other was divided to all the custodies the Priests in their charges and both of them were eaten the same day and halfe the night as the 〈◊〉 of the most holy things Maimony in Tamidin chap. 8 sect 11. holinesse that is most holy The Peace-offrings of particular persons were light holy things but the peace-offrings of the Congregation were holy of holies that is most holy as 〈◊〉 Iarchi here observeth for the Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may eat them as before is shewed The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deth for the Priest that offreth them The 〈◊〉 the Priests to eat these and other â—oly things 〈◊〉 in Numb 18. 8. 9. 10. c. Vers. 21. shall proclaime or shall convocate 〈◊〉 is call-together the people in Greeke ye shall 〈◊〉 this day this selfe same day Hebr. the strength or bodie of this body so in verse 14. and 28. and 29. See Gen 7. 13. a convocation of holi 〈…〉 an holy convocation and meeting together of all the people partly in remembrance of their comming out of Egypt Deut. 16. 12. who came thence to-keepe a feast to the Lord in the wildernesse Exâ—â— 5. 1. 3. which they keepe at mount Sinai Exod. 24. where also the Law was given at this time of the yeere Exod. 19. 1. 11. the memoriall where 〈◊〉 celebrated by this yeerely feast and pardy to 〈…〉 ctifie the first fruits of their wheat harvest and to celebrate Gods mercies for the fruitfulnesse 〈◊〉 their land as this place sheweth The chiefe thâ—â—g figured hereby was the solomne giving of the 〈◊〉 of Christ which after was performed in Ierusalem at this feast of Pentecost when he sent his Apostles the gifts of his spirit in fierie tongues Act. 2. 1. 2. 3. whereupon they went forth to reape that which the Prophets had sowne gathcring fruit unto 〈◊〉 eternall and bringing the wheat of God into his garner unto the everlasting praise of the glory of his grace Ioh. 4. 35. 38. Luke 3. 17. Eph. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 And this Feast we now celebrate whiles with joy and thankfulnesse unto God we receive the 〈◊〉 the spirit of life in Christ Iesus which hath macâ—â— free from the law of sinne and death Rom. 8. 2. 15. Galath 3. 2. Vers. 22. not wholly-rid not â—ut downe all 〈◊〉 leave some in the corner of thy field for the 〈◊〉 This law was given before in Levit. 19. 9. in the very words see the annotations there God speaking here of the Feasts which were in harveth which they celebrated to the honour of 〈◊〉 repeateth that law concerning the poore whose reliefe he joyneth with his owne service as in repeating these feasts hee maketh expresse mention of such also to bee made partakers of their joy Deut. 16. 11. 14. See also Deut. 24. 19. 22. where this law is inlarged Vers. 24. the seventh moneth called of the Hebrewes â—isri of us now September in scripture it is named Ethanim 1 King 8. 2. which the Chaldee there expoundeth the moneth of the Ancients which they called the first moneth c. and now it is the seventh moneth So Targum Ionathan here explaineth it In Tisri which is the seventh moneth In this moneth Solomons Temple was dedicated the first day which was at the new moone for all their moneths in Israel were counted by the Moone asabbatisme that is a rest or cessation from your labours Targum Ionathan calleth it a good day blowing-of-trompets or of cornets the Greeke translateth a memoriall of trompets the Chaldee a memoriall of showting The Hebrew Tragnah here used is generally a lowd showing noise commonly for joy as Ezra 3. 11. 12. 1 Chro. 15. 28. sometime for sorrow as Ier. 20. 16. Mich. 4. 9. and is either with mans voice or with sound of trompet and then it is that broken sound called an alarme Numb 10. 5. 7. Againe Trompets were of two sorts some of metall as the silver trompets in the Sanctuarie Numb 10. 2. some of horne called cornets 2 Chron. 15. 14. Psal. 98. 6. That this was with blowing of trompets and cornets appeareth by Numb 10 10. in your solemne dayes and in the beginnings of your moneths yee shall blow with the trompets over your burnt offrings c. and in Psal. 81. 3. Blow up the cornet or trompet in the new-moone c. At every new-moone they had a solemnitie in Israel and offred besides the daily sacrifices two bullockes one ram seven lambs for burnt-offrings with their meat and drinke-offrings and a goat for a sin-offring Numb 28. 11. 15. and at this new moone which was the beginning of the yeere they offered all the foresaid sacrifices and over and besides them one bullocke one ram and seven lambs for burnt-offrings and a goat for a sin-offring Num. 29. 1. 6. The trompet which they proclaimed the new yeere with was the same that they proclaimed the Iubilee with which was a cornet called in Hebrew Shophar Levit. 25. 9. The Hebrew doctors write here of thus It is commanded by the Law to heare the sound of the trompet or cornet in the beginning of the yeere Numb 29. 1. and the trâ—mpet which they blew with either in the beginning of the yeere or at the Iubilee was of arams horne crooked and all cornets save of rammes horne were unlawfull And although it bee not expressed in the law that the blowing at the new yeere should be with the cornet Levit 23. 24. yet of the Iubilee it is said SHOPHAR TRVGNAH the cornet of loud sound Levit. 25. 9. whereupon we have beene taught the sound or blowing at the Iubilee was with the cornet Shophar also the sound at the beginning of the yeere was with the cor 〈◊〉 In the Sanctuarie they did blow in the beginning of the yeere with one cornet and two trompets because it is written in Psal. 98. 6. with trompets and sound of cornet shout triumphantly before the LORD the King but in other places they did not blow in the beginning of the yeere save with the cornet onely All are bound to heare the sound of the cornet Priests and Levites and Israelites and Proselytes and servants that are made free but women and servants and children are not bound The sound Trugnah or alarme spoken of in the law is not certainely knowue of us by reason of the length of yeeres and our many captivities so that we know not how it was Maimony in Shophar c. chap. 1. sect 1. 2. and chap. 2. sect 1. and chap. 3. sect 2. Howbeit by the same author and by Thalm. Bab in Rosh hasshanah chap. 3. and 4. it appeareth that they used to blow with these cornets both in Ierusalem and in all other cities in the Synagogues for the feasts were proclaimed in all their cities and not onely in Ierusalem Nehem. 8. 15. and with it they used prayers and blessings and reading of some scriptures â—itting the matter in hand This blowing of trompets by the Priests in the Sanctuarie and Ministers in the Synagogues which all the
signifieth From is sometime put for unto by the interpretation of the Holy Ghost himselfe as from Baale of Iudah 2 Sam. 6. 2. is by another Prophet explained to Baalah 1 Chron. 13. 6. So the Deliverer shall come from or out of Sion Rom. 11. 26. is the same that hee shall come unto Sion Esay 59. 20. Min hashamajim from heaven 2 Chron. 6. 21. is El hashamajim unto or in heaven 1 King 8. 30. Thus Mikkedem is to the East or Eastward Gen. 13. 11. Mitstsâ—phon is Northward 1 Sam. 14. 5. and sundrie the like Sinai is a mountaine in Arabia Gal. 4. 25. where God gave his Law Exod. 19. from or out of that mountaine God came unto Israel and as the Chaldee interpreteth was revealed there unto them and from thence came with his people to conduct them towards Canaan Or came unto Sinai and to his people there And this is the first chiefe blessing unto Israel Gods Law Tabernacle Statutes and Iudgments given them at Sinai after which hee called them to journey towards the Land of promise Deut. 2. 6 7. rose up as the Sunne ariseth for of that rising the Hebrew word is properly used The Chaldee translateth it the brightnesse of his glory from Seir appeared unto us So Esaias prophesying grace to the Church saith The glory of Iehovah is risen as the Sunne upon thee And of the heavenly Ierusalem which Christ hath built it is said The Citie hath no need of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof Rev. 21. 23. from Seir the mountaine of the Edomites Deut. 2. 4. 5. As Israel compassed Edoms land they were stung with fiery serpents for their murmuring then God appointed the Brazen serpent a figure of Christ to be set up to heale them Num. 21 4. 9. And here was a second degree of grace whereby God shined unto them as he doth unto us by his Gospell after wee have beene under the Schoolemaster of his Law Rom. 7. 4 25. Gal. 3. 23 24 26. unto them or unto him meaning Israel therefore the Chaldee expoundeth it unto us shined forth or shined bright and cleare as the Sunne shineth in his strength This word is used for the cleare manifestation of Gods power in saving his people or punishing their enemies Psal. 82. and 94. 1. and 50. 2. The Greeke here translateth hee hastened from mount Pharan the Chaldee hee was revealed in his might upon mount Paran Pharan or Paran the name of a mount and of the wildernesse of the Ismaelites Gen. 21. 21. thorow which Israel travelled Num. 10. 12. Neere it Moses by the Spirit of God explained the law more cleerly repeated this booke of Deuteron Deut. 1. 1 c. So the Prophet after speaketh the Holy one came from mount Pharan Selah Habak 3. 3. Some of the Hebrewes understand these things otherwise thus Hee rose up from Seir unto them that is to the sonnes of Esan that they might receive the Law but they would not From thence hee went to the sonnes of Ismael that they might receive it but they would not And then he came unto Israel R. Sol. Iarchi on Deut. 33. So Ionathan in his Thargum on this place and R. Eliezer in Pirkei chap. 41. But unto us it sheweth the third degree of Gods grace who after wee are come unto Christ by faith doth sanctifie us by his Spirit informing us in his truth and waies and so prepareth us to enter into his heavenly rest as by Moses he prepared Israel to enter into the Land of Canaan Rom. 8. 2 3 11. Gal. 3. 2 14. and 4. 6. and 5. 16 18 of Saints Hebr. of sanctitie meaning spirits of sanctity which Ionathan in his Thargum expoundeth holy Angels So Stephen saith that Israel received the Law by thy disposition of Angels Act. 7. 53. and Paul calleth the Law the word spoken by Angels Heb. 2. 2. So wee by grace in Christ are come to ten thousands of Angels Heb. 12. 22. which are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall bee heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. Compare Psal. 68. 18. Or by Saints wee may understand the Israelites as in v. 3. with whom or for whom God came from Sinai from his right hand to wit went or at his right hand was the fire of the Law or of the ordinance Hebr. Esh dath of which word Dath the Greekes borrowed their word Tatto to order or ordaine the Legall fire or the fiery Law and it is so called because the Lord spake those words out of the midst of the fine Deut. 5. 22. and to shew the nature and effect of the Law which is like fire Ier. 23. 29. The Greeke translateth it Angels Angels with him the Chaldee thus his right hand wrote out of the midst of fire the Law he gave unto us Answerable to this Legall fire is that fire of the Law of the Spirit which was given with cloven tongues like fire Act. 2. 3 4. The Hebrewes say by tradition that the Law appeared written with blacke fire upon white fire before the Lord. R. Moses Gerundens and Sol. Iarchi on Deut. 33. which seemeth to be either mysticall or fabulous Vnto us the fire of the Law is the Spirit of God whiles wee being baptized with the holy Spirit and with fire Matth. 3. 11. are by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus made free from the Law of sinne and death Rom. 8. 2. Vers. 3. Yea the lover of the peoples that is yea or certainly hee loveth or thou O God lovest the peoples or protectest them The Hebrew Chobeb signifieth a loving embracing or hiding as in the bosome and so implyeth Love and Protection And the peoples are meant of the tribes of Israel as in Iudg. 5. 14. after thee Benjamin among thy peoples and in Act. 4. 27. the peoples of Israel The Greeke translateth And he spared his people the Chaldee yea he loved them for tribes that is of his love chose and disposed them to be tribes It may imply also the strangers converted unto God And now in Christ there is neither Iew nor Greeke neither bond nor free for we are all one in him Gal. 3. 28. all his Saints that is the Saints of Israel as the Chaldee expoundeth all the Saints of the house of Israel Or the Saints of God as in Psal. 34. 10. Feare Iehovah yee his Saints So his Saints may be used for thy Saints as his commandements Dan. 9. 4. for thy commandements see the notes on Deut. 5. 10. in thine hand in thy power and custody under thy guidance care and protection Hand is often for power so the Chaldee here translateth with power hee brought them out of Egypt and in the hand is under the guidance and direction Num. 4. 28 33. so the Greeke here translateth and all the sanctified ones are under thine hand It noteth the safety of Gods
reached but to the Iubilee so sometime it is but during life as 1 Sam. 1. 22. Thus by all meanes God provided to keepe men out of bondage as he had brought them out of Egyptian servitude to be his servants Levit. 25. 42. Nehem. 5. 8. And the Apostle saith If thou canst be made free use it rather 1 Cor. 7. 21. Especially God taught them hereby to labour for the Libertie which Christ at his Iubilee should bring unto them Ioh. 8. 32. 34. 36. and not to be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. And by this outward state of servants led them from the bondage of the Law at mount Sina to the freedome of the Gospell at mount Sion Galat. 4. 24. 25. 26. c. For the aule through the eare signified the sharpe iron precepts which men were bound to obey in their going out and comming in their whole administration till either the death of the master or the Iubilee did release them So the Apostle saith The Law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth c. When wee were in the flesh the passions of sinnes which were by the Law wrought effectually in our members to bring forth fruit unto death but now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in ne 〈…〉 of the spirit and not in oldnesse of the letter Romans 7. 1. 5. 6. Vers. 7. sell his daughter which the Hebrew canons say hee might not doe but while shee was a girle under the age and state of mariage not after neither might he sell her but for extreme povertie when he had nothing left of goods moveable or unmoveable unto the cloathes on his backe Maimony treat of Servants chap. 4. Sect. 1. 2. An example hereof was among the poore Iewes returned our of Babylon Nehem. 5. 1. 5. 8. maid-servant or hand maid see Gen. 16. 1. This servitude by the Law must bee but till the seventh yeere as was before for men-servants whom the Magistrates sold or till the Iubilee if it fell out before Deut 15. 12. Levit. 25. 40. or by the Hebrew canons till the death of her master as the servants that is as slaves basely and with dishonour for the Hebrew men and women might not be made to serve as servants but as hired persons and sojourners Levit. 25. 39. 40. Although therefore this by some is referred to the former law of men-servants in verse 2. 3. c. yet the Greeke translation changeth the gender and so understandeth it of bond-women or slaves And the Iew Doctors referre it to that which followeth in verse 26. 27. that an Hebrew handmaid goeth not out for losse of limme as of eye tooth c. but must receive satisfaction for such hurts as any other of Israel according to the Law in verse 24. Maimony treat of Servants chap. 4. Sect. 6. Vers. 8. evill that is displeasing as the Greeke also translateth it that he doe not betroth her unto himselfe oâ—to his sonne verse 9. Or who hath betrothed her to himselfe for the Hebrew hath both readings the first in the line the latter in the margine And the writing differeth in the eye * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lo not and to to himselfe but hath no difference in the eare so Moses hearing it of God did by his spirit write both and the margine is that which in the Hebrew is noted to be read The Hebrew Doctors in Thalmud Bab. in Nedarim chap. 4. fol. 37. b. say The words read and not written and written and not read were the tradition of Moses from mount Sinai that is as the Hebrew scholion on that place noteth so Moses received in Sinai and delivered to Israel The Chaldee version in this and other the like places translateth according to the margin an evident proofe that these divers readings were not added by the Masorites as some thinke seeing the Masorites were not so ancient The Greeke copies here varie some having hath betrothed her to him othersome hath not betrothed and so Theâ—lotio and Symmachus also translated hath not betrothed The meaning seemeth to bee if he take dislike of her either before or after shee is betrothed By the Iewes canons An Hebrew maid might not be sold but unto one who either himselfe or his sonne might betroth her when she was mariageable As a man might not sell his daughter to his sonne because she was not meet for her master who was her brother nor for her masters sonns because shee was his fathers sister Maimony treat of Servants chap. 4. Sect. 11. shall he let her or cause her to be redeemed the Greeke translateth he shall redeeme her The Hebrewes say If her master have bethrothed her to him-selfe or to his sonne she is as other betrothed women and goeth not out but by the death of her husband or by bill and the commandement to betroth is before the commandement to redeeme If her master dye his sonne cannot betroth her to himselfe because she goeth out free by her masters death Maimony treat of Servants chap. 4. Sect. 7. 8. to a strange people that is to any stranger the Chaldee interprets it to another man And Maimony in the foresaid place Sect. 10. saith he may not sell her nor give her to another man whether he be one farre off or neere and if he either sell or give her it is nothing that he doth unfaithfully transgressed or dealt deceitfully and treacherously failing of that which was expected at his hands The Chaldee translateth he hath ruled over her Vers. 9. of daughters which the Chaldee explaineth of the daughters of Israel as is right and custome to be done with all other maids which are not servants This may be understood of giving a a dowrie as Exod. 22. 16. 17. and all other priviledges of a free woman Vers. 10. take him this the Greeke interpreteth take to himselfe though it may imply both the father and the sonne forespoken of her mariage dutie the due benevolence betweene man and wife such as the Apostle speaketh of 1 Cor. 7. 3. and so the Greek translateth it conversation or companying together the Hebrew Doctors also explain it from the phrase in Gen. 19. 31. to goe in unto her after the way of all the earth Vnto these three the Hebrewes adde seven moe their words are When a man marieth a wife whether she be a virein or otherwise be she great or small a daughter of Israel or a proselyte he oweth unto her ten things and she oweth foure Of the ten three are in the Law her food her rayment and her mariage duty that is to goe in unto her after the manner of all the earth And seven are by the doctrine of the Scribes The first is the principall of the dowrie which for a maid was fiftie shekels as is noted on Exod. 22. 17 and the other are called conditions of the dowrie and they are these to heale her
this song for you and teach it the sonnes of Israel put it in their mouthes that this song may be a witnesse for mee against the sonnes of Israel For I will bring them into the land which I sware unto their fathers that floweth with milke and honey and they shall eat and be filled and be fat and they will turne unto other gods and serve them and despightfully provoke me and breake my covenant And it shall be when many evils and distresses have found them that this song shall answer before them for a witnesse for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouth of their seed for I know their imagination which they doe this day before I have brought them in unto the land which I sware And Moses wrought this song in that day and taught it the sonnes of Israel And he charged Ioshua the sonne of Nun and said Be strong and couragious for thou shalt bring in the sonnes of Israel unto the land which I sware unto them and I will be with thee And it was when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this Law in a booke untill they were finished That Moses commanded the Levites which bare the Arke of the covenant of Iehovah saying Take this booke of the Law and put it in the side of the Arke of the covenant of Iehovah your God that it may be there for a witnesse against thee For I know thy rebellion and thy stiffe necke Behold while I am yet alive with you this day yee have beene rebellious against Iehovah and how much more after my death Gather together unto mee all the Elders of your Tribes and your Officers that I may speake in their eares these words and call the heavens and the earth to witnesse against them For I know that after my death corrupting yee will corrupt your selves and will turne aside from the way which I have commanded you and evill will befall you in the latter daies because yee will doe evill in the eyes of Iehovah to provoke him to anger through the worke of your hands And Moses spake in the eares of all the Church of Israel the words of this song untill they were ended Annotations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here beginneth the two and fiftieth Section or Lecture of the Law See the notes on Gen. 6. 9. And here Moses setteth the state of Israel in order before his death OLd Hebr. sonne of an hundred and twenty yeeres of which phrase see Gen. 5. 32. So long while Noe preached to the world building the Arke Gen. 6. 3 14. 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. Of these 120. yeeres Moses lived 40. in Pharaohs court in Egypt Acts 7. 20 23. forty in the land of Madian Acts 7. 29 30. Exod. 7. 7. and 40. yeeres he governed Israel I can no more goe out that is no more administer in my office see the Annotations on Num. 27. 17. This inability of Moses was not so much for his age for his eye was not dim nor his naturall moisture fled Deut. 34. 7. as for the ordinance of God next mentioned and Iehovah or for Iehovah hath said as is shewed in Num. 20. 12. Deut. 3. 25 26. And is often in stead of For as is noted on Gen. 12. 19. Or it may be taken as another reason why Moses might no longer governe them Vers. 3. Ioshua in Greeke Iesus who was substitute in Moses place Num. 27. 16 17 18. c. A figure of our Lord Iesus who by grace and truth bringeth us into Gods eternall rest after the ending of Moses Law Iohn 1. 17. Rom. 10. 4. Thus the people are comforted in respect of their sorrow for Moses death by promise of the Lords presence among them and Ioshuahs succeeding government under him Vers. 4. of the Amorite that is of the Amorites as the Greeke translateth by whose destruction before mentioned in Numb 21. 23. c. Deut. 2. and 3. Israel is encouraged against their other enemies the land that is the people of the land Vers. 5. commanded you which was to root them out and let none remaine Deut. 20. 16 17. Vers. 6. Be ye strong or Be confirmed Hold fast to wit your faith in God in Greeke Quit you like men which word Paul useth in 1 Cor. 16. 13. So after in vers 7. couragious or be hardy strong valiant in heart and carriage This word is applied to the heart in Psal. 27. 14. and armes in Prov. 31. 17. and signifieth an increase and stedfastnesse Prov. 24. 5. Ruth 1. 18. The like exhortation is often used as Ios. 10. 25. 1 Chron. 22. 13. 2 Chron. 32. 7. hee it is in Chaldee his Word it is So in vers 8. faile thee or let thee goe leave thee to thy selfe but will hold thee fast So vers 8. and Ios. 1. 5. Heb. 13. 5. Vers. 7. strong and couragious or confirmed and strong as vers 6. Iosua being to beare the charge and toile of the people hath the same exhortation and promise in particular that was before unto all and it was in the eyes of all lest any after Moses death should deny his authority A like speech Davide made to Salomon 1 Chron. 28. 20. Vers. 8. he will be with thee the Chaldee paraphraseth his Word will be thy helpe Vers. 9. this Law in Greeke all the words of this Law in a booke which bare the Arke they had the chiefe charge to looke to the Arke and other holy things and though the Levites bare it as appeareth by Num. 3. 31. and 4. 15. and 10. 21. yet sometime the Priests themselves also bare it as when they passed over Iordan Ios. 3. 6 17. when they compassed Iericho Ios. 6. 12. So after in v. 25. Moses spake to the Levites the Elders the Magistrates as the Priests by teaching so the Elders by governing are to look that the Law of the Lord be observed Mal. 2. 7. Hos. 4. 6. Mich. 3. 1. 2 Chron. 19. 6 8 9 10. Vers. 10. of seven yeeres that is of every seventh yeere which was a yeere of release Deu. 15. 1. the solemnity or the set time as the Greeke and Chaldee translate it the time release of debts Deut. 15. 1 2 c. that being freed from worldly cares they might apply their mindes to Gods Law A figure of the yeere of grace and remission of our debts by Christ whereupon wee should give our selves to holinesse Luke 4. 18 19 21. Rom. 6. 10 11 12 13. Boothes or Tabernacles whereof see Lev. 23. Vers. 11. which he shall chuse to set his Arke and Tabernacle and so to place his name there Deut. 16. 2. thou shalt reade speaking to Israel generally and it was performed in speciall by the chiefest of them either the high Priest as Ezra the chiefe of them that returned from Babylon read it Nehem. 8. 1 2 3 c. or as the Hebrewes say the King himselfe when they had a King used to reade For this Commandement was to Ioshua
