Vers 4. Eleazar begat Phinehas Phinehas begat Abishua c. Eleazar succeeded his father Aaron in the high priesthood in the fourtieth yeare after their coming out of Egypt Numb 20.25 c. and 33.18 and was high priest all the time of Joshua and died immediately after him as may seem by the relation of their deaths together Josh 24.29 33. Phinehas his sonne that succeeded him was he that slew Zimri and Cozbi in the wildernesse and had thereupon a promise from God that the high priesthood should be settled upon him and his seed for ever see Numb 25.7 13. He succeeded his father Eleazar about the death of Joshua Josh 24.29 33. How long he lived high priest it is no where expressed but probable it is he was high priest all the time that the people served the Lord after Joshuahs death in the dayes of the elders that out-lived Joshua Judg. 2.7 and perhaps in the time of the first revolting of the people in the time of the Judges which must needs then be a matter of much grief to a man of such zeal as he was for it is evident that when the Israelites made warre against Benjamin he was high priest Josh 20.28 And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron stood before it in those dayes As for the next three that follow Abishau Bukki his sonne and Vzzi his sonne they were it seems high priests in those corruptest times of Israel under the Judges whereto agrees that which is by some said that in the dayes of Uzzi it was that Eli and so his posterity after him got the high priests office not being of Eleazars stock but of the stock of Ithamar and if so it were then the foure next following of the stock of Eleazar were never high priests to wit Zerahiah and Meraioth and Amariah and Ahitub but Zadok the sonne of Ahitub vers 8. was the first that recovered that dignity again which was in the dayes of Solomon who thrust out Abiathar of the posterity of Eli and of the stock of Ithamar from being high priest and put Zadok the sonne of Ahitub in his room 1. Kings 2.27 35. Vers 10. And Johanan begat Azariah he it is that executed the priests office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem That is this is that Azariah of whom such honourable mention is made in the book of the Chronicles 2. Chron. 26.16 c. who did so worthily execute maintain the honour and office of the priesthood against the intrusion and usurpation of Uzziah the king of Judah and it is expressely noted that it was in the temple which Solomon built in Jerusalem because at the time when this was written there was another Temple in Jerusalem built by Zerub-babel Yet some understand these words of Johanan the father of Azariah that he was that Jehoiada that was high priest in the dayes of Athaliah by whom both the Temple and Common-wealth were preserved when they were in danger to be ruined by her Vers 13. And Shallum begat Hilâ—iah Who found the book of the Law in the dayes of Josiah 2. Kings 22.8 Vers 14. And Azariah begat Seraiah c. Seraiah was the high priest whom Nebuchadnezzar slew see 2. Kings 25.18 21. He was also the father or grand-father of Ezra Ezra 7.1 Now after these things in the reigne of Artaxerxes king of Persia Ezra the sonne of Seraiah the sonne of Azariah the sonne of Hilkiah c. and then Jehozadak his sonne was the father of Josuah who was so famous at the return of the Jews and the rebuilding of the Temple Hag. 1.1 In the second yeare of Darius the king in the sixth moneth in the first day of the moneth came the word of the Lord by Haggai the Prophet unto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel governour of Judah and to Josuah the sonne of Josedech the high priest Vers 19. And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers That is of these before named were the severall families of the Levites called to wit the family of the Libnites c. Vers 20. Of Gershom Libni his sonne Jahath his sonne Zimmah his sonne c. Here follows a catalogue of those that were successively the Heads both of the Gershonites Kohathites and Merarites perhaps unto the dayes of David who did dispose of the Levites into new orders and whereas Zimmah is here said to be the sonne of Jahath thereby is meant that he was his grandchild for Shimei was the sonne of Jahath and Zimmah the sonne of Shimei vers 42 43. Vers 25. And the sonnes of Elkanah Amasai and Ahimoth The sonnes of Elkanah are here more particularly expressed because from him descended that Elkanah who was the father of Samuel Vers 26. As for Elkanah the sonnes of Elkanah Zophai his sonne c. This is another Elkanah who was the sonne of Mahath and grandchild of Amasai mentioned in the former verse as is evident vers 35 36. Vers 27. Jeroham his sonne Elkanah his sonne The father of Samuel Vers 31. And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the Lord c. That is these are they that David made chief in the three quires of singers after the Ark had rest that is after it was brought to Davids house for before it was removed from one place to another to wit these mentioned in the sequel of this chapter Heman of the Kohathites ver 33. who was the chief and therefore had the middle quire and Asaph who stood on Hemans right hand v. 39. and was of the Gershonites and Ethan who was also called Jeduthun chap. 25.1 and was of the Merarites and stood on Hemans left hand ver 44. These were in their times famous men as being the chief singers and withall Prophets and pen-men of some of the Psalmes 2. Chron. 29.30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer Vers 33. Heman a singer the sonne of Joel the sonne of Shemuel That is Samuel for Heman was Samuels grandchild Vers 50. And these are the sonnes of Aaron Eleazar his sonne Phinehas his sonne c. By occasion of the mention that is made of the severall offices and imployments of the priests in the foregoing verse the catalogue of the sonnes of Eleazar is here again set down unto the dayes of David by whom the priests were divided into foure severall orders Vers 57. And to the sonnes of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah c. And Simeon Josh 21.9 And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities which are here mentioned by name Vers 60. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities To wit the eleven here mentioned and Ain in Judahs portion and Gibeon in Benjamins which are reckoned amongst the rest Josh 21.16 17. but
Penuel and slew the men of the city That is the Magistrates of the city as before he did in Succoth Vers 18. Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor Because it seems Gideon had heard that these kings had slain certain men of the Israelites that had retired themselves for shelter to some strong holds or caves in mount Tabor and feared they vvere his brethren because they amongst others sought to provide for the saving of their lives in those dangerous times as others did chap. 6.2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains and caves and strong holds and had not been since heard of therefore he inquires thus concerning the men vvhom they had there slain And they answered As thou art so were they each one resembled the children of a king This may be meant of that likenesse of feature which is usually amongst brethren but plainly it intends that they were of a goodly and comely personage even as Gideon was and such as might well beseem men of a princely and Royall stock Vers 19. As the Lord liveth if ye had saved them alive I would not slay you The meaning is that he would have spared them because they had shown mercy to his brethren and hereby he expresseth his sorrow for his brethren and shews what little cause they had now to expect any mercy from him Vers 20. And he said unto Jether his first-born Up and slay them Upon him he imposeth this work rather then any other first that he might train him up even from his young years to draw his sword against the enemies of Israel and to be severe to those that should rise up against God and against his people secondly that it might be done by way of avenging the death of his brethren thirdly because it would adde if not to the pain yet to the dishonour of their death to die by such a hand Vers 21. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said Rise thou and fall upon us for as the man is so is his strength In this reply of theirs first they descant in a kind of scornfull manner upon that command of Gideons setting a child to take away their lives whereas indeed this his young heire had scarce courage enough to look them in the face secondly they provoke Gideon as impatient of delay to rise upon them himself and rid them out of the way thereby discovering their contempt of death and how much they scorned to begge life and withall happely being loath to die by the hand of a child And took away the ornaments that were on their Camels necks As the memorials of this great victory Vers 22. Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon Rule thou over us both thou and thy sonne c. That is they offered to receive him to be their king and to settle the kingdome successively upon his posterity Vers 23. And Gideon said unto them I will not rule over you c. That is not as a king he judged Israel unto his dying day but it was the kingdome of Israel the regall power which they proffered and he now refused and that upon this ground because the accepting of this would have been in a manner a taking of the government out of Gods hand the Lord saith he shall rule over you Not that God rules not by kings as well as by other kind of Magistrates but because God had established this way of governing them by Judges who had not so great a degree of soveraignty and power over the people as kings usually have were extraordinarily called of God withall because God had in his Law expressed that in case they should desire a king they were to take him whom the Lord should choose Deu. 17.14 15 When thou art come to the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and shalt possesse it and shall dwell therein and shalt say I will set a king over me like all the nations that are about Thou shalt in any wise set him a king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse One from among thy brethren shalt thou set over thee thou mayest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy brother Therefore he takes this rash proffer of changing the government to be a shaking of Gods government because they went about to change it without Gods leave and refuseth to give any consent to it all which is evident by that which the Lord said of the Israelites desiring a King in Samuels dayes 1. Sam. 8.6 7. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said Give us a King to judge us and Samuel prayed unto the Lord And the Lord said unto Samuel Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee for they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reigne over them Vers 26. And the weight of the golden ear-rings which he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekles of gold c. Which is esteemed to be according to the account of our weight 2380 pounds it is not impossible that all this should be spent in the making of one ephod as it is said vers 27. especially if it were made as that of Aarons with a brestplate set with so many precious stones of great value Exod. 28.15 16.17 But the words will well enough bear that of part of this gold now given him he made an ephod Vers 27. And Gideon made an ephod thereof and put it in his city Not a linen ephod but such a one as that which was made for the high priest of gold blue purple scarlet c. Exod. 28.6 It is probable enough that he intended it onely as a memoriall of this their victory over the Midianites the monument being of the very prey which was there taken though afterwards it became a snare both to him and to his house But why then did he make an ephod rather then any other monument this indeed seems to imply that his purpose was to make use also of this ephod either in offering sacrifices in his own house and then under this ephod all the priestly garments may be comprehended or else thereby to enquire what the will of the Lord was according to the judgement of Urim Not considering that this previledge was onely annexed to Aarons ephod wherein was the brestplate of judgement with the Urim and Thummim and therein therefore he sinned greatly and brought Gods wrath upon his posterity And all Israel went thither a whoring after it c. Either they went thither as to a famous Oracle to inquire concerning the will of God in any doubtfull cases or else drawn with the superstitious conceits they had entertained of this ephod they set up there a place of sacrificing contrary to the expresse letter of the Law of God or else they resorted
