2.16 Zach. 7.3 1 Cor. 7.5 16. Thunders c. These were so many tokens of the great and terrible Majesty of God who therefore ought to be feared and obeyed 18. Mount Sinai Deut. 4.11 Descended Vid. v. 11. In fire Hence the Law might be called a fiery Law Deut. 33.3 19. Moses spake So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12.21 21. Charge Heb. contest Break through Namely by going beyond the bounds which were set See v. 12. 22. Priests Aaron and his Sons were not yet set a-part to the Priesthood as is generally supposed Yet see the Note on ch 18.12 And therefore by Priests here we may understand those who ministred in Holy things before Aaron and his Sons were consecrated And these are supposed to be the first-born ch 13.2 who are called young men ch 24.5 And what is rendred young men elsewhere signifies Ministers or those who serve 2 Kings 19.6 That come near to the LORD Who come near to minister unto the Lord. The Priest by vertue of his Office is placed between God and the People for whom he prays and offers Sacrifice unto God 23. Cannot come up i. e. They are sufficiently warned already of the danger of passing the bounds 24. Thou and Aaron Ch. 24.1 CHAP. XX. The ARGUMENT The Ten Commandments The People are in great fear Moses comforts them Idolatry is forbidden Rules concerning the Altar on which they should sacrifice 1. AND God spake all these words saying 2. I am the LORD thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth 5. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me 6. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain 8. Remember the sabbath-sabbath-day to keep it holy 9. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work 10. But the seventh is the sabbath of the LORD thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid servant nor thy cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gates 11. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath-day and hallowed it 12. Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee 13. Thou shalt not kill 14. Thou shalt not commit adultery 15. Thou shalt not steal 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour 17. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant nor his ox nor his ass nor any thing that is thy neighbours 18. And all the people saw the thundrings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoaking and when the people saw it they removed and stood a-far off 19. And they said unto Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die 20. And Moses said unto the people Fear not for God is come to prove you and that his fear may be before your faces that ye sin not 21. And the people stood a-far off and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was 22. And the LORD said unto Moses Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven 23. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold 24. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings and thy peace-offerings thy sheep and thine oxen In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee 25. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone thou shalt not build it of hewn stone for if thou lift up thy tool upon it thou hast polluted it 26. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon 1. ALL these words i. e. All these Precepts which follow These are called the ten Words or Commandments ch 34.28 The Hebrew which we render Words is observed to signifie Precepts See Deut. 18.19 2. I am the LORD c. Deut. 5.6 Psal 81.10 This Verse contains the Preface to the following laws and therein very powerfull arguments to gain their attention and obedience Viz. I. From the Excellency of the Person who Commands The Lord. II. His Relation to them whom he commands Thy God III. His Mercy bestowed on them Which have brought thee c. Bondage Heb. Servants 3. Thou shalt have Or There shall not be unto thee Before me Or besides me As the Chaldee and Greek render it This third Verse contains the first Commandment and teacheth that there is one God and he alone is to be worshipped saith Josephus Antiq. Judaic l. 3. c. 4. 4. Thou shalt not c. Levit. 26.1 Psal 97.7 There being Ten of these Commandments ch 34.28 This must be the second as Josephus rightly affirms See this farther proved in the Notes on v. 17. 5. A jealous God Idolatry is frequently expressed by Whoredom Deut. 31.16 Jer. 3.9 And God is said to be an husband to his People Jer. 2.2 Hos 2.19 And in proportion and conformity hereunto God's displeasure against Idolatry is expressed by Jealousy which is says Solomon the rage of a man Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance c. Prov. 6.34 This is here added to deterr Men from Idolatry And is a powerfull Argument to keep Men from the appearance and suspicion of this Sin Children That are rebellious says the Chaldee Third and fourth So long the Idolaters may be supposed to live and be punished in their Children Of them that hate me That is of Idolaters who are especially the haters of God Vid. Mor. Nevochim p. 1. c. 36. 6. And keep c. The keeping God's Commandments being the best argument that we love him 7. Thou shalt not c. Levit. 19.12 Deut. 5.11 Matt. 5.33 Thou shalt not swear falsely nor lightly and commonly but greatly reverence the Holy Name of God Not hold him guiltless i. e. He will severely punish More is understood than is expressed vid. 1 Cor. 10.5 8. To keep it holy i. e. To separate
veil i. e. In the Holy Place before the Veil which was between that and the Holy of Holies ch 26.33 Mercy-seat Ch. 25.17 Where I will meet with thee I will be known unto thee there say the Greek 7. Sweet incense Heb. Incense of spices A Symbol of fervent and devout Prayers Ps 141.2 Rev. 5.8 and 8.3 When the Priest went in to offer Incense the People prayed without Luk. 1.10 8. Lighteth Or Setteth up Heb. Causeth to ascend At even Heb. Between the two evens Perpetual Without intermission which recommends to us constant times of Prayer at least every Morning and Evening 9. Strange incense i. e. Incense of another Composition than what is appointed v. 34. Nor burnt-sacrifice c. Which were to be offered upon the Altar of Brass appointed for that purpose 10. Make an atonement c. By the Blood of the Sin-offering he shall cleanse it from the pollution which it contracts because of the transgressions of the People Lev. 16.16 18. Once in the year That is on the day of Expiation the tenth day of the seventh Month Lev. 16.29 Most holy Ch. 23.37 12. When c. Num. 1.2 5. Their number Heb. Them that are to be numbered A ransom for his soul Or For his Life This was an homage paid to God as an acknowledgement of his redeeming them No plague As happened in David's time after he had numbred the People 13. After the shekel of the sanctuary Possibly in the Sanctuary the Standards were kept by which other Weights and Measures were to be examined though some have thought that the Expression implies a difference between the Common and Sacred Shekel A shekel c. Lev. 27.25 Num. 3.47 Ezek. 45.12 15. The rich c. Riches being of no account with God Give more Heb. Multiply Give less Heb. Diminish 18. The altar That is the Brazen-altar 20. That they die not viz. By the hand of God as Aaron's Sons did Lev. 20.2 23. Principal spices The best of the kind 24. Of the sanctuary See v. 13. An hin Vid. Ch. 29.40 25. An oyl Which signifies the Gifts of the Holy Spirit Act. 10.38 Luk. 4.21 Apothecary Or Perfumer 26. Thou shalt â—noint And by that means set apart to an holy use 29. Sanctifie Or By this means set a side to a Separate and Holy use 30. Anoint Aaron ' c. Who were by this anointing set apart to the Priesthood as by the Holy Spirit the Ministers of God are enabled to discharge their Office 31. This shall be The Jews understand it of this very Oyl which was made by Moses and not thâ—â— we read of repeated afterwards 33. Stranger i. e. Whoever is not a Priest or a King 34. Stactâ— The fatness or sweet Gum of a certain Balsamick-tree The Hebrew word imports dropping Onycha This was a certain Claw or sweet Hoof which was used in Perfumes says Maimon Galbanum This says Maimon is a Gum of a Tree in Greece like black Honey and is of a strong smell 35. Tempered Heb. Salted 36. Put of it before c. That is Offer it upon the golden Altar 37. To your selves c. i. e. To your own use v. 38. CHAP. XXXI The ARGUMENT Bezaleel and Aholiab are chosen by God and fitted for building the Tabernacle and all things belonging thereunto The observation of the Sabbath is pressed upon the Israelites Moses receives two Tables of Stone written by God 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. See I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah 3. And I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship 4. To divise cunning works to work in gold and in silver and in brass 5. And in cutting of stones to set them and in carving of timber to work in all manner of workmanship 6. And I behold I have given with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom that they may make all that I have commanded thee 7. The tabernacle of the congregation and the ark of the testimony and the mercy-seat that is thereupon and all the furniture of the tabernacle 8. And the table and his furniture and the pure candlestick with all his furniture and the altar of incense 9. And the altar of burnt-offering with all his furniture and the laver and his foot 10. And the clothes of service and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office 11. And the anointing oyl and sweet incense for the holy place according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do 12. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 13. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel saying Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctifie you 14. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people 15. Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest holy to the LORD whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath-sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death 16. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant 17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed 18. And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai two tables of testimony tables of stone written with the finger of God 2. I have called by name i. e. I have particularly chosen and designed Vid. Esa 43.1 Son 1 Chron. 2.20 Of Hur Ch. 17.12 and 24.14 3. Spirit of God i. e. The gifts of the Spirit which follow 1 Cor. 12.4 8. 4. To devise cunning works To teach the Artificers says the Chaldee 5. Stones This the Chaldee understands truly of precious Stones See ch 28.21 7. Furniture Heb. Vessels 8. Pure candlestick Made of pure Gold and by the Priest's daily care to be kept clean and pure 10. Clothes of service These Clothes of Service as they stand here distinguished from the Priest's Holy Garments may possibly referr to those Clothes and Coverings which are mentioned Num. 4.7 8 9 11 12. 13. Verily my sabbaths c. Tho' this work were to be done as God had appointed yet not on the Sabbath Day A sign between me and you a token or acknowledgment that I am your God and that you worship the Creator of Heaven and Earth The Sabbath was afterward commanded as a Memorial of their Deliverance
Book is commonly called GENESIS because it gives an account of the Original of this visible World and lays before us not onely an account of the Creation of the World in general but particularly an account of the making of Man and of the Descents of several Families from the first Parents of Mankind With relation whereunto it is very fitly called GENESIS that Greek word very properly expressing the Original or first Formation of these things Moses very wisely begins this Book with an account of God's Creation of the World and the several parts thereof chap. 1. And his Wisdom in that matter will more manifestly appear if we consider that 1. By so doing he lays a foundation for Piety and Religion and Obedience of the Laws which follow The Creation of the World speaks the irresistible Power the deep Wisdom and the great Goodness of the Creator A due sense whereof doth mightily dispose us to the fear and love of God and to a stedfast faith and affiance in Him 2. By this course he also strikes at the very root of Idolatry For that being nothing but the Worship of a Creature instead of the Creator nothing can tend more effectually to prevent it than this belief That all other things were made by God That they had not their Being from themselves but were made as well as Man For then it follows That how usefull soever these things may be to us yet Divine Worship is due onely to the Creator The account which Moses gives of the Creation of Man is also very usefull and instructive to us For as he lets us know that Man was made in God's Image so that consideration obligeth us to do nothing unbecoming the Dignity of our Nature and to be kind to each other for God's sake And we may from the account of the Body's being made of the Earth learn to be humble and modest In a word we may from this relation learn Justice and Charity Humanity and Humility not to wrong or proudly insult over our Neighbour The Sanctification of the Sabbath in memory of the Creation puts us in mind of the obligation which lies upon us to celebrate the Divine Perfections which may be learned from God's Works and the necessity of some separate and solemn time for this Religious Worship So that a very great part of our duty to God our Neighbour and our Selves is very powerfully urged upon us in the very beginning of this Sacred Book We have also an account chap. 2. of the Garden of Eden and of the Forbidding the Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of the Naming of the Creatures and of the Institution of Marriage Next follows an account of the Disobedience of our first Parents of their Fall and of their Misery thereupon and also a gracious Promise of the Messias chap. 3. We may very well grant that these first Chapters of Genesis do insinuate some farther meaning than the bare Letter amounts to We yield that there is couched a Mystery under the Letter 'T is agreeable to the belief of Jews and Christians to allow this But still the Letter is to be preserved and not to be questioned by any means Much less is it to be exposed by profane Wits For there is no inconsistence in this And he that would attempt to destroy the Letter of Moses is so far from serving any wise or good End that he undermines Religion offends its Votaries and gives its Enemies occasion to rejoice and triumph There are a great many passages in the Old Testament that besides the first literal meaning have a farther reference and spiritual sense which yet does by no means destroy the Letter in the opinion of those very Men who contend for this spiritual sense and reference And for the passages in these three first Chapters in Genesis the literal sense is very much confirmed from the Citations of them which we find in the inspired Writers of the New Testament V. g. That passage Gen. 1.3 is cited by S. Paul 2 Cor. 4.6 And Gen. 1.27 is quoted by our Saviour Matt. 19.4 Again Gen. 2.7 by St. Paul 1 Cor. 15.45 47. And Gen. 2.24 is cited by our Saviour Matt. 19.5 and by St. Paul more than once 1 Cor. 6.16 Ephes 5.31 That passage of the Serpent's beguiling of Eve Gen. 3. is cited by St. Paul and by that Quotation the literal sense is confirmed 2 Cor. 11.3 His Words are these I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ And the same Apostle referrs to this Fact related by Moses 1 Tim. 2.14 Moses proceeds chap. 4. and 5. and gives an account of the Birth of Cain and Abel and their several imployments of their Oblations of the Murder of Abel by Cain of the Curse denounced against him thereupon of the Posterity of Cain And then of the Birth of Seth and Enos And then follows an account of the Genealogy Age and Death of the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah who was the Tenth from Adam Then follows the History of the Deluge or Floud of Waters which drowned the World And what-ever knowledge of this Fact might be preserved by Tradition among the Inhabitants of the World yet certain it is that from Moses we have not onely the most ancient but the most exact and particular and unexceptionable Relation of this matter And if we will attend to the Relation which Moses gives we shall soon discern all the signs and marks not onely of a true and faithfull but of an exact and unexceptionable Relation also Besides that the memory of the Facts which Moses relates might easily be preserved to the Time of Moses Moses relates as to this matter 1. The Cause which moved God to destroy Mankind by a Floud of Waters Gen. 6.5 11 12 13. 2. The Warning which God gave the Old World that they might repent and prevent this Calamity chap. 6.3 which was 120 years before it hapned 3. God's special care to preserve Righteous Noah and his Family chap. 6.8 9. as well as the several kinds of living Creatures 4. The means which he appointed for this purpose viz. by an Ark And we have a very particular Account of this Ark Of its materials of which it was made of its form and dimensions of its several stories even of its window and its door And of the end and design of it as well as of the builder or efficient cause 5. He tells the very time when this great Event hapned The very year from the Creation may be collected from his Writings and the very year of the Life of Noah is expressly related chap. 7.6 6. He tells what persons were received into the Ark and what number of Beasts clean and unclean 7. He tells the very year the month the day when the Deluge began The several Causes that contributed to make this Deluge and how many days precisely the Rains came
2 Pet. 3.5 6 7. 2. Without form and void That is a confused and indigested heap and not as yet replenished with its store and ornaments Jer. 4.23 Wisd 11.17 Isa 45.18 with which it was afterward adorned and replenished Gen. 2.1 Psalm 24.1 Face of the deep That is the Surface of the confused bulk and deep heap of Earth and Water The Spirit of God moved c. That is the Divine Spirit did by moving on the waters operate toward the order and ornament of what was confused before By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens says Job ch 26.13 What We render moved is observed to signifie a keeping warm or such a cherishing as feathered fowls afford unto their young Such an expression is not unsuitable to a Divine person Deut. 32.11 12. with Exod. 19.4 and agrees very well with what we are elsewhere taught of the Divine Spirit or Third Person of the Holy Trinity of whose over-shadowing and descending like a Dove we read elsewhere Matt. 3.16 Luk. 1.35 Compare Psal 104.30 3. Said That is commanded See v. 6 7. He spake and it was done Psal 33.9 he commanded and it stood fast Compare Psal 33.6 and Psal 148.5 2 Cor. 4.6 Heb. 11.3 Light That is some lucid body for the Lights or Luminaries were not created till the fourth day v. 14. 4. Saw i. e. He approved See v. 31. Good i. e. Agreeable to what he designed and for the use of the world Divided c. i. e. He placed the Light in a separate place from the rest of the Creation which remained dark 5. The evening and the morning That is the preceding darkness and following light Hence the Jews natural day began in the Evening Lev. 23.32 First day Or One day as in the Hebrew there being as yet no Second Though it be also very common in the holy Scripture that the Cardinal one c. is put for the Ordinal first c. number as in Gen. 8.5 Dan. 8.1 Joh. 20.1 6. A Firmament That is an extended Air stretched out like a Curtain Ps 104.2 Isa 40.22.42.5 7. Vnder the Firmament viz. in the Seas and Rivers c. Above the Firmament viz. in the Clouds which are said therefore to cover the Heaven Psal 147.8 Compare Prov. 8.28 that is the Air or lower Heaven Compare 2 Sam. 21.10 10. God saw that it was good These words referr to that work which God began on the Second day and do belong to that matter 11. Let the Earth bring forth c. The Earth that was void or empty v. 2. is now to be replenished Whose seed is in it self and is able therefore to propagate without distinction of Sex required in living creatures 14. For Signs and for Seasons That is to direct Men in their labour and husbandry and to that purpose to distinguish the several Seasons of the year Matt. 16.2 As also direct them afterwards in their solemn Festivals Thus are those words understood He appointeth the Moon for seasons Psal 104.19 See Ecclus 43.6 7. 16. Great So they are both in regard of their light and use as well as of their appearance To rule The Sun may be said to rule the day which receives its being from its rising its perfection from its advancing and its period from the setting thereof and also because the affairs of the day are transacted by the light which it affords and the Moon may be said to rule the night from which the Stars are not to be excluded Psal 136.9 because then the Moon gives a supply of light which the Sun then does not immediately afford Compare Job 31.26 and Jer. 31.35 17. Firmament i. e. the upper Firmament of which v. 14 15. 20. And fowl that may fly Or rather and let fowl fly as it may be rendred from the Hebrew For the fowl of the Air was formed out of the ground Gen. 2.19 not produced by the Waters however the ground were drenched by them v. 22. 21. Great Whales See Psalm 104.25 26. 26. Let us make Man Man is made by God immediately and not produced as other Creatures were v. 24. He was made also last when the World was stored and finished He was also made in such a manner as speaks him to be the work of great Wisdom and Counsel and as seems to intimate the concurrence of the Holy Trinity which cannot be incredible to him who duly considers the Note upon verse 2. and compares John 1.3 and Coloss 1.16 Man That is Mankind it follows Let them have dominion In our Image That is Spiritual wise and holy and having dominion over the other Creatures Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 1 Cor. 11.7 Him God thought fit to make one man to be the head and parent of the whole race of mankind that men might not boast and vaunt of their extraction and original as the Jews have observed and that they might think themselves under an obligation to love and assist each other as proceeding from the same original and common parent Act. 17.26 Male and female That is One male and one female and the female from the male Polygamy and divorce were not from the beginning Compare Matt. 19.3 4. 28. God blessed them i. e. Besides the excellent endowments which he bestowed on them he gave them power to multiply and increase their kind as it follows here See Ps 128.3 4. 29. To you i. e. To mankind as appears by comparing v. 28. The allowance was expresly enlarged after the floud Gen. 9.3 CHAP. II. The ARGUMENT This Chapter gives an account of the Sanctification of the Seventh day and of the more particular manner of the Creation Of the Garden of Eden the forbidding the tree of knowledge the naming of the creatures the making of the Woman and institution of Marriage 1. THus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them 2. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made 4. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens 5. And every plant of the field before it was in the earth and every herb of the field before it grew for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth and there was not a man to till the ground 6. But there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground 7. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul 8. And the LORD God planted a garden east-ward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had formed 9. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow
be his desire and thou shalt rule over him 8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother and it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him 9. And the LORD said unto Cain Where is Abel thy brother and he said I know not am I my brother's keeper 10. And he said What hast thou done the voice of thy brother's bloud crieth unto me from the ground 11. And now art thou cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's bloud from thy hand 12. When thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth 13. And Cain said unto the LORD My punishment is greater than I can bear 14. Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me 15. And the LORD said unto him Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold And the LORD set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill him 16. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden 17. And Cain knew his wife and she conceived and bare Enoch and he builded a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch 18. And unto Enoch was born Irad and Irad begat Mehujael and Mehujael begat Methusael and Methusael begat Lamech 19. And Lamech took unto him two wives the name of the one was Adah and the name of the other Zillah 20. And Adah bare Jabal he was the father of such as dwell in tents and of such as have cattel 21. And his brother's name was Jubal he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ 22. And Zillah she also bare Tubal-Cain an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron and the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah 23. And Lamech said unto his wives Adah and Zillah Hear my voice ye wives of Lamech hearken unto my speech for I have slain a man to my wounding and a young man to my hurt 24. If Cain shall be avenged seven-fold truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold 25. And Adam knew his wife again and she bare a son and called his name Seth for God said she hath appointed me another seed in stead of Abel whom Cain slew 26. And to Seth to him also there was born a son and he called his name Enos then began men to call upon the Name of the LORD 1. KNew Eve his Wife The following words declare the sence of these And this modest way of speaking is not only used but farther explained Numb 31.17 Judg. 21.12 This was after Adam had eaten of the Tree of knowledge and was cast out of the Garden and not permitted to come at the Tree of life He could not now hope to live for ever ch 3.24 He therefore takes the onely course to preserve Mankind From the Lord Lo Children are an heritage of the Lord Psal 127.3 Gen. 30.2 2. Abel The word in the Hebrew signifies vanity as that of Cain denotes possession 3. In process of time i. e. At the return of some set and solemn time of divine Worship 4. Had respect unto Or was pleased with as some ancient Versions have it God gave some visible sign of His respect it being said that God testified of Abel's gifts Heb. 11.4 And it is probable that God did this by consuming Abel's offering with fire from Heaven For thus did God use to declare his approbation and acceptance of the Oblation Lev. 9.24 Judg. 6.21 1 King 18.38 1 Chron. 21.26 2 Chron. 7.1 Abel and to his offering To Abel first and then to his Offering It is the Offerer that God principally regards Abel was a righteous person 1 Job 3.10 Matt. 23.35 And by Faith he offered his Sacrifice Heb. 11.4 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord Prov. 15.8 And he offered a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain did Heb. 11.4 And hence both he and his Offering were approved by God who is no respecter of persons Acts 10.34 35. 5. But unto Cain c. His Works were Evil. He offered without Faith and Charity Heb. 11.4 6. 1 Joh. 3.12 Besides there is a Tradition among the Jewish Writers that Cain in his discourse with Abel denied the good providence of God and future rewards and punishments And then he wanted that Faith without which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 His countenance fell That is he was dejected 7. If thou doest well c. q. d. If thy Works be Good thou wilt be accepted The pious mind of the offerer being regarded more than the offering If thou doest not well That is if thy Works be Evil. Sin lieth at the door i. e. Thy punishment is not far off Thy sin will find thee out Numb 32.23 Sin is sometime put for its Reward or Punishment as well as for the Sacrifice by which it is atoned Numb 12.11 2 Cor. 5.21 Levit. 4.24 And it may be said to lie at the door when it is near at hand Matt. 24.33 Jam. 5.9 And unto thee shall be his desire c. i. e. By doing well thou shalt preserve that Superiority over thy Brother which thy Birth-right gives thee a claim unto See chap. 3.16 Abel will then yield to thee not onely as the Elder Brother but as to a Pattern and Example of Vertue These words are connected with those If thou doest well and not with those which immediately go before See an Example to the same purpose chap. 10.12 8. Talked Some very ancient Versions give us to understand that Cain invited Abel into the Field and some others have told us that there he disputed against the Providence of God and future Rewards and Punishments 9. Where See the Note on chap. 3.9 I know not By this it appears that he was void of a belief of God's Providence If he had believed that he could not have thought his Murder hid from God 10. What hast thou done These words serve to awaken him to a due sense of his Sin The voice of thy c. i. e. The hainousness of thy Sin in killing thy Brother and cutting off so righteous a Man and one who might have been an happy Parent of a numerous and good Posterity which might have replenished the World 11. From the Earth Which received thy Brother's bloud and from whence the Cry of it is come unto me This Earth shall refuse to give thee her fruits or a certain dwelling as it follows 12. Her strength i. e. Her fruit or encrease which speaks the strength of the Earth Joel 2.22 This was a fit punishment of Cain who was a tiller of the ground v.
the Birth of Seth in that line did descend from Adam The word Book among the Ancients was applied to very small Writings or Chapters Thus the Bill of Divorcement is called Deut. 24.1 An Epistle 2 Sam. 11.14 A Register of Names Nehem. 7.5 2. Adam Or Man Gen. 1.27 3. An hundred and thirty years By years are meant Solar not Lunar years throughout the whole Chapter If a year were put for a month in these places then would Cainan Mahalaleel and Enoch be supposed to have had Children before they were six years old In his own lickness i. e. Like to him not onely in his faculties and bodily gifts and endowments but also in his mortality and the depravedness of his nature 5. All the days c. This very particular account which is given of Adam and his Descendants by Seth to the Floud serves to set forth the care and good providence of God And that it does I. As it assures us of God's blessing those Men in giving them Children both sons and daughters there not being any among them that was deprived of this Blessing II. By acquainting us with the long lives of those Men for the better replenishing of the Earth which God had made III. As it informs us of God's peculiar care of these good Men in exempting them from the Floud For it appears by computation that these righteous persons were not destroyed by the Floud which was brought upon the world of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2.5 There was not any one of them besides Noah whose Age reached unto the Floud And that seems to be the reason that the time of their death is precisely set down here which is not thus particularly done in the generations which are mentioned Gen. 11. 22. Walked with God i. e. Was a Religious Man he pleased God and had therefore a true faith in Him Heb. 11.5 6. and a firm belief of future rewards Jude v. 14 15. 24. He was not i. e. He was not found Heb. 11.5 viz. among the Inhabitants of this lower World God took him i. e. God took him to himself He was translated that he should not see death Heb. 11.5 29. Noah He was the tenth from Adam The Hebrew word signifies rest His Father fore-tells of him This same shall comfort us He brought comfort and rest to mankind By improving the Art of Husbandry he eased Men as to the toil of their hands ch 9. v. 20. He was also a means of saving Mankind from utter ruine by the Floud and upon his Oblations received assurance that God would not again curse the ground any more for man's sake ch 8. v. 21. 32. Shem Ham and Japheth Japheth was the eldest Shem the second and Ham the youngest See ch 7. v. 6. with ch 11. v. 10. ch 9. v. 24. ch 10. v. 21. The following Story being most concerned in the Off-spring of Shem and the Church of God being among his Off-spring he is here named in the first place CHAP. VI. The ARGUMENT The Causes which moved God to bring the Floud upon the World Noah findeth favour A character of him and an account of his Sons Noah is commanded to build an Ark. He is directed as to the Matter Form and End of it 1. AND it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born unto them 2. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and they took them wives of all which they chose 3. And the LORD said My Spirit shall not always strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years 4. There were giants in the earth in those days and also after that when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men and they bare children to them the same became mighty men which were of old men of renown 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually 6. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart 7. And the LORD said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth both man and beast and the creeping thing and the fowls of the air for it repenteth me that I have made them 8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD 9. These are the generations of Noah Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God 10. And Noah begat three sons Shem Ham and Japheth 11. The earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence 12. And God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth 13. And God said unto Noah The end of all flesh is come before me for the earth is filled with violence through them and behold I will destroy them with the earth 14. Make thee an ark of Gopher-wood rooms shalt thou make in the ark and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch 15. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits the breadth of it fifty cubits and the height of it thirty cubits 16. A window shalt thou make to the ark and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof with lower second and third stories shalt thou make it 17. And behold I even I do bring a floud of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life from under heaven and every thing that is in the earth shall die 18. But with thee will I establish my covenant and thou shalt come into the ark thou and thy sons and thy wife and thy sons wives with thee 19. And of every living thing of all flesh two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark to keep them alive with thee they shall be male and female 20. Of fowls after their kind and of cattel after their kind of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind two of every sort shall come unto thee to keep them alive 21. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten and thou shalt gather it to thee and it shall be for food for thee and for them 22. Thus did Noah according to all that God commanded him so did he 2. The Sons of God i. e. The Worshippers of God who were descended from Seth chap. 4. v. 26. These are called God's Children Compare Deut. 14.1 2 Cor. 6.18 with Isai 43.6 7.44.5.65.1 The daughters of men That is the daughters of the ungodly Race of Cain 1 Cor. 3.3 Chose Their choice was determined by Beauty whereas favour is deceitfull and beauty is vain Prov. 31.30 3. My Spirit shall not always strive with man i. e. Man
12. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights 13. In the self-same day entered Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth the sons of Noah and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them into the ark 14. They and every beast after his kind and all the cattel after their kind and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind and every fowl after his kind every bird of every sort 15. And they went in unto Noah into the ark two and two of all flesh wherein is the breath of life 16. And they that went in went in male and female of all flesh as God had commanded him and the LORD shut him in 17. And the floud was forty days upon the earth and the waters increased and bare up the ark and it was lift up above the earth 18. And the waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the earth and the ark went upon the face of the waters 19. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth and all the high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered 20. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail and the mountains were covered 21. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth both of fowl and of cattel and of beast and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth and every man 22. All in whose nostrils was the breath of life of all that was in the dry land died 23. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground both man and cattel and the creeping things and the fowl of the heaven and they were destroyed from the earth and Noah onely remained alive and they that were with him in the ark 24. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days 1. RIghteous c. i. e. Sincerely just Compare Luk. 16.15 Rom. 2.29 and Gen. 6.9 2. Clean beast i. e. Allowed for Sacrifice Compare chap. 8.20 Many things established afterwards in the Law of Moses obtained before that Law and were generally practised by the Worshippers of God v. g. Sacrifices Gen. 4.3 4.8.20.13.18 paying of Tithe Gen. 14.20 Circumcision Gen. 17.11 The Right of Primogeniture Gen. 25.33 Making Vows Gen. 28.20 ch 34.6 Marrying the Brothers's wife Gen. 38.8 And those things which Moses forbad were some of them forbidden before his Law As the eating of Bloud and Murder which was a capital Crime before the Law Gen. 9.4 6. And there is no doubt but that the difference of clean and unclean Beasts with respect to Sacrifice was known and observed before the Law of Moses and before the Floud Nor have we any cause to question but that the same were reputed clean before the Law which were declared to be so in the Law of Moses If so the number of Creatures that went into the Ark by Sevens was small and their provision being proportionable could not take up much room For by the Law of Moses onely Beeves and Sheep and Goats of the Beasts And Turtle-doves and Pigeons of the Fowls were allowed for Sacrifice Levit. 1.3 10 14. chap. 22.19 By sevens It is an opinion very ancient and commonly received that seven in number or three pairs for increase and a single one for Sacrifice is meant by this expression But yet it is probable that seven pairs or couples are meant by it because it follows here The male and his female And this latter sence is much confirmed by the Hebrew expression different from what follows of the Beasts not clean which were to be taken by two and also from v. 9 and 16. where the clean Beasts are said to have gone in two and two i. e. by pairs or couples See chap. 6.19 20. 3. Of fowls c. i. e. Of the clean by sevens as before of the unclean two and two as the Greek hath it here 4. For yet seven days i. e. Seven days hence as appears by comparing verse 10. The Earth The Fish of the Sea were exempted from destruction 6. Six hundred years c. This was from the Creation of the World the year One thousand six hundred fifty and six A. M. 1656. 2349. See chap. 5. Not as the Greek have it Two thousand two hundred forty and two 9. Two and two See the Note above on verse 2. 10. After seven days When Noah was now entered into the Ark. See v. 4. 11. Second month i. e. The second month of the year This answers to our October For Tisri or September was accounted the first month of the year The Ecclesiastical year among the Jews began indeed in March but this beginning of the year did not commence till after the Israelites came out of Egypt and that deliverance was the occasion of it Exod. 12.2 The Civil year began as of old in September Compare 1 Kings 8.2 with the Chaldee Paraphrast there Noah by this means had the advantage of gathering the fruits of the Earth Great deep viz. Which contained the Waters under the Earth Deut. 8.7 The depth of the Earth being stored with Waters Psal 33.7 Compare 2 Pet. 3.5 Windows of Heaven That is the Clouds from whence the Rain came in very great plenty Compare Psalm 78.23 and Mal. 3.10 12. Rain i. e. The violent Rain mentioned just before 14. Fowl and Bird The difference between these seems to be this That the word which we render Fowl denotes the larger kind and what we render Bird the smaller Gen. 15.9 10. Levit. 14.4 Or at least the first comprehends the larger sort Sort Or Wing as it is in the Hebrew text Some have feathered Wings others have more gristly and skinny ones which is one way of distinguishing the several sorts of Birds 16. The Lord shut him in That is God did probably by the Ministery of an Angel fasten and secure the door of the Ark into which Noah was entred from the danger from the Waters as well as against the attempts of those that might else have broken in upon him Compare 2 Kings 2.4 5. 17. The Floud i. e. The vehement Rain mentioned verse 12. 20. Fifteen cubits That is two and twenty foot and an half allowing a Cubit to contain but one foot and an half which is here but supposed but by no means granted See the Note on ch 6. v. 15. and consequently above the stature of the tallest of Men. 23. They that were with him They were in all but eight persons 24. Prevailed i. e. They kept above the surface of the Earth without decreasing to which sence it is rendred by the Greek They did not increase so long See chap. 8.3 An hundred and fifty days This space of time includes the forty days mentioned v. 12. so long it was before the Waters were abated Compare chap. 8. v. 3 4. CHAP. VIII The ARGUMENT After an hundred and fifty days from the beginning of the Floud the waters are abated The time and place of the resting of the Ark. Noah sends