Burla and the Arabik al Belor On two of these stones the names of the twelve Tribes were graven and borne on the high Priests shoulders Exod. 28. 9. 10. see the notes there Vers. 13. Gihon in Greeke Geon a river about the land of Cush There was also another river Gihon in Canaan neere Ierusalem whereof see 2 Chron. 32. 30. Cush the sonne of Cham the sonne of Noe Gen. 10. 6. whose posterity in these parts of the world are called Aethiopians and so the Greeke here translateth Ethiopia Vers. 14. Hiddekel The signification of this word is of sharpnesse and lightnesse for it was a swift running river The Greeke translateth it Tigris the Tigre which is the name of a beast very light of foot as Pliny sheweth in b. 8. chap. 18. Tigris also in the Medes and Persian tongue signifieth an arrow saith Pliny b. 6. ch 27. and Q. Curtius b. 4. speaking of this violent River By it Daniel saw visions of God Dan. 10. 4. The Chaldee calleth it Diglat whereupon the Latines also named it Diglato Pliny in b. 6. ch 27. Assyria in Hebrew Assur he was the sonne of Sem the sonne of Noe Gen. 10. 22. of whom his country was called Assyria famous through all the Scripture which usually nameth countries and posterities by the names of the first inhabitants and parents See the notes on Gen. 12. 10. and 19. 37. is Euphrates Hebr. it is Phrath which river the new Testament calleth Euphrates Rev. 9. 14. It hath the name of Encrease for the waters thereof waxe mighty by snow melting from the mounts of Armenia and doe make the country fruitfull This is called the great river Deut. 1. 7. and 11. 24. Rev. 9. 14. Vers. 15. garden in Greeke paradise to till or dresse the Greeke saith to labour it The Hebrew Doctors apply this mystically to Adams labour in and keeping of Gods law Pirke R. Eliezer chap. 12. And that the morall law and work therof was written in his heart is manifest seeing the same yet remaineth in the corrupted harts of men Rom. 2. 14. 15. Vers. 16. commanded Besides the law of nature graven on Adams heart whereby hee was bound to love honour and obey his Creator God here giveth him for a triall of his love a significative law concerning a thing of it selfe indifferent but at the pleasure of God made unlawfull and evill for man to doe that by observing this outward rite hee might testifie his willing obedience unto the Lord. See 1 Sam. 15. 22. 23. eating thou maist eat that is maist or shalt freely eat thus God first sheweth his love and liberality before he makes any restraint The doubling of words is often used in Scripture for more earnestnesse and assurance and in things to come for to signifie speedy performance Gen. 41. 32. Sometime God altereth this manner of speaking into other the like as 2 King 14. 10. smiting thou hast smitten for which in 2 Chron. 25. 19. is written thou saist loe I have smitten So Building I have builded 1 King 8. 13. or as in 2 Chron. 6. 2. and I I have builded Sometime the doubling of the word is omitted as hath any delivering delivered 2 King 18. 33. which another Prophet writeth thus hath any delivered Esay 36. 18. In translating also God useth sometimes the phrase which we follow here as in Heb. 6. 14. blessing I will blesse thee and multiplying I will multiply thee translated into Greeke from Gen. 22. 16. Seeing I have seene Act. 7. 34. from Exod. 3. 7. Sometime otherwise as shot through with darts Heb. 12. 20. for that which is in Hebrew shooting shot through Exod. 19. 13. Vers. 17. But of Heb. And of and is often used for but so translated in the Greeke version Esay 10. 20. and by the holy Ghost in the New Testament as 1 Pet. 1. 25. from Esay 40. 8. Heb. 1. 11. 12 from Psal. 102. 27. 28. So here againe in vers 20. and in Gen. 3. 3. and 42. 10. and in many other places 〈◊〉 thou maist not or thou shalt not eat This law was given both to the man and woman which were both called Adam Gen. 5. 2. and the woman confesseth so much Gen. 3. 3. and the Greeke version here manifesteth it saying yee shall not eat dying thou shalt dye that is shalt surely and soone dye or as the Greeke translateth ye shall dye the death Vnder the name of Death the Scripture comprehendeth deadly plagues as the punishment of Aegypt with Locusts is called a death Exodus 10. 17. Also inward astonishments feares c. as Nabals heart died in him 1 Sam. 25. 37. Likewise outward deadly dangers and miseries as Paul was in deaths oft 2 Cor. 11. 23. It is also used for death in sinne when men are alienated from the life of God Ephes. 2. 1. and 4. 18. And for the dissolution of mans soule and body which we commonly call death when the soule or spirit goeth out of the man Gen. 35. 18. Psal. 146. 4. And finally death is the perdition of body and soule in hell which is eternall perdition from the presence of the Lord and called the second death Mat. 10. 28. 2 Thessal 1. 9. Rev. 20. 6. 14. These and whatsoever else mortality misery death the Scriptures mention are implyed in this iudgement here threatned upon disobedience Rom. 5. 12. beside miserable bondage under him which hath the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2. 14. 15. On the contrary here is implyed upon condition of his obedience the promise of eternall life whereof the tree of life was a signe Gen. 3. 22. So Paul opposeth death as the wages of sinne and eternall life as the gift of God which now since mans fall is onely by Christ who giveth us to eat of the tree of life Rom. 6. 23. Rev. 2. 7. The Hebrew Doctors also say After the opinion of our Rabbines of blessed memory if Adam had not sinned he had never died but the breath which he was inspired with of the most high blessed God should have given him life for ever and the good will of God which he had in the time of his creation had cleaved unto him continually and kept him alive for ever R. Menachem on Gen. 2. 17. Vers. 18. himselfe alone or alone as the Greeke translateth it so 1 King 19. 10. I am left my selfe alone for which Paul saith I am left alone Rom. 11. 3 God who made other creatures male and female together did not so in mankind which Paul observeth saying Adam was first formed then Eve 1 Tim. 2. 13. making it one reason of the womans subjection as before him the Greeke here translateth it according to him and in the 20. verse like unto him meaning one that should be as his second selfe like him in nature knit unto him in love needfull for procreation of seed helpfull in all duties present alwayes with him and so very meet and commodious for him The Apostle hence
have enmity with mankind but also wicked men called serpents generations of vipers and children of the Devill Matth. 23. 33. 1 Iohn 3. 10. By the womans seed is meant in respect of Satan chiefly Christ who being God over all blessed for ever should come of David and Abraham and so of Eve according to the flesh for she was the mother of all living Roman 1. 3. and 9. 5. And with Christ all Christians who are Eves seed both in nature and in faith as all Christians are called Abrahams seed Gal. 3. 29. He or it that is the Seed This is first to be understood of Christ who was made of a woman Gal. 4. 4. the fruit of the wombe of the Virgin Mary Luke 1. 42. Hee through death hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devill Hebrewes 2. 14. Secondly it implyeth Christians the children of Christ Heb. 2. 13 who resisting the Devill stedfastly in faith the God of peace bruiseth Satan under their feet 1 Pet. 5. 9. Rom. 16. 20. When promise is made concerning the seed the faithfull parents are also included and so on the contrary as when Moses saith I will multiply thy seed Gen. 22. 17. Paul alledgeth it thus I will multiply thee Heb. 6. 14. Againe where Moses saith All families shall be blessed in thee Gen. 12 3. Peter alledgeth it they shall be blessed in thy seed Act. 3. 25. Also this word seed is used either for a multitude as Gen. 15. 5. or for one particular person as Gen. 21. 13. and 4. 25. so here it meaneth one speciall seed Christ Gal. 3. 16. This the ancient Hebrew Doctors also acknowledged for in Thargum Ierusalemy the fulfilling of this promise is expresly referred to the last dayes the dayes of the King Messias And the mystery of originall sinne and thereby death over all and of deliverance by Christ R. Menachem on Lev. 25. noteth from the profound Cabbalists in these words So long as the spirit of uncleannesse is not taken away out of the world the soules that come downe into the world must needs die for to root out the power of uncleannesse out of the world and to consume the same And all this is because of the decree which was decreed for the uncleannesse and filthinesse which the Serpent brought upon Eve And if it be so all the soules that are created become unclean by that filthinesse must needs die before the comming of the Messias c. and at the comming of the Messias all soules shall be consummate thenceforth bruise or pierce crush the Hebrew word is of rare use onely here and in Iob 9. 17. thy head or thee on the head Hereby is meant Satans overthrow destruction in respect of his power and workes Ioh. 12. 31. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. for the head being bruised strength and life is perished So in Thargum Ierusalemy it is expounded thus The womans children shall be cured but thou ô Serpent shalt not be cured And he saith thee rather then thy seed because Christ was to vanquish that old serpent which overcame our first parents who being destroyed his seed perish with him Revel 12. 9. Ioh. 14. 30. and 12. 31. 32. his heele or his foot sole for the Hebrew and Greeke here used signifie not onely the heele but the whole foot sole and sometime the foot step or print of the foot By the heele or foot bruised is meant Christs wayes which Satan should seeke to suppresse by afflictions and death for our sinnes here foretold as appeareth by the reference which other Scriptures make to this prophesie Psal. 56. 7. and 89. 52. and 49. 6. and 22. 17. He was crucified through infirmity and put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned by the spirit liveth through the power of God 2 Cor. 13. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 18. and so his foot not his head was bruised by the Serpent Who yet brought upon him a death that was shamefull and painfull and cursed because hee was hanged on a tree Gal. 3. 13. for it is probable that partly in remembrance of this first sinne by eating of the tree of knowledge which tree was a signe of curse and death if man transgressed Gods law after accounteth such as dye on a tree to have in more speciall manner the signe of curse upon them Deut. 21. 23. But Christ swallowed up death in victory Esay 25. 8. through whom God also giveth us the victory 1 Cor. 15. 57 unto which promise the Prophet hath reference saying Why should I feare in the dayes of evill when the iniquity of my heeles shall compasse me about God will redeeme my soule from the hand of Hell Psalm 49. 6. 16. Vers. 16. multiplying I will multiply that is I wil much and assuredly multiply see this phrase opened on Gen. 2. 16. Here are annexed not curses but chastisements for Eve and Adam that their faith in the promised seed might continually bee stirred up and their sinfull nature subdued and mortified Heb. 12. 6. Psal. 119. 71. conception meaning painfull conception and this word is used for the whole space that the child is in the mothers body untill the birth and so here implyeth all the griefes and cumberances which women do endure that time The Greeke translateth it groning The reason of this chastisement is because sinne is from Adam derived by propagation to all his posterity Psalm 51. 7. Roman 5. children Heb. sonnes which implyeth daughters also therefore the Greeke translateth it children so for sonne and sonnes the Holy Ghost saith in Greek children as in Mat. 22. 24. from Deut. 25. 5. Gal. 4. 27. from Esay 54. 1. By bringing forth is also meant bringing up after the birth as Gen. 50. 23. Vnto the sorrows of childbirth the Scripture often hath reference in cases of great affliction in body or mind Psalm 48. 7. Mich. 4. 9. 10. 1 Thess. 5. 3. Ioh. 16. 21. Rev. 12. 2. Howbeit this chastisement hindreth not a womans salvation with God for neverthelesse shee shall be saved in childbearing if they women continue in faith and love and holinesse with sobriety 1 Tim. 2. 15. desire The Greeke translateth it thy turning or conversion the word implyeth a desirous affection as appeareth by Song 7. 10. And that this should be to her husband it noteth subjection as in Gen. 4. 7. Elsewhere this word is not used the Apostle seemeth to have reference unto it in 1 Thess. 2. 8. rule So Paul saith I permit not the woman to usurpe authority over the man 1 Tim. 2. 12. And Peter Wives bee in subjection to your owne husbands 1 Pet. 3. 1. And this being here a chastisement for sinne implyeth a further rule then man had over her by creation and with more griefe unto womankind Vers. 17. the ground or the earth whereby is implyed all this visible world made for man Psal. 115. 16. 2 Pet. 3. 7. So all hope of blessednesse on earth is hereby cut off for all
things under the Sun are vanity and vexation of spirit from mans birth to his dying day Ecclesiastes 1. 2. 3. 14. and 12. 7. 8. and an heavenly heritage is to bee sought for immortall and which fadeth not 2 Peter 1. 4. Of ground cursed there followeth barrennesse or unprofitable fruits and desolation Genesis 4. 12. and 3. 18. Esay 24. 6. and the end is to bee burned Hebrews 6. 8. So the earth and the workes therein shall bee burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 10. And as for mans sake this world is cursed and the creature made subject to vanity so it earnestly expecteth the manifestation of the sonnes of God that it may be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8. 19. 20. 21. in sorrow with painfull labour as Prov. 5. 10. Hereupon the Scripture mentioneth our bread of sorrowes Psal. 127. 2. Adam was to have labored in his innocency Gen. 2. 15. but without sorrow being under the Lords blessing which maketh rich and hee addeth no sorrow with it Prov. 10. 22. Concerning this sorrow or toyle of our hands Noe the figure of Christ was a comforter Gen. 5. 29. Vers. 18. thornes Heb. the thorne Hereby is meant harmfull weeds in stead of wholesome fruits Iob 31 40. Ier. 12. 13. for men of thistles doe not gather figs Mat. 7. 16. Thornes doe choak the good corne as Mat. 13. 7. And spiritually these signifie evill fruits which wicked earthly men bring forth Heb. 6. 8. of the field and so no longer the pleasant fruits of Paradise Gen. 2. 9. 16. But as Nebuchadnezar when he had a beasts heart was driven out among beasts to eat grasse as the oxen Dan. 4. 13. 22. so man not lodging a night in honour nor understanding but becomming like beasts that perish is to eat herbes with them Psal. 49. 13. 21. but by the labour of his hands his diet is bettered Vers. 19. sweat with much labour which Adam and all his posterity was condemned unto that this is a generall rule if any will not worke neither should he eate 2 Thess. 3. 10. The sweat of the face though it is to be distinguished from the care of the 〈…〉 d which Christ forbiddeth Mat. 6. 25. 34. yet it doth imply all lawfull labours and industry of body and mind for the good of both Eph. 4. 28. Mat. 10. 10. 1 Cor. 9. 14. so that the giving of the heart also to seeke and search our things by wisedome is a sore occupation which God hath given to the sonnes of Adam to be occupied therein and humbled thereby Eccles. 1. 13. bread that is all food whereof bread is the principall as that which upholds the heart of man Psal. 104. 15. Therefore that which one Evangelist calleth bread Mar. 6. 36 another calleth victuals or meats Mat. 14. 15. the ground or the earth called elsewhere our earth Psal. 146. 4. and our dust Psal. 104. 28. meaning till man returne to the dust of death the grave and there the wearied be at rest from their labours Iob 3. 17. Rev. 14. 13. dust thou art or thou wast to weet concerning the body as Gen. 2. 7. not the spirit which being immortall goeth unto God for eternall joyes or torments Luke 16. 22. 23. and 23. 43. This difference Solomon teacheth And dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit returne to God that gave it Eccles. 12. 7. Here God condemneth mankind to death which is the wages of sinne Rom. 6 23. and to the grave the house appointed for all living Iob 30. 23. where they must wait till their change come Iob 14. 14. for it is appointed to men once to dye and after this is the judgement Hebr. 4. 27. Otherwise the life eternall could not bee obtained for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption therefore we must all either dye or be changed and this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality and then shall Death be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. 50. 51. 53. 54. So the Hebrew Rabbines also taught saying that unto this world there cleaveth the secret filthinesse of the Serpent which came upon Eve and because of that filthinesse Death is come upon Adam and his seed For when God saw how uncleannesse cleaved and spred it selfe abroad in the world continually he intended to consume it and to root out the power of it and therefore the bodies doe consume and corrupt and have no continued life But when the filthinesse is consumed and the spirit of uncleannesse taken out of the earth behold God will renew his world without any other filthinesse and will wake up by his power those that dwell in the dust c. and the Lord will reioyce in his workes as the intendment of the creation was at the first R. Menachem on Gen. 3. The Greeke Philosophers have observed that some dead men putrified turne to Serpents Plutarch in vita Cleomenis If so it is a notable memoriall of mans first poysoning by the Serpent Vers. 20. Eve in Hebrew Chavah which is by interpretation Life as the Greeke also translateth it or Living Adam first called her Woman Gen. 2. 23. God called her Adam Gen. 5. 2. and now the man calleth her Eve Life by which new name he testifieth his faith in and thankfulnesse for Gods former promise in vers 15. In which he also trained up his children teaching them to sacrifice and serve the Lord. Gen. 4. 3. 4. So the Hebrew Doctors reckon Adam as a repentant sinner and by Wisdome that is faith in Christ brought out of his fall Ioseph Antiq. b. 1. c. 4. and the Author of the Booke of Wisedome c. 10. v. 1. all living that is as the Chaldee paraphraseth of all the sonnes of man meaning this both naturally of all men in the world and so of Christ the promised seed and spiritually of all that live by faith in which sense Sarah is also counted the Mother of the faithfull 1 Pet. 3. 6. Gal. 4. 22. 28. 31. V. 21. coats to cover the body from shame and harme and for a memoriall of mans sin a further signe of those garments of justice and salvation which men have of God that their filthy nakednesse doe not appeare Rev. 3. 18. 19. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 2. 3. 4. The Chalde◠calleth these here garments of honor of skin that is in likelihood of the skins of beasts which God taught him to kill for sacrifice Which offerings were even from the beginning of the Gospell preached as appeareth Gen. 4. 3. 4. 8. 20. And after by the Law the Skinnes of the sacrifices were given to the Priests Lev. 7. 8. And the sacrifices being all figures of Christ Heb. 10. 5. 10 the Skins were fit to resemble mans mortification as the girdle of skin which Iohn Baptist wore Mat. 3. 4. and new life by putting on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13. 13. 14. and the garments of
from off thy necke And Esau hated Iakob for the blessing with which his father had blessed him and Esau said in his heart The dayes of mourning for my father are nigh and I will kill Iakob my brother And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah and she sent and called Iakob her yonger sonne and said unto him Behold Esau thy Brother comforteth him-selfe as touching thee to kill thee And now my sonne obey my voice and arise flee thou unto Laban my Brother to Charran And tarry with him a few dayes untill the hot-wrath of thy Brother turne away Vntill the anger of thy Brother turne-away from thee and hee forget that which thou hast done to him and I will send and take thee from thence why should I bee bereaved even of you both in one day And Rebekah said unto Isaak I am yrked of my life because of the daughters of Cheth if Iakob take a wife of the daughters of Cheth like these of the daughters of the land wherefore have I life Annotations THat he could not see Hebr. from seeing which phrase the Apostle turneth in Greeke not to see Rom. 11. 10. from Psal. 69. 24. Vpon this occasion Gods workes were shewed in Isaak as Ioh. 9. 3. for in his blindnesse he gave Iakob the blessing which he would not so have done if hee had seene vers 23. elder in Heb ew greater to weet of age or by birth as the Greeke translateth Elder and lesser for yonger v. 15. see Gen. 10. 21. Vers. 2. my death the Greeke saith my end yet lived hee after this above fourty yeeres Genes 35. 28. 29. Vers. 3. Venison Hebr. hunting whereof venison hath the name as being gotten by hunting So v. 5. 19. c. Vers. 4. that I may or and I will eate so in v. 7. and 10. These two phrases are used indifferently as that ye be not judged Matth. 7. r. which another Evangelist saith and ye shall not be judged Luke 6. 37. See also Gen. 12. 12. that my soule or to the end my soule that is I my selfe as after in v. 7. it is repeated Isaak being to give the blessing in faith Heb. 11. 20. would eate savoury meat and drinke wine ver 25. to stir up and cheare his spirit that he might be the more fit instrument of the spirit of God For sorrow anger and other such passions doe distemper the mind which may bee mitigated by outward meanes as wine maketh men to forget their misery Prov. 31. 6. 7. and musicke allayeth anger wherefore Elisha the Prophet when he was moved against King Iehoram called for a musitian who when hee played the hand of the Lord came upon the Prophet 2 King 3. 14. 15. blesse thee as the Priests with authority blessed and put the name of God upon the people Gen. 14. 19. Num. 6. 23. 27. So the Patriarches derived the blessing before their death unto their children or some one of them as an inheritance by testament wherefore Paul speaketh of inheriting the blessing Heb. 12. 17. which also was of great authority and strength as being done by the Spirit of God and in faith and before the Lord as vers 7. See Gen. 28. 3. 4. and 48. 15. 16. 20. and 49. 25. 26. 28. Heb. 11. 20. 21. and 12. 17. Esau who had his name of Doing is here promised the blessing upon his deeds as the law also promiseth blessing and life to the doers thereof Rom. 10. 5. but Iakob got the blessing by faith as do all the faithfull Gal. 3. 9. Vers. 7. before Iehovah that is in his presence by his power and authority and for ever the like phrase is of cursing 1 Sam. 26. 19. And being done before his death it was with the more power case reverence and as by his last will and testament So Deut. 33. 1. Vers. 12. if so be or Peradventure my father will feele me and I shall be c. The Greeke translateth it Mé pote which word Paul useth 2 Tim. 2. 25. in like sense If so be or If peradventure God will give them repentance as a deceiver or as one that causeth to erre the Greeke translateth it a despiser the Chaldee a mocker Or we may English it a very deceiver for in the Hebrew as is often a sure affirmation Neh. 7. 2. and so the Greeke answering thereto Iohn 1. 14. a curse not feared without cause for cursed is he that maketh the blind to erre in way Deut. 27. 18. and deceitfulnesse in all Gods works maketh men lyable to the curse Ier. 48. 10. Mal. 1. 14. Vers. 13. upon me thy curse a speech of her faith to incourage him though it may be mixt with infirmity of cariage for it seemeth she relyed on the oracle of God in Gen. 25. 23. the greater shall serve the lesse which oracle Isaak might understand not of the persons of Esau and Iakob but of the nations and peoples their posterity and therefore thought it his dutie to give the blessing of the first birthright unto Esau to whom by nature it belonged and which might not bee changed for affection as the Law after provideth in Deut. 21. 15. 16. 17. But Rebekah understood it of these very persons also and therefore attempted this strange and perillous way to procure the blessing unto Iakob A like different meaning of that oracle is gathered by men at this day The Chaldee paraphraseth thus It was said unto me by prophesie that curses shall not come upon thee but blessings Vers. 15. desireable garments Hebr. garments of desire that is good sweet precious the Greeke translateth it a goodly robe or faire stole which was a long garment that great men used to weare Luke 20. 46. and 15. 22. The Priests after in the law had holy garments to minister in Exo. 28. 2. 3. 4. which the Greeke there also calleth a holy robe or stole Whether the first borne before the law had such to minister in is not certaine but probable by this example For had they beene common garments why did not Esau himselfe or his wives keepe them but being in likelihood holy robes received from their ancestors the mother of the family kept them in sweet chests from mothes and the like whereupon it is said in verse 27. Isaak smelled the smell of his garments These might well figure out those robes of innocency and righteousnesse wherewith the saints are clothed Rev. 7. 9. 14. and 19. 8. and 3. 18. The like mystery also is in the kids skins following see Gen. 3. 21. Vers. 19. firstborne This though it were not so properly and cannot in that respect bee excused yet was it true in mystery and spiritually as Iohn Baptist was Elias Matt. 11. 14. and we gentiles are the Circumcision Phil. 3. 3. Rom. 2. 28. and the children of promise are counted for the seed Rom. 9. 8. Gal. 4. 28. Vers. 20. brought it to passe or made it to meet or occurre in Greeke delivered it
