Defence and Refuge to all that Flee to thee and Trust in thee as I have found by my experience 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly l Thou Peninnah boast no more of thy numerous off-spring and speak no more insolently and scornfully of me as thou hast done She speaks of her in the Plural number because she would not expose her name to Censure but onely instruct and reprove her for her good * 〈◊〉 3. 13. let not ‡ Heb. hard arrogancy m Heb. hard speeches as those are called Iudg. v. 15. harsh heavy and not to be born Or the old Sayings either the old Proverbs concerning barren Women which thou appliedst to me or the old reproaches to which for a long time thou hast accustomed thy self come out of your mouth for the LORD is a God of knowledge n He knoweth thy heart and all that Pride and Envy and Contempt of me which thy own Conscience knows and all thy perverse carriages towards me and by him actions are weighed o i. e. He pondereth or tryeth all mens thoughts and Actions for the Hebrew Word signifies both as a just Judge to give to every one according to their Works and therefore he hath pitied my oppressed Innocency and rebuked her Arrogancy Or by him Councels or Actions or Events are disposed or ordered and not by our selves and therefore he brings many things to pass contrary to Mens expectations as now he hath done he maketh one Barren and another Fruitful when and how it pleaseth him In the Hebrew Text it is Lo the Adverb and so the words may be rendred thus his actions are not or cannot be directed or rectified or corrected by any others none can mend his Work he doth every thing best and in the best season as now he hath done Or weighed or numbred his wayes are unsearchable or thus are not his works right and straight who can blame his actions So Lo is for halo as it is 2 Sam. 13. 26. 2 King 5. 26. Iob 2. 10. 4 The bowes p This notes either 1. The strength of which they boasted See Psal. 44. 6. and 46. 9. Or 2. Their malicious or mischievous Designs See Psal. 7. 12. and 11. 2. and 37 14. Or 3. Their virulent Tongues which are compared to bowes that shoot their Arrows even bitter Words as it is said Psal. 64. 3. Compare Ier. 9. 3. Or 4. Their procreating Vertue which may well be compared to a bow both because it is called a Mans strength Gen. 49. 3. And because Children which are the Effects of it and are as it were shot from that bow are compared to Arrows Psal. 127. 4 5. And this seems best to agree with the following Verse of the msghty men are broken and they that stumbled q Or were weak or Feeble in Body and Spirit that had no strength to Conceive which was once Sarah's case Heb. 11. 11. Or to bring forth which was Israels condition under Hezekiah 2 King 19. 3. are girt with strength r Are enabled both to conceive and to bring forth as the Church was Isa. 66. 9. 5 * Psal. 34. 10. They that were full have hired themselves out for bread s Through extreme necessity into which they are fallen from their greatest plenty It is the same thing which is expressed both in divers Metaphors in the foregoing and following Verses and properly in the latter branch of this Verse and they that were hungry ceased t i. e. Ceased to be such to wit hungry the hungry failed there was none of them hungry or indigent so that the barren hath born seven u i. e. Many as seven is oft used She speaks in the Prophetick Style the past time for the future for though she had actually born but one yet she had a confident perswasion that she should have more which was grounded either upon some particular assurance from God or rather upon the Prayer or Prediction of Eli which though it be mentioned after this Song v. 20. yet in all probability was spoken before it even upon the Parents presentation of the Child to Eli Chap. 1. v. 25. it not being likely that she would sing this Song in Eli's presence or before he had given his answer to her Speech delivered Ch. 1. v. 26 27 28. there being nothing more frequent than such Transpositions in Scripture And the experience she had of the strange and speedy accomplishment of his former Prophecy made her confidently expect the same issue from the latter and * Jer. 15. 9. she that hath many children x i. e. Peninnah is waxed seeble y Either because she was now past Child-bearing and importent for Procreation or because divers of her Children which were her Strength and her Glory were dead as the Hebrew Doctors relate 6 * Deut. 32. 39. The LORD killeth and maketh alive z Either 1. Divers persons he killeth one and maketh another alive or 2. The same person whom he first killeth or bringeth very nigh unto death he afterwards raiseth to life Me who was almost overwhelmed and consumed with grief he hath revived The name of death both in Sacred Scripture and Profane Writes is oft given to great Calamities as Isa. 26. 19. Ezek. 37. 11. Rom. 8. 36. he bringeth down to ‡ Heb. hell the grave and bringeth up 7 〈◊〉 LORD maketh poor and maketh rich * Psal. 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…low and lifteth up 8 â—…e Psa. 113. 7. raiseth up the poor out of the dust b i. e. Out of their low and miserable condition as this Phrase is used 1 King 16. 2. Psal. 113. 7. Compare Iob 16. 15. Psal. 22. 16. and liâ—…teth up the begger from the dunghil c From the most sordid place and mean Estate Compare 1 King 16. 2. Iob 36. 11. Psal. 7. 5. to * Job 36. 7. set them among princes and to make them inherit d Not onely possess themselves but transmit them to their Posterity as hath oft happened in the World or possess the throne of glory e i. e. A glorious Throne or Kingdom for the pillars f Either 1. The foundations of the Earth which God created and upholds and wherewith he sustains the Earth and all its Inhabitants as a House is supported with Pillars and therefore it is not strange if he disposeth of persons and things therein as he pleaseth Or 2. The Princes or Governours of the Earth which are called the corners or corner-stones of a Land or People Iudg. 20. 2. 1 Sam. 14. 38. Zeph. 3. 6. and are fitly called Pillars because they uphold the World and keep it from sinking into Confusion See Psal. 74. 2. Ier. 1. 18. Revel 3. 12. And these are here said to be the Lords by Creation and Constitution because he advanceth them to their State and preserves them in it Prov. 8. 15 16. and puts the world or the Kingdoms of
the end of the World and which is called the last day Iohn 6. 39 40 44. 54. 11. 24 12. 48. 1 Pet. 1. 5 For this was the time when Iob's Resurrection of which he speaketh 〈◊〉 was to be Heb. at the last By which word he plainly intimates that his hope was not 〈◊〉 things present and of Worldly Felicities of which his Friends had discoursed so much â—…ut of another kind of and a far greater blessedness which should accrue to him in after-times long after he was dead and rotten Or the last who is both the first and the last Isa. 44. 6. Rev. 1. 11. who shall subdue and survive all his and his peoples Enemies and after others the lâ—…t enemy death 1 Cor. 15. 26. and then shall raise up his people and plead their Cause and vindicate them from all the Calumnies and Injuries which are put upon them and conduct them to Life and Glory upon the earth p The place upon which Christ shall appear and stand at the last day Heb. upon the dust in which his Saints and Members lie or sleep whom he will raise out of it ' And therefore he is fitly said to stand upon the dust or the Grave or Death because then he will put that among other Enemies under his feet as it is expressed 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. Some render the Words thus and that very agreeably to the Hebrew The last or at the last he shall arise or stand up against for so this very Phrase is used Gen. 4. 8. Iudg. 9. 18. Psalm 54. 3. the dust and fight with it and rescue the bodies of the Saints which are held in it as Prisoners from its Dominion and Territories Some understand this of God that He should stand last in the field as Conquerour of all his Enemies But this neither agrees with the words the Hebrew Aphar signifying dust and being never used of the field or plâ—…e of Battel nor with Iob's scope which was to defend himself against his Friends Accusations and to comfort himself with his hopes and assurance of God's Favour to be exhibited to him in due time Which end the words in that sense would by no means serve because God might and would be Conqueror of all his Enemies though Iob himself had been one of them and though his Cause had been bad and his Friends should with God have triumphed over him 26. ‖ 〈…〉 And though after my skin worms destroy this body q The style of this and other Poetical Books is concise and short and therefore many words are to be understood in some places to compleat the sense The meaning of the place is this Though my skin is now in a great measure consumed by Sores and the rest of it together with this body shall be devoured by the Worms which may seem to make my case quite desperate Heb. And though which â—…article as it is oft elsewhere is here to be understood as the opposition of the next branch sheweth after my skin which either now is or suddenly will be consumed by Sores or Worms they i. e. the destroyers or devourers as is implyed in the Verb such Impersonal speeches being usual in the Scripture as Gen. 50. 26. Luke 12. 20. 16. 9. where the actions are expressed but the persons or things acting are understood And by the Destroyers he most probably designs the Worms which do this work in the Grave destroy or cut off or devour this i. e. all this which you see left of me this which I now point to all this which is contained within my skin all my flesh and bones this which I know not what to call whether a living Body or a dead Carkass because it is between both and therefore he did not say this body because it did scarce deserve that name yet r For the Particle and is oft used adversatively Or then as it is oft rendred in my flesh s Heb. out of my flesh or with as the Particle Mem is used Can. 1. 2. 3. 9. Isa 57. 8. my flesh i. e. with eyes of flesh as Iob himself calls them Chap. 10. 4. Or with bodily eyes my flesh or body being raised from the Grave and restored and reunited to my soul. And this is very sitly added to shew that he did not speak of a mental or spiritual but of a corporeal Vision and that after his death shall I see God t The same whom he called his Redeemer v. 25. i. e. Christ of which see the note there who being God-man and having taken flesh and appearing in his flesh or body with and for Iob upon the earth as was said v. 25. might very well be seen with his bodily eyes Nor is this understood of a simple seeing of him for so even they that pierced him shall see him Revel 1. 7. but of seeing him with delight and comfort as that word is oft understood as Gen. 48. 11. Iob 42. 16. Psalm 128. 5. Isa. 53. 11. of that glorious and beautiâ—…ying Vision of God which is promised to all God's people Psalm 16. 11. 17. 15. Matth. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 1 Iohn 3. 2. 27. Whom I shall see u In manner before and after expressed No wonder that he repeats it again and again because the meditation of it was most sweet to him for my self x i. e. For my own comfort and benefit as that Phrase is oft used Or which is much of the same importance on my behalf to plead my Cause and vindicate me from all your reproaches and mine eyes shall behold and not †〈…〉 another y To wit for me or in my stead I shall not see God by anothers eyes but by my own and by these self-same eyes in this same body which now I have Heb. not a stranger i. e. This priviledge shall be granted to me and to all other sincere Servants of God but not to strangers i. e. to wicked men who are oft called strangers as Psal. 18. 44 45. 54. 3. Prov. 21. 8. because they are estranged or alienated from God and from his service and people And if I were such an one as you suppose me to be I could never hope to enjoy that happiness though my reins be consumed †Heb. in my 〈◊〉 within me z This I do confidently expect and hope for though at present my Case seems desperate my very inward parts being even consumed with grief and though as I have said the Grave and the Worms will consume my whole Body not excepting the Reins which seem to be fasest and furthest out of their reach Or without though which is not in the Hebrew My reins are consumed within me So this may be a sudden and passionate ejaculation or exclamation such as we find Gen. 48. 18. and oft in the Book of Psalms arising from the contemplation and confident expectation of this his unspeakable happiness wherein he expresseth
I have set the LORD always before me c i. e. I have always presented him to my mind as my Rule and Scope as my Witness and Judge as my Patron and Protector in the discharge of my Office and in all my Actions Hitherto David seems to have spoken in his own Person and with special respect to himself but now he seems to have been transported by an higher Inspiration of the Spirit of Prophecy and to be carried above himself and to have an Eye to the man Christ Jesus who is and was the end of the Law and the great Scope of all the Prophets and to speak of himself only as a Type of Christ and with more special respect unto Christ in whom this and the following Verses were much more truly and fully accomplished than in himself Christ as man did always set his Fathers will and Glory before him as he himself oft declareth especially in St. Iohn's Gospel because * he is at my right hand d To wit to strengthen me for the right hand is the chief seat of a Man's strength and Instrument of Action to Protect assist and Comfort me as this Phrase signifies Psal. 109. 31. and 110. 5. And this assistance of God was necessary to Christ as man I shall 〈◊〉 2. 25 〈◊〉 73. 23. â—… â—…1 5. not be moved e Or removed either from the discharge of my Duty or from the attainment of that Glory and Happiness which is prepared for me Though the Archers shoot grievously at me and both men and Devils seek my Destruction and God sets himself against me as an Enemy withdrawing his favour from me and filling me with deadly sorrows through the Sence of his anger yet I do not despair but am assured that God will deliver me out of all my Distresses 9. Therefore f Upon this ground and Confidence my heart g The proper seat of joy and of all the Affections is glad and my glory h Either 1. my soul which is indeed the Glory of a man Or rather 2. my Tongue which also is a mans Glory and Priviledge above all other living Creatures and the Instrument of glorifying both God and man and which is oft called a mans Glory as Gen. 49. 6. Psal. 30. 12. and 57. 8. and 108. 1. and 149. 5. And so this very Word is translated Act. 2. 26. And thus the distinction between Heart and Glory and Flesh is more certain and evident rejoyceth i Or exsulteth i. e. Declares or expresseth my inward joy For this Verb signifies not so much internal joy as the outward and visible Demonstrations of it in Words or Gestures and Carriages my flesh also shall †〈…〉 rest k i. e. My body shall quietly and 〈◊〉 rest in the Grave to which I am hastening in hope l i. e. In confident assurance of it's Incorruption there and of it's Resurrection to a blessed and immortal Life as it is explained v. 10 11. The flesh or body is in it self but a dead and senceless lump of Clay yet Hope is here ascribed to it figuratively as it is to the brute Creatures Rom. 8. 19. because there is Matter and Foundation for such hope if it were capable of it the good promised and expected being certainly future 10. * 〈◊〉 2. 31. 13. 35. For thou will not leave my soul m i. e. My Person as this word is every where used by a Syneâ—…doche of the part and then the Person by another Synecdoche of the whole is put for the Body The soul is oft put for the Body either for the living Body as Psal. 35. 13. and 105. 18. or for the Carkass or dead Body as it is taken Levit. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb 5. 2. and 6. 6. 9. 11. and 9 10. and 19. 11. 13. And so it is interpreted in this very place as it is produced Act. 2. 29 c. and 13. 36 37. in hell n i. e. In the Grave or state of the Dead as appears 1. From the Hebrew word Scheol which is very frequently so understood as is undeniably evident from Gen. 42. 38. Numb 16. 30. Iob 14. 13. Comp. with 17. 13. Psal. 18. 5. and 30. 3. and 141. 7. Eccles. 9 10. Ezek. 32. 21 27. Ionab 2 2. and many other places 2. From the following clause of this Verse 3. From Act. 2. and 13. where it is so expounded and applied neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One o i. e. Me thy holy Son whom thou hast sanctified and sent into the World It is peculiar to Christ to be called the holy one of God Mark 1. 24. Luk. 4. 34. to see corruption p Or Rottenness i. e. To be corrupted or putrified in the Grave as the Bodies of others are Seeing is oft put for perceiving by experience In which 〈◊〉 men are said to see good Psal. 34. 13. and to 〈◊〉 Death or the Grave Psal. 89. 48 Luk. 2. 26. Ioâ—… 8. 51. and to see sleep Eccles. 8. 16. And the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 though sometimes by a Metonymy it signifies the Pit or place of Corruption yet properly and generally it signifies Corruption or Perdition as Iob 17. 14. and 33. 18. 30. Psal. 35. 7. and 55. â—…3 Ionâ—… 2. 6. and is so rendred by the seventy Jewish Interpreters Psal. 107. 20. Prov. 28. 10. Ier. 13 14 and 15. 3 Lament 4. 20. Ezek. 19. 4. and 21. 31. And so it must be understood here although some of the Jews to avoid the force of this Argument render it the Pit But in that Sence it is not true for whether it be meant of David as they say or of Christ it is confessed that both of them did see the Pit i. e. Were laid in the Grave And therefore it must necessarily be taken in the other Sence now mentioned and so it is properly and literally true in Christ alone although it may in a lower and Metaphorical Sence be applied to David who had a just and well grounded Confidence that although God might bring him into great Dangers and Distresses which are called the sorrows of Death and the pains of Hell Psal. 116. 3. yet God would not leave him to Perish in or by them 11. Thou wilt shew me q i. e. Give me an exact and experimental knowledge of it for my own Comfort and the benefit of my People the path of life r i. e. The way that leadeth to Life not to a temporal and mortal Life here for he is supposed to be dead and buried v. 10. But to an endless and immortal and blessed Life after death in the presence of God as it followeth the way to which is by the Resurrection of the Body So the Sence is Thou wilst raise me from the Grave and Conduct me to the place and state of everlasting Felicity * Psal. 21. 6 in thy presence s Heb With or before my Face i. e. In that heavenly
for David d He that wisheth David good success against Sheba and against all Rebels Whereby he implies that though this Fact of his was done against the Kings Command yet it was for his Interest and Defence let him go after Joab 12 And Amasa wallowed e Heb. rolled himself being in the Pangs of Death yet having so much Life left as to move himself a little though not to raise himself up from his place in blood f In his own blood which was shed there in the midst of the high-way and when the man saw that all the people g To wit the Soldiers which were upon their March stood still h Wondering at the Spectacle and enquiring into the Author and occasion of it he removed Amasa out of the high-way into the field i Perceiving that it both incensed them against Ioab and hindred the Kings present Service and cast a cloth upon him when he saw that every one that came by him stood still 13 When he was removed out of the high-way all the people went on after Joab to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri ¶ 14 And he k Either 1. Ioab who pursued Sheba through all the Tribes as far as Abel Or rather 2. Sheba who was last mentioned who Marched from Tribe to Tribe to stir them up to Sedition and to him the following words seem best to agree went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel and to Beth-maachah l Or rather to Abel even to Bethmaachah i. e. unto Abel-beth-maachah as this place is called here in the Hebrew text ver 15. and 1 King 15. 20. 2 King 15. 29. to distinguish it from other Abels and to signifie that this was that Abel which was in the Tribe of Napthali in the Northern border of Canaan towards that part of Syria called Maachah 2 Sam. 10. 8. and all the Berites m Such as lived in the City or Territory of Beeroth of Benjamin Iosh. 18. 25. who being of the same Tribe if not City with Sheba and his greatest Acquaintance and Friends or being most Implacable against David adhered to Sheba and followed him through all the Tribes of Israel and they n to wit the Tribes of Israel i. e. a considerable Number of them as might well be expected when the discontents were so high and general were gathered together and went also after him o i. e. After Sheba 15 And they p i. e. Ioab and his Army which is easily understood both from the foregoing and following Verses came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah and they cast up a bank against the city q From whence they might either batter the Wall or shoot at those who defended it against them who should Assault it See 2 King 19. 32. Ier. 32. 24. and 33. 4. Otherwise they threw down the bank of the City which they had raised up to Defend the City on the weakest side and ‖ Or it stood against the outmost Wall it stood in the trench r i. e. The Bank stood in or near to the Trench or the Wall of the City so that the City was in great danger of being taken Otherwise the City stood within the Trench or Wall being Defended onely by a single Trench or a weak Wall the Bank which was raised up there to Defend it being thrown down and all the people that were with Joab †battered the wall to throw it down ‡ Heb. marred to throw down 16 ¶ Then cried a wise woman out of the city Hear Hear say I pray you unto Joab Come near hither that I may speak with thee 17 And when he was come near unto her the woman said Art thou Joab And he answered I am he Then she said unto him Hear the words of thine handmaid And he answered I do hear 18 Then she spake saying ‖ Or They plainly speak in the beginning saying Surely they will ask of Abel and so make an end They were wont to speak in old time saying They shall surely ask counsel at Abel and so they ended the matters s According to this Translation the sence is This City which thou art about to Destroy is no mean and contemptible one but so honourable and considerable for its Wisdom and the Wise People in it that when any differences did arise among any of the Neighbours they used Proverbially to say We will ask the Opinion and Advice of the Men of Abel about it and we will stand to their Arbitration and so all parties were satisfied and Disputes ended But there is another Translation in the Margent embraced also by some others which seems to be the best They i. e. The Citizens of this City plainly or commonly spake among themselves in the beginning to wit when Sheba and his Men first came into the City and they were informed That Ioab was pursuing him saying Surely they will ask of Abel and so make an end i. e. They will peaceably Expostulate the business with us and enquire Why we received Sheba into our City and whether we would deliver him up into their hands and would inform us of the reason of their Hostile Attempt upon us and offer to us Conditions of Peace which by Gods Law Deut. 20. 10. they were to do even to strange and much more to Israelitish Cities So she doth both modestly reprove Ioab for the neglect of his Duty and oblige him to the Performance of it 19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel t Or I to wit the City of Abel in whose Name and Person she speaks this am one of the peaceable and faithful Cities of Israel Whatsoever Sheba may design whom we have innocently received into our City before we well understood the matter We of this City abhor the thoughts of Warring and Rebelling against the King as having had no hand in Absalom's late Rebellion which is probable enough considering both their Scituation in the utmost Borders of the Land very remote from the Seat of that Civil War and their open Profession of their Peaceableness and Fidelity or Loyalty to the King which had been Impudent if they had been so lately Involved in the last War and Rebellion thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother u i e. A Mother City for great Cities are commonly called Mothers as lesser Towns or Villages subject to them and depending upon them for Direction and Defence are called their Daughters as Ezek. 16. 27 46. in Israel why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD x i. e. A considerable part of that Land which God hath chosen for his peculiar Possession The Destruction which thou art about to bring upon us is an injury also to Israel and to the God of Israel 20 And Joab answered and said Far be it far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy 21 The matter is not
occasion of the following Miracle but also that by this one instance we might understand how so many Schools of the Prophets were supported twenty loaves n Small Loaves as appears both because one Man brought them all so far and because otherwise there had been no Miracle here of barley and full ears of corn ‖ Or in his scrip or garment in the husk thereof and he said Give unto the people o To wit the Sons of the Prophets who were then present with him ver 38. that they may eat 43 And his servitor said What should I set this before an hundred men He said again Give the people that they may eat for thus saith the LORD * â—…ob 6. 11. They shall eat and shall leave thereof 44 So he set it before them and they did eat and lest thereof according to the word of the LORD CHAP. V. NOw Naaman captain of the host of the king of Syria was a great man ‡ Heb. before with his master a In great power and favour with the King of Syria and ‖ 〈◊〉 gracious ‡ Heb. lifted up â—…r accepted in countenance honourable b Highly esteemed both for his quality and success because by him the LORD had given ‖ Or victory deliverance unto Syria c Which expression he useth partly to mind the Israelites that all the hurt they had from the Syrians was from the Lord who used them as his Rod and gave them the successes against Israel which are Recorded and partly to check that proud conceit which then was working and afterwards more fully discovered it self in the Israelitish Nation as if the Care and Providence and Goodness of God were wholly confined to themselves and not imparted to any other People he was also a mighty man of valour but he was a leper 2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies d Making inroads into the Land of Israel to rob and plunder after the manner of those times See 1 Sam. 30. 8. 2 King 13. 21. and 24. 2. and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid and she ‡ 〈◊〉 waâ—… before waited on e Heb. was before i. e. stood before her or Ministred to her Compare Deut. 1. 38. Naamans wiâ—…e 3 And she said unto her mistress Would God my lord were ‡ Heb. before with the prophet that is in Samaria f Either First In the Kingdom of Samaria Or Secondly In the City of Samaria where he was when she was taken or where he commonly resided though he went to other places as need required for he would ‡ Heb. gather in recover him of his leprosie g Or take him away as this Hebrew Verb is used Gen. 30. 23. Zeph. 1. 2. from his leprosie i. e. take away his Leprosy from him 4 And one went in and told his lord h One of Naaman's Servants hearing this went in and told it to Naaman and he to the King of Syria which is implied Or And he went in c. i. e. Naaman mentioned ver 1. hearing this from his Wife told it to the King of Syria as the next words intimate saying Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel 5 And the king of Syria i Ioram the Son of Ahab chap. 3. 1. said Go to go and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel k Desiring him to obtain this favour from the Prophet And he departed and took ‡ Heb. in his hand with him ten talents oâ—… silver and six thousand pieces of gold l Partly for the Charges of his Journey and paâ—…tly for Presents to the Prophet or others as he saw â—…it and ten changes of raiment 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel saying Now when this letter is come unto thee behold I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee that thou mayest recover him m i. e. Procure his recovery by the means of Elisha v. 3 4. whom thou maist command to use his utmost skill and power herein of his leprosie 7 And it came to pass when the king of Israel had read the letter that he rent his clothes n Either in detestation of his Blasphemy in giving Gods Perfections to him or rather for grief arising from a suspition and fear that the Syrian made this onely a pretence for the War which he designed against him and said Am * Deut. 32. 39. and 1 Sam. 2. 6. I God to kill and to make alive o He expresseth it thus because Leprosy is a kind or degree of Death Numb 12. 12. and he thought it as impossible to cure it as to raise the Dead that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosie Wherefore consider I pray you and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me p For not doing what he requires which he knows impossible for me to do 8 ¶ And it was so when Elisha the man of God q Whom Ioram had not advised with either because the sudden surprisal made him forget it or because he hated him and scorned to beg any thing from him had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes that he sent to the king saying Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes r There was no just occasion for thee to do so Let him come now to me and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel 9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot and stood at the door of the house of Elisha s Waiting for Elisha's coming to him 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him t Which he did partly to try and exercise Naaman's Faith and Obedience partly for the honour of his Religion and Ministry that it might appear he sought not his own glory and profit in his miraculous performances but onely Gods Honour and the good of Men and partly for the discovery of the Almighty Power of God that could by such slight means cure so desperate a Disease saying Go and wash in Jordan seven times and thy flesh shall come again u Which was in great part consumed by the Leprosy See Numb 12. 12. unto thee and ‡ Heb. be clean thou shalt be clean 11 But Naaman was wroth x Supposing himself despised and mocked by the Prophet and went away and said Behold I ‡ Heb. said or I said with my self He will surely come out thought y Herein he gives an example of the perverseness of mankind who are apt to prefer their own fancies before Gods appointments he will surely come out to me and stand and call on the Name of the LORD his God and ‡ Heb. move up and down strike his hand over the place z Over or upon the affected part where the Leprosy is without which it seemed to him ridiculous to
