Tribes and half the Tribe of Manasseh the Tribe of Reuben Gad and the other half Tribe of Manasseh having their lot on the other side Jordan The persons that were to make the division were Eleazar the High Priest Joshua and one Prince of every Tribe who are particularly named The Tribes are here named in their particular Order in which they should inherit the Land their Inheritance abutting one upon another as their Names are here joyned together to make it the more evident to them that they were alloted their Portions by the Wisdom and Providence of God Numb Ch. 34. whole Chapter SECT XC THe Lord further Commands the Israelites to give 48 Cities to the Levites for their Possession He appoints the Suburbs of them to reach a thousand Cubits from the wall of the City on each side so that measuring the length from one end of the lines to the other end opposite against it as from East to West or from North to South there were two thousand Cubits that made the perfect square God also appoints six of these Cities for Cities of Refuge Three in the Land of Canaan and three (b) There was no inequality in this because the portion of the two Tribes and an half without Jordan reached as far in length as theirs in the Land of Canaan though it were nothing so broad Besides if the Lord inlarged their Coasts and gave them all the Land they were to add three Cities more Deut. 19.8 9. on the other side Jordan And those Cities were as we may see afterwards Deut. 4. and Joshua 20. 1. Bezer a City of the Reubenites 2. Ramoth of Gilead of the Gadites 3. Golan in Bashan of the Manassites These three Moses separated Deut. 4.41 43. 4. Kadesh in Galilee in Mount Napthali 5. Shechem in Mount Ephraim 6. Kirjath-arba which is Hebron in the Mount of Judah and these Joshua separated Joshua 20.7 Before these Cities of Refuge were appointed it seems the Altar only was a kind of Sanctuary to those that fled to it see Exod. 21.14 But afterwards these Cities were the chief Sanctuaries to the Children of Israel and the Sojourners and Strangers among them and yet they were such only to those who had killed a man unwittingly And therefore they were not to receive any man till he had professed his Innocency as to this particular see Josh 20.4 And such Cities were purposely appointed as lay at an equal distance in the several parts of the Land that no man driven to make use of them might have too far to go and so might be overtaken by the Avenger of blood who was the next Kinsman to the man slain and might lawfully slay him who had slain his Kinsman if he took him out of the City of Refuge and before he could recover the Sanctuary And the way to these Cities was always to be prepared and made even and plain that the Man-slayer might flee thither without hinderance see Deut. 19.3 When the Man-slayer came thither he was at the entrance of the Gate to shew his Cause to the Elders of the City who were to take him in till he was sent for and fetched to the City where he had done the Fact and there he was to stand before the Congregation Joshua 24.4 6. who if they found him worthy of death were to deliver him to the Avenger to kill him if not they were to return him to the City of Refuge again where he was to live in a kind of exile and imprisonment until the death of the High Priest and might not come out before * If He went out before He forfeited his Priviledge and Protection and the Avenger might lawfully slay him and then He was to have liberty to return to his own house and former dwelling place the High Priest being a Type of the Messias our High Priest and Saviour Jesus Christ who by his death hath blotted out the hand-writing of our Sins and reconcileth us to God But these Cities of Refuge were not intended to be any Protection or Asyle to willful Murderers and such as of malice-prepence slew a man and struck him with an Instrument of Iron or with a Stone or Hand-weapon wherewith in probability a man that is smitten must needs be kill'd Moreover no man was to be put to death on the single testimony of one man alone And no Redemption-money no Bribe or Present was to be taken to spare a murderers life For blood defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it And lastly no Redemption-money was to be taken for granting him that was fled to a City of Refuge a Dispensation or Liberty to return to the place of his former abode or habitation before the death of the High Priest Numb 35. whole Chapter and Deut. 4. vers 41 42 43. SECT XCI THe Lord having formerly ordered that Zelophehad's Daughter should have that portion of Land in the Tribe of Manasseh which their Father should have had for his share had he lived the Children of Gilead who were of that Tribe considering that if these Daughters married into any other Tribe this portion of their Land would be quite alienated from their Tribe therefore they made it their suit that some order might be taken to prevent this mischief For by like accidents the portion of every Tribe might in time be changed and so at length all may come to confusion and the very end of Gods appointing every Tribe to have their portion apart by themselves might be quite made void And further whereas by the Law of God it was appointed that at the year of Jubilee which was every fiftieth year what ever Land was alienated from any Tribe should return to that Tribe again by such marriages as these Inheritances would pass over from one Tribe to another without possibility of restitution at the year of Jubilee and so this Law would become void which seem'd purposely intended to prevent the confusion of the Inheritances of the Tribes Moses having ask'd Counsel of the Lord answered them as God had commanded viz. That the Daughters of Zelophehad should marry only in the Tribe of their Father which they accordingly afterwards did and further orders That every Daughter that possesseth an Inheritance in any Tribe should marry only unto one of that Tribe But if she was not an Inheritrix she might marry into any other Tribe And thus Inheritances would not be removed from one Tribe to another Numb Ch. 36. whole Chapter SECT XCII WE are now come to the Book of Deuteronomy which contains Moses's dying Speech and pathetical Exhortation to the Children of Israel He had brought them to the Plains of Moab and to the very borders of Canaan He knew by divine Revelation he must not go over thither but must die on this side Jordan Having therefore now but a little time to live viz. about five weeks like a man in
afraid to execute justice upon thee for the doing justice upon such offenders and wicked wretches as thou art is the way by the blessing of God to have my Kingdom established to me and to my posterity after me in the sight of the Lord that is his gracious Providence continually watching over us So the King commanded Benaiah to kill him which accordingly he did And so the Kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon his chief and capital enemies being now cut off 1 King Ch. 2. from v. 39 to the end CHAP. V. The fifth Age of the World from the beginning of the building of the Temple in the fourth year of Solomons reign unto the destruction of it and Captivity of Judah in the 11th year of Zedekiah containing a space of 420 years SECT I. IN the year 480 from the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt in the fourth year of the reign of King Solomon on the second day of the second Month called Zif answering as some think to our 21 of May the foundation of the Temple was laid in Mount Moriah the very place where Abraham was commanded to offer up his Son Isaac see Gen. 22.2 and in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite about the year of the world 2988. This foundation was laid with great and costly hewed stones brought thither by the Kings command 1 King 5.17 and this glorious structure with all things belonging to it took up in the building and finishing of it seven years and an half The length of this magnificent building was sixty cubits besides ten cubits allowed for the Porch which made the whole length to be seventy cubits 1 King 6.2 3. The cubits after which the Temple was built it's probable were after the first measure 2 Chron. 3.3 and double to the ordinary cubits which reached only from the Elbow to the tip of the longest finger and equal to our English yard If any shall think this sacred pile to be but little in comparison of other Fanes and Temples let them consider the stateliness of this Temple did not consist so much in the greatness of it as the exquisite workmanship symetry and costly furniture thereof 2ly It was big enough for the uses it was intended for namely to contain the holy vessels with sufficient space between them and to receive such Priests as did officiate therein For the Holy of Holies was accessible only to the High-Priest and that but once a year and into the holy or inward house only such Priests entred as by lot or course came thither to do the service they were appointed unto viz. to light lamps to set shew-bread to offer inincense as appeareth by Zacharies sole staying therein whilst the whole multitude of the people were praying without 3ly The great latitude and capacity of the Temple consisted in the outward Courts with the stately buildings and Cloysters about them which were of such receipt as to entertain multitudes of men sub dio in the open air and so it equalled the greatest buildings in the world But though the covered Temple was not great yet it was more than twice as big as the Tabernacle made by Moses which was only thirty cubits in length ten in breadth and as many in height Both Jewish and Christian writers place the ends or length of the Temple East and West the sides or breadth North and South making the Porch or entrance on the East-end and the Holy of Holies on the West-end as is gathered from Ezek. 8.16 Ch. 44.1 Ch. 47.1 We shall now describe the parts of this Temple particularly and shall speak first of the Porch 1. The Porch In the Book of Kings 1 King 6.3 we meet with the length and breadth of the Porch but no height thereof mentioned In Chronicles we find the length and height thereof but there the breadth is omitted Thus we see that by comparing one Scripture with another we may come to find out the truth This Porch was twenty cubits in length for its length ran parallel to the breadth of the house from North to South ten in breadth from East to West and an hundred and twenty in height being four times as high as the body of the Temple see 2 Chron. 3.4 not that it was all empty and void to the top but probably had Chambers in it and winding stairs ascending up to the roof The height of the lowest room within might perhaps be equal to the rest of the House viz. thirty cubits The battlements on the top might have stately railes of stone besides other ornaments and Pinacles There was a magnificent entrance into it raised by many steps out of the Area of the Priests Court This Porch viz. the arched Portal Solomon overlaid within with pure gold 2 Chron. 3.4 That is gilded it all over it having plates of silver underneath For David is said to have provided seven thousand talents of refined silver to overlay the walls of the houses withal 1 Chron. 29.4 Thus it took its denomination of gold from the metal which was most precious and most visible on the surface of it And so all the several rooms of the Temple might be overlaid with pure gold The Porch with leaf the inward house with plate the Holy of Holies with the most refined gold of Parvaim The Holy or inward House had forty cubits in length the breadth twenty cubits 2. The Sanctuary or inward house or middle part between the Porch and the Oracle adaequate to the general dimensions of the Temple For the wall the out-side of it which was expos'd to open view was as is conceiv'd of white polisht marble or made of some excellent stone for strength and the timber and boards within were all Cedar The Cedar was curiously carved with the Imagery of Flowers Palmes and Cherubims and those figures being outwardly imbossed with visible prominences the plates of gold being of the purest and most flexible metal applied themselves so close to each line in the Sculpture that they set it off and expressed the carved work with advantage abating nothing of the art and adding much to the beauty and richness thereof 1 King 6.18 29. And in some select places as it seems it was most gloriously adorn'd and garnisht with precious stones 2 Chron. 3.6 For Solomon intended this Temple should be very glorious it being built for the honour of the all-glorious God Of the same curiosity for carving were the two doors with folding leaves made of firr-tree and overlaid with gold which led out of the Porch into the Temple The workmanship of these doors and the wall being in all particulars so alike that when they were shut no breach appeared in them Posts of Olive-tree four square were made for these doors to turn upon 1 King 6. from the 31 to the 36. The floor hereof was made of boards of Firr and they were faced and all overlaid with gold 1 King 6.15 30 * V.