of his house of purpose to meet him by way of congratulating the great victory wherewith God had honoured him It is indeed strange that an Israelite yea a faithfull good man for he is reckoned by S. Paul Heb. 11.32 amongst Gods worthies that through faith did accomplish great things should be so ignorant of Gods Law as to think to please God with that which was so expressely there forbidden Deut. 12.30 31. Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following them c. for every abomination to the Lord which he hateth have they done unto their gods for even their sonnes and their daughters have they burnt in the fire to their gods Yea besides had he been never so great a stranger to the Law of God as being a man trained up in the warre and that too a great part of his life amongst heathens out of the land of Israel yet the sacrificing of men and women is a sinne so much against the light of nature that one would think it should not come into the thought of a man that had any spark of grace in him Well but yet the letter of the text being so expresse for this I see not how it can be determined otherwise but that in this vow of his he did intend a humane sacrifice and that we may not stumble too much at the strangenesse of it we must consider first that the people of Israel were for the generallity never so farre fallen away from the knowledge and worship of the true God or so farre corrupted with the abominations of the heathens as they were now we see that it is said before in the sixth verse of this chapter that they forsook the Lord and served not him but were wholly gone aside after the idolatry of the heathen secondly that Jephthah had hitherto perhaps lived in as much darknesse as the rest and that the rather because he had spent so much of his time out of the land of Israel and therefore though at this time God had called him and so the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him that for the present he should make such an uncouth and unwarrantable vow in such dark times is not at all incredible thirdly that there being a sort of vowes mentioned in the Law of God wherein the persons devoted to be put to death Levit. 27.29 None devoted which shall be devoted of men shall be redeemed but shall surely be put to death this Jephthah might take to be a jâ—st warrant for his vow though indeed it were not and fourthly that Jephthah made this vow rashly not considering the mischief that might follow upon it being at that time transported with the fervency of his zeal for the rescuing Gods people from the oppression of the Ammonites for to this end that he might have the Ammonites delivered into his hand he sought as it were to demerit Gods favour by promising this extraordinary gift and by binding himself solemnly to do that for God which the heart of man would startle at Vers 33. And he smote them from Aroer even till thou come to Minnith even twenty cities c. That is the inhabitants of twenty cities and those in the land of the Ammonites for they were beyond Aroer which was the bounds betwixt Israel and Ammon of Minnith there is mention made Ezek. 27.17 Judah and the land of Israel they were thy merchants they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith and Pannag and honey and oil and balm Vers 35. Alas my daughter thou hast brought me very low and thou art one of them that trouble me c. That is God having raised me to a high pitch of honour by this glorious victory which I have now attained over the Ammonites thou who mightest have reaped a great share in mine honour and thereby have added unto my joy hast now humbled me and deprived me of all the glory and comfort of my victory and hast brought more trouble upon me then all mine enemies could have done Vers 36. And she said unto him my father if thou hast opened thy mouth c. By those words of her father mentioned in the former verse Alas my daughter c. for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot go back she might conceive that he had made some vow concerning her but could not know what that vow was and therefore it is evident that besides what is expressed in the foregoing verse her father had also acquainted her what the vow was that he had made and thereupon being erroneously perswaded that he was bound to make good his vow she freely offers her self to undergo what he had vowed as being ready to die rather then he should sinne against God by breaking his vow and desirous by discovering her willingnesse to consent thereto to appease and mitigate his sorrow as much as in her lay Vers 37. Let me alone two moneths that I may go up and down upon the mountains bewail my virginity c. She chose the mountains to do this in because those unfrequented and solitary places were fittest for the bitter lamentations and mournfull expressions of their grief wherewith she resolved with her companions in a solemn manner to bewail this heavy affliction that was fallen upon her and happely withall she desired by retiring to those unfrequented places to fit and prepare her self for that death which within a short time she was to undergo for though she spake onely of her bewailing her virginity yet thereby is meant that she would bewail her dying a virgin implying how much this did aggravate her sorrow that she should die without leaving any posterity behind her and indeed to die childlesse was in those times esteemed one of the greatest of earthly miseries There are many learned Expositours that conceive that Jephthahs vow was that whatsoever should first meet him should be the Lords and that if it were a creature which by the Law might be offered in a sacrifice then he would offer it for a burnt offering so many of them read his vow disjunctively as is noted before vers 3. It shall surely be the Lords or I will offer it up for a burnt offering and so they conceive that his daughter was not sacrificed but onely shut up there in perpetuall virginity to spend all her time in the service of God and therefore she desires not respite to bewail her death but to bewail her virginity But many things make this opinion lesse probable for first we reade not the least touch in the Scripture of any such separating men or women to the service of God in a monasticall life much lesse that parents should have this power over their children to vow them to virginity without their consent Samuel that was consecrated to God from his infancy was yet married and had many children secondly if his vow must be understood of any thing that should first meet him whereof see vers 31. we may demand
formerly concluded the maâ—ch between him and the woman of Timnath he went now thither again to solemnize the marriage his father and his mother as we see vers 9. going along with him as formerly and so coming near to the place where he had in his last passing that way slain the lion he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion no doubt that the sight of the lions carcase might affect him the more in the thankfull remembrance of that great mercy of God to him in enabling him so miraculously to kill that ravenous beast when he flew upon him and so by the providence of God he came to take notice of that which God intended should be the occasion of the ensuing quarrell between him and the Philistines for when he came to the place behold there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion that is in the bones of the carcase as they lay fastned still together the flesh being eaten or dried away for otherwise a swarm of bees would not have settled there and this shews that there was some good distance of time between his first going down with his parents to Timnath to make the match between him and the woman of Timnath to whom he had taken a liking and his going now down with them the second time to take her to wife Vers 11. And it came to passe when they saw him that they brought thirty companions to be with him The most of Expositours by farre understand this place thus That when the Philistines saw Samson perceiving him to be a man of wonderfull strength and full of terrour they brought thirty companions to be with him under pretence of respect and the custome of their marriage solemnity but indeed that they might set a guard upon him lest he should suddenly do them any mischief But first because they had seen him before and were not then affraid of him secondly the Scripture doth not any where make the least mention of any thing extraordinary in Samsons body or the terrour of his countenance but ascribes his strength merely to the coming of Gods spirit upon him and thirdly Samson by the guidance no doubt of Gods spirit purposely concealed the killing of the lion that the Philistines might not be afraid of him therefore I think it farre more probable that the meaning of these words is onely this that when the brides friends and kindred saw that Samson was come to take his wife they provided thirty young men according to the custome of those times as his companions and bridemen children of the bride-chamber as they are called Matt. 9.15 to attend upon him and to rejoyce with him Vers 12. And Samson said unto them I will now put forth a riddle unto you c. It was it seems the custome of those times by way of exercising their wits especially at feasts to strive for the masterie one with another in point of resolving dark and intricate questions and riddles whereto some apply that 1. Kings 10.1 that when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord she came to prove him with hard questions and so hereupon it was that Samson the first day of his wedding feast propounded a riddle to his bride-men however his aim doubtlesse therein was to take an occasion of picking a quarrell with the Philistines to which some Expositours do adde this too that as Samson in his marrying with a daughter of the Philistines was a type of Christ in his calling the Gentiles to be his people and so marrying them to himself as his bride and spouse so also this riddle propounded by Samson was a figure of the doctrine of the Gospel published to the world by Christ when the time of the calling of the Gentiles was come which indeed was a riddle to flesh and bloud according to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 1.23 We preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishnesse as concerning the seven dayes of the wedding feast here mentioned see the note Gen. 29.27 and concerning the thirty change of garments which is a part of the wager propounded by Samson see the note Gen. 45 22. Vers 14. Out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetnesse The honey which Samson found in the carcase of the lion was the ground of this riddle but withall we may well think that meditating by himself concerning this observable passage of Gods providence in yielding him food to eat out of the carcase of that lion that a while before thought to have eaten up him he called to mind how usually God is wont after the same manner for his children to bring them good out of evil so did the rather propound this riddle because it was a notable enigmaticall expression of Gods dealing with his people in this regard For when Satans temptations yea the sinnes of the godly turn to their advantage what is this but honey out of that roaring lion that seeks to devoure us When the cruell enemies of Gods people are made their friends or that God turns their malicious practises to the furtherance of the Gospel and the good of the Church what is this but meat out of the eater When afflictions yea death it self yields matter of much sweet comfort to the godly and opens a way to a better life for them what is this but sweetnesse drawn forth for them out of the carcase as it were of their strong enemies Yea principally did this shadow forth that mysterie of the sweet and saving food of our souls in the ministerie of the Gospel which we have from Christs victorie over hell and death by his own death according to that of the Apostle Heb. 2.17 Forasmuch therefore as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise took a part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil and that of our Saviour John 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world The more unexpectedly good comes to us out of evil the more thankfull his people must needs be for it and therefore God loves to store up comforts where his people would least expect to find them And they could not in three dayes expound the riddle And thus it was with the Philistines as it is with all other naturall men in regard of the mysterie of the Gospel which Christ hath published to the world they are not able by any wisdome and endeavours of their own to comprehend it unlesse by the spirit of God it be revealed to them according to that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2.14 15. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God