This may be understood either 1. By way of opposition The Waters go or flow out of the Sea and return thither again Eccles. 1. 7. and a Lake or River sometimes decayeth and drieth up but afterwards is recruited and replenished But man lieth c. as it follows Or 2. By way of resemblance As Waters i. e. some portion of Waters fail from the â—…a being either exhaled or drawn up by the Sun or received and sunk into the dry and thirsty Earth or overflowing its Banks and as the Flood or a River or a Pond for the word signifies any considerable confluence of Waters in a great drought decayeth and is dried up in both which cases the self same Waters never return to their former places So it is with man Or thus as when the Waters fail from the Sea i. e. when the Sea forsakes the place into which it used to flow the River which was fed by it Eccles. 1. 7. decayeth and drieth up without all hopes of Recovery So man when once the Fountain of his radical moisture is dried up dies and never revives again 12. So man lieth down c To wit in his Bed the Grave or to sleep the sleep of Death as this Phrase is used Gen. 46. 30. Deut. 31. 16. 2 Sam. 7. 12. 1 Kin. 1. 21. and riseth not d To wit to this Life For he speaks not here of the Life to come nor of the Resurrection of the Body after death by the divine Power of his belief whereof he giveth sufficient evidences in divers places till the Heavens be no more e i. e. Either 1. Never because the Heavens though they shall be changed in their Qualities yet shall never cease to be as to the Substance of them And therefore everlasting and unchangeable things are expressed by the duration of the Heavens of which see Psal. 72. 5 7 17. 89. 30 36 37. Mat. 5. 18. 24. 35. Or 2. not until the time of the general Resurrection and the restitution of things when these visible Heavens shall pass away and be no more at least in the same form and manner as now they are of which see Psal. 102. 26. Luk. 21. 33. 2 Pet. 3. 7 10. Rev. 21. 1. they shall not awake nor be raised out of their Sleep 13. O that thou wouldest hide me in †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grave f Either 1. In some dark Vault under ground such as good men hide themselves in in times of Persecution Heb. 11. 38. Lord hide me in some hiding place from thy Wrath and all the intolerable effects of it which are upon me for I cannot be hid from thee but by thee Or 2. In the Grave properly so called Though I know Life once lost is irrecoverable yet I heartily desire Death rather than to continue in these Torments And if the next words and wish seem to suppose the continuance of his Life that is not strange For he speaks like one almost distracted with his miseries sometimes wishing one thing sometimes another and the quite contrary as such persons use to do And these Wishes may be understood disjunctively I wish either that I were dead or that God would give me Life free from these torments Or the place may be understood thus I could wish if it were possible that I might lie in the Grave for a time till these storms be blown over and then be restored to a comfortable Life that thou wouldst keep me secret g In some secret and safe place under the shadow of thy Wings and favour that I may have some support and comfort from thee until thy Wrath be past h Whilst I am oppressed with such grievous and various Calamities which he calls Gods Wrath because they were or seemed to be the effects of his Wrath. that thou wouldst appoint me a set time i To wit to my sufferings as thou hast done to my Life v. 5. and remember me k i. e. Wherein thou wiltst remember me to wit in mercy oâ—… so as to deliver me For it is well known that God is frequently said to forget those whom he suffers to continue in misery and to remember those whom he delivers out of it 14. If a man die shall he live again l i. e. He shall not namely in this World as was said before The affirmative question is equivalent to an absolute denial as Gen. 18. 17. Psal. 56. 7. Ier. 5. 9. and every where all the days of †Heb. my warfare my appointed time will I wait till my change come m Seeing Death puts an end to all mens hopes of any comfortable being here because man once dead never returns to Life I will therefore wait on God and hope for his favour whilest I live and it is possible to enjoy it and will continue waiting from time to time until my change come i. e. either 1. Death the great and last change which is expressed by the Root of this word Iob 10. 17. Or 2. The change of my condition for the better which you upon your Terms encourage me to expect and which I yet trust in God I shall enjoy for this word properly signifies Vicissitudes or Changes in ones condition and this seems to suit best with the following verse And this Change or a comfortable Life here Iob so heartily wisheth not only from that love of Life and Comfort which is naturally implanted in all men good and bad and is not forbidden by God which also was stronger in those Old Testament Saints when the discoveries of Gods Grace to sinners and of eternal Life were much darker than now they are but also because this would be an effectual vindication of his own Integrity and Good-name and of the honour of Religion both which did suffer some Eclipse from Iob's extream Calamities as is evident from the discourses of his Friends 15. Thou shalt * Chap. 40. 3. call and I will answer thee n I trust there is a time coming when thou wiltst grant me the mercy which now thou deniest me to wit a favourable hearing when thou wiltst call to me to speak for my self and I shall answer thee which I know will be to thy Satisfaction and my Comfort Compare this with Chap. 13. 22. where the same words are used in this same Sense Or thou shalt call me out of the Grave of my Calamities and I shall answer thee and say Here I am raised out of the Pit in which I was buried by thy powerful and gracious Command thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands o i. e. To me who am thy Workmanship in divers respects from whom thou now seemest to have an aversion and abhorrency but I doubt not thou wiltst have a desire i. e. shew thy Affection or Good-will to me or a desire to look upon me and to deliver me Nor is it strange that Iob who lately was upon the brink of despair
sowed together not upon my other garments but next to my skin as was done in great Calamities as 2 Kings 6. 30. So far am I from stretching out my hands against God whereof I am accused Chap. 15. 25. that I have humbled my self deeply unâ—…er his hand and defiled my horn in the dust q I have willingly parted with all my Wealth and Power and Glory as the horn oft signifies in Scripture as Psâ—…lm 75 5. 132. 17 Luke 1. 69. and been contented to lie in the dust and to endure the contempt which God hath brought upon me 16 My face is foul with weeping and on my eye-lids is the shadow of death r i. e. A gross and terrible darkness My sight is very dim and dark as is usual in case of fore Diseases or excessive grief and weeping Lamâ—…nt 2 11. and especially in the approach of death Compare Psalm 6. 7. 38. 10. Lament 5. 17. 17. Not for any injustice in mine hands s And all this is not come upon me for any injurious dealing with others by oppression or deceit or bribery wherewith I am implicitely charged Chap. 15 16 20 34. but for other reasons known to God onely for I cannot discover them also my prayer is pure t I do not cast off God's fear and service as I am accused to do Châ—…p 15. 4. I do still pray and worship God and my Prayer is accompanied with a sincere Heart and â—…defiled Conscience See Psalm 109 7. Prov. 28. 9. 1 Tim. 2. 8. So that I have lived inâ—…ffensively towards God and towards men And therefore your Assertion is both uncharitable and false that eminent Afflictions are peculiar to ungodly men 18. O earth cover not thou my bloud u So called not actively to wit his own blood but passively or obâ—…ctively i. e the blood of others shed by him and lying upon his Conscience The Earth is said to cover that blood which lies undiscovered and unrevenged Of which see on Gen. 4. 10 11. Isa. 26 21. But saith Iob. if I be guilty of destroying any one man by Murder or Oppression as I am traduced O Lord let the Earth disclose it let it be brought to light that I may suffer condign punishment for it and let my cry x Either 1. passively to wit the cries and groans which I have forced from others by my Oppressions Let those Cries have no place to hide them Or rather 2. actively the Cry of my Complaints to men or Prayers to God let them find no place in the Ears or Hearts of God or men if this be true Or no place i. e. no regard or no power or success in which sense God's Word is said not to have place in evil men Iohn 8. 37. And Esaâ—… not to find place of repentance Heb. 12. 17. i. e. All his Intreaties and Tears could not prevail with his Father to repent of and retract the Blessing given from him to Iacob have no place 19. Also now behold my Witness is in Heaven y Besides the Witness of Men and of my own Conscience God is Witness of my Integrity and my Record †Heb. in the high places is on high 20. My Friends z Who should defend me from the Scorns and Injuries of others †scorn me a So this word is used Psal. 119. 51. Prov. 3. 34. 19. 28. but mine Eye Heb. are my â—…orners poureth out tears unto God b I pour forth my Prayers and Tears to God that he would judge me according to my Innocency and plead my righteous cause against you 21. * Ch. 31. 35. Eccl. 6. 10. Isa. 45. 9. Rom. 9. 20. O that one might plead for a man * with God c O that either I or some faithful Advocate might be admitted to plead my Cause either with God or rather with you before God's Tribunal God being Witness and Judge between us But this Verse is and that very agreeably to the Hebrew Text otherwise translated and Interpreted either 1. With respect to Christ And he i. e. God last mentioned to wit God the Son Christ Jesus will plead for a man i. e. for me against whom you plead He modestly speaketh of himself in the third Person as is usual with God to wit with God the Father and the Son of man as Christ is oft called will plead for his Friend or Companion or Neighbour i. e. For a man whom he hath taken into that Relation to himself It is plain that the mystery of Mans Redemption by Christ was known to the ancient Patriarchs as hath been oft noted before and to Iob among others Ch. 19. 25. Or 2. as the matter for which he prayed and cried to God That so the Hebrew Vau is frequently used he i. e. God would plead or judge or give sentence for a man i. e. for me or in my cause with God i. e. with himself the Noun being put for the Pronoun as Gen. 2. 20. 4. 15. Lev. 14. 15 16. and elsewhere or at his own Tribunal to which I have appealed as a man pleadeth for his Friend or Neighbour with or before an earthly Judge and Tribunal This seems most agreeable to the scope of the place which was to maintain his own Integrity against his Friends before God as a man pleadeth for his ‖ Or friend Neighbour 22. When †Heb. years of number a few years are come then I shall go the way whence I shall not return d i. e. To the state and place of the dead whence men do not and cannot return to this Life The meaning is my death hastens and therefore I earnestly desire that the cause depending before God between me and my Friends may be searched out and determined that if I be guilty of these things whereof they accuse me I may bear the shame and blame of it before all men and if I be innocent that I may live to see my own Integrity and the credit of Religion which suffers upon this occasion vindicated that so I may die in peace with God and may leave the favour of a good name behind me CHAP. XVII 1. MY ‖ Breath is corrupt a i. e. It stinks as it doth in dying persons Or my Spirit is corrupted or spent or lost i. e. My vital Spirits and natural Powers are wasted my Soul is ready to leave the Body my days are extinct b The lamp of my Life is wasted and upon the point of going out and that in a Snuff Or my Spirit is spent the Graves c i. e. The Grave the plural number being put for the singular as Sepulchres 2 Chron. 21. 20. Cities Judg. 12. 7. Asses Zech. 9. 9. are put for one of each of these are ready for me d Open their mouths as ready to receive me The sense and scope of this Verse is the same with the former 2. Are there not Mockers with
who are onely the receivers of them and partly because this is more agreeable to the Phrase and Usage of Scripture which every where abscribes and appropriates them to God PSAL. LXXXVIII THE ARGUMENT This Psalm was composed upon a particular Occasion to wit Heman's deep distress and dejection of mind almost to despair But though this was the occaon of it it is of more general use for the instruction and consolation of all good men when they come into such Despondencies and therefore was by the direction of God's Spirit made publick and committed to the Sons of Korah A Song or Psalm ‖ Or â—…f for the sons of Korah to the chief musician upon Mahulach a Which seems to be the name of the tune or instrument as Psal. 53. Leannoth b This may be either the latter part of the proper name of the tune or instrument or an appellative name and so divers take it and render it to sing or to be sung to wit alternately or by turns ‖ Or a Psalâ—… of Heman the Ezrahite giving instruction Maschil of * 1 Chron. â—… 6. Heman c Probably the same person who was famous in David's time both for his skill in Musick and for general wisdom of whom see 1 Kings 4. 31. 1 Chron. 6. 33. the Ezrahite d As Ethan also is called 1 Kings 4. 31. 1 O LORD God of my salvation e Who hast so often saved me from former distresses and I hope wilst do so at this time I have cried day and night before thee 2 Let my prayer come before thee incline thine ear unto my cry 3 For my soul f Properly so called for that he was under great troubles of mind from a sence of God's wrath and departure from him is evident from Verse 14. 13 16. is †Heb. 〈◊〉 with full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave 4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit g I am given up by my Friends and Acquaintance for a lost man I am as a man that hath no strength 5 Free among the dead h Well-nigh discharged from the warfare of the present life and entred as a member into the society of the dead as Israelitish servants when they were made free were thereby made Denisons of the Commonwealth of Israel I expect no other freedom from my miseries but that which death gives as Iob observes Iob 3. 17 18. like the slain that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more i Whom thou seemest wholly to neglect and to bury in oblivion for he speaks of these matters not as they are in truth for he knew very well that forgetfulness was not incident to God and that God did remember all the dead and would call them to an account but only as to sence and appearance and the opinion of the World and the state and things of this life and they are cut off ‖ 〈◊〉 â—…y thy 〈◊〉 from thy hand k From the care and conduct of thy providence Which is to be understood as the former clause Or by thy hand But our translation seems better to agree both with the foregoing branch which it explains and improves and with the order of the words for it seems improper after he had represented the persons as dead and in their graves to add that they are cut off to wit by death 6 Thou hast laid me in †the lowest pit * in 〈◊〉 the pit 〈◊〉 places beâ—… â—…2 143. 3. darkness in the deeps l Either first in the grave the same thing being expressed in divers words or secondly in hopeless and remediless calamities 7 Thy wrath m Either first the sence of thy wrath or rather secondly the effects of it as the next clause explains this lieth hard upon me and * 〈◊〉 â—…2 7. thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves n With thy judgments breaking in furiously upon me like the waves of the Sea Selah 8 * 〈◊〉 â—…9 13. 〈◊〉 1â—…2 4. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me thou hast made me an abomination unto them o I am so sad a spectacle of thy vengeance that my friends avoid and detest me lest by conversing with me they should either be filled with terrors which men naturally abhor or be made partakers of my guilt or plagues I am shut up p Either in the pit or deep mentioned v. 6. or in my own House or Chamber being afraid or ashamed to go abroad and I cannot come forth 9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction LORD I have called daily upon thee I have stretched out my hands unto thee q Understand without effect for thou dost not hear nor answer me 10 * 〈◊〉 6. 5. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead r To wit in raising them to live again in this World as it is in the next clause I know that thou wilt not And therefore now hear and help me or it will be too late shall the dead arise and praise thee s To wit amongst mortal men in this World Selah 11 Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave or thy faithfulness in destruction t I am not without hopes that thou hast a true kindness for me and wilt faithfully perform thy gracious promises made to me and to all that love thee and call upon thee in truth But then this must be done speedily or I shall be utterly uncapable of such a mercy 12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark u In the grave which is called the land of darkness Job 10. 21 22. and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness x In the grave so called either first actively because there men forget and neglect all the concerns of this life being indeed but dead carkasses without any sence or remembrance Or rather secondly passively because there men are forgotten not only by men as is noted Iob 24. 20. Psal. 31. 12. but by God himself as he complained v. 5. 13. But unto thee have I cryed O LORD and in the morning shall my prayer * 〈◊〉 89. 14. 〈◊〉 and Psal. 〈◊〉 2. prevent thee y i. e. Early come to thee before the ordinary time of Morning Prayer or before the dawning of the Day or the rising of the Sun The sence is Though I have hitherto got no answer to my Prayers yet I will not give over praying nor hoping for an answer 14 LORD why castest thou off my Soul why hidest thou thy face from me z This proceeding seems not to agree with the benignity of thy nature nor with the manner of thy dealing with thy people 15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up a My whole life hath been filled with a succession of deadly calamities O Lord take some pity upon me and let me have a little breathing space before I
And particularly the Captivity of the Iews in Babylon and their Deliverance out of it is largely expressed by this very Similitude Ezek. 37. 11 c. together with my dead body l As I my self who am one of your number and of these Dead men shall live again You shall be delivered together with me Which he might add to meet with an Objection for they might think that God would take some special Care of this Holy Prophet and would preserve him when they should be destroyed No saith he As I am at present like a dead Carkass no less than you so you shall be restored to Life no less than I. If the Supplement of our Translation seems to be too liberal it may be rendred to the same purpose as my body the Particle as being oft understood as I have divers times observed As my dead Body shall rise so shall theirs also we are equally dead and shall equally live again shall they arise m Unto Life as appears from the former Clause awake n Out of your sleep even the sleep of death as it is called Psal. 13. 3. Death being oft compared to a Sleep as Ioh. 11. 11. Act. 7. 60. and Restauration to Life unto awaking as 2 Kings 4. 31. and sing ye that dwell in the dust o You that are dead and buried in the Dust as the Dead are said to sleep in the dust Dan. 12. 2. for thy dew p The Favour and Blessing of God upon thee which is oft compared to the dew as Hos. 14. 5. Mich. 5. 7. The Pronoun thy is here taken not efficiently but objectively as thy curse Gen. 27. 13. is the Curse coming upon thee is as the dew of herbs q Which gently refresheth and reviveth them and maketh them to grow and flourish and the earth shall cast out the dead r. qAs an abortive Birth is cast out of the Womb to which the Grave is compared Iob 1. 21. But because the Verb here used doth not signifie to cast out but to cast down which seems not proper here these Words may be and are both by ancient and later Interpreters rendred otherwise and thou wilt cast down the land of the giants or of the violent ones of the proud and potent Tyrants of the World For the Word here rendred dead is elsewhere rendred giants as 2 Sam. 21. 16. 18. See also on Iob 26. 5. Prov. 9. 18. 21. 16. But then the Words seem to be better rendred and thou wilt cast the giants down to the ground Either 1. thou O God who is oft understood in such Cases or rather 2. thou O my People to whom he speaks in the foregoing Clauses of the Verse thy dead body and thy dew and here continueth his Speech thou wilt or shalt cast c. thou shalt subdue even thy most Giant-like and mighty Enemies Which though it be properly God's Work the Church is oft said to do because she by her Prayers engageth God to do it And so as the former Clauses of the Verse speak of the Deliverance and Prosperity of God's Church and People so this Clause speaks of the Destruction of their Enemies which usually accompanieth it 20 Come my people s Having foretold the wonderful Deliverance and great Happiness of God's People and the utter Destruction of their Enemies lest they should think they were now entring into the possession of this Felicity he adds what here follows and intimates that for the present they were to expect Storms and to prepare for them and patiently to wait God's time for the Accomplishment of so great a Mercy enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee t Withdraw thy self from the Company and Conversation of the Wicked World lest partaking with them in their Sins thou dost also partake of their Plagues pour out thy Prayers to God in thy Closet as this may be explained by comparing Mat. 6. 6. put thy self under the protection of my Providence and Grace by Faith and Prayer He alludes to the common practice of Men who when there are Storms or Dangers abroad betake themselves into their own Houses or Chambers for safety or as some think to that History Exod. 9. 19 20. or to that Command of not going out of their houses Exod. 12. 22. or to the like Charge given to Rohab as the Condition of her Preservation Ios. 2. hide thy self as it were * Psal. 30. 5. Chap. 54. 7 8. 2 Cor. 4. 17. for a little moment u Whereby he intimates that all their Afflictions how long and tedious soever they may seem are but short and momentary in comparison of that Happiness which is reserved for them until the indignation x The dreadful Effects of God's Anger those sore Judgments of God mentioned in the following Verse be overpast 21 For behold the LORD * Mic. 1. 3. cometh out of his place y Cometh down from Heaven which God in Scripture is frequently said to do when he undertaketh any great and glorious Work either of Delivering his People or of Destroying their Enemies The Speech is borrowed from the manner of Princes who come out of their Palaces either to fit in Judgment or to fight against their Enemies which is the Case here to punish the inhabitants of the earth z All the Enemies of God and of his People for these are here opposed to God's People Therefore take heed you be not found in the number of them for their iniquity the earth also shall disclose her †Heb. bloods blood and shall no more cover her slain a The innocent Blood which hath been spilled upon the Earth shall be brought to light and shall be severely revenged upon the Murderers For the Phrase see on Gen. 4. 10. Iob 16. 18. Ezek. 24. â—… CHAP. XXVII IN that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan a What kind of Creature the Leviathan is see in my Notes on Iob 41. 1 c. Whence it is evident that it was a very great and terrible Sea-monster But here it is certain that the Expression is metaphorical and that by this Leviathan Serpent and Dragon for all signifie the same thing he understands some very powerful Enemy or Enemies for the Singular Number may be here put for the Plural as it is in many other places of God and of his Church or People which may well be called by these Names partly for their great Might and partly for the great Terrour and Destruction which they cause upon the Earth as the Leviathan doth in the Sea He seems to have a special respect to some particular Enemy and Oppressor of God's People either the Assyrian Emperour who now was so or rather the Babylonian who should be so Some understand this of the Devil But although it may be applied to him in a mystical sence it seems to be literally meant of some
he was perfectly innocent it pleased God for other just and wise Reasons to punish him he hath put him to grief p God was the principal cause of all his sorrows and sufferings although mens sins were the deserving cause ‖ Or when his soul shall make an offering †If thou shalt make his soul sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 24. when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin q When thou O God shalt make or have made thy Son a Sacrifice by giving him up to death for the attonement of mens sins His Soul is here put for his Life or for himself or his whole humane nature which was sacrificed his Soul being tormented with the sense of Gods Wrath and his Body crucified and Soul and Body separated by Death Or the words may be rendred When his soul shall make or have made itself an offering for sin whereby it may be implied that he did not lay down his Life by force but willingly he shall see his seed r His death shall be glorious to himself and highly beneficial to others for he shall have a numerous issue of Believers reconciled to God and saved by his death he shall prolong his days s He shall be raised to immortal Life and shall live and reign with God for ever he shall die no more Rom. 6. 9. and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Luk. 1. 33. and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand t Gods gracious decree for the redemption and Salvation of Mankind shall be effectually carried on by his Ministry and Mediation 11 He shall see u He shall receive or enjoy as this word commonly signifies of the travel of his soul x The comfortable and blessed fruit of all his hard labours and grievous sufferings and shall be satisfied y He shall esteem his own and his Fathers Glory and the Salvation of his People an abundant recompence for all his Sufferings by his knowledg z Either 1. Actively by that knowledg of Gods Will and of the way of Salvation which is in him in its highest perfection and which by him is revealed unto men and by his Spirit is imprinted in the Minds and Hearts of his People so as to produce Faith and Obedience in them Or 2. Passively by the knowledg of him as my fear and thy fear are put for the fear of me and of thee Psal. 5. 7. Ier. 32. 40. Knowledg being here as it is most frequently in Scripture taken practically for that kind of Knowledge which worketh Faith and Love and Obedience to him So the sense is the same in both cases shall * Ch. 42. 1. 49. 3. my righteous servant a Which title is here given to Christ partly to vindicate him from those false imputations of wickedness which were fastened upon him by his Adversaries and which found the more belief because of his most grievous and unexampled Sufferings both from God and Men and partly to shew his fitness for this great work of justifying sinners because he was exactly holy and harmless and undefiled Heb. 7. 26. and fulfilled all righteousness according to his duty Mat. 3. 15. and therefore his person and performance must needs be acceptable to God and effectual for the justification of his People which was the great design of his coming into the World justifie b Acquit them from the guilt of their sins and all the dreadful consequences thereof For Iustification is here opposed to condemnation as appears from the following clause and from many other passages in this Chapter and as it is used in all places of Scripture one or two at most excepted where it is mentioned And Christ is said to justifie sinners meritoriously because he purchaseth and procureth it for us as God the Father is commonly said to do it authoritatively because he accepted the price paid by Christ for it and the pronunciation of the sentence of Absolution is referred to him in the Gospel Dispensation many c Which word is seasonably added partly by way of Restriction to shew that Christ will not justifie all but only such as believe in him and obey him and partly by way of Amplification to declare that this blessed priviledge shall not now be as hitherto it had in a manner been confined to Iudoea and the Jews but shall be conferred upon an innumerable company of all the Nations of the World for he shall bear their iniquities d For he shall satisfie the Justice and Law of God for them by bearing the punishments due to their sins and therefore by the principles of Reason and Justice they must be justified or acquitted otherwise the same debt should be twice required and paid 12 Therefore will I e God the Father the spectator and Judge of the Action or Combat divide him f Give him his share Or impart or give to him for this word is oft used without respect to any distribution or division as Deut. 4. 19. 29. 26. and elsewhere a portion g Which is very commodiously supplied out of the next clause where a word which answers to it the spoil is expressed with the great h Or among the great such as the great and mighty Potentates of the World use to have after a sharp Combat and a glorious Victory Though he be a very mean and obscure person as to his extraction and outward condition in the World yet he shall attain to as great a pitch of the Glory as the greatest Monarchs enjoy and he shall divide the spoil with the strong i The same thing is repeated in other words after the manner of prophetical Writers The sense of both clauses is That God will give him and he shall receive great and happy success in his glorious undertaking he shall conquer all his Enemies and lead Captivity Captive as is said Eph. 4. 8. and set up his universal and everlasting Kingdom in the World because he hath poured out his soul unto death k Because he willingly laid down his Life in Obedience to Gods Command Ioh. 10. 17 18. and in order to the Redemption of Mankind Death is here called a pouring out of the Soul or Life either because the Soul or Life which in living men is contained in the body is turned out of the Body by Death or to signifie the manner of Christs Death that it should be with the shedding of his Blood in which the Life of Man consists Levit. 17. 11 14. and he * Mar. 15. 28. Luk. 22. 37. was numbred with the transgressors l He was willing for Gods Glory and for Mans Good to be reproached and punished like a Malefactor in the same manner and place and betwixt two of them as is noted with reference to this place Mark 15. 27 28. and he bare the sin of many m Which was said v. 11.