either Mitteh a Bed or Matteh a Staff Scipione nixus Jacob ad spondae caput Deum moribundus adorat Anonym he bowed himself to God by way of Thankfulness both for those Promises of the Land of Cannaan in the expectation whereof he desired there to be buried as also because he was assured by Joseph he should be buried there Gen. 47. from vers 13. to the end SECT XLVI SOmetime after this Joseph heard that his Father was sick and he went to visit him taking his two Sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him to receive the Blessing of their venerable Grandfather When Israel heard He was come he raised up himself and sat upon the Bed as if a new degree of strength had been added to him Then He spake to his Son Joseph after this manner God Almighty appeared to me some years since at Luz (r) Or Bethel and twice see Ch. 28. 13 19. Ch. 35.6 in the Land of Canaan and blessed me saying Behold I will make thee fruitful and multiply thee and will make of thee a multitude (s) Viz. 13 populous Tribes of People and will give this Land to thy Seed after thee for an everlasting Possession (t) See Sect. 3. and Gen. 13.15 and Ch. 17.8 Hac locutione significat Israelitas sore perpetuos terrae haeredes usque ad Christi adventum quo renovatus fuit mundus The Lord was pleased there to renew and confirm to me the Blessing promised to my Father and Grandfather which is to go on still and to descend on our Posterity And therefore thy two Sons Ephraim (u) Jacob here prefers Ephraim and Manasseh though by Birth they are only my Grandchildren yet by Adoption shall be my Sons and accordingly in the division of the Promised Land they shall have the Priviledge of my Sons Each of them shall have a Twelfth share and they shall be Heads of Tribes no less than Reuben and Simeon and in them Two thou shalt have a double portion (x) This giving to the First-born a double Portion as many other things before-mentioned See Ch. 38. being in practice among the Patriarchs before Moses's time was afterwards put into a Law Deut. 21.17 and so the Right and Priviledge of the First-born 1 Chron. 5.1 And if thou shalt beget any Sons after them they shall be thine that is they shall be counted thy Off-spring and accordingly shall be ingrafted into the Stock and Tribe of Ephraim or Manasseh as if they were their Sons and not their Brethren and shall not make peculiar Tribes by themselves as these Two shall do Neither will any of thy Brothers have cause to complain that I give thee this Priviledge of the First-born For had I been fairly dealt with thy dear Mother Rachel had been my only Wife and so thou being her eldest Son hadst had that Right unquestionably And now I have mentioned thy dear Mother I cannot but remember with grief how soon she was taken from me she dying in Child-bed of thy Brother Benjamin Ch. 35.16 19. in the Land of Canaan near Bethlem-Ephrata as we came from Padan-Aram And she dying in that manner Her body could not well be kept so that I was forced to bury her there and could not carry her to the Sepulchre of our Ancestors where I my self desire to be buried Then Israel whose Eyes were dim perceiving two young Youths to stand before him but not knowing them he asked Who these were Joseph answered They are my Sons whom God hath given me in this Place Jacob said Bring them to me and I will bless them that is I will in the Name and by the Authority of God declare how He will bless them and this Blessing I will confirm to them by laying my Hands upon them They being brought to him and kneeling down between his knees He kissed them and embraced them saying to Joseph I had not thought to see thy Face and loe God hath shewed me thy Seed also Then Joseph took his two Sons from between his Fathers knees that he might place them in that order wherein he desired the Blessing should be given them And taking Ephraim in his right hand opposite to his Fathers left hand and Manasseh in his left hand opposite to his Fathers right hand and bowing himself before him in token of Reverence and Thankfulness for adopting his Sons he presented them unto him Jacob thereupon stretched out his right hand (y) Here is the first express mention of the Imposition of â— Hands which was afterwards often used 1. In Benedictions Mat. 19.13 2. In extraordinary Collations of Gifts and Graces Acts 8.17 3. In miraculous Cures Mark 6.5 4. In Ordination of Magistrates and Church-Officers Numb 8.10 Deut. 34.9 Acts 6.6 and 13.3 1 Tim. 4.14 and laid it upon Ephraim's head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manasseh's head who was the elder and he did it wittingly not crossing his Arms by chance but purposely as a sign and intimation of that which afterwards should come to pass to wit that Ephraim though the younger should have the preheminence Joseph seeing this though he knew that his Father in this action was guided by a Prophetick Spirit yet supposing he might be mistaken in this Circumstance of laying his hands by reason of the dimness of his sight he sought to rectifie his supposed Errour by removing his right hand from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's being carried therein as 't is probable by that natural affection that Fathers use to bear to their eldest Sons and accordingly told him That Manasseh was the First-born and therefore he desired him to lay his right (z) The right hand is naturally more strong and so more honourable than the left Jacob accordingly giveth the strongest and most honourable blessing to Ephraim by this sign of the right hand put upon him hand on him But Jacob refused to do it telling him He knew very very well what he did For though Manasseh should be great yet his younger Brother should be greater than he (a) In Number Issue and Power Numb ch 1. Eight thousand and three hundred men more of Ephraim than Manasseh See Deut. 33.17 Of Ephraim came Joshua and the Kings of the ten Tribes The Tribe of Ephraim is called The Tribe of Joseph Numb 1.32 34. Apoc. 7.8 The name of Ephraim is taken for the whole Kingdom of Israel Isa 7.2 They both had a double lot Josh 17.17 and his Seed should become a multitude of Nations Then Jacob solemnly blessed Joseph and his Children saying The God before whom my Fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk in Uprightness and Integrity The God which fed me all my life long to this day The Angel of the Covenant the Son God who hath hitherto preserv'd and delivered me from all Evil Bless the Lads (b) This action of blessing Joseph's Children Jacob is said to have performed by Faith Heb. 11.21 and let my Name (c) H. e. Adopto
blessed him and his Brethren did surpass the blessings wherewith his Progenitors Abraham and Isaac were blessed namely because they should be sooner accomplished and fulfilled It should not now be long ere the Promises made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob concerning the multiplying of their Seed as the Stars of Heaven should be made good He further intimates That the blessings on Joseph should be eminent and excellent in that the portion of Land in Canaan by lot fall to Ephraim and Manasseh his two Sons should be a blessed portion His blessing should extend to the desirable Fruits of the lasting hills (b) Vers 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad desiderium i. e. ad desiderabiles fructus collium that is as his portion should abound with all other desirables so particularly with the chief things of the ancient Mountains and the precious things of the lasting hills As Moses afterwards prophesied to the same purpose Deut. 33.13 15. All these blessings He tells them shall fall on the head of Joseph even on the head of him whom the Lord hath separated and set apart from the rest of his Brethren advancing him to a high and singular degree of honour above them Lastly He comes to Benjamin of whom he Prophesies That He shall raven as a Wolf in the Morning he shall devour the Prey and at Night shall divide the Spoil that is this Tribe shall be like a ravening Wolf which goeth forth usually Mornings and Evenings to seek his Prey Whereby he intimates they should be a very strong couragious and warlike people and that they should with admirable celerity vanquish and destroy their Enemies and return from the battel laden with Spoils Which warlike disposition appear'd afterwards in the bloody battels they fought see Judg. 20.15 16 17. 1 Sam. 11.11 These are the Heads from whom descended the twelve Tribes of Israel Indeed there were thirteen in all counting Ephraim and Manasseh instead of Joseph but the Levites had no share among them because the Lord was their Portion Deut. 10.9 And this is that which their Father spake unto them and foretold what several blessings God had allotted for them Which prophetical Blessings were to have their accomplishment not so much in the persons of Jacob's Sons as in their Posterity Indeed what he said to Reuben Simeon and Levi might seem rather a Curse than a Blessing but the greatest part of his Speech contained blessings and the denomination is to be taken from the greater and the better part And Jacob's severe reprehension of these three might also be a great blessing to them by bringing them to Repentance Certain it is that he comprehends them within the number of the Tribes and so within the Covenant of God and gives them a right to Canaan the Type of Heaven And 't is like He dismissed them all with a general Benediction praying for them Then he told them the time was now come when he must be gathered to his People that is to the Souls of and society of the Just such as he was And as for his Body he enjoyns them to bury it in the Land of Canaan namely in the Field of Ephron the Hittite in the Cave of Macpelah see Ch. 23.16 where Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca were buried and where he had buried Leah And when he had made an end of commanding his Sons He gathered up his Feet into the Bed and quietly gave up the Ghost Gen. 49. whole Chapter SECT XLVIII JAcob thus expiring Joseph fell upon his face and wept upon him and kissed him and doubtless closed his eyes according as God had promised unto Jacob Gen. 46.4 Then he commanded the Physitians to Embalm him his Body being to be kept long and to be carried far And accordingly forty days were spent in the embalming (c) This embalming was either by putting fragrant Herbs and odoriferous Spices into the dead Body and anointing it within and without with Ointments made of the same or by putting Spices upon them and about them see Mark 14.8 of him according to the custom of the Country that those fragrant Herbs Drugs Spices and Ointments they used therein might the better diffuse themselves and penetrate into all the parts of the Body And the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days (d) The Hebrews time of mourning was 30 days Numb 20.29 Deut. 21.13 34.8 that is after 40 days had been spent in embalming him not only Joseph and his Brethren but the Court and chief men of Egypt did mourn for him 30 days more before he was carried to be buried Then Joseph not being willing as 't is probable to shew himself publickly in those days of his mourning or because it was not the manner or custom for Mourners to come into the presence of the King see Esther 4.2 desired some of the Courtiers to procure the King's Leave and Consent that he might go into Canaan to bury his Father there For his Father had long since even before he came into Egypt digged (e) So spacious was the place that they might dig themselves several Repositories or cells for their dead bodies a Grave for himself in that place where his Ancestors were buried and made him swear that he would bury him there see Ch. 47.29 Pharaoh very readily consented to it Hereupon Joseph attended with a great many of Pharaoh's Courtiers and Officers of State whom by his Prudence and sweet Disposition he had obliged and with all his own Brethren and his Fathers Family went up with many Chariots and Horsemen and a great Train into Canaan to bury his Father But the Hebrews left their Children Flocks and Herds behind them as a pawn that they intended to return When they came to the Valley of Arad in Canaan not far from Hebron or Macpelah which was beyond Jordan if we consider where Moses was * Being then in the Plains of Moab when he wrote this History see Deut. 1.1 3.25 Joseph chose this place as most convenient to perform the Funeral Solemnities for his Father and there He and his Company made a sore and great Lamentation for seven days together When the Inhabitants of the Land saw this they said This is indeed a grievous mourning to the Egyptians and in memory thereof that place was called Abel mizraim (f) Which signifies the mourning of the Egyptians Then Joseph and his Brethren honourably buried their Father in the Cave of Macpelah which Abraham bought with the Field belonging to it for a Burying-place of Ephron the Hittite Ch. 23.16 The Funeral Solemnity being over Joseph with his great Train returned into Egypt again His Brethren seeing their Father was dead began to fear so unquiet is a guilty Conscience that Joseph would now deal with them according to their Deserts for the evil usage he had formerly received from them Hereupon they send a Message to him to intreat as it seems that they might be admitted into his presence Which being