Hebrew doctors gathered from Deut. 21. 13. she shall bewaile her father and her mother a moneth of daies those thirtie daies they might not trim the haire of their head or beard nor weare white new garments nor marrie and the like Maimony ibidem ch 6. Vers. 11. inhabitants Hebrew inhabitant and Canaanite See Gen. 10. 16. heavy in Greek great as before in verse 9. was called Hebrew he that is every one called see the notes on Gen. 16. 14. The mourning Hebr. Abel Mizaim Vers. 15. peradventure or it may be The guilty conscience causeth feare Levit. 26. 36. rewarded him that is done of our owne accord unto him Vers. 16. commanded that is sent some on their message to Ioseph and after went themselves verse 18. The word command is effectually to procure a thing to be done as God commandeth his blessings and mercies by effectuall sending them Psal. 42. 9. and Levit. 25. 21. Deut. 28. 8. where the Greeke translateth send Here the Greeke expoundeth it they came unto Ioseph and said Vers. 17. of the God by this speech they seem both to insinuate their repentance and faith to obtaine mercy at Gods hand and use a reason to obtaine the like at Iosephs For if we forgive men their trespasses our heavenly Father will also forgive us otherwise not Mat. 6 12. 14. 15. Wherefore it is said forgive one another even as God for Christs sake forgave you Ephes. 4. 32. But the Hebrew Doctors observe a difference betweene dammage to our neighbour in his goods and hurts or injurie to his person which here was Iosephs cause They say hee that doth his neighbour dammage in his goods when hee hath paid that which hee ought to pay atonement is made for him But he that hurteth his neighbour although hee gave unto him for satisfaction the five things namely 1. dammage it selfe as when eye must bee given for eye tooth for tooth 2. for the smart 3. for his healing 4. for his resting from his labour 5. for his shame or dishonour of which see the notes on Exod. 21. 19. yet atonement is not made for him yea though he should sacrifice to God all the Rams of Nebaioth Esay 60. 7. yet atonement is not made for him nor his iniquitie forgiven unill he request it of him that was hurt and he doe forgive him Maimony in Misneh Tom. 4. treat of Hurt and dammage chap. 5. S. 9. Vers. 21. unto their hart that is friendly comfortably and which pleased them as that which came into Solomons heart 2 Chron. 7. 11. is expounded that which he was pleased to do 1 King 9. 1. See also the notes on Gen. 34. 3. Here Ioseph is an example of lenitie and readinesse to forgive and to doe good for evill as Christ teacheth all Matt. 5. 44. So the Hebrew canons say It is unlawfull for him that is hurt to bee cruell and not to forgive this is not the way of the seed of Israel But when hee that did the hurt doth request it and aske grace of him once or twise and hee kneweth that hee turnes from his sinne and repenteth of his evill hee shall forgive him Maimony in his said treat of Hurt and dammage ch 5. S. 10. Vers. 23. third generation or third sonnes So was his blessing begun to bee accomplished Gen. 49. 22. and 28. 19. borne that is brought up Of Machir see Num. 32. 39. Vers. 24. visiting c. that is will surely visit meaning in mercy See Gen. 21. 1. This was a testification of his faith in Gods promises as is written by faith Ioseph at his ending made mention of the departure of the sonnes of Israel and gave commandement concerning his bones Heb. 11. 22. The land of Canaan was a signe of their heavenly inheritance as before is shewed on Gen. 12. 5. 17. 8. Heb. 11. 13. 14. 16. and there Christ rising from the dead should bee the first fruits of them that slept by whom the resurrection of the dead which Ioseph exspected was to come 1 Cor. 15. 20. 21. 22. And there many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the graves after Christs resurrection Matt. 27. 52. 53. Vers. 25. from hence or from this place the Greeke addeth with you This charge was fulfilled when at their going out of Egypt Moses tooke the bones of Ioseph with him Exod. 13. 19. which afterward were buried in Sechem Iakobs purchase and Iosephs sonnes heritage Ios. 24. 32. Stephen sheweth that the other Patriarchs the sonnes of Iakob were buried also in Sychem in the land of Canaan Act. 7. 16. Vers. 26. old Hebrew sonne of 110. yeeres Gen. 5. 32. The same was the age of Iesus or Iosuah when he dyed the conqueror of Canaan and one of Iosephs seed Ios. 24. 29. an arke or chist coffin to be ready at their removall out of Egypt This death of Ioseph whereat the first book of Moses endeth was after the creation of the world 2369. yeeres ANNOTATIONS VPON THE SECOND BOOKE OF MOSES CALLED EXODVS VVHEREIN BY CONFERRING THE HOly Scriptures comparing the Chaldee and Greeke versions and other records of the Hebrewes MOSES his Words Lawes and Ordinances are explained BY HENRY AINSWORTH PSAL. 103. 7. The Lord made knowne his wayes unto Moses his acts unto the sonnes of Israel ACTS 7. 38. This is that Moses which was in the Chruch in the wildernesse with the Angel which spake to him in the mount Sina and with our fathers who received the lively Oracles to give unto us IOHN 1. 17. The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. LONDON ¶ Printed by Miles Flesher for John Bellamine and are to be sold at his shop neere the ROYALL EXCHANGE 1626. The Summe of EXODVS THis second booke of Moses sheweth the increase and oppression of Israel in Egypt the sending of Moses to deliver them the tenne plagues of God upon Egypt the bringing out of Israel with strong hand the leading of them through the sea where Pharaoh was drowned the safe conducting of them in the wildernesse the Covenant betweene God and them at Mount Sina where he gave them Lawes and Iudgements and Statutes ordaining a Priesthood for his service and erected a Tabernacle for to dwell therein among them More particularly ISrael increase are oppressed in Egypt and their sonns drowned Chap. 1 Moses his birth education pietie and persecution 2 Moses keeping sheepe seeth a vision and is sent to deliver Israel 3 He is confirmed by signes is sent with Aaron to Pharaoh and Israel 4 Pharaoh resisteth and vexeth Israel they cry out of Moses and grieve him 5 God incourageth Moses and sends him again to Israel and Pharaoh 6 Moses worketh miracles and is resisted by Pharaohs sorcerers 7 Egypt is plagued with Frogs Lice and Flies Pharaoh is hardned 8 Moe plagues of Murrain Boyls and Haile yet Pharaoh resisteth 9 Plagues of Locusts and Darknesse Pharaoh is more hardned 10 Egypt is appointed to the spoile
his death Galath 3. 13. Ierem. 4 4. Lament 1. 13. and 2. 4. This charge to rost it with fire the Iew Doctors observed precisely holding it unlawfull to bake it any manner of way also to heat a furnace and taking away all the fire to hang the Lambe therein and so â—ost it or the like they say was unlawfull Maimony Korban Pesach chapter 8. S. 9. 10. the purtâ—nance or the inward meaning that the Lambe must bee roasted all and whole not cut into peeces To signifie our full Communion with Christ whole and undivided 1 Cor. 1. 13. 30. Gal. 2. 20. Vers. 10. till the morning they were to eat up all if they could at that meale To teach care for the present injoying of Christ by faith and of his whole covenant without delay For by the morning the change of our estate is often signified Psalme 30. 6. Esay 17. 14. 2 Kings 19. 35. for our sleepe is an image of death And the Iewes have recorded that though it was lawfull to eat all the night long till the day dawning yet might none of the company eat againe after hee had slept though it were in the beginning of the night Maimony Korban Pesach chapter 8. S. 14. So Manna might not be left till the morning Exodus 16. 19. nor some other sacrifices Lev. 22. 30. burne that so it might be consumed and such was the law for other sacrifices which by being reserved over-long were made abhominable to bee eaten and must therefore be burned Lev. 7. 15. 18. 19. 6. 7. So flesh of the sacrifices that touched any uncleane thing might not be eaten but burnt Levit. 7. 19. Hereby also God might teach Israel that when the morning the time of grace in Christ is come there should be no longer reservation of those legall shadowes which should haue their accomplishment and end at our Lords death and bee condemned as unlawfull as if they were burned by the fire of GODS Word and Spirit Colossians 2. 16. 17. Gal. 4. 9. 10. 11. Hebr. 13. 9. 10. And so the Prophets fore-told that the daies should come when it should no more be said The Lord liveth which brought up the sonnes of Israel out of the land of Egypt Ier. 16. 14. neither should they say any more The Aâ—ke of the covenant of the Lord for it shall come no more to winde neither shal they remeÌ„ber it c. Ier. 3. 16. Vers. 11. girded this signifieth a readinesse to take a journey or any other work in hand 2 King 4. 29. and 9 1. Ier. 1. 17. Luk. 12. 35. 36. and figured the girding of the loynes of the minde with strength justice veritie c. Prov. 31. 17. Esay 11. 5. Eph. 6. 14. Wherefore the Apostle saith Gird up the loynes of your minde be sober and hope perfectly for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. shooes on another signe first of readinesse to goe forth Esay 5. 27. Acts 12. 8. secondly of deliverance out of bondage as the contrary to goe â—arefoot was a signe of captivity Esay 20. 4. and thirdly of joyfulnesse for their deliverance from affliction as contrariwise in sorrow men went barefoot 2 Sam. 15. 30. It was also a figure of the Gospell of peace wherewith our feet should be ready and firme Ephesians 6. 15. Of which the Holy Ghost saith How beautifull are thy feet with shooes O Princes daughter Song 7. 1. staffe to sustaine their infirmities and this in their hand was also for expedition to the journey Zach. 8. 4. Mark 6. 8. Compare herewith Iakobs speech with my staffe I passed over this Iordan Genesis 32. 10. in haste because they were now in danger and for it to goe out of Egypt in haste Deut. 16. 3. and so in haste and as with violence to apprehend and apply Christ unto them by faith Matth. 11. 12. The originall word signifieth an hastening away through feare or amazement as in Deut. 20. 3. and so may signifie the sudden feares wrought in the conscience by the Gospell of Christ at the first preaching thereof as in Act. 2. 37. though after it giveth comfort and peace This manner of eating was peculiar unto the first pasche in Egypt neither were the generations following bound to these rites when they were come to their rest in Canaan as is before noted on verse 6. Neither did Christ and his Disciples thus eat it for they stood not girded with staves in their hands but sate or rather lay downe leaning one on anothers breast as was then the Iewes manner in signe of their rest and security otherwise than they had in Egypt as their Doctors teach in the Thalmud treat of the Passeover See Marke 14. 18. Iohn 13. 12. 25. Also Esaias prophesied yee shall not goe out in haste nor depart by fleeing away c. Esay 52. 12. Passeover called in Hebrew Pesach and after in the Ierusalemitane language Pascha which name the Evangelists keepe also in the Greeke Matth. 26. 2. c. and in other tongues it is now called Pasche wee in old English called it Fâ—reld at this day we name it the Passeover according to the interpretation of the Hebrew word which signifieth to fare passe o◠〈◊〉 over as God did over the houses of the Isra 〈…〉 verse 13. 27. And as the festivall time so the Lambe then killed is called the Passeover Luke 2. 41. and 22. 7. and the Lambe of GOD Christ is so named also 1 Corinthians 5. 7. because for his sake God passeth over us and destroyeth us not with the world Iohn 3. 16. 18. Seven famous Passeovers are recorded in Scripture to have beene kept The first this which Israel kept in Egypt The second that which they kept in the wildernesse Numbers 9. The third which Iesus kept with Israel when hee had newly brought them into Canaan Iosh. 5. 10. The fourth in the reformation of Israel by King Ezekias 2 Chron. 30. The fifth under King Iosias 2 Chronicles 35. The sixt by Israel returned out of the captivity of Babylon Ezr. 6. 19. The seventh that which Iesus our Saviour desired so earnestly and did eat with his disciples before he suffered Luke 22. â—5 c. At which time that legall Passeover had an end and our Lords Supper came in the place The memoriall of Christ our Passeover sacrificed for us Vers. 12. the gods the Chaldee translateth the idols the same is againe mentioned in Num. 33. 4. And after a like thing is prophesied the Lord shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall bee moved at his presence Esay 19. 1. and againe he shall breake the images of the house of the sunne c. and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall be burnt with fire Ieremie 43. 13. So Laban lost his idols when Israel fled from Syria Genes 31. 19. 30. the idols and images of Babylon perished when it was destroyed Ierem. 50. 2. and
from the injuries of the world Esa. 4. 6. and 25. 4. Psal. 27. 5. that the Sâ—â—ne shall not light on them nor any heat Rev. 7. 16 and the state of the Church then which had the mysteries of Christ under shadowes and coverings now taken away Heb. 10. 1. Therefore the Tabernacle of the Gospell is described without any such veiles or covers in the open heaven where the most holy things even the Aâ—â—e of Gods Covenant is to bee seene Rev. 4 1. 6. and 11. 19. and 21. 2. 3. c. Vers. 15. boards these were to beare up the embroidered curtainâ—â— the Greeke calleth them styles or pillars and to these with the silver sockets wheron they stood verse 19. the Apostle alludeth when he calleâ—ly Gods House and Church the pillar and stay of the Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. Vers. 17. tenons called in Hebrew hands for that they held fast in the mortaiâ—â—es of the sockets set in order or set ladder wise that is equally distant one from another as the staâ—es of a ladder Vers. 19. sockets or bases as the Greeke translateth them the 〈…〉 grounds that sustained the boards having hollow mortailâ—â— for the tenons of the boards to be fastened in Every one of these sockets was of a talent of silvâ—◠〈…〉 an â—â—â—dred and twenty pound weight 〈…〉 Vers. 20. twenty boards and every be and being a â—â—biâ— and an halfe broad verse â—6 〈…〉 of the whole Tabernacle appeareth to be â—0 cubiâ—s 〈◊〉 45. foot Vers. 22. S 〈…〉 d that is 〈◊〉 so vers 27. See the notes on Gen. 〈◊〉 8. Vers. 24. equally joyned or j 〈…〉 that is joyned alike to the boards that are 〈◊〉 the side and on the end of the Tabernacle so fastening them both together The Hebrew signifieth twinning or twins 〈…〉 in this sonse but here and againe 〈…〉 The Chaldee 〈…〉 reth it disposed or 〈◊〉 the Greeke thâ—â— shall be of equaâ—â—â—â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together 〈◊〉 perfectly joyned or equally joyned The Hebrew though it differeth in forme yet is thought to be of like signifie at 〈…〉 with the former and so the Chaldee 〈◊〉 it as before and the Greeke varieth but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be exisou of equalitie beneath and likewise they shall be isoi equall at the heads c. so in Exod 36. 19. Vers. 26. â—arres or â—afâ—ers which were for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—n the boards together Vers. 28. in the mids This â—ids seemeth to bee 〈◊〉 of the length of the boards not of the thicknesse as if this barre went through the boards which so must needs bee of an extraordinary thicknesse and weight but through rings put in the mids of the boards as the other barres went through rings put in the ends reaching or shooting through of this word the barre afore-said hath the name in Hebrew which signifieth â—â—eeing or speedy passing through Vers. 29. places Hebr. houses as Exod. 25. 27. The Greeke explaineth it thus into which thou shalt bring the barres Vers. 30. right fashion or just constitution Hebr. judgement which the Greeke translateth fashion or shape and Stephen calleth it a type Acts 7. 44. so it is the same in effect with Exod. 25. 40. Vers. 31. of a cunning workeman that is wrought or woven both sides alike see the notes on verse 1. he that is the workeman the Greeke saith as before thou shalt make Cherubiâ—s that is as the Chaldee â—â—presseth figures of Cherub 〈…〉 wrought in the veile Vers. 32. hang Hebrew giveâ— so verse 33. Shittim or â—edar wood that will not rot Exodâ—â— 25. 5. Vers. 33. of the testimony that is of the Tables where on the Law was written for a testimonie to Israel See Exod. 2â— 16. divide or separate This was the speciall use of this veile to deâ—arre men from entring yea or seeing into the most holy place or the Arke Exod. 40. 3. whereby as Paul saith the Holy Ghost signified this that the way into the Holies was not yet manifested while as the first Ta 〈…〉 had st 〈…〉 g Heb. 9. 8. that is the way 〈◊〉 heaven which the most holy place shadowed was not by those legall services but should be 〈◊〉 â—â—to 〈…〉 n by Christ first entring there 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 Heb. 9. 24 and 10. 19. Therefore 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 signified the flesh of Christ under 〈…〉 was veiled and through 〈…〉 death hee entred himselfe 〈…〉 also for us to enter into heaven Heb. 9. 19. 20. To 〈◊〉 this the veile of the Temple at the death of Christ was rent in 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Mattâ— â—7 51. So the curious embroiderie and glorious Cherubims of this 〈…〉 manifold graces of the Spirit 〈…〉 had in his 〈…〉 al 〈…〉 of his Word and Spi 〈…〉 which are in 〈…〉 understood 〈…〉 of Holinesses that 〈…〉 most holy place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name Christ him 〈…〉 câ—â—â—ed 〈◊〉 9 â—4 but 〈◊〉 it figured Heaven into which Christ is entred in flesh we also now are by hope and shall also in our flesh at his appearing Heb. 6. 19. 20. and 9. 11. 12. 24. and 10. 19. Ioh. 14. 2. 3. It was also a type of the Churches estate under the Gospell wherein without veiles we enjoy the mysteries of Christ Revel 4. and 11. 19. This place in Solomons Temple was called Debir that is the Oracle because from thence Gods oracles were heard Num. 7. 89. 1 King 6. 19. where the Chaldee translateth it the house of propitiations Vers. 35. without signifying that the twelve Tribes of Israel represented by the Cakes upon that Table were yet without the open enjoying of the mysteries of the Gospell Heb. 9. 8. 9. 10. and 10. 19. and 11. 39. 40. and in respect of heaven it selfe we all in this life are yet without and enter in onely by the anker of hope Heb. 6. 18. 19. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 2. 3. c. the south which is the right hand both in respect of the world Psal. 89. 13. and of this Tabernacle where God from the most holy place betweene the Cherubims beheld his people worshipping with their faces towards the West the type of them on the table being on the Northside and the Candlesticke of his law burning with the seven lamps of his Spirit on the South side So the Word is above the Church Vers. 36. an hanging veile or covering as the word more properly signifieth This was another veile which hung as a doore at the entry of the Tabernacle through which the priests of the Law went every day to minister in the holy place but the people might not Heb. 9. â—2 6. Shewing also the restraint of the Iewish Chruch from such blessings as God hath opened unto us in Christ Heb. 9. 9. 10. c. and 10. â—9 20. embroiderer or weaver with tinsell worke who worketh curiously and with many colours figuring the variety of graces which God deeketh his Church with Ezek. 16. 10. Psal. 45. â—5 But the workmanship of this veile was infeâ—â—ouâ— to the former which had Cherubiâ—â—s See the notes
not restrained to them as the offring of the blood but might be performed also by the Levites that were given to helpe the Priests in their service Num. 8. 19. So though the Priests killed in 2 Chron. 29. 24. yet the like is said also of the Levites that they killed and the Priests sprinkled the blood from their hands and the Levites flayed 2 Chron. 35. 10. 11. Also in 2 Chr. 30. 17. The Levites had the charge of the killing of the Passeovers This killing therefore and the slaying after mentioned in vers 6. was not strictly tied to the Priests office as some other things were in Numb 3. 10. So in the Hebrew Canons they say The killing of the holy things may be done by strangers such as are not of Aarons seed even of the most holy things whether they be the holy things of a particular person or of the congregation Maimony in Biath hamikdash Chap. 9. Sect. 6. The place of killing was on the North side of the Altar V. 11. And the Iewes have a tradition that the morning sacrifice was killed at the Northwest and the evening sacrifice at the Northeast that it might bee over against the Sunne Maimony in Tamidin or treat of the Daily sacrifices chap. 1. Sect. 11. The slaying of the sacrifices figured the death of Christ of whom it is prophesied Messiah shall be cut off or slaine Daniel 9. 26. for without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9. 22. It figured secondly the mortifying of Gods people by his Word Spirit and participation of Christs afflictions as Mortifie or kill therefore your members which are upon the earth Colossians 3. 5. and If ye through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the bodie ye shall live Roman 8. 13. whereby is meant a ceasing from sinne 1 Peter 4. 1. 2. And For thy sake we are killed all the day wee are accounted as sheepe of slaughter Rom. 8 36. yongling of the herd that is the yong bull or calfe as the Greeke translateth it Hebrew sonne of the herd see Genesis 18. 7. In Mich. 6. 6. such sacrifices are called sonnes of a yeere that is young bulls or bullockes of the first yeere not older see the notes on Exodus 12. 5. and 29. 1. before Iehovah in the court of the Sanctuary where all sacrifices must be slaine Levit. 17. 3. 4. and unto God onely not to creatures for he that sacrificed to any save unto Iehovah onely was utterly to be destroyed Exodus 22. 20. bring neere unto the altar or offer it And this immediately and out of the court it might by no meanes be caried The blood of the holy things that goeth out of the court becomes unallowable for sacrifice and though they bring it in again and sprinkle it on the altar it is not acceptable saith Maimony in treat of holy things polluted chapt 1. Sect. 35. sprinkle or as the Greeke translateth poure-on for the originall word signifieth a pouring-on with sprinkling and this was in large measure that the corners of the Altar were filled with blood Zach. 9. 15. Therefore the Iewish canons say that the sacrificers were to indeavor to receive all the blood and the sacrifices of which lesse blood was received then sufficed for the sprinkling the blood was not sanctified When the Priest tooke the blood in the bowle he sprinkled thereof two sprinklings upon the two corners of the Altar overthwartly on the northeast borne and on the southwest horne And this must bee so thicke that by the twice sprinkling the blood may be found on the foure sides of the Altar as it is written Leviticus 1. ROVND ABOVT And the rest of the blood is poured at the bottome of the Altar on the south side Maimony treat of offring the sacrifices chap. 4. Sect. 8. and Chapter 5. Sect. 6. This sprinkling had a foreshadowing of the sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ 1 Peter 1. 2. Esay 52. 15. And unto this rite of powring the blood at the bottome of the Altar commanded in Leviticus 4. 7. that mystery hath reference of the soules of them that were slaine for the word of God seene under the Altar Rev. 6. 9. Vers. 6. he shall the Greeke translateth they shall flay it is meant of the Priests and Levites which were to assist the Priests in offring all burnt sacrifices 1 Chron. 23. 31. as before they helped to kill verse 5. and as appeareth by 2 Chronic. 29. 34. where the Priests were too few and not able to flay all the burnt-offrings therefore their brethren the Levites helped them The Priest also had the skinne of the burnt-offring which hee offred Leviticus 7. 8. They flayed not untill the blood was sprinkled saith Maimony treat of offring the sacrifices ch 5. sect 18. This flaying signified also the afflictions of Christ and his people Mic. 3. 3. Matth. 27. 28. and the opening and making bare of the mystery of Christ by the Gospell Galat. 3. 1. the pieces thereof the naturall pieces or members as the Greeke translateth it as head brest legges c. it might not bee a confused or disordered mangling The manner of it Maimony sheweth particularly in his said treat of offring sacrifices chap. 6. where he mentioneth the cutting off of the head first then of the legges or thighes of the forefeet and or the hinder feet of the brest of the sides of the necke of the Cane or chanell bone of the shoulder of the Chine or backe bone and of the Rumpe The Liver was left hanging on the right side the heart and the lungs on the channell bone the milt on the left side and the kidneyes on the rump And to this question why the greater members were not cut into small pieces he answereth because it is written he shall cut it into the pieces thereof and not shall cut it into pieces The Chaldee also here translateth hee shall divide it by the members thereof From this custome of dividing the sacrifices it seemeth the Greeke interpreters thus translated and expounded the words of God to Kain If thou offer aright and dividest not aright hast thou not sinned Genesis 4. 7. It figured the worke of the Ministery in the Church rightly dividing the word of truth 2 Tim. 2. 15. and so preaching the Gospell that before mens eyes Iesus Christ may be evidently-set-forth and as it were crucified among them Galat. 3. 1. Esay 66. 21. It also signified the effect of Gods word in us piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soule and spirit of the joynts and marrow and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb 4. 12. Vers. 7. put fire Hebrew give fire This may be understood of making and ordering the fire which was continually nourished upon the Altar Leviticus 6. 12. 13. and which at first came downe from heaven Levit. 9. 24. But the Hebrew Doctors from these words say although that fire came downe from heaven it is here commanded to bring
