Heb. 4. 5. Confirmative both assuring them of Gods good will to them and that as he blessed the Sabbath for their sakes so he would bless them in the holy use of it with temporal spiritual and everlasting blessings as he declares in many places of Scripture and assuring God of their standing to that covenant made between God and them So that this was a mutual stipulation or ratification of the covenant of grace on both sides throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctifie you i That selecteth you out of all people and consecrate you to my self and to my service and worship a great part whereof is the observation of the Sabbath Or that sanctifieth you by my Word and Ordinances which are in more eminent and solemn manner dispensed upon the Sabbath day by the observation whereof you declare that you own me as your onely sanctifier And so we may observe the sabbath owns the Lord as our Creatour and as our Redeemer and as our Sanctifier and therefore it is no wonder God so severely enjoyns the sanctification of the Sabbath and punisheth the neglect of it it being a tacit renouncing or disowning of God the Father the Son and the holy Ghost 14 * chap. 20. 8. Deut. 5. 12. Ezek. 20. 12. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one that desileth it shall surely be put to death k Of which see an example Numb 15. 32. c. for * Num. 15. 35. whosoever doth any work l i. e. Servile work as it is explained Lev. 23. 7. c. therein that soul shall be cut off from amongst his people 15 Six days †Heb. shall be done may work be done but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest m Heb. the sabbath of sabbaths or of sabbaths i. e. the great and chief sabbath as the song of songs is the most excellent song the holy of holies is the most holy c. The Iews had many sabbaths or days of rest but this is here preferred before them all by this emphatical repetition of the same word and by this argument the foregoing duty is pressed upon them †Heb. holiness holy to the LORD whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day he shall surely be put to death 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath n Or shall keep the sabbath by observing or celebrating the sabbath i. e. by observing or celebrating it the antecedent being put for the relative as is frequently done So here is another most emphatical repetition to oblige us to the greater caution and diligence in this great duty and to shew what stress God lays upon it who hath therefore placed this in the midst of the commands of the Decalogue as the heart which gives life and vigour to all the rest Or it may be rendered thus shall observe the day of rest to celebrate the sabbath and so the phrase is like that in the 4th Command Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy So here Observe the sabbath i. e. watch its coming and approach consider attentively the nature and use of it and that not as a matter of idle speculation but of serious practise or so that you may do or celebrate the Sabbath i. e. perform all the duties of it Or thus shall observe the sabbath to make it a sabbath or day of rest and that no idle or carnal rest but a rest holy to the Lord as it is called in the foregoing verse throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant o Or by a perpetual covenant or it is a perpetual covenant i. e. condition or part of that agreement made between me and them they have solemnly covenanted or promised that they will do all that I commanded them Exod. 24. 7 8 among which this is a chief branch and I have covenanted to bless and sanctify them in so doing And this word perpetual as also the word for ever being added to it in the next verse may intimate that this hath a longer perpetuity than the câ—…remonies to which this phrase is sometimes ascribed the rather because the reason of this perpetuity given in the next verse is such as hath its force not only till Christ but even till the end of the World and it is fit and just that men should retain this monument or memorial of the Worlds Creation even till its dissolution 17 It is a sign p A sign of the covenant between us that I will be their God and they will be my people both which depends upon this amongst other duties and upon this in an eminent degree between me and the children of Israel for ever for * Gen. 2. 2. in six dayes the LORD made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed q Not as if he had been weary with working which surely he could not be with speaking a few words nor can God be weary with any thing Isa. 40. 28. but it notes the pleasure or delight God took in reflecting upon his works beholding that every thing he had made was very good Gen. 1. 31. 18 And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai * chap. 32. 16. Deut. 9. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 3. two tables of testimony r i. e. The tables of the law which was the witness of Gods will and Israels duty See Exod. 16. 34. tables of stone s Whereby was signified both the durable and perpetual obligation of the moral law whereas the ceremonial law was to end with the Iewish policy at Christs coming and the stoniness of mens hearts by nature in which the law of God could not be written but by a divine and omnipotent hâ—…d written with the finger of God t i. e. With the power or spirit of God by comparing Mat. 12. 18. not by any art of man but immediately by a divine hand CHAP. XXXII 1 AND when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount a Where he had now been for near 40 days the people b i. e. Most or some of the people as it is expressed 1 Cor. 10. 7. gathered themselves together unto Aaron c As the chief person in Moses his absence and said unto him * Act. 7. 4. Up make us gods d i. e. Images or representations of God whom after the manner of Idolaters they call by Gods name For it is ridiculous to think that the body of the Israelites who were now lately instructed by the Mouth and words and miraculous works of the eternal God should be so senceless as to think that was the true God which themselves made and that out of their own ear-rings much more that that was the God that brought them out of Egypt as they say ver
revenges upon the enemies i. e. I will take vengeance upon all mine enemies yea upon the head or heads of them 43 ‖ Or praise 〈◊〉 people ye 〈◊〉 or sing ye * Rom. 15. 10. Rejoyce O ye nations with his people c This translation is justified by St. Paul Rom. 15. 10. the particle with being oft understood as Lev. 26. 42. He calls upon the nations to rejoyce and bless God for his favours and especially for the last wonderful deliverance which shall be given to the Iews when they shall be converted unto the Gospel in the last days which they have all reason to do not onely from that duty of sympathy which they owe to all people and especially to Gods antient people whereby they are to rejoyce with them that rejoyce but because of that singular advantage and happiness which all nations will have at that time and upon that occasion Or rejoyce O ye Gentiles his people i. e. O you Gentiles who once were not Gods people but now are his people do you rejoyce for Gods mercies to the Iews his antient people bless God for their conversion and salvation for he will avenge the blood of his servants and will render vengeance to his adversaries and will be merciful unto his land and to his people 44 And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people he and ‖ Or Ioshua Hoshea d Or Ioshua who is here joyned with Moses in this action because though Moses onely spake the words yet Ioshua consented to them and it may be afterwards repeated them this being not a song to be sung once for all but a standing monument which was written and kept for future use Deut. 31. 22 c. and to be repeated again and again upon solemn occasions which Ioshua and other succeeding Magistrates were to take care of the son of Nun. 45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel 46 And he said unto them * chap. 6. 6. 11. 18. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day which ye shall command your children to observe to do all the words of this law 47 For it is not a vain thing for you e It is not an unprofitable or contemptible work I advise you to but well worthy of your most serious care oft to remember and diligently to consider it because it is your life and through this thing ye shall prolong your dayes in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it 48 * Num. 27. 12. And the LORD spake unto Moses that self-same day saying 49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim unto mount Nebo f Nebo was a ridge or top of the mountains of Abarim See on Numb 27. 12. Deut. 3. 27. which is in the land of Moab that is over against Jericho and behold the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession 50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up and be gathered unto thy people as * Num. 20. 25 28. 33. 38. Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered unto his people 51 Because * Num. 20. 12 13. 27. 14. ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of ‖ Or strife at Kadesh Meribah-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel 52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel CHAP. XXXIII 1 AND this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed a He is said to bless them ministerially partly by praying to God with faith for his blessing upon them partly by foretelling the blessings which God would confer upon them for the Prophers are oft said to do what they foretel should be done as Gen. 49. 7. Ier. 1. 10. Ezek. 43. 3. Hos. 6. 5. And Moses calls himself here the man of God i. e. the servant or prophet or minister of God as this phrase signifies 1 Sam. 9. 6 7. 1 Tim. 6. 11. to acquaint them that the following prophecies were not his own inventions but divine inspirations the children of Israel b i. e The several tribes onely Simeon is omitted either 1. in detestation of their parent Simeon his bloody and wicked carriage for which Iacob also gives that tribe a curse rather than a blessing in Gen. 49. But as for Levi who is joyned with him in that censure and curse Gen. 49. 5 6 7. he is here separated from him and exempted from that curse and blessed with an eminent blessing for a singular and valuable reason expressed here v. 8 9. whereas Simeons tribe had been so far from expiating their fathers crime that they added new ones their Prince being guilty of another notorious crime Numb 25. 6 14. and his tribe too much concurring with him in such actions as Interpreters gather from the great diminution of the numbers of that tribe which were 59300 in Num. 1. 23. and but 22200 in Num. 26. 14. which was near 40 years after Or 2. because that Tribe had no distinct inheritance but was to have his portion in the Tribe of Iudah as he had Ios. 19. 1. and therefore he must needs partake with them in their blessings before his death 2 And he said The LORD came c To wit to the Israelites i. e. manifested himself graciously and gloriously among them from Sinai d i. e. Beginning at Sinai where the first and most glorious appearance of God was and so going on with them to Seir and Paran Or to Sinai the particle mem oft signifying to as is evident by comparing Isa. 59. 20. with Rom. 11. 26. 1 King 8. 30. with 2 Chron. 6. 21. and 2 Sam. 6. 2. with 1 Chron. 13. 6. See also Gen. 2. 8. and 11. 2. and 13. 11. 1 Sam. 14. 15. Or in Sinai mem being oft put for beth in as Exod. 25. 18. Deut. 15. 1. Iob 19. 26. Psal. 68. 29 and 72. 16. and rose up e He appeared or shewed himself as the Sun doth when it riseth from Seir f i. e. From the mountain or land of Edom which is called Seir Gen. 32. 3. and 36. 8. Deut. 2. 4. to which place the Israelites came Num. 20. 14 c. and from thence God led them on towards the land of promise and then gloriously appeared for them in subduing Sihon and Og before them and given their countries unto them Which glorious work of Gods is particularly celebrated Iudg. 5 4. But because the land of Seir or Edom is sometimes taken more largely and so reacheth even to the Red-sea as appears from 1 King 9. 26. and therefore mount Sinai was near to it and because Paran which here follows was also near Sinai as being the next
like a land flood or brooks that will soon be dried up with drought see Iob 6. 15. but will be fed with a spring of blessing that will never fail a very significant Metaphor it being the nature of springs spontaneously and freely as it were to pour out their bowels to all that upon their wants come to receive it neither is ever scanty but flows still like fresh Milk to the Breast the more it is drawn hence God is called a fountain of goodness 12 And they that shall be of thee z i. e. Either 1. A remnant of thee among the Captivity that shall be as persons raised from the dead Or 2. Thy Posterity expressed thus because they sprang or proceeded from them * Chap. 61. 4. shall build the old wast places a Heb. wasts of eternity i. e. which have lain long waste For holam doth not alwaies signifie what is bounded by no time but what respects a long time looking either forward as Gen. 13. 15. Exod. 21. 6. or backward as here viz. the space of seventy years and so may truly be rendred the wasts of an Age. By wast places he means the City and Temple with Cities and places adjacent turned as it were all into a wast or wilderness void and untilled and which was done not onely by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon but by Sennacherib also and the â—…her Kings of Assyria They had lain so long desolate that the Foxes inhabited them instead of men Lam. 5. 18. And it was turned so much into a Desert that they were forced to fight with the Beasts that possessed it to get their food Lam. 5. 9. thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations b Either the foundations that were laid many generations ago as those of Ierusalem which was not only built but was the head of a Kingdom in the daies of Melchizedek who was King thereof in the daies of Abraham as appears Gen. 14. 18. If that Salem were Ierusalem as is generally agreed and Iosephus writes lib. 1. antiquit cap. 10. who was born about the 300th year after the Flood the superstructures were now destroyed viz. of Ierusalem and divers other Cities or that shall continue for many generations yet to come and thou shalt be called c Thou shalt be honoured with this Title as we use to say the Father of our Countrey i. e. deservedly so called because thou art so the like phrase chap. 48. 8. The repairer of the breach d Breach is put here collectively for Breaches which were made by God's Judgments breaking in upon them in suffering the walls of their Towns and Cities to be demolished and their State broken chap. 5. 5. the restorer of paths e Such an one was Moses Psal. 106. 23. And this tends to the same sense with the former expression because men were wont to make paths over those Breaches to go the nearest way or it may more particularly point at the recovering of the Ancient paths and bringing them into their wonted course which were either those chief Streets through the Gates of the Cities or other Lanes out of those Streets which were now forgotten and lost partly by being covered with rubbish and partly by those shorter paths that were trod and made over the Breaches such a Restorer of paths was Nehemiah Neh. 6. 1. And we read of the several Repairers he made use of Neh. 3 Or those paths that led from City to City which being now laid desolate and uninhabited were grown over with grass and weeds for want of Travellers or safety of travelling of something a like case we read in the time of the Judges Iudg. 5. 