Hittites and Perizzites Canaanites Hivites and Jebusites and should bring them into the possession of their Land But when they came to enjoy that good Land they must be especially careful not to bow down to their Idols nor Worship them nor to imitate the Idolatry of that Heathenish people (e) Lev. 18.3.25 but contrariwise with detestation to overthrow and break down their Images Lev. 7. And if they were careful to worship the Lord their God and Him only then He would bless their bread and their water and their food to them so that it should nourish them and would give them health and keep evil Diseases from them and would make them very fruitful and preserve their Women and Cattel from miscarrying and abortive Births and would prolong their life so that they should fill up the number of their days which by the course of Nature they might live And He would strike their Enemies with such terrour and fear that they should turn their backs upon them and fly when they came to Encounter them And he would send Hornets (f) De his agitur Deut. 7.20 ubi Vespa eos in angulos pellit ibique latentes sodicat quod de terrore animi dici non potest Non dubito veros snisse Crabrones hanc plagam similem ei Aegyptiacae Exod. 8.21 Impletum hoc quamvis scriptum non meminit quo loco aut tempore factum Numerantur hic tantum tres gentes quia hae solum videntur hoc incommodum sensisse Rivet Masius before them to expel the Canaanites out of the Land viz. Great Venemous Flies * See Josh 24.12 that should sting them to death So that those of their Enemies that should endeavour to hide themselves from them and think thereby to escape should be destroyed by these Hornets see Deut. 7.20 But He tells them He would not drive out these Heathenish Nations all in one year lest the Land should grow to a Wilderness if it should be all at once dispeopled and the wild Beasts in the solitary places would increase which would be a great annoyance to them But he would drive out the Heathen Nations by degrees till Israel were increased and become enow to fill the Land And that they might know how large a Possession he designed for them he tells them the bounds of it should be these The East bound should be the Red-Sea not that that Sea should bound all the East side of it but because the East side of the Land of Canaan should reach to some part of the Red-Sea The West bound should be the Sea of the Philistins or the great Ocean the Mediterranean-Sea The South border should be the Desert towards Egypt which was the Wilderness of Shur or Paran The North bound should be the River Euphrates (g) But of this larger extent of land the Israelites by reason of their sins were not possessed except for a short time under David and Solomon See 2 Sam. 8.10 1 Kings 4.21 2 Chron. 9.26 which extendeth towards the North. Lastly He chargeth them to make no Covenant with these Heathenish Nations nor to yield to Worship their Idols nor to permit them to dwell in the Land lest if they lived among them they might infect them with their Idolatry which would be a great Snare to them and a cause of their fall and ruine Exod. 23. from vers 20. to the end SECT XIX GOd having Himself given to the Children of Israel his Moral Law which is expresly call'd a Covenant Deut. 4.13 and Moses having received these other Commandments and Ordinances from the Lord and having written them in a Book He proposed them unto the People and they readily consented to them saying All the words that the Lord hath said we will do Hereupon the next Morning he rose early and built an Altar see Exod. 20.24 25. at the foot of the Mount to represent God and He set up twelve Pillars according to the twelve (h) V. 4. Duodecem adnumerato Levi. Neque enim ante Numb 1.10 in Tribus distincta binas erat Josephi prosapia Anonym Tribes to represent the People Then he appointed twelve young (i) Young men do not always signifie men young in years but men fit for Service or Ministry to the Elders These were some of the First-born and were chief Assistants to the Father of the Family in offering Sacrifice and when their Fathers were dead succeeded in their Office men of the First-born whom the Lord had consecrated to Himself as Ministers of holy things before the Levetes who came in the place of the First-born Numb 3.41 were set apart for the Priestly Function to offer Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings of Oxen Calves and Goats Heb. 9.19 unto the Lord which they did accordingly Then he took half the bloud of these Sacrifices and put it into Basons and the other half he sprinkled on the Altar and so also on the Book which it seems was laid on the Altar making use of a Sprinkler (k) See more of this in the Apostolical History page 382. 383. Because it was an usual thing in all their legal Expiations to use Hyssop and Wooll to sprinkle with The Apostle received this from the usual custom of the legal Rites as being himself trained and brought up under the Law To this custom of using Hyssop the Psalmist alludeth Psal 51.7 Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean c. made of Scarlet wooll and a bunch of Hyssop Heb. 9.19 the legal sprinklings being usually so performed Levit. 14.6 7. though Moses here mentions not all these particulars and there was Water also as it seems intermingled with the bloud because otherwise the bloud growing cold would have been thick and so unfit to be sprinkled By all which was signified and sealed God's Favour and Grace to the People if they would be obedient Then reading again to them the Book of the Covenant that is the Book containing those Laws before mentioned which they had covenanted to observe and they promising a second time Obedience thereunto He took the other half of the bloud and sprinkled it on the People that is either on the twelve Pillars representing the twelve Tribes or on the Elders as representing the rest or on all the people promiscuously that in circuitu stood about him saying Behold the bloud of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words and things contained in this Book As if he should have said This bloud is a sign of the Covenant between God and You and a Seal to confirm it and a Ceremony whereby it is established The sprinkling of this bloud upon you may also signifie that the transgression of the Covenant cannot be purged but by the bloud of the Messiah Exod. 24. from 3. to 9. SECT XX. THe Lord having commanded Moses after he had delivered these Ordinances to the people to come up again into the Mount and to bring Aaron
both the Barley and the Wheat of what they had sown that year was gathered in and ready for their use which was not till the ninth year was well nigh come and thus the increase of the sixth year served in good part for three years Levit. 25. from 1. to 8. and from 18. to 23. 2ly Concerning the year of Jubilee which was to be celebrated every fiftieth year and proclaimed by the sound of the Trumpet or Cornet on the tenth day of the seventh month viz. the day of Expiation In this year 1. They were to proclaim liberty throughout the Land to their Brethren that had been sold to them for Servants 2ly All the Land that had been sold returned to the Owners that had sold it or to their Heirs for man might sell his Land for ever vers 23. but only for so many years as were from the sale to the year of Jubilee and then the Owners were to enter upon it again and in the mean time the Seller or his Kinsman had liberty of Redemption paying for the years to come according to the sum received at the first Contract For the Lord declares That the Land is His and they were but Strangers and Sojourners before Him 3ly During this year there was to be an intermission of sowing and reaping and gathering Grapes for all was to be left free for every one to eat what they would so that for that year no mans Interest was to be more than anothers and therefore they were to eat the increase thereof out of the Fields where any one might take what he needed no man being debarred 4ly In buying and selling of Land they were to have regard to the year of Jubilee and the price was to be proportionable more or less according to the distance or nearness of the year of Release and so they should not oppress one another And if they should object how should they live if they did neither sow nor reap for two years together to wit the 49th which was the seventh Sabbatical year nor the 50th which was the year of Jubilee what is before said concerning the seventh year the like must be conceived concerning this also namely that God would give such a blessing to the sixth year at this time that the increase thereof should serve for part of four years 5ly Whereas they had liberty at all times before the year of Jubilee to redeem their Lands yet their houses which they sold in walled Towns they might not redeem unless they did it within a year neither did such houses return to the former Owners in the year of Jubilee but if they were not redeemed within a year they were alienated for ever (k) The reason might be because upon these houses if not redeemed in so short a time much cost might be bestowed by him that bought them and therefore it was not fit they should be redeemed as Lands were And the alienating of these houses in walled Cities did not make such confusion in the Tribes as the alienating of their Lands would do because it cannot be supposed but that in Cities men of different Tribes did dwell But as to houses in Villages the case was different because the Lands could not well be us'd without such Farm-houses But houses out of walled Towns were to be accounted as the Fields of the Country and had the same priviledge either to be redeemed at any time before the Jubilee or to be free at the Jubilee as their Lands were 6ly If the Levites sold any of their houses in the Cities allotted them they had liberty to redeem them at any time or to receive them back again at the year of Jubilee but the Fields of their Suburbs appointed for the keeping of their Cattel might not be sold at all see Numb 35.4 5. least wanting that necessary help they might be forced to leave their dwellings to the great damage of the people God having dispers'd them in several Cities in every Tribe that they might watch over the Souls of the people Levit. 25. from vers 23. to 35. 3ly Concerning Compassion and Kindness to be exercised towards poor Hebrews fallen into decay or Strangers become Proselytes to both which they are commanded to lend freely and are forbidden to take usury (l) To strangers they were allowed to lend upon usury see Deut. 23.20 but not to the Israelites if poor Exod. 22.25 or increase from vers 35. to 39. 4ly The poor Hebrews were not to be compell'd to serve as bond-men nor us'd basely and hardly or to be rul'd over with rigour The ordinary time of their Service was but six years Exod. 21.2 but in case their Ears were bored they were to serve for ever (m) As their serving for ever had an end at the year of Jubilee so all other legal Ordinances which were injoyn'd as Statutes for ever had their period at the Evangelical Jubilee of which this was a Type Exod. 21.6 that is to the year of Jubilee then they and their Children were to be set free and their Wives also if they were married when they entred into this bondage Exod. 21.3 but the Israelites might have bondmen of the Heathen that were round about them or Strangers that sojourned among them and these yea though they were Proselytes were not to be set at liberty at the year of Jubilee but to abide in bondage as long as they lived Levit. 25. from vers 39. to 47. 5ly If any poor Israelite sold himself to a Stranger grown rich dwelling among them he might be redeemed at any time before the Jubilee either by himself his Brother or Kinsman deducting so much money in paying his Redemption as he has spent time in his Masters Service and in case that was not done he was to be set at liberty in the year of Jubilee And during his Service they were not to permit him to be used harshly by his Master they looking on and conniving at it For God declares That the Children of Israel were peculiarly his Servants whom He brought forth out of the Land of Egypt with an out-stretched Arm Levit. 25. from vers 47. to the end SECT XLI GOd having given these Statutes and Judgments and Laws to the people of Israel by the hand of Moses and again particularly forbidden Idolatry and commanded the keeping of his Sabbaths together with his whole instituted Worship to incourage his people to Obedience He makes first many excellent Promises to them if they will observe his Precepts as particularly 1. To give them Rain in due season and abundance of increase so that they shall have such plentiful Harvests that before they shall have threshed out their Corn the Vintage shall come and they shall have such great and rich Vintages that before they have done gathering in their fruits their Seed-time shall come 2ly He promises them peace and a secure Habitation and to remove ravenous wild Beasts and Sword away from them 3ly If any Enemies did assault