figured incorruption and immortalitie and the Cedar is used to signifie Christ him-selfe in Ezek. 17. 22. 23. The hysope of sweet savour was used to sprinkle with and cleanse from sin see Psal. 51. 9. And the Cedar wood or the hysope that had the barke pilled off was unlawfull faith Maimony treat of Lepr chap. 11. sect 1. Verse 5. and he shall kill in Greeke and they shall kill meaning some man Chazkuni saith The commandement was by the Priest and the killing by any man earthen vessell the Hebrew doctors say by tradition it was to be a new earthen cup. It figured the basenesse and infirmitie of the Ministers of the Gospell 2 Cor. 4. 7. See further in Num. 5. 17. living water that is spring water as the Chaldee translateth it called living because of the continuall motion See the notes on Gen. 26. 19. And thus Christ expoundeth living water to bee a well of water springing up unto eternall life Ioh. 4. 10. 14. The Rabbines here say it might not bee water that had beene used about any businesse nor salt water nor water that had beene melted or warmed nor of waters that lie or faile as in Ieremie 15. 18. that is whose course or spring doth cease at any time nor raine water but living water which alwaies springeth and ceaseth not R. Sampson comment in Thalmud in Negagnim c. 14. And that of this water there was a quarter of a Log put into a new earthen vessell That quarter was as much as an egge and a halfe see the notes on Exod. 30. 24. They killed the fairest of the two birds though they were as much as might be of equall bignesse and price over the water in the earthen vessell and wrung it so that the blood might be discerned in the water and then they digged and buried the bird there before theâ— Maimony treat of Lepr chap. 11. sect 1. And Chazkuni noteth that the living water was mixed with the blood because the blood of it selfe was un inough to dip the cedar scarlet and hysope in Vers. 6. dip them and the living bird He bound together the hysope and the cedar with the scarlet wooll wound up lengthwise and about them he put the tops of the wings and tip of the taile of the living bird and dipped them foure in the water and blood that was in the vessell and sprinkled seven times upon the hand of the Leper and some say on his forehead and so let the bâ—â— loose Maimony ibidem This manner of cleansing the leper figured the cleansing of us sinners by Christ who as the killed bird was put to death in the flesh but as the living bird quickned by the spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. For though he was crucified through weakenesse yet he liveth by the power of God 2 Cor. 13. 4. who came not by water onely but by water and blood 1 Ioh. 5. 6. whose blood sprinkled purgeth our conscience from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. and 12. 24. But we have this treasure 〈◊〉 earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4. 7. By the Hebrew doctors opinion the mixing of the blood of the bird and of living water signified judgment and meâ—y joyned together R. Menachem on Levit. 14. Vers. 7. seven times signifying hereby a f 〈…〉 cleansing for seven is a perfect number see the notes on Lev. 4. 6. So Naaman the Leper washed himselfe seven times in Iordan 2 King 5. 10. 14. And David praying to be cleansed of his spirituall leprosie saith wash me throughly from mine iniquitie Psal. 51. make him cleane that is pronounce him cleane or by these rites cleanse him the Greeke translateth and he shall be cleane let goe or 〈…〉 se and send away The like was done with the two goats on atonement day the one was killed the other let goe into the wildernesse Levit. 16. 7. 10. These figured the deliverance of Christ from death and of all such as are cleansed from their sinnes by his blood for he bare our griefes and cariâ—d our sorrowes or sicknesses Esa. 53. 4. Matth. 8. 17. And Solomon likeneth the escaping of the curse to the flying away of a bird Prov. 26. 2. Chazkuni maketh this comparison that the Leper had sitten as a bird solitarie on the house top and was 〈◊〉 and restrained from conversing with other men but now was permitted to come among his fellowes even as the bird had been bound in the hands of men but now was let goe and set free to goe among her fellowes the face of the field that is the open field like that phrase in Genes 1. 20. on the face of the firmanent The Greeke translateth it into the field Hence the Hebrew doctors say hee that letteth the bird loose may not turne his face towards the sea nor to the citie nor to the wildernesse for it is said in Levit. 1453. out of the citie into the face of the field If when be lets it goe it comes againe he shall let it goe againe though it be an hundred times Moreover they say the Cedar wood and hysope and scarlet with which one lepâ—r was cleansed he may with them cleanse other lepers and so the bird that is let goe he may cleanse other lepers with it after it hath beene sent away and it is lawfull to be eaten But the bird that was killed is unlawfull to be used for any thing and who so eateth ought thereof transgresseth Maimony treat of Lepr chap. 11. sect 1. 7. These legall ordinances led the people unto Christ for if the blood of birds and water with cedar hysope and scarlet sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offred himselfe without spot unto God purge the conscience from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 13. 14. Vers. 8. all his haire on every part of his bodie so the Hebrewes say he must cause the rasour to passe ever all his flesh that is seene even his secret parts and the haire all over his body Maimony ibidem The haire naturally springeth of hot grosse matter or fume and argueth strength of nature so in the Leprous and uncleane the haire signified the strength of uncleannesse which was to be cut off for it is needfull to beat downe the power of uncleannesse which aboundeth in him saith R. Menachem on Levit. 14. So at the consecration of the Levites they were to cause a rasour to passe over all their flesh Numb 8. 7. and Sampson when hee lost his haire lost his strength Iudg. 16. 17. And God threatning to weaken the state of his people useth this similitude of shaving them with a rasour Esa. 7. 20. Contrariwise the Nazirite whiles hee was to be holy unto the Lord by his vow no rasour might come upon his head Num. 6. 5. that he may be cleane or and
garments the other his golden garments because some were made with gold threed woven in them These foure were made of fixe double twisted threed and they were of flaxe onely saith Maim in the Implements of the Sanctury c. 〈◊〉 s. 3. It figured the base estate of Christ here on earth and how he shold without worldly glory performe the worke of our redemption Esay 53. 2. 3. c. but with purity innocency and holinesse Putting on justice and it clothed him his judgment was as a robe and a Miter Iob 29. 14. his flesh in Greeke his skinne the secret parts are hereby meant see Exodus 28. 42. Compare herewith Ezekiel 44. 17. 18. there these foure linnen garments are mentioned and no other and that is a mysticall prophesie of the state of the Church under the gospell where the Priests have no other attire then for atonement or expiation day which mystery is opened in 2 Corinth 5. 19. garments of holinesse in Greeke holy garments wash his flesh that is as the Greeke translateth wash all his bodie Sol. Iarchi here noteth that hee was charged to wash him-selfe every time that hee changed his garments and he changed them five times c. This washing signified his cleansing or sanctification by repentance and faith in Christ Hebewes 10. 22. the garments figured the justice and salvation wherewith by faith in Christ he should be clothed Psal. 132. 9. 16. which they onely that are sanctified doe put on When the Priest put off these garments and put on other hee washed againe vers 24. It figured also the holinesse and purity that should be in Christ himselfe in whom was no sinne 1 Ioh. 3. 5. and put them on This was after the performance of his other morning services which were due every day and to be done in other garments The order whereof is said to be this About midnight for the high Priest might not sleepe all that night lest any accident of uncleannesse such as is spoken of in Deut. 23. 10. should befall him they went about the taking away of the ashes from the altar and ordered the wood c. untill at breake of the day they began to kill the daily sacrifice then they hanged a fine-linnen cloth betweene the high Priest and the people And he put off his common clothes and washed himselfe and put on the golden clothes those eight mentioned in Exod. 28. and sanctified that is washed his hands and his feet and killed the daily sacrifice and tooke the blood sprinkled it on the altar After that he went into the holy place and burned the incense of the morning and trimmed the Lampes and burned the flesh of the dayly sacrifice and the meat offring and drinke offring of the same as was done every day After the daily sacrifice hee offred the bullocke and the seven lambes which were appointed more for that day Num. 29. 8. Afterwards he sanctified his hands his feet and put off his golden garments and washed himselfe and put on his white garments and sanctified his hands and his feet and came to his bullocke spoken of in v. 6. c. Maim in Iom hakippurim ch 1. s. 6. ch 4. s. 1. and Talmud Bab. in Ioma ch 3. Ver. 5. a Sin-offring figuring Christ who shold be a Sin-offring for his Church 2 Cor. 5. 19. 21. and these goats the one was killed v. 15. the other sent away alive v. 21. to signifie how Christ suffering for our sinns should be put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. The Hebrews write that these two goats were to bee alike to see to of equall stature and price and to be taken both at one time Maimony in Iom hakipp. chap. 5. sect 14. Burnt-offring which was offered after the former Sinne-offring and in other garments ver 24. and signifyed besides reconciliation a new and holy life through the grace of Christ after the purging us from our sins Rom. 12. 1. See the notes on Lev. 1. Vers. 6. for himselfe or which shall be his owne and so Sol. Iarchi hence teacheth that it was to be of his owne and not of the congregations and Targum sonathan expoundeth it of his own goods This was the first sacrifice which was peculiar for this day and for the worke of Reconciliation which beginning with the Priest himselfe sheweth the impersection of that legall priesthood and the impossibility thereof to bring men to God So the Apostle teacheth that every high Priest was himselfe also compassed with infirmitie by reason whereof he ought as for the people so for himselfe to offer for sinnes Thus the Law made men high Priests which had infirmitie but the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Son of God who is perfected for ever Hebr. 5. 1. 2. 3. and 7. 28. and for his house in Chaldee for the men of his house And hereby the Hebrewes understand all the Priests see after on vers 11. As in all sinne-offrings they laid their hands on the head of the sacrifice confessed their sinnes and then killed it Lev. 4. so was the order of this which the Hebrewes have declared thus After that the Priest had washed his body put on his white garments and sanctified his hands and his feet he came to his bullocke which afterward in Solomons Temple stood betweene the porâ—ch and the Altar with the head therof to the south and the face to the west and the Priest stood eastward with his face to the west and laid both his hands on the head of the bullocke and confessed saying O God I have sinned done iniquitie and trespassed before thee I and my house I beseech thee O Lord make atonement now for my sinnes iniquities and trespasses which I have commited before thee I and my house as it is written in the law of Moses thy servant For in this day be shall make atonement for you c. Lev. 16. 30 Maâ— in Iom hakipp. c. 4. s. 1. and Talmud in Ioma c. 3. Ver. 7. present them Hebrew make them to stand After the slaying of his own sin-offring the Priest came to the North-side of the Altar and two with him the one called Sagan who was the second chiefe priest next in order to the high Priest on his right hand and the other called Rosh beth ab that is the chiese of the house of the father or principall houshold as 1 Chron. 24. 6. on his left hand and there the two goats were presented with their faces to the West and their back parts to the East Talmud in Ioma ch 3. Mai. in Iom hakip c. 3. s. 2. at the doore that is within the court-yard see the notes on Lev. 8. 3 Vers. 8. give lots that is cast lots the Greeke translateth impose or put lots The manner is said to bee thus The two lots the one had written upon it FOR IEHOVAH and on the other was written FOR A SCAPE-GOAT and they
might be of any matter either of wood or of stone or of maâ—tall but the one might not bee great and the other little the one of silver and the other of gold but both alike And they were of wood But in the second Temple they made them of gold And they put the two lots in one vessell which was a common vessell and of wood and it was called Kalphi On the east part of the court on the north side of the Altar there they set the Kalphi The goats were set with their faces towards the west and their binde parts to the East The high Priest came with the Sagan or second Priest at his right hand and Rosh beth ab at his left and the two goats stood before him the one on his right hand the other on his left He shaked the Kalphi and tooke out of it the two lots with his two bands in the name of the two goats opened his hand If the Lords lot were in his right hand the Sagan sayd to the high Priest hold up thy right hand on high if it were in his left then Rosh beth ab sayd unto him hold up thy left hand and he laid the two lots on the two goats the right on that which was at his right hand and the left on that which was at his left Maimony in Iom hakippurim ch 3. sect 1. 2. 3. This casting of lots was that the Lord of whom the whole disposion of the lot is Prov. 16. 33. might shew which of the two goats he would have to dye and which to live and it figured how the suffrings of Christ who was to be put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 13. should be no other then whatsoever Gods hand and his counsel determined before to bee done Act. 4. 28. for Iehovah in Chaldee for the name of the LORD so after the Scape goat called in Hebrew Azazel that is the Goat-gone-away which the Greeke translateth Apopompaion Sent-away the Chaldee many interpreters keepe the Hebrew name untranslated and it is thought to bee the name both of the Goat and of the place whereinto he was sent in the wildernesse as verse 10. so by Sol. Iarchi it is expounded a strong and hard mountaine c. Ver. 9. did ascend that is did light or fall which is said here to ascend or come up because it was first taken up out of the vessell and after was laid upon the beast So in vers 10. and elsewhere Lots are said to ascend or come up as in Iosh. 18. 11. somtimes to come-forth as out of the vessell Numb 33. 54. Ios. 19. 1. and sometimes to fall as Ion. 1. 7. 1 Chrâ— 26. 14. Act. 1. 26. make him that is as the 〈◊〉 explaineth it offer him for sin the manner is after shewed in vers 15. by killing him to figure out the death of Christ according to the flesh Sol. Iarchi expoundeth it thus when he layeth the Lot upon 〈◊〉 he shall call him by this name saying A Sin-offring for the Lord. Ver. 10. presented alive after that the Priest hath killed his owne bullocke and the other Goat whose lot was to die ver 11. 15. 20. In the meane time after the casting of these lots the Hebrewes say that the Priest bound a long piece they call it 〈◊〉 tongue of scarlet of two shekels weight upon the hea 〈…〉 the Scape-goat and set him before the place of his sending away and the other which was to bee killed before the place of his killing and then he killed the Sin-offring bullocke which was for himselfe Maimony in I 〈…〉 kip ch 3. sect 4. and Talman Ioma c. 4. to make atonement as the Goat which was slaine was for atonement or expiation v. 16. 17. so was the live goat as here and in vers 21. 22. so that both of them were figures of Christ who is the atonement or propitiation for our sins 1 Ioh. 2. 2. 4. 10. for a scape goat or to azazel which is by some thought here to meane the place in the wildernes where this goat was let goe Vers. 11. shall make atonement laying his hands on the head of the beast confessing and asking pardon of God for his iniquities trespasses sins as is before noted on verse 6. This he was to doe for himselfe first and for his house that being reconciled to God hee might be fit as a figure of Christ to make atonement for the people Of this the Hebrew doctors say speaking of the practice in the ages following hee came to his bullocke the second time and laid both his hands on the head thereof and confessed a second confession for himselfe and his house and for the sonnes of Aaron all the Priests and asked mercie of God and then killed the bullocke Maimony in Iom hakipp. c. 4. s. 1. So elsewhere in the same treatise ch 2. s. 6. he mentioneth three confessions which the Priest made this day One which he made for himselfe at the first a second which he made for himself with the other Priests and both these were upon the bullocke of Sinne-offring which was for himselfe And the third confession was for all Israel upon the Scape goat for his house that is saith Sol. Iarchi for his brethren the Priests for they all are called his house as it is written O house of Aaron blesse ye the Lord Psal 135. 19. And all their atonement was not save for the uncleannes of the Sanctuarie and holy things thereof as in verse 16. That he made atonement for the Priests is expresly mentioned in v. 33. Ver. 12. shall take a censer after the bullock was killed before the blood was sprinkled this service of burning incense came betweene as to prepare the way into the holy place by the cloud the smoke of the incense upon the Mercie-seat verse 13. 14. So Christ before he entred with his owne blood into the most holy place of heaven Heb. 9. 11. 12. 24. prepared and sanctified himselfe and his way by prayer which was figured by incense Rev. 8. 3. 4. Ioh. 17. Matt. 26. 36. c. This Censer or Fire-pan as the word is Englished in Exodus 27. 3. is called in Greeke Pureion that is a Fire vessell in the new Testament never so named but Libanotos an Incense vessel or Censer Rev. 8. 3. 5. where mention is made of a golden Censer Of this here the Hebrewes say Every other day he whose duty it is to use the Censer putteth coles in a censer of silver c. but this day the high Priest putteth coles in a censer of gold Maimony in Iom hakipp. c. 2. sect 5. before Iehovah this was the burnt-offring altar in the courtyard where fire alwaies burned but from this manner of speech the Hebrewes say they tooke the fire from that part of the Altar which was next to the west that is towards the Sanctuarie Maimony ibidem chap. 4. sect 1. So Iarchi
accompany him And there remained betweene the last boothe and the rocke in the wildernesse two miles At every boothe they said unto the man loe here is meat and here is water if his strength failed him and hee had need to eat hee might eat but there never was man they say that needed so to doe And without necessitie no man might eat for it was their most solemne Fast. From the last boothe they went not with him to the Rocke but halfe way one mile their sabbath daies journey and stood a farre off to see what he did with the goat When he had put the goat downe the Rocke they at the boothes aforesaid waved with linnen clothes or white flagges to the end that they in Ierusalem might know that the goat was come to the wildernesse Talmud in Ioma chap. 6. and Maimony in his Comment thereon and in his Misneh in Iom hakippurim chap. 3. sect 7. c. Of their sabbath dayes journey see the notes on Exodus 16. 29. Vers. 22. all their iniquities by this it appeareth that as the killed goat figured Christ killed for the sinnes of his people so this living goat figured him also who bare our griefes and caried our sorrowes and on whom God laid the iniquity of us all Esa. 53. 4. 6. And because Christ was not onely to dye for our offences but also to rise againe for our justification Rom. 4. 25. to be crucified through weakenesse yet to live by the power of God 2 Cor. 13 4. to be put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 13. and for that these two things could not fitly be shadowed by any one beast which the Priest having killed could not make alive againe therefore God appointed two that in the slame beast Christs death in the live beast his life and victory might be fore shadowed Heb. 9. 23. 24. 28. See the like mysterie in the two birds for the cleansing of the Leper Levit. 14. 6. 7. Or the sending of this goat into the wildernesse as the former was sacrificed in the Sanctuarie might figure out the salvation of Christ communicated with the gentiles and peoples of the world as Esa. 42. 1. 4. 11. and 49. 6. For the wildernesse is sometime used to signifie peoples Ezek. 20. 35. The Hebrewes say The scape goat made-atonement for all the transgressions of the Law both the lighter and the more heavy transgressions whether done presumptuously or ignorantly whether they were knowne unto a man or unknowne all are expiated by the Scape-goat if so be the partie doe repent Maimony in treat of Repentance chap. 1. sect 2. This goat was but a shadow of Christ and unto repentance must be added faith sor God hath set him forth to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 25. land of separation or a land cut-off a land separated to weet from other lands or from all people that is as the Chaldee translateth it a land that is not inhabited which the Greeke calleth Abaton waylesse or inaccessibles where no man goeth afterward Moses calleth it a wildernesse Or it may meane a place decreed of and determined whither to send him for the Hebrew word sometime signifieth a decree Iob 22. 28. Dan. 4. 17. Hereby was figured the utter abolishing of our sinnes by Christ both from the face of God that they should not appeare against us before him to be imputed unto us and also from us that sinne should have no more dominion over us nor we serve it any longer but having our consciences purged from dead workes should serve the living God 2 Cor. 5. 19. Heb. 9. 26. 14. Rom. 6. 6. 12. So the Prophet speaking of the like grace saith unto God Thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the sea Mich. 7. 19. And this word which Moses here useth is not elsewhere used in like sort for a land but for cutting off of other things and in particular is applied to Christ working our redemption that hee was cut-off out of the land of the living Esa. 53. 8. which the holy Ghost expoundeth thus his life was taken from the earth Act. 8. 33. and whereof himselfe speaking said whither I goe ye cannot come Ioh. 13. 33. That eternall Spirit through which Christ offred himselfe without spot unto God Heb. 9. 14. and by which he was made-alive after death 1 Pet. 3. 18. inabled his flesh or manhood to suffer such things as no other creature could come neere unto and thereby Sin is put-away and the body of sinne abolished Heb. 9. 26. Rom. 6. 6. The Hebrewes say of this goat sent away that the man which caried it threw it downe the rocke and so it dyed Thalmud in Ioma chap. 6. Vers. 23. Aaron shall come whiles the goat afore-said was going to the wildernesse these services following began and other after them in this order as the Hebrewes have recorded After he hath sent away the goat by the hand of him that led him hee returneth to the bullocke and goat wholse blood hee had sprinkled within the Sanctuarie and openeth them and taketh out their fat which he putteth in a vessell to burne them upon the Altar And he cutteth the rest of their flesh into great pieces but one cleaving to another and not parted asunder and them he sondeth by the hand of others to be caried out to the place of burning without the campe Levit. 16. 27. When the Scape goat is come to the wildernesse the high Priest goeth out into the womens court to read the Law And whiles hee is reading they burne the bullocke and the goat in the place of the ashes without the citie therefore hee that seeth the high Priest when he readeth seeth not the bullocke and the goat burnt When he readeth all the people stand before him and the minister of the Congregation taketh up the booke of the Law and giveth it to the Chief of the congregation and he to the Sagan or second chiefe Priest and the Sagan giveth it to the high Priest who standeth up when he receiveth it and standeth and readeth the 16. of Leviticus and Levit. 23. 27. 32. c. And when he readeth he blesseth God before and after c. After this hee putteth off his white garments and washeth himselfe and putteth on his golden garments and sanctifieth his hands and his feet and offreth the goat which is for the generall addition to this daies service Numb 29. 11. and offreth his owne ram and the peoples ram as it is said AND HE SHAL COME FORTH AND SHALL MAKE HIS BVRNT-OFFRING AND THE BVRNT-OFFRING OF THE PEOPLE Lev. 16. 24. And he burneth on the altar the fat of the bullocke and of the goat that were burnt without the campe And he offreth the daily evening sacrifice the Lambe Numb 28. 3. and trimmeth the Lempes as on other dayes Exod. 27. 21. After this he sanctifieth his hands and his feet and putteth off the golden
