rex terminis civitatis suae contentus erat Petty Kings of particular Cities not that he had so many at once under this base slavery but in the whole course of his life some after others 't is like he did it in a base sporting cruelty or else thereby to unfit them for War unde homines viles defides Italis Gallis Poltroni vocantur id est pollice trunci having their Thumbs and great Toes cut off gathered their meat under my Table as I have done to them so God hath requited me Then the men of Judah carried this great Tyrant and shewed him before Jerusalem to strike the greater terrour into the Jebusites and there they killed him and then sacked and burnt that City viz. that part of it which was in their Tribe For though the former King of it had been slain in the Field Josh 10. yet was not the City taken nor it nor any other City fired in Joshua's time but only Jericho Ai and Hazor and therefore the eighth verse should be read And the Children of Judah warred against Jerusalem and took it and smote it c. not as if it had been taken before Judges 1. from 1. to 9. * For these Verses from v. 9. to 16. see Sect. 108. because the Author of this History was here to relate the memorable Exploits that were done by the men of Judah therefore together with those noble Acts which they did after the death of Joshua He repeats also those which were done by them whilst Joshua lived under the command of Caleb both against Hebron and Debir that He might set forth the glory of this Tribe more fully SECT CXXIV JEthro's Family call'd Kenites that had come up with Joshua and Israel into the Land of Canaan and dwelt in their Tents which was ever their way of living about Jericho the City of Palm-Trees among the people of the Tribe of Judah and Judah having now cleared his portion in so good a measure that they began to spread into new Plantations These Kenites went along with them and setled themselves with them in the South upon the Coasts of the Amalekites and so in Saul's time were mingled among them see 1 Sam. 15.6 These Kenites were the root of the Rechabites of whom more is
due time to perform what God commanded them in driving out the Canaanites out of the Land Now the Canaanites that were left in the Land and not cast out were these viz. five Lords of the Philistines viz. the Lords of Ashdod Gaza Askelon Gath and Ekron and the Canaanites Sidonians and Hivites that dwelt about Libanus and from Mount Baal-hermon on the East of Libanus to the entring in of Hamath a City in the North of Canaan afterwards call'd Antiochia The Children of Israel dwelling thus among the Canaanites grew extreamly corrupt so that they served their gods and the Idols which they set up and worshipped in Groves and made interchangeable Marriages with them Upon which great Provocations the Lord gave them up into the hands of Chushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia 'T is like he first brake in upon the Tribes that lay on the other side of Jordan and then incroached upon those within Jordan by degrees And this was their first Servitude (g) First Servitude under Cushan eight years Othniel first Judge which continued eight years Then returning unto the Lord and crying unto Him for Mercy and Forgiveness He was pleased to raise up for them a Saviour and Deliverer namely Othniel the Son of Kenaz Caleb's Nephew and Son in law see Ch. 1.13 so that to the great Honour of the Children of Judah the first Judge after Joshua was of their Tribe Thus that Prophesie was made good Gen. 49.8 Judah thou art He whom thy Brethren shall praise thy Hand shall be in the Neck of thine Enemies thy Fathers Children shall bow down before thee Othniel being thus raised up by God to this high Office The Spirit of the Lord came upon him that is he was furnished with those Gifts and Graces that were requisite to make him a wise and valiant General in War and a prudent Governour in Peace and the Lord gave Cushan into his hands so that he prevailed against him and delivered the Israelites out of their Bondage under Him And so the Land had rest forty years Not as if there were forty years of Peace in the Land uninterrupted from this time but the Land had Rest till forty years were expired from the first Rest wherein it was setled by Joshua before his death And then Othniel died Judg. 2. from 11. to the end Ch. 3. from 1. to 12. SECT CXXXIV AFter the death of Othniel the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the Lord and He stirred up Eglon King of Moab and gave him Courage and Resolution to go against Israel and he joyning with the Ammonites and Amalekites overthrew them and took Jericho that is possessed himself of the Lands and Territories thereabout where the City of Jericho once stood and possibly built some great Fortress there that he might have the Command of the Fords of Jordan that being the passage over to his own Country Second Oppression under Eglon eighteen years Ehud second Judge And this second Oppression continued eighteen years The Israelites then crying unto the Lord for help he raised up for them Ehud Son of Gera of the Tribe of Benjamin which was but a little before almost wholly destroyed a man left-handed By Him the Children of Israel sent a Present to Eglon which Opportunity he readily embraced having a design to kill Him And being stirred up as 't is probable by the Spirit of God to do it He accordingly provided himself of a Dagger fit for the purpose Then going with the Present to Eglon and humbly presenting it to Him He with those that brought it take their leave and depart When they were come as far back as the Quarries by Gilgal He himself returns again to the King who was in his Summer-Parlour and addressing himself to him tells him He had a secret Message to him The King bids him forbear delivering his Message till his Servants and Attendants were gone out of the Room They being gone Ehud tells him He had a Message from God to him Eglon hearing this rose up as if he would give some respect to such a Messuage Ehud then drawing out his Dagger thrust it into his Belly and gave him such a deadly blow that he left him who had so long oppressed the people of God wallowing in his own blood and dung Then shutting the door after him and locking it having as 't is probable a Spring-lock he quietly and with a composed Countenance passed away The Servants finding the door shut and locked they concluded that the King covered his feet in his Summer-Chamber that is that He had laid himself down to sleep because when they did so they used to cast some covering over their feet as it is said of Ruth when she went to lie down by Boaz as he lay sleeping at the end of his heap of Corn Ruth 3.7 That she uncovered his feet and laid her self down So when Saul went into the Cave where David and his men were 1 Sam. 24.3 't is said Saul went in to cover his feet that is to lie down and sleep there for a while else how could David cut off the Skirt of his Garment and not be perceived if he had not been asleep The Servants having staid a great while and finding the King did not open the door they began to be ashamed they had stayed so long and not looked after their Master sooner fearing that some evil had befallen him Then taking a Key it being usual in Kings Houses for the Servants to have Keys to their Masters doors and opening the door they found their Lord dead Ehud thus escaping He came to Mount Ephraim and there blew a Trumpet and gathering the Children of Israel together He tells them what he had done and that the Lord had delivered the Moabites into their hands Then bidding them follow him he went down with them and took the Fords of Jordan that neither the Moabites now in Canaan might escape to their own Country nor those in the Land of Moab pass over Jordan to aid their Brethren in Canaan Then he fell with his Forces upon the Moabites and the Israelites slew ten thousand of them at that time even lusty and stout men So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel and the Land had rest fourscore years to wit after the former rest and Deliverance procured to them by Othniel In the time of those 80 years the Philistines making some Inroads into the Lands of the Israelites Shamgar the Son of Anath who seems to be some Country-man or Farmer of Note did on a suddain raise the Country thereabouts and they (h) Some think that this Victory of Shamgar's was miraculous and that he himself slew 600 as Sampson slew a 1000 of them with the Jaw-bone of an Asse Ch. 15.15 16. with their Ox-goads set upon the Philistines and slew 600 of them So that He was a Deliverer though not a Judge Judg. Ch. 3. from 12. to the end SECT CXXXV The Book of Ruth
tells them If they had been merciful to his Brethren he would have spared their lives which he might lawfully have done they being not Canaanites though they were Enemies But now he could not do it seeing by the Law of God he was bound being next of blood and also a Magistrate to punish them with death that had murdered his Brethren see Numb 35.19 31. Whereupon he bad his young Son Jether to rise up and slay them And he imposes this work on him rather than another that he might train him up from a Youth to draw his Sword against the Enemies of Israel and that he might avenge the death of his Vncles and that it might add if not to the pain yet to the dishonour of their death to die by so young an hand But this young Boy had scarce courage enough to look them in the face so far was he from drawing his Sword against them Zeba and Zalmuâ—na seeing this said to Gideon Rise thou up and fall upon us thy self For as the man is so is his strength Do thou slay us with thy own hand and dispatch us quickly and let us not fall ignobly by the hand of a Child So Gideon slew them with his own hand and took away the Ornaments that were on their Camels necks which were very rich being adorned with Gold-Chains and Jewels as Ensigns and Memorials of his Victory Now the Ephramites came over Jordan and brought the Heads of Orch and Zeeb and presented them to Gideon But then they highly expostulated †Thus they proudly quarrelled with Jephta Ch. 12. and upon the same account see the like 2 Sam. 19.41 42 43. with him that they were not called out as well as other Tribes when he first raised Forces to go against the Midianites They looked upon this as a great neglect and contempt of them that other Tribes that were not so nearly allied to him and the Manassites as they were being both of them of Joseph's Posterity should be called to the first On-set and they left only to snatch up here and there some of the flying Midianites So that he and his Souldiers had gathered in the main Vintage and they were called in only to gather up the Gleanings Gideon mildly answered That they had no cause to complain For what have I done says he in comparison of you Are not the Gleanings of Ephraim better than the Vintage of Abiezer * Gideon was of that Family Consider what vast multitudes of them you have had the killing and pillaging of at the Fords of Jordan whilst we went in pursuit of only fifteen thousand of them that fled with Zeba and Salmunna Consider you have had the Honour to take and kill Oreb and Zeeb and therefore what cause have you to murmur or repine This mild Answer of his abated their anger and so they rested satisfied Judg. Ch. 7. whole Chapter and Ch. 8. from 1. to 22. SECT CXL THe people of Israel were now so highly pleased with Gideon for delivering them out of the hands of Midian that they offered to make him their King and to settle the Kingdom successively upon his Posterity He told them He would not Rule over them as a King because the accepting of the Regal Power to Himself and his Family would seem as it were a taking of the Government out of God's Hand who set up whom He pleased to Rule over them The Lord saith he shall Rule over you Take ye heed of rejecting Him 1 Sam. 8.6 7. neither I nor my Son shall be your King Thus he would not give any consent to the Change of the Government without God's leave But though Gideon refused this profer of theirs yet he told them He had one Request to make to them which if they would grant him he would take it very kindly from them which was That every one of them would give him one of those Ear-rings * Or golden Ornaments whither worn in the Ear or on the Forehead For the Hebrew word is used for both see Gen. 24.22 35.4 which they had taken from the Ishmaelites who used to wear such golden Ornaments They told him They would willingly do it And accordingly spreading a Garment to receive them every one cast in one of those Ear-rings or golden Ornaments they had taken from the Ishmaelites and the weight of them came to a thousand seven hundred Shekels of Gold which according to our account comes to 2380 pounds And besides these they added some Chains and golden Boxes wherein the Ishamelites carried sweet Perfumes and purple Garments which the Kings of the Midianites had worn All these they added besides the Collars which had been taken from the Necks of the Camels which Gideon had taken to himself as his proper Prey Gideon of part of this Gold now given him made an Ephod like that of Aaron's with a Breast-plate set with many precious stones of great value see Exod. 28.15 16 17. and made of Gold Blue Purple Scarlet c. 'T is like his design in making this Ephod was that it should be a Monument of that great Victory he had obtained after he had offered Sacrifice to God over the Midianites the Monument being made of the Prey there taken and possibly his purpose was to make use of this Ephod to enquire by the Judgment of Vrim what the Will of the Lord was upon all Emergent Occasions not considering that this Priviledge was only annexed to Aaron's Ephod or possibly he made this Ephod that the High Priest being adorned with it should Sacrifice for him and the people at the Altar which he by the Command of God had erected in Ophrah But what-ever was his intention he seems herein highly to have sinned against God and to have ministred occasion to the Israelites to commit Idolatry to which they were before of themselves too prone For after his death the Israelites did grosly abuse this Ephod to Idolatry and Superstition either resorting to it to inquire concerning the Will of God in their Doubts and Difficulties or offering Sacrifices there by occasion of it or being taken with the glory of it falling down before it and worshipping it and at last abusing it to the grossest Idolatry and making use of as 't is probable in the Worship of Baal vers 33. Be sure some way or other they Idolatrously abused it and are therefore said to have gone a whoring after it and it became a Snare to Gideon and to his House that is it insnared his Posterity by degrees drawing them to do that which was very displeasing to God and at last became the utter ruine of his Family For all the Tragical Accidents that afterwards befel his House may be looked upon as the effects of God's Wrath for this Idolatry However the Midianites were now so vanquished that they lifted not up their heads any more to vex Israel Gideon therefore after this Victory went and dwelt quietly in his own house and judged
people that were therein and killed them and Samson himself with them So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those he slew in his life His Bretheren and all the house of his Father hearing of his death came down and took his dead body and brought it up and buried it in his Fathers burying place between Zorak and Eshtaol the Philistines by the over-ruling Providence of God not opposing it whose pride and power by this fatal blow given to their Princes and so many of their people was much abated and pulled down so that they thought this was no fit time to provoke the Israelites by denying them such a thing Judg. Ch. 16. whole Chapter SECT CLI First Book of Samuel WE are now come to the first Book of Samuel which contains an History of eighty years forty in the time of Eli in the four first Chapters and forty in the times of Samuel and Saul in the rest of the Book so that the History of these three persons together with some part of the History of David is the chief matter of this Book The two Books of Samuel are thought to be written by Samuel Nathan and Gad one after another 1 Chron. 29.29 yet some passages in these Books may seem to intimate that they were written in latter times as 1 Sam. 5.5 and Ch. 30.25 2 Sam. 6.8 These two Books of Samuel are stiled by the Septuagint and several others the first and second Book of the Kings the first containing all the History of King Saul and part of the History of King David both whom Samuel anointed by Gods appointment and the second the History of King Ishbosheth shortly and of King David at large After Samsons death Eli the High-Priest in whom the High-Priesthood was translated from the stock of Eleazar the Eldest Eli 13 Judg. to the posterity of Ithamar the younger Son of Aaron executed the Office of a Judg in Civil causes and judged Israel forty years He was extraordinarily both High-Priest (a) How he came to be High-Priest we cannot say that Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar Aaron's second Son appears from hence Abiathar who was deposed from being High-Priest by Solomon was of the posterity of Eli 1 King 2.27 and of Abimelech who was the Son of Abiathar it is expresly said 1 Chron. 24.3 that he was of the Sons of Ithamar How the High-Priesthood came to be transferred from the posterity of Eleazar to Eli who was of the house of Ithamar cannot be cleared by any place of Scripture we may conjecture that it so fell out because the High-Priests of Eleazars family had some way or other highly provoked God by their evil courses in the days of the former Judges This was the Series of the High-Priests as appears 1 Chron. 6.4 Aaron Eleazar Phineas Abishua Bukki Uzzi from Uzzi the High-Priesthood was translated to Eli to whom succeeded Achitob to him Achias to him Ahimelech to him Abiathar who was deposed from the Priesthood by Solomon 1 King 2.27 that he might perform the word of the Lord that he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh 1 Sam. 2.31.35 and Judg a good and famous man though faulty in being too indulgent to his Children as we shall see afterwards In his time and under his Government Samuel was born whose History we come now to describe His Father was Elkanah a Levite of the family of the Kohathites of the posterity of of Korah 1 Chron. 