and so the Israelites possessed themselves of all their Cities utterly destroying all the Inhabitants thereof and his Country unto the borders of the Amorites which was strong and therefore Sihon had not encroached upon their Country as he had upon the Moabites at least not beyond the River Jabbock Among other Cities which they took Heshbon was one which Sihon took from the former King of the Moabites who was King before their present King Balak and so both Heshbon and the Country adjoyning was the possession of Sihon when the Israelites took it To prove this Moses alledgeth the proverbial or aenigmatical Song which it seems was first made and used by the Amorites by way of triumph over the vanquished Moabites Come into Heshbon let the City of Sihon be built and prepared implying that though Heshbon perished * Vers 30. being in Moabs hands yet now it should be more fairly built and fortified being in Sihons hands For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon a flame from the City of Sihon it hath consumed Ar of Moab and the Lords of the high places of Arnon that is the fury of War which was kindled and began in the subversion and laying waste of Heshbon brake out from thence and consumed the Country of the Moabites as far as Ar a chief City of theirs and the Lords of the high places of Arnon that is their great men and Priests that sacrificed in their high places Woe unto thee O Moab thou art undone O people of Chemosh In this clause of their Song the Amorites scoff at Chemosh the God of the Moabites (n) See Jer. 48.7 13. The Ammonites god was Milcom 1 Kings 11.5 1 Kings 11.7 because he was not able to help them but had permitted those of them that escaped the Sword to be taken Captives by Sihon They further triumphantly add We have shot at them that is all their Country between Heshbon and Dibon one of their high places in the Land of Moab we have taken from them And we have wasted their Country even unto Nophah which reacheth unto Medeba (o) See Isa 15.2 Jer. 48.18 22. another City in the Land of Moab Numb 21. from 18. to 31. SECT LXXVI AFter this Moses sent his Spies to Jaazer a City also that had been Moabs Jer. 48.31 32. but now was the Amorites which they took with the Towns thereunto belonging and cast out thence the Amorites from the River Arnon which is the bound of Moab to the Brook of Jabbock which parteth it from Arnon yet medled not with the Country lying upon the River Jabbock neither with any of the Lands belonging at that time to the Children of Ammon or Moab as God commanded them After this the Children of Israel marched to Bashan a rich Country famous for its huge Oaks Ezek. 27.6 and rich Pastures which nourished strong and great Cattel Deut. 32.14 Amos 4.1 Og King of this Country being a remnant of the Giants whose Bedsted was of Iron nine Cubits in length and four in breadth Deut. 3.11 came out against them and fought with them at Edrei and was there with all his people utterly vanquished and destroyed by Moses and the Israelites whom God encouraged to go out against him and they possessed themselves of all his Country to wit sixty Cities and all that Coast as far as Argob Deut. 3. from vers 1. to 18. Numb 21. from vers 31. to the end SECT LXXVII AFter these Victories the Israelites encamped in the plains (p) So called becase they had been sometimes Moabs though since the Amorites and now the Israelites by Conquest of Moab on this side of the Ford of Jordan right over against Jerico at Abel-Shittim which was their 42d Encamping Here they continued till after Moses's death and till under the Conduct of Joshua they passed over Jordan unto the Land of Canaan In which time many notable things fell out even all recorded from this place to the end of Deuteronomy Numb 22. vers 1. SECT LXXVIII THe Moabites had no reason to be afraid of the Israelites because God had commanded them not to meddle with them and accordingly they had peaceably passed by their Country Yet their minds were stricken with such a terrour from God that all this could not quiet them They saw the Israelites were a numerous and mighty people They had already vanquished two Kings they were still upon their borders Thus God made good his Promise to his people Exod. 15.15 As for the mighty men of Moab trembling shall take hold upon them all the Inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away and Deut. 2.25 This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the Nations that are under the whole Heaven who shall hear report of thee and shall tremble and be in anguish because of thee Balak King of Moab and his people being under these fears they send to the Elders of the Midianites to joyn with them against the Israelites telling them That this vast Company were like to lick up all about them as the Ox licketh up the grass of the field 'T is very plain that the Midianites had no manner of reason to joyn with them For first They were allied to the Israelites being the Posterity of Midian who was the Son of Abraham by his wife Keturah Gen. 25.12 Secondly The Israelites had not hitherto medled with them Thirdly The Israelites Conquest of the Amorites was an advantage to them because they were by this means freed from Sihons Tyrannical Yoke under whom as it appears they were before in bondage However after Consultation it seems they joyned together in this business and Balak and they sent for Balaam a Southsayer who was at that time famous for his Inchantments and Divinations and dwelt at Pethor a City in Mesopotamia his native Country (q) In Mesopotamia or Aram Abraham first dwelt Acts 7.2 Gen. 24.4 10. and there he served strange Gods Josh 24.2 In this Country all the Patriarchs the Sons of Jacob except Benjamin were born and brought up Gen. 35.26 till Jacob their Father fled the Land Gen. 31.21 Jacob's Posterity hereupon professed their Father to be an Aramite Deut. 26.5 And from Aram is now Balaam sent for to curse them The Eastern-Country was infamous for Divination and such like Arts Isa 2.6 scituate upon the River Euphrates to come and curse the Israelites purposing afterwards to make War upon them The Messengers carrying with them large Presents to satisfie him for his Divinations call'd by the Apostle the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 come to Him and tell him That there was a mighty great people come out of Egypt which covered the face of the Earth and they were now encamped over against Moab They tell Him they came to him from Balak King of Moab and from the Midianites to desire him to come over and curse this people For they were confident he was able by his Curses and
their Gods also He had executed Judgment causing possibly some such notable accident to befal the Egyptian Idols as did the Philistines Dagon which fell down before the Ark see Exod. 12.12 Their second Station was Succoth their third Etham where the Lord began first to go before them by day in a Pillar of Cloud and by night in a Pillar of fire From Etham they turned unto Pihahiroth a narrow passage between two ledges of Mountains into which being entred Pharaoh overtook them with a great Army and thought they could not have escap'd him but God divided the Red-Sea which the Israelites passing thorow the Egyptians assayed to follow them and there were miserably drowned The Israelites having past thorow the Sea went three days journey in the Wilderness of Etham without any water and pitched in Marah Here they found the Waters very bitter insomuch that they began to murmur against Moses but God sweetened the Waters by the casting in of a Tree Exod. 15.23 From Marah they came to Elim where were twelve Fountains of Water From Elim they encamped by the Red-Sea †See Sect. 8. of this Book and from thence removed to the Wilderness of Sin so called from Sin a City in Egypt over against which this Wilderness lay Hither they came just a month after their departure from Rameses Here they murmur grievously for want of Food and God gave them Quails for one meal and Manna from Heaven which was continued till they came into Canaan From Sin they came to Dophkah and from thence to Alush and from thence to Rhepidim * See Sect. 10. of this Book where wanting water again they were ready to stone Moses but water was fetched for them miraculously out of a Rock in Horeb. Here they had a Victory over the Amalekites who set upon them From Rephidim they came to the Wilderness of Sinai Hither they came at the beginning of the third month Exod. 19.1 and stayed till the second day of the second month of the second year Numb 10.11 12. Here the Law was given and the Tabernacle framed and the people punished for making and worshipping a golden Calf and Nadab and Abihu smitten dead for offering strange fire Here the people were first numbred and then ordered as to their Encampings about the Tabernacle and in their Journeys towards the Land of Canaan From Sinai they marched by Taberah signifying a burning because there the fire of God till quenched by Moses's prayer consumed the hindermost in the Camp for their murmuring and so they came to Kibroth-Hattavah Here the people fell a lusting for Flesh again And God now gave them Quails for a whole month together in great abundance whereon they surfeited and died miserably with the flesh between their teeth Then they came to Hazeroth Here Aaron and Miriam murmured against Moses and she was smitten with Leprosie Numb 12. Then they came to Rithmath in the Wilderness of Paran near Kadesh-barnea whence Spies were sent to search the Land Upon the evil report of ten of them the people horribly murmur God was very wroth with them for it and appoints Moses to return again to the Red-Sea and declares That not one of that Generation save Caleb and Joshua should enter into Canaan Then they came to Rimmon-Parez and from thence to Libnah call'd Laban Deut. 1.1 and then to Rissah then to Kehelatha thence to Mount Shapher thence to Haradah and pitched in Makheloth signifying Assemblies so called as some think because of the mutinous Assemblies of Corah Dathan and Abiram in that place Thence to Tahath and pitched at Tarah thence to Mithcah and pitched at Hashmonah and encamped at Maseroth and then came to Bene-Jaakan and incamped at Hor-gidgad from thence to Jothathah a Land of Rivers of waters Deut. 10.7 Here the Rock Rephidim-water as it seems stopped its course * See Dr. Fuller's Pisgah-sight God suspending Miracles when he affords means and as 't is probable the Israelites drank of the water of the Country till they came to Kadesh Then they encamped at Ebronah from thence they marched to Eziongaber a place by the Red-Sea where was a Harbour for Ships in Edom's Land 1 Kings 9.26 From thence to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin Here Miriam died The people in this place wanting water murmur again and had water again given them out of a Rock Here God was very angry with Moses and Aaron for their unbelief and here they had the Sentence of Death passed on them though reprieved for a time and rendred uncapable of entring into Canaan They came hither in the beginning of the 40th year and hence they sent to crave a passage thorow Edoms Land but it was denied them God Commands them not to force it but to find another way From Kadesh they removed to Mount Hor in the edge of the Land of Edom where Aaron died Then they came to Zalmonah so called possibly of Zolom an Image For this is thought to be the place where the Israelites for murmuring again for want of water and loathing Manna were stung with fiery Serpents and the brasen Serpent was by God's direction erected for their Cure and help As for their five following Stages viz. Punon Oboth Jie-abarim and Dibon-Gad so called because it was repaired and possessed by the Tribe of Gad Ch. 32.34 and Almon-Diblathaim we find no memorable accident happening at them Thence they came to the Mountains of Abarim and then to the Plains of Moab And here God commanded Moses to charge the Israelites to drive out the Inhabitants of the Land viz. by destroying them Deut. 7.22 23. and to destroy their Pictures and molten Images and High Places and to divide their Land by lot among themselves But if they did not take care to drive them out then he declares The Canaanites should be pricks in their Eyes and thorns in their Sides and a continual Vexation to them and He would bring that destruction on them for their Disobedience which he thought to bring on the Canaanites viz. root them out of the Land Numb 33. whole Chapter SECT LXXXIX THe Lord now by Moses declareth unto Israel the Bounds (a) V. 3. The Wilderness of Zin lay at the very east-East-end of the South-border in the corner whereof it joyned with the East-border right against the South-end of the Salt-Sea that is the Lake of Sodom called also the Dead-Sea see Gen. 14.3 V. 7. This was not that Mount Hor where Aaron died which was South-wâ—rd in the edge of Edoms Land Ch. 33.37 38. but another Mountain on the North-side of Canaan by some supposed to be Libanus and by other Mount Hermon and Limits of the Land of Canaan lying within Jordan which he intended to give them that they might be assured they should possess it and might know how far they were to proceed in their Conquests and where to stay and according to these Bounds and Limits might make a division of the Land among the nine