there were lice upon man and upon beast 19. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh This is the finger of God And Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 20. And the LORD said unto Moses rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh lo he cometh forth to the water and say unto him Thus saith the LORD Let my people go that they may serve me 21. Else if thou wilt not let my people go behold I will send swarms of flies upon thee and upon thy servants and upon thy people and into thy houses and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies and also the ground whereon they are 22. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth 23. And I will put a division between my people and thy people to morrow shall this sign be 24. And the LORD did so and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants houses and into all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies 25. And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said Go ye sacrifice to your God in the land 26. And Moses said It is not meet so to do for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God Lo shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and will they not stone us 27. We will go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he shall command us 28. And Pharaoh said I will let you go that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness onely you shall not go very far away intreat for me 29. And Moses said Behold I go out from thee and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people to morrow but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD 30. And Moses went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD 31. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people there remained not one 32. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also neither would he let the people go 2. All thy borders i. e. The whole Land of Egypt 3. Kneading-troughs Or Dough. 7. And the magicians Wisd 17.7 See the Notes on ch 7.12 8. Intreat the LORD Pharaoh is forced to this his Magicians not being able to remove the Frogs which they were permitted to bring upon the Egyptians 9. Glory over me Or Have this honour over me i. e. Have thou the honour of appointing me the time when I shall intreat the Lord for thee See v. 10. and Judg. 7.2 When Or Against when To destroy Heb. To cut off 10. To morrow Or Against to morrow 12. Because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh Or Concerning the appointed time which was agreed on before for the removing the Frogs In this Sense the Greek understood the words 15. Respite i. e. That the Plague was removed 17. Lice One of the Ancients inquires Why God punished the Egyptians with such vile and inconsiderable Animals rather than with Bears Leopards Lions and such ravenous Creatures or the Serpents of Egypt which would quickly have destroyed theâ— And his answer is That God designed to correct not to destroy the Egyptians For had he designed their destruction he needed not the help of any Animals he might have done it by Plague or Famine When Men says he wage War they furnish themselves with the most powerfull assistance but the powerfull God when he designs to inflict evils makes use of the smallest and most inconsiderable Instruments what smaller than Lice and yet the Egyptians were forced to own the Finger of God Phil. de vit Mos l. 1. 18. Did so i. e. They attempted to do the like 19. This is the finger of God Or This Plague is of God's inflicting See the Chaldee The Power of God is represented by his Hand or Finger in the Scripture Phrase Ps 8.3 See Luk. 11.20 The Magicians do here confess God's Work and are not able to do the same And Pharaoh's heart was hardened These are the same words in the Hebr. with those ch 7.13 and they do imply that Pharaoh hardened his own Heart He continued in his obstinacy after the Magicians were baffled and were forced to acknowledge the Finger of God See v. 32. 21. Swarms of flies Or A mixture of noisom Beasts 22. I will sever c. By making this wonderfull difference this Plague was rendered the more convictive and Pharaoh the more inexcusable 23. A division Heb. A redemption And so it was to the Israelites a Rescue and Redemption and a distinguishing Mercy See Psal 111.9 Isa 43.2 3. To morrow Or By to morrow 24. There came See Wisd 16.9 A grievous swarm Not onely a very troublesome but a very numerous swarm Corrupted Or destroyed 26. It is not meet It is not right God having called the Israelites out of Egypt V. ch 3.18 The abomination of the Egyptians Or The things which the Egyptians worship as the Vulgar and the Chaldee understand the words at least the Beasts which the Egyptians abstain from and will neither eat nor kill V. Gen. 43.32 and the Notes on that place 27. As he shall See ch 3.18 32. Hardened his heart at this time also As he had done before v. 19. so he did again after a new Plague that spoke not onely the Power but the peculiar Providence of God v. 22 23. and all this after his Magicians had acknowledged the Power of God CHAP. IX The ARGUMENT A grievous Murrain Pharaoh's Heart is hardened The plague of Boyls The plague of Hail and the grievous Effects of it Pharaoh sues to Moses and Aaron to be delivered from it and promiseth to let the Israelites go The Hail is removed and Pharaoh thereupon hardens his Heart and refuseth to let the People go 1. THen the LORD said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh and tell him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me 2. For if thou refuse to let them go and wilt hold them still 3. Behold the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattel which is in the field upon the horses upon the asses upon the camels upon the oxen and upon the sheep there shall be a very grievous murrain 4. And the LORD shall sever between the cattel of Israel and the cattel of Egypt and there shall nothing die of all that is the childrens of Israel 5. And the LORD appointed a set time saying To morrow the LORD shall
of hand if I have found favour in thy sight and let me not see my wretchedness 16. And the LORD said unto Moses Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people and officers over them and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation that they may stand there with thee 17. And I will come down and talk with thee there and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee and will put it upon them and they shall bear the burthen of the people with thee that thou bear it not thy self alone 18. And say thou unto the people Sanctifie your selves against to morrow and ye shall eat flesh for you have wept in the ears of the LORD saying Who shall give us flesh to eat for it was well with uâ— in Egypt therefore the LORD will give you flesh and ye shall eat 19. Ye shall not eat one day nor two days nor five dâ—ys neither ten days nor twenty days 20. But even a whole month untill it come out at your nostrils and it be lothsome unto you because that ye have despiseâ— the LORD which is among you and have wept before him saying Why came we forth out of Egypt 21. And Moses said The people amongst whom I am â—â—t six hundred thousand foot men and thou hast said I will giâ—e them flesh that they may eat a whole month 22. Shaâ—â— the flocks and the â—â—rdâ— be slain for them to suffice them or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to suffice them 23. And the LORD said unto to Moses Is the LORD's hand waxed short thou shalt see now whether my words shall come to pass unto thee or not 24. And Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and set them round about the tabernacle 25. And the LORD came down in a cloud and spake unto him and took of the spirit that was upon him and gave it unto the seventy elders and it came to pass that when the spirit rested upon them they prophesied and did not cease 26. But there remained two of the men in the camp the name of the one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad and the spirit rested upon them and they were of them that were written but went not out unto the tabernacle and they prophesied in the camp 27. And there ran a young man and told Moses and said Eldad and Medad do prophesie in the camp 28. And Joshua the son of Nun the servant of Moses one of his young men answered and said My lord Moses forbid them 29. And Moses said unto him Enviest thou for my sake would God that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them 30. And Moses got him into the camp he and the elders of Israel 31. And there went forth a wind from the LORD and brought quails from the sea and let them fall by the camp as it were a days journey on this side and as it were a days journey on the other side round about the camp and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth 32. And the people stood up all that day and all that night and all the next day and they gathered the quails he that gathered least gathered ten homers and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp 33. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague 34. And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah because there they buried the people that lusted 35. And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth and abode at Hazeroth 1. COmplained Heb. Were as it were complainers They began to mutter and were discontent and uneasie upon their three days march ch 10.38 but did not openly mutiny and complain as they did afterwards It displeased the LORD Heb. It was evil in the ears of the LORD The LORD heard it It is not said that Moses heard it as it is v. 10. when they openly complained Fire of the LORD i. e. A Fire which the Lord sent among them Burnt Psal 78.21 2. Was quenched Heb. Sunk 3. Taberah That is Burning 4. Mixt multitude As Exod. 12.38 Fell a lusting Heb. Lusted a lust Wept again Heb. Returned and wept Who shall give 1 Cor. 10.6 This was a Sin distinct from that mentioned v. 1. and a greater and more severely punished compare v. 1. with v. 33. and much aggravated upon the following accounts I. Their Discontent v. 1. was improved into an open complaint v. 4 5 6. II. They declared their Distrust of God's Power and Providence of which they had had great experience v. 4. and v. 18. with Psal 78.22 III. They unthankfully despised God and his former Mercies v. 6 7 20. IV. They covetously desire Flesh when they had much Cattel of their own Exod. 12.32 38. with Numb 32.4 V. And this they did after God had plentifully provided for their natural necessities Exod. 16.2 5. Freely Without price or for a very mean price The over-flowing of Nile may well be supposed to afford great plenty and besides that some of the Egyptians at least by their Religion could not lawfully taste them Herodot Book II. nor yet the Onions c. which follow 6. Dried away Like the Earth that is parched and rendered barren for want of moisture 7. The Manna Exod. 16.14 31. The following words give us an account that the Manna ought not to have been contemned as here it is For 1. It was pleasant to the sight 2. Of a delightfull taste 3. Fit to be dressed and prepared several ways or with great variety 4. It was fresh every morning 5. And easily obtained Colour thereof as the colour of Heb. The eye of it as the eye of Bdellium Chrystal say the Greek See Exod. 16.31 8. Fresh oyl It had the taste at once of Oyl and Honey two of the choicest provisions of nature Exod. 16.31 12. As a nursing-father That is as one who though he want not Compassion yet cannot quiet a sucking Child as a nursing Mother by her Breast 15. Let me not see my wretchedness i. e. Let me not suffer To see death is to die Luk. 2.26 Psal 89.48 To see Salvation is to be saved Psal 91.16.50.23 And to see Labour and Sorrow is to suffer or to be miserable Jer. 20.18 16. Elders Men at least grave for Wisedom and of Place and Authority who are called Officers Such there were in Egypt Exod. 5.14 And were to be in the Land of Promise Deut. 16.18 And by the advice of Jethro Rulers had been chosen to judge in Civil and smaller Matters Exod. 18.22 26. and of least difficulty Stand there viz. That they may thereby be
the better known to the People compare v. 26 27 28. and there receive the Spirit of Prophecy v. 25. 17. Come down Or Reveal my self as the Chaldee hath it Take of the spirit c. i. e. Impart of the same Gifts to them which were bestowed upon Moses Which does not imply any diminution to Moses and is to be understood according to the subject-matter in a Spiritual sense 18. Sanctifie your selves Or Prepare your selves and be in readiness against to morrow when you may expect Flesh 20. Whole month Heb. Month of days 22. Fish Who have a sort of Flesh 1 Cor. 15.39 23. Is the LORD's hand waxed short Or does the Lord want power Isa 50.2 and 59.1 25. They prophesied and did not cease i. e. They did hereupon for some time prophesie without intermission in token of the power which God had endued them with 1 Sam. 10.10 It does by no means hence follow that this continued with them or that they were Prophets for the future Their Prophesying whether it were predicting Futuâ—ities or eâ—plaining God's Will was in such a manner as might bâ— discerned by some visible and extraordinary Effect v. 27. and 1 Sam. 19.23 24. 26. Went not Perhaps because not in the way when the Command was given or out of modesty declining what they thought themselves unfit for or under some legal defilement which might hinder their approach to the Tabernacle or under some other restraint or impediment vid. 1 Sam. 20.26 Jer. 36.5 28. Forbid them He not having seen them about the Tabernacle verse 16. might question their authority 31. A wind Exod 16.13 Ps 78.26 As it were a days journey Heb. As it were the way of a day 32. Ten Homers That is ten Ephahs Ezek. 45.11 33. Flesh Psal 78.30 31. 34. Kibroth-hattaavah That is the graves of lust 35. Abode at Heb. They were in c. CHAP. XII The ARGUMENT Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses God's displeasure at it Miriam is stricken with a Leprosie She is shut out of the Camp seven days The People remâ—â—â— from Hazeroth 1. AND Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married for he had married an Ethiopian woman 2. And they said Hath the LORD indeed spoken onely by Moses hath he not spoken also by us and the LORD heard it 3. Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth 4. And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses and unto Aaron and unto Miriam Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation And they three came out 5. And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam and they both came forth 6. And he said Hear now my words If there be a prophet among you I the LORD will make my self known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream 7. My servant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all mine house 8. With him will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses 9. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them and he departed 10. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle and behold Miriam became leprous white as snow and Aaron looked upon Miriam and behold she was leprous 11. And Aaron said unto Moses Alas my lord I beseech thee lay not the sin upon us wherein we have done foolishly and wherein we have sinned 12. Let her not be as one dead of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb 13. And Moses cryed unto the LORD saying Heal her now O God I beseech thee 14. And the LORD said unto Moses If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days let her be shut out from the camp seven days and after that let her be received in again 15. And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again 16. And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth and pitched in the wilderness of Paran 1. MIriam A Prophetess the Sister of Moses and Aaron Exod. 15.20 She was principal in the fault as may be collected from this Verse as it lies in the Hebrew Text and from v. 10. compare 1 Tim. 2.13 14. And thus the Sin of Lust began with the meaner and more feeble of the People or mixt Multitude ch 11.4 Ethiopian Or Cushite i. e. Zipporah Exod. 2.21 Who was of the Land of Midian which was in the Arabian Cush See Habâ—k 3.7 compare Ezek. 30.9 2 King 19.9 2 Chron. 14.9 with ch 21.16 Isa 18.1 and Zeph. 3.10 Married Heb. Taken i. e. Taken to Wife That he had married a Stranger and not one of the Stock of Israel was perhaps the occasion of the Complaint though the Jewish Writers affirm it to be upon the account of his separating from her that he might with the greater freedom attend upon his holy Function 2. Also by us See Exod. 4.14 15 16. ch 15.20 and Mic. 6.4 Heard it i. e. Took notice of it so as 〈◊〉 punish it Though Moses such was his Meekness did not regard it 3. Very meek Ecclus 45.4 6. In a vision That is an Enigmatical Representation of something thereby signified Such was that of the Wheels and dry â—oâ—es in Ezekiel Of the Ram in Daniel c. Hence a Prophecy is called a Vision Isa 1 1. In a dream Which was generally in the Night and always when the Senses were suspended And here the Representation was frequently obscure and not easily understood Such was that of Jacob's Ladder Pharaoh's Kine c. 7. Not so i. e. He is a Prophet favoured with clearer Revelations Who is faithfull Heb. 3.2 8. Mouth to mouth c. Exod. 33.11 i. e. As one Friend speaketh to another and that clearly and not Enigmatically when one thing is represented and something else is meant as in the Instances above-named of Visions and Dreams The similitude of the LORD No Man hath seen God or can see him The meaning is That as Moses had the Will of God most plainly revealed to him so he was admitted to a greater sight of his Glory than any other See Exod. 33.22 23. 10. Leprous A fit punishment of Pride 12. As one dead The Leper was separated from the Living and defiled as the Dead 14. Shut out Vid. Lev. 23.46 with Numb 19.11 CHAP. XIII The ARGUMENT Heads of the several Tribes sent to search the Land of Canaan Their Names Moses gives them Instructions Their Progress therein and their Relation upon their return 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Send thou men that they may search the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel of every tribe of