any considerable inconvenience to us who are free from the obligations which the Jews were formerly under of procuring such stones and abstaining in their Diet from such Beasts and Birds as then were sufficiently known to them and if any were doubtful they had one safe course to abstain from them and the Onyx stone m A kind of pretious stone of which see Exod. 25. 7. and 28. 9 20. 13. And the name of the second River is Gihon n Not that River in the Land of Israel so called 1 King 1. 33. 2 Chron. 32. 30. But another of the same name which in Hebrew signifies the branch of a greater River Here it is a branch either of Euphrates as most think or of Tigris as some late Writers conceive The same is it that compasseth the whole Land of †Câ—…sh Ethiopia o Not that Countrey in Africa above Aegypt commonly so called but either Arabia which in Scripture is frequently called Cush or Ethiopia Of which see the notes upon 2 King 19. 9. Iob 28. 19. Ezek. 29. 10. and 30. 8 9. Hab. 3. 7. or rather a Countrey adjoyning to India and Persia with which Cush is joyned Ezek. 38. 5. See also Esa. 11. 11. and Ezek. 27. 10. And about which place the Ethiopians are seated by Herod l. 7. Homer Heâ—…iod and others Of which see my Latin Synopsis 14. And the name of the third River is Hiddekel p i. e. Tigris or an eminent branch of it See Dan. 10. 4. That is it which goeth ‖ Or Eastward to Assyria toward the East of Assyria And the fourth River is Euphrates 15. And the LORD God took ‖ Or Adam the Man and put him q i. e. Commanded and enclined him to go into the Garden of Eden to ‖ Or till See Chap. 3. 23. dress it r i. e. To prune dress and order the Trees and Herbs of it and to keep it s From the annoyance of Beasts which being unreasonable Creatures and allowed the use of Herbs might easily spoil the beauty of it 16. And the LORD God commanded the Man t And the Woman too as appears both from the permission for eating Herbs and Fruits given to her together with her Husband Gen. 1. 28 29. and from Gen. 3. 1 2 3. and from Eves punishment and that either immediately or by Adam whom God enjoyned to inform her thereof saying of every Tree of the Garden †Heb. Eating thou shalt eat thou mayest freely eat u Without offence to me or nutt to thy self The words in Hebrew have the form of a command but are only a permission or indulgence as 1 Cor. 10. 25 27. 17. But of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it For in the day in which thou eatest thereof †Heb. dying thou shalt dye thou shalt surely dye x With a threefold death 1. Spiritual by the guilt and power of sin at that instant thou shalt be dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. 1. 2. Temporal or the death of the Body which shall then begin in thee by decayes infirmities terrors dangers and other harbingers of death 3. Eternal which shall immediately succeed the other 18. And the LORD God said y Or Had said to wit upon the sixth day on which the Woman was made Gen. 1. 27 28. It is not good z Not convenient either for my purpose of the increase of mankind or for mans personal comfort or for the propagation of his kind that the man should be alone I will make him an help †Heb as before him or as it were comparable to him Is. 40. 1â—… meet for him a A most emphatical phrase signifying thus much one correspondent to him suitable both to his nature and necessity one altogether like to him in shape and constitution disposition and affection a second self or one to be at hand and near to him to stand continually before him familiarly to converse with him to be always ready to succour serve and comfort him or one whose eye respect and care as well as desire Gen. 3. 16. should be to him whose business it shall be to please and help him 19. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every Beast of the Field and every Fowl of the Air and brought them b Either by Winds or Angels or by his own secret instinct by which Storks and Cranes and Swallows change their places with the season unto ‖ Or the Man Adam c Partly to own their subjection to him partly that man being recreated with their prospect might adore and praise the Maker of them and withall be sensible of his want of a meet companion and so the better prepared to receive Gods mercy therein and partly for the reason here following to see d Or make a discovery not to God who knew it already but to all future Generations who would hereby understand the deep wisdom and knowledge of their first Parent what he would call them And whatsoever Adam called every †Heb. living Soul living Creature that was the name thereof e To wit in the primitive or Hebrew Language And this was done for the manifestation both of mans Dominion over the Creatures and of the largeness of his understanding it being an act of authority to give names and an effect of vast knowledge to give convenient names to all the Creatures which supposeth an exact acquaintance with their Natures 20. And Adam †Heb. callâ—…d gave Names to all Cattle and to the Fowl of the Air and to every Beast of the Field but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him f But though in giving them names he considered their several natures and perfections it was evident to himself as well as to the Lord that none of them was an help meet for him 21. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam g That he who was without sin might feel no pain in the taking away of his Rib. And in this sleep some think Adam was in an extasie wherein he saw what was done together with the reason and mystery of it and he slept and he took one of his Ribs h Together with the Flesh upon it v. 23. Or one of his sides for the Hebrew word signifieth a Side as well as a Rib which may be taken Synecdochically for a part of one of his sides viz. a Rib and the Flesh upon it Or for one part out of each of his sides as if two Ribs clothed with Flesh were taken out of the man because he saith verse 23 This is Bone of my Bones not of my Bone The Woman was taken out of this part not out of the higher or lower parts to shew that she is neither to be her husbands Mistress to usurp authority over him 1 Tim. 2. 12. Nor yet to be
Fire which destroyed the four Cities had by this time extended it self to Zoar and all other places knowing that the whole World did lye in wickedness and having possibly heard from their Father that the World as it was once destroyed by Water so it should afterwards be consumed by Fire which they might think was now executed and that God had secured Abraham from it by taking him to himself Or 2. In that Land as the word may be rendred And her meaning might not be this that there was no man at all but not a man with whom they might or durst Marry For though they knew they left many Men in Zoar yet the sad experience of the dreadful ruine wherein their Brethren in law were involved made them abhor the thoughts of any Conjunction with them to come in unto us after the manner of all the Earth p i. e. Of all the Inhabitants of the Earth Compare Gen. 18. 11 32 Come let us make our father drink wine q Which they carried with them amongst other necessary provisions either from Sodom or Zoar. and we will lie with him that we may preserve seed of our father r Which though an incestuous and abominable action yet they thought was made lawful by the supposed necessity as in the beginning of the World the Marriage of Brethren and Sisters was lawful because necessary and when it ceased to be necessary because of the increase of mankind it became incestuous 33 And they made their father drink wine s To wit in excess so as to deprive him of the use of his Reason and Grace which was likely to frustrate their project This was a great sin not only in them but also in Lot himself not to be excused by ignorance of the vertue of wine which being known to both the Daughters certainly their Father could not be ignorant of it Thus he who kept his integrity in the midst of all the Temptations of Sodom falls into a grievous sin in a place where he might seem most remote from all Temptations God permitting this to teach all following ages how weak even the best men are when they are left to themselves and what absolute need they have of Divine assistance that night and the first-born went in and lay with her father and he perceived not when she lay down nor when she arose t Wherein there is nothing strange it being usual with drunken men to do many things in that condition which when they come to themselves they perfectly forget And so might Lot when under the power of Wine forget that his Wife was turned into a pillar of Salt and might mistake his Daughter for his Wife 34 And it came to pass on the morrow that the first-born said unto the younger Behold I lay yesternight with my father let us make him drink wine this night also and go thou in and lie with him that we may preserve seed of our father 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also and the younger arose and lay with him and he perceived not when she lay down nor when she arose 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child ‖ Which they might possibly imagine to be an evidence of Divine approbation of their fact whereas indeed it was a design of God to make a lasting Monument of their sin and shame by their father 37 And the first-born bare a son and called his name Moab u i. e. Of my Father begotten upon me by my Father So she had learned from her Neighbours to declare her siâ—… as Sodom Isa 3. 9. the same is the father of the Moabites x A mischievous and infamous people branded as their brethren also the Ammonites were with characters of Gods displeasure unto this day 38 And the younger she also bare a son and called his name Ben-ammi y i. e. The Son of my People or Kindred not of the cursed race of the Sodomites where I was to be married This is something more modest than the other in the name she gives but both impudently glorying in their sin and shame of which they should have bitterly repented the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day CHAP. XX. 1 AND Abraham journyed from thence a From the plain of Mamre Chap. 18. 1. where he had long dwelt and whence he removed either because of its nearness to that filthy Lake which now was in the place of that late fruitful plain Or for other reasons and conveniences needless to be here enquired or determined towards the south countrey b Yet more towards the Southern part of Canaan and dwelt between Cadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife * Chap. 12. 13. she is my sister c Left they should slay him for his beautiful Wifes sake as himself tels us ver 11. For though Sarah was ninety years old yet she retained her beauty in good measure partly because she had not been broken by bearing and nursing of Children partly because in that age of the World Men and Women as they lived longer so they did not so soon begin to decay as now they do and partly because of Gods especial blessing upon her and Abimelech King of Gerar sent and took Sarah d Not without violence for it is not to be thought that either Abraham or Sarah would consent to it 3 But God * Psal. 105. 14. came to Abimelech in a dream e God then used to manifest his mind in dreams not onely to his People but even to Heathens for their sakes or in things wherein they were concerned by night and said to him Behold thou art but a dead man * Thou deservest a present and untimely Death and if thou proceedest in thy intended wickedness it shall be inflicted upon thee for the woman which chou hast taken f Both for thy injustice in taking her away by force and for thy intentions to abuse her though not yet executed for she is †Heb. married to an Husband a mans wife 4 But Abimelech had not come near her g i. e. Had not yet lyen with her A modest expression like that of knowing a woman Gen. 4. 1. or going in to her Gen. 6. 4. or touching her Prov. 6. 29. 1 Cor. 7. 1. by which we are taught to use modesty in our speeches and not with the rude Cynicks to express all things by their proper names This clause and history was necessary to be added here for Sarahs vindication and especially for the demonstration of Isaacs original from Abraham and Sarah according to Gods promise and he said LORD wilt thou slay also a righteous h i. e. Innocent as to this matter compare 2 Sam. 4. 11. nation i For he knew it was just and usual for God to punish a Nation for their Kings sins and therefore
or at least with such as were forreigners which he did upon prudential reasons both because he would not have them to pry into the state of Egypt ver 12. and because he would by that opportunity understand the state of other lands and improve that knowledge for his masters service to all the people of the land and Josephs brethren came and bowed down themselves before him h Thus unwittingly fulfilling Iosephs dream Gen. 37. 7. with their faces to the earth 7 And Joseph saw his brethren and he knew them but made himself strange unto them and spake †Heb. hard things with them roughly unto them i Partly to bring their sin to remembrance partly to get the knowledge of the true state of his Father and Family and partly to further the following design and make way for his and their greater happiness and he said unto them Whence come ye And they said From the land of Canaan to buy food 8 And Joseph knew his brethren but they knew not him k Because his visage was much altered by his beard and by other things it being about 20 years since they saw him and his Egyptian Language and Habit and Carriage together with the great dignity of his place prevented all suspicious concerning their brother 9 And Joseph * chap. 37. 5. remembred the dreams which he dreamed of them and said unto them Ye are spies l This he saith not because they were so or he thought them to be so but that he might search out the truth of their affairs speaking too much like a Courtier or Politician to see the nakedness of the land m i. e. The weak parts of it and where it may be best assaulted or surprized you are come 10 And they said unto him Nay my Lord but to buy food are thy servants come 11 We are all one mans sons n And therefore not spies for it is not likely either that a father would venture so many of his sons upon so hazardous an employment or that such a work would have been trusted in the hands of one family onely we are true men o Who honestly and truly mean what we pretend and have no other design in our coming hither thy servants are no spies 12 And he said unto them Nay but to see the nakedness of the land you are come 13 And they said Thy servants are twelve brethren the sons of one man in the land of Canaan and behold the youngest is this day with our father and one * Iam. 5. 7. is not p i. e. Is dead as that phrase oft signifies both in Scripture as Gen. 37. 30. and 44. 2â—… Iâ—…r 31. 15. Mat. 2. 18 18. and in other Authors as Homer Eâ—…ripides c. They concluded with great probability that he was dead chap. 44. 20. because for 20 years together they had heard nothing either of him or from him which may seem strange considering the nearness of Egypt and Canaan but this came to pass partly from his own long imprisonment and afterward from his great and high employments partly from his loathness to bring so much mischief to his father and brethren as the discovery of his case might have produced and principally from the over-ruling Providence of God which for its own glorious design disposed of Iosephs mind and affairs so that he either did not send to his fathers house or that the messages were intercepted there being not then those conveniencies for mutual correspondencies which now there are And it is not improbable that Ioseph might be further acquainted with the mind of God in this matter by dreams which may seem to have been familiarly afforded to him together with the interpretation of them See Gen. 40. 8. and 41. 16. 14 And Joseph said unto them That is it that I spake unto you saying Ye are spies q This justifies my accusation for it is not probable that one man should have so many soâ—…s all grown up and living together in one Family and that he should expose them all to the perils of such a journey 15 Hereby ye shall be proved * See 1 Sam. 1. 26. 17. 55. by the life of Pharaoh r As sure as Pharaoh lives It seems to be the form of an oath in use among the Egiâ—…tians as afterwards the Romans used to swear by the Name Genius Health and Life of their Emperors Compare 1 Sam. 1. 26. and 17. 55. 2 King 2. 2. Ezek. 33. 11. And it is not strange that Ioseph through humane infirmity was carried by the stream of the general practise of the Court especially when the law of God was not yet delivered concerning the appropriation of Oaths unto God ye shall not go forth hence except your youngest brother come hither 16 Send one of you and let him fetch your brother and ye shall be †Heb. bound kept in prison that your words may be proved whether there be any truth in you or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies 17 And he †Heb. gathered put them all together into ward seven days 18 And Joseph said unto them the third day This do and live s I will spare your lives and not punish you with death as spies and you shall carry provisions that your family also may live * Neh. 5. 15. for I fear God t And therefore will not be cruel to you nor to your brother whom you shall leave with me This might have raised some suspition concerning Ioseph but that they knew there were divers among the heathens who did own the true God though they worshipped Idols with him 19 If ye be true men let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison * In which you are now imprisoned and are still like to be so if you accept not this condition go ye carry corn for the famine of your houses 20 But * chap. 43. 5. bring your youngest brother unto me so shall your words be verified and ye shall not die and they did so u i. e. Resolved and promised to do so Thâ—…se things are oft said to be done in Scripture which were sincerely resolved upon as hath been noted before 21 And they said one to another We are verily guilty x This is the just punishment of that great wickedness which though we could cover from men yet we now see and feel was known to God who is now reckoning with us for it Thus divine Vengeance overtakes them and conscience tortures them for a sin committed above 20 years before and their affliction brings them to repentance concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us y Compare Gen. 49. 23. Yet this passage is not mentioned in that history chap. 37. Learn hence that the silence of the Scripture is no good argument that such or such a thing was
whosoever shall succeed in thy place to whom it belongs to see those and other of my laws observed shall take care that the Priest be holy and do not defile himself by any of these forbidden marriages though he would do it therefore for he offereth the bread of thy God he shall be holy unto thee p Either 1. in thy esteem and therefore shall not give thee cause to think meanly and irreverently of him by his defiling or debasing of himself with irregular mixtures or 2. to thy use or service in whose name he is to act with God and therefore shall preserve himself in a state of holiness and acceptation with God for I the LORD which sanctifie you am holy q And therefore my Ministers must be such also 9 And the daughter r And by analogy his son also and his wife because the reason of the law here added concerns all And nothing is more common than to name one kind for the rest of the same nature as also is done Levit. 18. of any priest if she profane her self by playing the whore she profaneth her father s i. e. Exposeth his person and office and consequently religion one of whose prime ministers he is to contempt she shall be burnt with fire t Which was the severest of all the kinds of punishments among the Iews Whereby God would shew both the greatness of their sins who stand in nearer relation to God than others and how far God is from allowing sin in those who are nearest to him 10 And he that is the high priest among his brethren upon whose head * Exod. 3â—… 30. the anointing oyl was poured u Levit. 8. 11. Which was onely sprinkled upon inferiour Priests blood also being mixed with it Lev. 8. 30. and * Exod. 28. 2. chap. 16. 32. that is consecrated to put on the garments x To wit those holy garments which were peculiar to him as well as those common to others shall * chap. 10. 6. not uncover his head y This being then the posture of mourners Lev. 10. 6. though afterwards the custom was changed and mourners covered their heads 2 Sam. 15. 30. Eâ—… 6. 12. Or iâ—… this custom was now in use the meaning may be he shall not put off the Priestly covering or miter which was necessary for him to do if he had put on the mourners covering upon his head otherwise the holy covering had been defiled but he shall continue in the exercise of his office which is signified by keeping on his Priestly garments nor rent his clothes z. 11 Neither shall he go in a To wit into the chamber or house where they ly This and divers other rites here prescribed were from hence translated by the Heathens into their use whose Priests were put under the same obligations to any dead body nor defile himself for his father b Because upon his fathers death he was actually High-priest having been consecrated to this office in his Fathers life-time or for his mother 12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary c To wit to attend the funerals of any person for upon other occasions he might and did commonly go out nor profane the sanctuary d Either by making the service thereof give place to the discharge of his passions or the performance of a civility or by entring into the Sanctuary before the seven days allotted for his cleansing Numb 19. 11. were expired of his God for * Exod. 28. 36. the ‖ Or consecration or separation Numb 6. 7. crown of the anointing oyl e i. e. The anointing oil which to him was in stead of a crown by which he was advanced not onely above the rest of his brethren but even above all the people whose chief Governour he was in the things of God though subject and accountable to the civil Magistrate by which also he was made an eminent type of Christ who was to be King and Priest Or the crown to wit the golden plate which is called the holy crown Exod. 29. 6. and the anointing oyl of his God are upon him So there is onely an Ellipsis of the conjunction and which is frequent as Psal. 33. 2. and 144. 9. Isa. 63. 11. Hab. 3. 11. c. And these two things being most eminent are put for the rest and the sign is put for the thing signified q. d. for he is Gods High-priest Or the consecration for so nâ—…zer signifies of the anointing oil which by an Hypallage may be put for the anointing oil of the consecration i. e. whereby he is consecrated is upon him i. e. though that action be past yet the vertue of it remains still upon him he is a sacred person in the highest degree and therefore not to defile himself in any kind of his God is upon him I am the LORD 13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity f Or a Virgin partly for the decency of the type because as he was a type of Christ so his wife was a type of the Church which is compared to a Virgin 2 Cor. 11. 2. Rev. 14. 4. and partly for greater caution and assurance that his wife was not a defiled or defloured person This and the following rule belong not to all the Priests for then this were a gross tautology these same things or most of them being expresly forbidden to them ver 7. but onely to the High-priest to shew that he also and he especially is obliged to the same cautions 14 A widow g Except she were the widow of his predecessour which some gather from Ezek. 44. 22. But that place speaks onely of the common Priest not of the High-priest or a divorced woman or profane or an harlot these shall he not take but he shall take a virgin of his own people h i. e. Either 1. of his own tribe which is confuted by the examples of holy men See 2 Chron. 22. 11. Or 2. of the seed of Israel as it is explained Ezek. 44. 22. to wife 15 Neither shall he prophane his seed i By mixing it with forbidden kinds whereby the children would be disparaged and rendred unfit for their Priestly function among his people for â—… the LORD do sanctifie him k i. e. have separated him from all other sorts of men for my especial and immediate service and therefore will not have that race corrupted 16 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 17 Speak unto Aaron saying Whosoever he be of thy seed l Whether the High-Priest or the inferiour ones in their generations m In all successive ages as long as your Priesthood and policy indures that hath any blemish n i. e. Any defect or excess of parts any notorious deformity or imperfection in his body The reason hereof is partly typical that he might more fully represent Christ the great High-priest who was typified both
devoted which shall be devoted of men y Not by men as some would elude it but of men for it iâ—… manifest both from this and the foregoing verses that men here are not the persons devoting but devoted Quest. Was it then lawful for any man or men thus to devote another person to the Lord and in pursuance of such vow to put him to death Ans. This was unquestionably lawful and a duty in some cases when persons have been devoted to destruction either by Gods sentence as Idolaters Exod. 22. 20. Deut. 23. 15. the Canaanites Deut. 20. 1â—… the Amalekites Deut. 25. 19. 1 Sam. 15. 3 26. Benhadad 1 King 20. 42. or by men in pursuance of such a sentence of God as Numb 21. 2 3. and 31. 17. or for any crime of an high nature as Iudg. 21. 5. Ios. 7. 15. But this is not to be generally understood as some have taken it as if a Iew might by vertue of this Text devote his child or his servant to the Lord and thereby oblige himself to put them to death which peradventure was Iepthe's errour For this is expresly limited to all that a man hath or which is his i. e. which he hath a power over But the Iews had no power over the lives of their children or servants but were directly forbidden to take them away by that great command thou shalt do no murder And seeing he that killed his servant casually by a blow with a rod was surely to be punished as is said Exod. 21. 20. it could not be lawful wilfully and intentionally to take away his life upon pretence of any such vow as this But for the Canaanites Amalekites c. God the undoubted Lord of all mens lives gave to the Israelites a power over their persons and lives and a command to put them to death And this verse may have a special respect to them or such as them And although the general subject of this and the former verse be one and the same yet there are two remarkable differences to this purpose The verb is active ver 28. and the agent there expressed that a man shall devote but it is passive ver 29 and the agent undetermined which shall be devoted to wit by God or men in conformity to Gods revealed will 2. The devored person or thing is onely to be sold or redeemed and said to be most holy ver 28. but here it is to be put to death and this belongs onely to men and those such as either were or should be devoted in manner now expressed shall be redeemed but shall surely be put to death 30 And * Gen. 28. 22. Num. 18. 21 24. Mal. 3. 8. 10. all the tithe of the land z There are divers sorts of Tithes but this seems to be understood onely of the ordinary and yearly tithes belonging to the Levites c. as the very expression intimates and the addition of the fifth part in case of redemption thereof implies whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree is the LORDS it is holy unto the LORD 31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd or of the flock even of whatsoever passeth under the rod ‖ Either 1. the tithers rod it being the manner of the Iews in tithing to cause all their cattel to pass through some gate or narrow passage where the tenth was marked by a person appointed for that purpose and reserved for the Priest Or 2. the shepherds rod under which the herds and flocks passed and by which they were governed and numbred See Ier. 33. 13. Ezek. 20. 37. the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD 33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad neither shall he change it and if he change it at all then both it and the change thereof shall be holy it shall not be redeemed 34 These are the commandments which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai ANNOTATIONS ON NUMBERS The ARGUMENT THis Book giveth us an History of almost forty years travel of the children of Israel through the Wilderness where we have an account of their journeys and what happened to them therein with their Government and how they were managed thereby Called Numbers by reason of the several Numbrings of the people as at the offerings of the Princes and at their several journeys c. But especially two One Chap. 1. Out of which the Priests and Levites were excepted but numbred by themselves viz. in the second year after they were come out of Egypt in the first month whereof the Passeover was instituted with the order about the Tabernacle both of the Levites and People and their several marches encampings and manner of pitching their Tents the Priest's maintenance and establishment by the miraculous budding of Aarons rod with the several impediments in their marches both among themselves by several murmurings seditions and conspiracies and from their enemies viz. the Edomites Canaanites over whom having obtained a victory and afterwards murmuring they were stung with fiery Serpents and cured by the brazen one Amorites whose Kings Sihon and Og they overcame and slew and Moabites where by the allurements of Balaam who was hired by Balak to curse Israel they joyned themselves to Baal-peor and are plagued for it that openly opposed them The other chief numbring is in Chap. 26. where they are found almost as many as the first though among them were none of the first numbring according to what God had threatned Chap. 14. save Moses Joshua and Caleb by reason of their desire to return back into Egypt upon the discouraging report of ten of those twelve that Moses sent to spy out the Land whereupon they were forced to wander above 38 years in the wilderness where he gave them several Laws Civil Ecclesiastical and Military as also particular directions about women's inheriting occasioned by the case of Zelophehad's daughters and concerning vows And then brings them back to the borders of Canaan where after divers victories obtained against their enemies they were directed how the Land of Canaan was to be divided among the Tribes and what portion the Levites were to have among them together with six cities of Refuge set apart for the Man-slayer At length Aaron being dead and Eleazar placed in his stead and Moses also having received the sentence of Death doth by God's appointment deliver up the people unto the charge and conduct of Joshua CHAP. I. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai a Where now they had been a full year or near it as may be gathered by comparing this place with Exod. 19. 1. and 40. 17. and other places in the tabernacle b From the mercy-seat of the congregation on the first day of the second month in the second year after they
it is but fit and just that God should equal them in punishment and all that therein is and the cattel with the edg of the sword 16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof and shalt burn with fire the city and all the spoil thereof every whit for the LORD thy God e i. e. For the satisfaction of Gods justice the maintenance of his honour and authority and laws and the pacification of his offended Majesty and it shall be an heap for ever it shall not be built again f It shall be an eternal monument of Gods justice and terrour to after ages who may be tempted to like practises 17 And * chap. 7. 〈◊〉 there shall cleave nought of the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 cursed thing g i. e. Of the goods of that accursed city to thine hand that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger and shew thee mercy and have compassion upon thee and multiply thee h So thou shalt have no loss of thy numbers by cutting off so many people as he hath sworn unto thy fathers 18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God CHAP. XIV 1 YE are the children of the LORD your God a Whom therefore you must not disparage by unworthy or unbecoming practises such as here follow and whom you must not disobey * Lev. 19. 28. ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldness between your eyes b Which were the practises of Idolaters both in the worship of their Idols as 1 King 18. 28. or in their funerals as here and Ier. 16. 6. or upon occasion of publick calamities as Ier. 41. 5. and 47. 5. See more on Levit. 19. 27 28. and 21. 5. for the dead c Through excessive sorrow for your dead friends as if you had no hope of their happiness after death 1 Thess. 4. 13. 2 * chap. 7. 6. and 26. 18. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the nations that are upon the earth 3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable d i. e. Unclean and forbidden by me which therefore should be abhominable to you thing 4 * Lev. 11. 2. c. These are the beasts e Of which see on Levit. 11. The small differences between some of their names here and there are not proper for this work The learned reader may find them cleared in my Latin Synopsis For others they may well enough want the knowledge of them both because these are the smaller matters of the Law and because this distinction of clean and unclean beasts is now out of date which ye shall eat the ox the sheep and the goat 5 The hart and the ro-buck and the fallow deer and the wild goat and the ‖ Or bisâ—…n †Heb. dishon pygarg and the wild ox and the chamois 6 And every beast that parteth the hoof and cleaveth the cleft into two claws and cheweth the cud amongst the beasts that ye shall eat 7 Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud or of them that divide the cloven hoof as the camel and the hare and the coney for they chew the cud but divide not the hoof therefore they are unclean unto you 8 And the swine because it divideth the hoof yet cheweth not the cud it is unclean unto you ye shall not eat of their flesh * Lev. 11. 27. nor touch their dead carcase 9 * Lev. 11. 9. These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters all that hath fins and scales shall ye eat 10 And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat it is unclean unto you 11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat 12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat the eagle and the ossifrage and the osprey 13 And the glede and the kite and the vulture after his kind 14 And every raven after his kind 15 And the owl and the night-hawk and the cuckow and the hawk after his kind 16 The little owl and the great owl and the swan 17 And the pelican and the gier-eagle and the cormorant 18 And the stork and the heron after her kind and the lapwing and the * Lev. 11. 19. bat 19 And every creeping thing that flyeth is unclean unto you they shall not be eaten 20 But of all clean fowls ye may eat 21 Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of it self thou shalt give it unto the stranger f Not to the proselyte for such were obliged by this Law Levit. 17. 15. but to such as were strangers in Religion as well as in nation that is in thy gates that he may eat it or thou mayest sell it unto an alien for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God * Exod. 23. 19. and 34. 26. Thou shalt not see the a kid in his mothers milk 22 * chap. 12. 6 â—…7 Thou shalt truly tithe all the encrease of thy seed g This is to be understood of the second tithes which seem to be the same with the tithes of the third year mentioned here below ver 28. and Deut. 26. 12. of which see above on ver 17. And to confirm this opinion though I would not lay too great a stress upon criticismes Yet I cannot but observe that this tithing is spoken of onely as the peoples act here and Deut. 26. 12. and the Levites are not at all mentioned in either place as receivers or takers of them but onely as partakers of them together with the owners and therefore they are so severely charged here upon their consciences thou shalt truly tithe all thine increase because the execution of this was left wholly to themselves whereas the first tithes were received by the Levites who therefore are said to take or receive those tithes Numb 18. 26. Neh. 10. 38. Heb. 7. 5. that the field bringeth forth year by year 23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD h See on Deut. 12. 6 17. thy God in the place which he shall chuse to place his Name there the tithe of thy corn of thy wine and of thine oil and * chap. 15. 19 20. the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God alwayes 24 And if the way be too long for thee so that thou art not able to carry it or if the place be too far from thee which the LORD thy God shall chuse to set his Name there when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee 25 Then shalt thou turn it into money and bind up the mony in thine hand i i. e. In a