6.22 23. who dwelt in Ramathaim-Zophim in Mount Ephraim He had two wives probably Hannah was his first wife and she being barren he afterwards took Peninnah who was fruitful Though the Lord allowed not Polygamy yet he was pleased to tolerate it for a time and possibly the Jews did conceive that Gods promise to Abraham of multiplying his seed as the stars of the heaven did imply a dispensation for them to have more wives than one The Tabernacle was now at Shiloh and there had continued since the seventh year of Joshua Ch. 18.1 thither went Elkanah yearly that is at those three solemn Feasts wherein all the males were bound to appear before the Lord Deut. 16.16 He might possibly go at other times as a Levite to do service in his course but he failed not to go up at those great Solemnities and it seems several of his family used to go up with him yea the women also such was their devotion though not bound thereunto by the Law At those great Feasts he gave to Peninnah and all her Sons and Daughters portions of the Peace-offerings which he offered to the Lord according to the ancient manner of Feasts of which see Gen. 43.34 but unto Hannah who was his best beloved he gave a larger and better portion and possibly of the choicest and best of the Sacrifices Peninnah was angry at this and thereupon quarrelled with and provoked Hannah and upbraided her for her barrenness as an effect of the Lords displeasure against her and as Elkanah did thus continually express his great love to Hannah when he went yearly with his family to the House of God so Peninnah persisted from time to time to vex her with her provocations and possibly upbraided her with her fruitless seeking to God so earnestly at those times for a child this greatly troubled Hannah in so much that she mourned and wept and did not care to eat as others did especially not with any joy and chearfulness as they were bound to do at those solemn Feasts Elkanah perceiving it asked her why she so grieved and wept and so mourned in a time when she ought to have rejoiced 'T is true says he the Lord hath not afforded thee Children but am not I who love thee so dearly better to thee than ten Sons (b) In concorde matrimonio plus boni est quam in ipsa faecunditate Gr. But when Elkanah and his family had eaten and drunk together with whom Hannah sate she being in bitterness of soul went out and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore and she said O Lord of Hosts if thou wilt please to look on the affliction of thy hand-maid and wilt give unto me a man-child I will give him unto thee all the days of his life (c) As to the power of her Vow we must understand that she only vowed to do what in her lay that it might be thus if the Child had no defect either in body or mind and was willing when he came to the years of discretion to take upon him the Vow and provided that her Husband consented thereunto without which the Womans Vow was of no force Numb 30.8 Indeed it is evident in the sequel of Samuels story that he did not always continue in the Tabernacle see Ch. 7.16 but went from year to year in Circuit and judged Israel And hence it seems probable that after he became Judg in Israel he was by special dispensation from God freed from this Vow of
beasts I pray thee therefore consider what is fit to be done in the case for David is a man of courage and prowess and will never suffer such a gross abuse and injury offered to him to go unchastised For my part I am afraid he will revenge himself on our whole family I thought good to speak to thee of it that thou maist consider of some way to prevent it As for our Master he is such a Son of Belial of such an harsh and churlish temper that a man knows not how to speak to him Abigail being greatly awakened by this representation of her servant she speedily without acquainting Nabal therewith provided and took two hundred loaves and two leather-sacks of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched corn and a hundred clusters of raisons and two hundred cakes of figs and laid them on asses and bad her servants go before with them and she would follow after and riding upon her ass attended with her servants who had the charge of the presents on a sudden as she came under the hollow of the hill she met David and his men Seeing David coming she lighted off her ass and bowed her self to the ground and fell at his feet and said Vpon me * Crimen initio transfert ab odiosa persona in favorabilem my Lord upon me let the punishment of this great iniquity (b) Iniquitas hic peccati paenam significat and transgression fall which has so much provoked thee yet I pray thee let thy hand-maid speak a few words in thy ears which may possibly dispose thee to forbear taking revenge upon us Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial this Nabal Nabal is his name and indeed he answers his name for folly is with him it will not be for thy honour to regard his words or actions wise men do not use to regard the words of fools He is not worthy that thou shouldst trouble thy self about him much less that thou shouldst destroy me and my whole family for his sake She spake not thus to disgrace her husband for his folly was too notoriously known but because she had no other excuse to make for him to preserve him from ruin As for me she says I saw not the young men whom my Lord did send Had I seen them or known of their coming I should have treated them more civilly And now my Lord as sure as the Lord liveth and as sure as thou thy self art alive thou oughtest to believe that by my coming to meet thee and to pacifie thy anger the Lord doth intend to hinder thee from coming to shed blood and from avenging thy self with thy own hand and seeing I trust the Lord will by his alwise Providence so over-rule thy heart my earnest prayer is that God would make all thine enemies like Nabal that is as weak and unable to hurt thee as Nabal is And as for the present (c) V. 27. Benedictionem id est munus sive donum sive rem a benedictione Dei profectam that thy handmaid hath here brought to my Lord though it is so mean that it is not worthy of thy acceptance yet do not I pray thee disdain it seeing it may be of some use to thy servants that follow thee And I beseech thee vouchsafe to forgive the trespass of thy handmaid seeing I take the blame of all this miscarriage wholly upon my self I do verily believe the Lord will give thee the Kingdom and that thy Kingdom will be lasting and durable †* Stabile manebit regnum in familia tua and nothing better becomes a a King than clemency and mercy And that which enduces me to believe this is because I see thou fightest the Lords battels and hast often engaged thy self having warrant from him in a just defence of his cause and people and no self-revenge or cruelty hath been found in thee all thy days hitherto therefore I pray thee do not stain thine honour now by shedding innocent blood Indeed Saul is risen up unjustly to pursue thee and seek thy life but all his attempts will be in vain for the Lord will carefully preserve and charily keep thy life as men are wont carefully to bind up those things in bundles which they much value and intend to preserve And that mans rage must needs be vain who seeks to destroy him whom the Lord will preserve and protect But as for the lives of thine enemies them will he by a violent death sling out as men use to sling out stones out of their slings which they value not And it shall come to pass when the Lord shall have performed all his promises which he hath made unto thee and hath setled thee in thy Kingdom and made thee Ruler over all Israel then it will be a comfort to thee to remember that thou didst spare us and thou wilt not be tormented with anguish and trouble of conscience that thou didst shed innocent blood as certainly thou wilt be if thou shouldst proceed to execute thy bloody purpose And when thou art come to thy Kingdom let me find favour in thine eyes when my occasions and necessities shall require me to wait upon thee Abigail having thus spoken David said Blâ—ssed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from shedding blood and avenging my self with my own hand for in very deed as sure as the Lord liveth who hath graciously kept me back from hurting thee and thy family except thou hadst thus seasonably met me I had utterly destroyed by the next morning Nabal and all that belonged to him But thou maist now assure thy self that my wrath is appeased and as an evidence thereof I do kindly accept of the present thou hast brought me and will not avenge the wrong offered me by thy husband either upon him or any of his family I have heard thy suit and do grant all that thou desiredst therefore go in peace to thy own house and the Lord be with thee Abigail returning to her husband Nabal behold he kept a Feast that day in his house like the Feast of a King for plenty of provisions and multitude of guests And he had been so merry with his guests that he was very drunk wherefore she said nothing to him more or less of his danger till the morning In the morning when he had slept out his drunkenness and dâ—bauch she acquainted him with the desperate danger he had by his folly run them all into and how near destruction they all were if in the very nick of time it had not been by a wonderful Providence prevented He hearing this was so terrified with the horrour and dread of the danger he had been in that his heart died within him and falling into a swoon he became as a stone and about ten days after the Lord smote him with
coming to Bethshan took and carried away their dead bodies and brought them to Jabesh and burnt them there that is burnt the flesh of them which having hung some days in the Sun was putrified and stinking and so could not be embalmed and the flesh being burnt from the bones they gathered up their bones and solemnly buried them under a Tree in Jabesh and there they continued till towards the end of Davids reign when he took them up and buried them in the Sepulchre of Kish the father of Saul 2 Sam. 21.12 14. Then the men of Jabesh-Gilead to express their sorrow for the death of Saul and his Sons and that they might implore mercy from God in behalf of the whole land which was now in a very sad condition they afflicted themselves with fasting for seven days together only taking still at night some small refreshment 1 Sam. Ch. 31. whole Chapter SECT CLXXIII MEphibosheth the Son of Jonathan being five years old at this time upon the dismal tidings of these disasters his Nurse catching him up and flying away with him in that great fright and consternation she let him fall out of her arms and he became lame of his feet ever after 2 Sam. 4.4 SECT CLXXIV WE are now come to the Second Book of Samuel The Second Book of Samuel so called because it containeth the History of David's reign who was chosen of God to succeed Saul in the Kingdom and anointed thereunto by Samuel and because it relates how those things which Samuel promised unto him from God were really made good unto him It contains an History of forty years from the death of Saul to the death of David As for the Author of it some think it was the office of the High-Priest to register the History of the Jewish Church and the remarkable occurrences that hapned in his time Others think it was pen'd by Nathan the Prophet and Gad the Seer as is intimated in the first of Chron. 29.29 Now the Acts of David the King first and last behold they are written in the Book of Samuel the Seer and in the Book of Nathan the Prophet and in the Book of Gad the Seer * See more concerning the Title of this Book Sect. 149. The first thing here related is how the tidings of the death of Saul and his Sons were brought to David whilst he was yet at Ziklag (a) Which was not as it seems so totally burnt down but that some of it was standing in which David thought better to remain with his men than to go to any other Town of the Philistines whether he was newly returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and had been preparing and sending away presents to his friends in Judah of the spoils he had taken in that Expedition on the third day after a young man came out of the Camp with his clothes rent and earth upon his head to testifie the dismalness of the tidings he brought and when he came to David he fell on the earth and did obeisance David understanding he came out of the Camp of Israel askt him how matters went He told him the Israelites were vanquished many of them killed and Saul and his Son Jonathan slain David astonisht at this askt him how he knew it to be so This young man to ingratiate himself with David who was by general fame known to be the man whom Samuel had anointed to succeed Saul and apprehending that if he should carry the first tidings of Saul's death to him he should not miss of a great reward he tells him that being on mount Gilboa he found Saul leaning on his Spear * The Reader may compare this whole narration with that he will find 1 Sam. 31 4. and then judg what truth there is in the thing as not being able to stand because of the deadly wounds the Archers had given him and the Chariots and Horsemen pursuing him so fast he call'd unto him and desired him to stand over him and slay him for he was in great anguish and trouble that his life was yet whole and intire in him and accordingly he dispatcht him as Saul desired of him for he was sure he could not live after he was fallen And he took off the Coronet he wore on his head and the Bracelets which he wore on his arm and here says he I present them unto my Lord the King David then took hold of his Clothes and rent them and so did all the men that were with him and they mourned and wept and fasted unto the evening for Saul and Jonathan his Son and for the people of the Lord that were fallen in the battel and that by the hands of the Uncircumcised Philistines which was an evidence of Gods wrath against the Land David angrily askt this young man how he durst presume to stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed 'T is like the Amalekite thought David would have been highly pleas'd with him for doing it but David upon Saul's death being come into the actual possession of the Regal rights and this man having confest the crime himself David bad one of the young men about him to fall upon him and kill him which he accordingly did and David said thy blood be upon thy own head * See Josh 2.19 for thy own mouth hath testified against thee that thou hast slain the Lords Anointed 2 Sam. Ch. 1. from v. 1. to 17. SECT CLXXV DAvid now laments the death of Saul and Jonathan and the men of Israel in a Funeral Song having first given order that the children of Judah should be taught the use of the bow and the rather because Saul and Jonathan had been overcome by the Archers among the Philistines therefore he desired they should be expert in that Art that they might match their enemies in that military skill for time to come Which order is further recorded in the Civil Annals or the General Chronicle of the Memorable Acts of the Nation called the Book of Jasher * Which Book with divers others particularly some composed by Solomon were burnt in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans which was continued as is probable from time to time by the Prophets See Note on Josh 10.13 David begins his Funeral Elegy thus O how are Saul Jonathan and many other valiant men of Israel who were the beauty ornament and glory of the land fallen on the mountains of Gilboa O tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askalon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph as they us'd to do in their dances and songs see Note on 1 Sam. 18.6 O if it were possible that this thing might be conceal'd from the enemies of God and his people lest they triumph and insult over them see Judg. 16.23 Mich. 1.10 ascribing the glory of this victory to their Idol-gods to the great dishonour of the only true God