6. 7. and so lost as in a wilderness wherein there is no way and by building up those Cities again the several paths leading to them would be restored to dwell in f These accommodations being all recovered their ancient Cities might be fit to be re-inhabited 13 If thou turn away thy foot g This is taken either properly i. e. if thou take no unnecessary journeys or do any servile works either of hand or foot that are forbidden on the Sabbath day the instrument being here put for the work or Metaphorically i. e. if thou keep thy mind and affections clear and restraining thy self from whatever may prophane it as David did concerning the word Psal. 119. 101. Feet are often put for the Affections Eccl. 5. 1. because the mind is moved by the affections as the body is by the feet if we do not let our thoughts be extravagant either upon impertinencies or unlawful things The sum is if thou be careful not to break the Sabbath from the sabbath h Or for the Sabbath's sake whether we understand it more largely of the occasional Sabbath in solemn humiliations or otherwise set apart for sacred services which is called a Sabbath Lev. 16. 31. and 23. 32. Days of this nature were set apart before the captivity Ch. 22. 12. Ier. 36. 9. and also in the Captivity Zech. 7. 5. And thus it may be pertinent to the occasion of this discourse v. 3. And further though Sabbath be here only mentioned yet it may take in every institution of God that they were in a capacity of observing during their captivity Thus I conceive it is understood ch 56. 1 2. Or whether we take it more particularly for the weekly Sabbath such a carriage doth God expect as doth become it from doing thy pleasure i Satisfying thy lusts and the corruption of thy will on my holy day k i. e. on my Sabbath which is an holy day and call the sabbath a delight l Full of delights in thy Judgment not looking on it as a burthen and Practice performing the duties of it with cheerfulness delighting in the ordinances of it and so the Sabbath by a Metonymy is put for the works of the Sabbath the time being put for the things that ought to be done in that time Therefore Calling here is not only a verbal but affectionate calling the understanding assenting the will consenting and the actions conforming thereto this delight appears in the Saints of God in their breathings after it as it did frequently in David Psal. 27. 4. 36. 8. 42. 1. with many more the holy of the LORD m Or to the Lord. i. e. dedicated to him consecrated to his service The Jews had a law that no man might take from the Sabbath to add to the prophane days but he might on the contrary honourable n viz. the chief of days worthy of all honour and therefore honourable because holy and so shall honour either it i. e. the day or him i. e. the Lord whose day it is For to sanctify God and to sanctify his day is all one compare ch 8. 13. â—…with Exod. 20. 8. thus esteem it an honour as well as a pleasure and shalt honour him not doing thine own ways o Or
light of the heavenly bodies but also put out their candles or other artificial lights or at least so darken them that men could have no benefit by them neither rose any from his place y Place here may be taken either 1. more strictly and particularly so the sence is the horrour of that darkness was so great that they durst not remove at all but stood or sat where the darkness found them like men astonished or affrighted and therefore unmoveable having their minds disturbed being terrified with their guilty Consciences which most affect men in the dark and with the dreadful noises which they heard Wisd. 17. 5. and with the apparitions of evil Angels as may seem from Psal. 78. 49. where the plague of evil Angels is put instead of this plague of darkness which therefore is omitted in that place where all the rest are reckoned up Or rather 2. more largely for their own houses or dwellings for so the Hebrew word is certainly used Exod. 16. 29. So the sence is they did not stir abroad out of their houses upon their most necessary occasions Obj. He saith not that they could not go but that they could not rise from their place which may seem to limit this expression to their particular places Ans. The word to rise is commonly put for going about any business and here it is a pregnant word as they call it and implies going in it none arose viz. to go or remove from his place And rising cannot be properly taken here for that particular posture unless we will suppose that this darkness found all men sitting which is absurd to imagine for three dayes * Wisd. 18. 1. chap. 8. 22. but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings z Whereby they might have conveyed themselves and families and goods away as afterwards they did in haste but they waited for Moses his orders and he for Gods command and God intended to bring them forth not by stealth but in a more honourable and publick manner in spight of all opposition 24 And a Or Therefore or Then to wit after the darkness was either wholly or in part removed Pharaoh called unto Moses and said Go ye serve the LORD only let your flocks and your herds be stayed b Either as a pledge of your return after your sacrifice is ended or as a recompence for the cattel which I have lost by your means let your little ones c And consequently the women whose help and service was necessary for their little ones in diverse regards also go with you 25 And Moses said Thou must give †Heb. into our hands us * i. e. Suffer us to take of our own stock also sacrifices and burnt-offerings that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God 26 Our cattel also shall go with us there shall not an hoof be left behind for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God and we know not with what we must serve the LORD until we come thither d Which was not a pretence but a real truth For this being a solemn and extraordinary sacrifice by the express and particular appointment of God they knew not either of what kinds or in what number or manner their sacrifices must be offered And for all these things they did not receive particular directions till they came to mount Sinai 27 But the LORD * chap. 14. 4 8. hardened Pharaohs heart and he would not let them go 28 And Pharaoh said unto him Get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die 29 And Moses said thou hast spoken well e Heb. right not morally for so it was very ill said but logically that which agrees though not with thy duty yet with the event and truth of the thing for as thou hast warned me to see thee no more so I in the name of God assure thee that thou shalt see me no more to beg my prayers or to be helped out of thy troubles by my means And therefore that discourse of Moses to Pharaoh which follows chap. 11. 4 c. though it be put there out of its order and proper place as many other passages are yet was delivered at this time and upon occasion of these words I will see thy face again no more CHAP. XI 1 AND the LORD said unto Moses a Either 1. Whilest Moses was not yet gone out of Pharaohs presence So God might suggest this to his mind as he did other things to Michaiah when he was before Ahab and Iehosaphat 1 King 22. or rather 2. before his last coming to Pharaoh and the words may be rendred thus Now the Lord had said unto Moses And this is here added as the reason why Moses spake so boldly to Pharaoh because God had assured him of a good issue Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt afterwards he will let you go hence * chap. 12 31 33 39. when he shall let you go he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether b Men and women and children and cattel and all that they had which he would never do before 2 Speak now in the ears of the people and let every man borrow of his neighbour c The Israelites who at first lived distinctly by themselves when they were greatly multiplyed and Pharaoh began to cast a jealous eye upon them and to take cruel counsels against them were more mixed with the Egyptians as appears from chap. 12. 12 13. and many other places either by their own choice that they might receive protection and sustenance from them or rather by Pharaohs design who planted many of his own people among them to watch and chastise them Exod. 1. 11. and it may be removed some of them from Goshen to the parts adjoyning to it which were inhabited by his people and every woman of her neighbour * chap. 3. 22. and 12. 35. jewels d Or vessels as the Hebrew word properly signifies for they might more plausibly ask and the Egyptians would with less suspition lend them vessels which might be proper and useful both for their sacrifices and feasts than Jewels for which they had no present need or use of silver and jewels of gold 3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians Moreover the man * Eccl. 45. 1. Moses was very great in the land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaohs servants and in the sight of the people e Therefore they complyed with their request not onely out of love to the people but out of fear of Moses lest he should punish them severely in case of refusal 4 And Moses said f To Pharaoh before his departure as appears by comparing ver 8. with chap. 10. 29. And therefore the three first verses of this chapter come in by way
thy self with her 21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed * chap. 20. 2. 2 King 2â—… 10 pass through the fire g This was done two ways either 1. By burning them in the fire of which see 2 King 3. 27. 2 Chron. 28. 3. Psal. 106. 37 38. Esa. 57. 1. Or 2. By making them pass between two great fires which was a kind of lustration or consecration of them to that God Which latter seems to be here meant See on Deut. 18. 10. where the word fire here understood is expressed to * called Act. 7. 43. Moloch Molech h Or Moloch called also Milcom an Idol chiefly of the Ammonites as appears from 1 King 11. 7. 2 King 23. 13. Ier. 49. 1 3. This seems to be the Saturn of the Heathens to whom especially children and men were sacrificed This is mentioned because the neighbours of Israel were most infected with this Idolatry and therefore they are particularly cautioned against it though under this one instance all other Idols and acts or kinds of Idolatry are manifestly comprehended and forbidden neither â—…halt thou prophane the name of thy God i Either by joyning him with or by forsaking him for such a base and bloody Idol whereby the name honour and service of God would be horribly defiled and exposed to the scorn of the Heathen as if he were but one of the same kind with their mungrel-deities I am the LORD 22 * 1 Cor. 6. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 10. Thou shalt not lie with mankind k See Lâ—…vit 20. 13. 1 King 14. 24. as with woman-kind it is abomination 23 * chap. 20. 15. and 22. 19. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thy self therewith neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto it is confusion l An horrible confusion of the natures which God hath distinguished and of the order which God hath appointed and an overthrow of all bounds of Religion Honesty Sobriety and Modesty 24 Defile not ye your selves in any of these things for in all these m To wit above mentioned sins Whence it is apparent that the several incests here prohibited are not onely against the positive and particular Law given by God to the Jews but also against the general Law and Light of nature And therefore the Law about these things was one of the seven Precepts of Noah And the sober Heathens condemned such incestuous Marriages The Roman Historians observe that when Claudius the Emperour had married his Neece which is one of the lowest kinds of incest here mentioned and the Senate in complaisance with him had made it lawful for any to do so yet there was but one and he too an obscure person that followed his example the nations are defiled which I cast out before you 25 And the land is defiled therefore I do visit m I am now visiting or about to visit i. e. to punish See Esâ—… 2â—… 21. the iniquity thereof upon it and the land it self vomiteth out her inhabitants n As no less burdens to the Earth than corrupted â—…ood is to the stomack See Ier. 9. 19. Mich. 2. 10. 26 * chap. 20. 22. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments and shall not commit any of these abominations neither and of your own nation nor any stranger o In Nation or Religion of what kind soever For though they might not force them to submit to their Religion yet they might restrain them from the publick contempt of the Jewish Laws and from the violation of natural Laws which besides the offence against God and nature were matters of evil example and consequence to the Israelites themselves that sojourneth among you 27 For all these abominations have the men of the land done which were before you and the land is defiled 28 That * Jer. 9. 19. Ezek. 36. 13 17. the land spue not you out also when ye defile it as it spued out the nations that were before you 29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations even the souls that commit them shall be cut off p To wit by death to be inflicted by the Magistrates as it is apparent in case of Idolatry with Moloch or other false Gods and in case of the Magistrates neglect by God himself This phrase therefore of cutting off is to be understood variously as many other phrases are either of Ecclesiastical or Civil and Corporal punishment according to the differing natures of the offences for which it is inflicted from among their people 30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs which were committed before you and that ye defile not your selves therein I am the LORD your God CHAP. XIX 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel and say unto them * chap. 11. 4â—… and 20. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 16. ye shall be holy a Separated from all the forementioned defilements and intirely consecrated to God and obedient to all his Laws and Statutes for I the LORD your God am holy b Both in my essence and in all my Laws which are holy and â—…ust and good and in all my actions Whereas the Gods of the Heathens are unholy both in their Laws and Institutions whereby they allow and require filthy and abominable actions and in their practices some of them having given wicked examples to their Worshippers 3 * Exod. 20. 1â—… Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father c The mother is put first partly because the practise of this duty begins there mothers by perpetual converse being more and sooner known to their children then their fathers and partly because this duty is most commonly neglected to the mother upon whom children have not so much dependance as they have upon their Father And this fear includes the two great duties of reverence and obedience and * Exod. 20. 8. and 31. 13. keep my sabbaths d This is here added to shew that whereas it is enjoyned to Parents that they should take care that the Sabbath be observed both by themselves and by their children it is the duty of children to fear and obey their Parents in this matter and moreover that if Parents should neglect their duty herein or by their command counsel or example draw them to pollute the Sabbath yet the Children in that caâ—…e must keep the Sabbath and in all such cases prefer the command of God before the commands of their Parents or Superiours I am the LORD your God 4 * Exod. 20. â—… Turn ye not e Turn not your hearts and faces from me whom alone you pretend to respect unto them He intimates that their turning to Idols is a turning from God and that they could not serve both God and Idols unto Idols f The word signifies