himselfe for it is written AND THOV SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD Deut. 6. 5. And the holy blessed God himselfe loveth strangers Deut. 10. 18. Maimony in Degnoth c. 6. s. 4. Vers. 35. unrighteousnesse or injurious-evill see vers 15. in mete yard the Greeke translateth it in measures The Hebrew Middah is properly such measure or dimension as concerneth the greatnesse of things or length of them by the yard elle inch rod or the like the next two concerne the multitude of things by weight as in skoles or by measure as in vessels Hereof the Hebrewes say Hee that weigheth to his neighbour by lesser weights then the people of that countrie are wont to doe or meteth by a lesser mete-yard then they are wont transgresseth the Law in Levit. 19. 35. Although hee that meteth or weigheth lesse is a theefe yet he payeth not the double as in Exod. 22. 4. but payeth him his measure or his weight Neither is he beaten for this trespasse because he is bound to make restitution Who so hath in his house or in his shop a lesser meteyard or weight transgresseth the Law in Deut. 25. 13. 14. For though he himselfe doe not sell thereby yet an other may coâ—e who knoweth it not and may measure by it Whether he buy and sell with an Israelite or with an Infidell if hee mete or weigh by too little a weight hee transgresseth and is bound to restore And so it is unlawfull to let an infidell erre in accompts but he must exactly reckon with him yea though hee be one that is subdued under thy hand how much more then with others that are not subdued Maimony treat of Theft chap. 7. Vers. 36. just stones Hebr. stones of justice which the Chaldee well explaineth true weights and the Greeke just weights So stones are often used for weights Deut. 25. 12. Prov. 11. 1. and 16. 11. and 20. 20. 23. where double and deceitfull weights are shewed to bee an abhomination to the Lord. The reason of this name is for that they used weights of stone rather then of other things They make no weights either of yron or of lead or of other like metall because they will canker and waxe too light but they make them of the cleare stony-rocke or of glasse or the like Maimony treat of Theft chap. 8. sect 4. Ephah put for all measures as the Greek and Chaldee here translate though the Ephah was one certaine measure like our Bushel containing ten Omers see the annotations on Exod. 16. 36. just Hin Hebr. Hin of justice the Hin was a measure of liquid things as the Ephah was for drie and it contained as much as seventie two hennes egges see the notes on Exod. 30. 24. And under these two names all other measures are comprehended which God requireth to be just and true condemning all falshood and deceit as Ezek. 45. 10. 11. 12. Amos 8. 5. 8. In Israel the Magistrates looked unto these as in the Hebrew canons it is said The Iudges are bound to appoint Officers in every citie and in every shire that they may goe about into shops and look that their ballances and measures be just and determine the stinted measure of them And with whomsoever they finde any weight or measure too light or short or ballances that goe awry they have authoritie to smite him and to mulct him as the Iudges shall 〈◊〉 meet c. Maimony treat of Thft chap. 8. sect 20. These ordinances as they taught men justice in all their civill affaires so especially in spirituall that all things pertaining to religion be faithfully and equally weighed in the ballance of the heart by the measures and weights of the Lords sanctuarie that is by his lawes and words of truth contained in the holy Scriptures Act. 17. 11. 1. Thes. 5. 21. 2. Tim. 3. 16 17. compared with Hos. 12. 7. As also that all persons be tried and judged according to their workes by the word of God Mat. 7. 1 2 3. Ioh. 7. 24. compared with Iob 31. 6. Dan. 5. 27. Psal. 58. p. 3. CHAP. XX. 1. Lawes for the punishment of him that giveth of his 〈◊〉 to Molech 6 of him that goeth to Wizards 9 of him that curseth his parents 10. of adulterers 11 14 17 19. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persons 13. of them that lye with mankinde 15 or with beasts 18 or with a woman in her 〈◊〉 7 12 26 Holinesse and obedience 〈◊〉 required 23 the manners of the heathens to be avoided 25 difference to be put betweene beasts clean and uncleane 〈◊〉 Wizards must be stoned to death ANd Iehovah spake unto Moses saying And thou shalt say unto the sons of Israel Every man of the sonnes of Israel or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel that giveth of his feed unto Molech he shall surely be put to death the people of the land shall stone him with stones And I will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people because he hath given of his seed unto Molech that hee might defile my sanctuary and to prophane the name of my holinesse And if the people of the land hiding shall hide their eyes from that man when hee giveth of his seed unto Molech that they put him not to death Then I will set my face against that man and against his familie and will cut off him and all that goe-a-whoring after him to goe-a-whoring after Molech from among their people And the soule that turneth unto them that have familiar spirits and unto wizards to goe-a-whoring after them I will also set my face against that soule and will cut him off from among his people And yee shall sanctifie your selves and be holy for I am Iehovah your God And yee shall keepe my statutes and doe them I am Iehovah that sanctifieth you For every man that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death hee hath cursed his father or his mother his bloods shall be upon him And the man that committeth-adulterie with a mans wife that committeth-adulterie with his neighbours wife the adulterer and the adulteresse shall surely bee put to death And the man that lyeth with his fathers wife hath uncovered his fathers nakednesse both of them shall be surely put to death their bloods shall be upon them And the man that lyeth with his daughter-in-law both of them shal be surely put to death they have wrought confusion their bloods shall be upon them And the man that lyeth with a male like copulation with a woman they have done abhomination both of them they shall be surely put to death their bloods shall be upon them And the man that taketh a wife and her mother it is wickednes they shall burne him and them with fire that there be no wickednes among you And the man that giveth his copulation with a beast hee shall surely bee put to death and yee shall kill the beast And the woman that approcheth unto
20. Aaron what is he to wit other than the Minister of God So the Apostle saith Who is Paul and who is Apollo but ministers by whom ye beleeved 1 Cor. 3. 5. And thus had Moses said in their former murmurings What are wee that ye murmure against us your murmurings are not against us but against Iehovah Exod. 16. 7 8. Vers. 12. We will not come up An obstinate answer and refusall of the meanes of their bettering by Moses debating the matter with them so might they have been perswaded to disist from their evill course and have found mercie By comming up is meant unto the publike place of judgement whither in the Scripture phrase men are said to goe up as in Deut. 25. 7. Ruth 4. 1. And in Ezra 10. 7. 8. whosoever would not goe to Ierusalem at the time appointed by the Princes and the Elders all his substance should be forfeited and himselfe separated from the Church of those that had been in captivitie Of Dathan and Abiram Sol. Iarchi here observeth that Their owne mouth caused them to offend or signified their fall they were not but to goe downe to wit alive into hell verse 33. Vers. 13. out of the land of Egypt as is added in Targum Ionathan which having beene the place of their bondage and miserie an iron furnace unto them Deut. 4. 20. they here call it a land flowing with milke and honey so despising their redemption God their Redeemer who laid their bring from thence for a ground of their obedience unto him Exod. 19 4 5. and 20. 2. even making or also making thy selfe a Prince that is without God of thine own presumption advancing thy selfe onely wholly and continually The doubling of the word is to aggravate their crimination This latter branch the Greeke translateth Thou art a Prince as if it were spoken in derision Verse 14. not brought us according to promise Exod. 3. 8. and 33. 3. Lev. 20. 24. of field that is as the Chaldee explaineth it of fields and vineyards one named generally for many as is noted on Gen. 3. 2. dig out the eyes that is make them blinde as the Chaldee expoundeth it so in Iude. 16. 21. 1 Sam. 11. 2. of these men or as the Greeke translateth it of those men which may be meant of the whole congregation as if they were so blinde that they could not espie his fraud or it may have speciall reference to Korah and his company And thus Chazkuni here explaineth it Thou hopest to dig out the eyes of Korah and of all his congregation as though they had no eyes to see and understand this offence that thou hast brought us up from the good land of Egypt and hast not performed unto us that which thou promisedst to bring us into a land that floweth with milke and honey but hast said In this wildernesse they shall be consumed and there they shall die Num. 14. 35. Moreover thou hast perverted judgement against us and therefore we will not come up unto thee for we beleeve thee not concerning the triall of this matter Verse 15. very wroth or very much grieved see the notes on Gen. 4. 5. Respect not or Looke not Turne not the face unto which the Chaldee expoundeth Accept not with fauour their oblation their offering or their Meat-offering their Minchab whereof see the annotations on Levit. 2. and on Gen. 4. 3. This Sol. Iarchi expoundeth their incense which they shall offer before thee to morrow so it hath reference to Korah his company 2. 7. and 17. But others as he saith explaine it thus 〈◊〉 that they have a part in the daily sacrifices of the 〈◊〉 gregation let not their part be accepted beâ—â—re 〈◊〉 And thus some understand this imprecation to be against Dathan and Abiram onely as Chazkum saith The reason why Moses cursed Dathan 〈◊〉 Abiram was because when Moses sent to call them they said we will not come up It was not their 〈◊〉 to convert for though the Lord should have said I have chosen Aaron yet they would have mâ—â—ined against the Priesthood But Korah and the 250 men which tooke upon them to take every man his ce 〈…〉 because they were in hope that the Lord had not sent him concerning his brother Aaron but that he had done it of his owne minde he would not curse oâ—â— asse that is not the vilest beast the Greeke translateth it the desire of any of them that is any deâ—â—rable thing They mistooke and read Chamâ—â— for Chamur because the Hebrew letters * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dand 〈…〉 be one like another as is also noted on Gen. 4 18. But Iosippus noteth it to be one of the 13 places which the Lxxij Interpreters changed purposely lest Prolemie the King at whose request they â—â—rned the Law into Greeke should say Hee 〈…〉 asse but some other gift he did take Verse 16. Thou and all thy congregation The Greeke expoundeth it Sanctifie thy congregation and be ye ready before the Lord c. Because their rebellion was against God verse 11. therefore Moses committeth the deciding of the controversie unto God Ver. 18. at the doore in the court-yard of the Sanctuary and Moses and Aaron Targum Ionathan explaineth it they on the one side and 〈◊〉 and Aaron on the other side Verse 19. assembled against them all not onely the 250 forementioned but the generall mu 〈…〉 tude too ready to incline to his faction See verse 41. glorie of Iehovah in the cloud over the Sanctuary as it did at other times in the like cases 〈◊〉 42. Num. 12. 5. and 14. 10. Verse 21. as in a moment or even in a moment suddenly and as the Greeke translateth at once So in verse 45. and thus God had before threatned after they had made the â—â—lfe Exod. 33. 5. Verse 22. God of the spirits of all flesh By all flesh is meant all mankinde as in Gen. 6. 13. 〈◊〉 40. 5. 6. Ezek. 20. 48. and 21. 4 5. Ioel. 2. 28. and so it is explained in Iob 12. 10. the spirit of 〈◊〉 flâ—â—h of man And the Lord is called God of the spirits oâ— men both as he is creator of them who â—orm 〈…〉 the spirit of man within him Zach. 12. 1. called therefore the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. and as the preservation ordering and government 〈◊〉 them is in his hand both in life and death 〈…〉 hand is the soule of all living and the spirit of 〈…〉 of man Iob 12. 10. Therefore Moses useth the like phrase when he prayeth that a governour might be substituted in his stead Num. 27. 16. Targum Ionathan explaineth it God that puttâ—â—â— the 〈◊〉 of the soule in the bodies of all the sonnes of men and Targum Ierusalemy thus God which rulest 〈◊〉 the soules of all flesh Chazkuni saith which knowest the spirit of every one of them The Greeke translateth God of the Fathers and of all flesh understanding as it seemeth by spirits such
before his eyes For another man burned it as appeareth by vers 8. wherefore Targum Ionathan explaineth it another Priest shall burne The burning of the heiffer without the campe figured how Iesus that he might sanctifie the people with his owne bloud should suffer without the gate of Ierusalem Hebr. 13. 11 12. Vers. 6. Cedar wood this with the hyssop and scarlet following were used in the cleansing of Lepers that were healed Lev. 14. 4. See the Annotations on that place The Cedar is one of the greatest and tallest trees opposed to the hyssop as the lowest 1 King 4. 33. it is durable wood and rotteth not being choise or excellent Song 5. 15. figuring the perpetual efficacy of the death of Christ who by one offring hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Hebr. 10. 14. eyzop or hyssope whereof see Exod. 12. 22. As here it was burned with the heiffer so after in vers 18. a sprinkle was made with it figuring the vertue and odour of Christs death to purge our sinnes and to sprinkle our hearts from an evill conscience Hebr. 1. 3. and 10. 22. scarlet or twice died scarlet called in Hebrew Sheni tholagnath whereof see Exod. 25. 4. This bloudy colour sometime signifieth Sinnes Esai 1. 18. and it is the death and bloud of Christ that cleanseth us from all sinne Rom. 6. 10. 1 Iohn 1. 7. the preaching hereof maketh the lips like a threed of scarlet Song 4. 3. into the midst of the burning The manner of burning this heiffer in the ages following is described by the Hebrewes thus They made a banke or causey from the mountaine of the house of God in Ierusalem unto mount Olivet the mountaine which our Lord Iesus used to frequent Luke 21. 37. Joh. 18. 2. whither hee went the night that hee was betrayed â—o death Luke 22. 39 40 c. and it was over against the Temple Mar. 13. 3. and from thence after his resurrection he ascended up into heaven Act. 1. 9. 12. and the heiffer and hee that burned her and all that assisted him in the burning of her went out from the mount of the Temple unto mount Olivet upon that banke The Elders of Israel wenâ— before them on their feet to mount Olivet and there was a place to baptise or wash in and the Priest and they that assisted him to burne the heiffer went on the banke and came to mount Olivet c. and the Elders imposed their hands upon the Priest and said unto him wash once Hee went downe and washed and came up and wiped himselfe And there was wood laid in a row wood of Cedar and Oke and Firre-tree and Fig-tree which they tooke and made a pile of like a tower c. and the fore-part was towards the West that was towards the Temple Then they bound the heiffer and laid her upon the pile of wood with her head to the South and her face to the West and the Priest stood on the East-side with his face 〈◊〉 the West Hee killed her with his right hand and tooke the bloud in his left hand and sprinkled with the finger of his right hand of the bloud that was in 〈◊〉 palme of his left hand seven times towards the 〈◊〉 holy place of the Temple At every sprinkling 〈◊〉 dipped his finger in the bloud and the residue of 〈◊〉 bloud which was on his finger was uâ—lawfull to sprinkle with therefore at every sprinkling he wiped his finger on the body of the heiffer When he had made an end of sprinkling he wiped his hands on the heiffers body and came downe from the pile and kindled the fire with small stickes which he put under the stickes of the pile and the fire began to burne and the Priest stood a far off and observed it till the fire burned upon her and her belly cleft asunder And afterward he tooke Cedar wood and eyzop not lesse than an hand-bredth and wooll died in scarlet five shâ—kels weight c. And he bound the eyzop with the Cedar with the tongue or long peece of scarlet and cast them into her belly Numb 19. 6 And hee cast them not in before the fire was kindled upon the b 〈…〉 ke of her body nor after that she was burnt to ashes and if he did it was unlawfull for it is said into the midst of the burning not before the fire is kindled on her body nor after she is turned to ashes Maimony in Pharah adummah ch 3. sect 1 2. Vers. 7. Wash his cloathes which was a signe of purification from uncleannesse as is noted on Lev. 11. 25. and 15 5. The same was concerning him that burned the heiffer vers 8. and the cleane man that gathered up her ashes vers 9 10. Hereby the imperfection of the Legall Priesthood was shewed in that the Priests which prepared the meanes of sanctification for the Church were themselues polluted in the preparing and doing of them as may be gathered by proportion from Hebr. 7. 27 28. and 10. 1 2 3. The sinne also of the Priests and others that procured the death of Christ though it was the life of the world seemeth hereby to be signified Matth. 26. 65 66 c. Act. 2. 22 23 38. and 3. 14 15 17 18 19. Albeit by the tradition of the Hebrewes they were very carefull about the cleannesse of the Priests when they did this worke for the Priest that burned this heiffer they separated him from his house to a chamber prepared in the Court of the Temple which was called the Stone chamber because all the vessels thereof were of stone which doe receive no uncleannesse and he ministred in a vessell of stone all the seven daies that he was separated and his brethren the Priests might not touch him for the more care of his cleannesse Seven daies before the burning of the heiffer they separated the Priest that burned her from his house as they separated the High Priest for his service on Atonement-day wherof see the notes on Levit. 16. 33. Also they separated him from his wife lest she should have her disease and so he be uncleane seven daies as Levit. 15. 24. Every of those seven daies of his separation they sprinkled him with the water of purification lest â—e should be uncleane by the dead and not know it end with the ashes of the heiffer that had beene burned already before Maimony in Pharah ch 2. Notwithstanding all this care Whosoever busie themselves about this heiffer from the beginning to the end doe make their garments uncleane and are bound to wash themselves and are uncleane till the evening And wheresoever the Law speaketh of washing of cloathes for uncleannesse it is to teach us that not the cloathes only upon him are uncleane but every cloth 〈◊〉 vessell which this uncleane person shall touch whiles his uncleannesse is on him is made uncleane And not this heiffer only but all Sin-offrings that are burnt without the campe whether bullocks or goats he that
purification the third day was mysticall having reference to the resurrection of Christ w ch was on the third day after his death 1 Cor. 15. 4. whereof see the annotations on Gen. 22. 4. The seventh day was also mysticall as being the number of perfection of the Sabbath and of accomplishing a work as is noted on Gen. 2. 2. Ex. 12. 15. and Lev. 4. 6. and so it figured our full cleansing and ceasing from our sinfull and dead works after that we are sprinkled with the bloud of Iesus and water of his Spirit Heb. 4. 9 10. and 9. 13 14. wash his cloathes w ch was a common rite for all that were defiled with other uncleannesses wherof see Lev. 11. 25. and 14. 8 9. and 15. 5. bathe his flesh in Greeke wash his body the word flesh is expressed before in v. 7. it is meant of his whole body or all his flesh as Lev. 15. 16. cleane at evening after the Sun is set at what time a new day beginneth and so in mysterie a new life to begin This cleansing of the defiled by the dead figured Christs worke of grace upon dead and sinfull men of him it is prophesied Hee shall sprinkle many nations Esai 52. 15. and of him doth the Apostle open this figure saying If the blend of buls and goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without blemish unto God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 13 14. The sprinkling of the ashes of the heifer figured the applying unto us of Christs death whereunto he was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification Rom. 4. 25. The living water wherewith the ashes were mixed figured the Spirit of God which they that beleeve in Christ doe receive Ioh. 7. 38 39. of which he gave this promise Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shal be clean Eze. 36. 25. These being applied unto our consciences by faith as with hyssop w ch purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. by the preaching therof Gal. 3. 2. doe baptise us into Christs death that like as he was raised up froÌ„ the dead unto the glorie of the Father even so wee also should walk in newnesse of life Rom. 6. 3 4. And so we draw neere unto God with a true heart in sul assurance of faith having hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and bodies washed with pure water our robes washed and made white in the bloud of the Lambe Heb. 10. 22. Rev. 7. 14. and cleansing our selves froÌ„ all filthines of the flesh and spirit we perfect holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Of these mysteries the Hebrew Doctors though estranged from the true life and light of Christ retained some knowledge for they say When the living water is mixed with the ashes it purifieth the uncleane whereas before that while the ashes were alone they defiled all that were imployed about them And behold the living water signified the water that is on high which taketh away uncleannesse from the ashes c. And loe when it is sprinkled on the uncleane the uncleannesse fleeth from him c. and a cleane spirit resteth upon him and purifieth him R. Menachem on Num. 19. Vers. 20. uncleane by any of the things afore-said about the dead not purifie himselfe or not be purified to wit by having the water sprinkled upon him as the Chaldee explaineth it and the latter part of this verse manifesteth that soule in Chaldee that man cut off in Greeke and Chaldee destroyed defiled the Sanctuarie by comming into it before he hath beene purified For such were shut out of the host Num. 5. 3. how much more out of the Sanctuary Therefore Porters were see there at the gates that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in 2 Chr. 23. 19. An unoleane person that commeth into the Sanctuary presumptuously his punishment is cutting off Num. 19. 20. if ignorantly then he is to bring the sacrifice appointed Lev. 7. Maim in Biath hamikdesh 〈◊〉 3. s. 12. See the annotations on Lev. 5. 2 3. Vers. 21. wash his cloathes as being uncleane and so to continue untill evening likewise he that toucheth the water of separation shall wash his cloathes and be uncleane untill evening This interpretation Chazkuni here giveth of it that in the former branch uncleannesse is implied untill evening and in the latter branch the washing of his cloathes also is implied though not expressed This is one of the mysteries of this Law that a clean maÌ„ as he is called in v. 18 19. was made uncleane by sprinkling or touching the holy water which sanctified those that were uncleane and so it had contrary effects to purifie the uncleane and to poulute the cleane as the Sun melteth wax and hardneth clay Hereby the Holy Ghost seemeth to signifie the imperfection and insufficiencie of these legall rites which in their greatest vertue did but sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh as the Apostle saith Heb. 9. 13. and yet even then also left the purifier himselfe in uncleannesse which hee had not before That by consideration of these effects the people might be led unto Christ and his Spirit who is able to purge the conscience from dead workes and to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him Heb. 9. 14. 7. 25. The Hebrewes understand this of such as sprinkled or touched the water when there was no need as when no unclean person or vessell was to be sprinkled with it Maimony in Pharah ch 15. Vers. 22. whatsoever or whomsoever Hebr. all implying men vessels c. the uncleane to wit by the dead of whom was spoken before shall be uncleane to wit untill evening as the end of the verse sheweth and this is an inferiour degree of uncleannesse for the man or vessell polluted by the dead was uncleane seven dayes vers 11. 14. but that w ch such an unclean man or vessell touched was uncleane till the end of that day So in the Hebrew Canons A man which is defiled by the dead and the vessels which that man toucheth are uncleane seven dayes as it is said And yee shall wash your cloathes in the seventh day and ye shal be clean Num. 31. 24. But a man that shall touch a man which is defiled by the dead whether he touch him after that he is separated from the things that defiled him or touch him whiles he toucheth the dead lo this second man is uncleane till the evening as it is said in Num. 19. 22. And the soule that toucheth shall be unclean untill the evening Mai. in Tumath meth ch 5. s. 2. the soule in Chaldee the man that toucheth to wit him that is defiled as before is noted or it the thing which is defiled by the teâ—d of an uncleane man