the God of Heaven and earth O ye unfortunate mountains of Gilboa let no dew or rain ever fall upon you more be ye cursed with drought and barrenness (c) Gravitas doloris etiam rebus inanimatis maledicere consuevit vid. Job 3.3 as a sad and woful monument of this calamity and let there be no fruitful plots or fields found among you that may yield offerings of first fruits (d) Poëtica exclamatio cum hyperbolica imprecatione ad figurandum horrorem quo pii recordantes accepti mali percelluntur and Tythes May those hills which have given so much occasion of sorrow never afford any matter of rejoicing for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away viz. when the Israelites were routed in the field yea the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oyl that is there Saul himself dropt his shield and fell contemptibly as though he had been a common ordinary man and not a King It was far otherwise formerly For Jonathan's bow and Sauls sword used not to return empty from the blood of the slain and from the fat * Eat is mentioned to signifie men healthful lusty and strong of the mighty that is they did usually devour the blood and flesh of their stoutest enemies Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives that is they dearly loved one another though Saul in his frantick fits was sometimes enraged against Jonathan yet no doubt he dearly loved him when those fits were over And in their deaths they were not divided that is they fell together in the field They were swifter than Eagles and stronger than Lions that is they were nimble and active in pursuing their enemies and strong and valiant in subduing them Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul who clothed you in scarlet with other delights and gave you ornaments of gold upon your apparel remember the peace you enjoyed under his Government which was accompanied with great plenty and abundance of all things both for necessity and delight remember how he enriched the land with the spoils of the enemy But O sad and deplorable how are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battel O Jonathan how wert thou slain upon those cursed high mountains I am distressed exceedingly distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan Very pleasant hast thou been unto me Thy love to me was wonderful exceeding the love of women whose affections usually are very strong How are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war lost viz. the armes that were brought by the Israelites to the battel and became a spoil to the Philistines to the great dishonour and weakning of Gods own people O tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askalon 2 Sam. Ch. 1. from 17 to the end SECT CLXXVI DAvid now inquires of the Lord by the Ephod whither he should go up to any of the Cities of Judah and he receives directions from God to go up to Hebron (a) This was at present the chief City of the Tribe of Judah and was withal the place where Abraham Isaac and Jacob were buried accordingly he with his two wives and his followers with their families went up to that City The men of Judah presently flocked thither and anointed David King over them For though before he had been anointed by Samuel yet that they might testifie their approbation of what God had appointed they chearfully now consent to accept him for their King and Soveraign and he reigned over them in Hebron seven years and six months before the rest of the Israelites did generally submit to him Soon after the men of Judah had thus acknowledged him he made inquiry after the Bodies of Saul and his Sons intending as 't is probable to have honourably buried them and he was told what had been done concerning them by the men of Jabesh Gilead of which before 1 Sam. 31.11 12 13. Hereupon he sent Messengers to them to thank them for the kindness they had shewed to Saul desiring the Lord to recompence it unto them and to manifest his mercy and faithfulness to them for it And he being now anointed King over Judah would not have them entertain any thoughts of jealousie as if he would bear them any spleen or ill will for their kindness shewed to Saul but to believe that he would the rather endeavour to manifest all kindness to them and to requite them for it 2 Sam. Ch. 2. from 1 to 8. SECT CLXXVII ABner Saul's Cousin-german who in Saul's life-time had been General of his Army fearing that if David were made King he should be displaced or disregarded and knowing he could not in reason expect that favour and preferment under David which he might under a King of his own kindred and family especially if he himself were the chief instrument to make him King and further considering that Mephibosheth Jonathans Son the heir apparent to Saul was but five years old and now lately lamed in his feet and so unfit for his purpose see Ch. 4.4 therefore he thought it best to take Ishbosheth who was the only Son of Saul that was now left except those he had by his Concubines and to make him King and to that end he took and carried him to Mahanaim a City in Gilead in the Tribe of Gad beyond Jordan chusing there to settle his new King where he might be safest and at the greatest distance from Davids party Abner well knew that David was anointed by Samuel to succeed Saul in the Throne see Chap. 3.4 but being an ambitious and atheistical man he regarded not what God had appointed and seeing Ishbosheth to be a weak and poor-spirited man he thought he might make use of him as a shadow and in the mean time rule all himself And accordingly in that City he made him King over all Israel Judah excepted who to their great praise stuck to David whom God had appointed to be King though they knew it was like to prove the occasion of a Civil War and of much danger to them however they resolved to do their duty and to leave the event to God Ishbosheth was forty years old when he began to reign and he reigned two years quietly without any quarrel with the house of David 2 Sam. 2. from 8 to 11. SECT CLXXVIII DAvid now the better to strengthen himself in his new Kingdom contracts affinity with Talmai King of Geshur (a) Israelitis ut puto era vectigalis Rex Geshur eumque ut sibi devinciret David Ishboshetho adversarium faceret filiam ejus Maacham sibi in uxorem deposcit Tirinus Geshur pars est Syriae contermina Gileadi in Trachionitide Deut. 3.14 There were also Geshurites on the South-side of Canaan towards Egypt 1 Sam. 27. and from whom David being at Ziklag fetched great store of prey a City lying in the North in the borders of Gilead and marries his daughter Maacha who bare him Absalom and a
manner and in the sight only of a few who did it hastily to prevent Adonijah from making himself King and therefore this second anointing was done more publickly and more solemnly in the sight of the Princes and Rulers and in a great Assembly of the people And they anointed him unto the Lord that is devoted him solemnly unto the Lord and to be the Ruler of his people under him Then they anointed Zadok to be High-Priest instead of Abiathar who had joined with Adonijah and this was the rather done as we may suppose because the High-Priesthood was now translated into another Family For Abiathar was of the race of Eli and descended from Ithamar second Son of Aaron and Zadok was descended from Phineas who was descended from Eleazar his eldest Son and so the High-Priesthood reverted from the family of Ithamar to that of Eleazar as was foretold by God it should come to pass 1 Sam. 2.33 35. After this Solomon sat on the Throne of the Lord viz. on that Throne to which God had by his especial Providence advanced him and the disposal of which the Lord in a more peculiar manner challenged to himself See Deut. 17.15 And Solomon after this was very prosperous and all Israel obeyed him and all the Princes and mighty men and all the rest of David's Sons submitted themselves unto him And the Lord magnified him exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty and greatness as no King of Israel either before him or after him ever had 1 Chron. Ch. 28. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 29. from v. 1 to 26. SECT CCXII. NOW the days of David's departure out of this life drew nigh therefore calling for his Son Solomon he said to him I am going the way that all men living upon the earth must go Be thou therefore couragious and though thou be young in years yet shew thy self a man in understanding and keep the charge of the Lord thy God to wit the commandments which he hath given in charge to be kept and walk in his ways and keep his statutes his judgments and testimonies whereby he testifies what he would have done and observed according as they are written and prescribed in the Laws given by Moses that so thou maist prosper in all that thou dost and in all businesses thou settest thy self unto And so the Lord may be pleased to confirm his word which he spake unto me saying If thy children take heed to their way to walk before me in truth and sincerity with all their heart and all their soul there shall not fail thee a man on the Throne of Israel that is there shall not fail a man of thy posterity to sit upon thy Throne (a) Notandum duo fuisse Davidi promissa Primum absolutè nempe Messiam ex ipso oriturum licet filii ejus mali fuerint Secundum conditionale scil regnum in ejus familia conservandum si posteri se sancte gerant P. Martyr I have now only three things more to give thee in charge before I die The first is concerning Joab thou knowest how insolently he carried himself towards me and how treacherously he slew those two great Capteins Abner and Amasa after I had engaged my faith to them both that they should be safe which wicked practice of his was enough to make the people think that I had secretly an hand in it though I can truly say my soul abhorred it Nay he shed the blood of war in peace that is when there was peace made with these two great men he slew them as if they had been in open hostility against me And he put the blood of war upon his girdle that is He put up his sword all bloody into its scabbard that hung at his girdle and the very shoos on his feet were stained with their blood so impudently he carried out those base murders therefore I charge thee wisely to observe him He is of a turbulent spirit and in all likelihood thou wilt have at one time or other just occasion against him And though he hath been General of my Army almost all my reign yet let not his hoary head go down to the grave in peace but when thou findest just occasion against him cut him off by the sword of justice and so let the blood of Abner and Amasa be revenged upon him 2ly I would have thee to shew kindness to the Sons of Barzillai the Gileadite for they came and brought provisions for me and my followers when I was forced to fly from thy brother Absalom and therefore let them be of the number of those that eat at thy Table 2 Sam. 17.28 29. 3ly Thou hast with thee Shimei the Benjamite who reviled me and cursed me with a bitter curse when I was in great distress flying towards Mahanaim and called me a bloody man and did in effect say I had been the cause of the death of Saul and all his Sons and charged me with crimes I never was guilty of yet afterwards he met me at Jordan and humbled himself and acknowledged his fault and I sware to him by the Lord that I would not put him to death But though I for my time pardoned him yet if he shall attempt any thing against thee after my decease hold him not guiltless Thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him and if he trespass again and thou findest any other just occasion against him bring down his hoary head to the grave with blood and cut him off by the sword of justice * See 2 Sam. 19.23 David having thus instructed his Son in a short time after departed this life and slept with his fathers that is died as his fathers and predecessors had done before him having reigned in Hebron seven years and six months and thirty three years in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years in all and having made his Son Solomon King in his stead about half a year before his death He died in a good old age full of days riches and honour he died in the seventieth year of his age no King in Israel or Judah after him attaining to his age †Only Uzziah and Manasseh came very nigh it He was buried in his own City of Zion viz. in that part of Jerusalem where he had built a Palace for himself 2 Sam. 1.2 and kept his Court and which he had taken out of the hands of the Jebusites and had built and enlarged and from thence was called after his name the city of David His Sepulcher it seems was made of such durable materials and so well kept and repair'd time after time by his posterity that it was strangely preserved notwithstanding Jerusalem was so often sackt and burnt for it continued unto the Apostles times as the Apostle Peter tells us Act. 2.24 Men and Brethren let me freely speak to you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his
presently imparted it to some of his friends and possibly thereby designed to draw off their hearts from Solomon and to make a party for himself Solomon it seems got some intelligence hereof and thereupon sought to kill him Jeroboam hearing of the Kings fierce anger against him fled presently into Egypt to Shishack the present King thereof who as 't is probable was Solomon's wife's brother and possibly was much offended with him for taking so many wives besides his sister and therefore for that or some other reason he gave entertainment to Jeroboam and he continued there till Solomon's death 1 King Ch. 11. from v. 14 to 41. SECT XVIII SOlomon now having reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years died and slept with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his Father He left only three children though he had so many wives and concubines viz. two daughters who were married to two of his own subjects as we may see Sect. 13. and one Son viz. Rehoboam who reigned in his stead The Acts of Solomon were written by Nathan Ahijah and Iddo Prophets that lived in his time 2 Chron. 9.29 But this Book of the Acts of Solomon seems to have been some compleat History not now extant of the reign of Solomon gathered out of the several writings of these Prophets and other records of those times wherein possibly many passages of his life were set down not expressed in the Sacred History And among other things possibly that of his repentance which though it be not here so clearly mentioned yet it may be gathered from 2 Chron. 11.17 For three years they walked in the ways of David and Solomon his Son where Solomon and David are jointly commended Some also collect it from that promise Psal 89.33 Nevertheless I will not utterly take away my loving kindness from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail But especially from the Book of Ecclesiastes which questionless was written as a publick testimony of his Repentance And in the 2 Pet. 1.20 21. we find that all the Penmen of the holy Scripture are said to have been holy men of God And 't is probably conjectured that Solomon before his death did throw down Idolatry and restrain'd his wives from it in that the people who set themselves to defame his Government complained of no such matter to Rehoboam Chap. 12.4 1 King Ch. 11. from 41 to the end 2 Chron. Ch. 9. from v. 29 * V. 29. In the visions of Iddo that is such Visions and Revelations as were registred being by Gods Spirit manifested to Iddo It seems this Iddo who wrote the History of Rehoboam Ch. 12.15 did also join the story of Jeroboam therewith against whom he wrote to the end SECT XIX Kings of Israel JEroboam being chosen King by the Ten Tribes The first King of Israel JEROBOAM he first repaired and fortified Shechem and built himself a Palace there and made it the chief place of his residence and fortified Penuel on the other side of Jordan and placed a Garrison in it And being now setled in his Kingdom though God had promised him by Ahijah the Prophet Ch. 11.38 that if he would walk in his ways he would be with him and build him a sure house as he had done for David yet having no confidence in this promise he began to think that if he should suffer his subjects to go up to Jerusalem to sacrifice there as God commanded they would soon fall off from him to Rehoboam For first he apprehended they would be in danger to be seized upon as Traytors when they came up to Jerusalem if they did not renounce their allegiance to him 2ly The Priests and Levites and their Brethren of Judah he thought would be continually setting before them the sin of falling off from their lawful Soveraign 3ly He supposed the very sight of the Temple and the worship of God there celebrated would much win upon them to come over to the Kingdom of Judah And if their hearts were once turned to Rehoboam he thought they would be sure to kill him and not having faith to believe that God would either prevent or divert these dangers from him if he were faithful to him he resolved to set up some other way of worship for his subjects that they should not need to go up to Jerusalem to worship there And thus that very thing which God appointed to keep the people of the Jews in one uniform way of worship viz. that there should be but one Altar and one place of Sacrifices namely at the Temple at Jerusalem that proved the occasion of setting up a new way of Worship Wherefore Jeroboam by the advice of those about him made two Golden Calves in imitation of the Egyptians Idol-gods among whom he had lived of late and with whom 't is like he desired to hold a strict league and amity and that possibly was another politick reason that induc'd him to make such Idols as these However he pretended the peoples ease and accommodation to be the chief thing that mov'd him to take this course and like a kind and indulgent Prince told them it was too much for them to go up thrice a year viz. at the solemn Feasts to Jerusalem and therefore he had found out a way to save them that labour and accordingly had made two Golden Calves for them to worship in their own Country And these he had made not to represent any false God but as remembrances and representations of the true God of Israel who brought them up out of the land of Egypt and therefore he was not afraid to say to them these be thy Gods O Israel When he had given them this account of his proceedings he placed one of his Calves in Bethel a City * By reason of Jeroboams impiety the Prophet calls it Bethaven Hos 10.5 belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin but it seems it had revolted to him and so was now in his power and the Southern border of his Kingdom the other Calf he placed at Dan which was the Northern border And so he provided that his subjects both in the North and South should have a place to worship at But this thing became a grievous sin and high provocation to the Almighty and drew all Israel from God into Idolatry and therefore 't is put into his stile Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 2 King 10.31 For the people did presently yield to worship these his Idols both at Dan and Bethel And further instead of Gods Temple at Jerusalem he made a Temple on one of the high places or mountains where Altars were reared to commit Idolatry thereon and he made Priests for the high places and for the Devils †Such devotion as is not done to the true God is done to Devils see Lev. 17.7 Idols there so called and for the Calves which he had made 2 Chron. 11.15 of the meanest of the people and such