the great Stature of Og. After the cubit of a man That is according to the Cubit of a Man grown up and of an usual size which is about half a yard 12. The Cities Numb 32.33 Josh 13.8 c. 14. Havoth-jair Numb 32.41 15. Gilead viz. The half of it See verse 12. Vnto Machir That is to his Posterity 16. Half the valley For the right understanding of this place it is to be considered that the Hebrew word here translated Valley signifies sometimes a Valley and sometimes a River and in the latter sense is rendred in this Verse in the words immediately foregoing The river Arâ—â—â— And so it ought to be rendred here and so it is rendred by the Greek and Vulgar Latin in this place And what we render half the Valley imports as much as to the middle of the River viz. Emphatically of the River just before mentioned Their Land extended from Gilead unto the middle of the River Arnon The truth of this appears from other places viz. Josh 12.2 We have an account of the same place being the place where Sihon dwelt who is there said to have ruled from Aroer which is upon the bank of the river Arnon and from the middle of the river which last are the same words in the Hebrew which we find here rendred by half the Valley and from half Gilead Again Deut. 2.36 the same place is described viz. From Aroer which is by the brink of the river of Arnon and from the city that is by the river viz. Ar of Moab which stood within the River and which was a City they were not permitted to invade even unto Gilead And the border even unto the river Jabbok These words seem to be Elliptical The sense is And the border was even unto the river Jabbok 17. Vnder Ashdoth-Pisgah Or under the Springs of Pisgah or the Hill 18. Ye shall pass over c. Numb 32.20 Meet for the war Heb. Sons of power 20. Return Josh 22.4 21. Commanded Numb 27.18 24. Thy greatness and thy mighty hand viz. In giving us the Conquest over such powerfull Enemies as Sihon and Og. 25. I pray thee let me go over c. It is not unreasonable to suppose that Moses should think the Threatning of God reversible and it must needs be very desirable by him to see that Land which had been so long ago promised so much expected and so greatly vilified by them that had been sent from Kadesh-barnea to search the Land But besides this it may be said that he had a desire especially to see that place where God would choose to dwell which the Jews affirm is meant by the goodly Mountain as well as the remoter Parts of the promised Land in which was Lebanon 26. Was wroth Numb 20.12 chap. 1.37 27. Pisgah Or the Hill See Numb 27.12 Behold it This was a favour not granted to the Men that searched and that murmured 28. Charge Give him Commission to execute my Will Encourage i. e. Give him assurance of success 29. Beth-peor Or the house of Peor The name of a Place or City so called CHAP. IV. The ARGUMENT The Israelites are exhorted to Obedience by several great Motives Such as their own Interest and the Reasonableness of it They are particularly warned against Idolatry and that very powerfully They are obliged to teach the Law unto their Children Three Cities of Refuge are set a part by Moses 1. NOW therefore hearken O Israel unto the statutes and unto the judgments which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you 2. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you 3. Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal-peor for all the men that followed Baal-peor the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you 4. But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day 5. Behold I have taught you statutes and judgments even as the LORD my God commanded me that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it 6. Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these statutes and say surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people 7. For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for 8. And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day 9. Onely take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons 10. Specially the day that thou stood'st before the LORD thy God in Horeb when the LORD said unto me Gather me the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their children 11. And ye came near and stood under the mountain and the mountain burnt with fire unto the midst of heaven with darkness clouds and thick darkness 12. And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude onely ye heard a voice 13. And he declared unto you his covenant which he commanded you to perform even ten commandments and he wrote them upon two tables of stone 14. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it 15. Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire 16. Lest ye corrupt your selves and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure the likeness of male or female 17. The likeness of any beast that is on the earth the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air 18. The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth 19. And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars even all the host of heaven shouldest be driven to worship them and serve them which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven 20. But the LORD hath taken you and brought you forth out of the iron furnace even out of Egypt to be unto him a people of inheritance as
ye are this day 21. Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes and sware that I should not go over Jordan and that I should not go in unto that good land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance 22. But I must die in this land I must not go over Jordan but ye shall go over and possess that good land 23. Take heed unto your selves lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God which he made with you and make you a graven image or the likeness of any thing which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee 24. For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God 25. When thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt have remained long in the land and shall corrupt your selves and make a graven image or the likeness of any thing and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God to provoke him to anger 26. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it ye shall not prolong your days upon it but shall utterly be destroyed 27. And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen whither the LORD shall lead you 28. And there ye shall serve gods the work of mens hands wood and stone which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell 29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul 30. When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter days if thou turn to the LORD thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice 31. For the LORD thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them 32. For ask now of the days that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man upon the earth and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or hath been heard like it 33. Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire as thou hast heard and live 34. Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations by signs and by wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm and by great terrors according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes 35. Unto thee it was shewed that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God there is none else besides him 36. Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice that he might instruct thee and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire 37. And because he loved thy fathers therefore he chose their seed after them and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt 38. To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier then thou art to bring thee in to give thee their land for an inheritance as it is this day 39. Know therefore this day and consider it in thine heart that the LORD he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath there is none else 40. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes and his commandments which I command thee this day that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth which the LORD thy God giveth thee for ever 41. Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sun-rising 42. That the slayer might flee thither which should kill his neighbour unawares and hated him not in times past and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live 43. Namely Bezer in the wilderness in the plain-country of the Reubenites and Ramoth in Gilead of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan of the Manassites 44. And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel 45. These are the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments which Moses spake unto the children of Israel after they came forth out of Egypt 46. On this side Jordan in the valley over against Beth-peor in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites who dwelt at Heshbon whom Moses and the children of Israel smote after they were come forth out of Egypt 47. And they possessed his land and the land of Og king of Bashan two kings of the Amorites which were on this side Jordan toward the sun-rising 48. From Aroer which is by the bank of the river Arnon even unto mount Sion which is Hermon 49. And all the plain on this side Jordan east-ward even unto the sea of the plain under the springs of Pisgah 2. Ye shall not add c. chap. 12.32 Josh 1.7 Prov. 30.6 Revel 22.18 It is fit to require that they should neither add to nor take from the Divine Precepts at the beginning of this Exhortation to Obedience because God had given them his Law for their Rule of Life and had annexed his Promises to their Universal Obedience thereunto 3. Because of Baal-peor Numb 25.4 c. Or against Baal-peor and his Worshippers as the Vulgar and Chaldee have it Compare Numb 25.5 and the words which follow here 6. Your wisdom It is a fruit of great wisdom to fear God and obey his Laws The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his commandments Psal 111.10 Besides many of these Laws were such as the wiser Heathen could not but approve and did actually receive several of them into their own Laws 7. In all things that we call upon him for God shewed himself ready to hear the Prayers of his Servants upon all occasions Exod. 17.11 and to protect and defend them in all straits and dangers as appeared by the many Miracles which he had wrought 8. So righteous This speaks a Nation great For righteousness exalteth a nation Prov. 14.34 10. Thou stoodst The most aged among them were present at the giving of the Law 11. Mountain Exod. 19.18 Midst Heb. Heart which is well translated midst here not that it signifies the exact midst it is enough that it be in that in the midst of which it is said to be Of Heaven i. e. Of the Air or lower Heaven 12. Onely ye heard a voice Heb. Save a voice 14. Statutes and judgments i. e. The Judicial and Ceremonial Laws in contradistinction to the Moral mentioned v. 13. 15. Take ye therefore good heed c. They saw no Similitude when God gave his Law and are thereupon vehemently warned against Worshipping of God by any kind of Image
in mine hand 4. And he wrote on the tables according to the first writing the ten commandments which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly and the LORD gave them unto me 5. And I turned my self and came down from the mount and put the tables in the ark which I had made and there they be as the LORD commanded me 6. And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera there Aaron died and there he was buried and Eleazar his son ministred in the priest's office in his stead 7. From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah and from Gudgodah to Jotbath a land of rivers of waters 8. At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD to minister unto him and to bless in his name unto this day 9. Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren the LORD is his inheritance according as the LORD thy God promised him 10. And I stayed in the mount according to the first time forty days and forty nights and the LORD hearkned unto me at that time also and the LORD would not destroy thee 11. And the LORD said unto me Arise take thy journey before the people that they may go in and possess the land which I snare unto their fathers to give unto them 12. And now Israel what doth the LORD thy God require of thee but to fear the LORD thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul 13. To keep the commandments of the LORD and his statutes which I command thee this day for thy good 14. Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD 's thy God the earth also with all that therein is 15. Onely the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them and he chose their seed after them even you above all people as it is this day 16. Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your heart and be no more stiff-necked 17. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward 18. He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow and loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment 19. Love ye therefore the stranger for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt 20. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God him shalt thou serve and to him shalt thou cleave and swear by his name 21. He is thy praise and he is thy God that hath done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen 22. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude 1. HEW Exod. 34.1 3. I made an Ark Or I caused it to be made For if by Ark in this place be meant the Ark of the Covenant as is very probable from verse 5. This Ark was made by Bezaleel Exod. 37.1 and not made before this going of Moses into the Mount but after he came down Exod. 34. But as Moses in this short Repetition of what was past need not strictly observe the Order of Time so he may be said to make that Ark which he commanded to be made Bezaleel made also the Table of Shittim-wood Exod. 37.10 But Moses received a Command to make it Exod. 25.23 4. Commandments Heb. Words 6. And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera This place is very difficult and the difficulties of it are several and require a distinct Consideration For First It may be inquired what Connexion there is between these words and them that go before Answer Moses having mentioned his Intercession for the Israelites when for their Sins they were in danger to be destroyed and when the Tables of the Law were broken ch 9.26 adds what the effect of this Intercession was viz. That thereby the favour of God was regained of which he gives several instances viz. The restoring the two Tables and placing them in the Ark v. 1 5. The Journeys of them which were not stopped v. 6. And that they journeyed to places well watered also v. 6 7. And though indeed Aaron died yet his Priesthood continued in Eleazar And as God gave them a token of his favour in the Ark of the Covenant so he gave them another in separating the Levites to bear that Ark c. v. 8. Secondly It may be inquired how this Journey from Beeroth of the Children of Jaakan to Mosera can be reconciled with Numb 33.31 where it 's said they departed from Moseroth and pitched in Bene-jaakan Answ Besides many other very material things which might be said towards the removing of this difficulty it is enough to say that the Israelites in their Wandrings in the Wilderness might as well here as they did elsewhere go to and fro viz. From Jaakan to Mosera and back again from Mosera to Jaakan And this supposing these places the same with those in Numbers and the place here truly rendred is all that the words do import See Numb 33.30 And then Moses here doth but insert a passage omitted in the place in the Book of Numbers There Aaron died Obj. But how can this be reconciled with Numb 20.25 28. where it is evident that Aaron died at Mount Hor Answ It is no unusual thing that one place should have different Names especially with respect to the several Parts thereof Thus Horeb and Sinai were two Names of the same Mountain Exod. 3.1 2. compared with Act. 7.30 And so might Mosera be the other Name for Hor or the Name of a Place adjoining to it 7. From thence i. e. From Beeroth of the Children of Jaakan Numb 33.32 where Horhagidgad is the same with Gudgodah here and what is here called Jotbath is called Jotbathah Numb 33.33 8. At that time Or About that time viz. After Moses came down from the Mount For this seems manifestly to referr to verse 5. the 6th and 7th Verses being here brought in by way of Parenthesis And that the words at that time do not necessarily import the very precise time but admit of a Latitude will appear from Gen. 38.1 and the Note upon that place To bear the Ark Which belonged to the Kohathites Numb 3.27 31. To stand before the LORD c. That is to attend upon the Sanctuary and be in readiness for Service 1 Chron. 23.16 And to bless in his name This was the peculiar Office of the Priests the Sons of Aaron Numb 6.23 Who were also the Sons of Levi and are so called when this peculiar Office of theirs is mentioned Deut. 21.5 And though the solemn pronouncing of the Blessing upon the People
were the peculiar Office of the Priests the Sons of Levi yet the other Families of the Levites were concerned in blessing and praising God 1 Chron. 16.4 and by the faithfull discharge of their Ministry did contribute toward the bringing Blessings upon the People 9. Wherefore Levi Numb 18.20 The reason why they had no inheritance follows The LORD is his inheritance i. e. The Gifts which He hath assigned or given him as the Chaldee hath it here are his See the Note on Numb 18.20 10. First time Or Former days 11. Take thy journey Heb. Go in journey This is mentioned as a proof that God had hearkned to the Intercession of Moses See the Note on verse 6. 12. And now O Israel c. Here Moses exhorts them to Obedience from very powerfull Arguments viz. I. From the Consideration of God's former Mercies v. 10 11. and v. 22. II. From his Soveraign Authority v. 14. III. From his peculiar Kindness to them v. 15. IV. From his infinite Power v. 17. And V. From his inflexible Justice v. 17 18. 14. The Earth Psal 24.1 16. Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your heart c. i. e. Do not content your selves with the bare Circumcision of the fore-skin of your Flesh but cast away the filthiness of your Mind and Manners Compare Deut. 30.6 and Rom. 2.28 29. 17. Regardeth not persons What-ever Nation they be of he will deal righteously with them 2 Chron. 19.7 Job 34.19 Act. 10.34 Rom. 2.11 Gal. 2.6 Ephes 6.9 Col. 3.25 1 Pet. 1.17 19. Love ye therefore the stranger c. See Levit. 19.33 34. 20. Thou shalt fear Chap. 6.13 Matt. 4.10 Luk. 48. Cleave Chap. 13.4 21. He is thy praise He is both the fittest object of thy Honour and Praise and the Author of what-ever makes thee worthy of Praise 22. With threescore c. Gen. 46.27 Exod. 1.5 As the stars According to his promise to Abraham Gen. 15.5 CHAP. XI The ARGUMENT The Israelites are exhorted to love and obey God They are put in mind of the wonderfull Works of God which they had seen And upon their Obedience are promised the good Land and great Prosperity therein Blessing and a Curse are set before them Of the Mounts Gerizim and Ebal 1. THerefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God and keep his charge and his statutes and his judgments and his commandments alway 2. And know ye this day for I speak not with your children which have not known and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God his greatness his mighty hand and his stretched-out arm 3. And his miracles and his acts which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt and unto all his land 4. And what he did unto the army of Egypt unto their horses and to their chariots how he made the water of the Red-sea to overflow them as they pursued after you and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day 5. And what he did unto you in the wilderness untill ye came into this place 6. And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab the son of Reuben how the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their housholds and their tents and all the substance that was in their possession in the midst of all Israel 7. But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did 8. Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day that ye may be strong and go in and possess the land whither ye go to possess it 9. And that ye may prolong your days in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed a land that floweth with milk and honey 10. For the land whither thou goest in to possess it is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out where thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs 11. But the land whither ye go to possess it is a land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of heaven 12. A land which the LORD thy God careth for the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year 13. And it shall come to pass if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul 14. That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season the first rain and the latter rain that thou mayest gather in thy corn and thy wine and thine oyl 15. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattel that thou mayest eat and be full 16. Take heed to your selves that your heart be not deceived and ye turn aside and serve other gods and worship them 17. And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you and he shut up the heaven that there be no rain and that the land yield nor her fruit and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you 18. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul and bind them for a sign upon your hand that they may be as frontlets between your eyes 19. And ye shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up 20. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house and upon thy gates 21. That your days may be multiplied and the days of your children in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them as the days of heaven upon the earth 22. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do them to love the LORD your God to walk in all his ways and to cleave unto him 23. Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier then your selves 24. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours from the wilderness and Lebanon from the river the river Euphrates even unto the uttermost see shall your coast be 25. There shall no man be able to stand before you for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon as he hath said unto you 26. Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse 27. A blessing if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you this day 28. And a curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day to go after other gods which ye have not known 29. And it shall come to