the land of Edom Iudg. 11. 18. For the Lord had charged them that they should not meddle with the sonnes of Esau or their possession Deut. 2. 4 5. So Targum Ionathan here paraphraseth they were commanded by the word of the God of heaven that they should not wage warre with them because the time was not yet come when hee would execute 〈◊〉 on Edom by their hands Thus Israel suffered patiently the unkindnesse of Edom and obeyed the Lord herein though the way which they after went thorow the wildernesse was very grievous unto them and their soules were much discouraged because of the same Numb 21. 4 5. Vers. 22. mount Hor a mount in the edge of the land of Eâ—ora and the next resting place which they came unto from Kadesh Num. 33. 37. The name it selfe signifieth a mount for Har in Hebrew is a mountaine and Sol. Iarchi here explaineth it a â—ountaine upon a mountaine 〈◊〉 argum Ionathan nameth it mount Omanos Vers. 24. gathered unto his people that is die and be buried and his soule be among the spirits of just men made perfect as Hebr. 12. 23. Gathering signifieth here taking away by death as in vers 26. and in Esai 57. 1. mercifull men are gathered that is taken away and that which is gathered is the spirit of man as in Psal. 104. 20. thou gatherest their spirit they give up the ghost and returne unto their dust The peoples meane the Fathers deceased as is spoken of David in Act. 13. 36. and in Judg. 2. 10. all that generation were gathered unto their fathers So his people 's here are Aarons godly forefathers as David desireth the contrary Gather not my soule with sinners Psal. 26. 9. See the Annotations on Gen. 25. 8. rebelled against my mouth that is against my word as the Chaldee expoundeth it the Greeke saith yee provoked me See before on vers 12. Vers. 26. strip Aaron or disaray Aaron of his garments meaning of his Priestly robes the garments of holinesse which Moses had made him for 〈◊〉 and for beautifull glory Exod. 28. 2. and which at his consecration to the Priesthood Moses had put upon him Levit. 8. 7 8 9. So Targum Io 〈…〉 expoundeth it strip Aaron of the honourable garments of the Priesthood The taking off of these garments and putting them upon Eleazar signified the taking away of his office and dignity and giving the same to another as by a like similitude God said unto Shebna the treasurer I will drive thee 〈◊〉 thy station and from thy state shall he pull thee downe And it shall be in that day that I will call my servant Eliakim the sonne of Hilkiaeh and I will cloath him with thy robe and strengthen him with thy girdle and I will commit thy gouernment â—â—to his hand and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of 〈◊〉 c. Esay 22. 15 19 20 21. As by Aarons offering for his owne sins first and then for the sinnes of the people Levit. 16. 6. 11. 15. the holy Ghost shewed the inability of the legall Priesthood in comparison with Christs to reconcile men unto God Hebr. 7. 26 27 28. so by this disaraying and death of Aaron hee signified the disanulling of that Priesthood for the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof Hobr. 7. 11 18. When therefore the same hands of Moses which had put on the garments did pull them off now at this time for the sinne which the high Priest had committed vers 12. Deut. 32. 50 51. they and all the people were taught to expect a better Priesthood of the Sonne of God who is perfected for evermore Hebr. 7. 28. Eleazar his sonne This was a comfort to all especially to Aaron the father that the Priestly function ended not with the death of the Priest but was derived to his posterity and so continued thorow all ages till Christ came who is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek the true Eliazar that is the Helpe of God who is made not after the law of a carnall commandement but after the power of an endlesse life Heb. 7. 11. 16. Wherefore to signifie the continuance of his grace and love to the Church God promised that the Priests the Levites should not want a man before him to offer Burnt-offerings and to kindle Meat-offerings and to doe sacrifice continually Ier. 33. 18. So Aaron did behold in the cloathing of his sonne a type of his owne and of all Israels salvation that his death might not be bitter unto him but he might depart in peace because his eyes did see though as a farre off the salvation of God as Luke 2. 29 30. shall be gathered unto his peoples vers 24. and shall die Hee that before in the worke of his Priesthood made atonement for the people and stood betweene the dead and the living and the plague was stayed Numb 16. 47 48. now dieth himselfe for his own sin an evident demonstration of the insufficiencie of the Leviticall Priesthood Whereupon the Apostle teacheth that they were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But Christ because he continueth ever hath a priesthood which passeth not from one to another wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them Hebr. 7. 23 24 25. Vers. 28. Moses stripped Aaron The actions of Moses signified the effects of his ministery and Law 2 Cor. 3. 13. Whereas therefore he unvested Auron by reason of sinne and death which was to ensue it shewed that no Priest who was a sinner and under the power of death could satisfie the justice of the Law and avoid the wrath of God so the Legall Priesthood now might say He hath stript me of my glory and taken the crowne from my head Iob. 19. 9. Againe in putting the priestly garments upon Eleazar who was before this the Prince of the Princes of the Levites Numb 3. 32. he signified that the Law had a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10. 1 and therefore the blessings figured thereby should not be frustrate but continued under hope by succession till hee should come unto whom the right of the high Priesthood belonged even the Branch that should build the Temple of the Lord and should beare the glory and sit and rule upon his throne and should be a Priest upon his throne and the counsell of peace be betweene them both Zac. 6. 12 13. â—er 33. 18. Thus the Law was a Schoolemaster unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. It may also be observed how among the Gentiles their prophets and prophetesses who did weare some ornaments and ensignes of their dignity used solemnly to put them off before their death as resigning them up unto God and iudging it an unmeet thing to die in them as appeareth by the example of Cassandra in the Greeke Poet Aeschylus and of Amphi 〈…〉 s the Prophet in Statius
1 King 9. 8. for this house which is high 2 Chron. 7 21. Otherwise it may be translated How shall I curse God hath not cursed Targum Ionathan explaineth it How shall I curse when the word of the Lord blessed them Here God by Balaams owne mouth reproveth the errour of the King who had sent so farre twice to fetch him that of himselfe was able to doe nothing in this businesse and taxeth the vanitie of this Art of Magicke or divination which is not able either to helpe or hurt any without leave from God So the Babylonian is convinced by the prophet saying Stand now with thine inchantments and with the multitude of thy sorceries wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth if so be thou shalt be able to profit if so be thou mayest prevaile Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels let now the Astrologers the Star-gazâ—rs the monethly Prognosticators stand up and sav thee from those things that shall come upon thee Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burne them c. Esay 47. 12 13 14. Vers. 9. For from the top or when from the top Hebr. the head of the rockes I see him meaning the people spoken of as one body I behold him in Greeke I consider him speaking againe of the people as Targum Ionathan explaineth it I consider this people Balak brought him to the mountaines that seeing the people from thence hee might the more easily curse them but the sight of them did so amaze him as he blessed them Thus all occasions and circumstances which the wicked chuse for their advantage God turneth against them and for the accomplishment of his owne wil. shall dwell alone separated from other peoples And this further signifieth how they should be sufficiently provided for of God having neither need nor feare of other peoples for so dwelling alone implieth a security from evill as in Ier. 49. 31. And thus Moses blessing them said Israel shall dwell in confident safety alone Deut. 33. 28. shall not be reckoned or shall not reckon themselves this respecteth their faith in God and service of him whereby they were his peculiar and separated from other peoples as Exod. 19. 5. Lev. 20. 24 26. Ezr. 9. 2. So Christ hath chosen his Church out of the world Ioh. 15. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 9. and this grace the faithful apply unto themselves as it is said We know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickednesse 1 Ioh. 5. 19. Vers. 10. Who can count that is None can count they are so many Heb. Who counteth which the Chaldee expoundeth who can or is able to count And thus the Scripture somtime explaineth it selfe as Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man Matth. 15. 11. that is can defile him Mark 7. 15. See the Annotations on Gen. 13. 6. So after in vers 20. the dust of Iakob that is the children of Iakob as the Greeke translateth it the seed of Iakob Here Balaams mouth confirmeth the promise which God made of old unto Iakob saying Thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth Gen. 28. 14. and the like was before unto Abraham I will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea shore Gen. 22. 17. And thus the Chaldee here expoundeth it Who can count the little ones of the house of Iakob of whom it was said they shall be multiplied as the dust of the earth of the fourth part or of a quarter as the Chaldee explaineth it of one of the foure campes of Israel for they camped about the Tabernacle in foure quarters Numb 2. Whereas the promise of the blessing to Abraham consisted of two branches 1. that God would give the land of Canaan to him and to his seed for ever 2. and that he would make his seed as the dust of the earth Gen. 13. 15 16. under which spirituall graces in Christ were also comprehended the Lord causeth Balaam here to ratifie them both for their dwelling alone in the land and for their innumerable increase And whereas Balak envied their multitude and would therefore have them cursed that they might be diminished Num. 22. 3 5 6. Balaam is here forced to utter a blessing for their further increase Thus God resisteth him in all his counsels and enterprises Let my soule die that is Let me die an Hebrew phrase whereby the soule is put for the person I thou or he and death is the departure of the soule from the body Gen. 35. 18. Then dust returneth unto the earth as it was and the spirit returneth to God that gave it Eccles. 12. 7. So Samson said Let my soule die with the Philistines Iudg. 16. 30. the death of the righteous men the Greek translateth with the soules of the just men meaning the righteous of Israel as the Chaldee explaineth it the death of the just men thereof that is of that people Balaam who lived the life of the wicked desireth as many doe to die the death of the righteous but as he lived so he died among the enemies of God by the sword of Israel Numb 31. 8. Howbeit he pronounceth here a greater blessing upon Israel as they that were happie not only in life but in death For righteousnesse which is by faith in Christ Phil. 3. 9. delivereth from death but when a wicked man dieth his expectation perisheth Prov. 11. 4 7. Here also Balaam testifieth of the soules immortality and different case of good bad for otherwise what were the death of the righteous better than of the wicked let my last end or let my posterity The originall word sometime signifieth the end opposed to the beginning as in Deut. 11. 12. Prov. 19. 20. and so the Chaldee translateth it here let my end be like theirs sometime it is the posteritie or children which come after as in Dan. 11. 4. Amos 5. 2. Psal. 109. 13. and in this sense the Greeke Interpreters understood it here saying and let my seed be like their seed thus Balaam prophesieth a blessing also to the seed of every righteous Israelite according to the promise made unto Abraham and his seed after him Gen. 17. 7. And further this word end is often used for reward which is after labours Prov. 23. 18. and 24. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 9. which also may be implied here of a blessed reward which the righteous have after this life in heaven Mat. 5. 12. But Balaam being a minister of Satan though transformed as a minister of righteousnesse his end was according to his workes as the Apostle telleth us of all such 2 Cor. 11. 15. Vers. 11. I tooke thee to curse mine enemies Balak who had before builded altars and offered sacrifices as to serve the Lord with great devotion being now crossed in his purpose manifesteth his hypocrisie pride malice and notorious prophanation of religious exercises in that he regarded not nor rested in the answer of Godby Balaam
a day is naught such a day is fit for to doe such a worke such a yeere or moneth is evill for such a thing It is unlawfull to observe times though one doe no worke but make it knowne they are lyes which fooles imagine to bee true and to bee words of wise men c. Maim in treat of Idolatry chap. 11. sect 8. an observer of fortunes one that curiously searcheth observeth and telleth signes of good or evill luck which are learned by experience The Hebrew Nachash is to search and finde out by experience Gen. 30. 27. and 44. 5. whereupon Menachesh the word here used is one that too curiously observeth and abuseth things that doe fall out as luckie or unluckie signes as did the Augures and Soothsaiers among the heathens The Hebrewes describe it thus as if one should say Because the morsell of bread is fallen out of my mouth or my staffe out of mine hand I will not goe to such a place this day for if I goe I shall not speed of my businesse Because a Fox passed by on my right hand I will not goe out of my house this day for if I goe some deceitfull man will meet with mee And so if men heare the chattering of a bird and say it shall be so or not so it is good to doe such a thing or naught to doe such a thing c. And so hee that maketh signes for himselfe if it fall out so or so I will doe such a thing if it fall not out I will not doe it and all things of like sort these all are unlawfull and who-soever doth any act bacause of any of these things is to be beaten Maimony treat of Idolatry chap. 11. sect 4. This sinne was common among the heathens practised of the wisest Numb 24. 1. 1 King 20. 33. and it spread into Israel 2 King 17. 17. 2 Chron. 33. 6. and is at this day too common among Christians though Gods law plainly forbiddeth it here and in Levit. 19. 26. a witch or a sorcerer a magician in Hebrew Mecashsheph in Greeke Pharmakos of this kinde were Iannes and Iambres the sorcerers of Egypt see the notes on Exod. 7. 11. Such were esteemed among the wise and called to tell and interpret dreames Dan. 2. 2. By Gods Law a winch might not bee suffered to live Exod. 22. 18. yet did this evill prevaile in Israel 2 Chron. 33. 6. Ier. 27. 9. Mal. 3. 5. The Hebrews seeme to hold two sorts of these witches or sorcerers some that did hurt others that did hold the eies that is by jugling and sleights beguiled mens senses Mecashsheph the witch is to be stoned to death if be doe the act oft witchcraft but he that heldeth the dies and seemeth to doe that which he doth not is to be beaten Maimony treat of Idolatry ch 11. s. 15. Vers. 11. charmeth a charme or inchanteth an inchantment or conjureth conjuration The Hebrew Chober signifieth conjoyning or consociating the Chaldee name Ratim is of murmuring or mumbling the Greeke Epaidon of charming or inchanting This Charmer is said to be hee that speaketh words of a strange language and without sense and hee in his foolishnesse thinketh that these words are profitable That if one say so or so unto a Serpent or a Scorpion it cannot hurt a man and hee that saith so and so to a mâ—an be cannot be hurt c. He that whispereth over a wound or readeth a verse out of the Bible likewise he that readeth over an Infant that it may not be frighted or that layeth the booke of the Law the Bible or the Phylacteries upon a childe that it may sleepe such are not onely among inchanters or charmers but of those that generally denie the Law of God because they make the words of the Scripture medicine for the body whereas they are not but medicine for the soule as it is written in Prov. 3. 22. They shall be life unto thy soule Maimony 〈◊〉 of Idolatry chap. 11. sect 10. 12. of a familiar spirit called in Hebrew Ob which signifieth a bottle Ioh 32. 19. applied here and often to Magicians who possessed with an evill spirit speak with hollow voice as out of a bottell and as some say with swollen bellies whereupon the Greeke version usually calleth them Eggastrimuthoi as speaking out of the belly But the holy Ghost in Act. 16. 16. expoundeth it more fully the spirit of Pithon or of divination meaning of the Devill whose answers were given to the heathens by these meanes the chiefe whereof was called Pythius Apollo and his Temple Pythion and his feast Pythia kept to his honour who was faigned to kill the serpent Python The manner of this Oracle the Prophet sheweth to be with an hollow low voice as Thy speech shall bee low out of the dust and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit Esay 29. 4. The Hebrewes explaine it thus that hee which had a familiar spirit stood and burned incense and held a rod of mirtle tree in his hand and waved it And he spake certaine words in secret untill hee that inquired did heare one speake unto him and answer him touching that which hee inquired with words from under the earth with a very low voice c. Likewise one tooke a dead mans skull and burnt incense thereto and inchanted thereby till hee heard a very low voice c. Hee that did any of these acts was to be stoned to death Maim in treat of Idolatry c. 6. s. 1. This was Sauls sinne that he sought to a woman which had a familiar spirit the voice whereof he heard 1. Sam. 28. 7. 15. for which transgression the Lord killed him 1 Chron. 10. 13. and hath threatned to cut off all from among his people that doe inquire of such Levit. 20. 6 wizard or cunning man in Hebrew Iidgnoni so named of his knowledge or cunning and so the Greeke version in other places calleth him Gnostes of knowledge a Prognosticator but here the Greeke is Teratoskopos he that observeth wonders The Chaldee giveth him a name of remembrance Zecuru He is usually joyned with the former that hath a familiar spirit as in Levit. 19. 31. and 20. 6. 2 Chron. 33. 6. 1 Sam. 28. 3. and by the Law they were both of them to die Levit. 20. 27. Such were among the Egyptians and other heathens Esay 19. 3. it is likely therefore that their practise was alike abominable The Hebrewes describe him thus that hee put in his meuth a bone of a bird called Iaduangh burned incense did other workes untill he fell downe as with shame or modestie and spake with his mouth things that were to come to passe Maim treat of Idolatry ch 6. sect 2. that seeketh unto the dead or as the Chaldee and Greeke expound it that inquireth of the dead such wee call of the Greeke name a Necromancer Of him they say that he made himselfe hungry and went and lodged
both against many countries and against great kingdomes of warre and of evill and of pestilence The Prophet which prophesieth of peace when the word of the Prophet shall come to passe then shall the Prophet be knowne that the Lord hath truly sent him Ier. 28. 8 9. Of this matter the Hebrewes say Every Prophet that riseth up among us and saith that the Lord hath sent him it is not necessarie that he doe a signe like one of the signes of Moses our master or like the signes of Elias and Elisaeus that there should be in them a change of the custome of the world But his signe shall be that he foretell things that are to come in the world and so confirme his words Deut. 18. 21 22. Therefore when there commeth a man fit for prophesie with the ambassage of the Lord and he commeth not to adde unto or to diminish from the Law but to serve the Lord by the commandement of the Law they must not say to him divide the sea for us or raise up the dead or the like and afterward we will beleeve in thee but they must say unto him If thou be a Prophet foretell us of things that are to come and when â—e telleth wee must wait to see whether the things come to passe or no and if there faile but even a little thing it is evident that he is a false Prophet But if all his words doe come to passe he is to be esteemed of us faithfull And they trie him many times if his words be all of them found faithfull loe this is a true Prophet as it is said of Samuel And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was faithfull to be a Prophet of the Lord 1 Sam. 3. 20. But doe not the observers of times and the diviners foretell â—â—ings that doe come to passe What difference then is there betweene the Prophet and them Diviners and such like persons some of their words are confirmed and some are not according to that which is writteÌ„ in Esay 47. 13. Let them stand up now and save thee which view the heavens which gaze on the starres which make knowne by the moneths of the things which shall come upon thee Hee saith of the things and not all the things And it may be that nothing at all of that which they speake is confirmed but they erre in all as it is written in Esay 44. 25. That frustrateth the signes of the Liers and maketh Diviners fooles But the Prophet all his words are confirmed as it is written in 2 King 10. 10. There shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord. Also he saith in Ier. 23. 28. The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell the dreame and he that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord As if he should say the words of the diviners and their dreames are as chaffe wherewith a little wheat is mixed but the word of the Lord is as wheat wherewith there is no chaffe at all And of this thing the Scripture assureth us and saith that the words which diviners make knowne to the heathens they doe lye the Prophet maketh knowne unto you the words of truth that you have no need of soothsayers diviners and such like Deut. 18. 10. 15. Loe thou art taught that a Prophet riseth not up unto us but to make knowne unto us things which shall come to passe in the world as plentie or famine warres or peace and such like Tea even the needs of a particular person doth he make knowne unto him as Saul when he had lost a losse went to the Prophet to tell him where it was 1 Sam. 9. Such things as these doth the Prophet tell but maketh no other Law neither addeth to the commandement or taketh ought from it Threatnings of vengeance which a Prophet denounceth as when he saith such a man shall die or such a yeare there shall be famine or warres or the like if his words stand not we may not for this deny his prophesie nor say behold hee spake and it came not to passe for the holy blessed God is long suffering and much in mercie and reponteth of the evill and it may be that they have repented and be spareth them like the men of Niniveh or tha thee defeâ—reth it as hee did Ezekiahs death 2 King 20. But if he promise them good and say it shall be 〈◊〉 or thus and the good thing come not which hee â—â—ath spoken it is certaine that he is a false prophet for every good thing which God decreeth though upon condition he changeth not c. Loe thou art taught that in words of good things onely is a Prophet tried As Ieremie said in his answer to Ananias when Ieremie prophesied of evill and Ananias of good 〈◊〉 said unto Ananias if my words stand not it shall not appeare by this that I am a false prophet but if thy words stand not it shall be knowne that thou art a falseâ—rophet as it is written The Prophet which speaketh peace when the word of the Prophet shall come to passe the Prophet shall bee knowne that the Lord hath sent him in truth Ier. 28. 9. A Prophet unto whom another Prophet beareth witnesse that hee is a Prophet loe he is a Prophet out of doubt and needeth no further triall For behold Moses bare witnesse unto Ioshua and all Israel beleeved in him before he shewed any signe And so throughout all generations the Prophet whose prophesie is knowne and they have found his words faithfull time after time or that a Prophet hath testified of him and he hath walked in the wayes of prophesie it is unlawfull to make question afterward and to suspect his prophesie lest it be untrue It is unlawfull also to tempt him more than is meet c. for it is written Yee shall not tempt the Lord your God as yee tempted him in Massah where they said Is the Lord amongst us or not Deut. 6. 16. Exod. 17. 7. But after it be knowne that he is a Prophet they must beleeve and know that the Lord is among them and not suspect or make further question as it is written And they shall know that there hath beene a Prophet amongst them Ezek. 2. 5. Maimony in Iesude hatorah chap. 10. By this testimony of the Iewes wee have enough to answer them concerning our Lord Iesus that he was a true Prophet sent of God though they did put him death For as he came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil Mat. 5. 17. so had he the witnesse of Moses and of all the Prophets Act. 3. 22. 24. Ioh. 1. 45. and Moses and Elias appeared talking with him Mat. 17. 2 3. so that if they had beleeved Moses they would have beleeved him Ioh. 5. 46. And Iohn Baptist whom all men held to be a Prophet Mat. 21. 26. hee bare witnesse unto the