wanting of far more large and capacious Buildings than this that have been supported only by one Pillar Particularly Pliny in the 15th Chapter of the 36th Book of his Natural History mentions two Theaters built by one C. Curio who lived in Iulius Cesar's time each of which was supported only by one Pillar or Pin or Hinge though very many thousands of People did sit in it together And much more might Two Pillars suffice to uphold a Building large enough to contain Three thousand persons which is the number mentioned v. 17. Or the Pillars might be made Two in the lower part meerly for Ornament-sake which might easily be so ordered as to support a Third and Main Pillar in the Middle which upheld the whole Fabrick 30 And Samson said Let ‡ Heb. my soul me die with the Philistines r i. e. I am contented to Die so I can but therewith contribute any thing to the Vindication of Gods Glory here trampled upon and to the Deliverance of Gods People This is no example nor encouragement to those that wickedly Murder themselves for Sampson did not desire nor procure his own Death voluntarily but only by meer force and necessity because he did desire and by his Office was obliged to seek the destruction of these Enemies and Blasphemers of God and Oppressors of his People which in these circumstances he could not Effect without his own Death and his Case was not much unlike theirs that in the heaâ—… of Battel run upon the very mouth of the Canon or other evident and certain danger of Deatâ—… to execute a design upon the Enemy or theirs who go in a Fire-ship to destroy the Enemies best Ships though they are sure to Perish in the Enterprize Moreover Sampson did this by Divine Instinct and Approbation as Gods Answer to his Prayer manifests and that he might be a Type of Christ who by voluntarily undergoing Death destroyed the Enemies of God and of his People and he bowed himself with all his might and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people that were therein so the dead which he slew at his death were moe than they which he slew in his life 31 Then his brethren s Either First Largely so called his kinsmen Or Secondly strictly â—…o called Sampson's Parents having had other Children after him as it was usual with God when he gave an extraordinary and unexpected Power of procreating a Child to continue that strength for the Generation or Conception of more Children as in the case of Abraham Gen. 25. 1 2. and Anna 1 Sam. 2. 21. and all the house of his father came down and took him and brought him up and buried him t Which they adventured to do partly because the most barbarous Nations allowed Burial even to their Enemies and would permit this oft-times to be done by their friends partly because Sampson had taken the blame of this Action wholly to himself for which his innocent Relations could not upon any pretence be Punished and principally because they were under such grief and perplexity and consternation for the common Calamity that they had neither heart nor leisure to Revenge themselves of the Israelites but for their own sakes were willing not to disquiet or offend them at least till they were in a better posture to resist them between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father and he judged Israel twenty years t This was said before Iudg. 15. 20. and is here repeated partly to confirm the Relation of it and partly to explain it and to shew when these Twenty years ended even at his Death as is here Noted CHAP. XVII AND there was a man a The things mentioned here and in the following Chapters did not happen in the order in which they are put but much sooner even presently after the Death of the Elders that over-lived Ioshua Iudg. 2. 7. as appears by divers passages as First because the place called Mahaneh-Dan or the camp of Dan Iudg. 13. 25. was so called from that which was done Iudg. 18. 12. Secondly Because the Danites had not yet got all their Inheritance Iudg. 18. 1. which is not credible of them above 300 Years after Ioshuah's Death Thirdly because Phinehas the son of Eleazar was Priest at this time Iudg. 20. 28. who must have been about 350 years old if this had been done after Sampson's Death which is more than improbable of mount Ephraim whose name was ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Micah 2 And he said unto his mother The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee about which thou cursedst b i. e. Didst Curse the Person who had taken them away and that in my hearing as it follows and spakest of also in mine ears behold the silver is with me I took it c The fear of thy Curse makes me acknowledge mine Offence and beg thy Pardon And his mother said Blessed be thou of the LORD d I willingly consent to and beg from God the removal of the Curse and a Blessing instead of it Be thou free from my Curse because thou hast so honestly restored it my son 3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother his mother said I had wholly ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 fied dedicated the silver unto the LORD e In the Hebrew it is Iehovah the incommunicable name of God Whereby it is apparent that neither she nor her Son intended to forsake the true God or his Worship as appears from his rejoycing when he had got a Priest of the Lords appointment of the Tribe of Levi Iudg. 17. 13. but onely to Worship God by an Image which also it is apparent that both the Israelites Exod. 32. 1 c. and Ieroboam afterwards designed to do from my hand for my son f Either First for the honour and benefit of thy self and Family that you need not be continually going to Shiloh to Worship but may do it as well at home by these Images Or Secondly that thou mayest cause these things to be made to which end she restored all the Money to him as it here follows to make a graven image and a molten image g Many think this was but one Image partly Graven and partly Molten But it seems more probable that they were two distinct Images because they are so plainly distinguished Iudg. 18. 17 18. where also some other words come between them It is true the graven image alone is mentioned Iudg. 18. 20 30 31. not exclusively to the other as appears from what is said just before but by a common Synecdoche whereby one is put for all especially where that one is esteemed the chief now therefore I will restore it unto thee h To dispose of as I say 4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother i Though his Mother allowed him to keep it yet he persisted in his resolution
And it came to pass when he made mention of the ark of God that he fell from off the seat backward c Being so oppressed with Grief and Astonishment that he had no Strength left to support him by the side of the gate d To wit the Gate of the City which was most convenient for the speedy understanding of all Occurrences and his neck brake and he died for he was an old man and heavy e Old and therefore weak and apt to fall Heavy and therefore his fall more dangerous and pernicious and he had judged Israel f He was their Supreme Governor both in Civils and Spirituals forty years 19 ¶ And his daughter in law Phinehas wife was with child near ‖ Or to cry out to be delivered and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken and that her father in law and her husband were dead she bowed her self and travelled for her pains ‡ Heb. were turned came upon her g To wit before her time which is oft the effect of great Terrors both in Women and in other Creatures Psal. 29. 9. 20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her Fear not for thou hast born a son But she answered not ‡ Heb. set not her heart neither did she regard it h Being overwhelmed with Sorrow and so uncapable of Comfort 21 And she named the child ‖ That is Where is the glory Ichabod saying ‖ Or There is no glory * Chap. 14 3. The glory i i. e. The glorious Type and assurance of Gods presence the Ark which is oft called Gods Glory as Psal. 26. 8. and 78. 61. Isa. 64. 11. and which was the great safeguard and Ornament of Israel which they could glory in above all other Nations is departed from Israel because the ark of God was taken and because of her father in law and her husband 22 And she said The glory is departed from Israel for the ark of God is taken k This is repeated to shew her Piety and that the Publick and Spiritual loss lay heavier upon her spirit than her Personal or Domestick Calamity CHAP. V. AND the Philistines took the ark of God a Quest. Why were not they immediately killed who touched the Ark as afterwards Uzzah was 2 Sam. 6. 7. Ans. First Because the Sin of the Philistines was not so great because the Law forbidding this was not given or at least was not known to them whereas Uzzah's Fact was a transgression and that of a known Law Secondly Because God designed to reserve the Philistines for a more publick and more shameful punishment which had been prevented by this and brought it from Eben-Ezer b Where they found it in the Camp of the Israelites chap. 4. 1. unto Ashdod c Called also Azotus whither they brought it either because it was the first City in their way or rather because it was a great and famous City and most eminent for the worship of their great God Dagon 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon d Either First Out of respect to it that it might be worshipped together with Dagon Or rather Secondly By way of reproach and contempt of it as a Spoil and Trophy set there to the honour of Dagon to whom doubtless they Ascribed this Victory as they did a former Iudg. 16. 23. And though they had some reverence for the Ark before chap. 4. 7 c. Yet that was certainly much diminished by their success against Israel not withstanding the presence and help of the Ark. 3 ¶ And when they of Ashdod e i. e. The Priests of Dagon arose early on the morrow f Either to worship Dagon according to their manner or being curious and greedy to know whether the Neighbourhood of the Ark to Dagon had made any alteration in either of them that if Dagon had received any Damage they might if possibly they could repair it before it came to the Peoples knowledge as indeed they did to prevent their contempt of that Idol by which the Priests had all their reputation and advantage behold Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD and they took Dagon and set him in his place again g Supposing or pretending that his fall was wholly casual 4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning behold Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off h The head is the Seat of Wisdom the Hands the Instruments of Action both are cut off to shew that he had neither Wisdom nor Strength to Defend himself nor his worshippers Thus the Priests by concealing Dagon's shame before make it more evident and infamous upon the threshold onely ‖ Or the fishy part the stump of Dagon i Heb. Only Dagon i. e. that part of it from which it was called Dagon to wit the Fishy part for Dag in Hebrew signifies a Fish And hence their Opinion seems most probable that this Idol of Dagon had in its upper parts an human shape and in its lower parts the Form of a Fish for such was the Form of divers of the Heathen gods and particularly of a god of the Phoenicians under which Name the Philistines are comprehended as Diodorus Siculus and Lucian both witness though they call it by another Name was left to him k Or upon it i. e. upon the Threshold there the Trunk abode in the place where it fell but the Head and Hands being violently cut off were slung to distant and several places 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any that come into Dagons house tread on the threshold ‡ Of the Temple of l Out of a Religious reverence supposing this place to be Sanctified by the touch of their god who first fell here and being broken here touched it more thoroughly than he did other parts This Superstition of theirs was Noted and Censured long after Zephan 1. 9. Herein they manifested their stupendious Folly both in making a perpetual Monument of their own and Idols shame which in all reason they should rather have buried in eternal Oblivion and in turning a 〈◊〉 and certain Argument of Contempt into an occasion of further Veneration Dagon in Ashdod unto this day m When this History was Written which if Written by Samuel towards the end of his Life was a sufficient ground for this expression this Superstitious usage having then continued for many Years 6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod n For their Incorrigibleness by the foregoing Documents and he destroyed them o Partly by wasting their Land chap. 6. 5. and partly
and special Covenant God himself will hide and keep thee in the secret of his Presence Psal. 31. 20. where no hand of violence can reach thee And therefore all the Attempts of Saul or others against thee are vain and ridiculous For who can Destroy whom God will keep and the souls of thine enemies them shall he sling out ‡ Heb. in the midst of the bought of a sling as out of the middle of a sling d God himself will cut them off suddenly violently and irresistibly and cast them far away both from his Presence and from thy Neighbourhood and from all capacity of doing thee any hurt 30 And it shall come to pass when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel 31 That this shall be ‡ Heb. no staggering or stumbling no grief unto thee nor offence of heart unto my lord e Thy Mind and Conscience will be free from all the Torment which the guilt and shame of such an Action would cause in thee By which she cunningly â—…nsinuates what a Blemish this would be to his Glory what a disturbance to his Peace and Felicity if he proceeded to execute his Purpose and withal implies how sweet and comfortable it would be to him to remember that he had for conscience to God denied himself and restrained his Passions either that thou hast shed blood causless f Which she signifies would be done if he should go on For though Nabal had been guilty of abominable Rudeness Uncharitableness and Ingratitude yet he had done nothing worthy of Death by the Laws of God or of Man And whatsoever he had done the rest of his Family were innocent or that my lord ‡ Heb. saved himself v. 26. hath avenged himself g Which is directly contrary to Gods Law Levit. 19. 18. Deut. 32. 35. compare with Rom. 12. 19. but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord then remember thine handmaid h When God shall make thee King and I shall have occasion to apply my self to thee for Justice or Relief let me find Grace in thy sight and so let me do at this time Or and the Lord will bless my lord and recompence thee for this Mortification of thy Passion and thou wilt remember thine handmaid i. e. Thou wiltst remember my Counsel with satisfaction to thy self and thankfulness to me 32 ¶ And David said unto Abigail Blessed be the LORD God of Israel which sent thee i Which by his gracious and singular Providence so disposed Matters that thou shouldest come to me He rightly begins at the Fountain of this Deliverance which was God and then proceeds to the Instruments this day to meet me 33 And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou k i. e. The Lord bless and recompence thee for this thy good Advice which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood l Which I had sworn to do Hereby it plainly appears That Oaths whereby men bind themselves to any Sin are Null and Void and as it was a Sin to make them so it is adding sin to sin to perform them and from avenging my self with mine own hand 34 For in very deed as the Lord God of Israel liveth which hath kept me back from hurting thee m Not that he intended to Kill her but the Males onely as was noted on v. 22. But their Destruction was a dreadful Affliction and Damage to her except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall 35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him and said unto her Go up in peace to thine house see I have hearkened to thy voice and have accepted thy person n i. e. Shewed my Acceptance of thy Person by my grant of thy Request See Gen. 19. 21 36 ¶ And Abigail came to Nabal and behold he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king o As the manner was upon those Solemn Occasions Sordid Covetousness and vain Prodigality were met together in him and Nabals heart was merry within him for he was very drunken wherefore she told him nothing p He being then uncapable of Admonition his Reason and Conscience being both asleep less or more until the morning light 37 But it came to pass in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal and his wife had told him these things that his heaâ—…t died within him and he became as a stone q He was oppressed with Grief and fainted away through the fear and horror of so great a Mischief though it was past As one who having in the Night galloped over a narrow Plank laid upon a broken Bridge over a steep River when in the Morning he came to review it was struck Dead with the horror of the danger he was in 38 And it came to pass about ten days after that the LORD smote Nabaâ—… that he died r God either inflicted some other stroke or Disease upon him or increased his Grief and Fear to such an height as killed him 39 ¶ And when David heard that Nabal was dead he said Blessed be the LORD that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal s How could David rejoyce at the Death of his Enemy Answ. Although it may be said that he rejoyced not in Nabal's Death as such but onely in the declaration of Gods Justice in Punishing so great a Wickedness which was an honour to God and a document and therefore a benefit to Mankind and so a Publick good and cause of Joy yet the matter is not weighty if we confess that this was another instance of Humane Infirmity iu Duvid and that it is not proposed for our Imitation but for our Caution Yet it may be further said That this was not purely an act of Private Revenge because David was a Publick Person and Anointed King and therefore Nabal's Reproach cast upon David above v. 10 11. was a Contempt of God and of his Ordinance and Appointment which was vindicated by this remarkable Judgment and hath kept his servant from evil t i. e. From the Sin of Bloodshed and Self-revenge v. 33. for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head And David sent u To wit Messengers which he thought fitter than to go himself partly because if he had met with a Repulse it had been less Ignominions and partly because he would leave her to her freedom and choice and would not so much as seem to take her by violence But this doubtless was not done immediately after Nabal's Death but in some convenient space of time after it though such Circumstances be commonly omitted in the Sacred History which gives onely the Heads
l He mentions this as an eminent instance of his disobedience therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day 19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver * Chap. 〈◊〉 Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me m i. e. In the state of the dead and so it was true both of Saul and Ionathan Or in the state of rest for though thou shalt suffer here for thy sin yet after death thou shalt be happy as dying in the Lords quarrel So the Devils design might be to flatter Saul into an opinion of his own future happiness and to take him off from all serious thoughts and cares about it And it is here observable That as it was the manner of the Heathen Oracles to answer ambiguously the better to save his credit in case of mistake the Devil himself not being certain of future events but onely conjecturing at what was most likely so doth this counterfeit Samuel here For as concerning the time he says to morrow which he understood indifferently for the very next day or for some short time after And as concerning the condition thou shalt be with me which may be understood either of a good condition if understood as spoken in the Person of Samuel or of a bad condition if understood as spoken by an evil Spirit or at least indefinitely of a dead condition be it good or evil which last he foresaw by circumstances to be very likely the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines 20 Then Saul ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 haste and iâ—… with the 〈◊〉 ness of his staâ—…ure fell straightway all along on the earth n Being quite dis-spirited with these sad and surprizing tidings and so unable to stand and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel and there was no strength in him for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night 21 ¶ And the woman came unto Saul o From whom she departed when she had brought him and Samuel together that they might more freely converse together as being alone and saw that he was sore troubled and said unto him Behold thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice and I have put my life in my hand and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me 22 Now therefore I pray thee hearken thou also unto the voice of thine hand-maid p This earnestness did not come mecrly from her humanity and respect to Saul but from a prudent and necessary care of her self because if Saul had died in her House his Blood would have been charged upon her and let me set a morsel of bread before thee and eat that thou mayest have strength when thou goest on thy way 23 But he refused and said I will not eat But his servants together with the woman compelled him q i. e. Did over-persuade him by importunate intâ—… 〈◊〉 as the next words shew and he hearkened unto their voice so â—…e arose from the earth and sate upon the bed 24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house and she hasâ—…ed and killed it and took flour and kneaded â—… and did bake unleavened bread r Not having time to Leaven it thereof 25 And she brought it before Saul and before his servants and they did eat then they rose up and went away that night s i. e. Before Morning For he came by Night v. 8. and went away before Day not willing to have it discovered that he had consulted with a Witch CHAP. XXIX NOW the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek a Either that in the Tribe of Asher Ios. 19. 24. or rather another Town of that Name in Issachar though not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture this being the case of many places to be but once Named and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel 2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands but David and his men passed on the rereward with Achish b i. e. As the Life-guard of Achish as he had promised chap. 28. 2. Achish being as it seems thâ—… General of the Army 3 Then said the princes of the Philistines c The Lords of the other eminent Cities and Territories who were confederate with him in this expedition What do these Hebrews here And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines Is not this David the servant of Saul the king of Israel which hath been with me these days or these years d Q. d. did I say Days I might have said Years either because he hath now been with me a full Year and four Months chap. 27. 7. or because he was with me some Years ago 1 Sam. 21. 10. and since that time hath been known to me And it is not improbable but David after his escape from thence might hold some correspondency with Achish as finding him to be a Man of more generous temper than the rest of the Philistines and supposing that he might have need of him for a Refuge in case Saul continued to seek his life and I have ‡ Heb. nothing in him Iohn 14. 30. found no fault in him since he fell unto me i. e. Since he revolted or left his own King to turn to me For that sense Achish put upon this escape of David as it is called chap. 27. 1. and so is the Phrase of falling to a party elsewhere used Ier. 37. 13 14. unto this day 4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him e Were unsatisfied and offended with Achish for this intention and declaration and the princes of the Philistines said unto him * 1 Chr. 12. 19. Make this fellow return that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him f Herein the Wiâ—…e and Gracious Providence of God appeared both in helping him out of those snares and difficulties out of which no human wit could have extricated him but he must either have been or have been thought to be a Traitor and an ungrateful unworthy person either to the one or to the other side and moreover in giving him the happy opportunity of recovering his own and his All from the Amalekites which had been irrecoverably lost if he had gone into this Battel And the kindness of God to David was the greater because it had been 〈◊〉 â—…ust for God to have left David in all those Distresses into which his own sinful counsel and course had brought him and let him not go down with us to battel lest in the battel he be an adversary to us for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master should it not be with the heads of these men g i. e. Of these our Soldiers They speak according to the rules of Reason and true Policy for by this very course great Enemies have sometimes
now said heard ‖ Or â—…ing him of that which the Philistines had done to Saul 12 All the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the walls of Beth-shan and came to Jabesh and * Jer. 34. 5. burnt them there l Burnt their flesh after the manner 13 And they took their bones and * 2 Sam 24 and 21. 12 1â—… buried them under a tree at Jabesh and fasted seven days m To testifie their sorrow for the publick loss of Saul and of the people of God and to intreat Gods favour to prevent the utter Extinction of his People But you must not understand this word of fasting strictly as if they eat nothing for Seven whole days but in a more large and general sense as it is used both in Sacred and Profane Writers that they did Eat but little and that seldome and that but mean Food and drunk onely Water for that time II. SAMUEL CHAP. I. NOW it came to pass after the death of Saul when David was returned from * 1 Sam. 30. 17. the slaughter of the Amalekites and David had abode two days in Ziklag a Which though burnt yet was not so consumed by the Fire that David and his men could not lodge in it 2 It came even to pass on the third day b From David's return to Ziklag as the foregoing words manifest that behold a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent and earth upon his head c Pretending sorrow for the loss of Gods People in compliance with David's humour and so it was when he came to David that he fell to the earth and did obeisance 3 And David said unto him From whence comest thou And he said unto him Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped 4 And David said unto him ‡ Heb. what was c. How went the matter I pray thee tell me And he answered That the people are fled from the battel and many of the people also are fallen and dead and Saul and Jonathan his â—…on d He mentions onely these two as those who seemed most to obstruct David's coming to the Crown are dead also 5 And David said unto the young man that told him How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead e For the knowledge of this did most concern both David and the whole Commonwealth of Israel 6 And the young man that told him said As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa behold Saul leaned upon his spear and lo the chariots and ‡ Heb. Masters or Captains of the horsemen horsemen followed hard after him 7 And when he looked behind him he saw me and called unto me and I answered ‡ Heb. Behold me Here am I. 8 And he said unto me Who art thou and I answered him I am an Amalekite 9 He said unto me again Stand I pray thee upon me f i. e. Lean upon me with thy weight and force that the Speaâ—… may come through me Or stay by me i. e. Stop thy flight and tarry so long with me till thou hast killed me and slay me for ‖ Or my coat of Mail or my embroidered coat hindereth me that my c. anguish is come upon me g i. e. I am in great pain of Body and anguish of Mind Or thus my coat of mail or embroydered coat hath hindred me that the Spear could not pierce into me Thus divers both Hebrew and other Learned Expositors understand it because my life is yet whole within me h I am heart-whole and not likely to die as well as not willing to live 10 So I stood upon him and slew him i because I was sure that he could not live after that he was saln k It is most probable this was a Lye devised to gain David's favour as he supposed For 1. Saul was not killed by a Spear as he pretends but by his Sword 1 Sam. 31. 4. 2. It is expresly said That Saul's Armour-bearer being yet living saw that Saul was dead 1 Sam. 31. 5. which doubtless he would very thoroughly examine and know before he would kill himself upon that account as he did 3. Saul's death is manifestly ascribed to his own action even to his falling upon his Sword v. 4 5. and I took the crown that was upon his head l Not that he then wore it which would have exposed him too much and that unnecessarily to the Rage of the Philistines but that he used to wear it It is not likely that he found it now actually upon Saul's Head but that he met with it in some part of the Camp whitheâ—… Saul had brought it to wear it when he saw fit and the bracelet that was on his arm and have brought them hither unto my lord m Unto thee whom now Saul is dead I own for my Lord and King k This he addeth by way of caution and excuse that it might be thought an act of necessity and kindness and not of choice or ill-will that he killed Saul But here also he betrays himself for how could this be true when Saul's life was whole within him as he had now said v. 9 11 Then David took hold on his clothes and * Chap. 3. 31. and 13. 31. rent them and likewise all the men that were with him 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until even for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel because they were fallen by the sword 13 ¶ And David said unto the young man that told him Whence art thou n David heard and knew before what he was but he asked it again judicially in order to his Tryal and Punishment And he answered I am the son of a stranger an Amalekite 14 And David said unto him * Psal 105. 15. How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORDS anointed o Why didst not thou refuse to kill him as his Armour-bearer had done For notwithstanding his great danger something might have fallen out through Gods All-disposing Providence whereby his Life might have been preserved 15 And David called one of the young men and said Go near and fall upon him And he smote him that he died 16 And David said unto him Thy blood be upon thy head p The guilt of thy blood-shed or death lies upon thy self not upon me for thy mouth hath testified against thee saying I have slain the LORDS anointed q Thy free and voluntary Confeâ—…sion is sufficient proof of thy guilt in killing the King 17 ¶ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18 ¶ Also r Having mentioned David's Lamentation in general before he comes to the particular description of it he interposeth poseth this Verse by way of