seventy joyn these words with the following and for Shenath the year read Shenith the second and take Vau for redundant as sometimes it is and read the place thus The second tithe thou sâ—…it give to the Levite c. and hast given it unto the Levite the stranger the fatherless and the widow that they may eat within thy gates and be filled 13 Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God k i. e. Either before the Tabernacle or Temple or rather in thy private and domestick addresses to God for this is to be said presently upon the distribution of these tithes which was not done at Ierusalem but in their own private gates or dwellings except we will suppose that after he had given away these tithes at home he should go up to Ierusalem meerly to make this acknowledgment which seems improbable And this is to be spoken before the Lord i. e. solemnly seriously and in a religious manner with due respect to Gods presence and will and glory which is a sufficient ground for that phrase I have brought away l Or separated or removed to wit from my own proper and private fruits the hallowed things m i. e. The tithes which hath been sanctified and set apart for these uses out of mine house and also have given them unto the Levite and unto the stranger to the fatherless and to the widow according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me I have not transgressed thy commandments neither have I forgotten them 14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning n i. e. Either 1. in my funeral solemnities for the dead But this falls in with the last branch Or 2. in my distress or poverty or upon pretence of my own want in which case men are tempted and inclined to fall upon sacred or forbidden things Or 3. in sorrow or grieving that I was to give away so much of my profits to the poor but I have chearfully eaten and feasted with them as I was obliged to do For though it be taken for granted by some learned Expositours from Deut. 14. 28 29. that the owner was not to eat any part of the third years tithe but to give it all away to the stranger and fatherless c. the contrary seems to me more probable from that very place where it is said thou shalt lay it up within thy gates and then it follows that the Levite stranger c. shall come to wit to thy gates and shall eat to wit there as is expressed Deut. 26. 12. that they may not eat within thy gates and be filled Which implies that these tithes or some part of them were eaten in the owners gates or dwelling with holy rejoycing and feasting wherein it is most probable the owner had his share though it be not there expressed because it was evident in it self from the foregoing passage Deut. 14. 23 c. where the owner is allowed and commanded to eat those tithes together with the Levites And howsoever somethink the third years tithes ver 28. were not the same with those ver 23. yet it cannot with any colour of reason be thought that those tithes which were to be eaten not onely by the Levites but also by the strangers ver 29. were more sacred than those that were to be eaten by none but the Levites and the owners veâ—… 23 27. or that the owner might eat of the one and not of the other neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use o i. e. For any common use the words common and unclean being oft indifferently used one for the other or for any other use than that which thou hast appointed which would have been a pollution of them nor given ought thereof for the dead p i. e. For any funeral pomp or service or feast for the Iews used to send in provisions to feast with the nearest relations of the party deceased of which see Ier. 16. 7. Ezek. 24. 17 Hos. 9. 4. and in that case both the guests and food were legally polluted Numb 19. 11 14. and therefore the use of these tithes in such cases had been a double fault both the defiling of sacred food and the imploying of those provisions upon sorrowful occasions which by Gods express command were to be eaten with rejoycing Deut. 14. 26. and 26. 11. but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me 15 * Isa. 63. 15. Zech. 2. 13. Look down q After that solemn profession of their obedience to Gods commands they are taught to pray for Gods blessing upon their land whereby they are instructed how vain and ineffectual the prayers of unrighteous oâ—… disobedient persons are from thy holy habitation from heaven and bless thy people Israel and the land which thou hast given us as thou swarest unto our fathers a land that floweth with milk and honey 16 This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart and with all thy soul. 17 Thou hast avouched r Or declared or professed or owned the LORD this day s i. e. At this time in this wilderness where thou hast accepted and ratified Gods covenant to be thy God and to walk in his wayes and to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and to hearken unto his voice 18 And * chap. 7. 6. and 14. 2. the LORD hath avouched thee t Hath owned thee for such before all the world by eminent and glorious communications and manifestations of his power and grace and favour in thee and for thee by a solemn entring into covenant with thee and giving peculiar laws promises and priviledges to thee above all mankind this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments e. u Which is here mentioned as an act of Gods because though this be mans duty yet it is the work of Gods grace that he will vouchsafe to give us such commands that he doth require and will accept of our obedience to them and that we have any power or will to obey them Ezek. 36. 26 27. 19 And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God as he hath spoken CHAP. XXVII 1 AND Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people saying Keep all the commandments which I command you this day 2 And it shall be on that day a i. e. About that time for it was not done till some days after their passing over Day is oft put for time as hath been noted before * Josh. 4. 1. when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee
which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab * chap. 6. 2 3. beside the covenant b i. e. That entring into or striking of covenant The covenant was but one in substance but various in the time and manner of its dispensation which he made with them in Horeb. 2 And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them * Exâ—…d 19. 4. Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his land 3 * Chap. 4. 34. 7. 19. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signs and those great miracles 4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day c. d This verse comes in by way of correction or exception to the foregoing clause in this manner I said indeed ye have seen c. v. 2. and thine eyes have seen c. but I must recal my words for in truth you have not seen them in seeing you have not seen and perceiving you have not perceived them you have perceived and seen them with the eyes of your body but not with your minds and hearts you have not seen them to any purpose you have not yet learned rightly to understand the word and works of God so as to know them for your good and to make a right use of them and to comply with them Which he expresseth thus the Lord hath not given you c. not to excuse their wickedness but partly to direct them what course to take and to whom they must have recourse for the amending of their former errours and for a good understanding and improvement of Gods works and partly to aggravate their sin and to intimate that although the hearing ear and the seeing eye and the understanding heart be the workmanship of God Prov. 20. 12. and the effects of his special grace Deut. 30. 6. Ier. 31. 33. and 32. 39 c. yet their want of this grace was their own fault and the just punishment of their former sins their present case being like theirs in Isays time who first shut their eyes and ears that they might not see and hear and would not understand and then by the tremendous but righteous judgment of God had their hearts made fat and their eyes and ears closed that they should not be able to see and hear and understand as is manifest from the history of their carriage in the wilderness 5 And I have led you fourty years in the wilderness your cloths are not waxen old upon you and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot d So far that it was necessary for you to throw them away and to get new ones See on Deut. 8. 4. 6 Ye have not eaten bread e i. e. Common bread purchased by your own mony or made by your own hands but Heavenly and Angelical bread Deut. 8. 3. Psal. 78. 24 25. You have subsisted without bread the staff of life neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink f But onely water out of the rock that ye might know that I am the LORD your God g The Lord Omnipotent and All-sufficient for your provision without the help of any Creatures and your God in covenant with you who hath a true affection to you and fatherly care of you even when ordinary means fail 7 And when ye came unto this place * Num. 21. 〈◊〉 33. chap. 2. 32. and 3. 1. Sihon the King of Heshbon and Og the King of Bashan came out against us unto battel and we smote them 8 And we took their land and * Num. 32. 33. an inheritance unto the Reubenite and to the Gadite and to the half tribe of Manasseh 9 * chap. 4. 6. Josh. 1. 7. 1 King 2. 3. Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them that ye may †Heb. 〈◊〉 dently So 〈◊〉 prosper in all that ye do 10 Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God h In his presence who sees your hearts and carriages and before his Tabernacle where it is probable they were now called together and assembled for this work See v. 2. your captains of your tribes your elders and your officers with all the men of Israel 11 Your little ones your wives and thy stranger i Such strangers as had embraced their Religion that is in thy camp from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water k All sorts of persons yea even the meanest of them such as these were Ios. 9. 27. all sorts and ranks of servants 12 That thou shouldest †Heb. 〈◊〉 enter into covenant l i. e. Into covenant or agreement confirmed by a solemn oath with the LORD thy God and into his oath l i. e. Into covenant or agreement confirmed by a solemn oath which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day 13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself and that he may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. 14 Neither with you onely do I make this covenant and this oath 15 But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God * See 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 and also with him that is not here with us this day m i. e. With your prosperity For so the covenant was made at first with Abraham and his seed by which as God engaged himself to continue the blessing of Abraham upon his posterity so he also engaged them to the same duties and conditions which were required of Abraham So it is even among men where a King confers an estate upon a Subject and his Heirs for ever upon some certain conditions all his Heirs who enjoy that benefit are obliged to the same conditions But whatsoever becomes of mans right God the Creatour and Soveraign Lord of all men and things hath an unquestionable right and power to oblige all persons that are or shall be to such conditions as he pleaseth and especially to such conditions as are for their own benefit which is the present case 16 For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt n Where you have seen their Idolatries and learned too much of them as the Golden Calf shewed and therefore need to renew your covenant with God where also we were in dreadful bondage whence God alone hath delivered us to whom therefore we are deeply obliged and have all reason to renew our covenant with him and how we came through the nations o i. e. With what hazards if God had not appeared for us which ye passed by 17 And ye have seen their abominations and their †Heb. 〈◊〉 gods
6. it came to pass that the LORD spake c Either in a Dream or Vision or by Urim Numb 27. 21. unto Joshua the son of Nun Moses * Deut. 1. 38. minister d i. e. Who had waited upon Moses in his great Employments and thereby been privy to his Managery of the Government and so fitted and prepared for it saying 2 Moses my servant is dead now therefore arise go over this Jordan e This which is now near thee which is the only obstacle in thy way to Canaan thou and all this people unto the land which I do give f i. e. Am now about to give the actual Possession of it as I formerly gave a right to it by promise to them even to the children of Israel 3 * Deut. 11. 24. Chap. 14. 9. Every place g To wit Within the following bounds that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given unto you as I said unto Moses 4 * Exod. 23. 31. Numb 34. 3. From the wilderness and this Lebanon h This emphatically as being the most eminent Mountain in Syria and the Northern border of the Land or this which is within thy view as if the Lord appeared to him in the form of a man and pointed to it even unto the great river the river Euphrates all the land of the Hittites i i. e. Of the Canaanites who elsewhere are called Amorites as Gen. 15. 16. and here Hittites by a Synecdoche the Hittites being the most considerable and formidable of all as may appear from Numb 13. 33. and 14. 1. 2 King 7. 6. and many of them being of the race of the Giants dwelling about Hebron See Gen. 25. 9 10. and 26. 34. and 27. 46. and unto the great sea k The Midland Sea great in it self and especially with those lesser Collections of waters which the Iews called Seas toward the going down of the sun shall be your coast l Obj. The Israelites never possessed all this Land Ans. 1. That was from their own sloth and cowardize and disobedience to God and breach of those Conditions upon which this Promise was suspended See Iudg. 2. 20. 2. This Land was not all to be possessed by them at once but by degrees as their numbers and necessities increased but Canaan being fully sufficient for them and many of the Israelites being from time to time either cut off or carried captive for their sins there was never any need of enlarging their Possessions 3. Though their Possessions extended not to Euphrates yet their Dominion did and all those Lands were tributary to them in David's and Solomon's time 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life as I was with Moses m To assist him against all his enemies and in all the difficulties of governing this stiff-necked people which Ioshua might justly fear no less than the Canaanites so I will be with thee * Heb. 13. 5. Deut. 31. 6 18. I will not fail thee nor forsake thee n I will not leave thee destitute neither of inward support or of outward assistance 6 * Deut. 31. 23. Be strong and of a good courage o Ioshua though a person of great Courage and Resolution whereof he had given sufficient Proof yet needs these Exhortations partly because his work was great and difficult and long and in a great measure new partly because he had a very mean opinion of himself especially if compared with Moses and remembring how perverse and ungovernable that people were even under Moses he might very well suspect the burden of ruling them would be too heavy for his shoulders for †unto this people shalt thou divide for an Inheritance ‡ Or thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land c. the land p Which supposeth the full Conquest of the land That Honour and Assistance which I derivâ—… to Moses I will give to thee which I sware unto their fathers to give them 7 Only be thou strong and very couragious that thou mayest observe to do according to all the Law * Deut. 31. 