sent and called for the lords of the Philistines saying Come up this once c. Vers 11. And he said unto her If they bind me with new ropes c. Though he had now found by experience that she would not take what he said for truth but would try the truth of what he said yet either because he was content to make himself sport in deluding her or rather because her importunity was such that without pretending to satisfie her he could not be rid of her for that he was troubled with her importunity is evident vers 16. he again fained a false way how he might be bound and so again a third time vers 13. Vers 14. And she fastned it with the pin c. That is having woven his locks with the web and so rolled the web whereunto his locks were woven about the beam as Samson had appointed her she fastned the beam with the pin that so the beam might not turn back when he should lift up his head then wakened him c. Vers 16. When she pressed him dayly with her words and urged him so that his soul was vexed unto the death c. The meaning of this is either that through the distraction of his thoughts and affections being exceeding loth to reveal this secret unto her and yet as loth still to deny her he was indeed ready to faint or at least was even weary of his life so that he had rather have died then have continued still in such perplexity or rather that it was even death to him to deny her any longer especially when she began to upbraid him now with mocking her as he had done and to challenge him that he did not love her and so thereupon he told her all his heart as it follows in the next verse Indeed considering the usuall unfaithfulnesse and treacherie of harlots it is strange that neither her importunate desiring to know a secret the discoverie whereof might prove so perillous to him nor her assaying three severall times to bind him in those wayes which he had propounded onely to deceive her should not make him begin to suspect her or fear some mischief plotting against him but for this we must remember that the love of harlots doth usually besot men and make them very slaves to those their mistresses especially when God intends to bring some mischief upon them as now he intended to have Samson punished for his sinne Vers 17. If I be shaven then my strength will go from me c. Thus Samson at last told her the truth of that secret which he was so loth to disclose Yet this was not because his strength proceeded from his long hair for it was merely the gift of God in a supernaturall way and therefore vers 20. where the reason is given why he lost his strength upon the cutting of his hair it is said that the Lord was departed from him nor was it because by the ordinary law of a Nazarite if his head were shaven he was to lose his strength for neither had all Nazarites this gift of such admirable strength as Samson had nor was there any such thing in the law of the Nazarite that those that had their hair cut off should lose such gifts as God by his Spirit had conferred upon them But it seems God had bestowed this as a singular gift upon Samson and that upon condition of his strict observing this law of the Nazarite in keeping his hair uncut to wit that he might be herein a type of Christ in regard of his invincible strength and to signifie also that the Spirit of grace deprived from Christ to his members is a Spirit of power 2. Tim. 1.7 and it seems too either by revelation or otherwise God had expressely declared thus much to Samson and hence it was that he told Delilah now that if he were shaven he should become weak like any other man Vers 18. When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart c. Before she perswaded her self or was at least in great hopes that he had dealt truly with her but now it seems she might perceive by his countenance gesture and the manner of his expressing himself that he did indeed tell her the truth from his heart Then the Lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought money in their hand That is the money promised vers 5. that is each of them eleven hundred pieces of silver which was five thousand and five hundred pieces of silver if there were five Lords of the Philistines as afterwards 1. Sam. 6.16 it is said there were Perhaps they conceited that hitherto she had dallied with them because she saw not the reward promised tendered to her and therefore they brought the money now with them the more strongly to tempt her Vers 19. And she began to afflict him and his strength went from him That is she shock him to awake him out of his sleep and scared him with crying out as formerly the Philistines be upon thee Samson yea it is likely that she bound him whilst he slept for how else could she perceive that his strength was gone from him that she might call the Philistines that were lying in wait to come in and set upon him Vers 20. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him To wit because on a sudden at his first waking he perceived not that his locks were cut off As for this expression the Lord was departed from him thereby onely is meant that God had withdrawn himself from yielding him that supernaturall strength which formerly he had given him for it is evident that it cannot be understood of the totall losse of Gods favour or the graces of his sanctifying Spirit Vers 21. But the Philistines took him and put out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza c. Thus no doubt God by his providence did dispose of it that his eyes might first smart for his sinnes by means whereof he was first intangled and drawn into sinne and that thither he might be carried away captive where first his lustfull eyes had made him a slave to an harlot As for the Philistines first they put out his eyes onely by way of revenge and to make sure he might not hurt them if he recovered his strength secondly they carryed him to Gaza a sea coast town because being carried so farre through the land of the Philistines the more of the people might come out to see him and rejoyce in the shamefull captivitie of that their invincible enemie thirdly because he should be there furthest out of the reach of the Israelites if they should think to attempt his rescue and fourthly that they might wipe off the stain of that dishonour which lately he had there done them by carrying him as a prisoner through that gate which he had ere while to their great infamie taken up in his arms and carryed away As for their putting him to grind
in the prison house that was according to the custome of those times for then it seems they would not suffer their prisoners to live idely but made them grind at the mill and thence is that expression where Babylons captivitie is threatned Isa 47.2 Take the milstones and grind meal uncover thy locks make bare the leg c. Yet withall it is likely they chuckered themselves to think what good use they should make herein of his great strength Vers 22. Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven This shews that Samson was kept a good while in prison ere he was brought out to this their solemne festivitie and it is noted not as if his strength lay merely in the length of his hair but to implie his repentance the reassuming of his vow of the Nazarite which he had broken the recoverie of Gods former favour and the restoring of his former strength together with the signe of his reassumed vow his Nazarites hair Vers 23. Then the Lords of the Philistines gathered themselves together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god This Dagon was an idol-god amongst the Philistines and his image was in the upper part like a man and in the nether part like a fish as many gather from 1. Sam. 5.4 concerning which see the note upon that place and that because happely the Philistines whose land lay altogether on the sea-coast did worship him as the god of the sea he had a temple in Ashdod 1. Sam. 5.4 And by this which is said here that all the lords of the Philistines met here together from all the severall lordships of their countrey to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon to wit for delivering Samson into their hands it seems he had another temple in Gaza too Vers 25. And they called for Samson out of the prison house and he made them sport To wit passively as being abused derided buffered and happely forced to run up and down that he might dash his head against the pillars yea and generally by suffering whatever such a poore blind prisoner can expect from enraged proud insulting enemies when they were now flushed with wine and good chear and herein was Samson also a type of Christ for thus did they sport themselves with our Saviour Matth. 26 67 68. Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him and others smote him with the palms of their hands Saying Prophecie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee and Matth. 27.29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying Hail King of the Jews And they set him between the pillars To wit because there he might be most conveniently seen by the princes and people that were met together but withall by the secret providence of God this was so ordered that he might by thrusting away those pillars pull down the house upon the heads of the Philistines Vers 26. Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth that I may lean upon them This he spake to the lad that led him that the lad might think it was onely wearinesse partly through his continuall grinding at the mill and partly through their turmoyling him at present to make themselves sport that made him now desire to rest his hands upon the two pillars Vers 28. And strengthen me I pray thee onely this once O God that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes Thus by his calling upon God for help it was evident that he relyed not upon his grown hair but expected the renewing of his strength merely from God Neither did Samson by seeking to revenge his own wrong take Gods work out of his hand contrary to that precept Rom. 12.19 Avenge not your selves but rather give place to wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay it saith the Lord and that because he was a publick person raised of God to punish those that wronged his people and besides what he did now it is likely he did it by the speciall instinct of Gods Spirit Vers 30. And Samson said Let me die with the Philistines and he bowed himself c. This is onely an expression of his contempt of death upon this consideration that he should execute such a remarkable judgement upon the Philistines His primary and direct intention was not such as is theirs that make away themselves but his direct aim was to destroy the Philistines onely he was content to lose his life in an action so advantageous to the people of God and whereby he should give such a deadly blow to their enemies which is expressed in the following words so that the dead which he slew at his death were mo then they that he slew in his life and herein doubtlesse he was a type of Christ who by death overcame death Heb. 2.14 And him that had the power of death which is the devil To which some adde also that dying thus with one hand reaching out to one pillar and the other to another and so bowing himself he did the more fitly shadow forth Christ dying with his hands stretched out upon the crosse John 19.30 When Jesus therefore had received the vineger he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost Vers 31. Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down and took him c. It is indeed strange that the Philistines should yield his body to his kindred to be buried by them But for this we must consider first that happely the Philistines did not know or would not acknowledge that this house fell by Samsons means but rather by some other casualty secondly that the power of the Philistines as also their pride and wrath against Gods people must needs by this fatall blow given to all their princes and so many of the people be much abated and pulled down so that this was no time to domineer over the Israelites or to provoke them by any harsh answer but rather to provide by all means for their own safety thirdly that the hearts of all men are in Gods hands Prov. 16.1 The preparations of the heart of man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord who might therefore move them to yield Samsons body to his brethren as he did Pilate to yield to the like suit concerning Christ John 19.38 Joseph of Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus and Pilate gave him leave And he judged Israel twenty years See the note chap. 13. vers 1. CHAP. XVII Vers 1. ANd there was a man of mount Ephraim c. All the particular passages related from hence to the end of this book were certainly in the time of some of the forementioned
Judges that not long too after the death of Joshua and not according to the order of time as they are here inserted after the death of Samson Concerning which see the note upon vers 6. Vers 2. And he said unto his mother The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee about which thou cursedst c. To wit either by cursing those that had stolen it through the violence of her passion or by adjuring those she spake to under a curse to reveal what was become of it if they knew any thing of it Now the bitternesse of his mothers spirit in cursing thus was doubtlesse the greater because she had superstitiously devoted it to a religious use to wit the making of images for her sonne But yet Micah mentions it as being touched in conscience by way of aggravating his sinne implying the reason why he could no longer detain it In mine own hearing saith he thou didst curse those that had taken thy silver from thee or that did not discover where it was yet wretch as I am hitherto I have detained it but no longer dare I lie under a mothers curse and therefore am I now come to confesse my sinne and to restore again the money to you And his mother said Blessed be thou of the Lord my sonne That is free be thou from my curse my sonne and mayst thou be blessed of the Lord and not cursed because thou hast repented of this fact and so ingeniously dost offer to restore what unadvisedly before thou hadst taken away from me Vers 3. His mother said I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord c. Micahs mother here tells him that she had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord Jehovah as it is in the Hebrew and yet withall she addes that it was to make idols for him to make a graven image and a molten image whereby it is evident that in these times when many of the Israelites were become idolaters yet they pretended and intended the worship of the true God in their idol-service not esteeming those dumb and dead images gods but onely representations and remembrances of the true God Some question whether this which she spake of a graven image and a molten image was meant of two severall images that she intended should be made of her silver one graven and another molten or of one image which is called a graven and a molten image onely because they did melt their silver and cast it into the form of an image and then did afterwards polish and finish it with graving tools but that two severall images are here intended is evident in the following chapter vers 18. where it is plain that they are named severally And these went into Micahs house and fetched the carved image the ephod and the Teraphim and the molten