give him cause of further suspition Yet such might be the Questions though not here particularly mentioned concerning those Heads as every private person might not be acquainted with nor able to resolve but such onely as were acquainted with the Counsel of War 8 And David said to Uriah Go down to thy house q Not doubting but he would there Converse with his Wife and so cover their Sin and Shame and wash thy feet r As Travellers there used to do And Uriah departed out of the kings house and there ‡ Heb. went out after him followed him a mess of meat from the king s Seemingly as a Testimony of David's respect and Affection to him but really to cheer up his Spirits and dispose him to desire his Wives company 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the kings house with all the servants of his lord t With the King's Guard This he did either upon some suspition of the matter See v. 7. Or by the secret direction of Gods wise and irresistible Providence who would bring David's Sin to light and went not down to his house 10 And when they had told * Whether of their own accord or being first asked by David it doth not appear David saying Uriah went not down unto his house David said unto Uriah Camest thou not from thy journey u Wearied with hard service and Travel and therefore didst need refreshment nor did I expect or desire that thou shouldest now attend upon my Person or keep the Watch. why then didst thou not go down unto thine house 11 And Uriah said unto David The ark x Which it seems was now carried with them for their encouragement and direction as was usual See Numb 10. 35. 1 Sam. 4. 4. and Israel and Judah abide in tents and * Chap. 20. 6. my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields y To wit in Tents which are in the Fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife z He might possibly add these words to insinuate his apprehension of the King's Design and to awaken his Conscience to the consideration of his Sin and of the Injury which he had done him His meaning is Now when God's People are in a doubtful and dangerous Condition it becomes me to Sympathize with them and to abstain even from lawful Delights Whereby he might possibly intimate how unworthy it was for David in such a season to indulge himself in sinful and injurious Pleasures But David's Ear was now Deaf his Heart being hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 12 And David said to Uriah Tarry here to day also and to morrow I will let thee depart So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day and the morrow 13 And when David had called him ▪ i. e. Being invited by David he did eat and drink before him and he made him drunk a Or he made him merry as the Word oft signifies He caused him to Drink more than was convenient and at even he went out to lie on his bed b Which it doth not appear that he did the Night before but now his Excess in Eating and Drinking might make it more necessary for him with the servants of his lord c i. e. In some Chamber in the King's Court where the Kings Servants used to take their Repose but went not down to his house 14 And it came to pass in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah 15 And he wrote in the letter saying Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the ‡ Heb. strong hottest battel and retire ye ‡ Heb. from after him from him that he may be smitten and die d So far is David from Repenting upon these just and great Occasions that he seeks to cover one Sin with another and to hide his Adultery with Murder even the Murder of a most Excellent Person and that in a most Malicious and Perfidious manner 16 And it came to pass when Joab observed the city that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were e Placed there to defend it because that part of the City was supposed either the weakest or the place designed for the Assault Ioab having formerly committed a base Murder upon Abner was ready to execute this wicked Command of the King that so he being involved in the same Guilt with him might the more willingly receive him into favour 17 And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab and there fell some of the people of the servants of David and Uriah the Hittite died also 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war 19 And charged the messenger saying When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king 20 And if so be that the kings wrath arise and he say unto thee Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall 21 Who smote * Judg. 9. 53 Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth ▪ Called also Ierubbaal Iudg. 9. 1. See the note on 2 Sam. 2. 8. did not a woman cast a piece of a milstone upon him from the wall that he died in Thebez why went ye nigh the wall then say thou Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also f Which he knew would be acceptable news to the King and therefore allay his Wrath. This indeed might make the Messenger suspect that David had an hand in Uriah's Death and possibly Ioab might say so for that very reason that these matters by degrees being known David might be hardned in Sin and so Ioab might have the greater interest in him 22 So the messenger went and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for 23 And the messenger said unto David Surely the men prevailed against us and came out unto us into the field and we were upon them even unto the entring of the gate g We beat them back and pursued them even to the Gate 24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants and some of the kings servants be dead and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also 25 Then David said unto the messenger Thus shalt thou say unto Joab Let not this thing ‡ Heb. be 〈◊〉 in thine 〈◊〉 displease thee h Be not dejected or discouraged by this sad occasion for the sword devoureth †one as ‡ Heb. So 〈◊〉 such well as another make thy battel more strong against the city and overthrow it and encourage thou him i i. e. Ioab to proceed in the Siege 26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead she mourned
God of my rock in him will I trust he is my shield and the horn of my salvation my high tower and my refuge my saviour thou savest me from violence 4 I will call on the LORD who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved from mine enemies 5 When the ‖ Or pangs waves of death compassed me the floods of ‡ Heb. Belial ungodly men made me afraid 6 The ‖ Or cords sorrows of hell compassed me about the sâ—…ares of death prevented me 7 In my distress I called upon the LORD and cried to my God and he did hear my voice out of his temple and my cry did enter into his ears 8 Then the earth shook and trembled the foundations of heaven moved and shook because he was wroth 9 There went up a smoke ‡ Heb. by out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured coals were kindled by it 10 He bowed the heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet 11 And he rode upon a cherub and did flie and he was seen upon the wings of the wind 12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him ‡ Heb. binding of waters dark waters and thick clouds of the skies 13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled 14 The LORD thundred from heaven and the most High uttered his voice 15 And he sent out arrows and scattered them lightning and discomfited them 16 And the chanels of the sea appeared the foundations of the world were discovered at the rebuking of the LORD at the blast of the breath of his nostrils 17 He sent from above he took me he drew me out of ‖ Or great many waters 18 He delivered me from my strong enemy and from them that hated me for they were too strong for me 19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity but the LORD was my stay 20 He brought me forth also into a large place he delivered me because he delighted in me 21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God 23 For all his judgments were before me and as for his statutes I did not depart from them 24 I was also ‖ Or perfect upright ‡ Heb. to him before him and have kept my self from mine iniquity 25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness according to my cleanness ‡ Heb. before his eyes in his eye-sight 26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful and with the upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright 27 With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward thou wilt ‖ Or wrestle Psal. 18. 20. shew thy self unsavoury 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save but thine eyes are upon the haughty that thou mayest bring them down 29 For thou art my ‖ Or candle lamp O LORD and the LORD will lighten my darkness 30 For by thee I have ‖ Or broken a troop run through a troop by my God have I leaped over a wall 31 As for God his way is perfect the word of the LORD is ‖ Or refined tried he is a buckler to all them that trust in him 32 For who is God save the LORD and who is a rock save our God 33 God is my strength and power and he ‡ Heb. riddeth or looseth maketh my way perfect 34 He ‡ Heb. equalleth maketh my feet like hinds feet and setteth me upon my high places 35 He teacheth my hands ‡ Heb. for the war to war so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms 36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation and ‡ Heb. thy hearkning to me So Gr. thy gentleness hath ‡ Heb. multiplied me made me great 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me so that my ‡ Heb. ankles feet did not slip 38 I have pursued mine enemies and destroyed them and turned not again until I had consumed them 39 And I have consumed them and wounded them that they could not arise yea they are fallen under my feet 40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battel them that rose up against me hast thou ‡ Heb. caused to bow subdued under me 41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies that I might destroy them that hate me 42 They looked but there was none to save even unto the LORD but he answered them not 43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth I did stamp them as the mire of the street and did spread them abroad 44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen a people which I knew not shall serve me 45 ‡ Heb. sons of the stranger Strangers shall ‖ Or yield feigned obedience ‡ Heb. lie submit themselves unto me assoon as they hear they shall be obedient unto me 46 Strangers shall fade away and they shall be afraid out of their close places 47 The LORD liveth and blessed be my rock and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation 48 It is God that ‡ Heb. giveth avengement for me avengeth me and that bringeth down the people under me 49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me thou hast delivered me from the violent man 50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee O LORD among * Rom. 15. 9. the heathen and I will sing praises unto thy name 51 He is the tower of salvation for his king and sheweth mercy to his anointed unto David and * Chap. 7. 12. to his seed for evermore CHAP. XXIII NOw these be the last words of David a Not simply the last that he spoke but some of the last uttered in his last days upon the approach of his death or the last which he spake by the Spirit of God assisting and directing him in an extraordinary manner David the son of Jesse said and the man who was raised up on high b Advanced from an obscure Family and Estate to the Kingdom the anointed of the God of Jacob c Whom though despised by Men and rejected by his own Brethren God himself singled out from all his Fathers House and out of all the Families and Tribes of Israel and anointed to be King and the sweet psalmist of Israel d Or sweet or delightful or amiable in the Songs of Israel Either First As the object of them he whom the people of Israel mentioned in their Songs with joy and praise as when they Sung Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands and many others which doubtless they made and Sung concerning him upon
others 21 And she said Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother u By the Father's side whom Brotherly Affection and Relation obligeth thee to gratifie at least in small things to wise 22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother And why doest thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah ask for him the kingdom also x His Design is not upon Abishag but upon the Kingdom which by this means he thinks to recover partly because she was the last Kings Wife or Concubine which might strengthen his Pretence to the Crown See 2 Sam. 3. 7. and 12. 8. and 16. 21. and partly because by her eminent Beauty and near Relation to David she had a powerful Interest in the Court Quest. Was not this too harsh a Censure and the following Punishment of it too severe Answ. 1. That Adonijah had such a Design is very probable both from his Temper for he was an aspiring and Designing Man and highly discontented with Solomon's Government and desirous of a Change and from the nature of the thing because he would not have made so daring and presumptâ—…ous a Request if he had not some great Design in it 2. It is very likely from the following words though not expressed that he and Ioab and Abiathar were engaged in some Design against Solomon and that Solomon had got Information of it and therefore he did and might reasonably take this for an Indication and the first overt-act of his Treason 3. Solomon did not Pardon Adonijah s Treason simply and absolutely but upon condition that he carried himself worthily Chap. 1. 52. and this being confessedly a bold and unworthy Action and arguing more considence and presumption than became him and carrying in it the appearance and intention of an Incestuous Marriage he might justly revive his Guilt and take this occasion to Execute the Sentence which he formerly deserved If it be said That it is very improbable that Adonijah should expect to get the Kingdom from Solomon who was so firmly Established in it with universal Applause it may be answered That Adonijah was not the onely man that hath fed himself with vain hopes and engaged himself in high and Treasonable Designs where to other wise Men there was but little likelihood of Success and that he might now be onely laying the Foundation of what he further intended when he saw a fit time and getting a pretence for his future Attempts upon the Crown either when Solomon should lose the Peoples Affections as David had done or when Solomon should die which also Adonijah might secretly procure and hasten and he had onely Solomon's young and tender Son to contest with All which and many other things Solomon in his great Wisdom might easily discern yea or have some secret Intelligence of though it be not Recorded for he is mine elder brother y He looks upon the Kingdom as his by Nature and Birth-right and the Law of Nations and therefore he may seek to recover his own and to cast me ouâ—… as an Usarper even for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab the son of Zeruiah z Who have all an hand in the Plot though he alone appear in it which appears the more likely because of Solomon's proceeding against them all at the same time as appears in the following Verses 23 Then king Solomon sware by the LORD a Once here and again ver 24. Which he did to oblige himself irrevocably to it and to prevent all Intercessions for his Life it being of so great importance to him saying * Ruth 1. 17. God do so to me and more also if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life 24 Now therefore as the LORD liveth which hath established me and set me on the throne of David my father b Though Adonijah be my elder Brother yet I have an undoubted Right and Title to the Crown and that from the promise and appointment of that God who disposeth of all Kingdoms and especially this of Israel to whom he pleaâ—…eth and therefore Adonijah in this and his former Attempt is guilty of Treason against me and of Rebellion against God and who hath made me an house c Either 1. who hath given me Posterity as that Phrase is used Exod. 1. 21. and elsewhere for Rehoboam most probably was born before this time by comparing 1 King 14. 21. Or rather 2. who hath Established me in the House and Throne of David which he thus expresseth to signifie that God had fulfilled in and to him that Promise which he made to David in 2 Sam. 7. 11. where the same Phrase is used and where it doth not so much signifie the giving of David Posterity which he had sufficiently before that time as the settlement of the Crown in him and his Seed as he * 2 Sam. 17. 12 13. promised Adonijah shall be put to death this day d For he knew delays were dangerous in matters of that Nature 25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoâ—…ada e For the Execution of Justice was not then 〈◊〉 to obscure persons as now it is but to persons of great Honour and Authority See Iudg. 8. 21. 1 Sam. 22. 18. 2 Sam. 1. 15. and 4. 12. and he gell upon him f With a Sword or other Instrument of Death as below ver 32 34 46. that he died 26 ¶ And unto Abiathar the priest said the king Get thee to Anathoth g A City of the Priests Iosh. 21. 18. to lead a private life there unto thine own fields h Either that part of the Suburbs which fell to his share or other Land which he had purchased there See Ier. 32. 7. for thou art ‡ Heb. a man of death worthy of death but I will not at this time i He doth not fully Pardon him but onely forbears him and reserves to himself a liberty of Punishing him afterwards if he saw occasion which he doth to keep him in awe that he might not dare to raise or foment Discontents or Tumults among the People which otherwise he might be prone to do put thee to death because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father k When he thought fit to carry it out with him as 2 Sam. 15. 24 29. 1 Chron. 15. 11 12. when he as High-priest was to attend upon it Thus Solomon sheweth his respect to his Sacred Function and because * 1 Sam. 22. 20. thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted l Here he mixeth Mercy with Justice and requires Abiathar's former kindness to David hereby reaching Princes that they should not Write Injuries in Marble and Benefits in Sand or Water as they have been too oft observed to do 27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD m Either from his Office or
the baseness and cowardise of their King but meerly from the Righteous and Dreadful Judgment of God who was now resolved to reckon with them for their filthy Apostacy are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria and Joash his son reigned in his stead 10 ¶ In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah o By which compared with v. 1. it may be gathered that Iehoahaz had two or three Years before his death made his Son Iehoash King with him which is very probable because he was perpetually in the state of War and consequently in danger of an untimely death and because he was a Man of valour as is implied here ver 12. and declared 2 Chron 25. began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria and reigned sixteen years 11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat who made Israel sin but he walked therein 12 And the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 13 And Joash slept with his fathers and Jeroboam sat upon his throne and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel 14 ¶ Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died and Joash the king of Israel came down unto him and wept over his face p Noâ—… for any true Love and Respect to him for then he would have followed his counsel in forsaking the Calves and returning to the Lord but for his own and the Kingdoms inestimable loss in him and said O my father my father the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof q See 2 King 2. 12. 15 And Elisha said unto him Take bow and arrows And he took unto him bow and arrows 16 And he said to the king of Israel ‡ Heb. Make thine hand to ride Put thine hand upon the bow And he put his hand upon it and Elisha put his hands upon the kings hands 17 And he said Open the window east-ward r Either towards Syria which lay North-East-ward from the Land of Israel or towards the Israelites Land beyond Iordan which lay East-ward from Canaan and which was now possessed by the Syrians Either way this Arrow is shot against the Syrians as a token what God intended to do against them and he opened it Then Elisha said Shoot and he shot And he said The arrow of the LORDS deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek s Not in the City but in the Territory of it where it seems there was a great Battel to be fought between the Israelites and Syrians Of Aphek see 1 Sam. 4. 1. and 29. 1 1 King 20. 30. though it is possible there might be several Cities of that name Or as in Aphek i. e. thou shalt smite them as they were smitten in the City and Territory of Aphek i. e. utterly destroy them See 1 King 20. 26 29 30. the Particle as being oft understood as hath been formerly and frequently proved till thou have consumed them t i. e. The Syrians not all that people but their Armies or at least that which was to be at Aphek where a dreadful Battel was to be fought Or if this be meant of all the Syrian Armies this is to be understood conditionally if he did not hinder it by his unbelief or neglect signified in the following Verses 18 And he said Take the arrows and he took them And he said unto the king of Israel Smite upon the ground u The former sign portended Victory and this was to declare the number of the Victories and he smote thrice and stayed 19 And the man of God was wroth with him and said Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice x Quest. Wherein was Iehoash his fault or why was the Propher angry with him Ans. The Prophet himself did not yet know how many Victories Iehoash should obtain against the Syrians but God had signified to him that he should learn that by the number of the Kings strokes And he was angry with him not simply because he smote onely thrice but because by his unbelief and Idolatry he provoked God so to over-rule his heart and hand that he should smite but thrice which was a token that God would assist him no further Although his smiting but thrice might proceed either from his unbelief or negligence For by the former sign and the Prophets Comment upon it he might clearly perceive that this also was intended as a sign of his success against the Syrians and therefore he ought to have done it frequently and vehemently 20 ¶ And Elisha died and they buried him y In or near Samaria and the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year z In the Spring when the Fruits of the Earth grew ripe 21 And it came to pass as they were burying Or were about to bury as that Particle is oft used in the Hebrew Tongue a man that behold they spied a band of men a Coming towards them but at some distance and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha b Not daring to carry the dead Corps further to the place appointed for his burial they made use of the next burying-place where Elisha was buried and there they removed some Stone or opened some Door and hastily flung down their dead Corps there and when the man c i. e. The mans dead Body or the Coffin in which he was put ‡ Heb. went down was let down and touched the bones of Elisha d Which might easily be the Coffin and Linen in which Elisha's Body was put and the Flesh of his Body being now consumed for this was some considerable time after his death he revived and stood up on his feet e Which Miracle God wrought there partly to do honour to that great Prophet and that by this Seal he might confirm his Doctrine and thereby confute the false Doctrine and Worship of the Israelites partly to strengthen the Faith of Ioash and of the Israelites in his promise of their success against the Syrians and partly in the midst of all their Calamities to comfort such Israelites as were Elisha's followers with the hopes of that Eternal life whereof this was a manifest pledge and to awaken the rest of that people to a due care and preparation for it 22 ¶ But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz 23 And the LORD was gracious unto them and
this Relation ver 9. That when he heard of Tirhakah he sent messengers to Hezekiah pretending as if he would forthwith come against him but it is not said that he did so nor is it set down what he did with Tirhakah because the Design of the Sacred Writer was onely to write the History of the Iewish Nation not of others but onely with respect to them Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves and in the second year that which springeth of the same and in the third year z This was an excellent Sign for it was miraculous especially considering the waste and havock which the Assyrians had made in the Land and that the Iews had been forced to retire into their strong Hold and consequently to neglect their Tilling and Sowing and Reaping and yet this Year they should have sufficient Provision from those Fruits of the Earth which the Assyrian left and the Second Year which probably was the Year of Release in which they might neither Sow nor Reap from such Fruits as the Earth brought forth of its own accord and so in the Third Year sow ye and reap and plant vineyards and eat the fruits thereof a You shall not Sow and another Reap as lately you did but you shall Enjoy the Fruit of your own Labours 30 And ‡ Heb. the escaping of the House of judah that remaineth the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward and bear fruit upward b i. e. Shall increase and multiply greatly A Metaphor from Planâ—… Comp. Iob 29. 19. 31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant c That handful of Iews who now were gathered together and shut up in Ierusalem shall go out to their several Habitations and by my singular Blessing increase exceedingly and ‡ Heb. the escaping they that escape out of mount Sion d The same thing expressed in other words which is usual in the Hebrew Language * 〈◊〉 9. 7. the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this Although when you reflect upon your selves and consider either your present fewness and weakness or your great unworthiness this may seem too great a Blessing for you to expect or believe yet God will do it from the zeal which he hath both for his own Name to Vindicate it from the Blasphemous Reproaches of the Assyrians and for the good of his undeserving People 32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria He shall not come into this city nor shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shield nor cast a bank against it e Which was true though he sent Rabshakeh and others with a great Host against Ierusalem Chap. 18. 17. Either because that Host went away with Rabshakeh to Libnah above ver 8. Or rather because that Army did not form a close Siege against it but onely Marched towards it and disposed themselves so as to block it up at some distance possibly waiting till the King of Assyria had taken Libnah and Lachish which they presumed he would speedily do and should come up with the rest of his Forces when they intended to fall more vigorously to their work 33 By the way that he came by the same shall he return f Whereas he expected to devour the Kingdom of Iudah at one Morsel and then to proceed further and to Conquer Egypt or other Neighbouring Countries and as it is said of him and concerning this very time and design Isa. 10. 7. To cut off nations not a few he shall meet with so sad a disappointment and rebuke here that he shall make haste to return with shame to his own Country and shall not come into the city saith the LORD 34 For * Chap. 20. 6. I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake and * 1 King 11. 1â—… 13. for my servant David's sake g For my Promise and Covenants-sake made with David concerning the Stability and Eternity of his Kingdom See 1 King 11. 12 13. 35 ¶ And * 〈◊〉 37. 36. it came to pass that night h Either 1. In the Night following this Message of the Prophet to Hezekiah Or 2. In that famous Night when God Destroyed the Assyrians it was done in this manner For such Expressions are oft used of an indefinite and uncertain time as that day is frequently taken as Isa. 4. 1. and 26. 1. and 27. 1 c. that the angel of the LORD went out and smote i With Pestilence or some other sudden and Mortal stroke in the camp of the Assyrians k Either before Libnah or in some other place near Ierusalem where they were Encamped an hundred fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed l Whom God spared not in Mercy but in Wrath reserving him to a more dreadful and shameful Death by the hands of his own Children and went and returned and dwelt at Nineveh 37 And it came to pass as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword and they escaped into the land of ‡ Heb. Ararat Armenia m Which was a place most fit for their purpose because it was near to that part of Assyria and was very Mountainous and inaccessible by Armies and the people more stout and warlike and constant Enemies to the Assyrians and * Ezra 4. 2. Esarhaddon n Who sent great supplies to his new Colony in Samaria Ezra 4. 2. fearing it seems lest Hezekiah should improve the last great advantage to disturb his new Conquests there his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XX. IN * 2 Ch 32. 24. Isa. 3â—… 1. those days a i. e. In that Year of the Assyrian Invasion as is manifest from hence that that was in Hezekiah's 14th Year chap. 18. 13. and God now added 15 Years more to him chap. 20. 6. and yet Hezekiah Reigned onely 29 Years in all chap. 18. 2. And this happened Either First After the destruction of Sennacherib's Army Or Secondly Before it as may be thought from v. 6. where he speaks of his deliverance from the King of Assyria as a future thing It is true that when Hezekiah received that insolent Message from the Assyrian he was in health and went into the Temple to pray ch 19. 14. but there might be time more than enough for this sickness and recovery between that threatning and this destruction of the Assyrian was Hezekiah sick unto death and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him and said unto him Thus saith the LORD ‡ Heb. Give charge concerning thine house Set thine house in order b Take care to make thy Will and to settle the Affairs of thy Family and Kingdom which
blessings which by thy great goodness they obtained and enjoyed f i. e. Neglected and despised them would not regard nor observe them whereas they should have had them continually before their eyes to direct and govern them Compare Psal. 50. 17. Ezek. 23. 35. 26 Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee * 1 Kin. 14. 9. cast thy law behind their backs f Of which see on Levit. 18. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. and slew thy * 1 Kin. 19. 10. prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations 27 * Judg. 2. 14. 3. 8. c. Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies who vexed them and in the time of their trouble when they cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the hand of their enemies 28 But after they had rest †Heb. they returned to dâ—… evil they did evil again before thee therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies so that they had the dominion over them yet when they returned and cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies 29 And testifiedst against them that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law yet they dealt proudly and hearkned not unto thy commandments but sinned against thy judgments which if a man do he shall live in them f Of which see on Levit. 18. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 1â—… and †Heb. 〈◊〉 gave a withdrawing â—…oulder withdrew the shoulder and hardened their neck g i. e. Would not submit to thy yoke like stubborn oxen and would not hear 30 Yet many years didst thou †Heb. protract over them forbear them h i. e. Thou didst delay to bring upon them these judgments which thou hadst threatned and they had deserved and didst wait for their repentance and testifiedst * 2 Kin. 17. 13. against them by thy spirit †Heb. in the hand of thy prophets in thy prophets i By thy prophets who spake to them by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit whom therefore they should have obeyed yet would they not give ear k i. e. Would not obey them nor would they vouchsafe so much as to hear them therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands 2 Chr. 36. 15. 31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them for thou art a gracious and merciful God 32. Now there ore our God the great * Exod. 3â—… 6 7. the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy l i. e. Covenanted mercy or thy covenant of mercy and peace Or he adds mercy because the covenant in its self was not a sufficient ground of hope because they having so basely broken it God was discharged from keeping it and therefore they fly to Gods free and rich mercy for relief let not all the †Heb. weariness trouble seem little before thee m Do not thou account it small and insufficient for our punishment and that it is fit to continue and encrease it †Heb. that hath found us that hath come upon us on our kings on our princes and on our priests and on our prophets and on our fathers and on all thy people since the time of the kings of Assyria n Strictly and properly so called for from them was the beginning of all the calamities both of Iudah and of Israel as appears from 2. Kings 15. 19. and 18. 13. Or the kings of Babylon so called a Chron. 33. 11. unto this day 33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly 34 Neither have our kings our princes our priests nor our fa ther 's kept thy law nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testifie against them 35 For they have not served thee in their kingdom and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them o i. e. Which thou didst lay open to their view and possession removing their enemies and all impediments out of the way neither turned they from their wicked works 36 Behold we are servants this day and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof behold we are servants in it p In that land wherein heretofore under thee and by thy favour we were rightful lords and owners 37 And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us q We plow and sow and labour and thou givest thy blessing to our indeavors and yet in a great measure this is not for our selves as formerly it was but for our kings to whom we pay great heavy tributes for these things of which see Ezra 6. 8. and 7. 24. because of our sins also they have dominion over our bodies and over our cattel r Pressing or foreing both us and our beasts to go and do what they please at their pleasure and we are in great distress 38 And because of all this s Because all this misery lies upon us for our sins we do heartily repent of them resolve to forsake them we make a sure covenant t Or we faithfully promise and engage our selves to future obedience and write it and our princes Levites and priests †Heb. are at the sealing or sealed seal unto it CHAP. X. 1 NOW †Heb. at the sealings or over the sealers those that sealed a Both in their own names and in the name of all the rest It may seem strange that Ezra doth not appear among them But that might be because he was prevented either by death or by some sickness or other extraordinary impediment for which we have this presumption that whereas Ezra appears and preacheth and prayeth with Ieshua and Bani c. before the feast of Tabernacles 〈◊〉 8. v. 4 c. We have no mention of him ch 9. but the whole work of that solemn fast day was managed by them alone without any mention of Ezra whose name would not have been omitted if he had been then present It is true we meet with Ezra after this at the dedication of the wall of Ierusalem ch 12 36. and therefore he was then freed from this impediment whatsoever it was but thence it appears that he was not dead were Nehemiah ‖ Or the Governor the Tirshatha b This is added to distinguish him from others of that name whereof we have one Ne. 3. 16. the son of Hachaliah and Zidkijah 2 Serajah Azariah Jeremiah 3 Pashur Amariah Malchijah 4 Hattush Shebaniah Malluch