7. which Moses my servant commanded thee q Remember that though thou art the Captain and Commander of my people yet thou art my Subject and obliged to observe all my commands * Deut. 5. 32. 28. 14. turn not from it to the right hand or to the less that thou mayest †prosper s Which plainly shews That Gods assistance promised to him and to the Israelites was conditional and might justly be withdrawn upon their breach of the Conditions whithersoever thou goest t Or That thou mayest do wisely Whereby he instructs him in the true Art of Government and that his greatest Wisdom will lie in the observation of all Gods Commands and not in that pretended reason of State which other Princes govern all their Affairs by t i. e. Whithersoever thou goest Mens actions are oft compared to ways or journeys or steps by which they come to the end they aim at r i. e. In any kind or upon any pretence ‡ Or do wisely 8 * Deut. 17. 18 19. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth u i. e. Thou shalt constantly read it and upon occasion discourse of it and the sentence which shall come out of thy mouth shall in all things be given according to this Rule but * Psal. 1. 2. thou shalt †meditate therein day and night x i. e. Diligently study and frequently and upon all occasions consider what is Gods Will and thy Duty The greatness of thy place and employments shall not hinder thee from this Work because this is the only Rule of all thy private Actions and publick Administrations that thou mayest observe to do ‡ Or discourse of it according to all that is written therein y Whereby he teacheth him that it is his Duty to 〈◊〉 with his own eyes and to understand the Mind and Law of God himself and not blindly to follow what any other should advise him to for then See Psal. 28. 35. thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt †have good success ‡ Or do 〈◊〉 9 * Deut. 31. 7 8. Have not I commanded thee z I whom thou art obliged to obey I who can carry thee through every thing I put thee upon I of whose Faithfulness and Almightiness thou hast had large experience Be strong and of a good courage be not afraid neither be thou dismayed for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest 10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people saying 11 Pass through the host and command the people saying Prepare you victuals a For although Manna was given them to supply their want of ordinary Provisions in the Wilderness yet they were allowed when they
unto the high place for ye shall eat with me to day and to morrow I will let thee go and will tell thee all that is in thine heart m Either all that thou desirest to know as concerning the Asses or rather the secret thoughts of thy heart or such actions as none know but God and thy own heart that so thou mayst be assured of the truth and certainty of that which I am to acquaint thee with And this might be done though it be not here particularly related 20 And as for thine asses that were lost ‡ Heb. to day three days 〈◊〉 days ago set not thy mind on them n Trouble not thy mind about them for they are found And ‡ Cr. for whom are the â—…ble things on whom is all the desire of Israel o Who is he that shall be that Thing or Person which all Israel desire to have to wit a King is it not on thee and on all thy fathers house p That Honour is designed for thee and after thy Death for thy Family or Posterity if by thy Sin thou dost not cut off the Entail 21 And Saul answered and said Am not I a * Psal. 68. 27. Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel q For so indeed this was having been all cut off except 600 Iudg. 20. which Blow they never recovered and therefore they were scarce reckoned as an intire Tribe but only as a Remnant or Fragment of a Tribe and being Ingrafted into Iudah in the division between the Ten Tribes and the Two they in some sort lost their Name and they together with Iudah were accounted but one Tribe as 1 King 11. 32. c. and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin r i. e. One of the least obscure and inconsiderable in comparison of divers others Whence it may seem that Saul's Family was not so Noble and Wealthy as some imagine See on v. 1. wherefore then speakest thou ‡ Heb. according to this word so to me s Why dost thou feed me with vain hopes of the Kingdom 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant t Whom he honoured for Saul's sake thereby both giving all the Guests occasion to think how great that Person was or should be whose very Servant was advanced above the Chief Persons of the City who were doubtless present upon this occasion and shewing how far himself was from envying Saul that Honour and Power which was to be translated from him to Saul and brought them into the parlour and made them sit in the chiefest place u Thereby to raise all their expectation and to prepare them for giving that Honour to Saul which his approaching Dignity required among them that were bidden which were about thirty persons 23 And Samuel said unto the cook Bring the portion which I gave thee x Or I appointed or disposed to thee i. e. which I bad thee reserve for this use of which I said unto thee Set it by thee 24 And the cook took up the shoulder y To wit the left Shoulder for the right Shoulder was the Priests Levit. 7. 32 33. This he gives him either First As the best and noblest part of the remainders of the Sacrifice the best parts being usually given by the Master of the Feast to such Guests as were most Honourable or best Beloved as Gen. 43. 34. Or Secondly As a secret Symbol or Sign of that burden which was to be laid upon Saul and of that strength which was necessary for the bearing of it the Shoulder being both the Seat of burdens and the subject of strength and that which was upon it z Something which the Cook by Samuel's order was to put upon it when it was drest either for Ornament or in the nature of a Sauce and set it before Saul and Samuel said Behold that which is ‖ Or reserved left a To wit left of the Sacrifice but so all or most of the rest of their Provisions were left Or rather reserved or laid by by my order for thy eating when the rest of the Meat was sent up and disposed of as the Cook pleased set it before thee and eat for unto this time b Till thou shouldst come hither and sit down here whereby thou maist know that thy coming hither was not unknown to me and was designed by God for an higher purpose hath it been kept for thee since I said c To wit to the Cook who was before mentioned as the Person to whose care this was committed I have invited the people d i. e. I have Invited or Designed some Persons for whom I reserve this part For since the word People is not here taken properly but for some particular Persons of the People which were not in all above thirty v. 22. why may not the same word be understood of two or three Persons whom Samuel specially Invited to wit Samuel and his Servant So some Learned Men understand this word People of three Men 2 King 18. 36. And they further Note That in the Arabick and Aethiopick and Persian Languages all which are near a-kin both to themselves and to the Hebrew and do oft-times communicate their signification each to other the word that signifies People is oft used for some few particular Persons Or if the word People be meant of the Chief of the People mentioned above v. 22. then Samuel was the Principal Author of this Sacrifice and Feast and it was not a Sacrifice of the People as it is rendred v. 12. but a Sacrifice and Feast made by Samuel for the People as it should be rendred there and the sence is When I first spake or sent word to the Cook that I had Invited the People first to joyn with me in my Sacrifice and then to partake with me of the Feast I then bad him reserve this part for thy use so Saul did eat with Samuel that day 25 ¶ And when they were come down from the high place into the city Samuel communed with Saul e Concerning the Kingdom designed to him by God and his Duty to expect it patiently till God actually called him to it and to Administer it Piously and Justly and Valiantly upon the top of the house f Which was flat after the manner Deut. 22. 8. and so fit for walking and for secret Prayers Dan. 6. 10. Act. 10. 9. or any private and familiar Discourses among Friends 26 And they arose early and it came to pass about the spring of the day that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house g A second time to impart something more to him saying ‡ 〈◊〉 other 〈◊〉 Up that I may send thee away h Prepare thy self for thy departure and journey and Saul arose and they went out both of them he and Samuel abroad i Samuel accompanying Saul part
of his way 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city Samuel said to Saul Bid the servant pass on before us k That thou and I may speak privately of the matter of the Kingdom Which Samuel hitherto endeavoured to conceal lest he should be thought now to impose a King upon them as before he denied one to them and that it might appear by the Lot mentioned in the next Chapter that the Kingdom was given to Saul by God's destination and not by Samuel's contrivance and he passed on but stand thou still ‡ Heb. to day a while that I may shew thee the word of God l i. e. A Message delivered to me from God which now I shall impart to thee CHAP. X. THen Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head a Which was the usual Rite in the Designation as of Priests and Prophets so also of Kings as 1 Sam. 16. 1 13. 1 King 1. 39. 2 King 9. 1 3 6. whereby was signified the pouring forth of the Gifts of Gods Spirit upon him to enable him for the Administration of his Office which he might expect and should receive upon the discharge of his Duty and kissed him b Partly in token of that Reverence which he did owe and that Subjection which he and all the People were shortly to perform to him whereof Kissing was a sign as Gen. 41. 40. 1 King 19. 18. and partly as a Testimony of his sincere Friendship and Affection to him and how far he was from envying his Successor in the Supreme Dignity and said Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance c i. e. Over his own peculiar People Whereby he Admonisheth Saul that this People were not so much his as Gods and that he was not to Rule and Manage them according to his own will and pleasure but according to the will and mind of God 2 When thou art departed from me to day then thou shalt find two men by * Gen. 3â—… 19 20. Rachels sepulchre in the borders of Benjamin d In the way to Bethlehem Gen. 35. 19. which City was in Iudah and her Sepulchre might be either in Iudah or in Benjamin for the possessions of those two Tribes were bordering one upon another and oft intermixed together See Ios. 18. 11. at Zelzah and they will say unto thee The asses which thou wentest to seek are found and lo thy father hath left ‡ Heb. the business the care of the asses and sorroweth for you saying What shall I do for my son 3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor e Not that at the foot of Mount Tabor which was far from these parts but another belonging to some other place or Man called Tabor and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel f Properly so called which was in Ephraim where there was a Noted High-Place famous for Iacob's Vision there Gen. 28. 19. where it is probable they Offered Sacrifices in this confused state of things when the Ark was in one place and the Tabernacle if not destroyed in another Or to the House of God i. e. to Kiriath-jearim where the Ark the habitation of God now was 1 Sam. 7. 1 2 16. one carrying three kids and another carrying three loaves of bread g Which might be Offered either by themselves as Levit. 2. 4. or with other Sacrifices and another carrying a bottle of wine h Which was poured forth in Drink-Offerings See Levit. 23. 13. Numb 15. 5. 4 And they will ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 of peâ—… salute thee and give thee two loaves of bread i Two of those three designed for Sacrifice supposing they could easily procure a supply of other Loaves at Bethel But the more strange the Present was the more fit it was for a sign of Gods extraordinary Providence in Saul's affairs which thou shalt receive of their hand 5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God k An Hill near Geba or Gibeah of Benjamin where a Garison of Philistines was 1 Sam. 13. 3. called here the Hill of God because it was a place Devoted to the Service of God either for Sacrifice this being an high place as it here follows or for a School or Colledge of Prophets where is the garison of the Philistines and it shall come to pass when thou art come thither to the city l Adjoyning to that Hill that thou shalt meet a company of prophets m By Prophets here and in such like places he understands Persons that did wholly Devote themselves to Religious studies and exercises such as Preaching Praying Praising of God c. For the term of Prophesying is not onely given to the most Eminent act of it viz. foretelling things to come but also to Preaching as Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 31 32. 1 Thess. 5. 20. and to the making or Singing of Psalms or Songs of Praise to God as 1 Chron. 25. 1 2 3. And they that wholly attended upon these things are oft called Sons of the Prophets which were commonly combined into Companies or Colledges as 2 King 2. 3 5. that they might more conveniently edify and assist one another in Gods work Which Institution God was pleased so far to Honour and Bless that sometimes he Communicated unto those Persons the knowledge of future things as 2 King 2. 3 5. coming down from the high place n Where either their habitation was or they had now been offering Sacrifice And although they used to perform this following exercise either in their Colledge or in the place of their Sacrifices yet now they did it in the descent of the Hill which probably was beside their Custome and therefore more proper for a sign to Saul of a more than ordinary hand of God towards him with a psaltery and a tabret and a pipe and a harp before them o Such Instruments of Musick being then used by Prophets and other persons for the exhileration and excitation of their spirits in Gods Service See 2 King 3. 15. and they shall prophesie p Either sing Gods Praises or speak of the things of God 6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee q Heb. will leap or rush upon thee to wit for a season So it may be opposed to the Spirits resting upon a man as Numb 11. 25. Isa. 11. 2. and thou shalt prophesie with them and shalt be turned into another man r i. e. Thou shalt be suddenly endowed and acted with another Spirit filled with skill of Divine things with Courage and Wisdome and Magnanimity and other qualifications befitting thy Dignity 7 And ‡ Heb. it shall come to pass that when these signs c. let it be when these signs s Which were certain evidences of Gods calling of him to