image Vers 4. Yet he restored the money unto his mother Though she now gave it him freely yet he would not keep it as fearing the disquiet of his conscience if she would bestow it as she vowed she might but he would be sure to rid his hands of it And his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the founder who made thereof a graven image and a molten image c. The other nine hundred shekels were therefore it seems laid out in providing an ephod and other ornaments for the priest in providing their teraphim and whatsoever else was requisite for the idolatrous worship oâ— theâ— false gods Vers 5. And the man Micah had an house of gods c. That is a chappel consecrated to these superstitious devotions and made an ephod under which are comprehended all other garments for the priests and teraphim now these teraphim were a speciall sort of images distinguished by that name from all other sorts of images 2. Kings 23.24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits and the wizards and the images the teraphim it is in the originall and the idols and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem did Josiah put away It seems they had the shape of men 1. Sam. 19.13 And Michael took an image and laid in the bed for there also Michaels image is in the originall called teraphim and that they made use of them as oracles and received from them answers what to do in doubtfull cases Ezek. 21.21 The king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two wayes to use divination he made his arrows bright he consulted with images or teraphim Zach. 10.2 The idols or teraphim have spoken vanity and the diviners have seen a lie and have told false dreams and it may well be that this made the Danites enquire at Micahs house concerning the successe of their journey Vers 6. In those dayes there was no king in Israel c. That is in those dayes when Micah did this before related But when was this The time is not expressely set down some conceive this was done after Samsons death and that therefore it is next related in the course of the history but the most probable opinion is that both this and all that followeth to the end of this book were done long before Samsons death and are here onely related apart by themselves that the story of the Judges the main thing intended in the former part of the book might not be interrupted first because it is not probable that the Danites being a populous â—â—be and straitened in their dwelling by reason of the Amorites so long before Judg. 1.34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain for they would not let them come into the valley would stay so many years ere they would look out to enlarge their borders which how they did and how they stole away Micahs gods is related in the following chapter But especially because in the warre of Israel against Benjamin which is largely related in the three last chapters of this book Phinehas ministred before the Lord chap. 20.28 And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron stood before it in those dayes saying Shall I yet again go out to battel against the children of Benjamin my brother who killed Zimri and Cozbi Numb 25.7 above three hundred years before Samsons death It seems therefore either this was done immediately after the death of Joshua and those elders who all their time kept the people from revolting from God Judg. 2.7 And the people served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua and and all the dayes of the elders that outlived Joshua who had seen all the great works of the Lord which he did for Israel and then the meaning of the words may be there was no King in Israel that there was no ordinary supreme magistrate neither King nor Judge to restrain the people from these wicked courses or else that it was done in the time of some of the Judges that followed next after Joshua and then the meaning of
that whereas when one man wrongs another the Judge or umpire chosen between may compose the difference and reconcile them together it is otherwise when a man wittingly maliciously and presumptuously sinnes against God for there all hope of pardon is denied there remains no more sacrifice for sinne that is for such a mans sinne Heb. 10.26 neither should such an one be prayed for 1. John 5.16 If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sinne not unto death There is a sinne unto death I do not say he shall pray for it But this Exposition agreeth not with Eli his aim which was doubtlesse to winne his sonnes to true repentance and besides why should sinning against the Lord be here restrained to sinning against him maliciciously and with a high hand I rather therefore think that the drift of these words is onely to shew them what a grievous and dangerous thing sinne is especially such sinnes whereby God is immediately wronged and provoked that so he might scarre them from their evil courses to wit either because if God by his Judges punish offences against man he must needs be more severe when men rise against him or else because no mediation nor satisfaction by man can here take up the quarrell as may be done when the difference is between one man and another If one man saith he sinne against another the Judge shall judge him that is an Umpire may come and take up the controversie the partie may be adjudged to make satisfaction and there will be an end of the quarrell but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreat for him that is no mediation nor satisfaction of man can here make a mans peace no reconciliation can be here hoped for unlesse the sinner repenting of his sinnes do by faith in Christ turn to God So that herein also is implied the desperate danger of their condition who by kicking against the sacrifices did in a manner despise this onely means of their reconciliation with God Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father because the Lord would slay them That is because the Lord had determined to destroy them and so consequently not to give them grace to repent but to leave them to the stubbornesse of their own wicked hearts for though it be true that God wills not the death of a sinner Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live that is he desires not that sinners should perish but would rather that they should repent c. yet it doth not hence follow but that God may determine in a way of justice not to give any effectuall grace to such and such men as have grievously provoked him by their sinnes but rather to deliver them up to hardnesse of heart and so it was here for their sinnes God determined to destroy them and consequently to leave them to themselves and therefore it was no wonder though they minded not the reproofs and counsell of their father Vers 26. And the child Samuel grew on and was in favour both with the Lord and also with men This is here inserted first for the greater praise of Samuel who grew in grace even in these declining times and secondly especially to shew how God remembred mercie in the midst of judgement by raising up such a glorious instrument to be a stay to his poore people in those dismall times that were now coming upon them Vers 27. Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father when they were in Egypt in Pharaohs house to wit by choosing Aaron of whom Eli was descended to joyn himself with Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites when they were in bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt Vers 29. Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering which I have commanded in my habitation and honourest thy sonnes above me c. In this clause first Eli and his sonnes are reproved for kicking against Gods sacrifices and offerings and they are said to kick at his sacrifices c. 1. because they seemed not pleased that God had so much and they so little of the sacrifices and offerings and therefore in a proud and scornfull manner took from the sacrifices for their own use what they pleased themselves and 2. because by their doing what they listed about Gods sacrifices and by carrying themselves as if they thought any thing that they were pleased to leave after they had served themselves good enough for Gods altar and generally by their profane and carelesse carriage of themselves in the sacred service whereto they could not have addressed themselves with too much reverence and fear they discovered what a sleight and base esteem they had of Gods sacrifices which was all one in effect as if they had trampled them under their feet and 3. because by their insolent and wilfull disobeying the law of the sacrifices which God had given them in charge they did as it were kick and spurn against God in his Ordinances And though Eli did not this but his sonnes onely yet because he did not restrain them from these evil practises and punish them for their wickednesse herein it is charged upon him as well as upon them Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice c. and secondly Eli is reproved for honouring his sonnes above God and that because he was more carefull to please his children then to please God to keep them in their places then to vindicate Gods sacrifices from being polluted Vers 30. I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever c. Because the taking away the high Priests place from Eli and his familie is not the onely punishment here threatned though the chief for the cutting off many of his posteritie from the inferiour priesthood is also included in the evil denounced against him in this place vers 31. Behold the dayes come that I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house that there shall not be an old man in thine house therefore this which is here said of a conditionall promise formerly made which should now be reversed because the condition was not performed cannot be referred to any particular promise made to Eli or any decree of Gods concerning Eli that the high Priesthood should be continued in his line but to that promise made to Aaron and his seed in generall Exod. 29.9 Thou shalt qird them with girdles Aaron and his sonnes and put the bonnets on them and the Priests office shall be theirs for a perpetuall statute which is now reversed as concerning Eli his familie whom the Lord threatens to cut off in a great part from the priesthood given at first to Aaron and his seed Vers 31. Behold the dayes come that I will cut off
but also of other things revealed to him by the Lord at other times in regard whereof that is added which follows in the next verse the Lord appeared again in Shiloh to wit to Samuel Vers 21. For the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. That is by Christ the word of his Father or by revealing his will and word unto him which afterwards was to be delivered by him to others to wit by propheticall revelation and not by any corporall or visible apparition CHAP. IV. Vers 1. ANd the word of Samuel came to all Israel Or came to passe the meaning is that Samuel as a Prophet made known the word of the Lord as to Eli before so afterwards to all Israel reproving them for their sinnes and telling them beforehand the judgements that would fall upon them if they did not repent All which did accordingly come upon them Now Israel went against the Philistines to battel c. Who began now again to invade the land of Israel It may seem that all the fourtie years of Elies judging Israel they had been quiet happely because they had been so exceedingly weakned by the slaughter which Samson made so often among them especially at his death where no doubt most of their princes and lords were slain Judg. 16.30 And Samson said Let me die with the Philistines and he bowed himself with all his might and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people that were therein so the dead which he slew at his death were mo then they which he slew in his life But now they began again to quarrell with the Israelites and that no doubt not without the secret counsell of God who intended to punish hereby both the Priests and people of Israel and hereupon it was that the Philistines being entred upon the land of Israel the Israelites were gathered together to fight with them now the camp of the Israelites was besides Eben-ezer that is a place where afterward a stone was erected that was called Eben-ezer the occasion whereof we may see chap. 7.11 12. and the camp of the Philistines was in Aphek a citie in the tribe of Judah which bordered upon the land of the Philistines see Josh 15.53 Vers 3. Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines Let us fetch the Ark c. Though idolatrie and many other grosse sinnes were at this time rife amongst the Israelites They provoked him to anger with their high places and moved him to jealousie with their graven images saith the Psalmist concerning these very times Psal 78.58 yet so blind and stupid they were that because they were the seed of Abraham and the people of God they wondered why God should take the uncircumcised Philistines part against them never minding or mentioning their own wickednesse which had provoked the Lord to bring these miseries upon them Wherefore say they hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines and vainly they thought to mend all for the future by fetching the Ark of God to be amongst them Let us say they fetch the Ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us that when it cometh among us it may save us out of the hand of our enemies Now however they were moved no doubt to take this course first because the Ark was the signe of Gods presence amongst them whence it is said vers 4. that the people sent to Shiloh that they might bring from thence the Ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts which dwelleth between the Cherubims and secondly because the Israelites in former times had prevailed mightily against their enemies when the Ark was amongst them as when they vanquished the Midianites Num. 31.6 and at the sacking of Jericho when the walls of the citie fell down before them Josh 6.4 5. and on the other side when the Ark was not with them they had gone by the worst as when they went out to fight against the Canaanites Num. 14.44 45. They presumed to go up unto the hill top nevertheles the Ark of the covenant of the Lord and Moses departed not out of the camp Then the Amalekites came down and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill and smote them and discomfited them even to Hormah and therefore it seems afterwards to have been an usuall custome to carrie forth the Ark into the field with them for Saul had it with him when he was in arms against the Philistines chap. 14.18 Saul said unto Ahiah Bring hither the Ark of God for the Ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel and Joab as some think had it with him when he went out against the Ammonites the Ark and Israel and Judah abide in tents said Uriab 2. Sam. 11.11 yet because at present they did merely rest upon the outward signe and did not repent them of their sinnes whereby they had forfeited their interest in God nor seek to make their peace with God as they ought to have done therefore their confidence in the Ark was groundlesse and vain and the signe of Gods presence became ineffectuall amongst them And doubtlesse there was a secret overruling hand of God in this their sudden resolution to fetch the Ark into the camp whereby he made way to the delivering up the Ark into the power of the enemie and to the death of the two sonnes of Eli who coming along with the Ark were slain by the Philistines Vers 4. And the two sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phinehas were there with the Ark of the covenant of God To wit either to carrie it as Num. 4.15 or at least to attend it Vers 7. And the Philistines were afraid for they said God is come into the camp This happely the Philistines spake as thinking the Ark to be some representation of the God of the Israelites and having the same opinion of it as they had of their own idols at least they conceived that there was some divine power that went along with the Ark where it went which was the reason why they were stricken with such astonishment and fear And they said Wo unto us for there hath not been such a thing heretofore That is in former conflicts we have had with them they used not to bring their Ark into the camp even by this unwonted shout of the Israelites we may see how much greater their hope and confidence is now then it hath been formerly Vers 8. These are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wildernesse In the former part of this clause it is manifest that the Philistines speak of those divers great plagues wherewith the Lord smote both Pharaoh and his people in Egypt thereby forcing them to let his people go but these words in the wildernesse are added in the close because in the overthrow of the Egyptians in the red sea which joyned to the desert of Etham Exod. 13.20 there was a
a poeticall expression of the great and grievous losse of the Israelites in the death of Saul and Jonathan and of their just sorrow for it that they had cause enough to wish if so it might be that the place where they were slain might for ever be a sad and dolefull monument of this lamentable accident it is much like that of Job chap. 3.3 Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night in which it was said there is a man-child conceived There the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oyl To wit because he fell and died as any other of the common souldiers Vers 22. From the bloud of the slain from the fat of the mighty the bow of Jonathan turned not back and the sword of Saul turned not empty The sword in warre is said to devoure in the Scripture phrase Shall the sword devoure for ever sath Abner to Joab chap. 2.29 And thence that which is translated the edge of the sword is in the Hebrew the mouth of the sword and in reference to this it is said here that Jonathans bow and Sauls sword returned not empty from the bloud of the slain and from the fat of the mighty meaning that they did alwayes devoure the bloud and flesh of the stoutest enemies for fat is mentioned to imply men lusty healthfull and strong Vers 23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their death they were not divided By this that they were lovely and pleasant in their lives is meant that they were dearly beloved of one another and indeed though Saul was sometimes enraged against Jonathan yet it proceeded from his fatherly affection to him because he was â—ealous of David for Jonathans sake and how piously affected Jonathan was towards his father he now manifested by dying with him in this battell against the Philistines and indeed it is likely that this clause of Jonathans living and dying with his father is the rather inserted to clear him from that suspicion of having conspired with David against him They were swifter then eagles This may be meant first of their nimblenesse and agilitie of body which is in souldiers very commendable because it is a great advantage for the evading of the stroke of an enemy and for striking home upon them and especially for the pursuit of them when they are put to flight though men be never so strong yet if they be lumpish and heavie an active nimble man of lesse strength may do better service then they and secondly of their speedy prosecuting any noble service they had undertaken or resolved upon they were not slothfull but active and quick and were often upon their enemies before they could well hear any tidings of them Vers 24. Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul who clothed you in scarlet c. To wit partly by the spoils taken from the enemy in his warre wherein he was alwayes victorious according to that expression Psalme 68.12 Kings of armies did flee apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoil and partly by the benefit of his government under which they grew rich and wealthy and observable it is that speaking of the rich and costly attire wherewith they were enabled to adorn themselves through the flourishing prosperity they enjoyed under Sauls government he addressed his speech in this to the women of Israel Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul who clothed you in scarlet c. because women are most delighted in glorious attire Vers 25. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battell These words in the midst of the battell may be addde to imply how valiantly they died not as cowards flying and pursued by the enemy but as gallant men standing it out stoutly against the violent assaults of the Philistines till they fell down dead in the place Vers 27. How are the mighty fallen and the weapons of warre perished This last clause is either added by way of bewailing the losse of their arms in that last battell fought with the Philistines or else to set forth the worth of those gallant men that fell in that fight and then it is all one as if it had been said that all the glory of warre was perished with them CHAP. II. Vers 1. DAvid enquired of the Lord saying Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah Though David knew that he should be king and that Saul being now dead the Diadem which by Gods speciall providence was put into his hand belonged unto him yet where or by what means the Lord would open a way to him that he might possesse and enjoy it he knew not and therefore for this he enquired of the Lord to wit by the Ephod as formerly the rather doubtlesse because he knew that Gods answer herein would be a great encouragement both to him and to his followers And David said whither shall I go up And he said unto Hebron This was at present the chief citie of the tribe of Judah and withall it was the place where Abraham Isaac and Jacob were buried and thus the kingdome of David was first erected where they lay enterred to whom long since the land of Canaan was promised the Sceptre of Christ and the kingdome to be established in the tribe of Judah which was to be a type of the kingdome of Christ Vers 2. So David went up thither and his two wives also c. That as they had been sharers with him in his sufferings so they might have their share in his prosperity too and thus they that are married to Christ and partake with him in his sufferings shall be sure also to partake with him in his glory Luke 22.28 29. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations And I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me 2. Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also reigne with him if we deny him he also will deny us Vers 3. And they dwelt in the cities of Hebron That is in Hebron and the towns and cities adjoyning in that mountainous tract of land that belonged to Hebron See Josh 21.11 12. Vers 4. And the men of Judah came and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah Though many of the other tribes came into David whilest he was yet at Ziklag even some that were Sauls brethren of the tribe of Benjamin 1. Chron. 12.1 2. therefore it is likely that even now too when he was come to Hebron some of every tribe came in to him to wit so many as were convinced that David had been anointed by Samuel at Gods appointment and therefore judged they should rebell against God if they should not submit to his government yet because the generallity of the other tribes stood for the setling of the kingdome upon Sauls posterity though indeed they did it at least many of them because
severity against his sonne by his own sentence in her cause as is more fully exprest in the next words For the king doth speak this thing as one that is faulty in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished that is in judging that it is fit my sonne should be spared thou hast condemned thy self as faulty in that thou hast not fetched home thy banished sonne Vers 14. For we must needs die and are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again Some Expositours understand this of the people of Israel and the state of their kingdome and common-wealth to wit that their welfare did so depend upon Absaloms that if he were not fetched home again they esteemed themselves but as dead men and that the state of their kingdome must needs come to nothing and be dissolved without hope of recovery even as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again and thus she proves that the king was in the same manner faulty against the people of God in not fetching home his Absalom as the revengers of bloud were against her in seeking to bereave her of her onely sonne But rather I conceive it is meant of the inevitable lot of all mortall men to wit that they must need die and that being dead they cannot be recalled no more then water can be gathered up that is spilt upon the earth for this is the plain sense of the words and is pertinent to make good that which she had said that the continuing of Absaloms banishment would leave Gods people in as desolate a condition as she should be loosing her second and now onely sonne for though David were yet living and Absalom though in a strange countrey yet against this she opposeth the uncertainty of their lives who knows how soon David might die or Absalom living in such sorrow as a banished man if either of these should happen they should be forlorn loosing him whom they esteemed the coal that should renew the light of their Israel when it seemed to be extinguished by Davids death or else it may be referred to Amnon that he being dead could not be recalled and why then should they for him take away the life of Absalom too Neither doth God respect any person yet doth he devise means that his banished be not expelled from him In these words she moveth David to shew mercy to Absalom even from the example of the Lord himself if David should say that though he be his sonne yet he must not be respected in point of Justice she hath given here an answer to this that neither doth God respect any person yet doth he devise means that his banished be not expelled from him that is though to shew his detestation of bloudshed he hath imposed a kind of banishment upon those that kill a man unwillingly yet he hath appointed cities of refuge for them in the land of Israel and hath not expelled them from him out of the land to live where their souls should be endangered amongst an idolatrous people yea he hath devised a means that their banishment should not be hopelesse there for he hath given way that at the death of the high priest they should be freed from that restraint Numb 35.25 Some Expositours do otherwise understand this which is said that the Lord doth devise means that his banished be not expelled from him for some conceive it is meant of his favour in receiving repenting sinners that though without respect of any mans person he hath cast off all mankind for sinne yet he hath devised a means that such as will repent submit and believe in Christ should be received into his favour again and thus they conceive that this woman did covertly put David in mind of Gods pardoning his adulterie with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah as a strong inducement to move him to shew mercy unto Absalom Others understand it of Gods providence in regard of Absalom to wit that though he had chastised him by this banishment he had suffered yet he had hitherto kept him alive and had now moved the people to set this woman a work to solicite David for him and so had devised a means that his banished that is Absalom should not be for ever expelled from him but the first exposition I conceive is most proper Vers 15. Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my Lord the king it is because the people have made me afraid That is because their discontent made me fear what the event of this would prove or because I was afraid for the peoples sake to wit first lest he should make an invasion upon the land being aided therein by his father-in-law the king of Geshur to whom he is fled or secondly lest the people should rise up in some uproar because of him and send for him home without thy consent and perhaps proceed further to some more mutinous and mischeivous courses or thirdly lest the people should hereafter be corrupted in point of Religion by means of him who hath lived so long amongst idolatrous heathens Vers 16. For the king will heare to deliver his handmaid c As if she should have said I reasoned thus with my self surely the king will heare me his poore handmaid in this case of my sonne and if so his answer will be comfortable also when I come to propound the case of his own now this confidence of hers that the king would grant her request she alledges here not onely to shew what it was that did embolden her to come to the king with this request but also as an argument whereby to move him to satisfie her desire for all men are naturally loth to deny those that come to them with full assurance that what they crave shall be done for them Vers 17. For as an Angel of God so is my Lord the king to discern good and bad That is thou art exceeding wise to discern between good and evil in any thing that is propounded to thee some Expositours hold that she said David was as an Angel of God to discern good and bad because he was a Prophet and inspired by God to judge of any thing propounded to him But I rather joyn with them that say it was proverbiall phrase used in those times to expresse a mans excellency in any thing by comparing him to an Angel of God for thus Achish said to David 1. Sam 27.9 thou art good in my sight as an Angel of God and Mephibosheth to David chap. 19.27 My Lord the king is as an Angel of God however the aim of the woman of Tekoah in extolling David thus was partly to give a reason why she was so confident that he would rightly judge in this cause and partly to curry favour with him that hereby he might be the better wonne to grant her desire and therefore we see in what an excessive strain she extolls his wisdome as flatterers are
39. And Zadok the priest took an horn of oyl out of the tabernacle and anointed Solomon Concerning this ceremony of anointing kings see the notes 1. Sam. 10.1 and 16.13 Doubtlesse the tabernacle here spoken of from whence Zadok took an horn of oyl for the anointing of Solomon was not the tabernacle of Moses which was yet in Gibeon 1. Chron. 16.39 but that which David had set up for the ark 2. Sam. 6.17 and much lesse can we say that it was of that holy oyl which was at first provided for the anointing of the priests for it is expressely said that no other use was to be made of that oyl Exod. 30.32 Upon mans flesh shall it not be poured or that the horn of oyl wherewith David was at first anointed was for ever after kept in the tabernacle that so the succeeding kings might be anointed therewith as some conceive for there is no just ground for this conjecture all that can be said is this that there being oyl kept in the tabernacle for severall holy uses Zadok the priest took an horn of this oyl to anoint the king the rather happely because the office of the Magistrate is indeed holy and accordingly we see the seat of Justice is called the holy place Eccles 8.10 Vers 40. And the people piped with pipes and rejoyced with great joy c. This exceeding great joy of the people at the inauguration of Solomon was first because the people hoped that by settling him in the throne to whom by Gods own appointment it did belong and that whilst David was yet living to maintain what was done those civil warres would be prevented which by the faction that Adonijah had made amongst the great ones were like to have been kindled in the land secondly to testifie their willing and chearfull submission to his government but then thirdly it was surely intended by the providence of God to shadow forth the great joy that should accrew to Gods people by the kingdome of Christ of whom Solomon was a notable type when men should come in willingly and submit to his government whence is that of the Prophet Zach. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy king cometh unto thee c. Vers 42. And while he yet spake behold Jonathan the sonne of Abiathar the priest came c. This Jonathan was one of those that lurked nigh to Jerusalem as spies when Absalom rebelled against his father that they might bring David word upon every occasion of what was usefull for him to know 2. Sam. 16.36 but now it seems his father siding with Adonijah he also took part with him and so perhaps lay now as a spie at Jerusalem to bring Adonijah word of Davids proceedings As for those words of Adonijah to him Thou art a valiant man and bringest good tidings see 2. Sam. 18.27 Vers 43. And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah Verily our Lord king David hath made Solomon king As if he should have said the tidings I bring are farre from good tidings for surely David hath made Solomon king whether these be good tidings or no judge ye Vers 47. The kings servants came to blesse our Lord king David c That is to congratulate with him the happie accomplishment of that which God had appointed and David greatly desired to wit the settling of Solomon in the throne with the generall approbation and applause of the people and by way of thankfulnesse for the care he had taken hereby to settle the peace of the land to desire the Lord to give him much comfort and the land much benefit by this sonne of his whom God had appointed to succeed him in the throne And the king bowed himself upon the bed By way of adoration and worshiping of God see the like Gen. 47.31 Vers 50. And caught hold on the horns of the altar Either that which David had built or that in Gibeon where the tabernacle now was 1. Chron. 21.29 and this he did to secure himself from being put to death for though we reade of no expresse Law that God ever gave to his people that those that fled to his altar should thereby be secured yet that it was of old a custome for malefactours to fly to the altar for shelter is evident Exod. 21.14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour to slay him with guile thou shalt take him from mine altar that he may die to wit either because it was held a kind of impiety to shed the bloud of a man in that holy place whither none might enter that had touched any dead thing or to draw them by violence as it were from God that were fled to him for succour or else because the altar being the place where God did shew forth the riches of his grace in accepting an atonement for sinne this hanging upon the altar was a kind of pleading that mercy should be shewn to them even for Gods sake who had shewn such mercy to man in the pardon of his sinnes and hence it was that Adonijah caught hold now on the horns of the altar he that perhaps despised Gods altar formerly was glad now to fly thither to save his life Vers 52. And Solomon said If he will shew himself a worthy man there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth c. That is if for the time to come he will carry himself faithfully and fairly as a subject ought to do not the least hurt shall be done him but if wickednesse shall be found in him that is if he be found any way false and treacherous for the time to come then he shall certainly without any mercy be put to death Vers 53. And Solomon said unto him Go to thine house That is withdraw thy self to thine house and live there a private life onely taking care of thine own domestick businesses and affairs and take heed that you meddle no more with the matters of the kingdome CHAP. II. Vers 2. BE thou strong therefore and shew thy self a man That is though thou art young and of tender years at least in respect of so great a charge as thou art now to take upon thee yet let thy carriage be man-like and such as may manifest a prince-like spirit and this he speaks of spirituall fortitude and magnanimity for indeed nothing more argues a truely valiant and courageous spirit then when a man a Prince especially can constantly proceed in the wayes of holinesse and righteousnesse and not be drawn aside either by flattery or fear As for Solomons age when he was anointed king see the note chap. 3.7 Vers 5. Thou knowest also what Joab the sonne of Zeruiah did to me and what he did to the two captains c. It is hard to say what this is which David here intends that Joab did him some think it is meant of his killing Absalom when he had given a charge to the contrary others understand it of
mentioned because hereby the widdow perceived that her sonne was dead for that he was indeed dead and was not onely fallen into a swoun is evident in many following passages as vers 18. and 20. where the widow and the Prophet bemoan that God had slain her sonne and vers 21. where it is said that Eliah prayed My God I pray thee let this childs soul come into him again and then again ver 22. And the soul of the child came into him again and he revived which may also be confirmed by that of the Apostle Heb. 10.35 which many think was written partly with reference to this story Women received their dead raised to life again this being the first we reade of in the Scriptures that being dead was restored again to life Vers 18. And she said unto Elijah What have I to do with thee O thou man of God c. That is wherein have I offended thee or whence is it that thou a holy Prophet of the Lord shouldest come to me a mere stranger to thee thus to punish me for my sinnes wherefore art thou come to me art thou come to call my sinnes to Gods remembrance and so to move him to kill my sonne to what end were our lives saved when we were in danger to perish for want of food if now my sonne must die with sicknesse when God punisheth those for their sinnes whom a while he did forbear he is said in the Scripture to remember their sinnes 1. Sam. 15.2 Now the conscience of this poore widow telling her that the death of her sonne was for her sinnes and therefore apprehending that his dwelling with her had been accidentally through her not profiting by his presence as she ought to have done the occasion of her sonnes death or rather that he had besought God thus to punish her as by his prayer he had brought the drought and famine upon the land or that he was sent as the minister of Gods wrath to take away her sonne from her hence it was that she break forth into this impatient bewailing her losse and her sinnes that had been the cause of it the expression she useth is much like that of Peter when the ship began to sink Luke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord. Vers 20. O Lord my God hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn by slaying her sonne Herein the Prophet pleads first his own interest in God O Lord my God secondly the condition of the woman a widdow and that because women in that estate are least able to endure the losse of those that should be a stay and support to them and God is wont to be very compassionately tender over them and thirdly the interest she had in him because he sojourned with her as grieving that the woman that had harboured him so long and for whose preservation God had wrought so great a miracle should now have all her joy dashed with such a sad losse or that it should be said by any that it had been well for her if the Prophet had never come into her house Vers 21. And he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried unto the Lord c. The meaning of this is either that he stretched himself upon the child and so in that posture of body prayed and then left off again doing this three severall times or else rather that he stretched himself upon the child and then went and prayed unto the Lord and so did by turns three severall times however doubtlesse his stretching himself upon the child was partly that feeling the coldnesse of the childs body he might be stirred up thereby to pray the more earnestly for him and partly that he might perceive when heat and life begun to come into the child and partly also thereby to expresse his exceeding grief for the death of the child and his earnest desire that God would be pleased to restore him to life there being an intimation in this gesture of his that he could have been glad to infuse of his own life into the child and that to move the Lord the rather to heare his prayer and grant his request the like we reade of Elisha 2. Kings 4.34 and of Paul to Eutichus Acts 20.10 Vers 24. And the woman said to Elijah Now by this I know thou art a man of God c. That is now her faith was strengthened concerning this she had called him a man of God vers 18. yet perhaps her faith was shaken with the death of her child and now with this miracle it was strengthened again CHAP. XVIII Vers 1. THe word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third yeare Elijah was sent to Ahab not long before the Lord sent rain again upon the earth so that from the first begining of the drought unto this time when the Prophet was sent to Ahab it was well nigh three yeares and six moneths complete for so long rain was with-held Luk. 4.25 either therefore the third yeare here spoken of must be the third yeare from his first hiding of himself chap. 17.3 or the third yeare since he went to sojourne with the widdow of Zarephath chap. 17.6 or else the third complete yeare since the time they began to want rain the six odd moneths not being reckoned as indeed it is usuall in the Scripture in noting times to set down onely the full complete yeares and not to mention the odd moneths or dayes Go shew thy self unto Ahab and I will send rain upon the earth Though the Israelites continued in their idolatry still yet the Lord determined to take off that judgement of want of rain that now for three years and a half had been upon them and this he did partly for his righteous servants sake that were still in the land who could not but suffer much in this common calamitie and partly because the Lord intended by Elijah to bring Baals prophets to be slain by the people and so thereupon to remove the judgement he had brought upon the kingdome and so now Elijah was sent to give notice they should have rain and so that which he said to Ahab might be made good to wit that there should be no rain but according to his word yea and withall doubtlesse God gave him now in charge though it be not here exprest what he afterwards did concerning the challenge he made to Baals prophets as is evident by that which he saith vers 36. Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy servant and that I have done all these things at thy word Vers 3. Obadiah feared the Lord greatly But how could this be if he went not up to Jerusalem to sacrifice I answer so long as he did sincerely feare God and yielded him that spirituall service which was required of him and kept himself pure from the idolatry of the place