a Sanctuary Ios. 9. 23. And they were called Nethinims because he gave them for the service of the Sanctuary Then came David and decreed against them that they should not come into the congregation for ever no not in the time when there is no sanctuary And so it is expressed in Ezra And of the Nethinims whom David and the Princes had given for the service of the Levites Ezra 8. 20. Loe thou maist see they depended not on the Sanctuary And why did he and his Councell decree this against them Because hee saw the hardnesse and cruelty that was in them at the time when they required that seven of the sonnes of Saul the chosen of the Lord should be hanged and killed and they had no compassion on them 2 Sam. 21. 6. 9. When Senacharib King of Assyria came up 2 King 18. 13 34 35. hee confounded all the peoples and mixed them one with another and carried them captives out of their places So these Egyptians which are now in the land of Egypt are other men and so the Edomites that dwell in the field of Edom. And for asmuch as these foure Nations which be forbidden are commixed with all nations of the world which are lawfull all are lawfull So that whosoever separateth from them and becommeth a Proselyte at this time in any place be he an Edomite or an Egyptian or Ammonite or Moabite or Ethiopian or of any other people whether they bee men or women it is lawfull for them to enter into the Church out of hand Maim in Issure biah chap. 12. sect 22 25. Thus the partition wall betweene Iewes and Gentiles is by the Hebrewes owne grant in part broken downe but indeed wholly unto us which know Christ who were in times past aliens from the politeie or common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise c. but we are now made nigh by the bloud of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one and dissolved the middle wall of partition betweene us Ephes. 2. 12. 14. Vers. 9. the campe or the host an army of souldiers touching whom God giveth lawes for their purity that as the whole campe of Israel was to be purged of all leprous and uncleane persons Num. 5. 2 3. so every campe or army sent forth to warre at any time should also have care of holinesse keepe thee or beware take heed evill thing Hebr. evill word that is all uncleannesse either morall as Iohn warned the souldiers Luk. 3. 14. or figuratiue as some specials here follow Vers. 10. an accident to wit of uncleannesse by the issue of his seed and so the Greeke translateth it an issue of which and the pollution by the same see Levit. 15. with the Annotations out of the campe or unto a place without the camp where all uncleane persons were to remaine Num. 5. 3. Vers. 11. at the looking forth of the evening which the Greeke translateth towards evening the Chaldee at the time of the evening See this phrase in Gen. 24. 63. and Exod. 14. 27. bathe in Greeke wash his body as all such uncleane persons were to doe Lev. 15. figuring our sanctification from uncleannesse by the death and spirit of Christ Heb. 10. 22. gone downe Heb. gone in that is when the day of his uncleannesse is at an end for the day ended at Sun setting Vers. 12. thou shalt have or there shall bee to thee to wit by publique designation a place Heb. a hand that is as the Greeke hath it a place in Chaldee a place appointed or prepared So the Hebrewes say It is unlawfull to turne aside within the campe or in the open field in any place but it is commanded to appoint there a way peculiar for men to turne aside therein Maimony treat of Kings chap. 6. sect 14. Vers. 13. a paddle an instrument of iron to dig an hole with in the earth wherein to bury their excrements Wee derive the name from the Greeke Pattalos or Passalos whereby the Hebrew Iathed is translated here upon thy weapon or among thine armour in Greeke upon thy girdle that which commeth from thee thine excrements in Greeke thy shame or unseemelinesse These by the Law are counted uncleane as almost all the other that come out of man defiled other things which they were used about Ezek. 4. 12 13 14. and figured the corruption of nature Esay 4. 4. Marke 7. 15. 20 23. Vers. 14. walketh the Chaldee addeth his divine presence walketh before thee the Greeke explaineth it into th 〈…〉 hands So in Deut. 2. 36. and 7. 2. 23. also in 2 Chron. 6. 36. the uncleannesse or the nakednesse the discovery of any thing which is uncleane the Greeke translateth it shame the Chaldee transgression By this God taught his people holinesse of conversation that they should keepe themselves from their iniquity as David did Psal. 18. 23. from after thee that is from following or accompanying thee and from keeping thee The Greeke translateth it from thee the Chaldee from doing good unto thee In like manner when God said I will be with thee Gen. 31. 3. Iakob understood it I will doe thee good Gen. 32. 9. And both are expressed in Ier. 32. 40. I will not turn froÌ„ after them to do theÌ„ good And of Gods leaving his people in their wars and the evils following there is complaint in Psal. 44. 10 11. c. Vers. 15. not deliver up Hebr. not shut up or close as Deut. 32. 30. meaning shut up into the hand as is expressed in Psal. 31. 9. that is delivered as the Greeke and Chaldee here translate it a servant the Chaldee addeth a servant of the peoples that is of the Gentiles who for the religion of God commeth from his master to the Church of Israel This servant that sleâ—th to the land of Israel he is a righteous stranger that is a proselyte come unto the faith and covenant of God saith Maimony tom 4. treat of Servants chap. 8. s. 11. is escaped or separated having rid free and delivered himselfe from the bondage of sinne The Greeke translateth is added or adjoyned unto thee By this Law God shewed his love in Christ towards all strangers even in the basest estate that come unto him in faith for there is neither bond nor free male or female but all are one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. 28. It figured the grace of God to us sinners who were the servants of sinne but obeying from the heart the forme of doctrine whereto we were delivered we were made free from sin were made the servants of righteousnesse and servants to God to have our fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life Rom. 6. 17 18 22. Who after we have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ are not againe to be intangled therein and overcome 2 Pet. 2. 20. Gal. 4. 7 8 9 10. from his master who that he might sustain no dammage by the losse of his
his commandements 1 Iohn 5. 3. And this is his commandement that we should beleeve on the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and love one another c. 1 Iohn 3. 23. Vers. 17. But if or And if thine heart turne c. This is the death and evill fore-spoken of see Deut. 29. 18. other gods in Chaldee the idols of the peoples Vers. 18. perishing yee shall perish that is assuredly and speedily perish as the Greeke saith perish with perdition So in Deut. 4. 26. Vers. 19. I call the heavens c. This obtestation of heavens and earth used also before in Deut. 4. 26. may be understood of God and the Angels in heaven as Paul expresseth them in 1 Tim. 5. 21. or of the other creatures also in heaven and in earth as Iosua said This stone shall be a witnesse unto us for it hath heard all the words of the Lord c. Ios. 24. 27. So in Deut. 32. 1. Esa. 1. 2. Give eare O heavens heare Oearth in Psa. 50. 4. He will call to the heavens from above and to the earth to judge his people and in Iob 20. 27. the heavens shall reveale his iniquity and the earth shall rise up against him I have set Hebr. I have given that is faithfully proposed by doctrine and discharged my dutie so in vers 15. The life and blessing which he set before them was by the faith of Christ Gal. 2. 16. and 3. 9. the death and curse was by refusing Christ and seeking to be justified by the workes of the Law for as many as are of the workes of the Law are under the curse Gal. 3. 10. therefore chuse Hebr. and chuse thou or and thou shalt chuse which is the dutie of all Gods people to be performed by grace in Christ. So David chose the way of truth the precepts of God Psal. 119. 30. 173. Compare also Ios. 24. 15 22. Thargum Ionathan explaineth this speech thus and chuse ye the way of life which is the Law that ye may live in the life of the world to come you and your sonnes This is true if it be understood not of the Law of workes but of the Law of faith as Rom. 3. 27 28. and 9. 31 32 33. Vers. 20. to hearken to his voice in Chaldee to receive his word unto him Chald. unto his feare he is thy life that is the author of thy life and salvation through Christ as in Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent yea Christ himselfe is the resurrection and the life Iob. 11. 25. and 14. 6. And in 1 Iohn 5. 20. We know that the Sonne of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Iesus Christ this is the true God and eternall life CHAP. XXXI 1 Moses being ready to die encourageth the people that should goe into Canaan 7 He encourageth Iosua that should be their Governour 9 He delivereth the Law unto the Priests which was to be read in the soventh yeere unto the people 14 Moses and Iosua present themselves before the Lord 16 who fore-telleth the peoples falling from him and his anger against them therefore 19 Hee commandeth a song to be written to testifie against the people 24 Moses delivereth the booke of the Law to the Levites to be kept in the side of the Arke for a witnesse against them and their rebellion 28 Hee maketh a protestation to the Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ANd Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel And hee said unto them I am an hundred twenty yeeres old this day I can no more goe out and come in and Iehovah hath said unto me thou shalt not goe over this Iordan Iehovah thy God he goeth over before thee hee will destroy these nations from before thee and thou shalt possesse them Iosua he shall go over before thee as Iehovah hath said And Iehovah will doe unto them as hee did to Sihon and to Og Kings of the Amorite and unto the land of them whom hee destroyed And Iehovah will give them before you and yee shall doe unto them according to every commandement which I have commanded you Be ye strong and couragious feare not neither be discouraged because of them for Iehovah thy God he it is that goeth with thee he will not faile thee nor for sake thee And Moses called unto Iosua and said unto him in the eies of all Israel Be thou strong and couragious for thou shalt goe in with this people into the land which Iehovah hath sworne unto their fathers to give unto them and thou shalt cause them to inherit it And Iehovah he it is that goeth before thee hee will be with thee hee will not faile thee nor forsake thee feare not neither be dismaid And Moses wrote this Law and gave it unto the Priests the sonnes of Levi which bare the Arke of the covenant of Iehovah and unto all the Elders of Israel And Moses commanded them saying at the end of seven yeeres in the solemnity of the yeere of release in the feast of Boothes When all Israel is come to appeare before Iehovah thy God in the place which he shall chuse thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their eares Gather together the people men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and may feare Iehovah your God and observe to doe all the words of this Law And that their sonnes which have not knowne may heare and learne to feare Iehovah your God all the daies that yee shall live on the land whither ye are going over Iordan to possesse it And Iehovah said unto Moses Behold thy daies approach to die call Iosua and present your selves in the Tent of the congregation that I may give him a charge And Moses and Iosua went and presented themselves in the Tent of the congregation And Iehovah appeared in the Tent in a pillar of a cloud the pillar of the cloud stood over the doore of the Tent. And Iehovah said unto Moses Behold thou liest downe with thy fathers and this people will rise up and goe a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land whither they are going in to be amongst them and will forsake mee and breake my covenant which I have stricken with them And mine anger shall be kindled against them in that day and I will forsake them and will hide my face from them and they shall be devoured and many evils and distresses shall finde them and they will say in that day have not these evils found us because our God is not amongst us And I hiding will hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have done in that they are turned unto other gods And now write ye
he behaved himselfe wisely and â—â—ospered and was accepted in the eyes of all the people so that the women of Israel 〈…〉 g of him q Vers. 7. Saul hath slaine his thousands and David his ten thousands But that â—aise r Vers. 8 9. procured him envie from Saul ever after and he sought to slay him but s Vers. 16. all Isâ—ael loved him And though he after tooke to wife Michal Sauls daughter yet t 1 Sam. 19. c. Saul â—ontinued his hatred against his sonne in law and first secretly then openly sought his 〈…〉 fe so that David was faine to flee and hide himselfe in the land of Israel and in 〈…〉 range countries to the u Psal. 120. 1 Sam. 26. 19. great affliction of his soule When Saul was dead and David x 2 Sam. 5. 4. thirtie yeares of age the men of Iudah y 2 Sam. 2. 4. anointed him King the second time in Hebron over the house of Iudah Ishbosheth Sauls son resisted him but David waxed stronger and stronger Then z 1 Chron. 11. 1 3. all Israel anointed him King over them and he reigned in Ierusalem So the time of all his reigne was a 2 Sam. 5. 4 5. forty yeares In Hebron he reigned over Iudah seven yeeres and six months and in Ierusalem he reigned 33. yeares over all Israel and Iudah During which space the Lord still exercised him with many b 1 Chron. 14. 18. 19. wars abroad and troubles at home as by the defiling of his daughter c 2 Sam. 13. c. Thamar the killing of his son Amnon the treason and death of his son Absalon the rebellion of Sheba and other like sorrowes which God d 2 Sam. 12. 10. for his sins chastised him with so many and so great that the e 2 Sam. 22. 5 6. pangs of death compassed him about the flouds of Belial the ungodly men made him afraid the cords of hell compassed him the snares of death prevented him his f Psal. 55. 4 5. heart was sore pained within him and the terrours of death fell upon him fearfulnesse and trembling came upon him and horrour overwhelmed him His g Psal. 31. 11. life was spent with griefe his yeares with sighing his strength failed and his bones were consumed But alwaies in his feares h Psal. 56. 3 4. he trusted in God and was not afraid what flesh could doe unto him in his distresse i 2 Sam. 22. 7. he called upon the Lord and cried to his God who heard his voice out of his Temple and drew him out of k Vers. 17 18 c. many waters from his strong enemie and from them that hated him and brought him forth into a large place and delivered him because he delighted in him Hee gave him the l Vers. 36 c. shield of his salvation and girded him with strength to battell and gave him the neckes of his enemies that he destroyed those that hated him Therefore he gave thanks unto the Lord m Vers. 50. among the nations and sang praises unto his name n Psal. 57. 8. awaking up his glory awaking up his Psaltery and Harpe awaking himselfe early to praise the Lord among the peoples and to sing unto him among the nations so he sang of his o Psal. 59. 16. power he sang loud of his mercy in the morning that God had beene his defence and refuge in the day of his distresse And hereof this booke of Psalmes most whereof David made is a glorious testimony wherein by manifold Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs he set forth the praises of God his owneâ—aith in his Word exercise and delight in his Law with narrations of Gods former and present mercies and prophesies of future graces to be fulfilled in Christ whom he being a Prophet p Act. 2. 30. knew that hee should be the fruit of his loines concerning the flesh and should sit upon his throne whose incarnation afflictions death resurrection ascension and eternall glorious kingdome and priesthood he sang by the Spirit with such heavenly melody as may not only delight but draw into admiration every understanding heart and comfort the afflicted soule with such consolation as David himselfe was comforted of the Lord. And these his Psalmes have ever since by the Church of Israel by q Maâ— â—1 16. 42. Rom. 4. 6. 11. 9. Christ and his Apostles and by the Saints in all ages been received and honoured as the oracles of God cited for confirmation of true religion sung in the publike assemblies as in Gods Tabernacle and Temple where they sang praise unto the Lord with the r 2 Chron. 29. 30. words of David and with the instrumeÌ„ts which s 2 Chron. 7. 6. he had made over their t 2 Chron. 29. 25 27 28. burnt-offerings sacrifices Now because many things both for phrase and matter are difficult to such as arâ— not acquainted with Davids language I have out of my slender store annexed 〈…〉 few briefe notes comparing the Scriptures and conferring the best Expositors espe 〈…〉 ally the ancient Greeke and Chaldee versions whereby if any helpe of understand 〈…〉 may arise the praise be to God the comfort to his people THE BOOKE OF Psalmes or Hymnes PSALME I. 1 The happinesse of the godly whose conversation is described and their prosperitie like a fruitfull tree 4 The contrary course of the wicked for which they and their way doe perish O Blessed is the man that doth not walk in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners non sit in the seat of the scornefull But hath his delight in the law of Iehovah and in his law doth hee meditate day and night And hee shall be as a tree planted by brookes of waters which shall give his fruit in his time and his leafe shall not fade and whatsoever hee shall doe shall prosper Not so the wicked but as the chaffe which the wind driveth it away Therefore the wicked shall not stand up 〈◊〉 judgement and sinners in the assembly of the just For Iehovah knoweth the way of the just and the way of the wicked shall perish Annotations THE Booke of Psalmes so our Lord himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it Luke 20. 42. but the Hebrew title 〈◊〉 signifieth Hymnes or Praises According to the Greeke it is called the Psalter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 〈◊〉 O Blessed or O Happy or Well fares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyfull 〈…〉 mation for the mans welfâ—â—â— and 〈…〉 cities as going right forward and so having good successe Contrary hereunto is Woe or Alas Eccles. 10. 16 17. Luke 6. 20 24. This word Ashrei in the Hebrew is alwaies applied to men and so differeth from another word Baruc blessed which is ascribed both to God and men Psal. 115. 15 18. the contrary whereto is cursed Psal. 37. 22. doth not walke or hath not walked But the time past and
by Gittith here may be meant either such instruments as were used by the posteritie of Obed-Edom the Gittite or that these Psalmes were made upon occasion of transporting Gods arke from the house of that Obed-Edom the history whereof is in 2 SaÌ„ 6. 6. 10. 11 12 c. or that these Psalmes were to be sung for praise of God at the Vintage when grapes were pressed And according to this the Greeke translateth it the wine-presses Or it may be the name of some musicall instrument and so the Chaldee Paraphrast translateth it To sing upon the harpe that came from Gath. Vers. 2. our Lord or our sustainers See the note on Psal. 2. 4 wondrous excellent or wondrous ample illustrious and magnificent The originall word signifieth ample or large and excellent withall cleare and splendent in glory The Greek turneth it wonderfull the Chaldee high and landable So in v. 10. name this word is often used for renowne or glory Gen. 6 4 Eccle. 7. 3. Phil. 2. 9. as on the contrary vile persons are called men without name Iob 30 8. Gods name is also used for his kingdome and Gospell Mat. 19. 29. compared with Luk. 18. 29. Mar. 10. 29. And this Psalme treateth of the spreading of Christs Kingdome and Gospell as after is manifested hast given that is put or set as I have given Isa. 42. 1. is by the Evangelist in Greeke I will put Mat. 12. 18. and in the Hebrew text as he hath given thee over them for king 2 Chr. 9. 8. for which is written in 1 Kings 10 9. he hath set or put It may also import a setting sure or stablishing as thou hast given thy people 1 Chr. 17. 22. that is thou hast stablished thy people 2 Sam. 7. 24. Here also is a grammatical change in the Hebrew to give for thou hast given glorious majestie venerable or praise-worthy glory The word Hodh is generall for any laudable grace or vertue for which one is celebrated reverenced and commended above or over or upon the heavens This phrase is used of God Num. 27. 20. where he willeth Moses to give of his glorious majestie upon Iosua and may have use in the mysticall applying of this Psalm to Christs kingdom as Mat. 21. 26. teacheth us heaven being also often used in Scripture for the Church of Christ Isa. 65. 17. and 66. 22. Rev. 21. 1. Vers. 3. hast founded that is firmely decreed appointed and consequently fitted and perfected as the Greeke katertiso which the Apostle useth signifieth Mat. 21. 16. So in Esth. 1. 8. the king had founded that is decreed appointed See also before Psal. 2. 2. strength that is strong praise for so this word seemeth often to be used as Ps. 29. 1. and 96. 7. and 118. 14. therefore the Greeke which the Apostle followeth Mat. 21. 16. translateth it praise This word strength or firmnesse may be taken for kingdome firmly strengthened as in this place so in Ps. 110. 2. and 86. 16. and 89. 11. to make cease that is put to silence or doe away abolish and destroy So after in Psal. 119. 119. and 89. 45. and 46. 10. selfe-avenger or him that avengeth himselfe the proud and mighty which will not suffer his honour or gaine to be diminished So Ps. 44. 17. This was fuâ—filled when children crying Hosanna to welcome Christ the chiefe Priests and Scribes disdained sought to destroy him but he stopped their mouthes by alleaging this Scripture Mat. 21. 15 16. Mark 11. 18. Gods people are taught though they suffer wrong not to avenge themselves but to give place unto wrath Rom. 12. 19. Vers. 5. what is sorry man to wit thus thinke I with my selfe what is man c. Here man is called Aenosh the name of Adams nephew Gen. 4. 26. which signifieth dolefull sorry sorrowfull wretched and sick incurably And this name is given to all men to put them in mind of their misery and mortality as Ps. 9. 21. let the heathens know that they be Aenosh son of Adam or of earthly man As before men are called Aenosh for their dolefull estate by sin so are they called Adam and sons of Adam that is earthly to put them in mind of their originall and end which were made of Adamah the earth even of the dust and to dust shall again return Gen. 27. and 3. â—9 Adam was the name both of man and woman Gen. 5. 2. and is also the name of all their children Ps. 22. 7. and 36. 7. and 39. 6. and in many other places See the note on Psal. 49 3. visitest him that is hast care of providest for and lookest to him The originall word thus largely signifieth and is used indifferently for visiting with favour as Ps. 65. 10. or with displeasure as Psal. 59. 6. Here it is meant for good for Gods providence is singular towards man and his visitation preserveth our spirit Iob 10. 12. Compare also herewith Psal. 144. 3. Iob 7. 17 18. Vers. 6. For thou madest him lesser or And thou madest him lack or Though thou madest him to want a little of the Gods a little The originall word signifieth either a little while Psal. 37. 10. or a little deale Ps. 37. â—6 1 Sam. 14. 29. The Greeke brachuti which the Apostle useth also signifieth both Act. 5. 34. Ioh. 6. 7. howbeit by his applying this to Christ he seemeth to meane a little or short time Heb. 2. 7. 9. than the Gods or than God but by Gods here is meant the Angels as the Apostle expoundeth it according both to the Greeke version Chaldee paraphrase And those heavenly spirits are for their office and service called Angels that is messengers but for their honorable dignity they are called Gods here in Ps 97. 7. the sons of God Iob 1. 6. 38. 7. The Princes of the earth are named Gods Psal. 82. 6. how much more may the Angels be called so that are Chiefe Princes Dan. 10. 13. and crownedst him This may be understood of man as he was first made in Gods image and Lord of the world Gen. 1. 26. but since the transgression it is peculiar to Christ and to Christian men that have their dignity restored by Christ. Vnto him the Apostle applieth this Psalme thus We see Iesus crowned with glory and honour which was a little made lesser than the Angels through the suffering of death that by the grace of God he might taste death for all Hebr. 2. 9. Glory seemeth to respect inward vertues as wisdome holinesse c. and Honour for his outward good estate in ruling over the creatures as vers 7 8 9. comely honour The Hebrew hadar denoteth all honourable comelinesse honest grave adorned decencie Vers. 7. all didst thou set in the first creation God gave man rule over fishes fowles beasts and all that moveth on the earth Gen. 1. 26. but after for his sake and sinne the earth was cursed and he enjoyed it with sorrow Gen. 3. 17. But the Son