afforded us viz. Meat and Drink for our money as we passed thorow the out-skirts of their Country But Sihon would not let us pass for the Lord hardned * God cannot be the Author of Sin or the rebellion of the heart but he may being debtor to no man withhold his grace He may leave men to themselves He may permit Satan to work effectually in them See Sect. 59. of Ch. 3. on Exod. 4.21 his Spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into our hands as appeareth by the event For Sihon coming out against us with his people to fight us the Lord delivered him into our hands and we smote him and all his Host and we took all his Cities and utterly destroyed Men Women and Children see Deut. 20.14 15 16. as God had commanded us Only we took the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities to our selves for a Prey But the Land which was on the out-side of the River Jabbock which belonged to the Ammonites Josh 12.2 and those Cities of the Ammonites that lay in that mountainous Country beyond Jabbock and what-ever else was in the possession of the Ammonites did we not at all meddle with or with any thing else that God had forbidden us 5. He reminds them how after they had conquered Sihon they conquered Og Chap. III the Giant King of Bashan the other King of the Amorites When we marched up towards Bashan then says he Og the King thereof with his Army came out against us at Edrei And the Lord commanded us not to be afraid of him though he was a Giant of such a formidable stature And accordingly the Lord delivered him and his people and his Land into our hand and we took all his Cities even threescore Cities all the Region of Argob a Province in Bashan we took all those Cities which were fenced with high walls gates and bars and many unwalled Towns also And we destroyed Men Women and Children as we had before done unto King Sihon and his Subjects but the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities we took as a Prey to our selves So we took at this time from those two Kings of the Amorites the Land that was on this side Jordan from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon called by the Sidonians Sirion (c) And Ch. 4.48 Sion and by the Amorites Shenir and all the Cities of the Plain and all Gilead And says He there now remained of that Gigantick Race in the Kingdom of Bashan but this Og only whose Bedstead * The Cubit of a man being usually a foot and an half according to this measure his Bedstead was four yards and an half long and two yards broad was of Iron and nine Cubits according to the Cubit of an ordinary man was the length thereof and four Cubits the breadth thereof and it was now kept in Rabbah (d) Possibly this Bedstead was taken in some War between the Ammonites and this King and so kept in Rabbah as a glorious Trophy of their Victory the chief City of the Ammonites from 1. to 12. 6. He shews how he distributed those Countries taken from the two Kings to Reuben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasseh see Numb 32.19 enjoyning them nevertheless to go over Jordan before their Brethren armed and to fight for them and help them against the Canaanites till God had given them that Land quietly to possess and then they should return to their own Possessions on this side Jordan again And says He I appointed in this new Conquest three Cities of Refuge viz. Bezer in the lot of the Reubenites and Ramoth-Gilead in the lot of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan in the lot of the Manaesites from 12 to 21. and Ch. 4. from 14. to 44. 7. He further tells them how he encouraged Joshua who was to be his Successor from what he had seen the Lord do to those two Kings of the Amorites and that consequently he should not fear the other Kings he was to fight with for the Lord would fight for Israel Then he tells them how earnestly he besought the Lord to permit him to go into Canaan I prayed says he O Lord God thou hast begun to shew thy Servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand For what God is there in Heaven or Earth that can do according to thy Works and according to thy Might I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan and that goodly Mountain Lebanon But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes Your murmurings made me sometimes too rash in speaking and sometimes too slow in believing in the Lord which provoked Him against me so that He would not grant my Request but said to me Let it suffice thee speak no more to me of this matter Get thee up to the top of Pisgah and lift up thine eyes West-ward and North-ward East-ward and Southward and behold it with thine eyes for thou shalt not go over this Jordan But give Joshua in Charge what I Command thee and encourage and strengthen him For he shall go over before this people and shall cause them to inherit the Land which thou shalt only see with thine eyes Ch. 3. from 21. to the end 8. From all these Experiences of Gods signal Goodness to them He comes now to exhort them to keep and obey the Statutes and Commandments of the Lord and to teach their Children also to observe them and especially to take heed of Idolatry which was a very provoking sin And that he might excite them the more to the observance of these Precepts he bespeaks them in this wise Hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I am now to teach you and be careful to practise them that ye may live and go in and possess the Land which the Lord God of your Fathers hath given you You shall not add * Improbatur hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cultus proprio arbitrio excogitatus Confer Deut. 12.8 32. Numb 15.39 40. Prov. 30.5 6. Gal. 3.10 to the words which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it but you must keep close to the Commandments of the Lord which I from Him command you Your eyes have seen the Judgments of God executed upon those that committed Idolatry with Baal-Peor unto which many of Israel declined by the counsel of Balaam But you that did cleave unto the Lord and kept your selves from that Transgression were saved from that destruction Behold I set before you the Statutes †Some by Statutes understand Ornances of divine Worship and by Judgments Laws that concern their duty towards men and the punishment of Transgressors and Judgments which God hath commanded Chap. IV me to give you and which you are to observe in the Land which you are going to possess And carefully to observe them will be a great evidence of your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations that shall
it and prolong your days in it And further to press them to Obedience He tells them The Land they were going to possess was not like the Land of Egypt whence they came out which having but little rain Zach. 14.18 and being watered with the overflowing of Nilus occasioned the people to put their feet to the Spade to dig Trenches and Channels to derive water to their grounds when they had sown their Seed to which the overflowing of Nilus did not reach so that they took pains to water them as if a man should water a Garden of Herbs But they were going to a Land which was continually watered with rain from Heaven a Land of Hills and Vallies commodious healthful and fruitful and a Land not watered as Egypt by the art and industry of men but by the special Care and Providence of God whose eyes are upon it all the year long to send rain at all times when it needeth it And when they came into that good Land if they would be obedient unto God He * V. 14 15. Moses having hitherto spoken to the people in his own name here he speaks to them as in the person of God would give them rain in due season the (s) Sub quibus extremis omnis pluvia opportuna comprehenditur first rain after the sowing of their Seed to bring it out of the ground and the latter a little before Harvest for the plumping and ripening of the Corn and He will send grass in the Field for the Cattel that so they may have plenty and abundance Take heed therefore says he to your selves that your hearts be not deceived and that ye turn not aside and serve other gods and worship them and so the Lords wrath be kindled against you and he shut up the Heavens that there be no rain and make the Land not to yield her fruit and so you may perish quickly through scarcity from off the good Land which the Lord hath given you Further he exhorts them to lay up these his words in their hearts and to bind them as a sign upon their hands and set them as frontlets between their eyes to write them upon the door-posts of their Houses and upon their Gates (t) See particular 10. and Ch. 6.8 that is to use all due means to keep them in continual remembrance and to teach them diligently to their Children speaking of them when they sit in their house and when they walk by the way when they lie down and when they rise up that so their days and the days of their Children may be multiplied as the days of Heaven upon the Earth that is that they and their Posterity may continue in that good Land as long as the Heavens shall continue in their place over the Earth namely as long as the world shall last (u) Had not the Jews provoked God by their Disobedience to cast them out of that good land this Promise should have been made good to them And from this Promise some conceive and hope that upon the Repentance of the Jews and their embracing of Christ they shall be again re-established in this Land and therein continue with great glory to the end of the world see Psal 89.29 He tells them if they shall diligently keep the Commandments of the Lord and walk in his ways and cleave unto him then will He drive out all these Nations before them and they shall possess the Lands of greater and mightier Nations than themselves Every place within the compass of the promised Land whereon the soles of their feet shall tread shall be theirs from the Wilderness of Paran the Southern border unto Lebanon the Northern from the River Euphrates the Eastern to the outermost Sea or main Ocean the Western bound of the Inheritance promised them (x) See this Promise fulfilled 2 Chron. 9.26 in Solomon's Reign There shall none be able to stand before them for the Lord will put the fear and dread of them upon all the Inhabitants of the Land they shall tread upon as He hath promised Further he tells them He sets before them this day a Blessing and a Curse that is He shews them what are the Promises of God to them on the one hand if they will be Obedient and what are his Threatnings on the other hand in case they be Disobedient and follow after other gods which were Strangers to them and of whose god-head they never had any proof or experience And by shewing them both the one and the other he instructs them in the Choice which they should make Moreover he gives them in Charge that when they came into Canaan they should cause the blessings which the Lord had promised to them that keep his Laws to be pronounced on Mount Gerizim * Two Hills near together in the Tribe of Ephraim and the Curses which He had threatned against the Disobedient to be pronounced on (y) This is afterwards injoyn'd again Deut. 27.12 c. where 't is more fully express'd how it was to be done and Josh 8.33 how it was accordingly done And it seems from this Commandment given to Moses concerning Mount Gerizim the Samaritans many Ages after took occasion to build a Temple there as taking that Hill to be a blessed place compare Joh. 4.3 20. with Judg. 9.7 2 Macc. 6.2 Mount Ebal and so should make these two Mountains to be as it were continual Remembrancers to the people that when they see Mount Gerizim they may think of the Blessings set before them and when they see Mount Ebal may think of the Curses Those two Mountains he tells them are on the other side Jordan West-ward near unto Shechem see Gen. 12.6 7. 17. Having spoken so much by way of explanation of the First Commandment Chap. XII He comes now to expound and dilate upon the Second Second Commandment exhorting them to abolish all false Worship and all Monuments of Idolatry and to apply themselves to worship God only according to his own Will In order hereunto he informs them of some particular Statutes and Judgments which the Lord requir'd them to observe when they came into the Land of Canaan 1. They must utterly destroy all places wherein the Nations whose Lands they should possess served their Idol-gods viz. all places reared up and fitted for Idol-Temples and all places they used for their Idolatrous Worship either upon high Mountains and Hills or under green Trees and this was injoyn'd them to shew how God detested Idolatry and to prevent the Israelites from being tempted to worship Him in those places Further he tells them They must overthrow their Altars and break their Pillars or standing Statues and burn their Groves and hew down their Images and destroy their very Names and memory out of the Land Ye must remember says he that ye must not so serve the Lord your God as the Heathens served their gods who practic'd their Idolatry in all places where they lived