and particularly described as the former 65 Besides their servants and their maids of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven and there were among them two hundred singing-men and singing-women y For Women as well as Men were devoted to and employed in this exercise in the Temple-Service as appears from 1 Chr. 25. 5 6. And the Parents of these Persons had taken care to instruct and exercise them as far as they could in this Art both for Gods service and for their own benefit when Ierusalem and the Temple should be rebuilt which they knew would be done after Ieremiahs 70 years were expired 66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six their mules two hundred forty and five 67 Their camels four hundred thirty and five their asses six thousand and seven hundred and twenty 68 And some of the chief of the fathers when they came to the house of the LORD z i. e. To the ruines of the house or to the place where that House stood that is at Jerusalem offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place 69 They gave after their ability unto the * 1 Chr. 2â—… 20. treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold ‖ A dram of Gold is supposed to be of the weight of the fourth part of a shekel and of the value of a French Crown and five thousand pound of silver and one hundred priests garments 70 So the priests and the Levites and some of the people and the singers and the porters and the Nethinims dwelt in their cities and all Israel in their cities CHAP. III. 1 ANd when the seventh month was come a Or rather was coming or drew near For the Altar was set up after this time v. 3. which yet was employed the first day of this month v. 6. This was a sacred kind of month wherein there were divers Festivals as appears from Lev. 23. for which the People had been preparing themselves and now came to Ierusalem to the celebration of them and the children of Israel were in the cities the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem 2 Then stood up ‖ Or Ioshua Hag. 1. 1. Zech. 3. 1. Jeshua the son of Jozadak b The High-Priest and his brethren the priests and ‖ Called Zorobabil Mat. 1. 12. Luk. 3. 27. called Salathiel Zerubbabel the son c i. e. The grandson for he was the son of Pedaiah 1 Chr. 3. 17 18 19. of * Deut. 12. 5. Shealtiel and his brethren and built the altar d Which was of more present and urgent necessity than the Temple both to make atonement to God for all their sins and to obtain Gods assistance for the building of the Temple and to strengthen their own Hearts and Hands in that great work wherein they saw they should have many Enemies of the God of Israel to offer burnt-offerings thereon as it is * Deut. 12. 5. written in the law of Moses the man of God 3 And they set the altar upon his bases for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries and they offered burnt-offerings thereon unto the LORD even burnt-offerings morning and evening 4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles e This seems to be mentioned Synecdochically for all the Solemnities of this Month whereof this was the most eminent and most lasting Otherwise it is not probable that they would neglect the day of Atonement which was so severely enjoined Lev. 23. 27 28 29. and was so exceeding suitable to their present condition See on v. 6. * Ex. 23. 16. as it is written and * Num. 29. 12. c. offered the daily burnt-offerings f Heb. burnt-offerings day by day i. e. Every day of that Feast they offered as many Sacrifices as were prescribed of which see Numb 29. 13 c. by number according to the custom †Heb. the matter of the day in his day as the duty of every day required 5 And afterward offered the continual burnt-offering g The Morning and Evening-Sacrifice of which see on Numb 28. 6. both of the new-moons and of all the set-feasts of the LORD that were consecrated h i. e. Set apart for the solemn and holy Service of God and of every one that willingly offered a free-will-offering unto the LORD 6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to ofter burnt-offerings i And the other Sacrifices which were to be offered with them upon that day being the Feast of Trumpets Numb 29. 1 c. Burnt-offerings are oft put for all Sacrifices as hath been observed once and again unto the LORD but †Heb. the temple of the Lord was not yet founded the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid k Though it is probable they had done somthing towards the removing of the rubbish and preparing the way for it 7 They gave money also unto the masons and to the ‖ Or workmen carpenters and meat and drink and oil unto them of Zidon and to them of Tyre to bring cedar-trees from Lebanon to the sea of * Act. 9. 36. Joppa according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. 8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem in the second month began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and upward to set forward the work of the house of the LORD 9 Then stood Jeshua l with his sons and his brethren Kadmiel and his sons the sons of ‖ Or Hodaviah ch 2. 40. Judah †Heb. as one together to set forward the workmen m By their presence and favour to encourage them to a chearful and vigorous prosecution of the work in the house of God the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brethren the Levites Not the High-Priest so called but a Levite of whom see chap. 2. 40. 10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD they set the Priests in their apparel with trumpets and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals to praise the LORD after †Heb. 〈◊〉 hands the * 1 Chr. 6. 3â—… 16. 7. 25. 1. ordinance of David n Heb. By or According to the hands of David i. e. in such manner and with such Psalms or Songs and Instruments as God had appointed by the Hands or Ministry of David king of Israel 11 And they * Ex. 15 〈◊〉 2 Chr. 7. 3. sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever towards Israel And
thirty priests garments 71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver 72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand pound of silver and threescore and seven priests garments 73 So the priests and the Levites and the porters and the singers and some of the people and the Nethinims and all Israel dwelt in their cities and when the seventh month came the children of Israel were in their cities CHAP. VIII 1 AND all * 〈◊〉 3. 1. the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water-gate a Of which see Nehem. 3. 26. and they spake unto Ezra * Ezra 7. 6. the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded to Israel 2 And Ezra the priest b Who came 12 or 13 years before Nehemiah to Ierusalem and either carried there or went back to Babylon being forced to do so by the Kings command or indispensable occasions and then returned again with Nehemiah brought the law before the congregation both of men and women and all †〈…〉 that could hear with understanding c i. e. And such children as were come to years of understanding upon the first day of the seventh month 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate †〈…〉 from the morning until mid-day before the men and the women and those that could understand and the ears of all the people were attententive unto the book of the law 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a 〈…〉 pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose and beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anajah and Urijah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on his right hand and on his left hand Pedajah and Mishael and Malchiah and Hashum and Hashbadana Zechariah and Meshullam d Partly to declare their consent and concurrence with Ezra in what he said and did and partly that they or some of them might bear a part in the work 5 And Ezra opened the book in the †〈…〉 fight of all the people for he was above all the people and when he opened it all the people stood up e Either in reverence to Gods Word of which see Num. 11. 32. Iudg. 3. 20. Or that they might hear his words the more distinctly or rather because they observed that Ezra composed himself to prayer or thanksgiving which is here generally declared but doubtless was more particularly and largely expressed in that assembly as appears by their answering Amen amen to his prayer 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD the great God and all the people answered Amen amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground 7 Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah Jamin Akkub Shabbethar Hodijah Maaseiah Kelita Azariah Jozabad Hanan Pelaiah and the Levites caused the people to understand the law f As well the words which being Hebrew now needed to be translated into the Chaldee or Syriack language which was now and henceforth the common language of that people who together with their religion had also in a great part lost their language as also the sense and meaning of them they expounded the mind and will of God in what they read and applied it to the peoples present condition as they saw fit as the manner of the Prophets generally was And hence the people were so deeply affected with 〈◊〉 and the people stood in their place g i. e. In their several places and stations into which the company seems to have been distributed for conveniency of hearing it not being likely that so vast a Congregation could distinctly hear one mans voice Or by their stations i. e. by the several stations of the Levites persons last named who seem to have had several scaffolds by comparing this with ch 9. 4. upon which they stood as Ezra did upon his pulpit v. 4. 8 So they read h To wit Ezra and his companions successively or severally l. in the book in the law of God distinctly and gave the sense i The meaning of the Hebrew words which they expounded in the common language and caused them to understand the reading k i. e. That which they read to wit the holy Scripture the action being put for the object as vision is oft put for the thing seen and hearing for the thing heard and fear for the thing feared So they gave them both a translation of the Hebrew words into the Chaldee and an exposition of the things contained in them and of the duty incumbent upon the people by vertue of them the declaration whereof was a great part of the Priests work Mal. 2. 7. 9 And Nehemiah which is ‖ Or the governour Ezra 2. 63. the Tirshatha and Ezra the priest the scribe and the Levites that taught the people said unto all the people * Num. 29. 1. Deut. 16. 14 15. This day is holy unto the LORD your God l To wit as a day of feasting and thanksgiving to God and rejoycing in his mercies for otherwise even fasting days were holy to God in the general though not in the sense here meant mourn not nor weep for all the people wept m when they heard the words of the law n Out of a deep sense of their great guilt and of their extream danger by reason of it 10 Then he said unto them Go your way eat the fat and drink the sweet n Feast before the Lord as the duty of the day obligeth you to do and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared o For the relief of your poor brethren who else must mourn whilest you rejoyce See of this duty and practice Deut. 16. 11 14. Esth. 9. 19. for this day is holy unto our LORD p Being the feast of trumpets Levit. 23. 24. and the beginning of this joyful month wherein so many days of feasting and thanksgiving were to be observed neither be ye sorry for the joy of the LORD is your strength q i. e. Rejoycing in God in the manner prescribed in his word or serving him with cheerfulness and thankfulness which is your duty alwaies but now especially will give you that strength both of mind and body which you greatly need both to perform all the duties required of you and to indure and oppose all the crafty counsels and malicious designs of your enemies against you whereas this dejection of mind and excessive grief if you indulge it will both oftend God and damp your spirits weaken your very bodies make you unfit for Gods service or for your own necessary occasions and so an easy prey to your enemies 11 So the Levites stilled all
the people r Whose passions being once raised could not suddenly be composed saying Hold your peace s Cease from weeping and mournful cries and turn your lamentations into thanksgivings for the day is holy neither be ye grieved 12 And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great mirth because they had understood the words that were declared unto them r Because they now knew Gods mind and their own duty which they were resolved to practise which gave them ground of hope and trust in Gods mercy and consequently of great and just joy 13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people the priests and the Levites u Chusing rather to confess their ignorance for their edification then vainly to pretend to more knowledge than they had wherein they shew both true humility and serious godliness that they were more careful to learn and practice their duty than to preserve their reputation with the people unto Ezra the scribe even ‖ Or that they might instruct in the words of the law to understand the words of law x That they might more exactly understand the meaning of some things which they had heard before and so instruct the people in them 14 And they found y Upon Ezra's information and their discourse with him written in the law which the LORD had commanded †Heb. by the hand of by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in * Lev. 23. 34. Deut. 16. 1â—… booths in the feast of the seventh month 15 And that they should publish z i. e. And they found this also written which is to be supplied out of the former verse that they should c. which though it be not particularly required so as is expressed in the words here following yet in the general is required by vertue of that precept Levit. 23 4. Numb 10. 10. And according to this translation it must be understood in the close of this verse that they did accordingly publish and proclaim c. But these words may be rendred which as this Hebrew word is rendred here v. 14. and most commonly also so the particle vau is used Isa. 6. 1. Ier. 1. 3. also they did publish c. For so they did as is evident and acknowledged and it seems fit that so much should be expressed and these words being so particular and proper to this special occasion seem to intimate that this is rather an historical relation of what they now did than a declaration of that which the law required them to do which was but in very general terms and not so exact and particular as this following precept is said to be and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem saying Go forth unto the mount a The mount of Olives which was next Ierusalem and stored with Olive-branches and probably with the rest here mentioned for these trees may seem to have been planted here abouts principally for the use of this capital City in this very feast which though long neglected should have been celebrated once every year And therefore this place seems to be here designed as the most eminent place but with an usual Synecdoche this place being put for any place nearest to the several cities of Judah where these branches were to be procured fetch olive-branches pine-branches and myrtle-branches and palm-branches and branches of thick trees b Of which see on Levit. 23. 34 Deut. 16. 13. to make booths as it is written 16 So the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths every one upon the roof of his house c For the houses there were made â—…at of which see Deut. 22. 