and the Ass and the Lion standing by it so that the Lion had neither eaten the carcass nor torn the Ass The Lion it seems ran away immediately upon the old Prophets coming as having now done what he stayed for and so the old Prophet took and carried the dead body of the other Prophet to be buried and laid it in his own sepulcher which he had prepared for himself and he and his sons mourned over him and said alas my brother See Jer. 22.18 And the old Prophet further spake unto his Sons saying When I am dead bury me in the sepulcher wherein this man of God is buried lay my bones by his bones that so my bones may lye at rest and not be digged up and burnt by Josiah And for the accomplishing of this end he caused a superscription to be engraven on the Sepulcher whereby it might be known who was buried there and herein he had his desire as we may see 2 King 23.17 18. He further declared that the saying of the deceased Prophet which he uttered by the command of God against the Altar of Bethel and against all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of the Kingdom of Israel afterwards call'd the Kingdom of Samaria shall surely come to pass But notwithstanding this fair warning Jeroboam returned not from his Idolatry and evil ways One would have thought that his hand being miraculously stricken dead and as miraculously healed upon the prayer of the Prophet he should presently with that hand have plucked down his Idolatrous Calves and Altars but neither that nor the cleaving of the Altar asunder nor the strange death that befell the young Prophet whereby the truth of what he had spoken was mightily confirm'd could prevail with him to forsake that Idolaty whereby he sought to assure the Kingdom to himself and his posterity but therein he was miserably deceived for this Idolatry was not only the ruin of his own house but of the whole Kingdom of Israel at last and the cause of their captivity And possibly from the violent death of the Prophet that came from Judah he took occasion to harden himself in his evil ways and not to regard his threatnings And thereupon being obstinate in his Idolatry he cast off the Priests that were of the lineage of Aaron and the Levites and made of the lowest of the people Priests of the High-places even whosoever would offer himself he consecrated him and made him a Priest of that order Whereupon many Priests and Levites leaving their possessions which they had in those parts retired into Jury and were followed by all such out of every Tribe of Israel who set their minds upon the true worship of God Some years after his Son Abijah fell sick at Tirzah for though Shechem was at first the Royal City of Jeroboams Kingdom yet afterwards as it seems he built some stately Palace for himself at Tirzah a goodly and pleasant City to which Solomon alludes Cant. 6.4 and so both Jeroboam and the other Kings of Israel that succeeded him did usually keep their Courts there till Samaria was built by Omri From thence therefore he sends his wife to Shiloh to the Prophet Ahijah who first told him he should come to the Kingdom and was now blind with old age He appoints her to go disguised lest if the Prophet knew her he should either refuse to answer her being offended with their Idolatry or else give her such an answer as they should be loth to hear he enjoins her therefore to go to him in this manner and to carry a small present to him viz. ten loaves and cakes and a bottle of honey that by so small a present she might be thought to be only the wife of some poor Country-man and only came to ask him what should become of her Son that was sick 'T is to be observ'd that he sends her not to him to beg his prayers for the child though he had had experience of the efficacy of a Prophets prayers in the miraculous restoring of his own hand It seems his obstinacy in his Idolatry discouraged him from seeking such a favour from him His wife going accordingly to Shiloh the Lord by the secret inspiration of his Spirit inform'd Ahijah of her coming and that she would feign her self to be another woman and tells him what he shall say to her Accordingly when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came into the door of his house he said to her Come in thou wife of Jeroboam why feignest thou thy self to be another woman I am sent from the Lord to thee with heavy Tidings go tell Jeroboam thus saith the Lord God of Israel I exalted thee from among the people and made thee King over Israel and rent ten of the Tribes away from the house of David and gave them unto thee and yet thou hast not been as my servant David who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart and as to my worship did only that which was right in my sight But thou hast done evil above all that were before thee Saul though a wicked man was no Idolater Solomon though by his wives instigation he permitted Idolatry yet he was not an Idolater himself but thou hast made thee other Gods * Representations of God are accounted as Gods and molten Images to provoke me to anger and hast cast my Law behind thy back therefore behold I will bring evil upon thy house and will so utterly destroy it and all that belong to it that I will not leave in it so much as a dog to piss against the wall and will destroy both him that is shut up at home or left abroad in the field and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam as a man taketh away dung till it be all removed for being a noisome and filthy thing he will take it every whit away (a) The accomplishment of this see Chap. 15.29 Furthermore let thy husband know that him of the house of Jeroboam that dieth in the City the dogs shall eat and him that dieth in the field the fowls of the air shall eat (b) Intimating they should die unhappy deaths and not have the honour of burial for the Lord hath spoken it Arise therefore and go thy ways home and as soon as thy feet enter into thy house which is in the City Tirzah thy Son shall die and this judgment is the beginning of your sorrows But all Israel shall mourn for him and he shall be buried with lamentation and he only shall come to the grave because of all Jeroboams family in him only there is found some good thing some seeds of piety and the fear of the Lord and consequently some regard to the true worship of God Moreover I must tell thee the Lord will raise up a King (c) Viz. Baasha who made a conspiracy against Nadab Jeroboam's Son and slew him in the second year
who will seek thee out to slay thee as a false Prophet and a deceiver of thy King and to revenge the blood of the King and the overthrow of the Army upon thee Ahab hearing these things look'd upon them as meer dreams and enthusiastical fancies and so regarded them not Thus God judicially blinds those whom he intends to destroy And being in a rage he orders them to carry back Michaiah to Amon the Governour and to Joash the Son of Omri who it seems had some place of authority in the City and to command them in his name to put him again into prison and to feed him with the bread of affliction and the water of affliction see Deut. 16.3 until he came again in peace Micaiah replys If thou return at all in peace the Lord hath not spoken by me and all you that are here present take notice and observe what I say and whither I am a true Prophet or no. 'T is strange that Jehoshaphat should see this holy Prophet Micaiah thus injuriously used by a proud Priest of Baal and afterwards sent away to prison and yet speak never a word in his behalf we may see from hence how dangerous a snare even to good men ill company is But 't is much more strange that after the Prophet had told them so plainly what would be the event of this expedition that he should yet join with Ahab therein It seems having joined himself lately in affinity with him and engaged his word to him he was loth to shrink from it notwithstanding the threatnings of the Prophet and so he and Ahab went up to fight against Ramoth-Gilead Ahab being as 't is like something inwardly troubled at the threatnings of Micaiah though he seemed outwardly to slight them and having heard of the King of Syria's charge to his Captains concerning himself v. 31. viz. That they should fight neither with small nor great save only with the King of Israel that is that they should observe especially where he was and to bend their main force against him as the chief cause of the war he told Jehoshaphat that he himself would go into the battel disguised as an ordinary Commander but advis'd him to put on his Royal Robes or such kind of Armour as was fit for the General of the field that he might appear like himself This being accordingly done when the battel was joined the Syrians seeing Jehoshaphat they thought he had been the King of Israel and accordingly leaving all others assaulted the party where he was and compassed them about Hereupon Jehoshaphat cried unto the Lord for succour who helped him in that great strait and moved the Syrians to depart from him for it seems they gathered from some circumstance or other that he was not the King of Israel and so not the man they aimed at Thus the Lord was pleased by bringing Jehoshaphat into so great danger to let him see his folly in joining with Ahab notwithstanding the Prophets fair warning to the contrary But the battel going on against that party in which Ahab was a Syrian drew a bow at a venture and the arrow being directed by God hit Ahab and entred between the joints of his harness and wounded him sorely He being thus wounded spake to the driver of his chariot to carry him out of the host The battel growing fiercer and fiercer it seems they had not time to dress his wound but only stayed him up in his chariot in which he went out to fight against the Syrians and towards the evening he died and his blood ran out of his wound into the midst of the chariot And thus at last the vengeance of God fell upon him for his Idolatry and persecuting the Prophets of the Lord and for the murder of Naboth When the Commanders of the Army had notice of the Kings death they had no heart to continue the fight any longer and so made Proclamation about Sun-setting that every man should depart to his own Country and to his own City And so the word of the Prophet was fulfilled which he spake v. 17. I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep that have not a shepherd and the Lord said These have no master let them return every man to his house in peace Thus died Ahab and was brought to Samaria and was there buried And they washed his Chariot in the Pool of Samaria and possibly his bloody Armour might be washed in Jezreel where his chief Armory was and where Naboth was killed and the dogs licked up his blood according to the word of the Lord which he spake by Elijah Ch. 21.19 And the rest of the Acts of Ahab and the Ivory house which he made * See Amos 3.15 and the Cities of defence which he built are written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel that is in those large records and Chronicles which were written for the use of those times but were no part of Canonical Scripture and differed from the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and Israel which we now have So Ahab slept with his fathers having reigned 22 years in Israel and Ahaziah his Son reigned in his stead 1 King 22. from 1 to 41. As soon as Ahab was dead all the land of Moab fell away from the Israelites David had subdued them and made them tributary to him see 2 Sam. 8.2 but when the Ten Tribes revolted from the house of David the Moabites as it seems revolted also from the Kingdom of Judah and rather chose to be vassals to the Kings of Israel upon part of whose Kingdom their land bordered and so they continued to the days of Ahab But now taking advantage from the late discomfiture of the Israelites by the Syrians at Ramoth-Gilead and the death of Ahab Mesha the present King of Moab refused any longer to pay the tribute of an hundred thousand lambs and an hundred thousand rams with their wool which before he paid to the Kings of Israel 2 King 1.1 and Ch. 3.4.5 2 Chron. 18. from 3 to the end WE are now come to the second Book of the Kings The Second Book of the KINGS which is a continuation of the History of the Kings of Israel from Ahab and of the Kings of Judah from Jehoshaphat till Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians and Judah captivated by the Babylonians The time and order of their reigns we may see in this ensuing Table Kings of Judah Jehoram 8. years Ahaziah 1. Athaliah 6. Joash 40. Amaziah 29. Vzziah 52. Jotham 16. Ahaz 16. Hezekiah 29. Manasseh 55. Amon 2. Josiah 31. Jehoahaz or Shallum 3 Months Eliakim or Jehoiakim 11. Jehoiakin 3 Month. and then carried captive to Babylon Mattaniah alias Zedekiah * The History of Ahaziah is partly in the last Ch. of the first Book of Kings and partly in 2 King 1. And some think the 2d Book of Kings should begin with the beginning of his reign 11. Kings of Israel Ahaziah †So
habitation there and that being a private place possibly Elisha chose now to go thither that he might be the more retired and might the more give himself to prayer from thence after some time he went to Samaria in which being a populous City he had more work to do and more opportunity to instruct the people and from thence he went along with the Army that shortly after went against the Moabites which undoubtedly he did by the special instinct and direction of the Spirit of God 2 King Ch. 2. whole Chapter Mesha King of Moab upon Ahab's death refused to pay the Tribute which the Moabites formerly paid to the Kings of Israel see v. 5. and Ahaziah being King but a little while and most part of that time possibly bedrid by reason of the hurt received by his fall he could not undertake the reducing of them Jehoram therefore now attempts it as soon as he came to the Crown * The Moabites being formerly Tributary to David and Solomon they had revolted from the King of Judah and given themselves to be vassals to Jeroboam and his Successors and so had continued till this time wherefore going through all the Tribes of Israel he mustered all that were fit for war and sent to Jehoshaphat King of Judah to desire his assistance in this war against the Moabites who were enemies to both Nations and had not long before join'd with Ammon and Edom against him See 2 Chron. 20. Jehoshaphat sent him word he would willingly join with him against them and that himself his people and his horses should be ready to go and do for him according as he should order and as if they were all his own See 1 King 22.4 It may seem strange Jehoshaphat should so readily join with Jehoram having been so sharply reproved before from the Lord for joining with Ahab his Father see 2 Chron. 19.2 and afterwards punished by the Lord for joining with Ahaziah his Son to make ships to go to Tarshish 2 Chron. 20.3 But possibly he thought this Jehoram a better man than either his Father or Brother seeing he had put down the image and worship of Baal and so had given some hopes he would proceed to a further reformation When their Armies were met together Jehoram askt him which way they should go up to fight against Moab Jehoshaphat advised that they should go through the Wilderness of Edom that they might take the King or Viceroy of Edom and his forces along with them who at this time were Tributaries to Judah and so might come upon the Moabites by a way they little expected They agree to take this course and so they fetcht a compass of seven days march about the Wilderness of Edom at last when they came near the Moabites they were sore distressed for water insomuch that all these three Armies and their horses were in great danger of perishing for want of it Jehoram seeing their present distress cried out Alas that the Lord should bring three Kings together to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites we are so infeebled through want of water that we can neither go forward nor can return back and so must needs become a prey to our enemies Thus he impiously reflecteth the blame of their distress upon God and not on their own sins that had brought them into this great strait And God hereby discovered to Jehoshaphat his sin in joining with Jehoram without consulting him first about it but now being by this judgment made wiser he asks Is there not some holy Prophet here who may inquire of the Lord for us and direct us what we should do One of the Kings servants answered Here is Elisha who poured water * Sic solvere corrigium calceamenti idem est quod servire on the hands of Elijah that is ministred unto him and was his servant It was undoubtedly by the special instinct of the Spirit of God that Elisha was come along with the Army into these deserts of Edom and that he was not far from the Camp at this time Jehoshaphat was glad to hear that he was there being the disciple of so great a Prophet and possibly known at this time by his own fame for says he the word of the Lord is with him intimating that he was a Prophet of the true God and consequently able to counsel them from God Upon this all these three Kings went down to him to speak with him 'T is strange they did not send for him to come to them But possibly Jehoshaphat knowing how much the Prophets of the Lord were at that time slighted and despised advised the other Kings rather to go to him that by doing him this great honour they might let the people see how much they esteem'd him When these Kings were come to Elisha he looking upon Jehoram said What have I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of thy Idolatrous Father and Mother whom thou toleratest in Israel and some of which are now in the Camp and see if they can help thee in this thy extremity Jehoram mildly answered nay Elisha do not speak of these things now the Lord hath brought us three Kings together with our Armies and hath brought us into such great straights that we are like to fall into the hands of the Moabites if he do not presently help us Elisha replies As the Lord of hosts liveth before whom I stand were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat King of Judah I would not look towards thee nor regard thee Having said thus and finding his spirit something disturb'd at the thoughts of Jehoram's Idolatry he calls for a Minstril that is one skilful in singing or playing on instruments to compose and calm his affections And when the Minstril played and possibly sang some songs of praise to God the hand of the Lord was upon Elisha viz. the spirit of Prophesie came upon him * Prophetia est donum actuale non habituale whereby he was inabled to give counsel and advice to these Kings and to foretell what should come to pass Which abilities the Prophets had not at all times but only then when it pleased the Lord to give them to them and sometimes they were to prepare themselves for the receiving of them Elisha hereupon being instructed from the Lord bids them make the valley where they were full of ditches and though they should perceive no wind which is the ordinary means of gathering the clouds together and causing them to shower down rain nor see any rain falling from heaven yet the valley should be fill'd with water so that they and their cattel should be abundantly supplied Nay says he besides the mercy which ye so much desire viz. a supply of water the Lord will do a greater thing for you than that viz. He will deliver the Moabites into your hands and ye shall smite every fenced City and every choice City that had the fairest Edifices in it
