to be found in pleasures So this is added as a reason why he gave over the thoughts of Pleasures and directed them to another object and why he so confidently asserted their vanity from his own particular Experience because he had made the best of them and it was a vain thing for any private man to expect that from them which could not be found by a King and such a King who had so much Wisdom to invent and such vast Riches to pursue and enjoy all imaginable delights and who had made it his design and business to search this to the bottom that cometh after the king o That succeeds me in this enquiry ‖ Or in those things which have been already done even that which hath been already done p As by others in former times so especially by my self They can make no new discoveries as to this point 13 Then I saw q Or Yet I saw For this is added to prevent an Objection or mistake †Heb. that there is an excellency in wisdom more than in folly c. that wisdom excelleth folly r Although Wisdom is not sufficient to make men truly and perfectly happy yet it is of a far greater use and excellency than vain Pleasures or any other follies as far as light excelleth darkness s i. e. Vastly and unspeakable Light is very pleasant and comfortable and withal of great necessity and singular use to discover the differences of persons and things to prevent mistakes and dangers and to direct all a mans paths in the right way whereas Darkness is in itself doleful and leads men into innumerable Confusions and Errours and Miseries 14 * Pro. 17. 24. Ch. 8. 1. The wise mans eyes are in his head t In their proper place and therefore they can see which they could not do if they were out of his head He hath the use of his Eyes and Reason and sees his way and orders all his affairs with discretion and foresees and so avoids many dangers and mischiefs but the fool walketh in darkness u Manageth his affairs ignorantly rashly and foolishly whereby he sheweth that his Eyes are not in his head but in his heels or as it is expressed Prov. 17. 24. in the ends of the earth and x Or Yet notwithstanding this excellency of Wisdom above folly for our conduct in the matters of this Life yet at last they both come to one end I my self perceived also that * Ps. 49. 10. Ch. 9. 2 3. one event happeneth unto them all y Both are subject to the same calamities and to death itself which utterly takes away all difference between them 15 Then said I in my heart As it happeneth to the fool so it †Heb. happen 〈◊〉 to me 〈◊〉 to me happeneth even to me and why was I then more wise z What benefit have I by my Wisdom Or To what purpose did I desire and take so much pains for Wisdom Then I said in my heart That this also is vanity 16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever a Their Name and Memory though it may flourish for a season among some men yet it will not last for ever but will in a little time be worn out as we see in most of the wise men of 〈◊〉 ages whose very Names together with all their Monuments are utterly lost as hath been oft observed and bewailed by learned Writers in several Ages seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten and how dieth the wise man as the fool b He must die as certainly as the fool and after death be as little remembred and honoured 17 Therefore I hated life c My Life though accompanied with so much Honour and Pleasure and Wisdom was a burden to me and I was apt to wish either that I had never been born or that I might speedily die because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me d All humane designs and works are so far from yielding me that satisfaction which I expected that the consideration of them encreaseth my discontent for all is vanity and vexation of spirit 18 Yea I hated all my labour which I had †Heb. laboured taken under the sun e All these Riches and Buildings and other fruits of my labour were the matter of my Repentance and aggravations of my Misery because * Ps. 49. 10. I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me f Because I must and that everlastingly part with them and leave them all behind me 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool g Who will undo all that I have done and turn the effects of my Wisdom into instruments of his Folly and occasions of ruine Some think he had such an Opinion of Rehoboam yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured and wherein I have shewed my self wise under the sun This is also vanity 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair h I gave my self up to despondency and despair of ever reaping that satisfaction which I promised to my self of all the labour which I took under the sun 21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom and in knowledg and in equity i Who useth great Industry and Prudence and Justice too in the management of his affairs and therefore might as confidently expect Gods blessing and the comfort of his labours as any other man yet to a man that hath not laboured therein k So as I have done who hath spent his days in sloth and folly shall he †Heb. giâ—…t .. leave it for his portion This also is vanity and a great evil l A great disorder in itself and a great disgrace to this World and a great torment to a considering mind 22 * Ch. 1. 3. 3. 9. For what hath man m What comfort or benefit remains to any man after this short and frail Life is once ended Or what advantage hath he by all his labours above him who never laboured and yet enjoyeth all the fruits of his labours of all his labour and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured under the sun 23 For all his days are * Job 14. 1. sorrows n Or Though all his days were sorrows i. e. full of sorrows For this seems added to aggravate the evil mentioned in the foregoing verse Though he took great and unwearied pains all his days yet after death he hath no more benefit by it than another man hath and his travel grief o The toils of his Body are or were accompanied with the vexations of his Mind yea his heart taketh not rest in the night p Either because his mind is distracted and his â—…leep broken
little unkindness which we expressed to thee Or it may be a wish if thou makest this covenant with us be thou now the blessed of the Lord we heartily wish thy blessings and prosperity may increase 30 And he made them a feast and they did eat and drink 31 And they arose up betimes in the morning x Partly for the dispatch of their journey and business and partly because then their minds were most vigorous and sober and fit to perform so sacred an action as an oath was and sware one to another and Isaac sent them away and they departed from him in peace 32 And it came to pass the same day that Isaacs servants came and told him concerning the well which they had digged and said unto him We have found water 33 And he called it ‖ That is an oath Sheba therefore the name of the City is ‖ That is the well of the oath Beer-sheba y This name had been given before either to this or a neighbouring place by Abraham Gen. 21. 31. But was now buried in oblivion as his wells were and the wells being revived he revives and renews the name which proved now a lasting name unto this day as here follows which is not added Gen. 21. 31. because then the name though given by Abraham was soon forgotten and neglected by others unto this day 34. And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite z Both Hittites the worst of the Canaanites Ezek. 16. 3. Which from his Grand-father Abrahams severe charge Gen. 24. 3. he must needs know would be highly displeasing both to God and to his Parents And as Esau had several names being called also Edom and Seir so it seems these women and their Parents had by comparing this with Gen. 36. 2. which was usual in those times and places Or Esau had more Wives then these 35 Which * chap. 27. 46. were †Heb. bitterness of spirit a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah a Because to their Idolatry and other wickedness they added obstinacy and incorrigibleness despising their persons and godly counsels whereby they invited them to Repentance CHAP. XXVII 1 AND it came to pass that when Isaac was old a About one hundred and thirty seven years old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see b Which was ordered by Gods wise providence not onely for the exercise of Isaacs patience but also as a means to transfer Esaus right to Iacob he called Esau his eldest son and said unto him My son And he said unto him Behold here am I. 2 And he said Behold now I am old I know not the day of my death 3 Now therefore take I pray thee thy weapons thy quiver †Or As the 〈◊〉 and Hebrew Doctors render it thy Sword a weapon no less necessary for an hunter of Beasts than a Bow and thy bowe and go out to the field and †Heb. 〈◊〉 take me some venison 4 And make me favoury meat such as I love and bring it to me that I may eat c Quest. Why doth he require this before he bless him Answ. 1. That being refreshed and delighted therewith his Spirit might be more chearful and so the fitter for the giving of this prophetical benediction for which reason also the Prophet Eliha called for a minstrel ere he could utter his Prophesie 2 Kings 3. 15. 2. By the special direction of Divine providence that Esaus absence might give Iacob the advantage of getting the blessing that my soul may bless thee d He speaks not here of a common and customary blessing which Parents may bestow upon any of their Children as and when they please but of the last solemn extraordinary and prophetical benediction whereby these holy Patriarchs did by Gods appointment and with his concurrence constitute one of their sons heir not onely of their inheritance but of Abrahams covenant and all the promises both temporal and spiritual belonging to it As for the oracle delivered to Rebecca which transferred this blessing upon Iacob chap. 25 23. either Isaac knew not of it not being sufficiently informed thereof by Rebecca or he did not throughly understand it or he might apprehend that it was to be accomplished not in the persons of Esau and Iacob but in their posterity or at this time it was quite out of his mind or he was induced to neglect it through his passionate affection to his son Esau. before I die 5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son and Esau went to the field to hunt for venison and to bring it 6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son saying Behold I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother saying 7 Bring me venison and make me savoury meat that I may eat and bless thee before the LORD e Solemnly as in Gods presence in his name and by his Authority and with his leave and favour which I shall heartily pray for thee So he signifies that this was more than an ordinary blessing which he now intended to give him before my death 8 Now therefore my son obey my voice according to that which I command thee 9 Go now to the flock and fetch me from thence two good Kids of the goats f It is observable that as Iacob deceived his Father by a Kid so his Sons deceived him by the same Creature Gen. 37. 31 32 33. and I will make them savoury meat g Out of their most tender and delicate parts Wherewith it was not difficult to deceive Isaac partly because of the likeness of the flesh especially being altered by convenient sawce and partly because the same old age which had dimmed Isaacs sight had also dulled his other senses for thy Father such as he loveth 10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father that he may eat and that he may bless thee before his death 11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother Behold Esau my brother is an hairy man and I am a smooth man 12 My father peradventure will feel me and I shall seem to him as a deceiver g I shall appear to him to be indeed a deceiver one that abuseth his age and blindness The particle as sometimes signifies not the likeness but the truth of the thing Ioâ—…n 1. 14. 2 Corthians 3. 18. and I shall bring a curse upon me h Which is due to every one that deceiveth the blind Deut. 27. 18. especially his Father and especially in a religious concern Ier. 48. 10. Mal. 1. 14. such as this was and not a blessing 13 And his mother said unto him Upon me be thy curse i She saith so out of an assured confidence in the Divine oracle and promise my son onely obey my voice and go fetch me them 14 And he went and fetched and brought