no more should Jehu and that as Omri the grandfather of Joram was setled in the throne of Israel after Zimri the traitour received his just reward so the posterity of Omri to wit the sonnes of Joram should be confirmed in the throne of Israel when just vengeance had seized upon Jehu for this his treachery against Joram his lord and soveraigne Vers 32. And there looked out to him two or three Eunuches Giving some signe of their readinesse to do what he should enjoyn them Concerning Eunuchs see the note chap. 8.6 Vers 34. Go see now this cursed woman and bury her for she is a kings daughter This order Jehu gave perhaps on a sudden not remembring at that time the prophecy of Elijah nor what the prophet that anointed him had lately said to him vers 10. for presently after when they brought him back word that the dogs had eaten all but her skull her feet and the palmes of her hands then he could say as it is vers 36. This is the word of the Lord which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite saying In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel CHAP. X. Vers 1. ANd Ahab had seventy sonnes in Samaria That is sonnes and grandchildren and that by severall wives neither is it any wonder that these should be now altogether in Samaria if we consider first that these princes of the bloud might be by Jorams appointment assigned to stay there when he undertook that late expedition against Hazael for the recovery of Ramoth Gilead that if any thing should happen to him otherwise then well yet they might be in a place of safety and secondly that perhaps now upon the tidings of Jehues killing of Joram the nobles that had the charge of these princes might presently fly with them thither for their better safeguard Vers 6. Then he wrote a letter the second time to them saying If ye be mine c. And thus Jezebel that by a letter sent to the Elders of Jezreel shed the bloud of Naboth and his sonnes hath the bloud of all her sonnes shed by a letter sent from Jezreel to the Elders of Samaria Vers 8. And he said Lay ye them in two heaps at the entring in of the gate untill the morning To wit that the people going out and coming in the next morning at the gate of the citie might be eye-witnesses of the just judgement of God upon the house of Ahab and that the people flocking together to see this ruefull spectacle he might find them there and so might take that occasion to justifie himself amongst them concerning all that he had done Vers 9. Ye be righteous Behold I conspired against my master and slew him but who slew all these c. This speech of Jehues is diversly expounded by Interpreters some conceive they were spoken to the people that were assembled together to gaze on the heads of Ahabs seventy sonnes that were laid on two heaps at the gate of Jezreel and that he began with those words Ye be righteous either hereby to shew why he was willing to appeal to their judgement for that which he had done as if he had said you are surely innocent and have had no hand in any thing that hath been done against the house of Ahab and therefore I desire to appeal to you whether it be not manifest by this strange act done to the sonnes of Ahab that God meant to have his vengeance executed upon this cursed family or else to assure them that he meant no evil to them Ye be righteous that is I pronounce you innocent think not that I intend any harm to you and so he first quits the people from fear and then afterwards seeks to clear himself in the following words in that which he had done by shewing that he had onely executed what God had determined should be done as he proves was manifest by the death of those seventy persons that could never thus have lost their lives if there had not been a secret hand of God furthering herein the accomplishment of that which he had long since threatned by the Prophet Elijah Behold I conspired against my master slew him but who slew all these But then again others conceive that these words were spoken to those that had cut off these heads of Ahabs sonnes or to them joyntly together with the rest of the people and that ironically Ye be righteous as if he should have said you take your selves to be righteous and would lay all the blame of that which is done upon me but this fact of yours hath now made us equally sharers in this businesse Behold I conspired against my master and slew him but who slew all these that is suppose that I should be charged for conspiring against and killing my master yet these heads I am sure you cut off and not I yea indeed neither you nor I have done any thing herein but what God would have done it was not my letter that could have wonne you so readily to perform such an act as this seeing many wayes you might have secured both your selves and them but that there was a speciall hand of God in it who would have that fulfilled which he had threatned by Elijah which is more fully expressed in the following verse Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah Vers 11. So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel and all his great men and his kinsfolks and his priests That is his houshold-priests neither is it any wonder that this caused not the priests of Baal to suspect him when afterwards he called them altogether to Samaria because the speciall reference which these had to the family of Ahab might be thought the onely cause of his cutting them off that they might not in time to come plot any thing by way of revenge against him Vers 13. Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah c. That is the sonnes of his brethren 2. Chron. 22.8 for all his brethren the sonnes of his father Jehoram were either slain or carried away by the Philistines and Arabians that had lately broken into Judah 2. Chron. 22.1 and these he slew too lest they should hereafter revenge the death of Ahaziah or lay any claim to the crown of Israel Vers 14. And he said Take them alive That is Jehu commanded his servants to take these brethren of Ahaziah alive both that he might be sure that none but those of the stock of Ahab were slain and withall that they might be made to know why they were put to death namely because they were of the cursed stock of Ahab Vers 15. He lighted on Jehonadab the sonne of Rechab c. This man was a Kenite of the stock of Jethro 1. Chron. 2.55 the same that either now or afterward imposed
prophet putting his hands upon the kings hands when he was drawing the bowe to shoot was to signifie that through Gods assistance whose person the prophet did now represent he should be victorious over the Syrians according to those expressions Psalm 18.34 35. He teacheth my hands to warre so that a bowe of steele is broken by my arms thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation c. Psalm 144.1 Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to warre and my fingers to fight Gen. 49.24 But his bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. Vers 17. And he said open the window eastward c. To wit because Syria lay eastward and it was to signifie the vanquishing of the Syrians by Joash that the arrow was to be shot out at that window The arrow of the Lords deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria c. That is by this arrow is signified that the Lord by thy might will certainly deliver his people and that from the Syrians who have hitherto brought such calamities upon them and thus even that kindnesse which Joash had now shewen to Gods prophets was abundantly rewarded Vers 18. And he said Take the arrowes and he took them And he said unto the king of Israel Smite upon the ground c. Having by the former signe the arrow shot out at the window eastward foreshewen that he should vanquish the Syrians now by another signe he undertakes to shew him how often he should overcome them Vers 19. And the man of God was wroth with him and said Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times c. It seems the Lord had shown to Elisha that so oft as Joash should voluntarily after a generall charge smite the earth so oft should Israel smite Syria and hence was Elishaes anger that he smote the earth no oftner But may some say seeing the Prophet did not enjoyn the king to smite it often why should he be angry with him for this I answer because by the prophets explaining the meaning of his former action to wit his shooting out at the window the king might have easily conceived that even this second action that was injoyned of smiting the earth was also intended as a parabolicall signe of his smiting the Syrians and so thereupon might have been eager to have given many strokes to the earth Some Expositours indeed give another reason of the Prophets anger namely that he was angry not because the king smote the ground no oftner but because by the kings smiting the earth so seldome the Prophet foresaw his future slacknesse in pursuing the execution of Gods vengeance upon the Syrians and the deliverance of Gods Israel but the former reason of the Prophets anger is I conceive most agreeable with the words of the text And whereas this which is here said Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice may seem to contradict what was said before vers 17. where it was absolutely promised Joash that he should smite the Syrians till he had consumed them we must know that the Prophet there spake onely of an utter consuming those armies of the Syrians over whom he was to obtain three memorable victories but here he speaks of an utter ruining the whole power of the kingdome of Syria in generall which should have been if he had smitten the earth five or six times but now should not be Vers 21. And it came to passe as they were burying a man that behold they spied a band of men and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha c. The meaning of this is that as they were going to bury a dead man they spied a band of Moabites that were broken into their land to rob and spoil their countrey and so not having time to carry him to the place prepared for his buriall they removed the stone that covered Elishaes sepulchre and cast him in there whereupon the dead man revived so soon as he touched the bones of Elisha and stood up upon his feet for we must not think that the sepulchre of Elisha lay open so that in their feare they could presently without any more ado cast the dead man upon the bones of the Prophet however by this singular miracle the Lord was pleased First to teach the people that it was the mighty power of God and not any power in Elisha himself whereby in his life time he had wrought so many glorious miracles And secondly to strengthen the faith of Joash concerning those victories which this holy Prophet of God had foretold him a little before his death in that hereby he might see that God could as easily revive their dead state as he had now revived this dead man yea and besides in this miracle wrought by the dead body of Elisha we have a lively figure of that life which all believers doe obtain by applying to themselves by faith the death of Christ their Saviour Vers 22. But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the dayes of Jehoahaz That is all the time he reigned alone Vers 23. Neither cast he them from his presence as yet The Lord did not as yet quite root out the Israelites from the land of Canaan which he had chosen for his habitation nor turned them off from enjoying any outward communion with him in his ordinances as he did afterwards CHAP. XIIII Vers 1. IN the second yeare of Joash sonne of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah c. That is in the second yeare of his reigne after he began to reigne alone his father Jehoahaz being dead for he began to reigne three yeares before his father dyed and that was the thirty seventh yeare of Joash king of Judah the father of this Amaziah who reigned fourty years complete See the note chap. 13.10 Vers 2 And reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem Of which nine and twenty years Joash reigned in Israel fifteen years complete and something more for he began his reigne the yeare before Amaziah vers 1. In the second yeare of Joash sonne of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah and he reigned but sixteen years in all chap. 13.10 and the other fourteen years complete and something more Jeroboam the sonne of Joash reigned in Israel and therefore it is twice expressed that Amaziah outlived Joash king of Israel fifteen years vers 17. of this chapter and 2 Chron. 25.25 but then may some say if Amaziah lived but to the fifteenth yeare of Jeroboam the sonne of Joash how is it said that Azariah or Uzziah the sonne of this Amaziah began his reigne in the seven and twentieth yeare of Jeroboam chap. 15.1 I answer either Jeroboam was designed king by his father Joash twelve years before his death and so that which was but the fifteenth yeare of Jeroboams