destroyed the worship of Baal out of all the Ten Tribes but though he overthrow this Idolatry yet he departed not from the Idolatry of Jeroboam viz. that of the Golden Calves of Dan and Bethel He also rooted out the house of Ahab yet it seems he had a greater zeal for the establishing the Kingdom to himself than purely to execute the command of God therefore Hos 1.4 God threatens to revenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu However for these acts God sends a Prophet to him to tell them that because he had done well as to the matter of what he had done though not as to the manner his seed to the fourth generation should sit on that Throne which accordingly they did as we shall see afterwards But Jehu took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel sincerely and with all his heart but followed the Idolatry of Ieroboam by which God was so provoked that even in his days he did begin to cut Israel short that is to abate their power by Hazael King of Syria especially in the two Tribes and an half beyond Iordan For Hazael made sore havock among the people there and 't is like he did then or afterwards in the days of Iehoahaz exercise those inhumane cruelties upon the Israelites which Elisha had foretold 2 King 8.12 Jehu reigned twenty and eight years which was the longest time that any of the Kings of Israel had hitherto reigned whereof six years Contemporary with Athaliah and the remaining twenty two with Ioash Son of Ahaziah and they buried him in Samaria and Iehoahaz his Son reigned in his stead 2 King 10. from 11 to the end IEHOAHAZ Son of Iehu The 11th King of Israel JEHOAHAZ and first of his race reigned seventeen years All which time Ioash the Son of Ahaziah reigned in Iudah He did evil in the sight of the Lord and he and his people followed the Idolatry of Ieroboam and continued the Grove in Samaria which Ahab had planted 1 King 16.33 and did not destroy it as he should have done Hereupon the Lords anger was kindled against Israel and he delivered them into the hands of Hazael King of Syria and into the hands of Benhadad his Son all the days that Iehoahaz reigned alone for two years before his death he took his son Ioash into copartnership with him in the Government Hazael had invaded and destroyed Israel beyond Iordan before and threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron see Amos 1.3 And now he cometh on this side Iordan and oppresseth the Israelites so sore there that he left them but fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen and broke them to pieces and scattered them as corn is scattered with overmuch threshing insomuch that they had scarce any where an army together and they were brought to be a people of no power or esteem And though Iehoahaz resisted them with all the valour and might he could yet still they prevail'd against him Which is the rather noted to make it appear that the calamities that befell the Israelites in his time were rather from Gods hand and just judgment because of their sins than from any want of courage or conduct in their King Jehoahaz in these distresses seeks to the Lord for help and God afterwards gave Israel a Saviour to wit Joash his Son who in his time mightily prevailed against the Syrians And after him he raised up Jeroboam his Son Chap. 14.27 who was also very successful against them So that afterwards the children of Israel dwelt in their houses quietly and peaceably as in former times Jehoahaz dies and is buried in Samaria and Ioash his Son succeeds him 2 King 13. from v. 1 to 10. JOASH the second of the race of Iehu reigned sixteen years The 12th King of Israel JOASH He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of Ieroboam who made Israel to sin Elisha being now sick of his last sickness Ioash came to visit him and wept over him saying O my Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof Elisha bids him take bow and arrows he did so and Elisha puts his hands on the Kings hands to signifie perhaps that God would fight with him and that no action of ours without Gods assistance and blessing can prosper and bidding him to open the window Eastward towards Syria and to shoot he said This is the arrow of the Lords deliverance from Syria that is by this arrow is signified that the Lord by thee will certainly deliver his people from the Syrians for thou shalt smite them as they were smitten in Aphek 1 King 29.26 or mightily * Fortiter vehementer sic aliqui reddunt till thou hast consumed those particular Armies which they shall have at that time Then he bids the King take arrows and smite on the ground which he supposed he might easily understand to be a sign that he should smite the Syrians and thereupon would have been eager to give many strokes on the ground as a sign that he should often conquer them but he smote only thrice whereupon the man of God was wroth with him and told him he should have smitten five or six times and then he should have smitten Syria till he had consumed them and utterly ruined the whole power of their Kingdom whereas now he should smite them but thrice only Elisha now dies and is laid in his sepulchre he had been a famous Prophet about sixty years God had manifested that the spirit of Elijah did rest upon him by enabling him to do the same kind of miracles that Elijah had done Elijah divided Jordan with his mantle 2 King 2.8 so did Elisha v. 14. Elijah multiplied the widow of Sarepta's oyl 1 King 17.14 and Elisha did as much for a poor Prophets widow 2 King 4.2 Elijah brought rain from Heaven after a time of great drought 1 King 18.41 and Elisha supplied three Kings and their armies with water when they were ready to perish for want of it 2 King 3.16 Elijah cursed the Captains and their fifties that came to apprehend him and they were presently destroyed with fire from Heaven 2 King 1.10 and Elisha cursed the children that reproached and mocked him and they were presently torn in pieces by two she-bears 2 King 2.24 Elijah raised the Sareptans son to life 1 King 17.22 and Elisha the Shunamites 2 King 4.35 Nay as Elisha desired that a double portion of the spirit of Elijah might be given him so some observe that Elisha wrought as many more miracles as Elijah did Sometime after Elisha's funeral some Israelites that were going to bury a dead man espied a band of Moabites near them that were broken into their land to rob and spoil and so through fear not daring to carry him to the place prepared for his burial they removed the stone that covered Elisha's sepulchre and in hast cast him in
residue of the Prophesie A third eminent Prophet whom the Lord raised up at the same time was AMOS The Prophesie of AMOS sent principally to the people of Israel He was an Herdsman and taken from following his herd in Judea and sent to Prophesie to the people of Israel Amos 1.1 The words of Amos who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa And Chap. 7.14 Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah I was no Prophet nor Prophets Son but I was an herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruits And the Lord took me as I followed the flock and said unto me Go prophesie unto my people Israel Amaziah the Priest of Bethel would have stirred up Jeroboam against him for Prophecying against his house Amos 7.10 Then Amaziah the Priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam King of Israel saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel the land is not able to bear all his words For he saith Jeroboam shall die by the sword and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land Also Amaziah said unto Amos O thou Seer go flee away into the land of Judah and there eat bread and prophesie there Amos being thus ill used by him pronounceth a heavy judgment from the Lord upon him ver 17. Thy wife shall play the whore and thy sons and daughters shall fall by the sword and thou shalt die in a polluted land viz. that of Assyria when Israel shall be carried away captive out of her own land Amos began to Prophesie two years before the Earthquake and foretold it before it came which happened as 't is thought about two years before Jeroboam's death He Prophesied against six Nations besides Israel and Judah First he declares Gods judgments against the neighbour Nations that were enemies to the Jews viz. 1. Damascus 2. Gaza and other adjacent places of the Philistines 3. Tyre 4. Edom. 5. Ammon 6. Moab Then he threatens the Jews for their sins speaking sometimes to Judah but principally to Israel against whom he Prophesies first in plain terms secondly in types and visions First in plain terms he threatneth them for their ingratitude and idolatry Ch. 3. Their violence and incorrigibleness Ch. 4. Their injustice and oppression of the poor their slighting Gods threatnings and their hypocritical worship Chap. 5. Their putting off the evil day and their wanton voluptuousness Ch. 6. Then his threatnings are delivered in visions and types 1. Of grashoppers and locusts signifying famine 2ly Of fire devouring the great deep signifying war 3ly Of a plum-line signifying the overthrow of the Kingdom and of the Kings house and that the Lord would deal with them according to the strict rule of justice and not in mercy as he had formerly done and he further denounces particular judgments against Amaziah the Priest and his family who accused him of conspiracy of which we have spoken before Ch. 7. 4ly Of a basket of Summer-fruits representing the ripeness of their sins and of Gods judgments * Poenae tempue maturum significat finem i. e. ultimam vindictam instare Significat populum qui velut fructus terrae est ab ea terra velut ab arbore auferendum 5ly Of smiting the lintel of the door of the Temple till the posts upholding it did shake signifying not only the destruction of the Temple but the cutting off of great and small of the people Lastly he sweetens and moderates these severe and hard Prophesies with a twofold promise 1. That God would spare a remnant in the midst of these calamities though he destroyed the prophane body of the Nation 2. That in due time he would recollect and restore the Church of Israel and would raise up a Gospel-Church from among them under Christ which he would enlarge by the addition of the believing Gentiles to it Jeroboam now dies and is buried with his predecessors 2 King 14.28 29. After Jeroboam's death under whom that Kingdom came to its full height of glory all things declined and those tumults arose which were the forerunners of the destruction not only of Jeroboams own house but also of the whole Kingdom as was foretold in Chap. 7 8. of Amos. In which troubled and tempestuous state of things they fell into a plain Anarchy which lasted about eleven years and an half For if we compare the times of these two Kingdoms together we must be forc'd to grant such an Interregnum or vacancy of a King in the land of Israel that the six months of Zachariah the Son of Jeroboam * For Jeroboam reigned 29 years in the days of Uzziah then add eleven years of vacancy till Zachariah began to reign and it will fall in with the 38 of Uzziah may fall even with the thirty eighth year and the one month of Shallum †In the space of one year viz. from 38 to the end of the 39 of Uzziah there were four Kings in Israel Jerâ—boam Zachariah Shallum Menahem who slew him with the thirty ninth year of Vzziah King of Iudah according to what we find recorded 2 King 15.8 In the thirty eighth year of Azariah King of Iudah did Zachariah the Son of Ieroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months and v. 13. Shallum the Son of Iabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Vzziah King of Iudah and he reigned a full month in Samaria The occasion of this Interregnum or vacancy * To this time Hosea seems to point Hos 10.3 For now they shall say we have no King because we feared not the Lord what then should a King do to us might possibly be the great dissentions and divisions in Israel upon the death of Ieroboam or some mislike of Zachariah his Son that was to succeed him THE Subjects of the Kingdom of Israel being wearied out as it seems with their dissentions at last setled Zachariah The 14th King of Israel ZACHARIAH the Son of Ieroboam the fourth and last of the race of Iehu in his Fathers Throne as God had promised 2 King 10.30 after eleven years vacancy as has been shewed before He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and departed not from the Idolatry of Ieroboam who made Israel to sin and reigned only six months At the end of those six months Shallum who was as it seems some great Commander in the Army such an one as Omri 1 King 16.16 first secretly conspired against him but then having got many to side with him he slew him openly and publickly in the very sight of the people they not at all opposing it or endeavouring to hinder it After whose death followed those direful calamities which were foretold by Amos Ch. 7.9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate and the Sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword And thus Jehu's race ended In the continuance of it so long we may
were suspected not to be firm against Judah and therefore were slain by the men of Moab and Ammon fell unexpectedly upon them like men that rise suddenly out of an ambush upon their enemies and when they had destroyed them they fell out among themselves and destroyed one another The Army of Jehoshaphat coming now to the Watch-tower of Ziz in the Wilderness they looked towards the formidable army of their enemies and they saw none but dead bodies on the ground they saw none flying or escaping whom they needed to pursue or fall upon and so that was accomplished which the Prophet foretold v. 17. Ye shall not need to fight in the battel When Jehoshaphat and his people came to the field where their enemies lay slaughtered they found very rich spoils among the dead bodies viz. rings on their fingers chains about their necks jewels in their ears besides the wealth and riches they brought on their beasts and in their carts and carriages and their being so vast a number of the enemy slain the Israelites could not carry away all in one day but were three days in gathering the spoil it was so much so God not only freed them from their enemies but greatly enriched them by them On the fourth day they marched to the valley of Berachah or blessing and there solemnly praised the Lord for this great victory and from thence that valley had this name given it Then they all marched with great joy to Jerusalem Jehoshaphat marching in the front of them for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies And they came to Jerusalem playing on Psalteries and Harps and with the sound of Trumpets and so went to the house of the Lord to offer up there their more solemn praises and sacrifices of thanksgiving And the fear of the Lord fell on all the Kingdoms round about when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of his people So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet for his God gave him rest round about But notwithstanding this signal deliverance and though Jehoshaphat had been reproved by the Lord for joining first with wicked Ahab and then with Ahaziah his wicked Son in building and fitting out Ships to go to Tarshish yet he fell again a third time into the like sin by assisting Jehoram the second Son of Ahab who succeeded Ahaziah and going forth with him and the King of Edom against the Moabites In which expedition he and the two other Kings were in great danger of perishing for want of water had they not been supplied by the prayers of Elisha the Prophet who had a great regard for Jehoshaphat 2 King 3.14 and so they obtained a great victory over their enemies 2 King 3. from v. 4 to the end Of this we may see more in the life of Jehoram King of Israel This seems to have happened about the 22th year of Jehoshaphat and then 't is probable he set up his Son Jehoram again as his Viceroy or took him into Copartnership with him in the Kingdom 2 King 8.16 as he had made him his Viceroy before when he went to visit Ahab Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 21.2 is call'd King of Israel that is of the Israelites that lived in the Kingdom of Judah He reigned 25 years and they buried him with his Fathers in the City of David and his Son Jehoram succeeded him who reigned eight years which together are 33 years Yet in Chronological account there were not above 29 years in the reigns of them both because Jehoshaphat did set up his Son Jehoram as partner with him in the Kingdom whilst he himself was alive see 2 King 8.16 which was about the 22th year of his reign so that the four last years of his reign and the four first of his Son Jehoram's were not eight but only four years seeing both of them reigned together at the same time 1 King 22. from 41 to 51. 2 Chron. 17. whole Chapter 2 Chron. 18. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 19. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 20. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 21.1 The 5th King that reigned in Judah was JEHORAM JEhoshaphat had designed his Son Jehoram to be King and appointed him to govern the Kingdom in his absence in the 17th year of his reign a little before he went with Ahab against Ramoth-Gilead thence the beginning of the reign of Jehoram King of Israel is counted to be both in the 18th year of Jehoshaphat * 2 King 3.1 and in the second year of Jehoram †2 King 1.17 Son of Jehoshaphat but at his return resumed the Royal power wholly to himself not communicating the same again to his Son until the fifth year of Jehoram King of Israel which was the 22th of Jehoshaphats own reign and then this King being old took Jehoram his Son as partner with him in the Government The cause whereof in all probability was some discord or differences that brake out even then between him and his younger Brethren which moved Jehoshaphat to give to his younger Sons great gifts of gold and silver and jewels and to commmit to their custody some strong fenced Cities in Judah 2 Chron. 21.3 the better to secure them against the power of their Elder Brother and on the other side he put his Eldest Son into the possession of the Kingdom whilst himself was living for fear of tumults and commotions that might arise after his death Jehoram therefore being 32 years old succeeded his Father and reigned eight years in Jerusalem to wit four years together with his Father and four years by himself alone He walked in the Idolatrous ways of the Kings of Israel as did the house of Ahab whose daughter he had married viz. Athaliah and a vertuous daughter she was like to be that sprang from the cursed root of Ahab and Jezebel she soon drew him to follow her Fathers courses so great an influence have bad wives upon their husbands to draw them to evil He did that which was very evil and provoking in the sight of the Lord howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David because of the Covenant he had made with him to give him always a light that is a royal glory in a successor and to continue the Soveraignty in his race as long as that Kingdom should last See 1 King 11.36 When he was setled in the Kingdom he sought to make himself strong as Jeroboam did 2 Chron. 13.7 that he might the better effect his mischievous intents and purposes and accordingly getting his six younger brethren into his hands he like a cruel Tyrant slew them and many also of the great men of the land who he thought favoured them and had a kindness for them He made great innovations in Religion erecting those Idolatrous places in mountains which his Father and Grandfather had with so much zeal destroyed He caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit spiritual fornication in worshipping of Baal and to embrace that Idolatry which himself had learned from