of parenthesis and now he returns to the story and sets down the last words which Moses spake to Pharaoh for a final parting Thus saith the LORD About Midnight will I go out g God is said to go out or go forth or come down c. by way of condescension to the custom and capacity of men when he doth any eminent act of power either in way of Justice or mercy into the midst of Egypt 5 And all the first-born of the land of Egypt shall die from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne h Either now actually ruling with his father as Solomon did even whilest David lived 1 King 1. 34. or more probably he that is to sit the present time for the future he whose right this is by the custom of Egypt and by the law of Nations even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill i The poor captive slave that was in the prison as it is chap. 12. 29. and there did grind at the Mill. In those times and places they had diverse Mills which were not turned about by wind or water as ours are but by the hands of their servants who for that purpose stood behind the mill and so with hard labour turned it about See Iudg. 16. 21. Isa. 47. 1 2. Lam. 5. 13. and all the first-born of beasts 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt such as there was none like it nor shall be like it any more 7 * chap. 8. 22. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue k In stead of those loud cries of the Egyptian families there shall be so great a tranquillity among the Israelites that even the dogs which are sensible of and awaked and provoked by the least noise shall not be stirred up by them against man or beast that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel 8 And * ch 12. 31 33. all these thy servants l Thy Courtiers and great Officers who now are so insolent and obstinate shall come down unto me ‖ Both by their own inclination and necessity and in thy name and by thy command and bowe down themselves unto me saying Get thee out and all the people that †Heb. that is at thy feet follow thee m That are under thy conduct and command as this or the like expression is used Iudâ—… 4. 1â—… 1 King 20. 1â—… 2 King 3. 9. Isa. 41. 2. and after that I will go out and he went out from Pharaoh in †Heb. heat of anger a great anger n Not so much for the affront offered to himself as for his incurable rebellion against God Compare Mark 3. 5. 9 And * chap. 3. 19. the LORD said unto Moses Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that * chap. 7. 3. my wonders may be multiplyed in the land of Egypt 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh and the LORD hardened Pharaohs heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land CHAP. XII 1 AND the LORD spake a Had spoken before the three days darkness as may appear by comparing ver 3. and 6. of this chapter with chap. 11. 4. And the mention of it was put off by him till this place aswell that he might not interrupt the history of all the plagues as that he might give the whole institution of the Passeover together unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying 2 This month b The first moneth after the vernal Equinox called Abib Exod. 13. 4. and 23. 1â—… Deut. 16. 1. and Nisan Neh. 2. 1. Esth. 3. 7. containing part of our March and part of April shall be unto you the beginning c Heb. the head which I conceive notes not so much the order which is more plainly mentioned in the following words as the eminency of it that it shall be accounted the chief and principal of all moneths as the Sabbath hath been called by some the queen of days And justly must they prefer this moneth before the rest whether they looked backward to their prodigious deliverance from Egypt therein or forward to their spiritual redemption by Christ and to the acceptable year of the Lord Luk. 4. 19. for in this very moneth our Lord Jesus suffered Ioh. 18. 28. of months it shall be the first month of the year unto you d Heretofore your first moneth for all affairs hath been Tisri which in part answers to our September and is the first moneth after the Autumnal Equinox and so it shall be to you still as to civil affairs as it appears from Exod. 23. 16. and 34. 22. and Levit. 25. 8 9 10. but as to Sacred and Ecclesiastical matters this shall henceforth be your first moneth 3 Speak ye unto all the Congregation of Israel saying in the tenth day e Partly that they might have the lamb ready for the Sacrifice and might not be distracted about procuring it when they should be going to use it partly that by the frequent contemplation of the lamb as a sign appointed by God they might have their saith strengthned as to their approaching deliverance and afterwards might have their minds quickned to the more serious consideration of that great deliverance out of Egypt and of that more glorious deliverance from Hell by Christ the true Passeover which should be offered for them partly to teach the Church in all ages how necessary a thing preparation is to the solemn duties and exercises of Religion and partly to signifie that Christ should be first set apart and separated to the Ministry which was done 3 or 4 Prophetical days i. e. years before his death and afterwards offered Most of which reasons being perpetual it may seem this usage was so too and not for the first passeover onely of this month they shall take to them f Into their houses where the Iews tell us he was tied to the beds post every man a lamb g Or Kid ver 5. for the same word signifies both though a lamb was commonly used and a kid onely in case of the want of a lamb and the Chaldee and LXX do almost constantly translate the Hebrew word lamb And Christ is seldom or never typified by a kid but generally by a lamb as he is called Ioh. 1. 29. partly for his innocency meekness patience c. but principally with respect to this 〈◊〉 lamb in stead whereof he was in due time to be offered whence he is called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5. 7. according to the house of their fathers * Or kid a †A â—…amb was to be disposed of to every house or family according to its quantity or the numbers of persons in it as the next verse explains it The several families are called the
and Bizjothjah 29 Baalah and lim and Azem 30 And Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah 31 And Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah 32 And Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon all the cities are twenty and nine r Obj. Here are 37 or 38 Cities named before how then are they only reckoned 29 Ans. There were only 29 of them which either 1. Properly belonged to Iudah the rest fell to Simeons Lot or 2. Were Cities properly so called i. e. walled Cities or such as had Villages under them as it here follows the rest being great but unwalled Towns or such as had no Villages under them with their villages 33 And in the vale Eshtaol and Zoreah and Ashnah 34 And Zanoah and Engannim Tappuah and Enam 35 Jarmuth and Adullam Socoh and Azekah 36 And Sharaim and Adithaim and Gederah * Or or and Gederothaim fourteen cities s Obj. There are 15 numbred Ans. Either one of them was no City strictly called or Gederah and Gederothaim is put for Gederah or Gederothaim so called possibly because the City was double as there want not instances of one City divided into two parts called the old and the new City So the conjunction and is put for the disjunctive or whereof examples have been given before with their villages 37 Zenan and Hedashah and Migdal-gad 38 And Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel 39 Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon 40 And Cabbon and Lahmas and Kithlish 41 And Gederoth Beth-dagon and Naamah and Makkedah sixteen cities with their villages 42 Libnah t Heb. Libnah See Ios. 10. 29. and Ether and Ashan 43 And Jiphta and Ashnah and Nezib 44 And Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah nine cities with their villages 45 Ekron u Here and in the following Verses are contained all the Cities of the Philistines among which are Gath and Askelon which peradventure are here omitted because they were not at this time places of such Power and Eminency as afterwards they were but were the Daughters of some of these following Cities though afterwards the Daughter might overtop the Mother as is usual with her †Towns x Heb. Her Daughters i. e. lesser Cities or great Towns subject to Ekrons Jurisdiction and her villages ‡ Heb. Daughters Numb 21. 25. y i. e. Lesser Towns or Hamlets 46 From Ekron even unto the sea all that lay †near Ashdod with their villages ‡ Heb. by the place of 47 Ashdod with her †towns and her villages Gaza with her * Heb. Daughters * Heb. Daughters towns and her villages unto the river of Egypt and the great sea and the border thereof z i. e. The Sea-Coast and all other Cities Towns and Villages upon it 48 ¶ And in the mountains a i. e. In the higher grounds called Mountains or Hills in comparison of the Sea-Coast Shamir and Jattir and Socoh 49 And Dannah and Kirjath-sannah which is Debir b Which also is called Kiriath-sepher above v. 15. So this City had three Names 50 And Anab and Eshâ—…emoh and Anim 51 And Goshen c See Ios. 10. 41. and Holon and Giloh eleven cities with their villages 52 Arab and Dumah and Eshean 53 And * Janum and Beth-tappuah and 〈◊〉 Janus Aphekah 54 And Humtah and * Chap. 14. 15. Kirjath-arba which is Hebron and Zior nine cities with their villages 55 Maon d Of which see 1 Sam. 23. 25. and 25. 2. Carmel e Nabals Country 1 Sam. 25. and Ziph f Which gave its name to the Neighbouring Mountain 1 Sam. 26. 1. and Juttah 56 And Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah 57 Cain Gibeah and Timnah ten cities with their villages 58 Halhul Bethzur and Gedor 59 And Maarath and Beth-anoth and Eltekon six cities with their villages 60 Kirjath-baal which is Kirjath-jearim and Rabbah two cities with their villages 61 ¶ In the wilderness g So the Hebrews call places either uninhabited by men or having but few Inhabitants Beth-arabah Middin and Secaâ—…ah 62 And Nibshan and the city of salt h So called either from the Salt Sea which was near it or from the Salt which was made in it or about it and Engedi six cities with their villages 63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jeruâ—…em i For though Ierusalem was in part taken by Ioshua before this yet the upper and stronger part of it called Zion was still kept by the Iebusites even until Davids time and it seems from thence they descended to the lower Town called Ierusalem and took it so that the Israelites were forced to win it a second time yea and a third time also for afterwards it was possessed by the Iebusites Iudg. 19. 11. 2 Sam. 5. 6 7. the children of Judah could not drive them out k Namely because of their unbelief as Christ could do no mighty work because of the peoples unbelief Mark 6. 5 6. Mat. 13. 58. and because of their Sloth and Cowardise and Wickedness whereby they forfeited Gods help and then they must needs be imporent but this inability was wilful and brought upon them by themselves but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem l The same things which are here said of the children of Iudah are said of the Benjamites Iudg. 1. 21. Hence ariseth a question To which of the Tribes Ierusalem belonged whether to Benjamin as is gathered from Gen. 49. 27. Deut. 33. 12. Ier. 6. 1. or to Iudah as is implied here and Psal. 78. 68 69. Some think that being in the Borders of both it was common to both and promiscuously inhabited by both and it is certain that after the Captivity it was possessed by both Neh. 11. 4. But for the present though it did belong to Benjamin yet the Children of Iudah being possibly very active in the first taking of it by Ioshua as they certainly were after his Death Iudg. 1. 8. they might thereby get some right to share with the Benjamites in the Possession of it It seems most probable that part of it and indeed the greatest part and main body of it stood in the Tribe of Benjamin and hence this is mentioned in the List of their Cities and not in Iudah's List and part of it stood in Iudah's share even Mount Moriah on which the Temple was built and Mount Sion when it was taken from the Iebusites unto this day m When this Book was written whether in Ioshuah's Life and Old Age which continued many years after the taking of Ierusalem or after his Death when this Clause was added here and elsewhere in this Book by some other man of God which must needs be done before Davids time when the Iebusites were quite expelled and their Fort taken CHAP. XVI AND the lot of the children of Joseph a i. e. Of Ephraim and the half Tribe of Manasseh which are here put together in one not because they had but one Lot for