pass when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim and the curse upon mount Ebal 30. Are they not on the other side Jordan by the way where the sun goeth down in the land of the Canaanites which dwell in the champain over against Gilgal beside the plains of Moreh 31. For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you and ye shall possess it and dwell therein 32. And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day 1. HIS charge i. e. What-ever he hath given in charge 2. Know i. e. Consider For that is the sense of the word here and in many other places Isa 1.3 Eccles 5.1 6. What he did unto Dathan c. Numb 16.31 and 27.3 Ps 106.17 This is mentioned here as a most remarkable Example of God's displeasure for their Rebellion Substance Or living substance That was in their possession The meaning is which followed them and appertained to them Heb. Was at their feet 7. But your eyes have seen They which came out of Egypt had seen all and others some of God's Acts. 10. Is not as the land of Egypt The comparing it with the Land of Egypt in this place is not designed with respect to the fruitfulness of it but to make them sensible that they ought immediately to depend upon God's good Providence and endeavour to please him who is onely able to send them fruitfull Seasons And wateredst it with thy foot That is by deriving Water from the River Nilus which was done either by digging Furrows in the Earth or by fetching Water both which speak the labour of the Feet And the Land of Canaan would set them free from this toil 11. And drinketh water of the rain of heaven There was little or no Rain in Egypt and therefore the Inhabitants depended upon the over-flowing of Nilus for their increase and derived Water thence to the Land which they had sowed with great labour The Land of Canaan was better provided for 'T was supplied without the labour and industry of Men and the Inhabitants taught to look up to God for seasonable showrs 12. Careth for Heb. Seeketh This imports a more peculiar Providence of God upon which the Inhabitants were taught to depend and not upon the labour and industry which though used in Egypt they would now be excused from 14. The first rain and the latter rain The first upon sowing the Seed that it might take root The latter before Harvest that the Ear might be filled See Jer. 5.24 15. Send Heb. Give 16. Be not deceived viz. By any artifice what-ever the Idolaters may make use of E. g. A pretence that they direct their Worship by their Images to the Supreme God and that they enjoy fruitfull Seasons as a reward of their Worship and such-like 18. Bind them Chap. 6.8 With the Note upon that place 19. And ye shall Ch. 4.10 and 6.7 21. As the days of heaven upon earth That is as long as the World endures Whiles the Heaven keeps its place over the Earth according to the Vulgar Latin Thus we read His seed will I make to endure for ever and then it follows And his throne as the days of heaven Psal 89.29 See Jer. 33.25 24. Every place Josh 1.3 This is to be understood I. With restriction to the bounds which follow here And II. With the condition above mentioned v. 22. Wilderness On the South Lebanon On the North. Euphrates On the East The uttermost sea On the West The Mid-land Sea was on the West of Canaan 27. A blessing Ch. 28.2 28. Curse Chap. 28.15 29. The blessing upon Gerizim c. Of this see chap. 27.12 13. Josh 8.33 32. To do Chap. 5.32 CHAP. XII The ARGUMENT Monuments of Idolatry are to be destroyed The place which God should choose for his Publick Service is to be resorted to and there the Sacrifices are to be offered Blood may not be eaten Holy things must be eaten in the place which God shall choose The Levite is to be kindly treated They are permitted to kill and eat Flesh in their several Habitations They are cautioned against Idolatry 1. THese are the statutes and judgments which ye shall observe to do in the land which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it all the days that ye live upon the earth 2. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods upon the high mountains and upon the hills and under every green tree 3. And you shall overthrow their altars and break their pillars and burn their groves with fire and you shall hew down the graven images of their gods and destroy the â—â—mes of them out of that place 4. Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God 5. But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his â—â—mo there even unto his habitation shall ye seek and thither thou shalt come 6. And thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices and your tithes and heave-offerings of your hand and your vows and your free-will-offerings and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks 7. And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God and ye shall rejoice in all that you put your hand unto ye and your housholds wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee 8. Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes 9. For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which the LORD your God giveth you 10. But when ye go over Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about so that ye dwell in safety 11. Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command you your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices your tithes and the heave-offering of your hand and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD 12. And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God ye and your sons and your daughters and your men-servants and your maid-servants and the Levite that is within your gates forasmuch as he hath no part or inheritance with you 13. Take heed to thy self that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest 14. But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes there thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings and there thou shalt do all that I command thee 15. Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after according to the blessing of the LORD thy God
and the Preserver of thy Life And so he is of thy Prosperity which Life sometimes signifies see v. 19. and all the Comforts of Life CHAP. XXXI The ARGUMENT Moses does greatly encourage the Israelites and Joshua their Leader Moses delivers a Copy of the Law to the Priests with a command to read it every seventh Year God foretells the Apostacy of the Israelites and declares his displeasure thereupon He appoints a Song as a witness against them He encourageth Joshua The Law to be put into the Ark. Moses foretells the Apostacy of the Israelites 1. AND Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel 2. And he said unto them I am an hundred and twenty years old this day I can no more go out and come in also the LORD hath said unto me Thou shalt not go over this Jordan 3. The LORD thy God he will go over before thee and he will destroy these nations from before thee and thou shalt possess them and Joshua he shall go over before thee as the LORD hath said 4. And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og kings of the Amorites and unto the land of them whom he destroyed 5. And the LORD shall give them up before your face that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you 6. Be strong and of a good courage fear not nor be afraid of them for the LORD thy God he it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee 7. And Moses called unto Joshua and said unto him in the sight of all Israel Be strong and of a good courage for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them and thou shalt cause them to inherit it 8. And the LORD he it is that doth go before thee he will be with thee he will not fail thee neither forsake thee fear not neither be dismayed 9. And Moses wrote this Law and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD and unto all the elders of Israel 10. And Moses commanded them saying At the end of every seven years in the solemnity of the year of release in the feast of tabernacles 11. When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing 12. Gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the LORD your God and observe to do all the words of this law 13. And that their children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it 14. And the LORD said unto Moses Behold thy days approach that thou must die call Joshua and present your selves in the tabernacle of the congregation that I may give him a charge And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation 15. And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle 16. And the LORD said unto Moses Behold thou shalt sleep with thy fathers and this people will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land whither they go to be among them and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them 17. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day and I will forsake them and I will hide my face from them and they shall be devoured and many evils and troubles shall befall them so that they will say in that day Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not amongst us 18. And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought in that they are turned unto other gods 19. Now therefore write ye this song for you and teach it the children of Israel put it in their mouths that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel 20. For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers that floweth with milk and honey and they shall have eaten and filled themselves and waxen fat then will they turn unto other gods and serve them and provoke me and break my covenant 21. And it shall come to pass when many evils and troubles are befallen them that this song shall testifie against them as a witness for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed for I know their imagination which they go about even now before I have brought them into the land which I sware 22. Moses therefore wrote this song the same day and taught it the children of Israel 23. And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge and said Be strong and of a good courage for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them and I will be with thee 24. And it came to pass when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book until they were finished 25. That Moses commanded the Levites which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD saying 26. Take this book of the law and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God that it may be there for a witness against thee 27. For I know thy rebellion and thy stiff neck behold while I am yet alive with you this day ye have been rebellious against the LORD and how much more after my death 28. Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes and your officers that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to record against them 29. For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt your selves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you and evil will befall you in the latter days because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands 30. And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song until they were ended 2. I can no more go out and come in See the Note on Numb 27.17 The strength of Moses was at present vigorous chap. 34.7 but he could not think it could last long besides this God had declared that he should not go over Jordan as it follows here 9. This law i. e. The whole body of it Vnto the priests the sons of Levi which bare the ark c. The fairest account of these words and the most unexceptionable is this That there is here an Ellipsis of
from above He tells how many Cubits the Waters rosâ— above the Mountains and how many days the Waters kept above the Earth and the Effects of the Floud as to living Creatures 8. He relates by what means the Waters asswaged 9. In what month and day the Ark rested and in what place it did so 10. He relates when Noah opened the Window of the Ark and of his sending out the Raven and the Dove 11. He tells the month and the day when the Earth was dried 12. He relates the going out of Noah c. And 13. He tells of the Sacrifice of Noah and 14. Of God's promise not to send such another Deluge chap. 6 7 8. Here are all the marks of a true and complete Historian nor can the Wit of Man make any such Objections as will destroy the credibility of these Relations Moses next relates how God blessed Noah and his Sons forbad the eating of Bloud and Murder Covenanted not thus to destroy the Earth again and appointed the Rain-bow as a sign of this Covenant He tells also how Noah was over-come with Wine of the Curse denounced against Canaan and of the Blessing of Shem and Japhet and the Death of Noah chap. 9. Moses gives account of the Sons of Japheth of Ham where he speaks more particularly of Nimrod and of the Sons of Shem chap. 10. which is a most excellent piece of Antiquity A Relation of the Building of Babel and of the Children of Shem unto Abram Abram comes with his Father to Haran He receives the Promise of the Messias and comes into the Land of Canaan to Sichem Thence he removes to Bethel c. and on occasion of a Famine goes with Sarai to Egypt whom he gave out to be his Sister Pharaoh having taken her restores her to Abram being informed that she was his Wife chap. 11. and 12. Abram returns out of Egypt to Canaan with great Wealth His Kinsman Lot was with him who had also much Substance They part from each other and Lot pitched his Tent toward Sodom God promiseth to Abram the Land of Canaan chap. 13. Lot is taken Prisoner in the Battel between four Kings with five He is rescued by Abram who is blessed by Melchizedek Abram's Answer to the King of Sodom chap. 14. After this Moses relates how Abram was encouraged by God and assured that his Posterity should inherit the Land of Canaan The Birth of Ishmael by Hagar the Change of Abram s Name the Institution of Circumcision the Change of Sarai's Name and the Promise of Isaac and Circumcision of Abraham and Ishmael chap. 15 16 17. Moses goes on to relate Abraham's Hospitable entertaining of three Angels who appeared to Him in the likeness of Men Their Message is related the Birth of Isaac predicted and Sarah's Amazement and Weakness mentioned The Wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrha and Abraham's Intercession for Sodom The Destruction of these Places Lot preserved The incestuous Original of Moab and Ammon chap. 18 19. Abraham sojourns at Gerar The King thereof takes Sarah but being warned of God restores her Isaac is born and circumcised Hagar and Ishmael are dismissed Hagar being in great distress is relieved by God Abimelech makes a Covenant with Abraham chap. 20 21. Abraham is commanded to offer up his Son Isaac He readily obeys God accepts of this Obedience and preserves Isaac Abraham is again blessed Of the Posterity of Nahor chap. 22. After this we have an account of the Age and Death of Sarah Of the Purchase of a Burying place for her Of Abraham's sending his Servant to procure a Wife for Isaac Of the Servant's exemplary diligence and success and of the Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah ch 23 24. Of Abraham's Sons by Keturah Of his Age and Death Of the Posterity of Ishmael and of his Death c. Of the Birth of Jacob and Esau and how Esau sold his Birth-right Of the Journey of Isaac to Gerar c. Of a Covenant between Abimelech and Isaac and of the Marriage of Esau chap. 25 26. Moses proceeds to relate after what manner Jacob obtained the Blessing which Isaac bestowed on him and which he designed for Esau As also the Journey of Jacob to Padan-Aram and several Passages relating thereunto chap. 27 28. Jacob is entertained by Laban and contracts with him for his Service He Marries Leah and afterwards Rachel the Daughters of Laban The Children of Jacob Laban upon Jacob's desire to depart from him makes a new contract with him upon which Jacob useth policy and grows rich upon it chap. 29 30. Jacob leaves Laban privately Laban pursues him and enters into a Covenant with him at Galeed Jacob goes on and sends a Message to Esau whom he much feared He prays to God on this occasion and sends a Present to Esau He wrestles with an Angel and is called Israel Jacob meets Esau and is kindly received by him Jacob comes to Succoth thence toward Shechem in the Land of Canaan he purchaseth some Land there and builds an Altar Dinah is ravished and the Shechemites destroyed chap. 31 32 33 34. Jacob goes to Bethel where he builds an Altar His Name is changed into that of Israel God blesseth him Rachel dies and we have an account also of the Death of Isaac chap. 35. Moses relates an account of Esau of his Wives and Children and also of the Horites chap. 36. We have next a very particular Relation of Joseph one of the younger Sons of Jacob Of his Dreams and the hatred that his Brethren bore towards him Of their conspiring his Death and of his being carried into Egypt chap. 37. Of the Children of Judah another of Jacob's Sons Of the Birth of Pharez and Zarah by Tamar chap. 38. The History of Joseph is continued He is advanced in the House of Potiphar and resisteth the temptation of his Mistress he is however accused falsely and cast into Prison where God prospers him He interprets the Dreams of two of the King of Egypt's Servants who were in Prison with him to whom it hapned as Joseph fore-told The Dreams of Pharaoh King of Egypt are interpreted by Joseph who predicted a great Plenty and great Famine Upon this Joseph is greatly advanced in Egypt Of the Children of Joseph and the beginning of the Famine Ten Sons of Jacob are sent upon the occasion of the Famine to buy Corn in Egypt when Joseph saw them he accused them for Spies They are furnished with Corn and their Money returned into their Sacks They are required to bring with them Benjamin their younger Brother and their Brother Simeon is detained as a Pledge Joseph's Brethren return with Benjamin and are entertained by him They are sent away with Corn but brought back again to Egypt and accused of Theft The pathetical Supplication of Judah upon this occasion Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren minds them of God's Providence sends for his Father and being plentifully provided for they report to their Father that Joseph was