suddainly stor'd again Therefore they must take heed that in their rage they did not so wast the Land as to prejudice Posterity But with other Trees that were not Fruit-Trees they might build Bulwarks about a City which they besieged till it was subdued from vers 10. to the end He now gives directions concerning uncertain Murder how it is to be expiated Chap. XXI If one be found slain and lying in a field and it be not known who hath slain him then the Elders and Judges of the Towns and Cities round about shall for the better satisfaction of them all come forth and see the measure taken between the dead body and the Cities round about it if it be doubtful what City is nearest because the next City is to make expiation for the Murder in manner following viz. The Elders of that City shall take an Heifer that hath not been wrought with and which hath not drawn in the Yoke and they shall bring down the Heifer unto a rough and obscure Valley that lies neglected and uncultivated to make the thought of Murder more horrible and dreadful and there they shall strike off the Heifers neck signifying that the Murderer ought so to be used could he be found out and that if they had him in their hands they would so serve him And the Priests the Sons of Levi shall come near whom the Lord hath chosen to minister unto Him and to bless the people in his Name to shew by their presence that this was an extraordinary Sacrifice and that the Elders might before them as in Gods presence protest their Innocence and to see that all things were done according to Law and to satisfie the Elders in any thing that might seem doubtful For by their word and Sentence as Expounders of Gods Law any thing in Controversie or any Stroke must be judged or tried And all the Elders of that City which was nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the Heifer thereby intimating that they were innoceâ—â— of the blood of the slain man see Matth. 27.24 and they shall solemnly declare and protest That their hands have not shed that blood neither have their eyes seen it shed by any other Then the Priest shall say Be merciful O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto their Charge Impute not that to them which hath not been done by them and lay not the punishment thereof upon them And so they shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from among them that is they shall be discharged from the guilt of this murther and shall not be punished for it they performing all these things which are here commanded by God from vers 1. to 10. 2ly He gives direction that when they go out to War with a foreign Nation and among the Captives see a beautiful Woman * It was not lawful for them to contract any alliance by marriage with the Amorites see Exod. 34.16 Deut. 7.3 which one of them hath a desire to make his wife In such case he shall bring her home to his house and she shall shave her Head and pare her Nails and shall put off the Heathenish Garment wherein she was taken and shall bewail her Father and Mother a full month as if they were dead she being to bid farewel for ever to them by all which things was intimated that she must renounce her Heathenism and all the corrupt Customs and Superstitions thereof and forsaking her Fathers house must be ingrafted into the Israel of God and must worship God as they did These things being performed she might become his wife But if after he had consummated the marriage †This liberty for Israelites to marry Heathenish Captive-women is like that of Divorce Deut. 24. which was only suffered for the hardnâ—ss of their hearts and is only to be understood of the Captives of foreign Nations not of the Canaanites who were all to be destroy'd with her he should find no content in her and was desirous to put her away he might do it but must then freely set her at liberty to go whether she would because he had humbled her He must not sell her for money under pretence that she was his Captive and Servant from vers 10. to 15. 3ly If a man have two wives which though contrary to God's first Institution Gen. 2.22 23 24. yet He for a time suffered but approved not as appears Mal. 2.15 Matth. 19.4 5. and one of them was better beloved by him than the other and he have Sons by them both He commands that the Son by the first wife though less beloved shall not lose his right of Primogeniture but he shall injoy the right of the first-born which by the Law of Nature belonged unto him and his Father shall give him a double portion of all that he hath For he is the beginning of his strength from vers 15. to 18. 4ly If any man have a stubborn and rebellious Son which will not obey the voice of his Father or the voice of his Mother and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them then shall his Father and Mother bring him to the Elders of the City and shall say unto them This our Son is stubborn and rebellious he will not obey our voice he is a Glutton and a Drunkard Then the Elders of the City shall examine the matter brought against him and if they find it true the men of the City shall stone him with stones that he die So shall ye put away evil from among you and all Israel shall hear and fear By the severity of this Law Children were taught to be more obedient to their Parents and Parents were taught to be more careful in a right Education of their Children from vers 18. to 22. 5ly If any man have committed some notorious Offence that deserveth the judgment of death and being condemned for it be hanged on a Tree His body shall not remain all night upon the Tree but they must in any wise bury him that day for he that is hanged is accursed of God that the Land be not defiled This kind of death was usually the punishment only of those who had by some notorious wickedness provoked God to pour out his Wrath upon the whole Land and so were hanged up to appease his Wrath as we may see Numb 25.4 2 Sam. 21.6 And it was esteemed the most shameful and accursed * Hence it was that God would have his dear Son our blessed Lord and Saviour suffer this kind of death that even hence it might be more evident that in his death he bare the Curse due to our sins according to that of the Apostle Gal. 3.13 because the very manner of this death did intimate that such men as were thus executed were such execrable and accursed Wretches that they did as it were defile the Earth with treading on it and would
pollute it more if they should die upon it and were therefore to be trussed up in the Air as not fit to be among men that others might look upon them as Spectacles of Gods Indignation and Curse because of the wickedness they had committed which was not so legible and apparent in other kinds of death And therefore they were to bury them that were hanged that very day that the Land might not be defiled which otherwise it might be by such a monument of Gods Curse remaining so visibly upon it And the burial was to abolish the Curse from appearing in the Lords Land from vers 22. to the end He now prescribes love and faithfulness in one Neighbour towards another which Chap. XXII they were to testifie in these or the like cases When thou seest saith he thy Brothers Ox * Hinc nostra Lex de proclamandis ut vocant pecudibus erraticis or his Sheep go astray thou shalt not demean thy self as not concerned or as if thou hadst not seen them yea though he be thine Enemy Exod. 23.4 but shalt bring them again to him And if the Owner dwell afar off or be altogether unknown to thee then thou shalt drive the Cattel home to thine own house and keep them there till the Owner doth seek them and then thou shalt restore them And thus they were to do by any thing else of their Brothers that was lost whither Rayment or any such thing they were not to conceal it but restore it And so if they saw their Brothers Ox or Asse fall by the way they were not to refrain from helping him up again vers 1 2 3 4. Further he injoyns that the difference of Apparel to distinguish the Sexes should be constantly observed * This Precept concerneth natural honesty and seemliness which hath a perpetual equity in it and it is injoyned to prevent many evils which might arise if men and women were clad alike and never altered except in case of necessity and to avoid some present and suddain mischief The woman sayes he shall not wear that which appertaineth to a man nor a man put on a womans Garment for all that do so are abomination to the Lord vers 5. In the next place he injoyns them that when they find a Birds-nest they should not destroy the Dam with her young ones or with her Eggs in breeding-time but should let the Dam go taking only the young ones because she might ere long have other young ones and so might still continue the store of Birds for the good of men This Law might intimate unto them how well pleasing it was unto God that his people should be merciful and pitiful and in so doing it should be well with them and they should prolong their days vers 6 7. Furthermore the houses of the Israelites being usually built flat on the tops on which they used to walk and recreate themselves and sometimes to pray see Acts 10.9 they are here injoyned to make battlements round about their house tops to prevent the casual falling of any from thence and so to prevent all occasions of bloodshed and other evils that might redound to their Brethren through their default vers 8. In the next place he tells them they must not sow their Vineyards with divers Seeds * Agrum vintae non seres alio aliquo semine ut oriatur mixtura quaedam ex jacto semine vitibus that is with Seeds different and divers from that of the Vine see Levit. 19.19 for that is the way to have the Seeds and consequently the Fruits to be mixed and not pure and so defiled and rendred unfit to be offered to the Lord in the first-fruits or otherwise vers 9. Further they must not plow with an Ox and an Asse together †God hereby seemeth to intimate how simple and sincere he would have the state of the Church to be God would not have his Church mixed with profane and unbelievers He seems also hereby to warn them against mixtures in Religion and Manners with other Nations the one being a clean Creature the other unclean hereby God seems to intimate that ye would not indure the unequal yoking of his people with Infidels see 2 Cor. 6.14 vers 10. Further they must not wear a Garment of divers sorts * See Levit. 19.19 as of Woollen and Linnen together This Law seems also to be figurative and to intimate to them what simplicity and sincerity God requir'd in them that were his peculiar people vers 11. In the next place he injoyns them to make Fringes upon the four quarters of their Vestures and Garments The end of those Fringes was to put them in mind of the Commandments of God see Numb 15.38 39. and that they might remember by looking on them that they were Gods peculiar people and by these Fringes distinguished in their habits from other Nations vers 12. He comes next to shew how that man shall be dealt with that slandereth his wife pretending he found her not a Virgin when he married her In that case the Parents of the Damsel shall produce the Cloth containing the Tokens of her Virginity and attested by good witnesses to be so as the Hebrews say which they carefully kept for their own honour and the honour of their Daughter Then the Elders of the City shall Chastise that man and amerce him at an hundred Shekels of silver to be paid to the Father of the Damsel because he hath defamed her and she shall continue to be his wife all her life He shall not send her away by a Bill of Divorce as other men were permitted to do Deut. 24.1 But if she be guilty and no Tokens of her Virginity were found when he married her then she shall be stoned before the dâ—or of her Fathers house because she hath wrought folly in Israel and hath play'd the whore in her Fathers house So says He shall ye put away evil from among you from vers 13. to 22. Next he injoyns That Adultery both in man and woman shall be punished with death see Levit. 20.10 vers 22. Or if a man lie with a Damsel in the City betrothed to another man they shall both be stoned to death she because she cryed out not He because he hath humbled his Neighbours wife For so she is to be reckoned after betrothing which was done by mutual promise in the presence of witnesses before marriage Matth. 1.18 But if a man find a betrothed Damsel in the field and force her and she Cry out then the man only shall die If an unmarried man find a Damsel that is a Virgin which is not betrothed and lay hold on her and lie with her and this be discovered then the man that lay with her shall give to the Damsels Father fifty Shekels of silver and she shall be his wife because he hath humbled her He may not put her away all his days from vers 22. to 28.