suffer him to execute his own Daughter and not rather hinder him by force as they afterwards did Saul when he had sworn the Death of Ionathan These and other such difficulties I confess there are in the case but something may be truly and fairly said to allay the seeming Monstrousness of this fact 1. These were times of great and general ignorance and corruption of Religion wherein the Israelites had Apostatized from God and learnt and followed the practises and worships of the Heathen Nations Iudg. 10. 6. whereof this was one to offer up Humane Sacrifices to Moloch and although they seem now to have repented and forsaken their Idols Iudg. 10. 16. yet they seem still to have retained part of the old Leaven and this among the rest That they might offer Humane Sacrifices not to Moloch as they had done but unto the Lord. And whereas some of the Iewish Writers pretend that Phinehas was alive at this time and tell a fine Story concerning him and Iepthah That both stood upon their Terms and neither would go to the other to advise about the matter yet it is more than probable that Phinehas was dead long before this time and whosoever was the High-Priest then he seems to be guilty either of gross ignorance or negligence so that a late Learned Writer concieves that this was the reason why the Priesthood was taken from him and from that line and translated to the line of Ithamar which was done in the time of the Judges as may be gathered from 1 Sam. 2. 35 36. Moreover Iepthah though now a good man may seem to have had but a rude and barbarous Education having been banished from his Fathers House and forced to wander and dispose himself in the utmost Borders of the Land of Gilead beyond Iordan at a great distance from the place of Worship and Instruction Nor is it strange That the Priests and People did not resist Iepthah in this Enterprise partly because many of them might lye under the same ignorance and mistake that Iepthah did and partly because they knew Iephtha to be a stout and resolute and boisterous man and were afraid to oppose him in a matter wherein he seemed to be so peremptory and their Persons and Families were not much concerned 2. This mistake of Iepthah's and of the rest of that Age was not without some plausible appearance of Warrant from the Holy Text even from Levit. 27. 28 29. wherein it is expresly provided That no Devoted thing whether Man or Beast should be redeemed but should surely be put to Death a place which it is not strange that a Soldier in so ignorant an Age should mistake seeing even some Learned Divines in this knowing Age and Capellus amongst the rest have fallen into the same error and justified Iepthah's action from that place and though I doubt not they run into the other extreme as men commonly do those words being to be otherwise understood than they take them of which see my Notes on that place yet it must be granted that place gave Iepthah a very colourable pretext for the Action and being pushed on by Zeal for God and the Conscience of his Vow he might easily be induced to it and though this was a Sin in him yet it was but a Sin of Ignorance which therefore was overlooked by a gracious God and not reproved by any Holy men of God It is probably conceived that the Greeks who used to steal Sacred Histories and turn them into Fables had from this History their relation of Iphigenia which may be put for Iephtigenia Sacrificed by her Father Agamemnon which is described by many of the same circumstances wherewith this is accompanied and she knew no man b To wit carnally she died a Virgin and it was a ‖ Or oâ—… 〈◊〉 castom in Israel 40 That the daughters of Israel went ‡ Heb. iâ—… days to days yearly c To a place appointed for their meeting to this end possibly to the place where she was Sacrificed ‖ Or to 〈◊〉 with to lament the daughter of Jephthah d To express their Sorrow for her loss according to the manner Or to Discourse of so the Hebrew Lamed is sometimes used the Daughter of Jepthah to celebrate her Praises who had so willingly yielded up her self for a Sacrifice the Gileadite four days in a year CHAP. XII AND the men of Ephraim ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 called gathered themselves together and went northward a Over Iordan so Northward towards Mizpeh where Iepthah was Iudg. 11. 34. and which was in the Northern part of the Land beyond Iordan and said unto Jephthah b Through Pride and Envy conrending with him as they did before with Gideon Iudg. 8. 1. Wherefore passedst thou over c Not over Iordan for there he was already but over the Borders of the Israelites land beyond Iordan as appears by comparing this with Iudg. 11. 29. where the same Phrase is used to fight against the children of Ammon and didst not call us to go with thee We will burn thine house upon thee with fire 2 And Jephthah said unto them I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon and when I called you d Hence it appears that he craved their assistance which they denied though that be not elsewhere expressed ye delivered me not out of their hand 3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not I put my life in my hand e i. e. I exposed my self to utmost danger as a man that carries a brittle and precious thing in his hand which may easily either fall to the ground or be snatched from him The same Phrase is used 1 Sam. 19. 5. and 28. 21. Iob 13. 14. Psal. 119. 109. and passed over against the children of Ammon and the LORD delivered them into my hand Wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day to fight against me f Why do you thus requite my kindness in running into such hazard to preserve you and yours 4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim because they said Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites g According to this Translation these words are a scoffing and contemptuous expression of the Ephraimites concerning the Gileadites whom they call Fugitives of Ephraim the word Ephraim being here taken largely as it is elsewhere as Isa. 7. 2 5. so as it comprehends the other Neighbouring Tribes of which Ephraim was in some sort the head or chief and especially their Brethren of Manasseh who lived next to them and were descended from the same Father Ioseph by reason whereof both these Tribes are sometimes reckoned for one and called by the name of the Tribe of Ioseph And this large signification of Ephraim may seem probable from the following words where instead of Ephraim is put
Sacred Treasures for future Occasions there being mention of the great treasures left by David even in other Authors But some Learned Men make these Talents far less than those in Moses his Time and they conceive that as there were two sorts of Shekels both of Gold and Silver the common and the sacred Shekel whereof the latter is commonly thought to be double to the former so also there were Talents of divers kinds and values For the Hebrew word kikkar which is rendred a Talent properly signifies onely a Mass or a Piece as it is used Exod. 29. 23. 1 Sam. 2. 36. Zech. 5. 7. So it may indifferently denote either a greater or a lesser Piece And this is certain and observed by two Ancient and most Learned Writers 〈◊〉 and Pollux and by others that a Talent among the Greeks and Romans sometimes notes but a small quantity and that a Talent of Gold contains onely six Drams And Homer in his Ileads amongst other things of no great value which are propounded as Rewards to the Conqueror at a solemn and publick Exercise a Bondwoman an Horse and a Pot mentions two Talents of Gold which plainly shews that in his Time which was after the building of this Temple Talents of Gold were very far Inferiour in quantity and price to what they had been in former Ages And Iosephus a Iew and therefore the more Competent Judge of these things speaking of this very thing for 100000 Talents of Gold here mentioned he puts 10000 and for 1000000 Talents of Silver he puts 100000 either because the Talents in Moses his time were of ten times more Bulk and Price than in Davids and Solomons time and therefore these Talents reduced to them amounted to no greater Sum or because he read so in his Copy of the Hebrew Bible And certainly it is infinitely more tolerable and reasonable to suppose that there is a mistake here in the generality of the present Copies of the Hebrew Bible through the Errour of the Scribe which being onely in a numeral and historical Passage might happen without Impeachment to the Care of Gods Providence which hath so miraculously preserved all the most Important and Substantial parts of Scripture as hath been formerly said than upon such Pretences to deny the Truth and Divine Original and Authority of the Holy Scriptures Add to this that all the Gold then used was not of equal worth and purity as appears both by the special Commendation given to some sorts of Gold in divers parts of Scripture and particularly by the Difference observed in this very History between the Gold and Gold which David gave for this use whereof one little part being distinctively called pure Gold and refined Gold 1 Chron. 28. 17 18. it is sufficiently implied that all the rest of the Gold was not refined nor pure which might greatly diminish the Worth of it for in what degree it was impure or allayed with other things in those Times and Places we cannot know at this Distance And therefore we cannot make a true Estimate what those Talents of Gold did amount to in our Value and a thousand thousand talents of silver p Just as much in Silver as in Gold for this is known and agreed that the Proportion of Gold to Silver is Ten to One. and of brass and iron without * As 〈◊〉 3. weight for it is in abundance timber also and stone have I prepared and thou mayest add thereto 15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance hewers and ‖ That is ma sons and carpenters workers of stone and timber and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work 16 Of the gold the silver and the brass and the iron there is no number Arise therefore and be doing q To wit when thou shalt come to the Throne in my stead and the LORD be with thee 17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son saying 18 Is not the LORD your God with you and hath he not given you rest on every side for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand and the land is subdued before the LORD and before his people r Either 1. It is brought under the Command of God and of you his People all the Enemies of God and of Israel in it or near it being now perfectly subdued Or 2. It is really subdued whereof both God and your own Eyes are Witnesses 19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God arise therefore and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD CHAP. XXIII 1 SO when David was old and full of days he made * 1 Kin. 1. 33. 39. Ch. 28. 5. Solomon his son king over Israel a Not that he did resign the Kingdom to him but that he declared his Mind concerning his Succession into the Throne after his death As David himself is called King 1 Sam. 16. 1. because he was appointed and anointed to be King after Sauls death though till then he was onely a Subiect 2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel with the priests and the Levites b Partly to declare Gods Mind and his own Will that Solomon should be his Successor and so to cut off the Claims and Pretences which others of his Sons might make to the Crown and partly to acquaint them with those Directions which he had received from God by the Spirit as appears from ch 28. 11 c. concerning the Establishment of a new Order and Method in the Ministration of the Priests and Levites in the Temple 3 Now the Levites were numbred from the age of * Numb 4. 3. thirty years and upward c Not onely till fifty as it was appointed Num. 4. 2 3. but even till their Death For that was but a Temporary Law grounded upon a special Reason because the Levites were employed in carrying the Tabernacle and Sacred Vessels from place to place and therefore God would have them freed from those Burdens when they came to feel the Infirmities of Age Which Reason wholly ceasing upon the Building of the Temple and their Work being far easier than it had been and their Service being more a Priviledge than a Burden their time of Service is justly and fitly prolonged and their numbers by their polls man by man was thirty and eight thousand 4 Of which twenty and four thousand were ‖ Or or to oversee to set forward the work of the house of the LORD d i. e. To take care that all the Work of the Temple about Sacrifices and other Parts or Means of Gods Service should be punctually and diligently performed either by themselves or others Which they were not to do all at once but by Courses 1000 at a
And so here to strip the naked is by stripping them to make them naked 7. Thou hast not given water o Surely thou hast been so hard hearted as to deny a Cup of cold Water to those that needed and desired it Water was oft times scarce and precious in those hot Countries and was appropriated to particular persons without whose leave other persons might not take it to the weary p i. e. To him who by reason of hard labour or Travel is weary and thirsty So this word is used Prov. 25. 25. to drink and thou hast with-holden Bread from the hungry q To whom it was due by Gods Law Prov. 3. 27. which also was known to Iob by the light of Nature Hereby he intimates the greatness of this Sin of Uncharitableness by ranking it with heinous crimes whereas Iob as he thought esteemed it but a small fault if any 8. But as for †Heb. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 the mighty man he had the Earth r Heb. And or but the man of Arm or Strength or Power to him was the Earth or the Land i. e. he had the firm possession or free enjoyment of it Which is meant either 1. Of Iob of whom he speaks invidiously in the third person The mighty man Iob possessed and enlarged and enjoyed his Estate without any compassion to the poor Or rather 2. Of other rich and potent men who had the Earth or Land either 1. By Iob's judicial Sentence which was generally given in favour of the rich and against the poor Or 2. By Iob's kindness and courtesie The rich were always welcom to him his house was open to them his Land was before them when the poor were driven away from his House and Territories and the †Heb. 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Kings 5. Isa. 3. 3. honourable man dwelt in it s Either by thy sentence or permission he had a peaceable and sure possession of it He repeateth the same thing in other words 9. Thou hast sent Widows t Whose helpless Estate called for thy pity Exod. 22. 22. Deut. 24. 