His resisting the importunity of his Mistress is an Example of Vertue never to be forgotten He was then a Servant in a strange Country He was tempted by an imperious Woman If he complied he wou'd be sure of Concealment and of Rewards he wou'd be sure to enjoy his Place and be advanced If he resisted he wou'd however be sure to be accused and treated as a Criminal and must expect to be deprived of his Place of his Liberty of his Fame and perhaps of his Life too Yet all this prevails not He will rather submit to Chains to Ignominy to Death than be guilty of so foul a Crime and Sin against God V. We have also in this Book the severest Examples of God's displeasure and wrath against the Wickedness of Men. And two instances we have that are very awakening that of the Floud which over-whelmed an ungodly World and the over-throw of Sodom and Gomorrha for their Wickedness There 's nothing wanting in this Book to recommend it to the study and care of the well-disposed Reader It serves greatly to advance Piety and true Wisdom It gives the best account of the Origin of the World and of the Primitive Condition of Mankind It shews how we fell from God and shews us the way of our Recovery by the Messiah 'T is stored with conspicuous Examples of Piety and Vertue and gives us an occasion to adore the Power the Wisdom the Justice and Goodness and Providence of the great Creator of Heaven and of Earth NOTES ON THE Book of GENESIS CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT This Chapter gives an account of the Creation of the World and the several parts of it as also of the order in which they were made and distinguished with the use and intention of them Here is also a particular account of the Creation of Man in the Image of God and of the food which his Creator appointed him 1. 4004. 1. IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth 2. And the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters 3. And God said Let there be light and there was light 4. And God saw the light that it was good and God divided the light from the darkness 5. And God called the light Day and the darkness he called Night and the evening and the morning were the first day 6. And God said Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters 7. And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament and it was so 8. And God called the firmament Heaven and the evening and the morning were the second day 9. And God said Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear and it was so 10. And God called the dry land Earth and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas and God saw that it was good 11. And God said Let the earth bring forth grass the herb yielding seed and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind whose seed is in it self upon the earth and it was so 12. And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after his kind and the tree yielding fruit whose seed was in it self after his kind and God saw that it was good 13. And the evening and the morning were the third day 14. And God said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years 15. And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so 16. And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the stars also 17. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth 18. And to rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darkness and God saw that it was good 19. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day 20. And God said Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven 21. And God created great whales and every living creature that moveth which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind and every winged fowl after his kind and God saw that it was good 22. And God blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiply and fill the waters in the seas and let fowl multiply in the earth 23. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day 24. And God said Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind cattel and creeping thing and beast of the earth after his kind and it was so 25. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind and cattel after their kind and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind and God saw that it was good 26. And God said Let us make man in our image after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattel and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth 27. So God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him male and female created he them 28. And God blessed them and God said unto them Be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth 29. And God said Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed to you it shall be for meat 30. And to every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the air and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth wherein there is life I have given every green herb for meat and it was so 31. And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good And the evening and the morning were the sixth day 1. IN the beginning 1. 4004. That is in the beginning of time Heb. 1.10 Created That is made out of nothing Heb. 11.3 or gave a being to things which had no such being before The Heaven and the Earth or the World In the Scripture-phrase the Heaven and Earth are used to express what is otherwise called the World or Universe God that made the World and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Act. 17.24 See
every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food the tree of life also in the midst of the garden and the tree of knowledge of good and evil 10. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden and from thence it was parted and became into four heads 11. The name of the first is Pison that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah where there is gold 12. And the gold of that land is good there is bdellium and the onyx-stone 13. And the name of the second river is Gihon the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia 14. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria And the fourth river is Euphrates 15. And the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it 16. And the LORD God commanded the man saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die 18. And the LORD God said It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an help-meet for him 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name thereof 20. And Adam gave names to all cattel and to the fowl of the air and to every beast of the field but for Adam there was not found an help-meet for him 21. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in stead thereof 22. And the rib which the LORD God had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man 23. And Adam said This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of man 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh 25. And they were both naked the man and his wife and were not ashamed 1. ALL the Host of them That is all that with which they were replenished and adorned The Sun Moon and Stars are called the Host of Heaven Deut. 4.19.17.3 Isa 34.4 And the Angels are so likewise 1 King 22.19 Luk. 2.13 Compare Psal 103.21 2. Ended Or had ended And so it follows He rested That is he ceased from works of Creation 3. Blessed the seventh day and sanctified it That is he set it a-part to an holy and separate use that he might therein be worshipped and acknowledged as the great Creator of the World 4. These are the generations c. i. e. This is the account of the generation or original c. In the day That is in the time So day is used in the Scripture-way of speaking Thus On the day that I smote every first-born in the land of Egypt Numb 8.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die v. 17. Compare Luk. 19.42 2 Cor. 6.2 5. And every plant of the field before c. That is as God made the Earth and the Heavens v. 4. so he also made every plant of the field and every herb For these plants and these herbs were not as yet in the Earth when that was first made but were as well as the other creatures made by God And that God did create the plants and herbs and that they were not at first the natural productions or growth of the Earth nor yet the effect of man's husbandry appears from this That they were made by God's Command chap. 1.11 on the third day 1. Before God had sent any rain upon the Earth And 2. before Man was made to till the ground chap. 2.15 6 7. But there went up a mist c. That is after this 1. the ground was watered v. 6. And 2. Man was formed of the dust of the ground v. 7. Breathed c. i. e. God the Father of Spirits bestowed life upon this lump of clay The Spirit of God hath made me says Elihu and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life 8. Planted Or had planted before he made Man whom he put in the Garden which he had planted as it is probable on the third day chap. 1.11 9. The tree of life That Tree the fruit whereof being eaten by Man would preserve him from death and diseases Life in the Scripture-phrase implies prosperity and freedom from Evils 1 Sam. 25.6 1 King 1.25 Exod. 20.12 Compared with Deut. 5.16 Eph. 6.3 1 Thess 3.8 And the tree of knowledge c. So called from the Event Man by Eating the fruit of this Tree made a sad experiment of the difference between his happy state of innocence and his miserable condition which ensued upon his fall Gen. 3.7 10. And a river c. Moses gives us an account of a certain place that did really exist and we are assured of this because he gives account of its Situation v. 8. its Store with which it was replenished v. 9. the River which watered it and the Name of its several Heads v. 10 11. and the Countries which these Heads did compass or border upon v. 11 12. A particular description of this place from the account which Moses gives may not be expected in these short Notes The inquisitive Reader will find this Argument handled at large in Sir W. Raleigh's History of the World Book I. ch 3. who placeth it in that Country where Babylon afterwards was 17. Thou shalt surely die i. e. Thou shalt be liable to death and misery Compare 1 King 2.37 Exod. 10.17 1 Sam. 25.37 2. Cor. 11.23 18. Not good That is not convenient or fit whether we consider the individual or the propagation of the kind Gen. 1.28 Eccl. 4.9 Prov. 18.22 Meet for him Of his own Kind fit for his Conversation and ready to help and assist him 19. Formed i. e. had formed chap. 1. 24 25. Every foul of the air See the Note on chap. 1.20 Brought them viz. both Sexes says Josephus 20. Gave Names In which he shewed his Dominion and Power Ps 147.4 5. and his Wisdom also in giving Names agreeable v. 19. Not found viz. In that great variety of Creatures which were brought to him and to whom he gave Names 21. One of his ribs Hereupon Adam said This is now bone of my bones v. 23. 23. Now That is for this once Hebr. for she should be otherwise produced afterward 24. Therefore shall c. i. e. Considering this first Original of the Woman there is no relation whatsoever either so ancient or so near as that of Man and Wife They were before Father and Mother Brother or Sister
shall not always continue but shall be destroyed in which words God threatens the drowning of Mankind by the floud of waters What we render strive is by the ancient Versions rendered by a word that signifies to continue or abide And what is rendred with Man in the Hebrew signifies as well in Man And then it will be easie to understand the importance of these words by comparing chap. 7.22 where it is said That all in whose nostrils was the breath of life Hebr. the breath of the spirit of life died Compare Gen. 2.7 Eccles 12.7 Heb. 12.9 For that he also is flesh i. e. For that he is a depraved mortal creature addicted to the works of the flesh Jud. v. 16 19. An hundred and twenty years i. e. So much time Men shall be allowed before the coming of the Floud to repent in Thus the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing 1 Pet. 3.20 Besides the World did not want a Preacher of Righteousness among them 2 Pet. 2.5 This warning began twenty years before the Birth of Japhet of whose Birth we have an account v. 10. in its due place For what is said chap. 5.32 is there added to complete the Genealogy which is the subject of that Chapter 4. Giants i. e. Not onely Men of great stature Numb 13.32 33. but of insolent tempers v. 5 11. and consequently such as struck a terror upon Men of smaller size and strength After that i. e. After that Race of Men last mentioned Mighty men i. e. Men of great power and force Of renown Or of great fame for their exploits in the wicked World 5. Every imagination c. i. e. All the secret thoughts and purposes of his mind were always bent upon Evil. Not onely the practices of Men were Evil as it is said that God saw that the wickedness of Man was great but the principles from whence those actions flowed were generally corrupted also 6. It repented God cannot properly be said to Repent 1 Sam. 15.29 The Scripture speaks in the language of the children of men as the Jews commonly express it and attribute many things to God which strictly speaking belong not to him Because when Men undoe what they had done they are said to repent God after this manner of Men is said to repent when he destroyeth that which he had made This in God does not imply any alteration or defect And it grieved him at his heart Or He was displeased and angry as the word in the Hebrew is observed to signifie See Gen. 34. v. 7. at the Evil heart of Man of which mention is made in the end of verse 5. 8. Found grace That is obtained favour Compare Heb. 11.7 9. Perfect in his generations i. e. He was an upright and sincere Man and unblameable in the midst of a wicked and ungodly World 11. The Earth That is the Inhabitants of it ch 11. v. 1. Violence Or Rapine They were irreligious toward God and unjust to one another 12. All flesh i. e. The whole Race of Mankind Compare Isai 40.5 with Psal 78.39 His way Or course of living But especially Religion which is the way of serving God and to happiness and is called the way Act. 22.4.18.26 14. Gopher-wood The Chaldee renders it by a word that signifies Cedar Whatever the Wood were it is certain that it was Wood fit for this purpose And the word in the Hebrew language seems to imply that the Wood was of a bituminous or pitchy nature which yet for the greater security was to be pitched within and without 15. Cubits Supposing a Cubit to be but a foot and half which hath been a commonly received opinion we shall not have any just cause to think that the Ark wanted any capacity for the reception of those creatures and that provision which was to be lodged there But we are not obliged to believe this common opinion which supposeth a Cubit to be but 18 inches Allowing it to be somewhat more than 21 the capacity of the Ark will be much greater But of this matter they who please may consult Dr. Cumberland's Book printed 1686. 16. A window Or a light possibly of some strong and Diaphanous stone to give light into the Ark. See the Note on Gen. 8.6 In a cubit c. i. e. Thou shalt raise the top of the Ark one Cubit that the Cover of it being sloping may the better conveigh the waters falling upon it Door By which Noah and his family and the living creatures were to enter With lower c. The Lower story was probably for the greater beasts The second for stowage of provision The third for Noah's family and the fowls and perhaps some of the smaller creatures 18. Covenant The word in this place signifies a promise to preserve Noah and his family c. though it generally signifie a mutual compact or agreement v. 19. And thus sometimes this word signifies See Numb 18.19 and chap. 25.12 13. 19. Two of every sort Not that there shall be but two of any sort compare ch 7. v. 2. but there must be two at least viz. male and female of every kind v. 20. 22. So did he Compare Heb. 11.7 CHAP. VII The ARGUMENT Noah and his Family by God's direction enter into the Ark The living Creatures do so likewise The time when the Floud began the great increase the effects and continuance of it 1. AND the LORD said unto Noah Come thou and all thy house into the ark for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation 2. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens the male and his female and of beasts that are not clean by two the male and his female 3. Of fowls also of the air by sevens the male and the female to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth 4. For yet seven days and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth 5. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him A. M. 1656. 2349. 6. And Noah was six hundred years old when the floud of waters was upon the earth 7. And Noah went in and his sons and his wife and his sons wives with him into the ark because of the waters of the floud 8. Of clean beasts and of beasts that are not clean and of fowls and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth 9. There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark the male and the female as God had commanded Noah 10. And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the floud were upon the earth 11. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life in the second month the seventeenth day of the month the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up and the windows of heaven were opened
forth a Raven and a Dove to discover how far the Waters were abated The time in which the Earth was dried Noah and his Family go out of the Ark at God's command The living Creatures go out also Noah offers a Sacrifice to God who had preserved him which God accepts and promised that he would no more after this manner curse the Earth and destroy the living Creatures therein 1. AND God remembred Noah and every living thing and all the cattel that was with him in the ark and God made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters asswaged 2. The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained 3. And the waters returned from off the earth continually and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated 4. And the ark rested in the seventh month on the seventeenth day of the month upon the mountains of Ararat 5. And the waters decreased continually untill the tenth month in the tenth month on the first day of the month were the tops of the mountains seen 6. And it came to pass at the end of forty days that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made 7. And he sent forth a raven which went forth to and fro untill the waters were dried up from off the earth 8. Also he sent forth a dove from him to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground 9. But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot and she returned unto him into the ark for the waters were on the face of the whole earth Then he put forth his hand and took her and pulled her in unto him into the ark 10. And he stayed yet other seven days and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark 11. And the dove came in to him in the evening and lo in her mouth was an olive-leaf pluckt off So Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth 12. And he stayed yet other seven days and sent forth the dove which returned not again unto him any more 13. And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year in the first month the first day of the month the waters were dried up from off the earth and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked and behold the face of the ground was dry 14. And in the second month on the seven and twentieth day of the month was the earth dried 15. And God spake unto Noah saying 16. Go forth of the ark thou and thy wife and thy sons and thy sons wives with thee 17. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee of all flesh both of fowl and of cattel and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth that they may breed abundantly in the earth and be fruitfull and multiply upon the earth 18. And Noah went forth and his sons and his wife and his sons wives with him 19. Every Beast every creeping thing and every fowl and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth after their kinds went forth out of the ark 20. And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD and took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl and offered burnt-offerings on the altar 21. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour and the LORD said in his heart I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth neither will I again smite any more every thing living as I have done 22. While the earth remaineth seed-time and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease 1. REmembred This is spoken of God after the manner of Men. The meaning is that God shewed his care of Noah We are said to remember that which we take care of God is said to remember when he relieves and shews Mercy Heb. 6.10 Psal 136.23 A wind This was a Wind sent on purpose by God to remove the Waters from the Earth Exod. 14.21 2. The fountains c. As God by the Winds removed the Waters that were already upon the Earth so he had removed all the immediate Causes of the Floud having stopped the Fountains from beneath and the Heavens from above 3. Abated Or diminished They were asswaged before v. 1. But yet not so far taken away but that they did till this time continue above the Earth chap. 7 verse 24. 4. The seventh month on the seventeenth day i. e. The seventh month of the year This was exactly five months from the beginning of the floud of waters Gen. 7.11 Or an hundred and fifty days allowing thirty days to each month And hence it is evident that the forty days mentioned ch 7. v. 12. are part of the hundred and fifty mentioned v. 24. Vpon the mountains Or upon one of the mountains This is an elliptical way of speaking which is very usual in the Writings of the Jews And we have frequent examples in Scripture to this purpose Of Jephthah it is said that he was buried in the Cities of Gilead i. e. In one of the Cities as we render it Judg. 12.7 1 Sam. 18.21 Psal 1.3 Zechar. 9.9 Jon. 1.5 Compare Matt. 27.44 with Luk. 23.39 Joh. 6.45 Ararat i. e. Armenia That the Ark rested there Josephus affirms And it being a mountainous place hither it was that the Sons of Sennacherib fled for refuge Isa 37.38 Jer. 51.27 5. Tenth month i. e. The tenth month of the year First day i. e. Seventy three day after the above-named hundred and fifty Tops of the mountains seen i. e. The heads of the mountains as it is in the Hebrew were visible They were then considerably higher than the Waters 6. Window Or Casement It is not the same word which is used ch 6.16 And most probable it is by comparing the word used here by the Chaldee with Dan. 6.10 to be understood of some Shut or Casement which being easily removed gave a prospect abroad as well as a passage out for the Raven and Dove and for the rest of the Fowls afterwards 7. To and fro i. e. The Raven returned to the Ark for refuge but it does not appear that he was received into the Ark. 8. He sent forth He did this seven days after he had sent forth the Raven as seems to be intimated verse 10. where it is said that he staid yet other seven days 11. Olive-leaf Or rather an Olive-branch as the Hebrew word signifies See ch 3. v. 7. This being an argument that the Waters were sunk down below the tops of the Olive-trees 13. First month i. e. of the new year From off the Earth i. e. The surface of the ground was dry for so it follows the face of the ground was dry For the body of the ground it self is not said to be dry till the twenty-seventh day of the second month v. 14. 20. Altar