to whom I imparted all my Thoughts and Counsels and Concerns abhorred me and they whom I loved u Sincerely and fervently which they so ill require He saith not they who loved me for their love had it been true would have continued in his affliction as well as in his prosperity are turned against me 20. * Chap. 30. 30. Psal. 102. 5. Lam. 4. 8. My bone x i. e. My bones the Singular collectively put for the Plural as Chap. 2. 5. Prov. 15. 30. cleaveth to my skin y To wit immediately the fat and flesh next to the skin being consumed The sense is I am worn to skin and bone See the same phrase Psalm 102. 5. Or as the Particle and being often so used as hath been observed before to my flesh i. e. either as formerly it clave to my flesh Or as near and as closely as it doth to these remainders of flesh which are left in my inward parts ‖ Or as and to my flesh z and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth a I am scarce sound and whole and free from sores in any part of my skin except that of my Jaws which holdeth and covereth the roots of my Teeth This being as divers observe the Devils Policy to leave his mouth untouched that he might more freely express his mind and vent his blasphemies against God which he supposed sharp pain would force him to do and which he knew would be of pernicious consequence not onely to Iob but to others also 21. Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my friends b For such you have been and still pretend to be and therefore fulfil that relation and if you will not help me yet at least pity me for the hand of God hath touched c i. e. Smitten or afflicted me sorely as this word is oft used as Chap. 1. 11. Psalm 104. 32. me 22. Why do ye persecute me as God d Either 1. as God doth or rather 2. as if you were gods and not men as if you had the same infinite knowledge which God hath whereby you can search my heart and know my hypocrisie and the same soveraign and absolute Authority to say and do what you please with me without giving any reason or account of it which is indeed the Prerogative of the great God but it belongs not to you who are men and therefore liable to mistake and mis-judging and such as must give an account to God of all their words and carriages towards their Brethren and particularly towards persons in affliction and withal subject to the same Diseases and Calamities under which I groan and therefore may need the pity which I expect from you and are not satisfied with my flesh e i. e. With the consumption and torment of my whole body but add to it the vexation of my spirit by grievous reproaches and censures but are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Liâ—… that are not contented with devouring the 〈◊〉 of their pâ—…y but also break their bones 23. †Heb. who will give c. Oh that my words f Either 1. the following and famous confession of his Faith v. 25 c. Or rather 2. all his foregoing discourses with his Friends which he was so far from disowning or being ashamed of that he was desirous that all Ages should know that they might judge between him and them whose Cause was better and whose Arguments were stronger were now written oh that they were printed in a book 24 That they were graven with an iron pen g Of which also there is mention Ier. 17. 1. and lead h Or or lead or with lead the Particle and being oft so used as Gen. 4. 20. Exod. 1. 6. Ier. 22. 7. For this Lead may be either 1. the Writing-pen which might be either of Iron or of Lead For though Lead be of it self too soft yet there was an Art of tempering Lead with other Metals to such a degree of hardness that it could pierce into a Rock as they did also temper Brass so that they could make Bows and Swords of them Or 2. the Writing-table for the Ancients did use to write divers things in Lead as is well known Or 3. the Writing-Ink as I may call it For they used to grave the Letters in a Stone with an Iron Tool and then to fill up the Cuts or Furrows made in the Stone with Lead that the Words might be more plainly seen and read in the rock for ever 25. For i This is the reason of his great Confidence in the goodness of his Cause and his willingness to have the matter depending between him and his Friends published and submitted to any Tryal because he had a living and powerful Redeemer to plead his Cause and vindicate his person from all their severe censures and to give sentence for him I know k I have no knowledge nor confidence nor hope of restitution to the prosperities of this life yet this one thing â—… know which is more comfortable and conâ—…iderable and therein I rejoâ—…ce though I be now a dying man and in a desperate condition for this life that my redeemer l In whom I have a particular interest and he hath a particular care of me Quest. What Redeemer and what Deliverance doth Iob speak of in this and the two following Verses Answ. Some late Interpreters understand this place metaphorically of God's delivering Iob out of his doleful and desperate Condition and restoring him to his former splendour and happiness in the World it being a very usual thing in Scripture to call eminent Dangers or Calamities by the name of Death as Psalm 22. 15. 88. 4. 5. Ezek. 37. 11 12. 2 Cor. 11. 23. And great and glorious Deliverances by the name of quickning and resurrection as Psalm â—…1 20. Isa. 26. 19. Rom. 11. 15. But the most Interpreters both ancient and modern understand it of Christ and of his Resurrection and of Iob's resurrection to life by his power and favour Which seems most probable for many reasons 1. From that known Bule that a proper and literal Interpretation of Scripture is always to be preferred before the Metaphorical where it suits with the Text and with other Scriptures 2. From the Hebrew word Goel here used which although sometimes it be used of God absolutely or essentially considered yet it most properly agrees to Jesus Christ For this word as all Hebricians know is primarily used of the next kinsman whose Office it was â—…o redeem by a price paid the sold or mortgaged Estate of his deceased kinâ—…man Levit. 25 25 and to revenge his death Num. 35. 12. and to maintain his Name and Honour by raising up Seed to him Deut. 25. 5. All which most fitly agrees to Christ who is ouâ—… nearest kiniman and brother Heb. 2. 11. as having taken ouâ—… Nature upon him by Incarnation who also hath redeemed that everlasting Inheritance which
Who inspired thee with this profound discourse of thine Was it by Divine Inspiration as thou wouldest have us to believe Or was it not a rash suggestion of thy own vain and foolish mind Or thus Whose spirit went out to wit of his body by an extasie of admiration for thee by reason of thy discourse I may be thought partial in my censure of it but thou mayst perceive none of our Friends here present admire it except thy self Or to or for whom the Particle eth being here understood out of the former Branch as is usual among the Hebrews did breath go out from thee i. e. didst thou speak For whose good or to what end didst thou speak this God needed it not I receive no edification or benefit by it 5. ‖ Or shall the dead be born under the waters So Gr. Dead things g Iob having censured Bildad's discourse concerning God's Dominion and Power as insignificant and impertinent to their question he here proceedeth to shew how little he needed his information in that Point and that he was able to instruct him in that Doctrine of which accordingly he gives divers Proofs or Instances Here he sheweth thaâ—… the Power and Proâ—…dence of God reacheth not onely to the things which we see but also to the invisible parts of the World not onely to the Heavens above and their Inhabitants and to Men upon Earth of which Bildad discoursed Chap. 25. 2 3. but also to such persons or things as are under the Earth or under the Waters which are under the Earth which are out of our sight and reach and might be thought to be out of the ken or care of Divine Providence This Hebrew word sometimes signifies Giants as Deut. 2. 11 20. 3. 13. and 1 Chron. 20. 8. Whence it may be translated to other great and as it were gigantick Creatures and more commonly dead men as Psalm 88. 11. Prov. 2. 18. 9. 18. 21. 16. Isa. 14. 9. 26. 14. 19. Whence it is supposed metaphorically to signifie also dead or lifeless things though there be no example of that use of the word elsewhere and it may seem improper to call those things dead which never had noâ—… were capable of life The next Hebrew Word or the Verb is primarily used of Women with Child and signifies their bringing forth their young Ones with travel or grievous pains as Iob 39. 3. Psalm 29. 9. Isa. 23. 4. 45. 10. and thence it signifies either to â—…orm or bring forth as below verse 13. Prov. 26. 10. Or to grieve or mourn or to be in pain Accordingly these words are diversly understood either 1. of dead or lifeless things such as Amber Pearl Coral Metals or other Minerals which are formed or brought forth to wit by the Almighty power of God from under the waters i. e. either in the bottom of the Sea or within the Earth which is the lowest Element and in the Scripture and other Authors spoken of as under the Waters this being observed as a remarkable Work of God's Providence that the Waters of the Sea which are higher than the earth do not overwhelm it and from under which may be repeated out of the former Clause of the Verse after the manner of the Hebrews the inhabitants thereof i. e. either of the Waters which are Fishes or of the Earth which are Men. Or rather 2. of the Giants of the old World which were men of great Renown whilest they lived Gen. 6. 3. and the remembrance of them and of their exemplary destruction was now in some sort fresh and famous who once carried themselves insolently towards God and men but were quickly subdued by the Divine Power and drâ—…ned with a Deluge and now mourn or grâ—…an from 〈◊〉 the waters where they were buried and from under the present Inhabitants thereof as before Or 3. of vast and gigantick Fishes or Monsters of the Sea who by God's infinite power were formed or brought forth under the waters with the other inhabitants thereof to wit of the Waters the lesser Fishes Or 4. of dead man and of the worst sort of them such as died in their sins and after death were condemned to further miseries for of such this very word seems to be used Prov. 2. 18. 9. 18. who are here said to mourn or groan from under the waters i. e. from the lower parts of the earth or from under those subâ—…erranean Seas of Waters which are by Scripture and by Philosophers supposed to be within and under the Earth of which see Deut. 8. 7. Iob 28. 4 10. Psalm 33. 7. and from under the inhabitants thereof i. e. either of the Waters or of the Earth under which these Waters are or with the other inhabitants thereof i. e. of that place under the Waters to wit the Apostate Spirits So the sense is that Gods dominion is over all men yea even the dead and the worst of them who though they would not own God nor his Providence whilest they lived yet now are forced to acknowledge and feel that power which they despised and bitterly mourn under the sad effects of it in their subterraneal and infernal Habitations of which the next Verse speaks more plainly And this sense seems to be favoured by the Context and scope of the place wherein Iob begins his discourse of Gods Power and Providence at the lowermost and hidden parts of the World and thence proceeds to those parts which are higher and visible Nor is it strange that Iob speaks of these matters seeing it is evident that Iob and others of the holy Patriarchs and Prophets of old did know and believe the Doctrine of the future Life and of its several Recompences to good and bad men Others understand this of the Resurrection of the dead The dead shall be born as this word is used Psal. 2. 7. Prov. 8. 24 25. i. e. shall be raised which is a kind of Regeneration or second Birth and is so called Mat. 19. 28. Act. 13. 33. from under the waters i. e. even those of them that lie in the waters Rev. 20. 13. that were drowned and buried in the Sea and devoured by Fishes c. whose case may seem to be most desperate and therefore they only are here mentioned and or eâ—…en this particle being oft used expositively the Inhabiants thereof i. e. those dead corps which lie or have long lain there are formed from under the waters ‖ Or will the iâ—…itants and the inhabitants thereof 6. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8. 11 Heb. 4. 13 Hell h is naked before him i and destruction k As this word is frequently used as Iob 11. 8. Isa. 57. 9 c. And so it seems to be explained by the following word destruction i. e. the place of destruction which Interpreters generally understand of Hell or the place of the Damned Others the Grave the most secret and obscure places and things hath no covering l i. e. It
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
lie down r Either 1. to sleep as this word is used Gen. 19. 35. Deut. 6. 7 c. Or 2. in death of which it is used 2 Sam. 7. 12. but he shall not be * 2 King 2â—… 20. gathered s To wit in burial of which this word is used 2 Kings 22. 20. Ier. 8. 2. 25. 33. Instead of that honourable Interment and Burial with his Fathers which he expected he shall be buried with the burial of an Ass his Carkass shall lie like dung upon the Earth he openeth his Eyes t So the sense is either 1. he awaketh in the morning promising to himself an happy day Or 2. he looks about him for help and relief in his extremity But the words are and may be rendred thus One openeth his Eyes i. e. whilest a man can open his Eyes in a moment or in the twinkling of an Eye and he is not u He is as if he had never been dead and gone and his Family and name extinct with him 20. * Ch. 18. 11. Terrours take hold on him x From the sense of his approaching death or Judgment as Waters y Either 1. in abundance one terror after another Or 2. violently and irresistibly as a River breaking its Banks or a Deluge of Waters bears down and overwhelms all that is before it a Tempest stealeth him away in the night z Gods Wrath and judgment cometh upon him forcibly like a Tempest and withal secretly and unexpectedly like a Thief in the night 21. The East-wind a i. e. Some violent and terrible judgment fitly compared to the East-wind which in those parts was most vehement and furious and withal pestilent and pernicions of which see Exod. 10. 13. 14. 21. Psal. 48. 7. 78. 26. Hos. 13. 15. Iona. 4. 8. carrieth him away b Out of his place as it follows out of his stately Palace wherein he expected to dwell for ever whence he shall be carried either by an enemy that shall take him and carry him into captivity or by death and he departeth and as a storm hurleth him out of his place 22. For God shall cast upon him c His darts or plagues one after another and not spare d i. e. Shall shew no pity nor Mercy to him when he crieth to God for it †In fleeing 〈◊〉 would flee he would fain flee out of his hand e He earnestly desires and endeavours by all ways possible to escape the judgments of God but all in vaâ—… 23. Men f Who shall see and observe these things shall clap their hands g Partly in token of their joy at the removal of such a publick Pest and Tyrant and partly by way of astonishment and partly in contempt and scorn or derision all which this gesture signifies in Scripture use of which see Lam 2. 15. Ezek. 25. 6. Naâ—… 3. 19. at him and shall hiss him h In token of their amazement detestation and derision See 1 King 9. 8. 2 Chron. 29. 8. Ier. 25. 9. Mich. 6. 16. out of his place i Now thathe is out of his place and power which they durst not do whilest he was in his place Or the men of his place that livedwith him or near him and daily felt the effects of his Tyranny CHAP. XXVIII 1. SUrely there is ‖ Or a Mine a Vein for the Silver a Where it is hid by God and found and fetched out by the art and industry of man The connexion of this Chapter with the former is difficult and diversly apprehended but this may seem to be the fairest account of it Iob having in the last Chapter discoursed of Gods various Providences and carriages towards wicked men and shewed that God doth sometimes for a season give them Wealth and Prosperity but afterwards calls them to a sad account and punisheth them severely for their abuse of his Mercies and having formerly shewed that God doth sometimes prosper the wicked all their days so as they live and die without any visible token of Gods displeasure against them when on the contrary good men are exercised with many and grievous Calamities and perceiving that his Friends were as men in all ages have been scandalized at these methods of divine Providence and denied the thing because they could not understand the reason of such unequal Dispensations In this Chapter he declares that this is one of the depths and secrets of divine Wisdom not discoverable by any mortal man in this World and that although men had some degree of Wisdom whereby they could dig deep and search out many hidden things as the Veins of Silver Gold c. yet this was a Wisdom of an higher nature and out of mans reach And hereby he secretly checks the arrogance and confidence of his Friends who because they had some parts of Wisdom the knowledge of natural things such as are here contained and of humane Affairs and of some divine matters therefore presumed to fathom the depths of Gods Wisdom and Providence and to judge of all Gods ways and works by the scantling of their own narrow understandings Possibly it may be connected thus Iob having been discoursing of the wonderful ways of God both in the works of Nature Ch. 26. from v. 5. to the end and in his providential Dispensations towards wicked men Ch. 27. from v. 13. to the end he here returns to the first Branch of his Discourse and discovers more of Gods Wisdom and Power in natural things And this he doth partly that by this manifestation of his singular skill in the ways and actions of God he might vindicate himself from that contempt which they seemed to have for him and oblige them to hear what he had further to say with more attention and consideration and partly that by this representation of the manifold Wisdom and power of God they might be wrought to a greater Reverence for God and for his works and not presume to judge so rashly and boldly of them and to condemn what they did not understand in them and a place for Gold ‖ Or which they fine where they fine it b Or rather as it is in the margenâ—… of our Bibles which they to wit the Refiners do sine For he speaks not here of the works of men and of art but of God and of Nature as is manifest from the foregoing and following words 2. Iron is taken out of the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Earth c Being made of Earth conâ—…cted by the heat of the Sun into that hardness and by Miners digged out of the Earth and brass d Or Copper is molten out of the Stone e Wherewith it is mixed and incorporated in the Earth and by fire and the art of the metallist it is separated from it and taken out of it as Pliny observes 34. 1 10. 36. 27. 3. He f Either 1. Man the Miner
Those Metals which did lie hid in the secret parts of the Earth he discovers to himself and others 12. But where shall Wisdom l Heb. that Wisdom for here is an article which seems to be emphatical The sense is I confess that man hath one kind of Wisdom in a great Measure to wit to discover the works of Nature and to perform the operations of art but as for that sublime and eminent Wisdom which consists in the exact knowledge of all Gods Counsels and Ways and of the several manners and reasons of his governing the world and dealing with good and bad men this is far above mâ—…ns reach and is the Prerogative of God alone be found and where is the place of Understanding m There is no vein for that upon Earth as there is for Gold or Silver 13. Man knoweth not the price thereof n Man knoweth neither where to purchase it nor how much it is worth nor what to offer in exchange for it neither is it found in the Land of the Living o Amongst mortal men that live upon Earth but only amongst those blessed Spirits that dwell above 14. * 〈◊〉 2â—… 〈◊〉 11. 33 3â—… The depth p To wit of the Earth because the Sea here follows as a differing place This is a very common figure whereby Speech is ascribed to dumb and senseless Creatures The meaning is this is not to be found in any part of the Land or Sea yea though a man should dig or dive never so deep to find it nor to be learned from any Creatures For though these discover the Being and Power and in part the Wisdom of God yet they do not instruct us in the methods and grounds of Gods providential dispensations to good and evil men these are secrets of Wisdom reserved for God himself saith It is not in me and the Sea saith It is not with me 15. †Heb. 〈◊〉 gold 〈◊〉 not be giâ—… 〈◊〉 it It * â—…rov 3. 13 1â—… 8. 11 19. 16. 16. cannot be gotten for Gold q The choicest Gold laid up in Treasures as the word signifies neither shall Silver be weighed r To wit in the ballance for in those times Money was paid by weight noâ—… by tale See Gen. 23. 16. Ier. 32. 9 10. for the price thereof 16. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir s Which was the best sort of gold See on 1 King 9. 28. Iob 22. 24. with the pretious Onyx t Or Sardonyx See on Exod. 28. 20. or the Saphire 17. The gold and the crystal u Or Amber which in those parts was of very great price Or the Diamond The Hebrew word is not elsewhere used and it hath in it the signification of purity or clearness or brightness cannot equal it and the exchange of it shall not be for ‖ Or vessels of 〈◊〉 gold jewels x Or vessels wherein there is not only the excellency of the materials but the curiosity of art which renders the other much more valuable of fine gold 18. No mention shall be made y They are of no value nor worthy to be named the same day with this nor fit to be mentioned as a price or recompence wherewith to purchase this of ‖ Or 〈◊〉 coral or of pearls for the price z Or the attraction or acquisition or rather the Extraction or drawing forth For Iob useth the word of art which was proper in the taking of Pearls as the following word rendred by our Translators Rubies is understood by divers both Hebrew and Christian Interpreters and amongst others by the late eminently learned Bochart who proveth it by divers Arguments Now these Pearls are and were taken by men that dived to the bottom of the Sea and drew them out thence which is the very word which both Arabick and Latine Authors use in the case as indeed the same word is used of all Fisher-men who are said to draw forth with their Hook or Net or otherwise Fishes or any other thing for which they are fishing Moreover this diving as it produced great profit so it was not without some danger and difficulty for if they heedlesly put their fingers into the gaping shell within which the Pearl was it speedily closed upon them and put them to exquisite pain to the loss of their finger and sometimes of their Life Which is a fit representation of the state of those persons who search after the knowledge of Gods Counsels and ways and the grounds of them who as when they modestly enquire into them and truly discover them they have infinite advantage and satisfaction therein so if they prie into them too boldly searching into those things which God hath concealed and rashly judging of them above what they know which Iob judged to be his Friends case they expose themselves to manifold snares and dangers And this extraction or drawing forth is aptly used concerning this Wisdom which lying very deep and remote from the reach of ordinary men is not be obtained without diligent search and consideration And so the place may be thus translated the extraction or drawing forth of Wisdom is above that to wit the extraction of Pearls of Wisdom is above rubies 19. The topaz a Of which see Exod. 28. 17. 39. 10. of Ethiopia b Or of Arabia for Cush signifies both Ethiopia and Arabia and the Topaz was found in the Red-Sea which lay between both and so might be ascribed to either shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure gold 20. * Ver. 1â—… Whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding c Where this pretious Treasure lies and whence a man may fetch it 21. Seeing it is hid from the Eyes of all living d Of all men that live upon the Earth and kept close from the fowls of ‖ Or heaven the air e Though they flie high and can see far and well yet they cannot discern this Men of the most raised understandings cannot discover it It is to be found no where in this visible World neither in the upper nor lower parts of it 22. * Ver. 1â—… Destruction and death f Either 1. Men that are dead and thereby freed from the encumbrance of their bodies which depress their minds and have more raised thoughts than men that live here Or 2. The Grave the place of the dead to which these things are here ascribed as they are to the depths and to the Sea v. 14. by a Figure called Prosopopaeia If a man should search for this Wisdom either amongst living men or amongst the dead he could not find it yea though he should and might enquire of all men that formerly lived in the World some of whom were persons of prodigious Wit and Learning and of vast Experience as having lived nigh a Thousand Years and made it their great business in
it appears in excellent order and great glory and they p Either 1. the Inhabitants of the Earth and particularly the wicked mentioned both in the foregoing and following Verses Or 2. More generally the men and things of the Earth whether Natural as living Creatures Herbs and Trees c. Or artificial as Houses or other Buildings stand q i. e. Present themselves to our view for which that posture of standing is most convenient Or consist or abide or are constituted as a garment r Wherewith the Earth is in a manner clothed and adorned as with a garment as the blessed God himself is said to cover himself with light as with a garment Psal. 104. 2. 15. And s Or But for the following words seem to be added by way of opposition to what went before The Earth and the men and the things in it have the comfort and benefit of the light but so have not the wicked from the wicked their light t i. e. Their portion of Light That Light which is enjoyed by others is with-holden from them either by their own choice because they love and choose darkness rather than light oâ—… by the judgment of God or the Magistrate by whom they are cut off from the light of the living as it is called Iob 33. 30. or at least deprived of their peace and comfort and Prosperity which frequently goes under the name of Light in Scripture and may be so called here by an elegant allusion to the Natural Light of the Sun mentioned before is withholden and * 〈◊〉 10. 15. the high arms u Their great strength which they used tyrannically to the oppression and crushing of others shall be broken 16. Hast thou entred into the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 springs x Heb. the Tears i. e. the several Springs out of which the Waters of the Sea flow as tears do from the eyes of the sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth y Hast thou sound out the utmost depth and bottom of the Sea which in divers places could never be reached by the wisest Mariner or the longest Cables And how then canst thou fathom the depths of my Counsels 17. Have * 〈◊〉 9. 13. the gates of death been opened unto thee z Hast thou â—…een or dost thou perfectly know the place and state of the Dead the depths and bowels of that Earth in which the generality of dead men are buried or the several ways and methods of Death or the various states and conditions of men after death or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death a The same thing repeated 18. Hast thou perceived the breadth of the Earth b Dost thou exactly know the whole compass and all the parts of the Earth and the state and quality of all Countreys and of the men and things in them declare c Give me an answer to these Questions which is far more easie to do than to answer me to many other Questions which I could put to thee about my secret Counsels and Providences and the reasons of my dealing with thee as I do if thou knowest it all 19. Where is the way d Or rather the place as the next Clause explains it and the Hebrew Phrase will bear where light dwelleth e i. e. Hath its constant and settled abode For in the place where Iob lived and in most other parts of the inhabited World it is like â—… Traveller that cometh and goeth continually every day This may be referred eith â—… 1. to the places under the two Poles where first the light and then the darkness continues for six Months together Or rather 2. to the Sun the Fountain of Light And as this is a Poetical Book so this may be â—… Poetical Expression and Question Whither goes the Sun when it departs from this Hemisphear Where is the Tabernacle and the Chamber in which both sacred as Psal. 19. 4. 5. and profane Poets suppose the Sun to rest Dost thou know the place where the Sun when it sets may be found and whence thou canst fetch it back again For it is to be carefully observed that he speaks not here of a bare and simple knowledge of this matter which was plain and easie to Iob and many others who were not ignorant that the Sun was the Fountain of Light from whose approach light comes and by whose departure darkness is caused but of an operative knowledge even such as could and did enable him to take it to the bound thereof as it follows v. 20. And withal he seems here to speak not onely of the daily course and motion of the Sun and the vicissitude of Day and Night but also and especially of the first production of the light which was before Iob was born as is evident from v. 21. And this makes the Question more difficult and more considerable the sense whereof may be this Seeing there was a time when there was nothing but gross and comfortless darkness upon the face of the Earth what way came light into the World Which was the place where light dwelt at that time and whence it was fetched and whence came that orderly constitution and constant succession of Light and Darkness Was this thy work Or wast thou privy to it or a Counsellor or Assistant in it Or was it not done by me alone long before thou hadst a being and as for darkness where is the place thereof 20. That thou shouldst take it f i. e. Taking bring or lead it as this Verb is oft used as Exod. 25. 2. Psal. 68. 29. compared with Eph. 4. 11. 1 Kings 3. 24. 1â—… 10. Hosea 14. 2. And many other such pregnant Verbs there are in the Hebrew Language having the signification of two Verbs included in one And this it refers principally to the Light and secondarily to Darkness as the consequent of the other ‖ Or aâ—… to the bound thereof g i. e. It s whole course from the place of its abode whence it is supposed to come to the end of its journey which it is to go Didst thou direct or guide the Light or the Sun that he should at first take and afterward constantly continue in that course which now it holds that it should go from East to West and rise sometimes in one point or part of the Heaven and sometimes in another and that its days journey should be longer in one season of the Year and shorter in another This regular and excellent course must needs be the effect of great Wisdom And whose wisdom was it thine or mine and that thou shouldst know h To wit practically so as to direct or lead it in the manner now expressed the paths to the house thereof i Where thou mayest find it and whence thou mayest fetch it 21. Knowest thou it because thou wast then born or because the number of thy days
thou fillest with thy * 〈◊〉 41. 8. hid treasure y i. e. Not only with common mercies as Food and Raiment but with thy choicest and most precious good things such as men use to hide or keep in their treasures with extraordinary Wealth and Glory and all the Delights and Comforts of the present Life ‖ Or their Chilâ—… are full they are full of Children z When many of the faithful Servants are barren these are blessed with a numerous Posterity Or their Children are filled or satisfied as well as their Parents There is abundantly enough both for them and for their Children and to spare for their Childrens Children as it follows and leave the rest of their substance to their babes 15. As for me a I do not envy this their Felicity but my Hopes and Happiness are of another Nature I will or shall behold thy face b I do not place my Portion in earthly and temporal Treasures as they do but in beholding God's face i. e. In the enjoyment of God's presence and favoâ—…r which is indeed enjoyed in part in this Life but not fully and to Satisfaction of which David here speaks as appears from the last Clause of this Verse The sight of God and of his face being frequently spoken of both in the Old and New Testament as a priviledge denied even to the Saints in this Life and peculiar to the next Life as is manifest from Exod. 33. 20. Iudg. 13. 22. Mat. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. in righteousness c With the Comfort of a good Conscience bearing me Witness that notwithstanding all the Calumnies and Censures of mine Enemies I have been and am upright and righteous in the Course of my Life both towards thee and towards all men Which Testimony will enable me to look God in the Face with boldness when mine Enemies being Conscious to themselves of gross and manifold righteousness towards thee and me and others will be afraid to appear in thy Presence I shall be satisfied d I am now greatly distressed and dissatisfied and mine Enemies are fitted and satisfied with good things but my turn will come the time is coming wherein I shall be abundantly satisfied to wit with beholding thy Face which is to me more Comfortable and Satisfactory than all the Possessions of this World when I awake e Either 1. When I shall be delivered from my present Distresses and Calamities But these never are in Scripture nor indeed can fitly be called by the name of Sleep which is every where spoken of as a state of â—…est and quietness as Psal. 127. 2. Ioh. 11. 12 13. and consequently deliverance from them cannot be compared to awaking Or rather 2. When I shall arise from the Dead For Death is very frequently called Sleep both in Scripture as 1 Kings 1. 21. Isa. 26. 19. Ier. 51. 39 57. Dan. 12. 2. Ioh. 11. 11 13. and in other Authors and consequently Resurrection from the Dead is justly and fitly called an awaking as it is Iob 14. 12. Dan. 12. 2. Ioh. 11. 11. And since the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the just to a blessed and endless Life was not unknown to the Holy men of God in the Old Testament as it were very easie to prove nor to David in particular as appears from Psal. 16. 10 11. and from divers other Passages it cannot be imagined but David would Support and Comfort himself in his greatest Agonies with the Consideration thereof this being incomparably the most weighty and effectual Argument and ground of Comfort which he could possibly use And this also best suits with the Context for David is here opposing his Hopes and Portion to that of his Enemies and having noted not without a secret reflection and reproach upon them for it that their Portion was in this Life v. 14. it was most Consonant to the place and to the thing it self that he should seek and have his Happiness in the future Life with thy likeness f Or Image By which may be understood either 1. Christ the Son of God who was known to David and other Prophets as is Evident and that under the name of the Son of God Psal. 2 7 12. Prov. 30. 4. Hos. 11. 1. Comp. with Mat. 2. 15. who being exactly like to his Father might most fitly be called his likeness or image as he is Heb. 1. 3. Or 2. the image of God stamped upon his glorified Soul which must needs afford him infinite Delight and Satisfaction Or 3 God himself or the face of God mentioned in the former Clause and explained here by another Phrase as is very usual in these Writings And this Interpretation may receive strength from Numb 12 8. Where beholding the similitude of the Lord is evidently the same thing which is elsewhere called 〈◊〉 his face and from Heb. 10 1. Where the image doth not note the likeness or Representation but the truth and existence of the thing PSAL. XVIII The ARGUMENT This Psalm with some few and small Variations is written 2 Sam. 22. It was composed by David towards the end of his Reign and Life upon the occasion here mentioned To the chief musician a Psalm of David the 2. Sam. 22. servant of the LORD a Who esteemeth it a greater Honour to be thy Servant than to be King of 〈◊〉 and who doth intirely devote himself to thy Service and Glory who spake unto the LORD the words of * this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul b i. e. After the Death of Saul and the Conquest of all his succeeding Enemies and his own firm establishment in his Kingdom And he said 1. * Psal. 144. â—… I Will love thee e O LORD my strength d From whom alone I have received all my strength and success and settlement and in whom alone I trust as it follows v. 2. c Most affectionately and with my whole Soul as the Hebrew word signifies I can return thee no better thing for all thy Favours than my Love and Heart which I pray thee to accept By loving him he understands not only his inward affection but also all the outward Expressions and Testimonies of it praising and glorifying and serving of him 2. The LORD is my rock e To which I flee for refuge as the Israelites did to their Rocks See Iudg. 6. 2. 1 Sam. 13. 6. and fortress and my deliverer my God †Heb. my Rock Or Cliâ—… my strength * Heb. 2. 13. in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn f By which I have both defended my self and subdued mine Enemies It is a Metaphor from those Beasts whose strength lyes in their Horns The Horn is oft put for Power as Psal. 92. 10. Amos 6. 1â—… and elsewhere of my salvation and my high tower