17 19. away empty u Either by denying them that Relief which their poverty required or that right which their cause deserved or by spoiling them of their Goods because thou knewest them to be unable to oppose thee or to right themselves and the Arms x i. e. All their supports and comforts and rights An heinous sin but falsly charged upon Iob. of the Fatherless have been broken 10. Therefore y For these and the like crimes The cause of thy ruine is not secret from Gods soveraign Power and unsearchable Judgments as thou pretendest but plain and manifest even thy own crying sins Snares are round about thee z Thou art encompassed with dangers and calamities and sudden fear a Beside thy present miseries thou art tormented with the dread and expectation of further and sorer Judgments troubleth thee 11. Or darkness b Either 1. A darkness and confusion of mind so great that thou canst not discern the true cause and use of all thy sufferings Or 2. Grievous Calamities which are oft called darkness which are such that thou canst see no way nor possibility of escaping Either thou art troubled with fear of further evils as it is said v. 10. or with the gross darkness of thy present state of misery that thou canst not see and abundance of Waters c i. e. Plenty and variety of sore afflictions which are frequently compared to Waters as Psal. 18. 16. 66. 12. Isa. 43. 2. cover thee 12. Is not God in the height of Heaven d Surely he is and from that high Tower he looketh down upon men Psal. 14. 2. to behold and govern and recompense all their actions whether good or bad And therefore O Iob thou art grosly mistaken in thinking that all things in this lower world are managed by chance and without any regard to Justice or to just men and not by the wise and holy Providence of God For this is the genuine Consequence of thy great Principle that good men suffer as deeply as any others whilest the vilest of men are exalted and flourish and behold †Heb. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Sâ—… the height of the Stars how high they are e Yet God is far higher than they and from thence can easily spy all men and things here below as the highest places afford the best prospects 13. And f Or Therefore From this true and certain principle thou drawest this false and wicked Conclusion Or Yet notwithstanding this undeniable Argument thou sayest g Thou reasonest thus within thy self as it may seem by thy discourses ‖ Or 〈◊〉 how doth God know h i. e. God cannot discern and therefore doth not mind things so far below him and distant from him * Psal. 〈◊〉 â—…9 â—… 73. 11. 〈◊〉 7. can he judge through the dark Cloud i i. e. Through those immense and innumerable Clouds which lie between the Heaven and the Earth although our eyes see but few of them 14. Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of heaven k His conversation and business and delight is in the higher and heavenly World which is worthy of his care but he will not disparage nor burden himself with the care of this contemptible spot of earth which was the opinion of many heathen Philosophers and as they fancied was Iob's opinion also 15. Hast thou marked the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 way So old way l Heb. The way of antiquity i. e. of men living in ancient times or former ages By this way is here meant either 1. their course or common practice Or 2. their end or success as the way is taken 1 Sam. 9. 6 8. and as death which is and is called the end of all men Eccles. 72. is also called the way of all the earth Jos. 23. 14. 1 Kings 2. 2. which wicked men have troden 16. Which were cut down out of time m i. e. Before their time who died a violent and untimely death †〈…〉 whose foundation was overflown with a floud n Who together with their foundation to wit the earth and all their supports and enjoyments in it were destroyed by the general Deluge which doubtless was very well known to them because they lived not long after it and which was most proper for this Argument Or whose foundation i. e. all their power and riches and policy upon which they build all their hopes and happiness was like a flood poured forth which made a great shew and noise for a time but speedily vanished and came to nothing 17. * 〈…〉 Which said unto God Depart from us and what can the Almighty do ‖ 〈…〉 for them o He reports Iob's words Chap. 21. 14 15. where they are explained but to a contrary
enjoying a better Life which they never regarded But I have a firm and well grounded hope not of that temporal restitution which you promised me but of a blessed immortality after death and therefore am none of these hopeless Hypocrites as you account me when God taketh away r Or expâ—…lleth Or plucketh up which notes violence and that he died unwillingly Compare Luk. 12. 20. when good men are said freely and chearfully to give themselves or their Souls unto God his soul 9. * Psal. 18. 41. â—… 109. â—… 〈◊〉 1. 28. â—…â—…8 9. 〈◊〉 1. 15. Ezek. 8. 18. 〈◊〉 3. 4. Joh. 9. 31. 〈◊〉 4. 3. Will God hear his cry s An hypocrite doth not pray to God with comfort or any solid hope that God will hear him as I know he will hear me though not in the way which you think when trouble cometh upon him t When his guilty Conscience will fly in his face so as he dare not pray and accuse him to God so as God will not hear him 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty u Will he be able to delight and satisfie himself with God alone and with his Love and favour when he hath no other matter of delight This I now do and this an hypocrite cannot do because his heart is chiefly set upon the World and when that fails him his heart sinks and the thoughts of God are unfavoury and troublesom to him will he always call upon God x He may by his afflictions be driven to Prayer but if God doth not speedily answer him he falls into despair and neglect of God and of Prayer whereas I constantly continue in Prayer notwithstanding the grievousness and the long continuance of my Calamities 11. I will teach you ‖ Or being in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. by the hand of God y i. e. By Gods help and inspiration as God is said to speak to the Prophet with or by a strong hand Isa. 8. 11. I will not teach you my own vain conceits but what God himself hath taught me Or concerning as the prefix Beth is oft used as Exod. 12. 43 44. Psal. 63. 6. 87. 3. Prov. 4. 11. the hand of God i. e. his Counsel and Providence in governing the World or the manner of his dealing with men and especially with wicked men of whose portion he discourseth v. 13 14. c. shewing how far the hand of God is either for them or upon them and against them that which is with the Almighty z i. e. What is in his Breast or Counsel and how he executes his secret purposes concerning them or the truth of God the Doctrine which he hath taught his Church about these matters will I not conceal 12. Behold all ye your selves have seen it a I speak no false or strange things but what is known and confirmed by your own as well as others experiences why then are ye thus altogether vain b In maintaining such a foolish and false opinion against your own knowledge and experience Why do you obstinately defend your opinion and not comply with mine for the truth of which I appeal to your own Consciences 13. This c That which is mentioned in the following Verses In which Iob delivers either 1. the opinion of his Friends in whose person he utters them and afterwards declares his dissent from them Or rather 2. his own opinion and how far he agreeth with them for his sense differs but little from what Zophar said Ch. 20. 29. is the portion of a wicked man with God d Either laid up with God or in his Counsel and appointment or which he shall have from God as the next words explain it and the heritage of Oppressors e Who are mighty and fierce and terrible and mischievous to mankind as this word implies whom therefore men cannot destroy but God will which they shall receive of the Almighty 14. * Deut. 28. 41. Hos. 9. 13. If his children be multiplied it is for the sword f That they may be cut off by the Sword either of War or of Justice and his off-spring shall not be satisfied with bread g Shall be starved or want necessaries A Figure called Meiosis 15. Those that remain of him h Who survive and escape that Sword and Famine shall be buried in death i Either 1. Shall die and so be buried Or 2. Shall be buried as soon as ever they are dead either because their Relations or dependents feared lest they should come to themselves again and trouble them and others longer or because they were not able to bestow any funeral Pomp upon them or thought them unworthy of it Or 3. Shall be in â—… manner utterly extinct in or by death all their hope and glory and name and memory which they designed to perpetuate to all ages shall be buried with them and they shall never rise again to a blessed Life whereas a good man hath hope in his death and leaves his good-name alive and flourishing in the World and rests in his Grave in assurance of Redemption from it and of a glorious Resarrection to an happy and eternal Life and * Psal. 78. 64. his Widows k For they had many Wives either to gratifie their Lust or to encrease and strengthen their Family and Interest shall not weep l Either because they durst not lament their death which was entertained with publick joy or because they were overwhelmed and astonished with the greatness and strangeness of the Calamity and therefore could not weep or because they also as well as other persons groaned under their Tyranny and cruelty and rejoiced in their deliverance from it 16. Though he heap up silver as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay m i. e. In great abundance 17. He may prepare it but the just shall put it on n Either because it shall be given to him by the Judge to recompence those Injuries which he received from that Tyrant Or because the right of it is otherwise transferred upon him by divine Providence and the innocent shall divide o Either 1. To the poor he shall distribute that which the oppressors hoarded up and kept as wickedly as he got it So this suits with Prov. 28. 8. Eccles. 2. 26. Or 2. With others or to himself He shall have a share of it when by the Judges sentence those ill-gotten goods shall be restored to the right owners the silver 18. * Chap. 8. 15 He buildeth his house as a moth p Which settleth itself in a Garment but is quickly and unexpectedly brushed off and dispossessed of its dwelling and crushed to death and as a booth that the keeper maketh q Which the Keeper of a Garden or Vineyard suddenly rears up in Fruit-time and as quickly and easily pulls it down again See Isa. 1. 8. Lam. 2. 6. 19. The rich man shall
was †Heb. opened spread out * Psal. 1. 3. Jer. 17. 8. by the waters and the dew lay all night upon my branch s I was continually watred by divine favour and blessing as a tree which is constantly supplied with moisture both in its root and branches and consequently must needs be fruitful and flourishing 20. My glory was †Heb. new fresh t The reputation which I had gained by my just and virtuous Life was not decaying but growing and every day augmented with the accession of new honours in me u Heb. with me and my * Gen. â—…9 24. bow x i. e. My strength which is signified by a Bow Gen. 49. 24. 1 Sam. 2. 4. because in ancient times the Bow and Arrows were principal instruments of War was †Heb. hanged Isa. 40. 31. renewed y Heb changed itself i. e. grew as it were a new Bow when other Bows by much use grow weak and useless Oâ—… changed its strength which word may be here understood as it is expressed Isa. 40. 31. i. e. hath got new strength in my hand 21. Unto me men gave ear and waited and kept silence at my counsel z Expecting till I spoke and silently listening to my Counsel which they were confident would be like the Oracle of God wise and just and good and preferring it before their own Judgment 22. After my words they spake not again a Either to consute them as false or to add to them as lame and imperfect and my speech dropped upon them b To wit as the rain as the next Verse explains it which when it comes down gently and droppingly upon the earth is most acceptable and beneficial to it not so when it comes in great and violent showers 23. And they waited for me as for the rain c As the Earth or the Husbandman waiteth for the rain to wit the former rain of which see Deut. 11. 14. because the latter rain is here opposed to it See Iam. 5. 7. and they opened their mouth d To receive my words and therewith to satisfie their thirst as the dry and parched Earth gapes or opens its mouth to receive the Rain for me as for the latter rain 24. If I laughed on them e Or sported or jested with them i. e. carried my self familiarly and pleasantly with them they believed it not f It was so acceptable to them to see me well-pleased with them that they could scarce believe their Eyes and Ears that it was so Compare Gen. 45. 26. Psalm 126. 1. and the light of my countenance they cast not down g My familiarity did not breed contempt or presumption in them to say or do any thing that might grieve me or make my countenance to fall as it doth in case of shame or sorrow Gen. 4. 