8. and in their courts d Belonging to their own Houses for these might be any where in the open air and in the courts of the house of God and in the street of the water-gate and in the street of the gate of Ephraim e That gate of the City which led to the Tribe of Ephraim 17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths and sate under the booths for f Or surely as the Hebrew chi is oft used as hath been noted before For the following words seem not so much to give a reason of what was last said or done concerning their dwelling in booths as to contain the holy writers reflection upon the present celebration of this feast since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so g Either 1. So as to the matter or substance of the thing So it implies that all this while the feast of Tabernacles was not observed Which seems altogether improbable considering how expresly this was commanded to be celebrated Levit. 23. c. and what excellent Kings and Priests and Prophets there had been within that time such as were persons of great understanding and most expert and studious in Gods Word and therefore could not be ignorant of so plain a duty and withal so throughly pious and careful and zealous for God and the observation of his law and worship and some of them commended for their universal obedience to all Gods commands and therefore would not be guilty of so gross a neglect Besides that this feast was observed is sufficiently implied in 1 Kings 8. 2 65. 2 Chr. 7. 9. is particularly expressed Ezra 3 4. Or rather 2. So as to the manner circumstances They never kept this feast so joyfully as the next words declare having not only the same causes of rejoycing which they formerly had but some special causes to increase their joy towit the remembrance of their stupendious deliverance both out of the land of their Captivity out of the hands of their wicked malicious Neighbours ever since their return especially now when they were new building the walls of Ierusalem they never kept it so solemnly and religiously for whereas at other times only the first and last day of that feast were celebrated with an holy convocation Levit 23. 35 36. Ioh. 7. 37. now there was an holy convocation and the people assembled and attended upon the reading of the law everyday of this feast as is noted in the next verse and there was very great gladness 18 Also day by day from the first day unto the last day he read in the book of the law of God h Which was commanded to be done at this feast Deut. 31. 10 11 12. though not injoyned to be done every day as now out of a singular zeal they did and they kept the feast seven days and on the eighth day was †Heb. 1 restraint a solemn assembly * Lev. 23. 36. according unto the manner CHAP. IX 1 NOW in the twenty and fourth day of this month
12 c. The people asked and he brought quails z He speaks of the first giving of Quails Exod. 16. 13. which God gave them as a refreshment notwithstanding their Sin in desiring them which he graciously pardoned and not of that second giving of Quails which God gave them in judgment Numb 11. and therefore would not have been numbered here amongst Gods favours vouchsafed to them and †Psal. 78. 24 25. satisfied them with the bread of heaven a With Manna which came out of the Air which is commonly called Heaven 41. * Exod. 17. 6. Num. 20. 11. 1 Cor. 10. 4. He opened the rock and the waters gushed out they ran in the dry places like a river b They flowed in Channels which God provided for them and followed the Israelites in their March as is noted 1 Cor. 10. 4. Hence they complained no more of want of Water till they came to Kadesh Numb 20. which was many Years after this time 42. For he remembered * Gen. 15. 14. his holy promise and Abraham c Or rather with as this Particle is oft used Abraham made with or to Abraham his servant 43. And he brought forth his people with joy and his chosen with †Heb. singing gladness 44. * Deut. 6. 10 11. Josh. 3. 17. And gave them the land of the heathen and they inherited the labour of the people d The Fruits of their labour their Cities Vineyards Oliveyards c. 45. ‖ Deut. 4. 1. 40. 6. 24 25. That they might observe his statutes and keep his laws Praise ye the Lord. PSAL. CVI. This Psalm was unquestionably composed in the time of the Israelites Captivity and Dispersion as is manifest from v. 47. but whether it was that of Babylon or some other of a later date is neither easie nor necessary to determine 1. †Heb. Hallelujah PRaise ye the Lord O * 1 Chr. 16. 34. Psal. 107. 1. 118. 1. 1â—…6 1. give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever a He deserves our Praises notwithstanding all our sufferings which are not to be imputed to him for he is Gracious and Merciful but only to our own Sins 2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord who can shew forth all his praise b i. e. His Praise worthy actions by an usual Metonymy 3. Blessed are they that keep judgment c That observe and practise what is just and right towards God and Men which in the next clause he calls doing righteousness and he that doth righteousness at all times d In Adversity as well as in Prosperity And this clause may belong either 1. to the last foregoing Words that doth righteousness at all times constantly and perpetually Or rather 2. to the first Words they are blessed at all times even in the Day of their calamity which therefore ought not to hinder us from this great and just Duty of praising God And so this verse coheres with the former 4 Remember me e Or us for he speaks here in the name and on the behalf of the whole Nation as is evident from v. 6 7 47. of which he oft speaks as of one Person O Lord with the favour †Heb. of thy People that thou be arest unto thy people f With those favours and blessings which thou dost usually and peculiarly give to thy People such as the pardon of all our Sins by which we have procured our present miseries and a compleat deliverance and that improved to thy praise and glory as well as to our own comfort as is clearly implyed v. 47. O visit me with thy salvation g Give me that salvation or deliverance which thou hast promised and which none but thou canst give 5. That I may see h i. e. Enjoy as the next clause explains it and as this word is frequently used the good of thy chosen i Of thy chosen People which thou usest to give to thine Elect or to such as are Israelites indeed that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation k With such joy as thou hast formerly afforded unto thy beloved Nation or People that I may glory l That we may have occasion to glory in Gods Goodness towards us with thine inheritance m Either in the Congregation of thy People that we thy People may jointly and solemnly praise thy Name Or as thy People who are commonly called Gods inheritance in former ages have frequently done for the Particle with is sometimes used as a Note of comparison as it is in the very next Verse and Iob 9. 26. Eccles. 2. 16. 7. 11. 6. * Dan. 9. 5. We have sinned with our fathers n As our Fathers did and have not been made wiser or better by their examples as we should have been we have committed iniquity we have done wickedly 7. Our fathers understood not o Or considered not to wit so as to be rightly affected with them to give thee that Love and Praise and Trust and Obedience which they deserved and required thy wonders in Egypt they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies †Exod. 14. 11 12. but provoked him at the sea even at the Red sea p When those wonders of thy Power and Goodness in Egypt were but newly done and fresh in memory 8. Nevertheless he saved them for his names-sake q That he might glorifie his name and vindicate it from the Blasphemous 〈◊〉 which the Egyptians and others would have cast upon it if they had been destroyed This Argument was urged by Moses Numb 14. 13 c. ‖ Exod. 9. 16. that he might make his mighty power to be known 9. * Exod. 14. 21. He rebuked the Red sea also and it was dried up so he led them through the †Psal. 136. 13. Isa. 63. 11 12 13. depths as through the wilderness r As securely as if they had walked upon the dry Land 10. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them s Of Pharaoh who pursued them with cruel Rage and Hatred and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy 11. * Exod. 14. â—… 15. 5. And the waters covered their enemies there was not one of them left 12. ‖ Exod. 14. 31. 15. 1. Then believed they his words they sang his praise 13. * Exod. 15. 24. 17. 2. †Heb. they made hast they forgat They soon t Even within three days Exod. 15. 22 23. forgat his works they waited not for his counsel u They did not wait patiently and believingly upon God for supplies from his hand in such manner and time as he in his own counsel had appointed and thought fit 14. * Num. 11. 4. 33. 1 Cor. 10. 6. But †Heb. lusted iâ—… lust lusted exceedingly
LORD for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever PSAL. CXIX The Author of this Psalm was David which I know none that deny and of which there is no just reason to doubt The scope and design of it is manifest to commend the serious and diligent study and the stedfast belief and the constant practice of Gods Word as incomparably the best counsellor and comforter in the world and as the onely way to true blessedness And this he confirmeth by his own example which he proposeth to them for their imitation and he declareth the great and frequent experience which he had of its admirable sweetness and manifold benefits in all conditions and especially in the times of his distresses And because it was an hard thing rightly to understand this Word in all its parts and harder to put it in practice he therefore intermixeth many prayers to God for his help therein thereby directing and encouraging others to take the same course And because this Psalm was very large and the matter of it of greatest importance the Psalmist thought fit to divide it into two and twenty several parts according to the number of the Hebrew Letters that so he might both prevent tediousness and fix it in the memory It is further observable that the Word of God is here diversly called by the names of Law Statutes Precepts or Commandments Iudgments Ordinances Righteousness Testimonies Way and Word By which variety he designed to express the nature and the great perfection and manifold parts and uses of Gods Word Which is called his Word as proceeding from his mouth and revealed by him to us his way as prescribed by him for us to walk in his Law as binding us to obedience his Statutes as declaring his Authority and Power of giving us Laws his Precepts as declaring and directing our duty his Ordinances as ordained and appointed by him his Righteousness as exactly agreeable to Gods righteous Nature and Will his Iudgments as proceeding from the great Judge of the World and being his Judicial Sentence to which all men must submit and his Testimonies as it contains the witnesses of Gods mind and will and of mans duty And there are very few of these 176 verses contained in this Psalm in which one or other of these Titles is not found ALEPH. 1 BLessed are the ‖ Or perfect or sincere undefiled a Or the perfect or sincere as this word properly and most frequently signifies such whose hearts and course of life agrees with their profession in the way b Either 1. in their way or course of life which in Scripture is oft called a mans way or 2. in the way of the Lord as it seems to be explained by the next clause who walk in the law of the LORD c Who order their lives according to the rule of Gods Law or Word 2 Blessed are they that keep d In mind and heart that carefully and diligently observe his testimonies e His precepts For the reason of this and the other Titles of Gods Word see the Argument or Preface to this Psalm and that †Heb. they will seek him So Gr. seek him f To wit the Lord expressed v. 1. that seek his presence and favour and acquaintance with the whole heart g Sincerely industriously and servently above all other things This is opposed to hypocrifie and sloth and lukewarmness in Religion 3 They also do no iniquity r Or are not workers of iniquity i. e. do not knowingly and resolvedly and industriously and customarily continue in sinful courses So this phrase is understood Ioh 31. 3. 34. 8. Psal. 5. 5. 6. 8. 125. 5. Prov. 10. 29. Luke 13. 27. otherwise there is not a just man upon earth that sinneth not Eccles. 7. 20. they walk s This is their constant practice and the general course of their lives which is commonly signified by walking as Psal. 1. 1. and every where in his ways t In the paths which God hath prescribed to them 4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently u Not is it strange that thy people do so exactly and diligently observe and practise thy precepts because they are commanded so to do by thee their Soveraign Lord. 5 O that x My desires answer thy commands my ways were directed y Or established to wit by thy Grace and holy Spirit for the direction of Gods word he had already to keep thy statutes 6 Then shall I not be * Ver. 80. ashamed z Either of my actions or of my profession of Religion or of my hope and confidence in thy favour When sinners shall be ashamed both here Rom. 6. 21. and hereafter Dan. 12. 2. I having the conscience of mine own integrity shall lift up my head with courage and boldness both before men when they either accuse or persecute me and before God in the day of judgment as it is said 1 Ioh. 4. 17. when I have respect a A due and true respect which implies high valuation hearty affection diligent study and common practice unto all thy commandments b So as not to be partial in my obedience not to allow my self in the practice of any known fin or in the neglect of any known duty 7 I will * Ver. 171. praise thee c i. e. Worship thee one eminent duty of Gods worship being put for all as is frequent in Scripture with uprightness of heart d Or with a right mind or heart in a right manner so as may be acceptable to thee and beneficial to my self when I shall have learned †Heb. judgments of thy righteousness thy righteous judgments e When by thy good Spirit I shall be more fully instructed in the meaning of thy Word which is the onely rule of thy Worship for want of a sound knowledge whereof many persons run into superstitious or erroneous practices 8 I will keep thy statutes f It is my full purpose to do so whatsoever it cost me O forsake me not utterly g Not totally and finally for then I shall fall into the foulest sins and greatest mischief Not that he was contented to be forsaken in the least degree but this he more especially deprecates as he had great reason to do BETH 9 Wherewithal shall a young man h Or any man But he names the young man because such are commonly void of wisdom and experience heady and wilful and impatient of admonition full of violent passions and strong lusts and exposed to many and great temptations cleanse his way i Reform his life or purge himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit by taking heed thereto according to thy word k By a diligent and circumspect watch over himself and the examination and regulation of all his actions by the rules of thy Word 10 With my whole heart have I