David Davids jewell or not able song Cethem is fine glistering gold Psal. 45. 10. of that this Michtam may be derived for a golden jewel and so note the excellency of this Psalme The like title is before the 56. 57. 58. 59. and 60. Psalmes Preserve me O God Christ speaketh this Psalme by David his figure as we are taught in the new Testament Act. 2. 25 31. and 13. 35. and here is handled his mediatorship death resurrection and ascension in thee Chaldee in thy word Vers. 2. Thou hast said he speaketh this to him-selfe Thou ô my soule sayest so the Chaldee Paraphrase explaineth it and the Greeke to make it plainer translateth I have said Or it may be spoken to the Spouse or Church of Christ. my good not unto thee understand extendeth not or pertaineth not to thee or is not for thee which the Greeke expoundeth thus of my goods thou hast no need For if man be just what giveth he to God or what receiveth he at his hand Iob 35. 7. The Chaldee saith my good is not given but of thee Vers. 3. To the Saints to wit my good extendeth as else-where Christ saith for their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Ioh. 17. 19. are in earth such is the meaning of the Hebrew phrase in earth they the relative being put for the verbe which sometime the Hebrew it selfe explaineth as he not the King of Israel 1 King 22. 33. for it was not the King 2 Chro. 18. 32. so he overseer 2 King 25. 19. for was over-seer Ier. 52. 25. and sundrie the like excellent or noble glorious wonderfull an honourable title givē to Christiās See Ps. 8. 2. The Chaldee addeth excellent in good works all my delight in them or in whom all my pleasure is Heb. Chephtsibam that is my pleasure in them so in Esay 62. 4. the Church is called Chephtsi-bah that is my pleasure in her Vers. 4. Their sorrowes shall be multiplied This is meant of Idolaters who hastily endow that is offer sacrifice to another God and so increase their griefes which may be understood of afflictions or of grievous idols for the Hebrew ghnatsabim sorrowes is often used for idols as in Psal. 115. 4. and so the Chaldee Paraphrast taketh it here saying the wicked multiply their idols and after they hasten to offer their gifts Accordingly the sense may be this They whose grievous idols are multiplied they that endow another God I will not powre out their oblations that is I will not partake with them or be a mediatour for them endow another or hasten to another A similitude from dowries given in mariages meaning gifts and oblations hastily brought for divine worship powred out oblations or shed-offerings effusions properly put by figure of speech for effused or powred out liquour commonly called Drinke-offerings which were wont to bee powred out upon the sacrifices and by Gods law were to be of wine or Shecar Numb 15. 5 7 10. and 28. 7. but among idolaters were of bloud The Chaldee giveth this sense I will not receive with favour their drinke-offerings nor the bloud of their sacrifices take up their names that is not mention or speake of them according to the law Exod. 23. 13. Ios. 23. 7. Vers. 5. of my part or of my partage that is of the inheritance parted shared and diealt unto me So the Greeke turneth it of mine nheritance The word is generally used for lands cities goods spoiles c. that are shared out And this here hath reference to the law of the Priests which had no part among the people for that the Lord was their part and inheritance Numb 18. 20. The Lord is his peoples part Ier. 10. 16. and 51. 19. and againe his people are called his part Deut. 32. 9. my cup that is measure and portion of joyes or afflictions Psal. 23. 5. and 11. 6. my lot this also is used for an inheritance obtained by lot Ios. 18. 11. Iudg. 1. 3. The Apostle calleth Christs Church by this name 1 Pet. 5. 3. The Greeke translateth thou art he that restorest mine inheritance to me Vers. 6. The lines or Cords such were used in measuring of lands or heritages Psal. 105. 11. and 78. 55. 2 Sam. 8. 2. and figuratively a line is put for the portion measured Jos. 17. 5 14. 〈◊〉 is faire for me or which is faire unto mee that is which pleaseth me well Vers. 7. counselled me given me counsell by his word and Spirit touching my sufferings and the glory that shall follow 1 Pet. 1. 11. Luke 24. 25 26. God is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in worke Esay 28. 29. Vers. 8. I have proposed or equally set the Greeke which the Apostle followeth saith I beheld before Act. 1. 25. he is at my right hand The word is is supplied Act. 2. 25. For God to be at the right hand is powerfully to assist and comfort as on the contrary for Satan to be there is greatly to resist and annoy Psal. 109. 6. Zech. 3. 1. I shall not be moved or that I be not moved Act. 2. 25. Vers. 9. my glory This by the Apostle is applied to the tongue Act. 2. 26. which is the instrument wherewith we glorifie God See Psalm 30. 13. and 57. 9. Gen. 49. 6. dwell in confidence or abide with hope that is boldly safely and securely meaning that his flesh his body should abide or rest in the grave with sure hope of rising againe from death the third day Vers. 10. my soule The Hebrew Nephesh and Greeke Psuchee which we call soule hath the name of breathing or respiring and is therefore sometime used for the breath Iob 41. 12. it is the vitall spirit that al quick things move by therfore beasts birds fish and creeping things are called in Scripture living soules Gen. 1. 20. 24. And this soule is sometime called the bloud Gen. 9. 4. because it is in the bloud of all quick things Lev. 17. 11. it is often put for the life of creatures as keepe his soule Job 2. 6. that is spare his life a righteous man regardeth the soule of his beast Prov. 12. 10. that is the life so to seeke the soule is to seeke ones life to take it away Psal. 54. 5. Mat. 2. 20. It is also many times used for ones selfe as Iob justified his soule that is himselfe Iob 32. 2. Take heed to your soules that is to your selves Deut. 4. 15. so Gen. 19. 20. Luke 12. 19. And thus it is put for the person or whole man as give me the soules that is the persons Gen. 14. 21. so an hungrie soule Psal. 107. 9. a full soule Prov. 27. 7. a wearie soule Prov. 25. 25. eight soules 1 Pet. 3. 20. seventie five soules Act. 7. 14. and many the like It is used also for the lust will or desire as Psal. 41. 3. Exod. 15. 9. for the affections of the heart Psal. 25. 1. for the body of
and somtime waneth and seemeth to be gone yet is continually renued and so stable a fit resemblaâ—ce of the throne or Church of Christ which hath not alwaies one face or appearance in the world though it be perpetnall and a witnesse the Moone and perpetuitie of it with the successive course of night and day is made a witnesse of Gods faithfulnesse in his covenant Ierem. 33. 20 21. Christ also himselfe is called a faithfull witnesse Rev. 1. 5. Esay 55. 4. and faithfull meaneth Stedfast as 2 Sam. 7. 16. compared with 1 Chron. 17. 14. and that lyeth not Prov. 14. 5. Vers. 39. But thou or And thou a word of grieâ—e and indignation as Psal. 2. 6. â—â—thaâ— complaineth of the miseries of the Church whereby all the former promises seeme to be frustrated Vers. 40. his crowne or diademe prophaned by casting to the ground Nezer a separation is figuratively used for a crowne or garland such as Kings wore 2 Sam. 1. 10. and high Priests Exod. 29. 6. as being a signe of their separation from others in respect of some dignitie or holinesse and hereof the Nazarites had their name Numb 6. 2 5 7. So Psal. 132. 18 Vers. 42. rob or rifle him meaning Christ in his members for that which is done to any one of them is done unto him Act. 9. 4. Mat. 25. 40 45. Vers. 4â— his brightnesse or puritiâ— that is the splendent glory and dignitie of the kingdome defiled and prophaned by the enemies Vers. 46. daies of his youth of his strength and vigour hastening old age and misery upon him Hos. 7. 9. See the contrarie Psalm 103. 5. Io◠〈◊〉 25. Vers. 48. how transitory or of what worldly time of what short durance See Psalm 39. 6. the Greeke turneth it what my substance is Compare herewith Ioh 10. 9 1â— c. Vers. 49. see death that is die So Luke 2. 26. Psal. 16. 10. The Chaldee saith see the Angell of death the hand of hell the power of the grave or of death See Psal. 49. 16. 10. Vers. 51. of all great peoples or of all the many the multitudes of peoples Vers. 52. the foot-steps or foot-soles that is the wayes life actions and sufferings Psal. 56. 7. and 49. 6. This referred to Christ respecteth the oracle Gen 3. 15. that the Serpent should bruise the foot-sole of the womans seed Referred to Christians which follow his foot-steps in sâ—iffering and dying with him that wee may be glorified with him 1 Pet. 2. 21. Rom. 8. 17. it noteth the scandall of the crosse of Christ to the Iews a stumbling blocke and to the Greekes foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1. 23. 1 Pet. 4. 13 14. The Chaldee understands it of the sâ—acknesse of the foot-steps Vers. 53. Blessed be These be words of faith and joy as finding an issue out of the temptation and rejoycing in the midst of tribulation as Rom. 7. 24 25. 2 Cor. 1. 3 4 c. and Amen Thus is this third Booke of the Psalmes also concluded See the notes on Psal. 41. 14. and 72. 19. The fourth Booke PSAL. XC Moses setting forth Gods providence 3 complaineth of humane fragilitie 7 divine chastisements 10 and brevitie of life 12 He prayeth for the knowledge and sensible experience of Gods good providence A prayer of Moses the man of God LOrd thou hast beene to us an habitation in generation and generation Before the mountaines were borne and thou hadst brought forth the earth and the world even from eternitie unto eternitie thou art God Thou turnest sory man unto contrition and sayest returne ye sons of Adam For a thousand yeares in thine eyes are as yesterday when it is past and as a watch in the night Thou carriest them away with a floud they are as a sleepe in the morning as the grasse that is changed In the morning it flourisheth and is changed at the evening it is cut downe and witheâ—eth For we are consumed in thine anger and in thy wrathfull heat wee are suddenly troubled Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our hidden sins to the light of thy face For all our dayes doe turne away in thine exceeding wrath wee have consumed our yeares as a thought The daies of our years in them are threescore and ten yeares and if they be in strengths fourescore yeares and their pride is molestation and painfull iniquitie for it is cut downe speedily and we flie away Who knoweth the strength of thine anger and according to thy feare thine exceeding wrath To number our dayes so make thou us to know that wee may apply the heart to wildome Returne Iehovah how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants Satisfie us in the morning with thy mercy that wee may shout and rejoyce in all our daies Make thou us rejoyce according to the daies thou hast afflicted us the yeares wherein we have seene evill Let thy worke appeare unto thy servants and thy comely honour into their sonnes And let the pleasantnesse of Iehovah our God be upon us and the worke of our hands establish thou upon us yea the worke of our hands establish thou it Annotations THe man of God that is the Prophet as Deut. 33. 1. For a Prophet a Seer and a man of God were all one 1 Sam. 9. 6 8 9 10 11. The Chaldee Paraphrast sheweth it here saying A Prayer that Moses the Prophet of the Lord prayed when the people of the house of Israel had sinned in the wildernesse This Psalme hath reference to that history in Numb 14. an habitation or mansion in all our travels in this terrible wildernesse Exod. 33. 14. Deut. 8. 15. and 33. 27. Vers. 2. were borne this and the next word brought forth are similitudes taken from procreation of children to signifie the creation of the world Like speeches are in Job 38. 28 29. of the raine dew ice and frost Vers. 3. unto contrition till he be contrite or broken that is even to death as the Chaldee explaineth it Thou turnest man for his sinne unto death returne the body to the earth Psal. 146. 4. and the spirit to God Eccles. 12. 7. Vers. 4. a watch a ward or custodie which is about three houres space for the Iewes divided the day into twelve houres Ioh. 11. 9. and so the night which they subdivided into foure watches Matt. 14. 15. named the evening midnight cock-crowing and dawning Mark 13. 35. Luke 12. 38 39. Mat. 24. 43. See also Exod. 14. 24. 1 Sam. 11. 11. Vers. 5. a sleepe the Chaldee paraphraseth If they turne not thou wilt bring death upon them which is like a sleepe unto them and in the world to come they shall be changed as the grasse which is cut downe Vers. 6. is changed or changeth to wit the estate thereof that is sprouteth or groweth as the Chaldee explaineth it And so the Hebrew which generally signifieth a change passage or shifting is sometime used for the better to sprout Ioh 14. 7 So to change the strength
to thee the deaw of thy youth Iehovah sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever according to the order of Malchisedek The Lord at thy right hand hee hath wounded Kings in the day of his wrath He shall judge among the heathens hee hath filled with corpses he hath wounded the head over a great land Of the brooke in the way shall hee drinke therefore he shall lift up the head Annotations IEhovah that is God the Father assuredly said see Psal. 36. 2. to my Lord that is to Christ whom David here calleth his Lord though he was also his sonne according to the flesh Mat. 22. 42 45. Rom. 1. 3. Act. 2. 34. So the Chaldee The Lord said unto his Word meaning Christ Ioh. 1. 1. sit at my right hand sitting noteth reigning with continuance 1 Cor. 15. 25. Heb. 10. 12 13. So sitting on his throne 1 King 3. 6. is expounded reigning in his stead 2 Chron. 1. 8. Gods right hand meaneth his power and majesty in the Heavens Luk. 22. 69. Mark 16. 19. Heb. 1. 3. and 8. 1. and this above all Angels Heb. 1. 13. thine enemies even all of them the last whereof is death 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. Of this place the Apostle giveth this exposition Every Priest standeth daily ministring and oft times offering the same sacrifices which can never take away sinnes but this man having offered one sacrifice for sinne fitteth for ever at Gods right hand henceforth expecting till his enemies be put the footstoole of his feet Heb. 10. 11 12 13. Vers. 2. the rod or staffe scepter of thy strength thy strong staffe O Christ that is the powerfull word of thy Kingdome Isa. 11. 4. Mat. 13. 19. which was to come out of Sion and Ierusalem Isa. 2. 3. Luk. 24. 49. Acts 1. 4. and 2. 1 2 c. For in Sion Christ reigneth Psal. 2. 6. Rev. 14. 1. rule thou that is thou shalt surely rule or have dominion see the Notes on Psal. 37. 3. Vers. 3. voluntaries a people of voluntarinesses or of liberalities as Psal. 68. 10. that is shall most freely willingly and liberally present themselves and their oblations to thee as Iudg. 5. 9. Act. 2. 41. Exod. 25. 2. Rom. 12. 1. Psal. 47. 10. and 119. 108. Song 6. 11. of thy power or armie as Psal. 33. 16. that is when thou sendest forth thy powerfull Gospell and Preachers of the same to conquer the world Rom. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Rev. 6. 2. Psal. 45. 4 5 6. in the beauties of bolinesse or in the comely honours of the Sanctuary meaning either the comely or honourable places of holinesse or of the Sanctuary as Psal. 29. 2. that is the Church or rather in the beautifull ornaments of holinesse that is holy graces and vertues wherewith Christ and his people are adorned as the Priests and Levites of old with Vrim Thummim and holy garments Exod. 28. 2 40. Isa. 52. 1. So the Warriers in heaven are cloathed with fine linnen white and pure the righteousnesse of the Saints Rev. 19. 14. 8. of the wombe c. This place is difficult and may diversly bee understood either of Christ himselfe or of his people and againe if of Christ either in respect of his Godhead or of his Manhood Of his Godhead that the Father saith unto him of the wombe that is of mine owne essence before the early morning that is before the world was to thee was or thou hadst the dew of thy youth or birth so noting the eternall generation of Christ before all worlds as is shewed Prov. 8. 22 23. 24 25. And this sense the Lxx. Greeke Interpreters seeme to follow translating Of the wombe before the morning starre begat I thee If it be meant of Christs manhood we may take it thus of the wombe of the darke morning or of the obscure wombe of the virgin thou hadst the deaw of thy birth If of Christs people before mentioned it may thus be read Of the wombe of the morning to thee shall be or shall come the deaw of thy youth that is thy youth thy young or new-borne people shall be to thee as the morning deaw which falleth secretly from heaven and abundantly covereth the earth For so the deaw is sometime used 2 Sam. 17. 12. and unto raine deaw ice c. the Scripture applieth the names of wombe and begetting Iob 38. 28 29. and the increase of the Church is by this figure described as The remnant of Iakob shall be among many people as a deaw from the Lord as showers upon the grasse that waiteth not for man c. Mic. 5. 7. This last sense accordeth best with the beginning of the verse of the wombe or from the wombe of the morning of the early morning or before the dawning the morning or day-dawning in Hebrew Mishchar is named of the blacknesse or darknesse which also the Scripture sheweth Ioh. 20. 1. and the letter M. is either a preposition signifying from or before as Isa. 43. 13. or but a part of the word here meaning of to thee understand was or shall be that is thou hast or shalt have deaw of thy youth or of thy birth that is thy youth which is like the deaw Youth or nativitie may either be taken properly for young age as Eccles. 11. 9. or figuratively for young persons meaning the regenerate which are as new borne babes Ioh. 1. 13. and 3. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Vers. 4. sware For as much saith the Apostle as it is not without an oath c. by so much is Iesus made surety of a better Testament Heb. 7. 20. 22. a Priest or Sacrificer see Psal. 99. 6. for ever Among the Levites many were made Priests because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death but this man because he endureth ever hath an ever lasting priesthood Wherefore hee is able also perfectly to save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intereession for them Heb. 7. 23 24 25. to the order or according to my speech both these interpretations are good the one from the Apostles authority Heb. 7. 17. the other from the Hebrew propriety dibrathi as Iob 5. 8. meaning the manner and order of Melchisedek as God speaketh of him in the historie where he is brought in without father mother kindred beginning of daies or end of life continuing a Priest for ever as the Apostle gathereth Heb. 7. 1 3. from the narration Gen. 14. 18 c. of Melchisedck the King of Salem and Priest of the most high God whose name and office is opened Heb. 7. 1 2 c. from which he inferreth If perfection had beene by the Priesthood of the Levites c. what needed it that another Priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek and not to be called after the order of Aaron Heb. 7. 11. Vers. 5. The Lord Christ as in vers 1. which the Chaldee calleth Shecinah the divine presence of the LORD at
will runne the way of thy commandements when thou shalt inlarge my heart Psal. 119. 32. Vnder this promise of the Church is contained also the constant suffering of afflictions for and with Christ who being our Fore-runner and being consecrated through sufferings and so entring into his glory Heb. 2. 9. 10. Luke 24. 26. hath herein left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21. and hath said If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily and follow mee Luke 9. 23. Therefore it is written Let us lay aside every weight and the sinne which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience unto the race that is set before us looking unto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 1. 2. into his chambers This sheweth the benefits which they finde that follow Christ they are brought not onely into the Kings palace as in Psal. 45. 16. but into his privy chambers the most secret safe and quiet roomes of his Palace Chambers are places of greatest secrecy 2 King 6. 12. Luke 12. 3. Matth. 6. 6. and of most safety Deut. 32. 25. Ezek. 21. 14. and in such the Bridegroom and Bride used to rejoyce together Ioel 2. 16. Iudg. 15. 1. Hereby is signified the revelation of the mystery of the Gospell the Secret of the Lord which is revealed to them that feare him Psal. 25. 14 and the spiritual comforts which they reape thereby for Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God and thus we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 9. 10. 16. and are brought into such chambers as by knowledge are filled with all precious and pleasant riches Prov. 24. 4. Into them Paul as a friend of the Bridegroome endevoured with great strift to bring the Church that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the fulnesse of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2. 1. 2. 3. In these chambers also the Saints are kept safe from evill Psal. 27. 5. delivered from the wrath and judgements of God due for their sinnes and comforted by the words of Christ against the persecution of men that in him they may have peace though in the world they have tribulation Ioh. 16. 33. Therefore unto them hee saith Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doores about thee hide thy selfe for a very little moment untill the indignation be overpast Esa. 26. 20. Be glad and rejoyce be glad inwardly and rejoyce outwardly these comforts they finde in the Kings chambers whose Kingdome is not meat and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Wherefore they say I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with jewels Esay 61. 10. and thus they rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and full of glory receiving the end of their faith even the salvation of their soules 1 Pet. 1. 8. 9. will remember thy loves or will record rehearse make-mention of thy loves more then wine or which are better then wine as in vers 2. The foresaid joy of the Saints redoundeth to the praise and glory of Christ whose loves manifested by his sufferings death resurrection ascension and the graces and benefits flowing from them to his Church are remembred inwardly recorded and mentioned outwardly For they with joy drawing water out of the wells of salvation doe say in that day Praise the Lord call upon his name declare his doings among the people make mention that his name is exalted Esay 12. 3. 4. I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord the prayses of the Lord according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us and the great goodnesse towards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses Esay 63. 7. I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine onely Psal. 71. 16. I will make thy name to bee remembred in every generation and generation therefore peoples shall confesse thee for ever and aye Psalme 45. 18. The upright love thee Hebr. uprightnesses or righteousnesses love thee whereby righteous or upright persons are meant the virgins fore-mentioned in vers 3. who have upright hearts and righteous conversation as pride in Ier. 50. 31. is for a proud person sin in Prov. 13. 6. is for a sinner thankesgivings in Nehem. 12. 31. for companies of thanksgivers and many the like So this fruit commeth by remembring and mentioning Christs loves that the righteous are confirmed and increased in love towards him more and more as the Apostle wrote to them that beleeved on the name of the Sonne of God that they might beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God that is might be confirmed continued and increased in their beleefe 1 Iohn 5. 13. The Hebrewes ignorant of Christ have applied these things unto Gods ancient mercies towards them in the giving of his Law as the Chaldee paraphrast saith When the people of the house of Israel was come out of Aegypt the divine-presence of the Lord of the world was their guide by the pillar of a cloud by day and by the pillar of fire by night The just men of that generation said O Lord of all the world Draw us after thee and wee will runne after the way of thy goodnesse and bring us neere to the bottome of the mount Sinai and give us thy Law out of thy treasure-house which is in the Firmament and we will be glad and rejoyce in the 22 letters with which it is written and we will remember them and will love thy Godhead and will depart from after the idols of the peoples and all just men which doe that which is right before thee shall feare thee and love thy commandements But the Law being the ministration of death though it was glorious hath no glory in respect of the ministration of the Spirit and of righteousnesse which exceedeth in glory 2 Cor. 3. 7. 10. Therefore the new Testament being now confirmed in Christ those former things which were figures and shadowes are no more remembred as was prophesied in Ier. 3. 16. Vers. 5. I am blacke Hitherto hath beene the Churches first speech unto Christ testifying her faith and love now follow her words to the daughters of Ierusalem against the scandals and offences that might arise for the