5. They were very cautious not to abuse my smiles nor to give me any occasion to change my Countenance or carriage towards them 25. I chose out their way f They sought to me for my advice in all doubtful and difficult Cases and I chalked out their Path and directed them what methods they should take to accomplish their desires and sat g As a Prince or Judge whilest they stood waiting for my counsel chief h Or Head as their Head or Ruler and my mind and word was as a Law or Oracle to them and dwelt as a king in the army i Whose presence puts life and courage and joy into the whole Army And no less acceptable was my presence to them as one that comforteth the mourners k As I was able and ready to comfort any afflicted or sorrowful persons so my Consolations were always grateful and welcom to them Or when he to wit the King comforteth the mourners i. e. his Army when they are under some great Consternation or Dejection by reason of some great loss or danger but are revived by the presence and speech of a wise and valiant King or General CHAP. XXX 1. BUT now a My Condition is sadly changed for the worse they that are †Heb. Of fewer days than I. younger than I b Whom both universal custom and the light of Nature taught to reverence their Elders and betters have me in derision c Make me the Object of their contempt and scoffs Thus my glory is turned into shame whose fathers I would have disdained d Or rather I might have disdained i. e. Whose condition was so mean and vile that in the opinion and according to the custom of the World they were unworthy of such an employment to have set with the dogs of my flock e To be my Shepherds and the Companions of my Dogs which watch my Flocks Dogs are every where mentioned with contempt as filthy unprofitable and accursed Creatures as 2 Sam. 16. 9. 2 Kings 8. 13. Phil. 3. 2. Revâ—… 22. 15. 2. Yea whereto might the strength of their hands profit me f Nor was it strange that I did or would or might refuse to take them into any of my meanest services because they were utterly impotent and therefore unserviceable in whom old age was perished g Or bost either 1. because they never attain to it but are consumed by their lusts or cut off for their wickedness by the just hand of God or men in the midst of their days Or 2. because they had so wasted their strength and spirits by their evil courses that when they came to old age they were feeble and decrepit and useless for any labour Or 3. because they had not that prudence and experience which is proper and usual in that age by which they might have been useful if not for work yet to oversee and direct others in their work But the words may be thus rendred In whom vigorous age was perished i. e. who were grown impotent for service For the word here rendred old age is used only here and Iob 5. 26. where also it may be so rendred Thou shalt come to thy grave in a vigorous or mature age having the vigour of youth even in thine old age and until thy death as Moses had And if this word do signifie old age yet it signifies not every but only a flourishing and vigorous old age as the Hebrews note and the word may seem to imply Whence the seventy Interpreters also render it perfection to wit of age and of the endowments belonging to age 3. For want and famine h Brought upon them either by their own sloth or wickedness or by God's just judgment Heb. In want and famine which aggravates their following solitude Although want commonly drives persons to places of resort and company for relief yet they were so conscious of their own guilt and contemptibleness and hatefulness to all persons that they shunned all company and for fear or shame fled into and lived in desolate places
Sea for Tarshish though Properly the Name of a Maritine place in Ciâ—…icia Ezek. 27. 25. 〈◊〉 1. 3. is usually put for the Sea as 1 Kings 10. 22. 2 Chron. 9. 21. Psal. 72. 10. Isa. 2. 16. Ier. 10. 9. are broken with an East-wind Albeit the Enemies of Ierusalem which are Compared to the raging Waters of the Sea in Psal. 46 2 3. may as fitly be Compared to Ships upon the Sea 8. As we have heard so have we seen q The predictions of the Prophets Either 2 Chron. 20. 14. or 2 Kings 19. 20. c. have been verified by the Events Or We have had late and fresh Experiences of such wonderful works of God as before we onely heard of by the Report of our Fathers in the city of the LORD of hosts in the city of our God God will establish it for ever r From this miraculous Deliverance we plainly see that God hath a singular Love to it and Care of it and therefore will defend her in all succeeding Ages against all her Enemies And so God would have done if Ierusalem had not forsaken God and forfeited his Favour and Protection Selah 9. We have thought of s It hath been the matter of our Serious and deep Meditation when we have been Worshipping there in thy Temple For when the Priests were offering Incense or Sacrifice the Religious People exercised themselves in holy Meditation or secret Prayer to God as may be gathered from Luk. 1. 10. and many other places of Scripture and from the Nature of the thing Or We have silently or Patiently waited for as some Anâ—…ient and other Interpreters â—…ender it thy loving kindness O God in the midst of thy temple 10. According to thy name O God so is thy praise t For this and such like glorious Actions thou art praised and acknowledged and Evidently proved to be such an one as thou hast affirmed thy self to be in thy Word God Almighty or Al-sufficient the Lord of Hâ—…sts the King of thy Church 〈◊〉 People and a strong Tower to all that trust in thee and all other things which thou art called in Scripture Thy Name is not an empty Title but is filled up with honourable and Praise-worthy Works answerable to it unto the ends of the earth thy right hand is full of righteousness u i. â—… Of righteous Actions by which thou discoverest thy Justice and Holiness in destroying the Wicked and incorrigible Enemies of thy People and in fulfilling thy Promises made to thy Church 11. Let mount x Synecdochically put for Ierusalem Zion rejoyce let the daughters of Judah y i. e. The other and lesser Cities and Towns or Villages i. e. all the People of Iudaâ—… for such are commonly called Daughters in Respect of the Mother City to which they are Subjects See Ios. 15. 45 and 17. 16. Psal. 45. 12. and 137 8. He mentions Iudah onely and not all Israel Partly because they were more immediately and Eminently concerned in Ierusalems Deliverance and principally because ten of the Tribes of Israel were now cut off from Ierusalem and from the Kingdom of David's House and possibly carried away Captive 2 Kings 18. 9 10. 11. be glad because of thy judgments z Upon thine and their Enemies At which they were glad not simply but because it was highly Conducible to God's Honour and to the Preservation and Enlargement of Gods Church in the World 12. Walk about Zion and go round about her a He speaketh Either 1. To the Enemies as Triumphing over them Or rather 2. To the People of that City and Kingdom who had been Eye Witnesses of this glorious work of God as appears from the following Verses tell the towers thereof b He bids them â—…ark well her â—…owers Bâ—…warks and Palaces here and v. 13. not with vain Ostentation or Carnal Confidence for he had said that God onely was their Refuge v. 3. but with thankfulness to God when they should find upon Enquiry that not one of them was demolished or â—…ny way defaced by so potent an Enemy 13. * 〈◊〉 sâ—…t your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark ye well her bulwarks ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consider c Or Exalt or Admire her palaces that ye may tell it to the generation following d That they may be excited to continue their Praises to God for this Mercy by which they hold and enjoy all their Blessings and to trust in God in the like Difficulties for the Future 14. For this God e is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death f Who hath done this great Work i. e. Whilest we have a being Birth and Life â—…nd the several Ages of Life and Death are oft ascribed to Churches and Commonwealths both in Scripture and in other Authors This Promise was made to the Old and earthly Ierusalem upon Condition of their Obedience wherein they failing so grossly lost the benefit of it but it is absolutely made good to the New and Heavenly Ierusalem the Church of Christ. PSAL. XLIX The ARGUMENT This Psalm is Penned upon the same Occasion with Psal. 39. and 73. to wit upon the Contemplation of the afflictions of Gods People and of the Prosperity and Glory of ungodly Men. The design is to justifie Gods Providence in this dark Dispensation and to shew that all things being Considered good Men have no cause for immoderate Dejection of Spirit nor wicked Men for glorying in their present Felicities To the chief musician a Psalm ‖ Or of for the sons of Korah 1. HEar this all ye people a Heb. All People Iews or Gentiles For all are concerued in this Matter as being apt to stumble and murmur at it give â—…ar all ye inhabitants of the World 2. Both * Psal. 6â—… 9. low and high rich and poor tother 3. My mouth shall speak of wisdom and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding b It concerns you diligently to attend to me for I am about to speak not of Vulgar and Trivial tâ—…ngs or 〈◊〉 as come suddenly into my Mind and rush as 〈◊〉 out of my Mouth but of such things as are the râ—…sult oâ—… my most 〈◊〉 and considerate thoughts and such aâ—… iâ—… 〈◊〉 obâ—…rve them and lâ—…y them to Heart will make you truly 〈◊〉 and keep you from those Errors and Follies and 〈◊〉 which the generality of Mankind for want of a right understâ—…g do run into 4. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. 3â—… I will incline mine ear c This is another Argâ—…ment to perswade them to hâ—…rken to him I will hearken what God by his Spirit speaks to me and that and nothing else will I now speak to you and therefore it is well worth your hearing I also shall joyn with you in attending to it that whilst I â—…each you I my self may learn the same Lesson For as Ministers now teach themselves whilst they teach
strongest and most vigorous old Age. Or their excellency or pride that old age which is their glory and in which men do commonly glory labour and sorrow f Filled with troubles and griefs from the infirmities of age the approach of Death and the contingences of humane life for it g Either our age or our strength is soon cut off h It doth not now decline by many degrees and slow steps as it doth in our young and flourishing age but decayeth apace and suddenly fleeth away and we flee away i We do not now go to Death as we do from our very Birth nor run but flee swiftly away like a Bird as this word signifies 11 Who knoweth k Few or none sufficiently apprehend it or stedfastly believe it or duly consider it or are rightly affected with it For all these things are comprehended under this word knoweth the power of thine anger l The greatness and force and dreadful effects of thine anger conceived against the Sons of men and in particular against thine own people for their miscarriages even according to thy fear m i. e. According to the fear of thee as my fear is put for the fear of me Mal. 1. 6. and his knowledge for the knowledge of him Isa. 53. 11. According to that fear or dread which sinful men have of a just and holy God These fears of the Deity are not vain Bugbears and the effects of ignorance and folly or Superstition as Heathens and Atheists have sometimes said but are just and built upon solid grounds and justified by the terrible effects of thy wrath upon mankind so is thy wrath n It bears full proportion to it nay indeed doth far exceed it It cannot be said of Gods wrath which is said of Death that the fear of it is worse than the thing it self But this Verse is by many both antient and later Interpreters rendred otherwise and that very agreeably to the Hebrew Text who knoweth the power of thine anger and thy wrath according to thy fear i. e. either 1. according to the fear of thee or so as thou art to be feared or answerably to thy terrible displeasure against sin and sinners Or 2. so as to fear and dread thee in such manner and measure as sinful Creatures ought to fear the infinite and offended Majesty of God their Creator and Judge and Soveraign and thereby to be moved to humble himself before thee and fervently to seek thy face and favour which is the onely true wisdom for which he prayeth in the next Verse 12 * Psal. 39. 4. So teach us o By thy spirit and grace as thou hast already taught us by thy word Or Teach us rightly as this word is used Numb 27. 7. and 2 Kings 7. 9. to number c. as it follows to number our days p To consider the shortness and miseries of this life and the certainty and speediness of Death and the causes and consequences thereof that we may †Heb. cause to come apply our hearts unto wisdom q That we may heartily devote our selves to the study and practice of true wisdom which is nothing else but piety or the fear of God And why so Not that the Israelites might thereby procure a revocation of that peremptory sentence of death passed upon all that Generation nor that other men might hereby prevent their death both which he very well knew to be impossible but that men might arm and prepare themselves for death and for their great account after death and might make sure of the happiness of the future life Of which this Text is a plain and pregnant proof 13 Return O LORD r To us in mercy for thou seemest to have forsaken us and cast us off how long s Understand wilt thou be angry or will it be ere thou return to us and let it repent thee concerning thy servants t i. e. Of thy severe proceedings against us and change thy course and carriage to us 14 O satisfie us early u Speedily or seasonably before we be utterly consumed with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our days 15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil x Our afflictions have been sharp and long let not our prosperity be small and short 16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children y Let that great and glorious work of giving thy people a compleat deliverance which thou hast long since designed and promised be at last accomplished and manifested unto us and in the sight of the World 17 And let the beauty of the LORD z i. e. His favourable countenance and gracious influence and glorious presence our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us a Or in us Do not onely work for us but in us And because the glorious work of thy hands is hindered by the evil works of our hands be thou pleased by thy holy spirit to direct or establish for this Hebrew word signifies both the works of our hands that we may cease to do evil and learn to do well and turn and constantly cleave unto thee and not revolt and draw back from thee as we have frequently done to our own undoing yea the work of our hands establish thou it PSAL. XCI The Penman of this Psalm is uncertain The occasion of it seems to have been that great Pestilence recorded 2 Sam. 24. 1 HE that * Psal. 27. 4 5 31. 20. dwelleth in the secret place a Or hiding place He that makes God his habitation and refuge as he is called below v. 9. resorting to him and relying upon him in his dangers and difficulties of the most High shall †Heb. lodge abide under the shadow of the Almighty b He shall not be disappointed of his hope but shall find a quiet and safe repose under the Divine protection A shadow in Scripture phrase commonly signifies protection See Gen. 19. 8. Iudg. 9. 15. Psal. 17. 8. c. 2 I will say of the LORD He is my refuge c Upon that ground I will confidently commit my self and all my affairs to God and my fortress my God in him will I trust 3 Surely * Psal. 124. â—… he shall deliver thee d O thou believing pious Soul who after my example shale make God thy refuge thou shalt partake of the same priviledge which I enjoy from the snare of the fowler and from the noisom Pestilence e From the Pestilence which like a Fowlers snare taketh men suddenly and unexpectedly and holdeth them fast and commonly delivers them up to Death 4 * Psal. 57. 1. He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth f Whereby he is obliged to