e There is much cruelty mixed even with their most merciful actions when they pretend or intend to shew mercy Heb. the Bowels of the c. those very Bowels which in others are the seat of pity in him are hardned and shut up and onely stir him up to cruelty In stead of that Mercy which is natural to other men he hath nothing but cruelty Their Mercies are here said to be cruel as the foolishness and weakness of God are said to be wise and strong 1 Cor. 1. 25. 11. * Ch. 28. 19. He that tilleth his land f That employeth his time and strength in an honest calling shall be satisfied with bread but he that followeth vain persons g That useth their society and idle course of living is void of understanding h Shall through his own folly want Bread 12. The wicked desireth ‖ Or the fortress the net of evil men i He approveth and useth those cunning and deceitful arts which wicked men use like Nets to ensnare other men and to take their goods to themselves Or he desireth the Fortress of wicked men or of wickedness i. e. he seeks to fortifie and stablish himself by wicked practices but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit k That Justice and Piety in which he is rooted and which is the root of his actions doth of it self without the aid of any indirect and sinful courses yield him sufficient fruit both for his own need and to do good to others But because the word fruit is not in the Hebrew and may seem to be too great a supplement it is and may be rendred thus the root of the Righteous giveth it to wit that Fortress or security which others seek in wickedness 13. †Heb. the snare of the wicked is in the transgression of Lips * Ch. 18. 7. The wicked is snared l i. e. Brought into trouble by the transgression of his lips m By his wicked speeches against God and men but the just shall come out of trouble n To wit by his wise and holy and in offensive speeches whereby he pacifieth men and gaineth God's favour and protection 14. * Ch. 13. 2. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth o By his pious and profitable Discourses and the recompense of a mans hands p i. e. Of his works and actions of which the hand is the great instrument Whereby also may be implied that God will not regard nor recompence good words unless they be accompanied with a good conversation shall be rendred unto him q To wit by God to whom the work of retribution belongs 15. * Ch. 3. 7. The way of a fool r The counsel and course which his own mind suggests to him in the ordering of his affairs is right in his own eyes s Highly pleaseth him so that he neglects and despiseth the opinions and advices of others but he that hearkeneth unto counsel t That distrusteth his own judgment and seeketh counsel from others is wise 16. A fools wrath is †Heb. in that day presently known u By his rash words and indecent actions whereby he exposeth himself to shame but a prudent man covereth shame x Either 1. the shame or reproach or injury done to him by others which he concealeth and beareth with patience and passeth by as his duty and interest obligeth him to do Or 2. his own shame to which the â—…olly of rash anger would have betrayed him 17. * Ch. 13. 5. 14. 5. He that speaketh truth y Heb. He that will speak truth i. e. he who accustometh himself to speak truth in common conversation for the future Tense in the Hebrew Tongue oft notes a continued act or habit sheweth forth righteousness z To wit as a witness in publick judgment he will speak nothing but what is true and just you may depend upon his Testimony but a false witness deceit a He who useth himself to lying in his common talk will use falseshood and deceit in judgment 18. * Ps. 57. 4. 59. 7. There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword b Hurtful and pernicious words whereby they either corrupt mens minds and manners or scandalize them or injure them in their Reputation Estate or Life or otherwise but the tongue of the wise is ‖ Or healing So Gr. health c His speech both in judgment and in common discourse is found and wholesom in it self and tending to the comfort and benefit of others 19. The lip of truth shall be established for ever but a lying tongue is but for a moment d The speaker of truth is constant and always agreeable to himself and his words the more and longer they are tried the more doth the truth of them appear whereas Liars though they may make a fair shew for a season yet are easily and quickly convicted of falshood 20. Deceit e Either 1. towards others whom they design to deceive and then to destroy whilst good Counsellers bring safety and joy to others Or rather 2. to themselves So the sense of the Verse is They whose hearts devise mischief against others shall be deceived in their hopes and bring that trouble upon themselves which they design against others but they who by good counsels labour to promote the Peace and Happiness of others shall reap the comfort and benefit of it to themselves is in the heart of them that imagine evil but to the counsellors of peace is joy 21. There shall no evil happen to the just but the wicked shall be filled with mischief f Either 1. of sin or rather 2. of suffering or mischief as the next clause explains this No such evil shall befall them as doth commonly befall the wicked who are filled or overwhelmed and utterly destroyed by it whereas good men are supported under their troubles and shall be delivered out of them and receive much benefit by them 22. * 〈◊〉 6. 17. Lying lips are an a bomination to the LORD but they that †〈◊〉 do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 21. deal truly g That speak and act sincerely and truly He implies that although lying lips alone are sufficient to purchase Gods hatred yet truth in a mans speech is not sufficient to procure Gods favour unless there be also Truth and Justice in his actions are his delight 23. * 〈◊〉 13. 16. 〈◊〉 15. 2. A prudent man concealeth knowledge h He doth not vain-gloriously and unseasonably utter what he knows but keeps it in his breast till he hath a fit occasion to bring it forth for Gods Glory and the good of others but the heart of Fools proclaimeth foolishness i Whilest he makes ostentation of his knowledge he betrays his Ignorance and Folly Compare Eccles. 10. 3. 24. * 〈◊〉 10. 4.
utterly lost as to them and enjoyed by others See Eccles. 2. 21. For otherwise that there are future rewards after death is asserted by Solomon elsewhere as we have seen and shall hereafter see for the memory of them is forgotten b To wit amongst living men and even in those places where they had lived in great power and glory as was noted Ch. 8. 10. 6 Also their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished b They neither love nor hate nor envy any Person or thing in this World but are now altogether unconcerned in all things done under the Sun neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun c In any worldly thing By which limitation he sufficiently insinuates his belief of their portion in the other World 7 Go thy way d Make this use of what I have said * Ch. 8. 1â—… eat thy e Thine own the fruit of thy own labours not what thou takest unjustly from others bread f Necessary and convenient food By which he excludes excess with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart g Chearfully and thankfully enjoy thy comforts avoiding all distracting care and grief for the occurrences of this World for God now accepteth thy works h Is gracious to thee hath blessed thy labours with success and alloweth thee a comfortable enjoyment of his blessings 8 Let thy garments be always i In all convenient times and circumstances for there are times of mourning Eccles. 3. 4. 7. 2. Compare Prov. 5. 19. white k Decent and splendid as far as is suitable to thy condition The Eastern People of the best sort used white Garments especially in times of rejoycing as Esth 8. 15. Compare Revel 3 4 5. 6. 11. But by this whiteness of Garments he understands a pleasant and chearful conversation and let thy head lack no ointment l Which upon joyful occasions was poured upon men Heads Amos. 6. 6. Luk. 7. 46. Ioh. 12. 3. 9 †Heb. see or enjoy life Live joyfully with the wise whom thou lovest m So he limits him to lawful delights Whereby it is evident that Solomon doth not speak this in the Person of an Epicure as some understand it all the days of the life of thy vanity n Of this vain and frail life Which expression he industriously useth to moderate mens affections even towards lawful pleasures and to mind them of their duty and interest in making sure of a better life and more solid comforts which he hath given thee under the sun all the days of thy vanity * Ch. 2. 10. 24. 3. 1â—… 5. 18. for that is thy portion o Allowed to thee by God and the best part of worldly enjoyments in this life p By which addition he is again admonishing him of seeking another portion in the future life and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do q What thou hast opportunity and ability to do in the duties of thy calling and in order to thy comfort and benefit do it with all thy might r With unwearied diligence and vigour and expedition Whereby he again discovers that he doth not persuademen to an idle and sensual life but onely to a sober enjoyment of his comforts in God's fear and with an industrious prosecution of his vocation for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the †Heb. 〈◊〉 So Gr. grave s Thou canst neither design nor act any thing there tending to thy own comfort or advantage Therefore slip not thine onely season whither thou goest 11 I returned and saw t This may have some respect to the foregoing Verse For having pressed men to labour with all their might he now adds by way of caution that yet they must not be confident of their own strength as if they were sure of success by it but in all and above all to look up to God for his blessing without which all their endeavours will be vain But it seems chiefly to be added either 1. as another instance of the liberty and power of God's Providence in the disposal of humane affairs of which he spake above v. 1 2 3. Or 2. as another of the vanities of this present life under the sun that the race u Either ability to run or success and victory in running is not to the swift nor the battle x The victory in Battle to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding y Who yet are most likely both to get and to keep riches nor yet favour z Good acceptance and love from men to men of skill a Who know how to manage themselves and all affairs whereby they are necessary and serviceable to others and therefore most likely to find favour in their eyes but time and chance happeneth to them all b There are some times or seasons unknown and casual to men but certain and determined by God in which alone he will give men success 12 For man also knoweth not his time c To wit the time of his death or of some other sore distress which God is bringing upon him Which is opposed to the time of success mentioned in the foregoing Verse and man is said to be ignorant both of the one and of the other as the fishes that are taken in an evil net d That whilst they are sporting and feeding themselves are suddenly and unexpectedly ensnared to their ruine and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men * 〈◊〉 29. 6. 〈◊〉 12. 20 snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them e When they are most careless and secure 13 This wisdom have I seen f I have observed this among many other instances and effects of Wisdom Which he seems to add for the commendation of Wisdom notwithstanding its insufficiency for Man's safety and happiness without God's blessing also under the sun and it seemed great unto me g I judged it very praise-worthy though others despised it as it follows 14 There was a little city h It matters not whether this was a real History or onely a parable to represent the common practices of men in such cases and few men within it and there came a great king against it and besieged it and built great bulwarks against it 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdom delivered the city yet no man remembred that same poor man i He was soon neglected and his great service so far from being recompenced according to its merit that both it and he were quite forgotten Which may be noted as another great vanity 16 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 1â—…
13. 2. or upon one in extream necessity who might possibly have perished both in Soul and Body if thou hadst not comforted and relieved him Or one time thou maist give with more sincere Intention and with more tender compassion than another time and so one will be more right and more acceptable to God than the other either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good u Equally successful to the receiver or to the giver 7 Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun x It cannot be denied that this present Life which is called light Iob 3. 20. 33. 30. Psal. 56. 13. and which is expressed Synecdochically by seeing the Sun Eccl. 6. 5. 7. 11. is in itself a great blessing and very desirable but it is not perpetual nor satisfactory which is here implied and expressed in the nexâ—… verse 8 But if a man live many years y Which is a priviledge granted but to few persons comparatively and rejoice in them all z And suppose he enjoy all the comforts and escape all the imbitterments of humane Life all his days which also is a great rarity yet let him remember a It is his Duty and Interest seriously to consider the days of darkness b Of death or of the state of the dead which is oft expressed by darkness as Iob 10. 21. Psal. 88. 12. c. and here is opposed to the foregoing Light for they shall be many c i. e. Far more than the days of this short Life especially if to the time of lying in the Grave be added that greater and utter darkness which is reserved for impenitent sinners and which is everlasting Mat. 22. 13. 25. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 17. Iud. v. 13. And this is added for the caution of mankind that they may not rejoice excessively in nor content themselves with the happiness of the present Life but may seek for somthing more durable and more satisfactory All that cometh d All things which befall any man belonging only to this Life whether they be comfortable or vexatious they are but vain and inconsiderable because they are short and transitory is vanity 9 Rejoice e This verse is to be understood either 1. As a serious Advice to this purpose seeing Life is short and transitory improve it to the best advantage take comfort in it whilest you may only do it with moderation and the fear of God Or rather 2. As an Ironical concession such as are usual both in Scripture as 1 Kin. 18. 27. 22. 15. Ezek. 28. 3 4. Mat. 26. 45. and in other Authors For this agrees much better with the context and with the Expressions here used And so the sense is I foresee what evil use some men will make of what I have now said Things being thus Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we shall die as they also reasoned 1 Cor. 15. 32. O young man f He speaks to young Men particularly because they have both the greatest ability and the strongest Inclinations to pursue sensual pleasures and are most impatient either of Restraint or Admonition in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee g Indulge thy frolick and jolly humour and take thy fill of delights in the days of thy youth and walk in the way of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes h Whatsoever thine Eye or Heart lusteth after deny it not to them as this Phrase is taken Num. 15. 39. nor is it ever used in a good sense Compare Iob 31. 7. Psal. 81. 12. Ier. 18. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 14. 1 Ioh. 2. 