his father Uzziah but that foure years before he died he wholly resigned his kingdome to his sonne Ahaz and so it was in the fourth yeare of Ahaz when Hoshea slew Pekah and took upon himself the title of king of Israel but this fourth yeare of Ahaz is called the twentieth of Jotham because Jotham had still the title of king though he had foure years before resigned his kingdome to his sonne Ahaz Vers 32. In the second yeare of Pekah the sonne of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham c. To wit after his father Uzziahs death for he had the government of the kingdome under his father a long time before this to wit ever since his father became a leper as is noted verse 5. About this time therefore did the prophet Isaiah see that glorious vision Isa 6.1 In the yeare that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and his train filled the temple c. and in this kings reigne Hosea and Micah prophesied to the people Vers 33. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reigne and he reigned sixteen years c. Some Expositours conceive that he was thus old when he began to reign in his fathers life-time which they hold thereby to resolve that great difficulty concerning the age of his grand-child Hezekiah when he began to reigne of which see the note chap. 18.2 But I rather think it must be understood for so the words seem clearly to import of his age when he began his sixteen years reigne which was after his fathers death to wit to the seventeenth yeare of Pekah as is evident in the first verse of the following chapter In the seventeenth yeare of Pekah the sonne of Remaliah Ahaz the sonne of Jotham king of Judah began to reigne Vers 34. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord c. This is more fully expressed 2. Chron. 27.21 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that Uzziah his father did howbeit he entred not into the temple of the Lord and the people did yet corruptly Vers 35. He built the higher gate of the house of the Lord. Or the high gate 2. Chron. 27.3 which was it seems the outer east-gate the gate whereby they went to the kings palace 2. Chron. 23.20 And they came through the high gate into the kings house the same I conceive it was which afterward for the statelinesse of it was called the beautifull gate of the Temple Acts 3.2 and by Jeremy often the new gate as Jer. 26.10 and 36.10 c. Vers 36. Now the rest of the acts of Jotham c. Some of these are related in the Scripture Chronicles as first that he built divers cities in the hills of Judah and in the forrests towers and palaces and secondly that he enforced the Ammonites to pay him tribute to wit of silver an hundred talents of wheat and barley twenty thousand measures 2. Chron. 27.4 5. Vers 37. In those dayes the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the sonne of Remaliah That is towards the end of his reigne they began to conspire against the land of Judah but it seems till his sonnes reigne after his decease they did not invade the land the Lord herein shewing mercy to good Jotham that he took him away before those heavy calamities that immediately after fell upon the kingdome of Judah CHAP. XVI Vers 1. IN the seventeenth yeare of Pekah the sonne of Remaliah Ahaz the sonne of Jotham c. The seventeenth yeare of Pekah was the sixteenth yeare of Jotham chap. 15.32 at which time Jotham did either resigne the kingdome to his sonne Ahaz or at least he left the government to him but yet the lived at least foure years after See chap. 15.30 Vers 2. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reigne and he reigned sixteen years c. If Ahaz was twenty years old when he began his reigne when he died sixteen years after he was but thirty six years old and then was Hezekiah his sonne twenty five years old chap. 18.2 Twenty and five years old was Hezekiah when he began to reigne and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem whereby it may seem that Hezekiah was born to Ahaz when he was yet but ten or eleven years old which say some Expositours we need not wonder at considering the singular blessing that nation had for generation but because it is very unlikely that the Jews had children so young therefore other Expositours do answer this objection two other wayes to wit first that Ahaz was twenty years old when he that is Jotham his father of whom he had spoken in the former verse began to reigne to wit after the death of his father Uzziah or secondly and I think thus it is better answered that Ahaz began to reigne when he was first designed king in the life of Jotham his father and then he was but twenty years old and the like must then be said of Jotham too chap. 15.30 but when after his fathers death he began to reigne as absolute king himself from which these sixteen years must be reckoned he might be twenty five or twenty six years old or perhaps more Vers 3. But he walked in the wayes of the kings of Israel That is he worshipped idols as they also did for so it is expressed 2. Chron. 28.3 He burnt incense in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom and burnt his children in the fire after the abominations of the heathen Yea made his sonne to passe through the fire c. Concerning this abominable idolatry of making their children to passe through the fire see what is noted Levit. 18.21 But the Ahaz did indeed burn his sonnes at least some one of his sonnes as by way of sacrificing them to his idol-gods is evident 2. Chron. 28.3 where also the place is named where he offered this inhumane oblation to wit the valley of the sonne of Hinnom a valley not farre from Jerusalem Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom and burnt his children in the fire This high place was called Tophet and was it seems especially used for this execrable idolatry Jer. 7.31 They have built the high places of Tophet which is in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom to burn their sonnes and their daughters in the fire and by Josiah it was defiled chap. 23.10 He defiled Tophet which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom that no man might make his sonne or his daughter to passe through the fire to Molech Vers 5. Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah sonne of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to warre No sooner was Ahaz settled in the throne of Judah but both Rezin king of Syria and Pekah king of Israel began streight to invade Judah for Pekah reigned in all but
expressed Vers 7. And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land c. To wit against Jerusalem indeed in the latter end of Zedekiahs reigne Jerusalem being then besieged the king of Egypt came up to help him against the Babylonians Jer. 37.5 Then Pharaohs army came forth out of Egypt and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tydings of them they departed from Jerusalem but this here is spoken of his coming to subdue the Jewes to reduce them again under his subjection this Jehoiakim thought he would have done when he heard such glorious rumours of the great preparations he made against Nebuchadnezzer and thereupon had revolted from the Babylonian and for this very cause it is here expressed that he came not and that the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt to shew upon what vain grounds Jehoiakim had trusted in Egypt and so thereby had brought all this misery both on himself and on his kingdome Vers 8. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reigne To wit when he began to reigne alone after his fathers death for in his fathers life time he was crowned king ten years before this when he was yet but eight years old 2. Chron. 36.9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reigne c. And he reigned in Jerusalem three moneths In 2. Chron. 36.9 it is three moneths and ten dayes but the odd dayes as usually elsewhere in the Scripture are here omitted Indeed there in the Chronicles vers 10. it followes that when the yeare was expired king Nebuchadnezzer sent and brought him to Babylon whereby some may conceive that it was a twelvemoneth ere Nebuchadnezzer took him away and why then should it be said that he reigned but three moneths but that which is said there is spoken of the yeare absolutely considered and not of the yeare of Jehoiachins reigne when the yeare was expired that is at the spring or beginning of a new yeare king Nebuchadnezzer sent and brought him to Babylon which was when he had reigned about three moneths as is here said so that that place in the Chronicles is parallel with that 2. Sam 11.1 and it came to passe that after the yeare was expired at the time when kings go forth to battel that David sent Joab c. Vers 9. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord c. For which cause he was threatened by the prophet Jeremiah that he should die childlesse and should be carried with his mother and others into Babylon Jeremiah 22.21.30 Vers 10. At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem c. It is not expressed whether this Jehoiachin were made king by Nebuchadnezzar when he took Jerusalem and slew his father or whether he was made king by the people when Nebuchadnezzar had left the citie if he were set in the throne by Nebuchadnezzar it may well be as Josephus saith that Nebuchadnezzar bethinking himself how dangerous it was to leave him in the throne whose father he had slain and cast out unburied he changed his purpose presently and sent his captains with an army against Jerusalem to whom himself in person came within a while after as intending to depose him and to set up another king in his room Vers 12. And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon c. That is he yielded up both him and his to Nebuchadnezzar as the prophet Jeremiah had advised him And the king of Babylon took him in the eighth yeare of his reigne That is in the eight yeare of Nebuchadnezzars reigne Vers 13. And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the kings house c. And thus was that accomplished which God had threatened when Hezekiah shewed his treasures to the king of Babylons Embassadours Isaiah 39.6 Behold the dayes come that all that is in thine house and that which thy father's have laid up in store untill this day shall be carried to Babylon nothing shall be left yet this particle all so often mentioned here and in the following verse all the treasures c. must be understood with some limitation as namely that he carryed away all in a manner or all that he pleased for that he carryed not all away now when he carried away Jechoniah is evident Jer. 27.18 c. where there is mention made of vessels that remained in the house of the Lord and in the house of the king of Judah even after this in the dayes of Zedekiah the succeeding king which after this were carried away as is related in the following chapter vers 13.14 c. And cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made c. Ezra 1.7 it is said that Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem c. but for the resolving of this doubt see the note on that place Vers 14. And he carryed away all Jerusalem and all the princes and all the mighty men of valour even ten thousand captives c. To wit out of the whole kingdome of which seven thousand were carried out of Jerusalem that were men of might and a thousand crafts-men and smiths vers 16. the rest were carried from other places of the land and at this time it was that Ezekiel was carried away captive Ezek. 1.1 2. In the fifth day of the moneth which was the fifth yeare of king Jehoiachins captivity Vers 15. And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon and the kings mother c. Yet he had no cause to repent that he had hearkened to Jeremiah in yielding up himself to Nebuchadnezzar for it fared better with him then with those that stayed behind yea in the thirty seventh yeare of his captivity he was greatly honoured by Evilmerodach the sonne of Nebuchadnezzar see ch 25. ver 27. In the seven and thirtieth yeare of the captivity of Jehoiachin c. Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the yeare that he began to reigne did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison and he spake kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him c. Vers 16. And all the men of might even seven thousand c. See the note above on vers 14. Vers 17. And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his fathers brother king in his stead and changed his name to Zedekiah So Pharaoh Necho gave Eliakim a new name when he made him king in stead of his brother chap. 23.34 and Daniel and his companions had new names given them Dan. 1.6 7. whereby it may appear that by imposing new names the conquerour shewed his power over them and caused them to acknowledge as it were that they