both which cases it is a Metonymy of the Adjunct are like a shadow that declineth r Or that is extended or stretched out to its ulmost length as it is when the Sun is setting when it speedily and totally vanisheth And just so the hopes of our restitution which sometimes we have are quickly cut off and disappointed and I am * Isai. 40. 6. Jam. 1. 10. Psal. 109. 13. withered like grass 12 But * Lam. 5. 19. thou O LORD shalt endure for ever s But this is my comfort although we dye and our hopes vanish yet our God is everlasting and unchangeable and therefore invincible by all his and our enemies constant in his counsels and purposes of mercy to his Church stedfast and faithful in the performance of all his promises and therefore he both can and will deliver his people and * Psal. 135. â—…3 thy remembrance t Either 1. the fame and memory of thy wonderful works Or rather 2. thy name Iehovah mentioned in the former clause which is called by this very word Gods remembrance or memorial and that unto all generations Exod. 3. 15. Thus this clause exactly answers to the former and both of them describe the Eternity of Gods existence whereby the Psalmist relieves and supports himself under the consideration of his own and his peoples frailty and vanity unto all generations 13 Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion u Upon Ierusalem or thy Church and People for the time to favour her yea the set time x The end of those 70. Years which thou hast fixed of which see Ier. 25. 12. and 29. 10. Dan. 9. 2. is come 14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof y Thy people value the dust and rubbish of the holy City more than all the Palaces of the Earth and passionately desire that it may be rebuilt 15 So the Heathen shall fear the name of the LORD and all the kings of the earth thy glory z Which was in some sort fulfilled when the rebuilding of the Temple and City of God was carried on and finished through so many and great difficulties and oppositions to the admiration envy and terrour of their Enemies as we read Nehem. 6. 16. Compare Psal. 126. 2. but much more truly and fully in building of the spiritual Ierusalem by Christ unto whom the Gentiles were gathered and the Princes of the World paid their acknowledgments 16 When the LORD shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory a His glorious power and wisdom and goodness shall be manifested to all the World 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute b i. e. Of his poor forsaken despised people in Babylon and not despise c i. e. Will accept and answer their prayer 18 This shall be written d This wonderful deliverance shall not be lost nor forgotten but carefully recorded by thy people for the generation to come e For the instruction and incouragement of all succeeding Generations The singular number put for the plural as is ordinary and * Psal. 22. 31. the people which shall be created f Which may be understood either 1. of the Jews which should be restored who were in a manner dead and buried in the grave and meer dry bones Isa. 26. 19. Ezek. 37. and therefore their restauration might well be called a Creation or as it is elsewhere a resurrection Or 2. of the Gentiles who should be converted whose conversion is frequently and might very justly be called a second Creation See 43. 1 7 15. and 65. 18. Eph. 2. 10 15. shall praise the LORD 19 For he hath looked down g To wit upon us not like an idle Spectator but with an eye of pity and relief as the next Verse declares from the height of his sanctuary h From his higher or upper Sanctuary to wit Heaven as the next Clause explains it which is called Gods high and holy place Isa. 57. 15. from Heaven did the LORD behold the earth 20 * Psal. 79. 11. To hear the groaning of the prisoner to loose †Heb. the children of death those that are appointed to death i To release his poor Captives out of Babylon and which is more from the Chains and Fetters of Sin and Satan and from eternal destruction 21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem k That they being delivered might publish and celebrate the name and praises of God in his Church 22 When the people are gathered together and the kingdoms to praise the LORD l When the Gentiles shall gather themselves to the Jews and join with them in the praise and worship of the true God and of the Messias This Verse seems to be added to intimate that although the Psalmist in this Psalm respects the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon yet he had a further design and a principal respect unto that greater and more general deliverance of his Church and People by the Messias 23 He m To wit God to whom he ascribes these Calamities v. 10. to whom therefore he addresseth himself for relief †Heb. afflicted weakned my strength in the way m Either 1. in the midst of our expectations Whilest we are expecting the accomplishment of thy promise either of bringing us out of Babylon or of sending the Messias we faint and one of us perish after another and our hope is like the giving up of the Ghost Or rather 2. in the midst of the course of our lives Which sence is confirmed 1. from the following Clause Which after the manner explains the former he shortned my days as also from the next Verse where he begs relief from God against this misery in these words take me not away in the midst of my days 2. From the use of this word way which is used for the course of a mans life Psal. 2. 12. and which comes to the same thing for the course of a journey as it is opposed to the end of the journey Gen. 24. 27. Exod. 23. 20. and elsewhere the life of man being oft compared to a journeying or travelling and death to his journeys end And the Psalmist here speaks as other sacred Writers do elsewhere and as all sorts of Writers frequently do of the whole Commonwealth as of one man and of its continuance as of the life of one man And so this seems to be the matter of his complaint and humble expostulation with God O Lord thou didst chuse us out of all the World to be thy peculiar people and didst plant us in Ganaan and cause a glorious Temple to be built to thy name to be the onely place of thy publick and solemn worship in the World and didst make great and glorious promises that thine eyes and heart should be upon it perpetually 1 Kings
womb is his reward o Not a reward of debt merited by good men but a reward of grace of which we read Rom. 4. 4. which God gives them graciously as Iacob acknowledgeth of his children Gen. 33. 5. And although God give children and other outward comforts to ungodly men in the way of common providence yet he gives them onely to his people as favours and in the way of promise and covenant 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man p When they are shot out of a bow by a man of great strength against his enemy which are of great use and power both to offend the enemy and to defend himself so are children of the youth q Children begotten in youth as an husband or wife married in their youth are called an husband or wife of youth Prov. 5. 18. Isa. 54. 6. Ioel. 1. 8. and as a son begotten in old age is called a son of old age Gen. 37. 3. And these he prefers before other children in this point partly because such are commonly more strong and vigorous than others and partly because they live longest with their parents and to their comfort and support whereas children born in old age seldom come to any maturity of years before their parents death 5 Happy is the man that †Heb. hath filled his quiver with them hath his quiver full of them r Who hath a numerous issue which as it is a great blessing in it self so Solomons want of it made it more valuable in his eyes they shall not be ashamed s Such parents fear not the reproach of barrenness which was grievous especially among the Jews of which see Luke 1. 25. nor any other shame from their enemies but they ‖ Or shall subdâ—… as Psal. 18. 47. or destroy shall speak with the enemies in the gate t They shall couragiously plead their cause in Courts of Judicature which were in the gates Deut. 21. 19. 25. 7. not fearing to be crushed by the might of their adversaries as weak and helpless persons frequently are PSAL. CXXVIII A song of degrees This Psalm contains a description of the blessedness of good men 1 BLessed is every one that feareth the LORD that walketh in his ways 2 * Isai. 3. 10. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands a Thy labour shall not be vain and fruitless and the fruit of thy labours shall not be taken away from thee and possessed by others as God threatned to the disobedient Deut. 28. but enjoyed by thy self with comfort and satisfaction happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee b Both in this world and in the world to come as even the Chaldee Paraphrast explains these words 3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine c Like the vine for fruitfulness or like that sort of vines known by this name for its eminent fruitfulness as some trees amongst us are for the same reason called the great bearers by the sides of thine house d Where the vines are commonly planted for support and other advantages Which being applied to the wife may signifie either 1. the wife's duty to abide at home Tit. 2. 5. as the harlot is deciphered by her gadding abroad Prov. 7. 11 12. or rather 2. the legitimateness of the children which are begotten at home by the husband and not abroad by strangers thy children like olive-plants e Numerous growing and flourishing good both for ornament and manifold uses as Olive-trees are round about thy table f Where they shall sit at meat with thee for thy comfort and safety 4 Behold that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD 5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion g From the Ark in Zion and with those spiritual and everlasting blessings which are to be had no where but in Zion and from the God who dwelleth in Zion and with all other mercies which thou shalt ask of God in Zion and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem h The prosperity of that City to which thou belongest and which is the onely seat of Gods special presence and of his Worship whose felicity therefore is very delightful to every good man and upon whose peace the peace and safety of every member of it depends as every seaman is concerned in the safety of the ship in which he is all the days of thy life 6 Yea thou shalt see thy childrens children and * Psal. 125. 5. peace upon Israel i Not onely upon Ierusalem and the parts adjacent but upon all the Tribes and people of Israel PSAL. CXXIX A song of degrees This Psalm contains a joyful and thankful remembrance of the Churches former and manifold calamities from barbarous enemies and of Gods wonderful mercy in delivering them out of their hands 1 ‖ Or much MAny a time have they a Mine enemies or oppressors which is easily understood both from the nature of the thing and from v. 3. where they are expressed under the name of plowers afflicted me from my youth b From the time that I was a people when I was in Egypt and came out of it which is called the time of Israels youth Ier. 2. 2. Ezek. 23. 3. may * Psal. 124. 1. Israel now say 2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet they have not prevailed against me 3 The plowers plowed upon my back c They have not onely thrown me down and trod me under foot but have cruelly tormented me wounded and mangled me and had no more pity upon me than the plowman hath upon the earth which he cuts up at his pleasure He saith upon my back either because they did literally scourge the Captives upon their backs with such cords as are mentioned v. 4. although we do not read that the Israelitish Captives were thus used by any of their enemies or by way of allusion to that usage which made a sort of furrows in their backs upon which they used to lay on their strokes they made long their furrows d They oft repeated their injuries and prolonged my torments 4 The LORD is righteous e Faithful or merciful as that word is frequently used he hath cut asunder the * Psal. 140. 5. cords f Wherewith the plow was drawn by which means they were stopped in their course So he persists in the same Metaphor of a plough By these cords he understands all their plots and endeavours of the wicked 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back g Forced to retreat with shame and disappointment that hate Zion 6 Let them be as the grass upon the house-tops h Which there were flat and therefore more capable of grass or green corn growing between the stones than ours are which withereth afore it groweth up i Which having no deep root never comes to maturity