16. but know thou i But in the midst of thy feastings and jollity it will become thee if thou art a reasonable Creature to consider thy reckoning and whether thou dost not purchase thy Gold too dear that for all these things k For all thy â—…ollies and sinful Lusts which thou sleightest as tricks of youth God will bring thee into judgment l Will force thee to appear before his Judgment-seat to give a serious account of all thy youthful and exorbitant courses and to receive that sentence which thy own Conscience will then say thou dost justly deserve And if thou likest thy sensuality upon these terms much good may it do thee I do not envy thee nor desire to partake of thy delicates 10 Therefore remove ‖ Or anger sorrow m i. e. Sensual and disorderly Lusts which he elegantly and emphatically calls sorrow with respect to the foregoing words to intimate that although such practices do at present gratifie and delight mens Senses and vain Minds yet they will shortly and certainly bring a man to intollerable and eternal sorrows which it is thy Wisdom to prevent m Or as it is rendred in the margent and by divers others anger a passion to which men are most prone in the heat of youth Whereby he may understand either anger against him for this sharp admonition or rather against God who hath laid such severe restraints upon them and threatens such punishments to them for following their own natural Inclinations So the sense is do not quarrel with thy Judge but submit and make thy Peace with him by declaring War against all thy Sins from thy heart and put away evil n All evil Concupiscences or Lusts which though now they seem good to thee will another day appear to be very evil and bitter things from thy flesh o From thy bodily members Which he mentions not exclusively as if he would allow them their spiritual evils but emphatically because young men to whom he is here speaking are most given to fleshly or bodily Lusts. for childhood and youth are vanity p i. e. Most vain either 1. In their temper and dispositions Young men are frothy and foolish and inconsiderate whereby they run into manifold dangers and therefore they shall do well to hearken to the Counsels of those who by their greater Wisdom and Experience are more capable Judges of these matters Or 2. In their condition The time of Youth is vanishing and transitory and Old-age and Death will speedily come against which every man in his wits will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts CHAP. XII 1 * Pro. 22. 6. REmember a To wit practically or so as to fear and love and faithfully serve and worship him which when men do not they are said to forget God Psal. 9. 17. 106. 21. and in many other places now thy Creator b The first Author and continual Preserver of thy Life and Being and of all the perfections and enjoyments which accompany it to whom thou hast the highest and strongest obligations to do so and upon whom thou hast a constant and necessary dependance and therefore to forget him is most unnatural and inhumane and disingenuous in the days
signifies the duties which one man oweth to another but here it seems to signifie the Duties which men owe to God as it is explained in the following verses for my salvation c That eminent Salvation by the Messiah so largely promised and insisted upon in the foregoing Chapters for which it behoves you to prepare your selves and in which without this condition you shall have no share nor benefit is near to come d So the Scripture useth to speak of things which are at a great distance as if they were present or at hand See Habak 2. 3. Iam. 5. 8 9. Rev. 22. 20. and my righteousness e The same thing which he now called Salvation and here calleth his Righteousness because it is an evident demonstration of Gods Righteousness as in the fulfilling of his promises so in the punishment of sin and in the salvation of sinners upon just and honourable terms to be revealed 2 Blessed is the man f Every man not only Jews but Gentiles or Strangers as it is explained in the following Verses that doth this g Judgment and Justice mentioned v. 1. and the son of man that layeth hold on it that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it i That guardeth the Sabbath from profanation that doth not defile it either by forbidden practices or by the neglect of commanded duties And though Sabbath seems to be put here as Sacrifice is elsewhere Synecdochically for the whole Worship of God whereof this is an eminent part and the bond of all the rest and keepeth his hand k Which being the great instrument of Action is put for all the kinds and means of Action from doing any evil l To wit to ones Neighbour as it is more fully expressed Psal. 15. 3. h Or that holdeth it fast that is resolute and constant in so doing that not only begins well but perseveres in it 3 Neither let the son of a stranger m The stranger as the son of man is the same with the man v. 2. the Gentile who by Birth is a stranger to God and to the Common-Wealth of Israel that hath joined himself to the LORD n That hath turned from dumb Idols to the living God and to the true Religion for such shall be as acceptable to me as the Israelites themselves and the partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles shall be taken down and Repentance and Remission of sins shall be preached and offered to men of all Nations speak saying The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people neither let the eunuch o Who is here joined with the stranger because he was forbidden to enter into the Congregation of the Lord Deut. 23. 1. as the stranger was and by his barrenness might seem no less than the stranger to be cast out of Gods Covenant and cut off from his People to whom the blessing of a numerous Posterity was promised And under these two Instances he understands all those persons who either by Birth or by any Ceremonial Pollution were excluded from the participation of Church priviledges and so he throws open the door to all true Believers without any restriction whatsoever say Behold I am a dry tree p A sapless and fruitless Tree accursed by God with the curse of barrenness which being oft threatned as a Curse and being a matter of Reproach among the Jews might easily occasion such discouraging thoughts as are here expressed 4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths and choose the things that please me q That observe my commands not by custom or force or fear but by free choice and full consent with love to them and delight in them and take hold of my covenant r That resolvedly and steadfastly keep the conditions of my Covenant 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house s In my Temple to serve me there as Priests which Eunuchs were not allowed to do Lev. 21. 17 c. Deut. 23. 1. and within my walls t In the Courts of my Temple which were encompassed with Walls This seems to be added with respect to the People who were admitted into the Court but not into the House it self a place and a name better than of sons and daughters u A far greater Blessing and Honour than that of having posterity which was but a temporal Mercy and that common to the worst of men even my Favour and my Spirit and eternal Felicity I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off 6 Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the LORD x That with purpose of heart cleave unto him as is said Act. 11. 23. to serve him and to love the name of the LORD y To serve him out of love to him and to his Worship to be his servants every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my covenant 7 Even them will I * Ch. 2. 2. bring to my holy mountain z To my house as it is explained in the following clause which stood upon Mount Sion largely so called including Mount Moriah Formerly the Gentiles neither had any desire to come thither nor were admitted there but now I will incline their hearts to come and I will give them admission and free liberty to come into my Church and make them joyful a By accepting their services and comforting their hearts with the sense of my Love and pouring down all sorts of blessings upon them in my house of prayer b In my Temple in and towards which Prayers are daily made and directed unto me 1 King 8. 19 28. their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar c They shall have as free access to mine House and Altar as the Jews themselves and their services shall be as acceptable to me as theirs Evangelical Worship is here described under such Expressions as agreed to the Worship of God which then was in use as it is Mal. 1. 11. and elsewhere See also Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 15. for * Mat. 21. 13. Mar. 11. 17. Luk. 19. 46. mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people d Jews and Gentiles shall have equal freedom of access to my House and shall there call upon my Name Possibly he may call it an House of Prayer either to imply that Prayer to God whereof Thanksgiving is a part is a more considerable part of Gods Worship than Sacrifice which being considered in itself is little valued by him as he frequently declareth or to signifie that in the New Testament when the Gentiles should be called all other Sacrifices should cease except that of Prayer and such like Spiritual Services Which also is confirmed from the nature of the thing For seeing Sacrifices were confined to the Temple at Ierusalem and it was impossible that all Nations should resort thither
ways 1. Sometimes by putting on Sackcloth upon their Bodies as 1 Kin. 21. 27. Ps. 69. 11. and casting ashes upon their Heads 2 Sam. 13. 19. And 2. Sometimes by spreading Sackcloth under them and lying down upon Ashes Esth. 4. 3. Iob 2. 8. The Intent of Sackcloth was to afflict the Body by its unpleasing harshness and of Ashes to represent their own vileness as being but Dust and Ashes their putting of them on might note their uneasiness under sin and laying on them their self-abhorrency shaming themselves for it Quer. Are such Rites now convenient on a day of Humiliation to help us in our afflicting of our selves Answ. Gospel Services neither require them or need them respecting more the Inward afflicting of the Soul with godly sorrow and deep contrition yet may they carry this instruction along with them that our Ornaments our best and gawdy Apparel ought to be laid aside as not suiting either the ground and cause or the end and design of days of Humiliation wilt thou call a i. e. Canst thou upon a rational account as a meer man call it so Canst thou think suppose or believe it to be so this a fast b It being such an one as hath nothing in it but the lifeless skeleton and dumb signs of a Fast nothing of deep Humiliation appearing in it or real Reformation proceeding from it Not that the Prophet blames them for these external Rites in this outward way of afflicting themselves For this he commands Lev. 23. 27 31 32. and appoints certain Rites to be used Lev. 16. 19 21. And these particular Rites were frequent in their solemn Humiliations 1 Kin. 21. 27. Esth. 4. 3. Dan. 9. 3. used also by the Heathen Ion. 3. 5 6. See Mat. 11. 21. But that which he condemns is their Hypocrisie in separating true Humiliation from them for bodily exercise profiteth little 1 Tim. 4 8. and an acceptable day to the LORD c A day that God will approve of as before Heb. a day of acceptance or that will turn to a good account on your behalf y Here the Prophet sets down those extâ—…al gestures and postures in particular which they did join with â—…eir hypocritical fasts as he had mentioned it before in general To bow down bowing is the posture of Mourners Psal. 35. 14. and here it is either as if through weakness of Body their Heads did hang down or counterfeitly to represent the posture of true penitents moving sometimes their Heads this way and that way as the word signifieth not unlike the ballance of a Clock as the Bullrush moved by the Wind boweth itself down waving to and fro in a kind of circular or semicircular motion the contrary motion of lifting up the Head being an Indication of Pride ch 3. 16. It is the guise of Hypocrites to put on affected Countenances Mat. 6. 16. 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen d Or approve as before v. 5. or ought not such a Fast to be accompanied with such things as these where he is now about to shew the concomitants of a true Fast with reference to the thing in hand namely to exercise works of Charity consisting partly in acts of Self-denial in this Verse and partly in doing good to those in distress in the next In this verse he instanceth in some particulars and closeth with a general to loose the bands of wickedness e viz. The cruel obligations of Usury and Oppression to undo †Heb. the bundles of the yoke the heavy burdens f Heb. bundles a Metaphor possibly pointing at those many bundles of Writings as Bills Bonds Mortgages and acknowledgments which the Usurers had lying by them The former may relate to unjust and unlawful Obligations extorted by force or fear which he would have cancelled This latter to just Debts contracted through Poverty and necessity the rigour whereof he would have abated whether by reason of loans upon too hard conditions called a drawing them into a net Psal. 10. 9. and so much is implied Prov. 6. 5. or under too hard circumstances whether they were loans of Food or money of which the People so bitterly complained Neh. 5. 1 2 3 4. and is expresly forbid Exod. 22. 25. For Debts may be called Burdens 1. Because they lie as a great load upon the Debtors Spirits under which who ever can walk up and down easily doth not so much excel in fortitude as in folly 2. Because they usually introduce Poverty Slavery Imprisonment c. and * Jer. 34. 9. to let the †Heb. broken oppressed h Heb. broken i. e. like a bruised Reed so crushed and weakned that they have no consistency or ability either to satisfie their Creditors or support themselves and we usually call such insolvent persons broken that cannot look upon themselves to be sui juris but wholly at anothers Mercy you have the same kind of oppression and the same words used Amos 4. 1. go free g Either in a large sense viz. any ways grieved or vexed whether by the gripings of Usury or the bondage of Slavery accompanied with cruel usage or more peculiarly according to some relating to their being confined and shut up in Prisons which latter sense the word free may possibly seem to favour the former being comprised in that general expression that follows of breaking every yoke and that ye break every yoke i Namely That is grievous a Metaphor i. e. free them from all sorts of Vexation whatever it is that held them under any Bondage the LXX refer it to Bonds and Writings But it seems more general the word properly signifies that stick or cord that holds both ends of the yoke that it spring not out or fall off from the neck on which it is laid Exod. 25. 14. where the same word is used for staves and called the bands of the Yoke Lev. 26. 13. I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you go upright the same thing that God would have them do here 7 Is it k Viz. The Fast that pleaseth me supplied from the former verse having shewed the evil they are to abstain from in order to an acceptable Fast viz. cruelty he here speaks of the duty that is required viz. Mercy as a manifestation of Repentance Dan. 4. 27. Luk. 19. 8. For there are two parts of Justice one to do no man wrong the other to do good to all Which two ought always to accompany each other and cannot be parted especially in acts of Humiliation and as by those evils mentioned he understands all other evil whatsoever that they are to be abstained from as the consequence of a day of Humiliation so under these duties mentioned are comprised all the duties that we are to set upon as the effect of true Repentance and he instanceth rather in those of the second Table than those of the first not that they are to be neglected but