22.6 was the sixth that reigned in Judah he was the youngest Son of Jehoram for all his Elder Brothers were either slain or carried away by the Philistines and Arabians as we shewed before It seems he was made King by the Inhabitants of Jerusalem viz. the Sanhedrin or great Council there the rest giving their consent He reigned only one year and did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of the house of Ahab for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly and as some think he married a wife also of the house of Ahab and therefore is said * 2 King 8.27 to be a Son-in-law of it and the house of Ahab were his counsellors after his Fathers death to his destruction 'T is said 2 Chron. 22.2 that he was forty two years old when he began to reign but 2 King 8.25 't is said he was twenty two years old when he began to reign and 2 King 9.29 't is said he began to reign in the eleventh year of Joram King of Israel But 2 King 8.25 't is said he began to reign in the twelfth year of Joram Here seem to be two contradictions for the reconciling of which we must know that probably the beginning of his reign did fall in with the latter end of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth year of Joram King of Israel And whereas 't is said in the Chronicles that he was forty two years old when he began to reign though his Father Jehoram was but forty years old when he died as we may see 2 Chron. 21.5 and in the Kings that he was twenty two years old when he began to reign we must thus understand it that he began to reign in the two and fâ—â—rtieth year of the continuance of the Crown in the house of Omri and his race from which he was descended by his mother Athaliah but in the 22th year of his own age For Omri reigned as sole King six years 1 King 16.23 Ahab twenty two years 1 King 16.29 Ahaziah his Son two years 1 King 22.51 Jehoram twelve years 2 King 3.1 Thus Omri's stock continued forty two years in this sense Ahaziah was a Son of forty two years * Some think here is a Sphaimagraphicum and 42 is put for 22 and so the LXX seem to intimate who there only say that Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to reign if we reckon from the beginning of Omri's reign He went up with his Uncle Jehoram King of Israel to war against Hazael King of Syria for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead which was withheld from the Crown of Israel by the Syrians Ahab had with his own and the joint forces of Jehoshaphat endeavoured to recover it but failed of his purpose and was there slain by Benhadad whose life he had imprudently spared 1 King 20.34 But Jehoram his Son with the joint forces of Judah actually recovered it from Hazael but was there himself wounded Having therefore won the Town 2 King 9.14 and leaving the chief of his Army there with his Commanders of whom Jehu was chief to keep it lest Hazael should come with new forces to recover it he withdrew himself to Jezreel to be cured of his wounds Jehu being left at Ramoth-Gilead was there anointed by the direction and command of Elisha to be King of Israel who thereupon soon slew both Jehoram and Ahaziah For Ahaziah going to Jezreel to visit Jehoram and they understanding that Jehu marched furiously towards them they both went out to meet him but Jehu killing Jehoram Ahaziah fled towards Jezreel yet durst not enter the City but in the suburbs where their Garden-houses were he turned aside into some by-way hoping by that means to escape but Jehu and his Captains at last overtook him and smote him at a place by Ibleam and he flying further after he was wounded to Megiddo a City not far off which belongs to the Kingdom of Samaria Jehu and his men following him close at last by making diligent search in the City there they found him out and brought him to Jehu who presently caused him to be put to death Thus the destruction of Ahaziah was of God and his going to join with Joram King of Israel was the occasion of it Had he stayed at Jerusalem Jehu would not have medled with him When he was dead Jehu and his Commanders permitted his servants to carry him in a Chariot and to bury him at Jerusalem in the Sepulchers of his Fathers For they said he is a Son that is a Grandson of Jehoshaphat who sought the Lord with all his heart Thus we see that the piety sincerity and integrity of Jehoshaphat was reverenced and highly esteemed even by those that had not their own hearts possessed therewith God delighting to honour them that honour him Shortly after this Jehu going to Samaria met by the way forty two young Princes of the blood of Ahaziah viz. the Sons of his Brethren * V. 13. The word Brethren must be here taken in a large sense for his Brethren Sons or other kindred They are called Princes of Judah because places of dignity and government were committed unto them who came thither probably to attend and wait upon their King and Vncle being several of them possibly Officers of his Court. It seems they knew nothing of the late revolution in Israel nor of the death of Jehoram Jezebel or Ahaziah or that Jehu reigned Jehu asks them who they were It seems they knew him not but supposing him to be some great Officer of Jehoram's told him they were kinsmen to Ahaziah King of Judah and coming to attend him there they thought themselves obliged being so near the Court to go and pay their respects to King Jehoram's Sons and the Sons of Queen Jezebel and thither they were now going Jehu being at this time in his full career of executing the judgment of God upon the house of Ahab and perceiving these young men to be of that cursed stock being descended from Athaliah Ahab's daughter he looked upon it as within his commission to put them to death and accordingly bidding those about him to lay hold on them he commanded them all with sufficient severity to be immediately slain in the place 2 King 8. from 25 to the end 2 King 9. v. 16. and from 21 to 30. 2 King 10.13 14. 2 Chron. 22. from v. 1 to 10. The 7th that reigned in Judah was ATHALIAH THE house of Ahaziah was so miserably weakned by the late destruction of so many of the branches of it and none of his children being of years sufficient to maintain their right to the Kingdom against such as should go about to usurp it Athaliah mother of Ahaziah who probably was left by him to govern the Kingdom in his absence when he went to help Joram King of Israel in his wars hearing that her Son was dead and that many others of the Royal family were slain by Jehu
and thirty years he died He was about ten or eleven years old at Solomons death and lived in the reigns of eight Kings of Judah It was a great blessing to that Kingdom that he lived so long And they buried him in the City of David among the Kings which was an high honour to him because he had done good in Israel both towards God in restoring his worship and towards his house in causing it to be repaired Now after the death of Jehoiada that wise godly and zealous Governour several of the Princes of Judah who as it seems had concealed their impious mind and hollow heartedness in Religion before came now to Joash and making a low obeisance to him and presenting unto him a flattering address they petitioned him as appears by what follows that they might have leave to set up the Idolatry of Baal again in the land and to worship God in the high places after the manner of their fathers because it was burdensome to go up from all parts to the Temple The King being prevailed upon by their flatteries * Multorum Principum aures nihil accipiunt nisi jucundum lâ—surum Tacitus granted their request and so they left the Temple the house of the God of their Fathers and served Idols in Groves and thereby brought the wrath of the Lord upon Judah and Jerusalem by this their great trespass For shortly after Hazael King of Syria see 2 King 12.17 invaded the land and took Gath (a) This City David recovered from the Philistines 1 Chr. 18.1 and the Kings of Judah held it to this time It was one of the Cities Rehoboam fortified 2 Chr. 11.8 and was preparing to go against Jerusalem So formidable to Joash was this approach of Hazael that he was forc'd to purchase his peace with him by making him a present of all the hallowed things and of all the gold that was found in the Treasuries of the Temple and in his own house (b) 2 Chron. 24.27 The greatness of the burdens laid upon him may hereby be meant which are mentioned in some Civil Records Sundry Prophets and extraordinary messengers God sent to them one after another to reclaim the King and his people from those evil ways and to bring them again to the Lord. And these Prophets (c) So the Lord dealt with the Ten Tribes 2 King 17.13 and with the men of Judah after this 2 Chron. 36.15 16. did faithfully declare their sin to them even to their very faces and foretold them of the judgments God would bring upon them if they did not repent however they would not hearken to them but by an obstinacy in sin pull'd down vengeance on their own heads At length Zachariah the Son of Jehoiada was by the Spirit of God stirred up to admonish them of their wickedness who accordingly did it with great boldness and courage and standing up in an high place in the Court of the Temple and speaking to the King his Nobles and people he told them Thus saith the Lord why do ye so transgress the commandments of the Lord that ye cannot prosper because ye have forsaken the Lord he hath forsaken you and given you over into the hands of the Syrians Hereupon these Idolatrous Princes and the people that were like them being enraged immediately consulted together to destroy him and probably complained grievously to the King of him representing him as the manner of such persons is as a man highly disaffected to the Kings person and government and an enemy to the State And having by this means inflam'd the King against him they askt him if they should presently stone him which he agreeing to and commanding they furiously rushed into the Priests Court whither Zachariah had betaken himself and with most daring impiety stoned him between the Temple and the Altar * See Mat. 23.35 But before he expired he said The Lord will look upon it and require it that is he will severely avenge my blood upon you Thus Joash remembred not the kindness which Jehoiada the Father of Zachariah had done for him who had nourished him in the Temple in his infancy and with extream hazard to himself set him upon the Throne and instructed him in the ways of God and had been his most faithful counsellor and a means of procuring many blessings to him and yet notwithstanding all this he now cruelly consents to the murdering of his Son and that only for giving him faithful counsel But though Joash was thus abominably ungrateful yet the Lord would not let it so pass For before that year was expired the Syrians invaded the land again and executed the judgment of God upon them with great severity For though they came only with a small company of men intending possibly to pillage rather than to perform any great action and Joash went out against them with a very great army yet this small band of the Syrians overthrew that great host of Judah because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers The Syrians being highly encouraged with this victory they went up against Jerusalem and destroyed all the Princes of the people on whom they could lay their hands who had been the great instruments to draw away their King from the worship of the true God to Idolatry and they sent the spoil of them to the King of Damascus And when they departed they left Joash in sore diseases perhaps by reason of some wounds he had received in the fight which advantage two of his own servants laying hold upon slew him in his bed and thereby avenged the blood of the Son * V. 25. For the blood of the Sons of Jehoiada i. e. one of his Sons the Plural numâ—er for the Singular of Jehoiada the Priest he was slain in the beginning of the fortieth year of his reign And they buried him in the City of David but not in the Sepulchres of the Kings He reigned twenty two years with Jehu the rest in the time of Jehoahaz Jehu's Son and Jehoash his Grandchild and Amaziah his Son succeeded him 1 King 11. wh Ch. 2 King 12. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 23. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 24. wh Ch. The 9th King of Judah AMAZIAH AMAZIAH the Son of Joash was twenty five years old when he began to reign and reigned twenty nine years †T is said that in the second year of Joash King of Israel he began to reign that is in the second year of Joaâ—h after he began to reign alone his father Jehoahaz being dead For Joa h began to reign three years before hâ—s father died and that was the 37th year of Joash King of Judah the father of Amaziah who reigned forty years compleat In the beginning of his reign he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord viz. that which was for the substance of it good and approved of God yet not with an upright heart like David but according to what Joash his
Idol some of Adonis the Paramour of Venus 4. Their men worshipping the Sun towards the East 2ly He hath a Vision of the judgments that God would execute upon them for their sins In which Vision he hears God commanding six men who had slaughter-weapons in their hands to destroy all except the secret mourners for those abominations the Prophet intercedes for them but the Lord vindicates the equity of his proceedings against them by reason of their sins Chap. 9. 3ly In the tenth Chapter Ezekiel hath a Vision first of the burning coals to be scatter'd over the City 2ly Of the Lords changing his place and leaving them 3ly A Vision of the Wheels and Cherubims representing how things earthly and inferiour as also heavenly and superiour are under the disposal of the Divine Providence Chap. 10. In the 11th Chapter he hath first a Vision of those who gave ill counsel and seduced the people from v. 1 to 4. 2ly Of the judgments denounced against those evil counsellors and devisers of mischief from v. 4 to 13. 3ly He has a Vision of Pelatiah's death the Prophet deprecates the Lords displeasure and pleads with him to spare the residue of Israel The Lord tells him that the people of Jerusalem did not look upon their Brethren that were carried into Babylon as the people of God but challenged the Temple and the land and all in it to be theirs But though those captives were insulted over by them yet God promises to be a sanctuary to them in the Countries whither they were driven and that he would bring them back to their own land and that there they should reform and cast away their detestable things and he would purifie them and give them one heart and put a new spirit within them and take away their stony heart and give them an heart of flesh and they should walk in his statutes and do them and they should be his people and he would be their God 4ly He hath a Vision of the removal and departure of Gods glory from the City to the mountain and so exposing them to the fury and spoil of the Babylonians The Vision vanishing the Prophet is brought back by the Spirit to his people in Chaldea and there declares to them all that God had shewed him Ezekiel 8 9 10 11 whole Chapters God now both by Typical signs as also in plain words foretells Zedekiah's flight by night the putting out his eyes the captivity of himself and his people and the many miseries they were to suffer before all which we have set down in the twelfth Chapter In the beginning of which we have first the Type viz. Ezekiel's removing his houshold stuff and carrying it through the hole of the wall and bearing it upon his shoulders from v. 1 to 10. Then we have the application of this Type both to Prince and people from v. 10. to 15. Moreover he hath a Vision of the sad condition of the people both before and after the captivity of the King whereupon the Prophet is commanded to eat his bread with quaking and to drink his water with trembling Furthermore he confutes those who made an ill construction of his Prophesies and put off all with this by-word If his Prophesies be true yet they belong not to our days but to the days of those that are to be a long while after us or else said his vision faileth and cometh to nothing God tells them he will make that Proverb to cease among them by a sudden and dreadful accomplishment of the Prophesie utter'd by his Prophet and to this matter the seven following Chapters also belong In Chap. 13. he reproves the false Prophets and Prophetesses who taking upon them that office were led by their own private spirits and deceived the people with vain visions and lying divinations The false Prophets he reproves for daubing with untemper'd mortar there being no truth and so no strength in what they said from 1 to 17. And the Prophetesses for sowing pillows under the arms of the people that is by their lyes and flatteries promising them peace and making nightcoifs or kerchiefs for the head of every stature that is suiting their jugling to all sorts both small and great to seduce them In Chap. 14. upon occasion of certain Elders of Israel coming to inquire of him he declares how God abhors to be inquired of by them because of their Idolatry and how he will plague Idolaters and false Prophets except they repent from 1 to 12. And then shews how irrevocably God had decreed to punish them with famine noisome beasts sword and pestilence and that the Intercessions of the most holy men that ever were such as were Noah Daniel and Job would not be able to help them they should only deliver their own souls from 12 to 22. 