due time to perform what God commanded them in driving out the Canaanites out of the Land Now the Canaanites that were left in the Land and not cast out were these viz. five Lords of the Philistines viz. the Lords of Ashdod Gaza Askelon Gath and Ekron and the Canaanites Sidonians and Hivites that dwelt about Libanus and from Mount Baal-hermon on the East of Libanus to the entring in of Hamath a City in the North of Canaan afterwards call'd Antiochia The Children of Israel dwelling thus among the Canaanites grew extreamly corrupt so that they served their gods and the Idols which they set up and worshipped in Groves and made interchangeable Marriages with them Upon which great Provocations the Lord gave them up into the hands of Chushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia 'T is like he first brake in upon the Tribes that lay on the other side of Jordan and then incroached upon those within Jordan by degrees And this was their first Servitude (g) First Servitude under Cushan eight years Othniel first Judge which continued eight years Then returning unto the Lord and crying unto Him for Mercy and Forgiveness He was pleased to raise up for them a Saviour and Deliverer namely Othniel the Son of Kenaz Caleb's Nephew and Son in law see Ch. 1.13 so that to the great Honour of the Children of Judah the first Judge after Joshua was of their Tribe Thus that Prophesie was made good Gen. 49.8 Judah thou art He whom thy Brethren shall praise thy Hand shall be in the Neck of thine Enemies thy Fathers Children shall bow down before thee Othniel being thus raised up by God to this high Office The Spirit of the Lord came upon him that is he was furnished with those Gifts and Graces that were requisite to make him a wise and valiant General in War and a prudent Governour in Peace and the Lord gave Cushan into his hands so that he prevailed against him and delivered the Israelites out of their Bondage under Him And so the Land had rest forty years Not as if there were forty years of Peace in the Land uninterrupted from this time but the Land had Rest till forty years were expired from the first Rest wherein it was setled by Joshua before his death And then Othniel died Judg. 2. from 11. to the end Ch. 3. from 1. to 12. SECT CXXXIV AFter the death of Othniel the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the Lord and He stirred up Eglon King of Moab and gave him Courage and Resolution to go against Israel and he joyning with the Ammonites and Amalekites overthrew them and took Jericho that is possessed himself of the Lands and Territories thereabout where the City of Jericho once stood and possibly built some great Fortress there that he might have the Command of the Fords of Jordan that being the passage over to his own Country Second Oppression under Eglon eighteen years Ehud second Judge And this second Oppression continued eighteen years The Israelites then crying unto the Lord for help he raised up for them Ehud Son of Gera of the Tribe of Benjamin which was but a little before almost wholly destroyed a man left-handed By Him the Children of Israel sent a Present to Eglon which Opportunity he readily embraced having a design to kill Him And being stirred up as 't is probable by the Spirit of God to do it He accordingly provided himself of a Dagger fit for the purpose Then going with the Present to Eglon and humbly presenting it to Him He with those that brought it take their leave and depart When they were come as far back as the Quarries by Gilgal He himself returns again to the King who was in his Summer-Parlour and addressing himself to him tells him He had a secret Message to him The King bids him forbear delivering his Message till his Servants and Attendants were gone out of the Room They being gone Ehud tells him He had a Message from God to him Eglon hearing this rose up as if he would give some respect to such a Messuage Ehud then drawing out his Dagger thrust it into his Belly and gave him such a deadly blow that he left him who had so long oppressed the people of God wallowing in his own blood and dung Then shutting the door after him and locking it having as 't is probable a Spring-lock he quietly and with a composed Countenance passed away The Servants finding the door shut and locked they concluded that the King covered his feet in his Summer-Chamber that is that He had laid himself down to sleep because when they did so they used to cast some covering over their feet as it is said of Ruth when she went to lie down by Boaz as he lay sleeping at the end of his heap of Corn Ruth 3.7 That she uncovered his feet and laid her self down So when Saul went into the Cave where David and his men were 1 Sam. 24.3 't is said Saul went in to cover his feet that is to lie down and sleep there for a while else how could David cut off the Skirt of his Garment and not be perceived if he had not been asleep The Servants having staid a great while and finding the King did not open the door they began to be ashamed they had stayed so long and not looked after their Master sooner fearing that some evil had befallen him Then taking a Key it being usual in Kings Houses for the Servants to have Keys to their Masters doors and opening the door they found their Lord dead Ehud thus escaping He came to Mount Ephraim and there blew a Trumpet and gathering the Children of Israel together He tells them what he had done and that the Lord had delivered the Moabites into their hands Then bidding them follow him he went down with them and took the Fords of Jordan that neither the Moabites now in Canaan might escape to their own Country nor those in the Land of Moab pass over Jordan to aid their Brethren in Canaan Then he fell with his Forces upon the Moabites and the Israelites slew ten thousand of them at that time even lusty and stout men So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel and the Land had rest fourscore years to wit after the former rest and Deliverance procured to them by Othniel In the time of those 80 years the Philistines making some Inroads into the Lands of the Israelites Shamgar the Son of Anath who seems to be some Country-man or Farmer of Note did on a suddain raise the Country thereabouts and they (h) Some think that this Victory of Shamgar's was miraculous and that he himself slew 600 as Sampson slew a 1000 of them with the Jaw-bone of an Asse Ch. 15.15 16. with their Ox-goads set upon the Philistines and slew 600 of them So that He was a Deliverer though not a Judge Judg. Ch. 3. from 12. to the end SECT CXXXV The Book of Ruth
1 Chron. 14.1 2. SECT CLXXXV THE Philistines who during the Civil Wars between David and Ishbosheth were content to look on when they saw that Ishbosheth was dead and the people had generally received David for their King who was a great warrior and that he had driven the Jebusites out of the strong Fort of Sion and that the King of Tyre had made a league with him they thought it was time for them to bestir themselves and to oppose his growing power And herein the Providence of God was remarkable that they began with him and not he with them to whom he had been formerly obliged and so might have seemed ungrateful if it had been otherwise They therefore having raised a great Army invaded the land of Israel and came to seek David to fight with him When David heard of it he went to a Fort or strong-hold near the Cave of Adullam see 2 Sam. 23.13 there to muster and arm his Soldiers and the Philistines spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim which was in the way to Bethlem and they had their Head-quarters in Bethlem it self The Israelites being as it seems at this time something distressed through want of water it being hot weather and harvest-time David wished he had a draught of the well of Bethlem but not with any intent as 't is probable to stir up any of his Souldiers to adventure to fetch it for him however three of his valiant Commanders who are supposed to be Adino Eleazar and Shammah see 1 Chron. 11.19 2 Sam. 23.13 who were the chief over the thirty Colonels or Commanders having heard him express his desire of that water they ventured to break through the host of the Philistines and came to Bethlem and drew of the water which was by the Gate and brought it unto him but David when he understood the extreme danger they had gone thorough to procure it was very sorry he had given occasion to such a rash enterprize and had thereby so dangerously exposed the lives of his great Captains therefore he would not drink of it but took it and poured it on the ground as an offering of Thanksgiving unto God for delivering them from that great danger saying Far be it from me O Lord to drink that water which was procured with the extreme hazard of these mens blood (a) 2 Sam. 23.17 Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives and lives (b) Aquam tam pretiosam dignam judicavit quae Domino libaretur Then David enquired of the Lord by Abiathar the High-Priest whither he should go up against the Philistines or no For though he had a great Army yet he relyed not upon it but seeks to God for direction and without that would not stir He receives answer from God that he should go up and be victorious Then David came to Baalperazim whether the Philistines were now come from the valley of Rephaim 1 Chron 14.11 and David smote them there with a great slaughter whereupon he said the Lord hath broken in upon mine enemies by my hand like the breaking forth of waters signifying thereby the sense he had of Gods hand and power in driving away his enemies as waters when they break through the bank do sweep away all before them Thence this place was called afterwards Baal-perazim * The name is taken from the Idol Baal who with his Idolatrous worshippers was there destroyed see Is 28.21 And there the Philistines left their Images and Idols which they had brought with them and trusted in as their Titular Gods which were neither able to defend their vain worshippers nor themselves and David commanded his men to burn them see Deut. 7.25 1 Chron. 14.12 The Philistines shortly after recruiting their scattered Army came again to provoke the Israelites to fight with them in the very same place where they had received their former defeat though they had no provocation from David to do so he having not hotly pursued his former victory but though David had gotten a great victory over them before yet he was not so puffed up with it as to relye on his own strength therefore he would not engage with them again without first inquiring of the Lord. The Lord bids him not go up openly and directly against them as formerly but to fetch a compass and so to come upon them behind over against the Mulberry Trees where they look'd not for him and when he heard the sound of a going on the tops of the Mulberry Trees viz. of an Army of Horsemen and Chariots marching over the tops of the Trees like that 2 King 7.6 which should be a sign to him that the Lord is gone forth with his holy Angels to destroy the Philistines before him then he should bestir himself and fet upon them for says the Lord I will give thee victory over them And David did accordingly and smote the Philistines from Geba or Gibeah in Benjamin where the fight began unto Gazer situate in the west of Ephraim which was then possessed by the Philistines So that the fame of David went into all lands and God brought the fear of him upon all Nations round about him 2 Sam. Ch. 5. from v. 17. to the end 2 Sam. Ch. 23. from v. 13 to the 18. 1 Chron. Ch. 11. from v. 15 to the 20. 1 Chron. Ch. 14. from v. 8 to the end SECT CLXXXVI DAvid now enjoying peace and quietness began to take into his pious thoughts the bringing up the Ark from Kirjath-jearim and placing it in the Fort of Sion which he had lately taken from the Jebusites The Tabernacle was now at Gibeon 2 Chron. 1.3 whither it had been removed from Nob after that bloody slaughter of the Priests by Saul 1 Sam. 22. And there was the great Altar for Burnt-offerings to which the people frequently went contenting themselves therewith and not regarding the Ark the principal evidence of Gods presence among them and whereat Divine Oracles and directions were given it being now lodged in a private house Upon what occasion the Ark was removed to the house of Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim we may see Sect. 153. and 1 Sam. 7. where it continued about fourtysix years saving only when upon extraordinary occasions it was brought into the Camp see 1 Sam. 14.8 viz. thirtynine in the days of Samuel and Saul and seven in the days of David David therefore judged it more for the honour of God and of the Ark that it should not lye hid in a private family which possibly had occasion'd the people so much to neglect it but be setled in the chief City of the Kingdom in a place purposely appointed for it that the people might more conveniently resort unto it wherefore calling his great Commanders and the Elders and Heads of the people together he imparted his design unto them and desired their advice upon it He told them that if it seem'd good to them and they apprehended