13. 2. or upon one in extream necessity who might possibly have perished both in Soul and Body if thou hadst not comforted and relieved him Or one time thou maist give with more sincere Intention and with more tender compassion than another time and so one will be more right and more acceptable to God than the other either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good u Equally successful to the receiver or to the giver 7 Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun x It cannot be denied that this present Life which is called light Iob 3. 20. 33. 30. Psal. 56. 13. and which is expressed Synecdochically by seeing the Sun Eccl. 6. 5. 7. 11. is in itself a great blessing and very desirable but it is not perpetual nor satisfactory which is here implied and expressed in the nexâ—… verse 8 But if a man live many years y Which is a priviledge granted but to few persons comparatively and rejoice in them all z And suppose he enjoy all the comforts and escape all the imbitterments of humane Life all his days which also is a great rarity yet let him remember a It is his Duty and Interest seriously to consider the days of darkness b Of death or of the state of the dead which is oft expressed by darkness as Iob 10. 21. Psal. 88. 12. c. and here is opposed to the foregoing Light for they shall be many c i. e. Far more than the days of this short Life especially if to the time of lying in the Grave be added that greater and utter darkness which is reserved for impenitent sinners and which is everlasting Mat. 22. 13. 25. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 17. Iud. v. 13. And this is added for the caution of mankind that they may not rejoice excessively in nor content themselves with the happiness of the present Life but may seek for somthing more durable and more satisfactory All that cometh d All things which befall any man belonging only to this Life whether they be comfortable or vexatious they are but vain and inconsiderable because they are short and transitory is vanity 9 Rejoice e This verse is to be understood either 1. As a serious Advice to this purpose seeing Life is short and transitory improve it to the best advantage take comfort in it whilest you may only do it with moderation and the fear of God Or rather 2. As an Ironical concession such as are usual both in Scripture as 1 Kin. 18. 27. 22. 15. Ezek. 28. 3 4. Mat. 26. 45. and in other Authors For this agrees much better with the context and with the Expressions here used And so the sense is I foresee what evil use some men will make of what I have now said Things being thus Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we shall die as they also reasoned 1 Cor. 15. 32. O young man f He speaks to young Men particularly because they have both the greatest ability and the strongest Inclinations to pursue sensual pleasures and are most impatient either of Restraint or Admonition in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee g Indulge thy frolick and jolly humour and take thy fill of delights in the days of thy youth and walk in the way of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes h Whatsoever thine Eye or Heart lusteth after deny it not to them as this Phrase is taken Num. 15. 39. nor is it ever used in a good sense Compare Iob 31. 7. Psal. 81. 12. Ier. 18. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 14. 1 Ioh. 2. 16. but know thou i But in the midst of thy feastings and jollity it will become thee if thou art a reasonable Creature to consider thy reckoning and whether thou dost not purchase thy Gold too dear that for all these things k For all thy â—…ollies and sinful Lusts which thou sleightest as tricks of youth God will bring thee into judgment l Will force thee to appear before his Judgment-seat to give a serious account of all thy youthful and exorbitant courses and to receive that sentence which thy own Conscience will then say thou dost justly deserve And if thou likest thy sensuality upon these terms much good may it do thee I do not envy thee nor desire to partake of thy delicates 10 Therefore remove ‖ Or anger sorrow m i. e. Sensual and disorderly Lusts which he elegantly and emphatically calls sorrow with respect to the foregoing words to intimate that although such practices do at present gratifie and delight mens Senses and vain Minds yet they will shortly and certainly bring a man to intollerable and eternal sorrows which it is thy Wisdom to prevent m Or as it is rendred in the margent and by divers others anger a passion to which men are most prone in the heat of youth Whereby he may understand either anger against him for this sharp admonition or rather against God who hath laid such severe restraints upon them and threatens such punishments to them for following their own natural Inclinations So the sense is do not quarrel with thy Judge but submit and make thy Peace with him by declaring War against all thy Sins from thy heart and put away evil n All evil Concupiscences or Lusts which though now they seem good to thee will another day appear to be very evil and bitter things from thy flesh o From thy bodily members Which he mentions not exclusively as if he would allow them their spiritual evils but emphatically because young men to whom he is here speaking are most given to fleshly or bodily Lusts. for childhood and youth are vanity p i. e. Most vain either 1. In their temper and dispositions Young men are frothy and foolish and inconsiderate whereby they run into manifold dangers and therefore they shall do well to hearken to the Counsels of those who by their greater Wisdom and Experience are more capable Judges of these matters Or 2. In their condition The time of Youth is vanishing and transitory and old-Old-age and Death will speedily come against which every man in his wits will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts CHAP. XII 1 * Pro. 22. 6. REmember a To wit practically or so as to fear and love and faithfully serve and worship him which when men do not they are said to forget God Psal. 9. 17. 106. 21. and in many other places now thy Creator b The first Author and continual Preserver of thy Life and Being and of all the perfections and enjoyments which accompany it to whom thou hast the highest and strongest obligations to do so and upon whom thou hast a constant and necessary dependance and therefore to forget him is most unnatural and inhumane and disingenuous in the days
of thy youth c For then thou art most able to do it and thou owest the best of thy Time and Strength to God then thou hast opportunity to do it and thou maist not live till old-Old-age then it will be most acceptable to God and most comfortable to thy self as the best evidence of thy sincerity and the best provision for old-Old-age and Death and then it is most necessary for the conquering those impetuous Lusts and Passions which drown so many Thousands of young Men in perdition both in this Life and in thaâ—… to come while the evil days d The time of old-Old-age which is evil i. e. burdensome and calamitous in itself and far more grievous and terrible when it is loaded with the sad remembrance of a mans youthful Follies and Lusts and with the dreadful prospect of approaching Death and Judgment which makes him see that he cannot live and yet dare not die and with the consideration and experience of the hardness of his heart which in that age is rarely brought to true Repentance and so generally expires either in vain presumption or in hellish desperation come not nor the years draw nigh * See 2 Sam. 19. 35. when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them old- e My Life is now bitter and burdensome to me and worse than death which is frequently the condition of Old-age 2 While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not darkned f Heb. While the sun and the light and the moon c. That clause and the light seems to be added to signifie that he speaks of the darkning of the Sun and Moon and Stars not in themselves or in their own Bodies but only in respect of that light which they afford to men And therefore the same clause which is expressed after the Sun is to be understood after the Moon and Stars as is very usual in Scripture in like cases And those Expressions are to be understood either 1. Literally of the dimsightedness of old men by reason whereof the light of the Sun c. seems dark to them Which seems not to agree with the Context partly because the dimness of their sight is expressed in the next verse and partly because both this and the following verses are wholly Allegorical Or rather 2. Figuratively and that either 1. Of the outward parts of the Body and especially of the Face the Beauty of the Countenance the lightsom and pleasant complexion of the Cheeks the liveliness of the Eyes which are compared to the Sun and Moon and Stars and which are obscured in Old-age as the Chaldee Paraphrast understands it Or 2. Of the inward parts of the mind the Understanding Phancy Memory which may not unfitly be resembled to the Sun and Moon and Stars and all which are sensibly decayed in most old Men. For it may seem improbable that Solomon in his description of the infirmities of Old-age should omit the decays of the most noble part of Man which are commonly incident to Old age And yet with submission to those worthy persons who think otherwise it seems not necessary that he should here speak of those inward decays partly because they are not so general in old Men as the decays of the Body are partly because he here directeth his Speech to sensual men who are more affected with corporal than with intellectual maladies and partly because both the foregoing and following passages concern the state of Mens Bodies and their outward condition Or rather 3. Of external things and of the great change of their joy and prosperity which they had in their youthful time into sorrow and manifold calamities which are usually the companions of Old-age For this interpretation seems best to agree both with the foregoing verse in which he describes the miseries of Old-age and with the following clause which is added to explain and determine those otherwise ambiguous Expressions and with the Scripture use of this Phrase which is the best key for the understanding of Scripture for a state of Comfort and Happiness is oft described by the Light of the Sun c. as Iudg. 5. 31. 2 Sam. 23. 4. Isa. 30. 26. 60. 20. and a time and state of great trouble is set forth by the darkning of the Light of the Sun c. as Isa. 13. 9 c. 24. 23. Ioel 2. 10. 3. 15. Mat. 24. 29. and oft elsewhere nor the clouds return after the rain g This Phrase notes a perpetual Succession and Reciprocation of Rain and Clouds bringing Rain and then Rain and Clouds again and so without end Whereby he expresseth either 1. The Rheums or Defluxions which do abundantly and incessantly flow in and from old Men for want of natural heat and strength to prevent or remove them Or rather 2. The continual vicissitude of Infirmities Diseases and Grieâ—…s in old Men one deep calling upon another and one Affliction beginning at the end of another whereas in young Men after Rain the Clouds are dispersed and fair weather succeeds 3 In the day when the keepers of the house h i. e. Of the Body which is oft and fitly compared to an house as Iob 4. 19. Psal. 119. 54. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Whose keepers here are either 1. The Ribs and Bones into which they are fastened which are the Guardians of the inward and vital parts which also are much weakned and shaken by Old-age Or rather 2. The Hands and Arms which are mans best instruments to defend his Body from the assaults of Men or Beasts and which in a special manner are subject to this trembling by paralitical or other like distempers that are most incident to old Men. shall tremble and the strong men i Either the Back or the Thighs and Legs in which the main strength of the Body doth consist which in old Men are very seeble and unable both for the support of the Body and for motion shall bow themselves and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 â—…ders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they grind little the grinders k The Teeth those especially which are commonly so called because they grind the Meat which we eat cease l To wit to perform their Office because they are few m Heb. because they are diminished either 1. In strength Or 2. In number being here one and there another and not united together and one directly against another and consequently unfit for their work and those that look out of the windows n The Eyes By windows he understands either 1. The holes in which the Eyes are fixed Zech. 14. 12. Or 2. The Eye-lids which like windows are either opened or shut Or 3. Those Humours and Coats of the Eyes noted by Anatomists which are the chief Instruments by which the Eye sees be darkened 4 And the doors be shut in the streets o Or towardâ—… the streets which lead into the streets This is understood either 1. Literally because men