3ly He foretelleth that some shall be left and shall be carried to their Brethren that were in Babylon who were by this time well accommodated and fitted to entertain them and should be comforted concerning them seeing their repentance In Chap. 15. under the similitude of an useless and fruitless vine-tree fit only for the fire he sets forth the condition of the inhabitants of Jerusalem that they are fit only for judgment In Ch. 16. to make Judah know her abominations by the similitude of a new-born and miserably forsaken young daughter God sets before them their natural state and miserable condition from 1 to 6. and his special love and kindness which he had shewed to them in that wretched state from 6 to 15. and their ungrateful apostasie from God set out under the type of an whore and whoredom signifying their Idolatry and heathenish covenants from 15 to 35. Then he adds a commination of heavy judgments for those sins they being worse than their sisters Sodom and Samaria from 35 to 60. Lastly after he had thunder'd out judgments against the multitude of wicked ones He gives some Evangelical promises of mercy and comfort to revive the spirits of the faithful that either now were or hereafter should be among them from 60. to the end The 17th Chapter contains a denunciation of judgments upon Jerusalem and her King for persidious revolting from the King of Babylon under the parable of two Eagles and a Vine The Parable is propounded from 1 to 11. and expounded and applied in a minatory way from 11 to 22. In the last part of the Chapter there is a promise of Christ and his Kingdom and the happiness of all sorts of people that shall come under his wing and protection from 22 to the end In the 18th Chap. he reproves the Jews in Babylon who instead of being humbled for their sins took up an unjust complaint against God and charged him to deal unjustly with them alledging that their fathers had sinned and they their children suffered for their sins making use of that Proverb The Fathers have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edg This charge
Tent slew 4000 men and giving an alarm to the whole Army at break of the day safely retreated whereupon the King marched towards him next day and they coming to an engagement Antiochus lost several hundreds more but the Jews seeing themselves overpowered retreated The King then returned to the siege and they not being well stored with provision this being the Sabbatical year at last yielded up the Town upon composition Antiochus having herein placed a Garrison marched up to Jerusalem and there made all provision possible for the gaining of it all manner of Engines being raised for the casting of fire and stones but the besieged defended themselves bravely though provisions were very short with them and the famine prevailed so much among them that they were in danger of falling into the Kings hands but before he could finish his work news came that Philip whom his father had appointed to be Guardian being returned out of Egypt was coming with the forces that Epiphanes had left in Persia and Media to recover his right usurped by Lysias Hereupon both he and his Captains were presently perswaded by Lysias because the place was strong and provisions began to fail in the Leaguer and the affairs of the Kingdom required it to make peace with the besieged and with the whole Nation of the Jews upon such terms as they required Then returning to Ptolemais the inhabitants thereof being great enemies to the Jews stickled hard to perswade him to break the League but Lysias so well argued the matter among them that he quieted their minds and confirmed the peace so that the Investiture of the commanding power in the Hasmoneans took its rise from the time of this peace agreed on betwixt Antiochus Eupator and Maccabeus The King hasting thence towards Antioch brought along with him as a prisoner Menelaus the High Priest whom Lysias accused as an Incendiary and the cause of the war whereupon by order from the King he was let down into a Tower filled with ashes and there miserably ended his life ten years after he had first usurped the Priesthood Menelaus being thus taken out of the way the King substituted in his room one Alcimus a man every whit as bad as he Indeed he was of Aaron's progeny but not of the High Priests blood and Lysias perswaded the King to transfer that dignity into another family Onias the Son of Onias the third seeing the High Priesthood conferred on Alcimus went into Egypt and after he had well insinuated himself into the affections of Ptol. Philometor and Cleopatra his wife obtained of them leave to build a Temple to God in the jurisdiction of Heliopolis answering to that at Jerusalem and that they would constitute him High Priest there See more of this in Vsher p. 467. Antiochus coming to Antioch found Philip Master thereof but setting upon it he took it by force and taking Philip therein put him to death and so quickly quieted those stirs being reserved with Lysias his Guardian though but a little time for others more dangerous Demetrius Soter Son of Seleucus Philopator the right heir to the Kingdom now escaping from Rome quickly got the Kingdom and put to death Eupator and Lysias his Guardian Alcimus who had procured from Eupator to be made High Priest being not now receivâ—d nor owned by the people for that in the days of Epiphanes he had wilfully defiled himself came to Demetrius with other Apostates to get the Priesthood confirmed to him He accused his Countrymen especially the Hasmoneans viz. Judas and his Brethren as guilty of cutting off the Kings friends and banishing them out of the Country Hereupon Demetrius sent Bacchides the Governour of Mesopotamia his trusty friend with great forces into Judea and confirmed the High Priesthood to Alcimus whom he sent back with him All their design was being arrived there by fair speeches to get Judas and his Brethren into their hands but they gave no credit to them Many of the Scribes went out to them to seek peace expecting they should have obtained it of Alcimus who was of the seed of Aaron and had now great power in the army but having gotten them into his hands he most wickedly contrary to agreement and his oath put sixty of them to death all in one day by which perfidiousness many being terrified fled from the City Then Bacchides going from Jerusalem caused many that had fled from him and several others of the Jews to be slain and cast into a great pit and so committing the care of the Country to Alcimus for the defence of which he left him some forces he returned unto the King After his departure Alcimus striving all he could to confirm himself in the Priesthood made great havock of the people Hereupon Judas went out through the whole Country taking vengeance on such as had revolted from him and so terrified those that adhered to Alcimus that they were forced to keep themselves within their Garrisons and durst not make any more incursions into the Country Alcimus apprehending danger to himself from these proceedings goes once more to Demetrius carrying along with him a Crown of Gold to present unto him For Judas and his party increasing in power would not suffer him to come near to the holy Altar at which being enraged he eagerly accused them to the King as authors of all the commotions and disturbances in Judea further complaining that he was deprived of the Priesthood the honour as he said of his Ancestors and further affirmed that as long as Maccabeus lived the Kings affairs could not be secure This being seconded by some ill-willers to the Jews and his friends Demetrius was so inflamed that sending for Nicanor one of his chiefest Princes and a bitter enemy to the Jews made him General against Judea giving him order to destroy Judas and disperse his associates the Assideans and to settle Alcimus in the High Priesthood The Jews upon the report of Nicanors approach and the Association of several Gentiles with him cast dust upon their heads and made their Supplication to God And it so happened that after a short skirmish betwixt Simon Judas's Brother and a party of Nicanors near the Village Dessaro Nicanor understanding the Courage and Resolution of Judas and his Party in defending their Country he was unwilling to run the hazard of a Battel but sent to parle with the Jews and to make peace with them upon mutual engagements of fidelity each to other And Articles being agreed upon between them the two Captains met and the Conference proved very successful and closed in a League without the Kings Privity Nicanor after this abode a while in Jerusalem and dismissed the Companies he had collected and was so taken with Judas that he continued with him some time and loved him in his heart and lived so friendly and familiarly with him that he perswaded him to marry a Wife But when that wretched fellow Alcimus observed this Correspondence between them he addressed
himself a third time to Demetrius and accused Nicanor as having some treacherous Design in agitation against the King who was so inraged by those Calumnies that he sent Nicanor word That he took very ill those his Intercourses with Judas commanding him forthwith to send him to him bound to Antioch Nicanor was very loath to do this because it was a violation of the Articles of Peace between them which Judas had not in the least manner broken yet because he knew not how to resist the Kings command he watched a convenient time to do it by a Stratagem Judas observing how Nicanor was grown more reserved to him than formerly and that his dealings were more rough than usually they had been began to suspect something and gathering together many of his Associates he withdrew himself Nicanor following him with a great party to Jerusalem under pretence of a Parle with him had prepared some to seize upon him which Judas having notice of got away and would see him no more When Nicanor saw his design was discovered he marched with his forces against Judas and fought with him near Caphersalama in which Encounter Nicanor lost near 5000 of his men and the rest fled to the City of David After this Nicanor came up to Mount Sion and some of the Priests with the Elders of the people went forth of the Sanctuary to salute him peaceably and shew him the Burnt-Offering that was offered for the King But he jearing and scoffing at it demanded Judas to be delivered unto him And they affirming with an Oath that they knew not where he was he stretched out his hand against the Temple and swore that except Judas and his Associates were delivered up unto him he would when he should return in peace set the Sanctuary on fire demolish the Altar and build there a stately Temple to Bacchus The Priests hearing this went in and standing before the Altar with Tears begged of God That he would frustrate this wicked mans intention and avenge his Blasphemies on him and his host Nicanor hearing that Judas was gone from Jerusalem into the parts of Samaria he went and pitched his Tents in Bethoron where he met new supplies out of Syria But Judas pitched in Hadasa with only 3000 men Nicanor did what he could to engage in battle on the Sabbath-day vvhich the Jews vvho vvere constrained to follovv him friendly dehorting him from out of reverence to the day and to God the Institutor thereof he with most horrid Blasphemy slighted what they said As for Maccabaeus he encouraged his Party recalling to their minds their former Encounters and declaring unto them a Dream of his wherein there was represented unto him Onias the 3d. praying for the people and the Prophet Jeremy reaching unto him a golden Sword whereby he much cheared their Spirits The Jews being now well armed with Prayers and a sure confidence in God on the 13th day of the last month Adar fell upon the Enemy Nicanor himself was one of the first that fell in the fight which when his Army saw they cast away their Arms and fled and the Israelites following the chase slew 30000 of them Then they fell upon the Spoil and finding Nicanors Body they cut off his head and hands and carried him to Jerusalem where they hung his head upon an high Tower with his right hand which he had stretched out so proudly against the House of God and his blasphemous Tongue Judas commanded should be chopp'd in pieces and given to the Birds of the Air. In commemoration of this Victory it was Enacted That the 13th day of the month Adar the day before the Feast of Mordecai should be yearly kept as a day of thanksgiving and publick rejoycing as the Author of the second Book of Maccabees tells us who with this story finished his Work being the Epitome of the Five Books of Jason a Jew of Cyrene After Nicanor's death Judea for a while had rest from Wars During which time Judas hearing of the great power of the Romans and their Humanity towards such as were in distress understanding also in what great fear Demetrius stood of them he sent Eupolemus the son of John and Jason son of Eleazer as Agents to the Senate of Rome in the name of himself his Brother and the Common-wealth of the Jews to negotiate an Alliance and Association with them hoping thereby to free their necks from that heavy yoak of Demetrius and the Empire of the Greeks After Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his Army were cut off in the late fight with Judas he dispatch'd Bacchides and Alcimus a second time into Judea and with them the right wing and better part of his Army who marching on the way that leads to Galgala took in their march Massadath which is in Arbela and put multitudes to the Sword From thence they removed to Jerusalem and from thence to Berea with Twenty thousand Foot and Two thousand Horse to seek out Maccabaeus Judas pitched in Eleasa having only 3000 men with him The Jews seeing the number of the enemy so great began to be afraid and many of them fled away in so much that all forsook Judas save only 800 with these he charged Bacchides's great Army and fought from morning to night and routed the right wing in which Bacchides himself was but they on the left wing perceiving this and pressing hard upon Judas and those that were with him slew him fighting valiantly and as soon as he fell the rest of his men fled and shifted for themselves Judas was slain in the 6th year after he had led the people from the death of his Father and A. M. 3844. After the death of Judas wicked men discovered themselves in all the Coasts of Israel who before play'd least in sight for fear of Him And by reason of the great Famine that hapned in those days almost the whole Country joyned with them and submitted themselves to Bacchides that they might the more commodiously be supplied with provision Bacchides advanced those wicked men to be Governours in the Country who when they lighted upon any of Judas's Friends brought them to him who reviled them and revenged himself upon them so that there had not been so great an Affliction since the days that the Prophets ceased from among them 1 Mac. 9.23 27. But such of the Jews as could do it assembled themselves together and chose Jonathan Judas's Brother Captain in his room which Bacchides hearing of sought to kill him but he understanding thereof fled into the desert of Tekoa and sent his Brother John with a bâ—â—d of Soldiers to desire the Nabathites that were Arabians that they might leave their Carriages with them But the Children of Iambri out of Medaba met with them upon the way and slew John and his Company and having seized upon the Spoil went their way But no great joy had they of their Booty for Jonathan and his Brother Simon hearing they were about to make