stands charged with chap. 6.11 13. Besides this cruelty would have disposed men to murder which is severely forbidden in the following words 5. The bloud of your lives i. e. That bloud which shall without just cause be spilt in the death of a man Require i. e. Find out and punish Psal 9.12 Deut. 18.19 with Acts 3.23 Beast viz. That shall shed man's bloud This afterwards God made into a Law Exod. 21.28 Brother So every man is to another man which does aggravate the Sin of Murder 6. Sheddeth i. e. Wittingly and without just cause Compare Deut. 19.4 12. By man i. e. By the Magistrate to whom this properly belongs Rom. 13.4 By witnesses according to the sentence of the Judges says the Chaldee Paraphrast See Numb 35.19 29 30. Exod. 21.12 For in the image c. This also aggravates the Sin of Murder It is a great Trespass upon God as it destroys his likeness See ch 1.24 And Self-murder upon this account is forbid as well as Killing others 11. My Covenant Or Promise For it is an absolute promise on God's part Isa 54.19 that there shall not be any more such a Floud to destroy the Earth 13. Bow i. e. The Rain-bow as Josephus hath it This Bow was in its Causes before and did questionless exist but is not till now made a pledge or token of God's Covenant or Promise 14. In the cloud There from whence Men might reasonably have feared another Floud 15. To destroy all flesh Some Inundations or particular Flouds are no objection against God's veracity 16. Remember See the Note on ch 8.1 18. Of Canaan He had other Sons besides ch 10.6 But Canaan is here mentioned as the Head of a cursed Race and in order to the ensuing relation v. 25. 20. Began It is not implied that Noah was not an Husbandman before Compare Luk. 12.1 with Matt. 16.1 25. Canaan He is justly thought to be partaker in the sin with his Father and 't is not for nothing that he is twice named with him v. 18 22. and then no wonder that we find him under a Curse Prov. 30.17 and not his Brethren Noah foretells the Evils which should befall his Off-spring of which we read at large in the Book of Joshua A servant of servants i. e. A mean or vile servant See for the phrase Eccles 1.2 Thus the Lord of Lords is the supreme Lord. 26. Lord God Who is the Author of all the Blessings that Shem shall receive and is therefore to be praised Shem is here blessed in that God is said to be the Lord God of Shem. Compare Psal 144.15 27. God c. Noah fore-tells I. That God would give the greater part of the Earth in proportion to what Shem or Ham should possess to the Sons of Japheth This sence agrees best with the Hebrew Text and may be confirmed from chap. 10. II. That He would preserve his Church among the Off-spring of Shem which is expressed by dwelling in his tents God had his House among them and of that Race he sent his Son who dwelt or pitched his Tent among them Joh. 1.14 III. The servile and base condition of Canaan's Race And Canaan shall be his Servant CHAP. X. The ARGUMENT The Original of the several Nations which sprang from the Sons of Noah The numerous Off-spring of Japheth and their large Possessions The Posterity of Ham and more particularly of Nimrod The Children of Shem. 1. NOW these are the generations of the sons of Noah Shem Ham and Japheth and unto them were sons born after the floud 2. The sons of Japheth Gomer and Magog and Modai and Javen and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras 3. And the sons of Gomer Ashkeraz and Riphath and Togarmah 4. And the sons of Javan Elishah and Tarshish Kittim and Dodanim 5. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands every one after his tongue after their families in their nations 6. And the sons of Ham Cush and Mizraim and Phut and Canaan 7. And the sons of Cush Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabtecha and the sons of Raamah Sheba and Dedan 8. And Cush begat Nimrod he began to be a mighty one in the earth 9. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD wherefore it is said Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD 10. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh in the land of Shinar 11. Out of that land went forth Ashur and builded Nineveh and the city Rehoboth and Calah 12. And Resen between Nineveh and Calah the same is a great city 13. And Mizraim begat Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim 14. And Pathrusim and Casluhim out of whom came Philistiim and Caphtorim 15. And Canaan begat Sidon his first born and Heth 16. And the Jebusite and the Emorite and the Girgasite 17. And the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite 18. And the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad 19. And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as thou comest to Gerar unto Gaza as thou goest unto Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboim even unto Lashah 20. These are the sons of Ham after their families after their tongues in there countries and in their nations 21. Vnto Shem also the father of all the children of Eber the brother of Japheth the elder even to him were children born 22. The children of Shem Elam and Ashur and Arphaxad and Lud and Aram. 23. And the children of Aram Vz and Hul and Gether and Mash 24. And Arphaxad begat Salah and Salah begat Eber. 25. And unto Eber were born two sons the name of one was Peleg for in his days was the earth divided and his brothers name was Joktan 26. And Joktan begat Almodad and Sheleph and Hazermaveth and Jerah 27. And Hadoram and Vzal and Diklah 28. And Obal and Abimael and Sheba 29. And Ophir and Havilah and Jobab all these were the sons of Joktan 30. And their dwelling was from Mesha as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east 31. These are the sons of Shem after their families after their tongues in their lands after their nations 32. These are the families of the sons of Noah after their generations in their nations and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood 2. Gomer See Ezek 38.6 Hence 't is thought the Cimbrians came Josephus expresly tells us that the Galatians came hence Joseph Antiq. l. 1. c. 7. Magog Whence came the Scythians says Josephus Compare Ezek. 38.2 3 15. and chap. 39.2 6. Madai Hence the Medes Joseph Javan From whom the Greeks sprang Iâ—â—ia according to Josephus comes hence Hence Greece is called Javan Isa 66.19 Dan. 8.21 and ch 10.21 Tubal Of whom says Josephus came the Iberians Meshech It hath been thought that the Moscovites Josephus expresly affirms that the Cappadocians sprang from Meshech Tiras Hence the
because she was fair to look upon 8. And it came to pass when he had been there a long time that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window and saw and behold Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife 9. And Abimelech called Isaac and said Behold of a surety she is thy wife and how saidst thou She is my sister And Isaac said unto him Because I said Lest I die for her 10. And Abimelech said What is this thou hast done unto us one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us 11. And Abimelech charged all his people saying He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death 12. Then Isaac sowed in that land and received in the same year an hundred fold and the LORD blessed him 13. And the man waxed great and went forward and grew untill he became very great 14. For he had possession of flocks and possession of herds and great store of servants and the Philistines envied him 15. For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father the Philistines had stopped them and filled them with earth 16. And Abimelech said unto Isaac Go from us for thou art much mightier than we 17. And Isaac departed thence and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar and dwelt there 18. And Isaac digged again the wells of water which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them 19. And Isaac's servants digged in the valley and found there a well of springing water 20. And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen saying The water is ours and he called the name of the well Esek because they strove with him 21. And they digged another well and strove for that also and he called the name of it Sitnah 22. And he removed from thence and digged another well and for that they strove not and he called the name of it Rehoboth and he said For now the LORD hath made room for us and we shall be fruitfull in the land 23. And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba 24. And the LORD appeared unto him the same night and said I am the God of Abraham thy father fear not for I am with thee and will bless thee and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake 25. And he builded an altar there and called upon the Name of the LORD and pitched his tent there and there Isaac's servants digged a well 26. Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar and Ahuzzah one of his friends and Phichol the chief captain of his army 27. And Isaac said unto them Wherefore come ye to me seeing ye hate me and have sent me away from you 28. And they said We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee and we said Let there be now an oath betwixt us even betwixt us and thee and let us make a covenant with thee 29. That thou wilt do us no hurt as we have not touched thee and as we have done unto thee nothing but good and have sent thee away in peace thou art now the blessed of the LORD 30. And he made them a feast and they did eat and drink 31. And they rose up betimes in the morning and sware one to another and Isaac sent them away and they departed from him in peace 32. And it came to pass the same day that Isaac's servants came and told him concerning the well which they had digged and said unto him We have found water 33. And he called it Shebah therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba unto this day 34. And Esau was fourty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite 35. Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah 1. OF Abraham Which is mentioned ch 12. v. 10. Which was the occasion of his going into Egypt 2. Go not down into Egypt As Abraham had done ch 12.10 upon the like occasion 3. The Oath viz. Which is mentioned ch 22. v. 17. 4. In thy seed See ch 12.3 and ch 22.18 5. Because Ch. 22.16 6. In Gerar Near to Beer-sheba ch 21.33 34. 8. Sporting i. e. Using such familiarity as was not used between Brother and Sister but onely between Husband and Wife v. 9. 9. Lest I die for her Ch. 12. v. 12. 10. Guiltiness The Hebrew word signifies both Sin and Punishment 11. Toucheth i. e. Useth violence toward them Touching sometimes implies violence Ps 105 15. Jos 9.19 12. An hundred fold i. e. An hundred for one which is not to be wondred at when we consider that it follows The Lord blessed him 14. Great store of Servants Or great Husbandry i. e. All those things in plenty which belong to Tillage and Husbandry as well as great plenty of the Fruits of the Earth 15. Stopped them This was the effect of their Envy v. 14. and a great injury to Isaac ch 21.25 and great injustice in the Philistines ch 21.30 31. 18. Digged again He digged in those places where the Wells were before and which the Philistines had stopped This he did rather than dig new ones both because he was sure to find Water there and he had the best Title to them they having already been in the possession of Abraham his Father Had called them i. e. He restored to them the Names by which Abraham had called them which Names had been disused by the Philistines 19. Springing Living in the Hebrew That water is so call'd which is in motion 20. Esek i. e. Contention 21. Sitnah i. e. Hatred 22. Rehoboth i. e. Room 24. For I am with thee For my word shall be thy help So the Chaldee 25. Called upon c. Prayed says the Chaldee 27. Seeing ye hate me Compare Prov. 16.7 29. That thou wilt do us no hurt These words contain the condition on Isaac's part for the avoiding the Curse which the breach of this Covenant would expose him to implied by the Oath or Curse as the Greek renders it well v. 28. and upon presumption of his performing his part they may well be supposed to add Thou art now the Blessed of the Lord. 30. They did eat and drink As they were wont to do who entred into Covenants ch 31.54 Eating and drinking together was reputed a token of amity and friendship Josh 9.14 Judg. 13.23 Jer. 41.2 33. Beer-sheba Of the reason of this name See the Note on ch 21.31 It is here as the Name of the City The Well was formerly so called by Abraham ch 21.31 But this Well was stopped by the Philistines and the Name of it would have been lost Isaac upon its being opened restores to it its former Name v. 18. 34. He took to wife He married without
Or the meanest of them as the Hebrew word will bear 1 Kings 12.31 and not the goodliest whom Pharaoh might have desired for his Court. 3. Occupation The Hebrew word signifies Work 4. To sojourn Not to dwell in Egypt and therefore they desire Goshen as near to Canaan 7. Jacob blessed Pharaoh i. e. He saluted him and gave him thanks as the Hebrew word signifies 2 Kings 4.29 Numb 6.23 24. Compare Matt. 26.26 with Luk. 22.19 9. Pilgrimage Jacob's life was a Pilgrimage It was spent in many places of Canaan in Padan-Aram and then in Canaan again and now in Egypt Heb. 11.9 13. An hundred and thirty years Hence it is evident that Jacob was about Ninety years old when Joseph was born Evil Though Jacob in some respect were a prosperous Man yet he met with many Evils He fled from Esau served Laban Twenty years He was defeated in his hope of Rachel and she was barren also He fled from Laban feared Esau halted He was afflicted in Dinah in Simeon and Levi and in Reuben and upon the score of Joseph In the Sons of Judah and in Thamar Besides the death of Rachel and the sending away of Benjamin Have not attained c. Abraham lived an Hundred seventy five years and Isaac an Hundred and eighty Gen. 25.7 and ch 35.28 10. Blessed At his going out as at his coming in See the Note on v. 7. 11. Land of Rameses So called here by Anticipation the Israelites built a City of that Name afterward Exod. 1.11 and 12.37 12. According to their families Or as a little Child is nourished Heb. According to the little ones 13. Land of Egypt i. e. The People of the Land as the Chaldee hath it 17. Fed them Heb. Led them 18. Second year i. e. The year after and not the second year of the seven years famine 21. He removed them The better to secure to Pharaoh the propriety from the People says Josephus And also it was a good means to prevent their Sedition which they would be tempted to if they had continued in their old Patrimonies 22. Priests Tho' the Hebrew word sometimes signifie Princes or great Officers Yet the ancient Versions the Chaldee Greek and Vulgar understand it of Priests here And so does Josephus and the Syriack Version of this place And what is here said of the Priviledge of the Priests is confirmed by what we read to the same purpose in the Second Book of Herodotus 24. Fifth part Ch. 41.34 29. Vnder my thigh See the Note on ch 24.2 30. With my fathers i. e. In the Land of Canaan where Abraham and Isaac were buried That the Israelites might be mindfull of their return thither 31. Swear unto me Jacob requires an Oath not because he distrusted Joseph but that he might furnish him with an argument to prevail with Pharaoh and accordingly we find Joseph making use of it ch 50.5 Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head i. e. He worshipped God raising himself upon the head of his Bed And possibly he might also lean upon the top of his Staff as the Greek hath it See Heb. 11.21 CHAP. XLVIII The ARGUMENT Joseph with his two Sons visits his Father in his sickness Jacob puts him in mind of God's promise and taketh Ephraim and Manasseh for his own Sons He blesseth them and preferrs Ephraim before Manasseh He fore-tells the Israelites return into Canaan And gives Joseph a portion of Land 1. AND it came to pass after these things that one told Joseph Behold thy father is sick and he took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim 2. And one told Jacob and said Behold thy son Joseph cometh unto thee and Israel strengthened himself and sat upon the bed 3. And Jacob said unto Joseph God Almighty appeared unto me 〈◊〉 Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me 4. And said unto me Behold I will make thee fruitfull and multiply thee and I will make of thee a multitude of people and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession 5. And now thy two sons Ephraim and Manasseh which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt are mine as Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine 6. And thy issue which thou begettest after them shall be thine and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance 7. And as for me when I came from Padan Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath the same is Beth-lehem 8. And Israel beheld Joseph's sons and said Who are these 9. And Joseph said unto his father They are my sons whom God hath given me in this place And he said Bring them I pray thee unto me and I will bless them 10. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age so that he could not see And he brought them near unto him and he kissed them and embraced them 11. And Israel said unto Joseph I had not thought to see thy face and lo God hath shewed me also thy seed 12. And Joseph brought them out from between his knees and he bowed himself with his face to the earth 13. And Joseph took them both Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel's left hand and Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel's right hand and brought them near unto him 14. And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manasseh's head guiding his hands wittingly for Manasseh was the first-born 15. And he blessed Joseph and said God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk the God which fed me all my life long unto this day 16. The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the lads and let my name be named on them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth 17. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim it displeased him and he held up his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head 18. And Joseph said unto his father Not so my father for this is the first-born put thy right hand upon his head 19. And his father refused and said I know it my son I know it â—e also shall become a people and he also shall be great but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he and his seed shall become a multitude of nations 20. And he blessed them that day saying In thee shall Israel bless saying God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh and he set Ephraim before Manasseh 21. And Israel said unto Joseph Behold I die but God shall be with you and bring you again unto the land of your fathers 22. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above