4 Surely * Mat. 8. 1â—… he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows m And whereas it may seem an unreasonable and incredible thing that so excellent and glorious so innocent and just a person should meet with this usage it must be known that his griefs and miseries were not laid upon him for his own sake but wholly and solely for the sake of sinful men in whose stead he stood and for whose sins he suffered as it here follows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted n Yet our people the Jews were so far from giving him the Glory and Praise of such a prodigious condescension and compassion that they made a most perverse construction of it and so great was their prejudice against him that they believed that he was thus disgraced and punished and at last put to death by the just judgment of God for his Blasphemy and other manifold Wickednesses 5 But o But this was a most false and unrighteous Sentence he was ‖ Or tormented * Rom. 4. 25. 1 Cor. 15. 3. wounded p Which word comprehends all his pains and punishments and his Death among and above the rest for our transgressions q Not by them which is expressed by another particle not by the wickedness of the Jews but for or because of them as this particle commonly signifies for the guilt of their sins which he had voluntarily taken upon himself and for the Expiation of their sins which was hereby purchased and procured of God for Men. Which Interpretation is confirmed 1. By the opposition of this truth to the false opinion mentioned in the foregoing clause that he was smitten of God for the guilt of his own sins 2. By the following clause as we shall see 3. By the nature of the thing this being evident from Scriptures both of the old and new Testament that Christ was not to suffer for his own but for other mens sins See Dan. 9. 24 26. he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace r Those punishments by which our Peace i. e. our reconciliation to God and Salvation or Happiness was to be purchased was upon him s Was laid upon him by Gods justice with his own consent and with his * 1 Pet. 2. 24. †Heb. bruise stripes we are healed t By his sufferings we are saved from our sins and from the dreadful effects thereof 6 All we t All mankind the Jews no less than the Gentiles like sheep u Which are simple and foolish Creatures and exceeding apt to straggle and lose themselves have gone a stray x From God and from the way of his Precepts in which he put our first Parents and in which he commanded us to walk we have turned every one to his own way y In general to the way and course of sin which may well be called a mans own way as sins are called mens own Lusts Jam. 1. 14. 2 Pet. 3. 3. and elsewhere because sin is natural to us inherent in us born with us and very dear to us and in particular to those several paths of divers Lusts which several men chuse and follow according to their differing Opinions Inclinations Occasions and Circumstances and the LORD †Heb. hath made the iniquities of us all to meet on him hath laid z Heb. hath made to meet as all the Rivers meet in the Sea on him the iniquity a Not properly for so he knew no sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. but the punishment of iniquity as that word is most frequently used as Gen. 4. 13. Lev. 20. 17 c. That which was due for all the sins of all his people whether Jews or Gentiles which must needs be so great and heavy a load that if he had not been God as well as Man he must have sunk under the burden of them This was actually verified in Christ. And both this and divers other passages here do as manifestly and fully point at Christ as if they were not a prophetical Representation of things to come but an historical Relation of them after they were done Nor do I see how they can be excused from a fearful wresting of the Scripture that expound these places of the Prophet Ieremiah or any other person but Christ. of us all 7 He was oppressed and he was afflicted b He was sorely punished for our sins But there is another Translation which seems to be more emphatical and more agreeable to the Hebrew Text It to wit our iniquity last mentioned or the punishment of all our sins was exacted or required as this word most properly and frequently signifies of which see my Latin Synopsis Gods Justice expected and required satisfaction from us for our sins which alas we could not make to him and he was afflicted or punished he bore the guilt and punishment of our sins in his Body upon the tree as is said 1 Pet. 2. 24. or as others render this last word and he answered i. e. became our surety or undertook to pay the debt and to suffer the Law in our stead and for our sake yet * Mat. 26. 63. 27. 12 14. Mar. 14. 61. 15. 5. Act. 8. 32. he opened not his mouth c He neither murmured against God for causing him to suffer for other mens sins nor reviled men for punishing him without cause nor used Apologies or endeavours to save his own Life but willingly and patiently accepted of the punishment of our Iniquity he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb d Bears the loss of its fleece or Life without any such clamour or resistance as other Creatures use in such cases so he openeth not his mouth 8 ‖ Or he was taken away by distress and judgment but c. He was taken from prison and from judgment e and who shall declare f Who can declare it The future being taken potentially as it is frequently no words can sufficiently express it his generation g Either 1. His Age or the continuance of his Life So the sense is That he shall not only be delivered from death and all his punishments but also shall be restored to an inexpressible or endless Life and to an everlasting Kingdom Thus great Interpreters understand it with whom I cannot comply because I do not find this Hebrew word to be ever used in Scripture of the continuance of one mans Life Or rather 2. His Posterity and so this word is unquestionably used Gen. 15. 16. Exod. 20. 5. Deut. 23. 2 3 8. and in many other places And so the sense of the place is this That Christs death shall not be unfruitful and that when he is raised from the dead he shall have a spiritual seed as is promised v. 10. a numberless multitude of those who shall believe in
which the Poor would therefore sooner embrace and the Rich more likely to oppose Or 3. The Poor in Spirit unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up q Now follow several particular expressions to describe the same thing that he mentioned before more generally a Metaphor taken from Chirurgions that carefully and tenderly roll up a broken bone Hos. 6. 1. and this relates to Christs Priestly Office the broken-hearted r The heart dejected and broken with sorrow I am sent to ease their pains whose Consciences are wounded with a sense of Gods wrath to proclaim liberty to the captives s Those Captives in Babylon but principally to Satan that they shall be delivered and this appertains to Christs Kingly Office whereby he proclaims liberty from the Dominion and Bondage of sin and from the Fear and Terrour of Hell See ch 42. 7. and the opening of the prison to them that are bound t i. e. Supposing them to be in chains and fetters yet they should be delivered though in the greatest bondage the further explication of these things will be found upon Luke 4. 18. Because there are some passages expresly mentioned here 2 To proclaim u To declare as it respects the Jews that their liberty is at hand the acceptable x Viz. the happy age of Gods grace either which will be grateful and welcome news to them or acceptable to God a time wherein it pleaseth him to favour them but this must be understood of a farther extent than to Babylon and rather unto Mankind in Jesus Christ. Gal. 4. 4. and Tit. 3. 4. called a time of Gods good will in that Angelical song Luke 2. 14. On the account of those good tidings which the Angel brought v. 10. 11. called so possibly from the arbitrariness and good pleasure of God having no respect to any satisfaction from man year y Not precisely as if Christ preached but one year the mistake of some Ancients mentioned and râ—…uted by Irenaeus lib. 2. ch 38. But for time indefinitely and may include the whole time of preaching the Gospel See Rom. 10. 15. which I take to be the meaning of that now 2 Cor. 6. 2. and probably hath a pertinent allusion to the year of Iubile which was a general release proclaimed by sound of Trumpet which relates also here to the word Proclaiming Lev. 25. 10. of the LORD and the day of vengeance z Viz. on Babylon it being necessary that where God will deliver his People he should take vengeance on their enemies but mystically and principally on the enemies of his Church and the Spiritual ones chiefly viz. Satan Sin and Death of our God to comfort all that mourn a Either by reason of their sufferings or of their sins Mat. 11. 28. Or the miseries of Sion See on ch 57. 18. 3 To appoint b Supple it Viz. Comfort or Joy or else it may refer to those Accusative cases following Beauty Oyl Garments unto them that mourn in Zion c Put by a Metonymy for the Jews q. d. among the Jews and they for the Church of God or according to the Hebrew For Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes d By ashes understand whatever is most proper for days of mourning as Sackcloth sprinkled with Ashes and these ashes which were sprinkled on their heads mixing themselves with their tears would render them of a woful Aspect which was wont to be the habit of Mourners as by Beauty whatever may be beautiful or become times of rejoycing the oyl of joy for mourning e The sense is the same with the former he calls it Oyl of joy in allusion to those anointings they were wont to use in times of joy Psal. 104. 15. and also the same with what follows viz. Gladness for heaviness gladness brings forth Praise to God and it is called a Garment in allusion to their Festival Ornaments for they had Garments appropriated to their conditions some suitable to times of rejoycing and some to times of mourning or else an allusion to comely garments and the spirit of heaviness because heaviness doth oppress and debase the Spirits It is all but an elegant description of the same thing by a three-fold Antithesis the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called f That is that they may be so as it is usually expressed Ch 58. 12. 60. 18. they shall be acknowledged so v. 9. trees of righteousness g He ascribes Righteousness to Trees understanding thereby Persons by a Metaphor by which he means that they shall be firm solid and well rooted being by faith engrafted into Christ and bringing sorth fruit suitable to the Soil wherein they are planted that had been as dry trees see on Isa. 56. 3. viz. the Church the Vineyard of God and the hand by which they were planted as in the next words the planting of the LORD h Planted by the holy Lord who being himself holy and righteous would plant none but such which notes also their soundness and stability an allusion to that passage in Moses his Song Exod. 15. 17. that he might be glorified i Either in that glory which he should conser upon them or that glory he may expect and receive from them that so it may be evident whose handy work it was See ch 60. 21. 4 And they shall * Chap. 58. 12. build the old wasts they shall raise up the former desolations and they shall repair the wast cities the desolations of many generations k See ch 58. 12. As it is applied to Gospel times the meaning may be that Gentilism which was as a wilderness overgrown with Briars and Thorns shall be cultivated and those Cities and Provinces of the Gentiles that lay as it were wast void of all true Religion shall now by the Ministry of the Word be edified in the true worship of God 5 And strangers l Viz. Gentiles such as are not of the natural race of the Jews but Gentile Converts Or such as shall have no more then an outward profession strangers to the true work of Grace shall stand m Ready to be at thy service a like expression ch 48. 13. and feed your flocks n The Churches with the word of God and the sons of the alien o The same with strangers or their successours shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers p As the words describe the prosperous estate of the Jews the meaning of them is that they should be in such a flourishing and prosperous condition that without their own labour they should have all inferiour offices executed either by slaves taken in War or by Persons hired for reward which they should have Riches and Wealth enough to accomplish But as they principally relate to the spiritual State of the Church so probably by Strangers we may understand Converted Gentiles with their Successors