about Tryphon having brought his design thus far on as to break the power of Demetrius and having to that end desired the friendship of Jonathan he now desired his ruine above all things as standing in his way and likely to hinder his intended Treason For he resolved to seize upon the Kingdom himself but fearing lest Jonathan should stand fast to the Interest of the young King and oppose him he came down with his forces to Bethsan thinking to surprize Jonathan but he hearing of his coming made towards him with 40 thousand choice men which so disheartned Tryphon that he was so far from daring to attempt any thing against him that he treated him very honourably and with Presents and other kindnesses so dissembled with him that he perswaded him at last to dismiss his army and taking only a selected party along with him to go to Ptolemais which he promised to put into his hands Jonathan consenting hereunto sent all his men back but a 1000 whom he took along with him but as soon as he entred Ptolemais Tryphon commanded the Gates to be shut and cut off all his men and kept him Prisoner Then Tryphon invaded Judea with a great Army carrying Jonathan with him Prisoner to oppose whom Simon the Brother of Jonathan was chosen General in his stead by the people But Tryphon seeing the Jews prepared for resistance feigned as if Jonathan was only detained for a 100 Talents of Silver which he was in arrear which if they would send to him together with Jonathans two Sons for Hostages as a security that Jonathan should not attempt to revenge his Imprisonment after he got his liberty he promised he should be released Simon though he distrusted him yet least it should be said he neglected any thing for his Brothers safety sent his Nephews with the money which when Tryphon had received he most perfidiously slew Jonathan and then returned into Syria Jonathan lived after the decease of his Brother Judas 17 years and enjoyed the High-Priesthood about nine years he was put to death near Bascha in the Country of Gilead and there buried Simon some time after sent to fetch away the body of his Brother Jonathan and buried it at Modin the City of their Ancestors and all Israel lamented him many days Simon also built a stately Monument over the Sepulchre of his Father and his Brothers exceeding high of white stone polished all over He erected also seven Pyramids all of a row in memory of his Father and Mother and Brothers To these he addded a Porch of great Pillars on which he caused the Portraiture of Armies and Ships to be engraven Josephus says this rare Sepulchre of Modin lasted to his time Tryphon now makes away young Antiochus giving out that he was troubled with the Stone and under pretence of cutting him for it he caused the Physicians to kill him This done he put the Crown upon his own head Simon being so highly disobliged by him and accounting him a great Tyrant and Robber he sent to make his peace with Demetrius presenting him with a Crown of Gold Demetrius considering the great Respect the Romans had lately shewed the Nation of the Jews and particularly to the Ambassadors Jonathan had lately sent to confirm the League with them promised to bury all things in oblivion and confirmed to Simon the Immunities before granted to Jonathan The year after he had the Castle of Jerusalem surrendred to him The Gentiles within having been pent up for two years without any relief were most of them consumed with Famine Simon having cleansed the Fort of all the Pollution of Idols entred in with Branches of Palms Harps Cymbals Viols Hymns and Songs He ordained also an Anniversary Solemnity for this day Which done he afterwards repaired and fortified it together with the Hill of the Temple and there dwelt himself with his attendants After he had been High Priest three years by a publick instrument of the Priests Nobles and Elders of the people after a recapitulation of his merits and great services performed for his Nation he was made their Prince and High Priest perpetual till God should raise up the true Prophet and all ornaments and prerogatives of Majesty were given unto him This instrument being made in brass was fastened to the wall that encompassed the Sanctuary and a Copy thereof was laid up in the Treasury Thus was the yoke of the Heathen taken off from Israel and the people began to date their instruments and contracts from the years of their High Priests after this manner viz. In the first year of Simon being the great High Priest General and Leader of the Jews 1 Mac. 14. Simon seeing his Son John Sirnamed afterwards Hircanus to be a very valiant man appointed him Captain over all his forces Demetrius being invited by the Macedonians to come and head them against the Parthians and being with great alacrity received and assisted by them he overthrew the Parthians in several Battels till at last being circumvented by the cunning of one of their Princes and having lost his Army he fell into their hands and was cast into Prison Arsaces King of the Parthians having got him thus into his hands afterwards sent him into Hircania where he caused him to be treated with respect due to a King and afterwards gave him his daughter to wife promising to restore unto him the Kingdom of Syria which Tryphon had dispossessed him of The Souldiers in Syria growing weary of Tryphon's Government revolted from him to Cleopatra wife of Demetrius who then lived in Seleucia with her children Cleopatra taking it in great disdain that Demetrius her husband had married the King of Parthia's daughter in a strange revenge sent to his Brother Antiochus called Sidetes or the Hunter second Son of Demetrius Soter offering her self in marriage to him and with her self the Kingdom also Antiochus willingly accepted the offer and marrying of her took the name of King upon him Then writing Letters to Simon the High Priest and Ruler of the Jews and designing to make him his friend he confirms unto him not only all the priviledges and immunities which other Kings of Syria had granted but added also a priviledg of coyning money with his own stamp Simon now sent Ambassadours to Rome for himself and the people of the Jews to renew their League and Amity with the Romans These Ambassadours carried with them a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight to present to the Roman Senate The present was very kindly accepted and Lucius the Consul gave them Letters to the Neighbouring Kings and Provinces prohibiting them from attempting any thing which might prejudice the Jews or abetting and assisting any that should fight against them And if at any time any Runnagado-Jews should flee out of Judea and come into their Territories they should deliver them up to Simon the High Priest to be proceeded against according to the Laws of their Country Antiochus Sidetes having married
first Month in the presence of the people of Judah and Israel and the inhabitants of Jerusalem he kept the Feast of the Passover And he set the Priests in their charges and encouraged them to perform the service of the house of the Lord. And he said to the Levites that is to the Priests of the Tribe of Levi who prepared the holy things of the Lord Put the holy Ark in the house of the Lord. It seems the Ark in Amon's reign had been carried out of the most holy place possibly that some Idol might be set up in its room Or else it had been purposely carried out by some pious Priests that it might not stand there among those heathenish Idols that were brought into the Temple and now Josiah orders it to be restored to its proper place again telling the Priests that it would not now be a burden unto them it must abide in the Temple and not be carried from place to place upon their shoulders as formerly it had been before the Temple was built and they being now delivered from that burden should serve the Lord their God more faithfully and cheerfully and should serve his people also by diligently instructing them and performing those services for them that tended to their spiritual good And because several families of the Levites were appointed to attend upon the sacrifices and offerings of several families of each Tribe some being to be imploy'd in that holy service for such and such families V. 6. Prepare for your brethren Praeparate agnos pro fratribus vestris J. T. and others for others therefore he appoints them to stand in the holy place and to attend the service that was to be done according to the divisions of the families of the people and according to the division of their own families He exhorts them also to sanctifie themselves and to prepare the sacrifices for the Priests to offer that they might do their duty as God had enjoyn'd them Then Josiah gave to the people for Passover offerings viz. of lambs and kids for either of these kinds might be offered thirty thousand and for other offerings three thousand bullocks all of the herds and flocks that belonged to the King see 2 Chron. 30.24 and his Princes gave also willingly and liberally to the Priests Levites and the people and Hilkiah the High Priest and Zachariah and Jehiel who with the High Priest were Rulers over other Priests and Levites in the house of God gave to the inferiour Priests two thousand and six hundred small cattle and three hundred oxen And six eminent Levites who were Fathers and Rulers over the rest of the Levites gave unto the inferiour Levites for Passover-offerings five thousand small cattel and for other offerings five hundred oxen So all things fit and requisite for a solemn Passover were provided and made ready and the Priests stood in their place and the Levites in their order according to the Kings Commandment So they kill'd the Passover every father of a family for himself and his family and the Levites for themselves and for other Levites who were otherwise imployed and the Priests sprinkled the blood on the Altar which they received from their hands and the Levites flayed the sacrifices and they separated such sacrifices as were to be eaten from the burnt-offerings which were wholly to be consumed on the Altar that so of the rest they might give to the people partly for Paschal lambs partly for peace-offerings whereof both Priests and people were to have a share And they rosted the Passover with fire but so much of the peace-offerings as was to be prepar'd for the offerers to eat before the Lord they sod in pots and chaldrons and pans and so divided them among the people Afterwards the Levites made ready for themselves V. 15. Jeduthun is call'd the Kings Ster Heman Asaph also had this Title the reason of which see 2 King 17.13 and for the Priests who being imployed even until night in offering the burnt-offerings and the fat c. had no time to provide for themselves And the Singers stood in their places to perform their service according to the commandment of David The Porters also attended at the Gates and did not depart from their service during that solemnity and thereupon the Levites prepared for them as they had done for the Priests Thus all things that appertained to the service and worship of God and to the keeping the Passover and the offering of the burnt-offerings were duly performed that day according to the Kings command And so they kept the Passover at that time and the feast of unleavened bread seven days after And there was no Passover like to this kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the Prophet neither did any of the Kings of Israel either David or Solomon or any of the Kings of Judah since the division of the Kingdom keep such a Passover as Josiah now kept if we consider the multitude of sacrifices that were offered and freely given by the King Princes Priests and Levites and the exceeding joy of the good people that Religion was restored again to its purity among them Furthermore Josiah took away all witches and sooth-sayers all images and dunghil-gods and all abominations which were found in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem that he might perform all the words that were written in the Book that was found by Hilkiah the Priest in the house of the Lord. And there was no King that was before him in the Throne of Judah like unto him or that followed after him if we consider the fervency of his zeal for the rooting out of Idolatry and other abominations which had prevailed before his time and if we consider the innocence and integrity of his life and his diligent heeding the law of the Lord. We have indeed observed upon 2 King 18.5 that in some particulars Hezekiah excelled him but in others Josiah excelled Hezekiah as in his contrition and deep humiliation for the wickedness that prevailed before his time see 2 King 22.19 His solemn making a Covenant with the Lord and engaging his subjects therein to reform their ways his solemn keeping of the Passover his zealous purging not only Judah and Benjamin from Idolatry but the Cities of Israel under his power besides he was not puft up with pride as Hezekiah was But though Josiah was in his own person so excellent a Prince yet it seems the people though they yielded to his reformation out of awe and respect to him yet in their hearts many of them did still approve Manasseh's wicked ways * 2 Reg. 23.26 Proptet irritationes Manassis quia is Idololatriae ingentem saevitiam addiderat approbante magna parte populi and this soon appear'd after Josiah's death for all his children did quickly return to Manasseh's Idolatry and followed him in his abominations but not in his repentance and conversion The Lord thereupon said I will remove Judah out
of my sight as I have removed Israel that is out of the land which I chose for my habitation and to manifest my gracious presence in and will cast off this City of Jerusalem which I have chosen and the house of which I said my name shall be there 2 King 23. from 21 to 28. 2 Chron. 35. from 1 to 20. Now after Josiah had prepared the Temple and setled the true worship of God therein and made such a great reformation of all things as we have before shewn yet it so happened that in the thirty first year of his reign Pharoah Necho King of Egypt came up with his Army to fight against Carchemish a City lying upon the River Euphrates which the King of Babylon who was also now King of Assyria had taken from him He entred the Kingdom of Judah with his Army but designed only to pass thorough it to Carchemish without doing any injury or hurt to Josiah but it seems Josiah thought himself bound in faith and honour to hinder his passage and to prevent as much as lay in him his enterprize against the Babylonians to whom he was obliged either by Covenant made at the enlargement of Manasseh or by their giving him that part of the Country which he held in the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes Pharoah Necho understanding he intended to oppose him sent Ambassadours to him one of whom personating their King spake to him after this manner What I have to do with thee thou King of Judah I come not out against thee this day but against the house of the Assyrian with whom I have war For God hath commanded me by some of his Prophets to make hast and to assault them therefore I advise thee to forbear hindring me who go out with Gods commission lest therein thou be found to oppose God himself and he destroy thee for it But it seems Josiah did not believe that he had warrant from God for what he did and therefore resolv'd to oppose him and fight with him and being thus resolv'd he disguised himself that he might not be known in the battel to be the King and that he might fight the more boldly and successfully for he was sensible that if the enemy knew him they would bend their chief force against him The Armies met and came to a battel in the valley of Megiddo in the Tribe of Manasseh near Hadadrimmon the Archers of the Egyptians shot desperately at Josiah either suspecting him to be the King or else observing his valour in the fight they were the more provoked to aim at him and to endeavour to take him off as a principal enemy But so it was that he was thereby sorely wounded in his chariot and thereupon spake to his servants to have him out of the fight which they did and put him into another chariot intending to bring him to Jerusalem but being mortally wounded he died in the way Thus God punished the wickedness of the people by taking away their good King from them And because he died before those troubles and calamities fell upon that Nation which Huldah the Prophetess foretold and which afterwards ensued and whilst the Kingdom was in a flourishing condition and died in the love and favour of God therefore he may be said to be gathered to his grave in peace according to Huldahs prediction He was buried in one of the Sepulchers of his Fathers and the whole people wonderfully lamented his death and the Prophet Jeremiah more especially who knew the evil that would follow after his death and all the singing-men and singing-women spake of Josiah in their lamentations and made mention of his death even in the mournings they made for others insomuch as it came to be a constant custom and as it were a setled ordinance to speak of Josiah's death in their doleful Elegies And it grew almost into a common Proverb The lamentation of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Zach. 12.11 And possibly upon the loss of so good a King a law or ordinance was enacted that some doleful Elegies or lamentations should yearly be sung for him and these were recorded and set down among other mournful Elegies which upon occasions of publick calamity were us'd to be sung 2 Chron. 35. from 20 to the end 1 King 23. v. 29 30. The Prophet ZEPHANY Prophesied in this Kings reign as Jeremy also did The Prophesie of ZEPHANY His Prophesie may be divided into four parts 1. He denounces dreadful judgments against Judah and Ierusalem which should be distressed by the Caldeans without within and in every corner and there should be a great spoiling of their goods and slaughtering of their people 2. He sets before them the heinous sins that were found among them which would draw these judgments upon them 1. Idolatry in worshipping Baal and the host of heaven 2. Corrupting of Religion and mingling the worship of Idols with that of the true God 3. Apostasie after their solemn Covenant made with the Lord. 4. The pride of apparel among those of the Court and others 5. Oppression 6. Blasphemy denying Gods Providence 7. Security in sinning being setled upon their lees 8. Infidelity 9. Incorrigibleness 10. Stupid incogitancy being not moved to repent by the examples of Gods judgments which they saw poured out upon the Nations round about them 11. Tyranny in their Princes and Iudges 12. Vanity and treachery in their Prophets 3. He exhorts them to repentance and to seek the Lord to seek righteousness to seek meekness and that speedily before the decree bring forth Which if they would do he tells them it may be they may be hid in the day of the Lords anger This he further urges upon them from the exemplary judgments that God would inflict on other Nations that were impenitent viz. the Philistines Moabites Ammonites Ethiopians and Assyrians 4. And lastly he gives some gracious promises from the Lord to the faithful He tells them the Lord would leave in the midst of them an afflicted and poor people and they should trust in his name He prophesies of the conversion of the Gentiles and that they shall be joined to the Church He promises the restauration of the Iews and their return from captivity and that God will destroy their afflicting adversaries and will sanctifie them protect them and take away their punishments in contemplation of which he calls upon the daughter of Zion to rejoice and especially in Gods gracious presence and residence among them and making them the satisfying object of his love in so much he would rejoice over them to do them good and would rest in his love * Câ—â—â—â—â—escit in amoâ—â— suo erga te WE read of four Sons Iosiah had 1 Chron. 3.15 Iohanan Iehoiakim Zedekiah The 17th that reigned in the Kingdom of Judah JEHOAHAZ the son of JOSIAH and Shallum Probably Iohanan the first-born died before his Father for of him we find no where else any mention But the youngest