the Heart as Exod. 15. 8. Deut. 4. 11. And so it may be here for the Army as such hath no Heart Properly so called And so this is fitly alledged as a Proof of the sharpness and force of his Arrows that they not onely wound those who march in the Front but even those who are in the midst of the Army where they may seem secure and out of their Reach of the Kings Enemies But the middle Words may be and are by many included within a Parenthesis and so they may agree with our Translation thus Thine Arrows are sharp for the People fall under thee which is an Evidence of their sharpness in the Heart or against the Heart Or piercing into the Heart Which is an easie and usual Ellipsis of the Kings Enemies 6. * Psal. 93. 2. Heb. 1. 8. Thy throne O God z It is most Evident that the Speech is still continued to the same Person whom he calls King v. 1. 11. and here God Which change of the Title was very expedient and in some sort necessary to give us a true understanding of this Psalm and to assure us that he doth not speak of Solomon to whom neither these nor the foregoing nor the following Words agree because his Reign was peaceable and short and stained with many and great iniquities but a far greater King even of the Messias who is not onely a Man but also the mighty God as he is called Isa. 9. 6. and as the Apostle solâ—…dly proves from this place Heb. 1. 8. For though the Name of Elohim or God be sometimes given in Scripture to some Creatures yet in those Cases it is always Clogged with some diminishing Expression signifying that they are onely made or called Gods and that onely for a certain Time and Purpose as is manifest from Exod. 4. 16. and 7. 1. Psal. 82 6. and it is no where put simply and absolutely for any Person but him who is God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. is for ever and ever a To wit Properly and in thine own Person in which as he Lives for ever so he must necessarily Reign for ever whereas David whose Throne is said to be Established for ever 2 Sam. 7. 16. was a Mortal man and therefore that Promise was not intended of nor could be fulfilled in his Person without including his Posterity And as he here gives to the Messias the Name of God which was never given to David nor Solomon so he ascribes an everlasting Kingdom to him in such a Sence as it was never given to them So Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 14. the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter b It is not strange that thy Throne is not liable to the same uncertainties and Causualties with the Thrones of earthly Princes because their Scepters are commonly managed with great injustice and manifold iniquities which lay the Foundation of their overthrow whereas thou rulest with exact Righteousness and Equity whereby thy Throne is Established Prov. 16. 12. 7. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness c Thou dost not onely do that which is good and avoid that which is Evil Which even bad Princes and Men may do and sometimes Actually do for Politick or Prudential Reasons but thou dost this sincerely and from an inward Principle even from a true Love to God and Goodness and from an implacable Hatred against all Wickedness therefore d So this Particle is commonly used And so it denoteth Either 1. The reward of Christ's righteous Administration of his Kingdom So the Sence is Because thou hast given so many and great Proofs of thy Love to Righteousness and of thy Hatred of sin and that not onely by the constant Course of thy Life but also by thy Death and Passion therefore God hath raised and exalted thee far above all Men and Angels to a state of Joy and endless Glory at his right Hand which is fitly expressed by the Oyl of gladness For anointing doth not always signifie the Conferring of inward Gifts or Endowments but sometimes onely notes the Designation or inauguration of a Person to some high Dignity or Employment as Ezek. 28. 14. and elsewhere Or 2. The final Cause or end of Christ's Unction So the Sence is To that end i. e. That thou mightest love Righteousness and hate Wickedness and govern thy self and thy Kingdom accordingly God hath anointed thee c. i. e. Hath endowed thee with all the Gifts and Graces of thy Holy Spirit Act 10. 38. in an Eminent and peculiar manner to the Comfort and Refreshment of thine own and all thy Peoples Hearts and hath Solemnly called thee to be the Priest and Prophet and King of all his People But the former Sence seems to be the truest and is for Substance the same thing which is said in other Words Phil. 2. 8 9 10. God thy God e According to thy humane Nature Ioâ—… 20. 17. though in respect of thy divine Nature thou art his Fellow Zech. 13. 7. and his Equal Phil. 2. 6. and one with him Iob. 10. 30. hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness f So called here as also Isa. 61. 3. Partly because it not onely makes the Countenance fresh and pleasant Psal. 104. 15. but also rejoyceth the Heart Prov. 27. 9. and Partly because it was a Token of gladness and used in Feasts and other Solemn occasions of Rejoycing Of which see Psal. 23. 5. Dan. 10. 3. Amos 6. 6. above thy fellows g i. e. Above all them who partake with thee in this Unction Either 1. Above all that ever were anointed for Priests or Prophets or Kings Or 2. Above all Believers who also have received this same Unction 1 Iob. 2. 20. 27. and are made Priests and Kings unto God Revel 1. 6. 8. All thy garments smell of myrrhe and aloes and cassia h Wherewith they used to Persume their Garments See Gen. 27. 27. This may denote those glorious and sweet smelling Vertues which as they were Treasured up inwardly in Christs Heart so did they manifest themselves outwardly and visibly and give forth a greatful Smell in the whole Course of his Life and Actions his Doctrine also was a sweet Savour unto God and Men 2 Coâ—… 2. 14 15. out of the ivory palaces i Which may be referred Either 1 To the Garments which were usually kept in and now upon this extraordinary Solemnity were brought out of Palaces or Houses or Wardrobes of Ivory so called here as also Amos 3. 15. not because they were wholly made of Ivory but because they were adorned or covered here and there with it Or rather 2. To the King himself who is here supposed to reside in his ivory Palaces and his Garments are so fragrant that they do not onely Perfume the whole Palaces in which he is but the sweet Savour thereof is perceived by those that pass by them or are at some distance from them All which is
and all other means of redeeming his Brother which he hath not when he himself is dangerously or desperately sick nor give to God n The onely Lord of Life and the Judge who hath passed upon him the Sentence of Death a ransom for him 8. For * Job 36. 18 19. the redemption of their soul o i. e. Of their Life as Soul is commonly used is precious p i. e. Rare as the Word is used 1 Sam. 3. 1. Dan. 2. 11. hard to be obtained But he doth not call it simply impossible because Christ hath purchased this Priviledge for his true Disciples that in some Sence they shall not see Death Iob. 8. 51. and it ceaseth for ever q i. e. It is never to be accomplished to wit by any meeâ—… Man for himself or for his Brother 9. That he should still live for ever and * Psal. 89. 48. not see corruption r Or the Pit or the Grave i. e. Not die as that Phrase is oft used as hath been noted before 10. For he seeth s An impersonal Expression Every man sees and knows it it is visible and evident both from Reason and from universal Experience that * Eccle. 2. 16. wise men die likewise the fool and the brutish person perish t All men die without any Difference between Wise and Fools good and bad and leave their wealth to others u He saith not to Sons or Kindred but indefinitely to others because he is wholly uncertain to whom he shall leave them to Friends or Strangers or Enemies which he mentions as a great Vanity in Riches They neither can save them from Death nor will accompany him in and after Death and after his Death will be disposed he knows not how nor to whom 11. Their inward thought is x Though they are ashamed to express it yet it is their secret Opinion and Hope and Wish that their houses y Either 1. Their posterity oft called mens Houses as 2 Sam. 7. 11. c. Psal. 113. 9. and 115. 12. Or 2. Their Mansion-Houses as it is explained in the next Clause which also serve for this purpose to preserve a Mans name for ever shall continue for ever z Not to them in their own Persons but to them and theirs in succeeding Generations as it follows and their dwelling places †Heb. to Generation and Generation to all generations they call their lands after their own names a Fondly dreaming by this means to immortalize their Names and Memories 12. Nevertheless b Notwithstanding all these fine Fancies and Devices * Psal. 82. 7. man being in honour c Living in all the Splendour and Glory above mentioned abideth not d The Hebrew word Properly signifies to lodge for a Night as Gen. 32. 21. Iudg. 19. 10. and thence to abide for a long or Considerable time as Psal. 25. 13. and 55. 7. Prov. 15. 31. All his Dreams of perpetuating his Name and Estate shall vanish and be Confuted by Experience he is like the beasts that perish e i. e. That are utterly lost and Exstinct So he is in reference to all his Wealth and Honour of which he here speaks 13. This their way f i. e. Their Counsel and Contrivance to immortalize themselves is their folly g Though to themselves and some others it seem to be Wisdom yet in Truth it is apparent folly and madness For they neither obtain that immortal Name which they seek and hope for Nor if they do doth it yield them any Comfort or Benefit yet their posterity †Heb. 〈◊〉 in their 〈◊〉 approve their sayings h Heb. their Mouth i. e. Their Counsels and Suggestions which they gave them concerning these Matters The Mouth is oft put for the Words which come out of it as Numb 35. 30. Iob. 7. 11. Selah 14. Like sheep i Which for a season are fed in large and sweet Pastures but at the owners Pleasure are put together in close and Comfortless solds and led away to the Slaughters not knowing nor considering whither they are going they are laid in †Heb. Hell the grave k Or in Hell For the Hebrew word signifie both death shall feed on them l The first Death shall Consume their Bodies in the Grave and the second Death shall devour their Souls and the * Dan. 7. 22. Mal. 4. 3. Luk. 22. 30. 1 Cor. 6. 2. Rev. 2. 26. 20. 4. upright m Good men whom here they oppressed and abused at their Pleasure shall have dominion over them in the morning n Either 1. Suddendly or within a very little time as this Phrase is oft used as Psal. 30. 5. and 46. 5. and 101. 8. and 143. 8. c. Or 2. In the day of general Judgment and the Resurrection of the Dead For Death being called the night Ioh. 9. 4. and sleep in many places that day is fitly Compared to the Morning when men awake out of sleep and enter upon that everlasting day But whether this or the former be the true meaning of the Phrase it is sufficiently evident the thing here spoken of is not done in this Life but in the next For 1. This Proposition and Priviledge being general and common to all upright Persons is not verified here it being the lot of many good men to be oppressed and killed by the â—…icked as is manifest both from Scripture as Psal. 44. 22. Eccles. 8. 14. and 9. 2. and from the Experience of all Ages of the Church 2. This Dominion of the just over the wicked happens after the wicked are laid in their Grave as is here expressed and Consequently supposeth their future Life and Resurrection for when one Person rules over another both are supposed to exist or have a being Nor is there any Argument against this Sence but from a vain and absurd Conceit which some men have entertained that the Saints in the Old Testament had no firm belief nor Expectation of the Recompences of the Life to come Which is against evident Reason and against many clear places of the Old Testament that cannot without force be wrested to any other Sence and against the express Testimony of the New Testament concerning them Heb. 11. and in many other places and their ‖ Or Strength beauty o Or their Form or Figure or Image all which come to one and seems to intimate that all their Glory and Felicity which they had in this Life was rather imaginary than Real and indeed but a shadow as it is called Eccles. 6. 12. and 8. 13. shall consume p Heb. is to Consume or to be Consumed i. e. Shall be consumed the infinitive Verb being here put for the Future as it is Psal. 32. 8. Zeth 3. 4. and 12. 10. ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Grace being an habitation to every one of them in the grave from their dwelling
thou madest it Snow-white in Darkness or as the Chaldee renders this Word in the shadow of Death i. e. Thou didst cause Light to shine out of Darkness When the state of thy People and of the Land of Canaan which thou hadst given to them was Dark and 〈◊〉 or Bloody by reason of the Wars raised against them by the Canaanitish Kings thou didst quickly change it and whereas it was Red like Scarlet or Crimâ—…on thou mad'st it whiter than Snow 15 The hill of God n i. e. Of Zion the seat of God's Ark. is as the hill of Bashan o Equal to it to 〈◊〉 in height as the next Clause explains it which yet is not to be understood of an external and Visible height for Zion was a low and little Hâ—…ll and Bashan a very high 〈◊〉 but of its spiritual height or Exaltation in Regard of the glorious Priviledges of God's Presence and Worship and Blessing conferred upon it in which Respect the Mountain of the Lords House is said to be Established on the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills Isa. 2. 2. an high hill as the hill of Bashan 16 Why leap ye p Why do you Triumph and boâ—…st of your height and look upon poor Zion with Storn and Contempt as un obscure and inconsiderable Hill if Compared with you He speaks to the Hills by an usual Figure called 〈◊〉 ye high hills * Psal. 87. 1. 〈◊〉 132. 1â—… this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in yea the LORD will dwell in it for ever q This Hiâ—…l though despicable in your Eyes is precious and Honourable in God's Eyes and chosen by him for his settled and perpetual Residence For though the Ark was removed from this particular place in which it was now to be placed to the Hill of Moriah upon which the Temple was built yet it must be remembred that Zion and Moriah stood one near to the other being both in Ierusalem and are by some said to have been but two Tops of one and the same Hill 17 * Deut. 33. 2. Dâ—…n 7. 10. Heb. 12. 22. Rev. 9. 16. The chariots of r i. e. The Hosts or Armies whereof Chariots were a great and Eminent part in those times and places which attend upon God to do his Pleasure and to fight for him and for his People God are twenty thousand ‖ Or even mary Thousands †Heb. Thousands of doubling or doubtâ—… ones even thousands of angels the Lord is among them s i. e. An innumerable Company a certain number being put for an uncertain as Psal. 3. 6. and 91. 7. and in many other places as in Sinai in the holy place t Here is not onely the Presence of the Angels but of the great and blessed God himself And here the Psalmist seems to be transported by the Prophetical Spirit from the Narration of those external Successes and Victories of which he had been speaking in the former part of the Psalm unto the Prediction of higher and more Glorious things even of the coming of the Messiah and of the Happy and Transcendent Priviledges and Blessings accruing to Mankind by it described in the next Verse And the Connexion of this new Matter with the former is sufficiently Evident For having preferred Zion before other Hills v. 15 16. he now proves its Excellency by an invincible Argument because this is the place to which the Lord of Hosts himself the Messiah God manifested in the Flesh was to come as is manifest from Psal. 2. 6. and 110. 2. Isa. â—… 3. and 23. 16. Compared with 1 Pet. 2. 6. Isa 59. 20. Compared with Râ—…m 11. 26. and many other places of Scripture And when he did come into the World he was attended with a multitude of holy Angels which celebrated his Birth Luk. 2. 14. t God is no less Gloriously though less Terribly present here then he was in Sinai when the great God attended with Thousands of his Angels solemnly appeared there to deliver the Law Heb. Sinai is in the Sanctuary or holy Place Which is a Poetical and a very Emphatical Expression and very Perâ—…inent to this place For having advanced Zion above all other Hiâ—…ls he now equals it to that venerable Hill of Sinai which the Divine Majesty honoured with his glorious Presence Here saith he you have in some sort Mount Sinai it self to wit all the Glories and Priviledges of it the Presence of Iehovah attended with his Angels and the same Law and Covenant yea and a greater Priviledge than Sinai hâ—…d to wit the Lord Iehovah descending from Heaven into an humane Body as appears by his ascending thither again which the next Verse describes and visibly coming into his own Temple as it was Prophecied concerning him Mal. 3. 1. 18 * Eph. 4. 8. Thou hast ascended on high u Having spoken of the Lord and of his Presence upon Earth he now turneth his Speech to him as is most usual in this Book And the Contents of this Verse do not agree to the present occasion of carrying the Ark to Zion but have a manifest Reference to Christ and to his Ascension into Heaven in whom and in whom alone they are literally and fully accomplished and to whom therefore they are ascribed Eph. 4. 8. Although the Expressions here used are borrowed from the Anâ—…ient Custom of Princes or Generals of Armies who after some glorious Archievments and Victories used to go up into their Royal Cities in triumphant Chariots being attended by their captive â—…nemies and afterward to distribute divers gifts to their Soldiers and Subjects and sometimes to do some Acts of Grace and â—…lemency even to their Rebels and Enemies and to receive them into the number of his own people thou hast led captivity x 〈◊〉 1. Those who did formerly take thy people captives Or rather 2. Those whom thou hast taken captive as this word is most commonly used as Numb 21. 1. Deut. 21. 10. Iudg. 5. 12. c. So poverty is put for the poor 2 Kings 24. 14. This is meant of death and sin and the Devil and all the Enemies of Christ and of his people whom Christ led in triumph having spoiled them and making a shew of them opâ—…nly as it is expressed Col. 2. 15. captive thou hast received gifts y Though as thou art God thou art uncapable of receiving any thing more than thou hast yet according to thy manhood thou hast received from God all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and all those gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit which are necessary either to the perfection of thy nature or to the discharge of thine Office or to the service and good of thy Church and people †Heb. the Maâ—… for men z Not for thy self for thou didst not need them having thâ—… fulness of the God-head dwelling in thee bodily Col. 2. 9. but for the sons of men or
frequently abused and polluted and wasted and now at last utterly demolished It is not strange that such considerations as these did fill the Psalmists mind with amusement and sad and perplexing thoughts Nor doth the Psalmist accuse or upbraid God herewith but onely useth it as an argument to move God to repair and restore their decayed state that they might live to praise and serve and glorify him and not be such useless and insignificant Creatures as now they were in this forlorn estate of things and as they should be if they should go into the place and state of the dead before the restitution of their broken State and Kingdom 48 * Psal. 49. 9. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death o All men at their best estate are mortal and miserable Kings and People must unavoidably die by the condition of their natures and therefore Lord do not increase our affliction which of it self is more than enough neither proceed in these violent courses upon us who without such severity must perish of and from our selves shall he deliver his soul from the hand of †Heb. 〈◊〉 the grave Selah 49 Lord where are thy former loving kindnesses which thou * 2 Sam. 7. 15. Isal. 55. 3. swarest unto David in thy truth p Hast thou forgotten or repented of all that mercy and kindness which thou hast promised and sworn and sometimes performed unto David and his Family and Kingdom 50 Remember Lord the reproach of thy servants how I q i. e. We thy servants as he now said our King and his people of whom he speaks as of one person as is very usual in holy Scripture Or the Psalmist sheweth how particularly and passionately he resented those reproaches which were cast upon their King and Kingdom as if they were cast upon himself * Numb 11. 12. do bear in my bosom r This phrase may denote either first the multitude of these reproaches things being said to be given or recieved into a mans bosom which are given or received in great plenty as Isa. 65. 6. Luke 6. 38. Or secondly their grievousness that they pierced him to the very heart which is sometimes called the bosom as Eccl. 7. 9. the reproach of all the mighty people s Of the great Potentates and Princes of the World who now reproached the House of David with their vain and confident boasting of the everlastingness of their Kingdom which was now in a desperate and lost condition Or all the reproaches of many people 51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached O LORD wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed t Or of thy Messiah By whom he seems to understand either first the Kings of Iudah the singular number being put for the plural and by their footsteps may be meant either their ways or actions and the sad consequences thereof or the traces or memorials of their antient splendor and dominion wherewith they now upbraid them Or rather secondly the Messiah most properly and eminently so called of whom not onely many Christians but the Chaldee Paraphrast and the Hebrew Doctors understand this place And this suits very well both with the singular number here used which points at one particular and eminent person anointed by God to be the King of his People and with the matter and occasion of this Psalm For it was universally believed by the Jews that the Messiah should come of the Seed of David and that by him the antient glory and power of Davids House should be revived and vastly increased And this coming of the Messiah the Jews did continually expect for a long time together before he did come and supported themselves therewith under all their Calamities All which being well known to many of the Heathens they reproached the Jews with the vanity of this belief and expectation And by the footsteps of the Messiah he may understand his coming as by the feet or footsteps of Ministers Isa. 52. 7. their coming and bringing the Gospel with them is understood 52 Blessed be the LORD u Let thine Enemies reproach thee and thy promises concerning the sending of the Messiah and the deliverance of thy people by his hand I do and will heartily bless and praise thee for them and encourage my self with them not doubting but thou wilt consider and take away all our reproaches and in thine own due time which is the best send him who is the consolation and expectation of Israel and the desire of all Nations for evermore Amen and Amen PSAL. XC ‖ Or a Prayer 〈◊〉 â—… Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Prayer of Moses the man of God a Who considering that terrible but righteous sentence of God concerning the cutting off all that sinful Generation in the Wilderness of which see Numb 14. takes that occasion to publish these Meditations concerning mans mortality and misery in this life which might be useful both to that and to all succeeding Generations 1 LORD thou hast been our dwelling-place †〈…〉 in all generations b Although we and our Fathers for some Generations have had no certain and fixed Habitation but have been strangers in a land that was not ours and afflicted for four hundred years according to thy Prediction Gen. 15. 13. and although we now are and have been for some time and still are like to continue in a vast howling Wilderness having no Houses but dwelling in Tents and wandring from place to place we know not whither yet thou O Lord hast fully supplyed this want and hast been in stead of and better than a dwelling place to us by thy watchful and gracious Providence over us in all places and exigences And this is a very proper Preface to this Psalm to intimate that all the following miseries were not to be imputed to God but unto themselves who by their own sins had brought these mischiefs upon themselves 2 Before the mountains c Which he mentions as the most fixed and stable part of the Earth were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world d i. e. From Eternity which is frequently described in this manner as Prov. 8. 25 26. Ioh. 17. 24. Eph. 1. 4. because there was nothing before the Creation of the World but Eternity And thus the words here following do explain it And this Eternity of God is here mentioned partly that men by the contemplation thereof might be wrought to a deeper sence of their own frailty and nothingness which is the foundation of humility and of all true piety and to a greater reverence and admiration of the Divine Majesty and partly for the comfort of Gods people who notwithstanding all their present miseries have a sure and everlasting refuge and portion even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God e Or thou art the strong God Thou hadst thy power and all thy perfections not by degrees as
Book Ch. 13. 9. 24. 20. as also Iob 21. 17. whereas the Plowing of the wicked is a Phrase not elsewhere used And this seems best to agree with the Context for by their Lamp he seems to understand all their pomp and glory that worldly greatness and Prosperity which is the Fewel of their Pride and therefore is most fitly joyned with it of the wicked is sin l It is by them turned into sin and made the occasion of much wickedness The whole Verse may be thus rendred An high look and a proud Heart which is the light or glory of the wicked i. e. wherein they glory esteeming it magnanimity or gallantry of spirit is sin i. e. is a great and grievous sin And in this manner the learned Mercer renders the Verse save onely that he translates the Hebrew word Nir the Plowing 5 * Chap. 10. 4 The thoughts of the diligent m Who carefully and industriously prosecutes what he hath wisely contrived and resolved tend onely to plenteousness but of every one that is hasty n Who manageth his affairs rashly without due consideration onely to want o Is likely to bring himself to po verty 6 * Ch. 10. 2. 13. 11. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue p By false-witness-bearing or by any other false or deceitful words or actions whereby many men get riches is a vanity tossed to and fro q Is like the Chaff or Smoak driven away by the Wind it is neither satisfactory nor durable but quickly vanisheth away as hath been frequently observed of Estates ill-gotten of them that seek death r Not designedly but eventually that take those courses which will bring Death or Destruction upon them or theirs 7 The robbery of the wicked shall †Heb. saw them or dwell with them destroy them s The injury which they do to others shall either by God or men be returned upon their own heads because they refuse to do judgment t They wilfully and obstinatly give up themselves to unrighteous practices 8 The way u The course of his life of man x Of every Man of Man by Nature and in his corrupt estate of a wicked or impure man to whom the pure is opposed in the next Clause is froward and strange y Estranged from God and from Man's primitive Integrity and from the rule of his actions Reason and Scripture in which respects wicked men are called strangers Psal. 54. 3. Ezek. 44. 7. and elsewhere but as for the pure his work is right z But he whose Heart is pure and upright his conversation is agreeable to it 9 * Vers. 19. Ch. 19. 13. 25. 24. 27. 15. It is better to dwell a To wit alone in quietness as appears from the opposite clause in a corner of the house top b Of the roof of the House which in those Countries was flat and plain and habitable but was exposed to all the injuries of the Weather than with †Heb. a woman of contentions a brawling woman in a †Heb. an house of Society wide house c Or in a common House or an House of Society where Husband and Wise live together or which is capable of many Friends or Companies 10 * Jam. 4. 5. The soul of the wicked desireth evil d His Heart is fully and earnestly set in him as it is expressed Eccles. 8. 11. to do evil to work wickedness to do mischief to others to satisfie his own lusts though it be with injury of others his neighbour †Heb. is not favoured findeth no favour in his eyes e If he either dissuade him from his wickedness or stand in the way of his Lusts. He spares neither friend nor foe 11 * When the scorner is punished the simple f The honest or plainhearted man as Chap. 19. 25. where this whole verse for the substance of it is contained and explained is made wise and when the wise is instructed g Or prospers as this word is used Prov. 17. 8. and elsewhere So the sense of the verse is The simple learn Wisdom both from the punishment of wicked men and from the prosperity of good men he receiveth knowledg 12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked h He looketh through its present Power and Glory which dazleth the Eyes of others unto that ruine to which it is designed but i Or now or that this being the thing which he wisely considereth God overthroweth k Or will overthrow in his due time though for a season he bear with them the wicked for their wickedness 13 * Mat. 18. 30 c. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor l When they cry out by reason of Oppression or want and beg relief from him he also shall cry himself m Unto God or Men in his straits which God will bring upon him but shall not be heard 14 * Ch. 17. 8. 18. 16. A gift n To a person loffended and angry with us as the following words shew in secret o Which makes it more acceptable for gifts openly given savour of ostentation in the giver and cause some shame or contempt to the receiver pacifieth anger and a reward in the bosom p Secretly conveyed into his bosom See on Prov. 17. 8. 18. 16. strong wrath 15 It is joy to the just q The sense is either 1. He is highly pleased and delighted with it Or 2. He reapeth much comfort and benefit by it which is opposed to the following destruction joy is put for matter or cause of joy to do judgment r To do what is just or good for this is opposed to working of iniquity but destruction s Or as others render it terror or horror opposite to joy shall be to the workers of iniquity 16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding t That forsaketh the rule of Gods word and walketh after his own Lusts. shall †Heb. rest remain in the congregation of the dead u Shall without Repentance be condemned to eternal Death or Damnation 17 He that loveth ‖ Or sport pleasure x That gives up himself to the pursuit and enjoyment of sensual and immoderate pleasures shall be a poor man y Takes the ready course to Poverty he that loveth wine and oil z Which are put for all delicious fare and luxurious feasting for Wine and Oil were much used in Feasts in those parts shall not be rich 18 * Ch. 11. 8. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous a The wicked shall be brought into those troubles which were either threatned by God or designed by wicked men against the righteous and by that means as by a ransom the righteous shall be delivered Thus