Murrain v. 6. 26. Was there no hail See Notes on v. 4. and 5. and Isa 32.18 19. 28. Mighty thundrings Heb. Voices of God Psal 29.4 5. 29. I will spread abroad my hands I will extend my hands in Prayer says the Chaldee See v. 28. and 1 Tim. 2.8 The Earth Psal 24.1 32. Not grown up Heb. Hidden or dark i. e. They were not so forward as the Barley 35. As the LORD had spoken As the Lord had commanded says the Vulgar referring it to the words immediately going before By Moses Heb. By the hand of Moses CHAP. X. The ARGUMENT Pharaoh is threatned with a most grievous Plague of Locusts Vpon this and his Servants request he inclines to terms But they being refused God sends the Plague of Locusts and removes them at his request After which he refuseth to let the people go After this succeeded the Plague of Darkness Pharaoh is hardned and warneth Moses to come no more into his presence 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants that I might shew these my signs before him 2. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son and of thy sons son what things I have wrought in Egypt and my signs which I have done amongst them that ye may know how that I am the LORD 3. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh and said unto him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy self before me Let my people go that they may serve me 4. Else if thou refuse to let my people go behold to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast 5. And they shall cover the face of the earth that one cannot be able to see the earth and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped which remaineth unto you from the hail and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field 6. And they shall fâ—ll thy houses and the houses of all thy servants and the houses of all the Egyptians which neither thy fathers nor thy father's fathers have seen since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day And he turned himself and went out from Pharaoh 7. And Pharaoh's servants said unto him How long shall this man be a snare unto us Let the men go that they may serve the LORD their God Knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh and he said unto them Go serve the LORD your God but who are they that shall go 9. And Moses said We will go with our young and with our old with our sons and with our daughters with our flocks and with our herds will we go for we must hold a feast unto the LORD 10. And he said unto them Let the LORD be so with you as I will let you go and your little ones look to it for evil is before you 11. Not so go now ye that are men and serve the LORD for that you did desire And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence 12. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts that they may come up upon the land of Egypt and eat every herb of the land even all that the hail hath left 13. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt and the LORD brought an east-wind upon the land all that day and all that night and when it was morning the east-wind brought the locusts 14. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested in all the coasts of Egypt very grievous were they before them there were no such locusts as they neither after them shall be such 15. For they covered the face of the whole earth so that the land was darkned and they did eat every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left and there remained not any green thing in the trees or in the herbs of the field through all the land of Egypt 16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste and he said I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you 17. Now therefore forgive I pray thee my sin onely this once and intreat the LORD your God that he may take away from me this death onely 18. And he went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD 19. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west-wind which took away the locusts and cast them into the Red sea there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt 20. But the LORD hardned Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go 21. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt even darkness which may be felt 22. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days 23. They saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three days but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings 24. And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said Go ye serve the LORD onely let your flocks and your herds be stayed let your little ones also go with you 25. And Moses said Thou must give us 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 untill we come thither 27. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's 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 I will see thy face again no more 1. FOR c. Or Though Ch. 4.21 2. Mayest tell c. See ch 9.16 Deut. 6.20 22. Psal 78.5 6 7. 4. Locusts Wisd 16.9 5. The face Heb. The eye i. e. the superficies of the Earth The Jewish Writers by the Eye of the Earth understand the Sun and that the multitude of Locusts did intercept the light of the Sun and hinder the Egyptians from seeing the Earth which agrees very well with what follows in this Verse and with vers 15. vid. Abravenel and the Chaldee on the place The residue Ch. 9.32 Every tree Though the Trees were broken by the Hail yet it does not thence follow that they were altogether rendred unfruitfull 6. Have seen Vid. Vers 14. 7. A snare i. e. An occasion of our ruine 8. Who Heb. Who and who c. 10. Let the LORD c. These words seem to be spoken scoffingly q. d. You may assoon expect I should wish you all manner
wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before the LORD with the two lambs they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest 21. And ye shall proclaim on the self-same day that it may be an holy convocation unto you ye shall do no servile work therein It shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations 22. And when ye reap the harvest of your land thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest thou shalt leave them unto the poor and to the stranger I am the LORD your God 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 24. Speak unto the children of Israel saying In the seventh month in the first day of the month shall ye have a sabbath a memorial of blowing of trumpets an holy convocation 25. Ye shall do no servile work therein but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD 26. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 27. Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement it shall be an holy convocation unto you and ye shall afflict your souls and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD 28. And ye shall do no work in that same day for it is a day of atonement to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God 29. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day he shall be cut off from among his people 30. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day the same soul will I destroy from among his people 31. Ye shall do no manner of work It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings 32. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest and ye shall afflict your souls in the ninth day of the month at even from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath 33. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 34. Speak unto the children of Israel saying The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD 35. On the first day shall be an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 36. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD it is a solemn assembly and ye shall do no servile work therein 37. These are the feasts of the LORD which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD a burnt-offering and a meat-offering a sacrifice and drink-offerings every thing upon his day 38. Beside the sabbaths of the LORD and beside your gifts and beside all your vows and beside all your free-will-offerings which ye give unto the LORD 39. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days on the first day shall be a sabbath and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath 40. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees branches of palm-trees and the boughs of thick-trees and willows of the brook and ye shall rejoyce before the LORD your God seven days 41. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year It shall be a statute for ever in your generations ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month 42. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths 43. That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt I am the LORD your God 44. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD 2. Proclaim Or Call They might be said to be proclaimed as there was publick notice given of them by the Order of the Sanedrim and the Sound of Trumpets vid. Numb 10.2 10. 3. Six days Exod 20.9 Deut. 5.13 Luk. 13.14 The Sabbath-day is considered here distinct from the Feasts v. 2. with verses 37 38. and introductory to them that being a weekly Solemnity and the Feasts which follow yearly No work i. e. None whatsoever must be done on the Sabbath-day or on the day of Expiation v. 28 30. In the other Festivals which follow servile work onely was forbidden v. 7 8 21 25 35 36. It was lawfull on the other Festivals to provide what was to be eaten Exod. 12.16 This was unlawfull on the Sabbath or Day of Expiation Exod. 16.23 Levit. 16.29 In all your dwellings The Sabbath was to be kept in their several Tribes and Habitations whereas the following Feasts were to be kept before the Sanctuary 5. In the fourteenth Exod. 12.18 Numb 28.16 At even Or between the two Evenings See the Notes on Exod. 12.6 7. Servile work i. e. Laborious work and such as we commonly put our Slaves or Servants to See v. 3. 10. Land This Precept was annexed to the Land of Canaan and did not oblige the Jews before they came into it nor can it oblige those who were afterward forced to live elsewhere A sheaf Or handfull Heb. Omer So much as would yield an Omer or the tenth part of an Ephah Exod. 16.36 11. To be accepted for you viz. As a Tribute of praise or ackâ—owledgment of God's mercy in bestowing upon them the Fruits of the Earth Before this they might not reap Joseph Antiq. l. 3. c. 10. nor eat of the Harvest v. 14. On the morrow after the Sabbath i. e. On the Sixteenth day of Nisan which was the day after the first day of Unleavened Bread which is called the Sabbath or day of rest from their servile work v. 7. See Deut. 16.9 By Sabbath here cannot be meant the Seventh day of the week excepting onely when that happened to be on the Fifteenth day of Nisan or March as appears from comparing v. 15. with Deut. 16.9 And therefore the Chaldee renders Sabbath by Good day or Festival in this place 13. Hin See Exod 29.40 15. Ye shall count Deut. 16.9 16. Fifty days Hence this Feast is called Pentecost in the New Testament Act. 2.1 1 Cor. 16.8 It is also called the Feast of Weeks because it began on the morrow after seven Weeks which they counted from the morrow after the Sabbath mentioned v. 15. It is likewise called the Feast of Harvest Exod. 34.22 and ch 23.16 That is of their Wheat-harvest For the Barley-harvest was before that of the Wheat in Canaan Ruth 1.22 with ch 2.23 as well as in Egypt Exod. 9.31 32. This Feast was observed to acknowledge God's mercy in sending them this Harvest and it is probable also that it was observed in memory of their receiving the Law
willing to name the People as those to whom the Curses belonged which were such as did reach other Nations and were not like the Blessings peculiar to the Israelites For the Blessing and Cursing here mentioned the most probable account is this viz. That as the Levites pronounced the following Curses v. 14. so for the Blessings upon Obedience mentioned chap. 28. they were repeated by the Tribes which were on Mount Gerizim and the Curses which follow in that Chapter were pronounced by the six other Tribes on Mount Ebal 14. The Levites i. e. Those of the Levites which bare the Ark and stood between the Tribes Josh 8.33 For the body of the Levites were among the Tribes on Mount Gerizim 15. In a secret place viz. Thinking to conceal his wickedness 16. That setteth light by c. The duty we owe to our Parents and Superiors stands in the Decalogue next to that which we owe to God Exod. 20.12 and a contempt of them is here placed next to Idolatry 17. That removeth This is an act of great injustice and fatal consequence See the Note on ch 19.14 18. That maketh the blind c. i. e. That misleads either the Blind or the Simple into danger or sin 20. With his father's wife c. See chap. 22.30 with the Note 23. With his mother-in-law Or with his daughter-in-law as the Greek render it 26. Confirmeth not i. e. Who does not obey Or that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Gal. 3.10 CHAP. XXVIII The ARGUMENT Many Blessings promised to the Israelites upon condition of their Obedience to the Law of God A great number of Evils threatened to those who should be disobedient 1. AND it shall come to pass if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth 2. And all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God 3. Blessed shalt thou be in the city and blessed shalt thou be in the field 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattel the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep 5. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store 6. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out 7. The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face they shall come out against thee one way and flee before thee seven ways 8. The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy store-houses and in all that thou settest thine hand unto and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee 9. The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself as he hath sworn unto thee if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God and walk in his ways 10. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD and they shall be afraid of thee 11. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattel and in the fruit of thy ground in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee 12. The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season and to bless all the work of thine hand and thou shalt lend unto many nations and thou shalt not borrow 13. And the LORD shall make thee the head and not the tail and thou shalt be above onely and thou shalt not be beneath if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God which I command thee this day to observe and to do them 14. And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day to the right hand or to the left to go after other gods to serve them 15. But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee 16. Cursed shalt thou be in the city and cursed shalt thou be in the field 17. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store 18. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep 19. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out 20. The LORD shall send upon thee cursing vexation and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do until thou be destroyed and until thou perish quickly because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken me 21. The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee until he have consumed thee from off the land whither thou goest to possess it 22. The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption and with a fever and with an inflammation and with an extream burning and with the sword and with blasting and with mildew and they shall pursue thee until thou perish 23. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass and the earth that is under thee shall be iron 24. The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust from heaven shall it come down upon thee until thou be destroyed 25. The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies thou shalt go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth 26. And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air and unto the beasts of the earth and no man shall fray them away 27. The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt and with the emerods and with the scab and with the itch whereof thou canst not be healed 28. The LORD shall smite thee with madness and blindness and astonishment of heart 29. And thou shalt grope at noon-day as the blind gropeth in darkness and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways and thou shalt be onely oppressed and spoiled evermore and no man shall save thee 30. Thou shalt betroth a wife and another man shall lie with her thou shalt build an house and thou shalt not dwell therein thou shalt plant a vineyard and shalt not gather the grapes thereof 31. Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes and thou shalt not eat thereof thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face and shall not be restored to thee thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies and thou shalt have none to rescue them 32. Thy sons
the Note on Chap. 4.19 29. The secret c. q. d. This severity of God towards his chosen People may be well supposed very amazing and surprizing especially considering his early and many and repeated Mercies to them and their Fathers from time to time his gracious Nature and Promises and his forbearance of others whose Sins were as great and who were not in Covenant with him But we are not too curiously to inquire into the Secrets of God's Providence Rom. 11.33 But on the other hand steadily to apply our selves to obey God's revealed Will as that which more peculiarly belongs to us and is the best preventive of such Calamities as are mentioned v. 23 27 28. CHAP. XXX The ARGUMENT God promiseth Mercy to the truly Penitent The Law of God was plainly laid before them Life and Death are set before them They are vehemently exhorted to be obedient and to be happy 1. AND it shall come to pass when all these things are come upon thee the blessing and the curse which I have set before thee and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee 2. And shalt return unto the LORD thy God and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day thou and thy children with all thine heart and with all thy soul 3. That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity and have compassion upon thee and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee 4. If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee and from thence will he fetch thee 5. And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed and thou shalt possess it and he will do thee good and multiply thee above thy fathers 6. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live 7. And the LOOD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies and on them that hate thee which persecuted thee 8. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD and do all his commandments which I command thee this day 9. And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattel and in the fruit of thy land for good for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good as he rejoiced over thy fathers 10. If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God to â—eep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul 11. For this commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it for off 12. It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it 13. Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it 14. But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it 15. See I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil 16. In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments that thou mayest live and multiply and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it 17. But if thine heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear but shalt be drawn away and worship other gods and serve them 18. I denounce unto you this day and ye shall surely perish and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live 20. That thou mayest love the LORD thy God and that thou mayest obey his voice and that thou mayest cleave unto him for he is thy life and the length of thy days that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give them 1. AND thou shalt call them to mind i. e. Thou shalt consider or come thy self which is the first Step towards Repentance See Luke 15.17 1 King 8.47 If thou he think thy self That is the importance of the Hebrew and so it is rendred 1 Kings 8.47 2. And shalt return Here is a farther Description of true Repentance expressed by returning and by obeying God universally and heartily 3. Turn thy Captivity That is bring back thy Captives as appears from the following words and Captivity is sometimes used for Captives Psal 14.7 4. Vtmost parts of heaven That is the utmost parts of the Earth under the Heaven Behold I will gather them out of all Countries Jer. 32.37 What is expressed by from one end of the heaven to the other Matt. 24.31 is in a parallell place said from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven Mark 13.27 Heaven some times signifies the Air in which we breath Gen. 1.8 6. Circumcise thine heart This is to be understood of that Spiritual Circumcision whereby the filthy Inclination of the Mind to evil is removed and pared away The Chaldee expresseth it by removing the folly of the heart and the Greek by cleansing it Coloss 2.11 Rom. 2.29 9. For good Plenty and Prosperity is to the hurt of evil Men and is onely good to them who are good and is therefore as such promised to them whose heart is circumcised 11. This Commandment viz. Of loving God v. 6. and sincere Obedience to his Revelation v. 8. which are also Evangelical Precepts Rom. 10.6 Not hidden i. e. It is not hard to be understood as those are which are said to be hidden and abstruse Far off Or out of thy reach that thou shouldest need pretend that thou canst not come at it 12. Not in heaven That is it is not looked up as a Secret there but revealed from thence 13. Beyond the Sea i. e. It is not at such a distance as will expose Men to great hazard to come at 14. In thy mouth and in thy heart i. e. It is very near thee indeed as that which thou ownest with thy Mouth and doest with thy Mind assent unto 19. I call heaven and earth c. See the Note on Chap. 4.26 20. He is thy life He is the Author