when they are very old keep much at home and have neither strength nor inclination to go abroad Or rather 2. Allegorically as all the other clauses are understood And so the doors are either 1. The outward Senses which as doors let in outward Objects to the Soul Or rather 2. The Mouth or the two Lips here expressed by a word of the dual number which are oft called a door both in Scripture as Psal. 141. 3. Mich. 7. 5. and in other Authors which like a door open or shut the way which leads into the streets or common passages of the Body such as the Gullet and Stomach and all the Bowels as also the Wind-pipe and Lungs which also are principal instruments both of speaking and eating And these are said to be shut not simply and absolutely as if they did never eat or drink or speak but comparatively because Men in extream Old-age grow dull and listless having little or no appetite to eat and are very much indisposed for discourse and speak but seldom when the sound of the grinding is low p Or because the sound c. So this may be added not as a new Symptom of Old-age but only as the reason of the foregoing Symptom The sense is When or because the Teeth called the grinders v. 3. are loose and â—…ew whereby both his speech is low and the noise which he makes in eating is but small And this is one great cause of his indisposedness both to eating and to speaking Some understand this of Concoction which after a sort doth grind the Meat in the stomach and in the other parts appointed by God for that work But that is transacted inwardly and without all noise or sound and he shall rise up q To wit from his Bed being weary with Lying and unable to get sleep at the voice of the bird r Either 1. Upon the smallest noise Which doth not consist with that deafness incident to old Men and described in the next words Or rather 2. As soon as the Birds begin to chirp which is early in the morning whereas Children and Young Men can lie and sleep long in the morning and all the daughters of musick s All those Senses or parts of the Body which are employed in Musick and Song as well those which make it as the parts of and within the Mouth as those which receive it to wit the Ears shall â—…e brought low t Shall be cast down from their former excellency they are become incapable either of making musicit or of delighting in it 5 Also when they shall be afraid u The passion of Fear is observed to be most incident to old Men of which divers Reasons may be given of that which is high x Either 1. Of high things lest they should fall upon them Or rather 2. Of high places of going up hills or stairs which is very irksom to them because of their weakness and weariness and giddiness and danger or dread of falling And this clause together with the next may be rendred thus and that agreeably to the Hebrew Text Also they shall be afraid and terrified Two words expressing the same thing which is very frequent in the Hebrew of that which is high in the way When they walk abroad they will dread to go up any high or sâ—…eep places and fears shall be in the way y Lest as they are walking they should stumble or fall or be thrust down or some infirmity or mischief should befall them and the almond-tree shall flourish z Their heads shall be as full of gray Hairs as the Almond-Tree is of white Flowers Such Metaphors are not unusual in other Authors Hence Sophocles calls a gray or hoary Head flowry and again covered with white flowers and the grashopper shall be a burden a If it doth accidentally hop up and rest upon them They cannot endure the least burden being indeed a burden to themselves But the words may be and are by others rendred the locust as the ancient Interpreters and many others render it or as ours and some others the grashopper which comes to the same thing for these two sorts of insects are much of the same nature and shape shall be a burden to itself And by the locust or grashopper may be understood either 1. The old Man himself who bears some resemblance to it in shape by reason of the bones sticking out in the constitution of the Body which is drie and withering and in the Legs and Arms which are slender the flesh being consumed Or 2. The Back which fitly follows after the Head upon which the Almond-Tree flourished in which the strength of the Body lay and which formerly was able to bear great burdens but now through its weakness and crookedness is a burden too heavy for itself And some of the Jewish and other Interpreters understand this word which others render locust or grashopper to be some part of the Body either the Back-bone or the head of the Thigh-bone or the Ankle-bone any of which may well be said to be heavy or burdensome to itself when it moves slowly and listlesly and not without difficulty and trouble and desire b To wit of Meats and Drinks and Musick and other carnal Delights which are vehemently desired by men in the heat of their Youth but are unsavoury to old men of which see an Instance 2 Sam. 19. 35. It is true the former Expressions are metaphorical but the two next following are proper and to be understood literally and so may this clause also shall fail because man goeth c Is travelling towards it every day nearer to it than other to his long home d From this place of his pilgrimage into the Grave from whence he must never return into this world and into the state and place of the future Life which is unchangeable and everlasting and the mourners e Either such as were hired to that end of whom see on Ier. 9. 17. Mat. 9. 23. 11. 17. or true Mourners near Relations and dear Friends accompany the dead Corps through the streets to the Grave go about the streets 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain or the wheel broken at the cistern f This verse is to be understood either 1. Literally of the ornaments of Life such as Chains and Jewels and vessels of Gold and Silver and of the instruments by which the necessary Provisions and supports of Life are conveyed to us such as fountains of water and Pitchers c. which may be said to be loosed or broken because they are neglected as useless things to the dead man Or rather 2. Allegorically of those inward parts of Mans Body which are the chief Instruments of Life or Sense and Motion and of the vital or animal operations whether such from which they first proceed or in
in a peculiar manner being chosen by me and consecrated to my Use and Service and inâ—…bited by 〈◊〉 People and upon my mountains g In my Mountainous Country for such 〈◊〉 was Deut. 8. 9. Psal. 133. 3. Ezek. 6. 2 3. 39. 2 â—… 17. especially about Ierusalem Psal. 125. 2. upon some of which probably his Army was lodged tread him under feet then shall his yoke depart from off them and his burden depart from off their shoulders h Which Words are â—…peated from Isa. 10. 27. where they are explained 26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth i Upon this vast Empire now in the hands of the â—…rians and shortly to come into the hands of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole earth is put Synechdochically for a great part of it and this is the hand k The Providence of God executing his purpose that is stretched out upon all the nations 27 For the LORD of hosts hath * â—… Châ—… â—… 6. Jâ—…b 9. 12 2â—… 1â—… Psal. 33. 11. Irov 19. 21. 21. 30. Chap. 43. 13. Dan. 4. 31 32 35. purposed and who shall disanul it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back 28 In the year that * 2 Kâ—… 16. 20. king Ahaz died was this burden l This following burdensom Prophecy 〈◊〉 the Philistins who in Ahaz his time made an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and took divers of their Cities and Villages 2 Chron. â—… â—… 29 Rejoyce not thou whole Palestina because the rod of m Most understand this of Uzziah who did then much mischief 2 Chron. 26. 6. But he was dead Thirty two years before this time and therefore their Joy for his Death was long since past Others understand it of Ahaz But he was so far from smiting them that he was smitten by them as was noted on v. 27. It seems better to understand it more generally of the Royal Race or soregoing Kings of Iudah who had been a terrible Scourge to them whose Rod might be said to be broken because that Scepter was come into the hands of slothful and degenerate Princes such as Ahaz was who had been lately broken by the Philistins and who probably was alive when this Prophecy was delivered because he here speaks of Hezekiah not as a present but as a future King It is said indeed that this burden was in the year that Ahaz died But so it might be though it was before his Death him that smote thee is broken for out of the serpents root shall come forth a ‖ Or addâ—…r cockatrice and his fruit shall be a fiery slying serpent n From the Root and Race of David shall come Hezekiah who like a Serpent shall sting thee to death as he did 2 Kings 18. 8. 30 And the first born of the poor o The People of the Jews who are brought to extreme Poverty by thy Cruelty and the Malice of other Enemies The First-born were the chief of all the Children Hence the Title of first-born is given to Persons or Things which are most eminent in their Kind as to the People of Israel Exod. 4. 22. to David Psal. 89. 27. to a grievous Death Iob 18. 13. and here to Persons eminently poor shall feed p Shall have plenty of Provisions in spight of all thine Attempts against them and the needy shall lie down in safety and I will kill thy root q I will utterly destroy thee both Root and Branch so that there shall not be a Remnant of thy People reserved as it follows It is a Metaphor from a Tree which for want of Nourishment is dried up by the Roots with famin and he shall slay thy remnant 31 Howl O gate r The gate is put either 1. Metaphorically for the People passing through the Gates or for the Magistrates and others who used to meet in the Gate for Judgment or upon other Occasions or 2. Synechdochically for the City as gates are commonly put as Ier. 22. 19. and as it is explained in the next Words cry O city s City is here put collectively for their Cities of which see 1 Sam. 6. 17. thou whole Palestina art dissolved t Heb. melted Which may be understood either 1 of the fainting of their Spirits and Courage as Exod. 15. 15. Iâ—…s 2. 9 24 c. or 2. of the Dissolution of their State for there shall come from the North u Either 1. from Iudea which lay Northward from some part of the Philistins Land But in truth Iudea lay more East than North from Iudah and therefore the Phâ—… are said to be on the west Isa. 11. 14. and never so far as I remember on the North Or 2. from Chaldaea as may be gathered 1. from the Scripture use of this Phrase which generally designs that Country as Ier. 1. 14 15. 6. 1 22. c. 2. from Ier. 47. where Destruction is threatned to the Philistins from the North v. 2. which all understand of the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar And whereas it is speciously objected That this suits not with the next Verse which speaks of Zions Safety at the time of this Destruction of the Philistins whereas Zion and the Land and People of Iudah were destroyed together with the Philistins by Nebuchadnezzar I humbly conceive it may be answered That that Verse is added to express the far-differing Condition of God's People and of the Philistins in the Events of that Babylonian War and that whereas the Philistins should be irrecoverably and eternally destroyed thereby and no Remnant of them should be left as was said v. 30. God's People though they should be sorely scourged and carried into Captivity yet they should be strangely preserved and after some years delivered and restored to their own Land and Temple whereby it would appear that Zion stood upon a sure Foundation and albeit it was grievously shaken yet it could not be utterly and finally overthrown a smoke x A grievous Judgment and Calamity which is oft signified by smoke as Gen. 15. 17. Deut. 29. 20. Iâ—…el 2. 30. either because Smoke is generally accompanied with Fire or because it causeth a great Darkness in the Air for Afflictions are frequently described under the names of fire and darkness and ‖ Or he shall not be alone none shall be alone in his ‖ Or assemblies appointed times y When God's appointed time shall come for the execution of this Judgment not one Person of all that numerous Army which is signified by the smoke last mentioned shall retire and desert his Colours or lag behind the rest But they shall march with great unanimity and alacrity and none of them shall withdraw his hand till the Work be finished till the Philistins be utterly destroyed 32 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation z What shall a Jew say to the People of other Nations who shall either be
Tribulation So they ask the Prophet what he hath to say concerning that Night of Calamity which he had so long and oft threatned to them whereof as yet they saw no appearance Or 2 properly the night being the proper and chief time in which the Watchman's Care is most necessary because then their Enemies had opportunity to do them most harm So the People are supposed to come to him very early in the morning to inquire what hath hapned in the Night which shews a State of great Perplexity and Fear which might well be called a burden both because Fear in it self is a great Torment and because this Fear was a Sign and Presage of their approaching Miseries watchman what of the night c The repetition of the same Words shews the greatness of their Solicitude and Fear 12 The watchman said The morning cometh and also the night d The Night is past without any great mischief to you and the comfortable Light of the Morning is approaching which freeth mens Minds from the Terrours of the Night but although the Morning be coming it will be gone and the Night will return and your Fears with it The night seems to be here taken properly as the morning is yet so that he alludes to the Metaphorical Signification of the Word and intimates that the Night of Affliction was coming upon them if ye will enquire enquire ye return come e If this Watchman be the Prophet Isalas then the sence of these Words is this If you will be enquiring enquire sincerely and seriously of God by me concerning your Danger and the way to prevent it return unto the Lord by true Repentance who alone can secure you and come unto me for Direction But if it be their own Watchman which with submission I conceive most probable the sence is If you will enquire enquire I perceive by what I have observed this Night that your Danger is not past and there will be occasion for further Enquiries from time to time and therefore return come i. e. either return to them that sent you with this Message and then come to me for further Tydings or come again as return lie down is put for lie down again 1 Sam. 3. 5. come to me the next Morning as you have reason to do and so from Morning to Morning for I see every Night is likely to bring some evil Tidings to you 13 * Jer. 49. 28. The burden upon Arabia In the forest f Not as you used to do in the Houses or Tents of the Arabians Whereby he implies That that Populous Country should be turned into a desolate Wilderness in Arabia shall ye lodg O ye travelling companies g In those Parts Travellers then did and still do go together in Companies See Gen. 37. 25 28. Iob 6. 19. of Dedanim h Or Dedamites of whom see on Gen. 25. 3. Ier. 25. 23 24. 49. 7 8. These were Merchants and used to Trade with Tyre Ezek. 27. 20. 38. 13. and their Way lay thorow the same Parts of Arabia 14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema i A part of Arabia of which see Iob 6. 19. Ier. 25. 23. ‖ Or bring ye brought water to him that was thirsty they prevented with their bread him that fled k Whereby he implies That those other Arabians against whom this Prophecy is principally directed should be reduced to great scarcity of all necessary Provisions and forced to flee for their Lives from a bloody Enemy as is more fully expressed in the next Verse 15 For they fled ‖ Or for fear †Heb. from the face from the swords from the drawn sword and from the bent bow and from the grievousness of war 16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me Within a year l From the time of this Prophecy * Chap. 16. 14. according to the years of an hireling m To wit an exact Year for Hirelings diligently observe and wait for the end of the Year when they are to receive their wages and all the glory n Their Power and Riches and all things wherein they used to glory This was executed by the Assyrians of Kedar o Of whom see on Psal. 120. 5. Ier. 49. 28. shall fail 17 And the residue of the number of †Heb. bows archers p Bows and Arrows were their chief Weapons and they were expert in the Use of them both against Beasts and Men as occasion required the mighty men of the children of Kedar q shall be diminished for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it CHAP. XXII THE burden of the valley of Vision a Of Iudah and especially of the City of Ierusalem as the next Verse sheweth Which is called a valley because a great part of it stood in a Valley and comparatively to those higher Mountains wherewith it was encompassed of which see Psal. 121. 1. 125. 2. Isa. 52. 7. and the valley of vision because of the many and clear Visions or Revelations of God's Mind in that Place above all other Parts of the World As the Prophets are called seers 1 Sam. 9. 9. so Prophecy is frequently called vision as 1 Sam. 3. 1. Isa. 1. 1. Ezek. 7. 13 26. What aileth thee now that thou art wholly gone up to the house tops b As they used to do in times of great Confusion and Consternation that they might mourn and look and cry to Heaven for Help Compare Isa. 15. 3. Ier. 48. 38. 2 Thou art full of stirs c Or Thou who wast full of stirs or noises to wit of joyful Shouts as the following Words limit it and as this Word is used Zech. 4. 7. though elsewhere it be taken for doleful Cries a tumultuous d Or streperous full of noise and clamour through Revelling and Jollity See Prov. 20. 1. Zech. 9. 15. city a joyous city thy slain men are not slain with the sword nor dead in battel e But either by Famine or Pestilence in the Siege as many died Ier. 14. 18. 38. 2. or in their Flight as others were both which were inglorious kinds of Death 3 All thy rulers f Zedekiah and his Chief Commanders whose Flight he here foretels are fled together they are bound †Heb. of the bow by the archers g Heb. from the bow i. e. so as they were disenabled from using the Bow which is an usual Hebraisin as from a king is put for from being a king 1 Sam. 15. 23. and from seeing Psal. 69. 23. is rendred that they cannot see Rom. 11. 10. But this Word is by some and may very well be joyned to the foregoing Clause for the Words in the Hebrew lie thus All thy rulers are fled together from the bow or bowmen as this Word is rendred Isa. 21. 17. they are bound Which seems most plain and unforced and suits best with the following Words as also
Grace or rather 2. all the Good and Great Works which have been wrought for us all our wonderful Deliverances and singular Blessings come from thee And so the Argument is this God hath delivered us formerly upon all occasions and therefore he will still deliver us and give us Peace Which Inference is frequently made by Holy Men in Scripture ‖ Or for us in us l Heb. to or for us 13 O LORD our God * 2 Chron. 12. 8. other lords besides thee m Others besides thee who art our onely Iudge and King and Lawgiver Isa. 33. 22. and besides those Governours who have been set up by thee and have ruled us for thee and in subordination to thee even Foreign and Heathenish Lords such as the Philistins and lately the Assyrians have had dominion over us n Have exercised a Tyrannical Power over us but by thee onely o By thy Favour and Help by which alone and not by our Strength or Merits we have been rescued from their Tyranny will we make mention of thy Name p We will celebrate thy Praise and trust in thee for the future Thou onely hast given us both Ability and Occasion to magnifie thy Name whereas without thy Succour we had gone into the place of Silence where there is no remembrance of thee as is said Psal. 6. 5. 14 They are dead they shall not live they are deceased they shall not rise q Those Tyrants and Enemies are utterly and irrecoverably destroyed so as they shall never live or rise again to molest us Possibly he speaks of the miraculous Destruction of Sennacherib's Army before Ierusalem therefore r That they might be so effectually destroyed thou didst undertake the Work Or rather because as this Particle is used Numb 14. 43. Psal. 42. 6. thou hast c. as it follows hast thou visited and destroyed them and made all their memory to perish s Thou hast destroyed both them and theirs and all the Monuments or Memorials of their Greatness and Glory 15 Thou hast increased the nation t Heb. Thou hast added to the nation Which may be understood either 1. in way of Mercy of adding to their Numbers as our Translation takes it and so we have in effect the same Phrase 2 Sam. 24. 3. The Lord add to the people c. and Psal. 115. 14. in the Hebrew Text The Lord shall add upon or to you or 2. in way of Judgment of adding to their Plagues or Miscries of which we read Rev. 22. 18. in which sence the Phrase is found in the Hebrew Text Psal. 120. 3. What shall be added to thee and in that usual Form of Imprecation The Lord do so to me and more Ruth 1. 17. 1 Sam. 3. 16. c. where it is in the Hebrew The Lord do so to me and add And this sence seems to be favoured by the Context as also by the ancient Greek Translators who render the Words add to them evil or punishments And so the Word adding may be used emphatically and sarcastically God indeed will add to them but what Not Numbers and Power and Glory as they expected but Plagues or Judgments one after another This nation is supposed by the Current of Interpreters to be the People of Israel emphatically called the nation Possibly it may be the Assyrians of whom he spoke in the last Verse But this I propose with submission O LORD thou hast increased the nation thou art glorified u Thy Justice is glorified in their Punishment or Destruction thou hast removed it far unto all the ends of the earth x Which may be understood either 1. of Israel and that either in a way of Mercy Thou hast by destroying the Assyrians enlarged thy People who were shut up in Ierusalem so that now they may go to the remotest parts of the Land or in way of Judgment Thou hast removed thy People out of their own Land and suffered them to be carried Captive to the ends of the Earth Or 2. of the Assyrians Thou hast removed them from Ierusalem which they had besieged and caused them to flee into their own Country which in Scripture-phrase was in the ends of the earth of which see Isa. 5. 26. 13. 5. 16 O LORD in trouble have they y To wit thy People as appears both from the Matter of this Verse and from the following Verses visited thee z Come into thy Presence with their Prayers and Supplications as the next Clause explains it they poured out a Which notes the Plenty or rather the Earnestness of their Prayers as Psal. 42. 4. 142. 2â—… a †Heb. secret speech prayer b Heb. a muttering or lowly speech such as Charmers use and such as Hezekiah used when he was in great distress Isa. 38. 14. Like a crane or swallow so did I chatter I did mourn as a dove and such as is usual in case of great humiliation and dejection of Mind when thy chastning was upon them c When thou wast punishing them for their Sins 17 Like as * Joh. 16. 21. a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain and crieth out in her pangs so have we been d Such was our Anguish and Danger in thy sight e Whilst thou didst onely look upon us like a meer Spectator without affording us the least degree of Pity or Help Or this Phrase notes onely the reality of the Thing God was Witness of this our Misery and knoweth the Truth of what I say O LORD 18 We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind f We have had the Torment of a Woman in Child-bearing but not the Comfort of a Living Child Ioh. 16. 21. for we have brought forth nothing but Wind all our Labours and Hopes were vain and unsuccessful The Prophet here represents their deplorable and desperate Condition before God appeared so eminently to deliver them we have not wrought any deliverance g We found that we were utterly unable to deliver our selves in the earth h Or in the land in our own Country where yet we had far greater Advantages than we could have had elsewhere neither have the inhabitants of the world i The Assyrians or our other Enemies for they are here opposed to God's People fallen 19 Thy dead men shall live k The Prophet here turneth his Speech to God's People and gives them a Cordial to support them in their deep Distress expressed in the foregoing Verse Thy dead Men are not like those v. 14. for they shall not live as I there said but thine shall live You shall certainly be delivered from all your Fears and Dangers Nothing is more frequent both in Scripture and other Authors than for great Calamities to be compared to death and Deliverance from them to life and reviving and resurrection
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
x To wit for flesh as the next Verse sheweth in the wilderness and tempted God in the desart 15. ‖ Num. 11. 31. And he gave them their request but sent leanness into their Souls y Either into their Persons Or rather their Bodies which are oft understood by this word of which see the Notes upon Psal. 16. 10. So their inordinate desire of pleasing and pampering their Bodies was the occasion of destroying them whilest God denied his Blessing which alone makes food able to nourish us and inflicted his curse which made their food as destructive as Poison to them 16. * Num. 16. 1 1â—… They envied Moses also in the camp and Aaron the Saint of the Lord z So called here not so much from his inherent Holiness whereof Moses had a greater share but because he was consecrated or set apart by God for that sacred office of the Priest-hood in which respect all the Priests are said to be holy Levit. 21. 6 7 8. Hereby he intimates that their Envy and Rebellion was not only against Aaron but against God himself 17. †Num. 16. 31. Deut. 11. 16. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan a With his company which is sufficiently understood out of the following clause and out of the History Numb 16. and covered the company of Abiram 18. ‖ Num. 16. 35 â—… And a fire was kindled in their company b In their Associates or Confederates those wicked men as he calls them in the next clause to wit Korah and his company who were consumed by a Fire from the Lord Numb 16. 35. compared with v. 1 2 16 17 18 19. the flame burnt up the wicked 19. * Exod. 32. 4. They made a calf in Horeb c When they were but very lately brought out of Egypt by such wonderful Power and Goodness of God and had seen the dreadful Plagues of God upon the Egyptian Idolaters and upon their Idols too as is noted Numb 33. 4. and when the Law of God was but newly delivered to them in such a solemn and tremendous manner and the most High God was yet present and delivering further Precepts to Moses for their benefit upon the top of that very Mount This greatly aggravated their Sin and worshipped the molten Image 20. Thus * Jer. 2. 11. 〈◊〉 1. 23. they changed d As far as in them lay and in respect of their Worship their glory e Their God who was indeed their glory for they had this just occasion of triumphing and glorying over all the Nations of the World that whereas all other Nations worshipped stocks and stones or the heavenly Bodies or dead Men they only worshipped the living true God who was present and in Covenant with them and with them only into the similitude of an f Into the Golden Image of an Ox or Calf ox that eateth grass g Which is so far from feeding his People as the true God did the Israelites that he must be fed by them And yet the Image of such a creature was preferred by them before the all-sufficient and ever-blessed God which was an evidence of their horrid contempt of God as also of their prodigious folly and stupidity 21. They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things in Egypt 22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red sea 23. †Exod. 32. 10 11 32. Therefore he said h He declared his intention in express words as Exod. 32. 10. and elsewhere that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach i God had made an Hedge or Wall about them but they had made a gap or breach in it by their Sins at which the Lord who was now justly become their Enemy might enter to destroy them which he had certainly done if Moses by his prevailing intercession had not hindered him See Deut. 9. 1â—… 10. 10. It is a Metaphor from a Besieged City where the Enemy indeavours to make a breach in the Walls and thereby to enter into the City which he will do unless some valiant Champion stand in the gap to oppose him to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them 24. Yea they despised k Preferring Egypt and their former Bondage before it Numb 14. 3 4. and not thinking it worthy of a little hazard and difficulty in taking the possession of it ‖ Heb. a land of 〈◊〉 the pleasant land l Canaan which was so not only in truth Deut. 11. 11 12. Ier. 3. 19. Ezek. 20. 6. but even by the relation of those Spies who discouraged them from entring into it they believed not his word m i. e. His promise of giving them the land and subduing all their Enemies before them which they knew by late and manifold experience that God was both able and willing to do 25. * Num. 14. 2. But murmured in their tents and hearkned not unto the voice of the Lord n To Gods command which was that they should boldly and confidently enter into it 26. †Num. 14. 28. Therefore he lifted up his hand o He sware as this phrase is commonly used as Gen. 14. 22. Deut. 32. 40. Nehem. 9. 15. Revel 10. 5 6. of this dreadful and irrevocable Sentence and Oath of God See Numb 14. against them to overthrow them in the wilderness 27. ‖ Heb. to make them fall * Psal. 44. 11. Ezek. 20. 23. To overthrow their seed p He sware also though not at the same time that he would punish their Sins not only in their Persons but also in their Posterity See Exod. 20. 5. 3â—… 34. Levit. 26. 33. others refer this to the same Oath and History Numb 14. because God intended at first to destroy both Parents and Children even the whole Nation v. 12. 15. though afterwards upon Moses his intercession he limited the judgment to that Generation But that Destruction threatned was by the Pestilence v. 12. not as here by Captivity and Banishment Besides God said that v. 11. but he did not swear it but the Oath came afterward v. 21. also among the Nations and to scatter them in the lands 28. * Num. 25. 2 3. 31. 16. Rev. 2. 14. They joyned themselves q To wit in Worship whereby they had an union and communion with him as Gods People have with God in acts of his Worship And this phrase seems also to note their Carnal Copulation with the Daughters of Moab in the Temple or to the Honour of Baal-Peor also unto Baal-peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead r Which were offered to Idols which he calls dead in opposition to the true and living God and by way of contempt and to note the sottishness of Idolaters who worshipped lifeless things as stocks and stones or dead Men. And some learned men conceive that this is
spoken with particular regard to Baal-Peor or the Lord of Peor a place so called who had been a Person of great eminency in those parts and therefore was Worshipped according to the custom of the Heathens after his Death by Sacrifices and Feasts appointed for his Honour and Memory 29. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions and the Plague brake in upon them 30. †Num. 25. 7. Then stood up Phineas and executed judgment and so the Plague was stayed 31. And that was counted unto him for righteousness s And although that action of his might seem harsh and rash and irregular as being done by a private Person and a Priest and as allowing the Delinquents no space for Repentance it was accepted and rewarded by God as an act of Justice and Piety agreeable to his mind and proceeding from a sincere zeal for Gods honour and for the good of Gods People and God gave him a publick Testimony of his approbation to be recorded to all Generations and the Priesthood to be continued to him and his in all succeeding Generations of all which see Numb 25. unto all generations for evermore 32. * Num. 20. â—… 12 13. They angred him also at the waters of strife so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes t Or because of them upon occasion of their unbelief and murmuring whereby he was provoked to speak unadvisedly as it here follows 33. Because they provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly u So this word is thought to signifie Leviticus 5. 4. Prov. 12. 18. Or he spake as the word commonly signifies Not that it was in it self a Sin to speak but because he spake when he should have been silent or he spake to the People when God commanded him only to speak to the Rock Numb 20. 8 9 10. or he spake to wit the provocation of his spirit or such words as were agreeable to it and might be expected from it He mentions not here what Moses spake because that was fully known from the History and because he would throw a veil over Moses his infirmity and rather imply than express his fault with his lips 34. †Judg. 1. 21 27. They did not destroy the nations ‖ Deut. 7. 2. concerning whom x i. e. Concerning whose destruction Or rather which thing to wit to destroy those Canaanitish Nations for in the Hebrew there is nothing but asher which signifies only either whom or which the Lord commanded them 35. * Judg. 1. 21. 2. 2. 3. 5 6. But were mingled y In their Habitations and Negotiations as also in Marriages among the heathen and learned their works 36. And they served their idols which were a snare unto them z Which Idols were an occasion of their falling both into further and greater sins as it follows v. 37 38. and into utter ruine as this phrase also notes Exod. 23. 33. Iudg. 2. 12 c. 37. Yea †2 Kings 16. 3. Isai. 57. 5. Ezek. 16. 20. 20. 26. they sacrificed their sons and their daughters a Of which Heathenish practice see the notes on Levit. 18. 21. unto devils b By which expression he informeth them that they did not worship God as they pretended and sometimes designed but Devils in their Idols and that those spirits which were supposed by the Heathen Idolaters to inhabit in their Images and which they worshipped in them were not Gods or good Spirits as they imagined but evil Spirits or Devils See Levit. 17. 7. Deut. 32. 17. 1 Cor. 10. 20. Revel 9. 20. 38. And shed innocent blood c The blood of their Children who though Sinners before God yet were innocent as to them from any crime deserving such barbarous usage from them even the blood of their sons and of their daughters whom they sacrificed unto the Idols of Canaan and ‖ Numb 35. 33. the land was polluted with blood 39. Thus were they defiled with their own works and went a whoring with their own inventions d Committed spiritual Whoredom by worshipping those Idols which were but humane inventions and that in such an unnatural and bloody manner as they had devised 40. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance 41. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen and they that hated them ruled over them 42. Their enemies also oppressed them and they were brought into subjection under their hand 43. * Judg. 2. 16. Many times did he deliver them but they provoked him with their counsel e By forsaking Gods counsel and the way which he had appointed and following after their own inventions and evil inclinations as he charged them v. 39. See the like Numb 15. 39. and were †Or impoverished or weakned brought low for their iniquity 44. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction when ‖ Judg. 3. 9. 4. 3. 6. 7. 10. 10. he heard their cry 45. * Deut. 30. 3. And he remembred for them his covenant f The Covenant made with their Fathers which notwithstanding their horrible violation of it he made good unto them and in consideration thereof delivered them and repented g Changed his course and dealing with them as penitent Persons usually do See the Note on Gen. 6. 6. according to the multitude of his mercies 46. †1 Kings 8. 50. Jer. 42. 12. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives h By changing their opinions of them and inclining their hearts towards them which he had alienated from them See on Psal. 105. 25. 47. Save us O LORD our God i O thou who hast so often pardoned and saved us notwithstanding our former and manifold provocations be thou pleased once more to deliver us and gather us from among the heathen to give thanks unto thy holy name and to triumph in thy praise k In thy Praise-worthy work wrought for us Praise being but for actions worthy of Praise as it is here above v. 2. 1 Chron. 16. 35. Psal. 9. 14. Phil. 4. 8. and oft elsewhere 48. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting and let all the people say Amen Praise ye the LORD PSALM CVII The most of the Psalms have a peculiar respect unto the Church or People of God or to some eminent members thereof but there are some few Psalms which have a more general respect to all Nations of which number this is one Wherein the Psalmist discourseth of the merciful Providence of God towards all mankind and of his readiness to help them in all their distresses some few particular instances whereof he mentioneth and leaveth the rest to be understood there being the same reason of all But withal he takes notice also of Gods Judgments upon wicked Persons and People And by this