out of his sight that is out of that land where he manifested the evidences of his gracious presence 'T is further added that when the Lord had rent Israel from the house of David they made Jeroboam the Son of Nebat King and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin And the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did they departed not from them until the Lord removed them out of his sight as he had threatned by all his servants the Prophets And for these reasons was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria where they remained as exiles when this History was written 2 King 17. from 7 to the 24. 2 King 18.10 11 12. This was the end of the Kingdom of Israel when it had stood severed from the Kingdom of Judah by the space of two hundred fifty four years Their many great and crying sins highly provoked the Lord against them especially their notorious idolatry their contempt of the Lords Prophets and their contumacy and bold persisting in their wicked ways For after the great blow they received by Tiglath-Pilesâ—r 2 King 15.29 they were so far from any amendment that they used in the pride of their hearts that Proverb Isa 9. v. 10. The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewn stones the sycamores are cut down but we will change them into cedars intimating thereby that they would build their towns that were spoiled better than they were before For these sins therefore the Lord was provoked to reject and cast them off and to suffer them to be led away captive Tobit or Tobias the elder saith of himself that he at this time with Anna his wife and his Countrymen the Naphtalites was carried away into the land of Assyria and there made purveyor or provider of corn and other victuals for Salmanasser's houshold and also that he was carried into Media and there placed in a principal City called Ruges c. Tobit Ch. 1. Salmanasser having thus carried away the Israelites captives he planted Colonies there of five Nations of his own people taking them out of Babylon Cutha Ava Emath and Sepharvaim and placed them in the Cities of Samaria in the room of the Israelites And these were they that after this time were called Cuthaeans by a Synecdoche because the major part of them came out of Cutha a Country in Persia many of these at their first coming thither not fearing the Lord nor worshipping the true God of Israel were devoured by Lions therefore a Jewish Priest was at the request of the rest of them sent out of Assyria to teach them the manner how the God of Israel would be worshipped But this being as it seems one of Jeroboam's Priests and making his residence at Bethel he taught them not the pure worship of God nor to serve him as they ought in his Temple at Jerusalem but in their own Country after the way of Jeroboam Neither were these people brought to worship the true God alone but every City had also a several Idol of their own which they worshipped according to the custom of the Nations from which they were descended and from whence they had been transported So though they feared the Lord that is acknowledged the God of Israel to be the true God yet they served their own gods also after the manner of the Nations from whence they came * Ex ritu Gentium illarum unde ipsos deportaverant vel è quibus deportati fuerant Pisc And as for the Israelites that were carried away captive into Assyria they were nothing amended by their captivity but 't is said of them 2 King 17.34 That unto this day they do after their former manners they fear not the Lord neither do they after their statutes or after their ordinances appointed and enjoin'd them by God or after the Law and Commandments which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob whom he named Israel to observe with whom he made a Covenant and charged them saying Ye shall not fear other gods nor bow your selves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them But the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm him shall ye fear and him shall ye worship and to him shall ye do sacrifice And the statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandments which he wrote for you ye shall observe to do for evermore * Viz. as long as that dispensation shall last and ye shall not fear other gods And the Covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget neither shall ye fear other gods but the Lord your God shall ye fear and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies Howbeit they did not hearken but they did after their former manner But as for those Nations whom the King of Assyria brought out of other Countries and placed in Samaria they went on in their mungrel way of Religion they and their children from generation to generation After these first Colonies there were other Colonies brought thither by Esarhaddon King of Assyria who was also called Asnapper the Great Ezra 4.2.10 Son of Sennacherib and Grandchild to Salmanasser This seems to be the last of the Assyrian Kings and the person that carried Manasseh prisoner to Babylon which was then under the Assyrian Empire 2 Chron. 33.11 So that the Prophesie of Isaiah seems now to be fulfilled Chap. 7.8 The head of Syria is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people For though the greatest part of the Israelites were carried away by Salmanasser some years before and their Kingdom utterly abolished yet among them that were left there remained some shew of a Government But now by reason of the great multitude of forreigners which came to dwell there the small remainder of the Ephramites were accounted as nothing yet they were not utterly extinct in their own Country as appears from 2 Chron. 34.6 7. v. 33. Chap. 35.18 2 King 23.19 20. 2 King 17. from 24 to the end These Samaritans before mentioned were succeeded by a second sort of Heretical Samaritans in the time of the Government of Nehemiah in whose time one of the Sons of Ioiada the Son of Eliashib the High Priest married the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite and therefore he chased him from him Neh. 13.28 This Priest thus driven away from Ierusalem went with other Iews that had made the like mungrel marriages to the Samaritans their wives kindred who there as the Iewish Writers relate assisted them in building an Anti-Temple on mount Gerizim where a medly Nation devised a Miscellaneous worship of God rejecting all the Scriptures save the five Books of Moses and maintaining many abominable superstitions So that between these Samaritans and the Iews there grew
did but in the good only Howbeit the people did yet very corruptly and by their Priests who too much complied with them therein offered sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places which had Jotham removed he might have prevented the people's corrupting themselves in that thing and therefore his not doing it is noted as a blemish of his government About this time namely in the year wherein Vzziah died the Prophet Isaiah saw that glorious vision of the Lord sitting on his throne and compassed about with his holy Angels singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath And he foresaw the people of the Jews from this time forward growing more and more obdurate and blind every day than other resisting the counsel of the Prophets and so obstructing the means God afforded them for their conversion and healing Isa 6. Jotham was a great builder he built or renewed and repaired the high-gate of the house of the Lord which was as it seems the Gate whereby they went into the Kings Palace 2 Chron. 23.20 And on the wall of Ophel * Ophel was a Tower on the outside of the City and was the place where in those times the Nethinims dwelt Nehem. 3.26 he built much He built also divers Cities in the hills of Judah and in the Forrests he built Castles and Towers to prevent incursions of enemies He subdued the Ammonites and forced them to pay him tribute by the space of three years viz. an hundred talents of silver and of wheat and barley ten thousand measures of each So he became mighty because he ordered his counsels and actions as in the sight of the Lord and so as he might please him The Prophet MICAH In his days the Prophet Micah began to Prophesie and under him and his two next successors he executed his Prophetick function together with Isaiah and Hosea He prophesied a great while as appears Jer. 26.18 He is very like the Prophet Isaiah both in matter and loftiness of stile He prophesied both against Judah and Israel He declareth Gods wrath against them he laments their condition and foretells their destruction and captivities by the Assyrians and Babylonians for the manifold sins that all sorts had committed viz. Princes Prophets and people Ch. 1.2 3. Then he comforteth those that repent with promises of temporal blessings and deliverances from their enemies but chiefly with promises and predictions of Christ foretelling the place of his nativity and the manifold blessings of his Kingdom Ch. 4. 5. In the next place he expostulates with all sorts for their so ill requiting Gods great kindness and mercy to them and provoking him so highly by their manifold sins Ch. 6. Then he complains of the paucity and scarceness of good men and he endeth his Prophesie with consolations to the Church exhorting her to expect Gods time to plead her cause to the shame of her insulting enemies and her own marvellous comfort Ch. 7. Towards the latter end of Jotham's reign Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel began to conspire against Judah but they did not invade the land till his Sons days the Lord therein shewing mercy to him in taking him away before those heavy calamities fell upon Judah He was buried in the City of David and Ahaz his Son reigned in his stead 2 King 15. from 32 to the end 2 Chron. 27. whole Chapter The 12th that reigned in Judah AHAZ AHAZ succeeded his father Jotham in the very end of the seventeenth year of Pekah He was twenty * Object If he was only 20 years old when he began to reign and reigned only 16 years then how could his Son Hezekiah be 25 when he began to reign 2 King 18.2 for then he must be born when Ahaz was but 11 years old Ans Ahaz was 20 years old when he was first designed King in his Fathers life time it being the manner of Kings in those troublesome times to set up their Sons in the Throne with themselves in their life time that they might hold it the more sure after their death But when he began to reign by himself alone after his fathers death from which the 16 years of his reign must be reckoned he might be 24 or 25 and so his Son Hezekiah might well be 25 at his death years old when he began to reign and reigned sixteen years He did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God like David his Father The Lord was his God as to outward profession and David was his Father by lineal descent but he would neither faithfully serve God nor imitate David Soon after his Father was dead Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel confederated together and conspired against him intending with their joint forces to go up and besiege Jerusalem and to depose him and to make the Son of Tabeal probably some eminent Syrian King in his stead The King and people of Judah were exceedingly startled at these tidings as apprehending a sudden and final destruction of their Kingdom God hereupon sends the Prophet Isaiah to Ahaz to comfort him and bids him take his Son Shear-jashub along with him whose name intimated that though the Jews should be brought low yet a remnant of them at least should return to their former condition again and should encrease and enjoy the happiness of being a people and a Commonwealth of themselves It seems the names of Isaiahs Sons (a) The Sons of Isaiah were for signs and for wonders C. 8. 18. by reason of the signification of their names which presignified the goodness of God to the Jews were imposed upon them by a spirit of Prophesie and so they were for signs and significations of the goodness of God which he intended to the Jews see Isa 8.18 And thus Isaiah brought his Son Shear-jashub to Ahaz to confirm him and his people with this sign that they should not utterly be destroyed by these two confederate Kings Therefore he advises him to take heed of distrusting God and to be quiet and not to be afraid of those two Tails or ends of smoking fire-brands viz. Rezin and Pekah whom he so calls because they should soon be extinct and their attempts vanish into smoke though they thought to have burnt up all before them For within the compass of 65 years reckoning from the Earthquake in the 22 year of Vzziah's reign * See more hereof in the life of Uzziah the Kingdom of Syria shall be swallowed up by the Assyrian and Ephraim shall be broken †This was brought to pass by Salmanassar 2 King 17.6 that it be not a people But Ahaz seems still incredulous and believed not the Prophets words Isaiah therefore tells him if he doubted of the truth of what he had said to him in Gods name he might freely ask a sign of the Lord to be shewn him either in the heaven or in the earth for the confirmation of his faith But he
the Lord therefore was his sin highly aggravated and this brand and black mark set on him This is that King Ahaz viz. that trespassed so heinously against the Lord. When Ahaz had thus made himself a vassal and tributary to the King of Assyria which vassalage his Son soon shook off See 2 King 18.7 he quickly found that he had received more hurt than help from him as the Prophet had before intimated to him Isa 7.20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired namely by them beyond the River by the King of Assyria the head and the hair of the feet and it shall also consume the beard For though the King of Assyria to serve his own turn vanquished Damascus yet he impoverish'd Ahaz and did not restore to him any of those Cities which his enemies had taken from him nor did him any other good in recompence of those great treasures which he had given him and perhaps he did otherways distress him As Tiglath-pileser went up against Damascus and took it and slew Rezin as hath been said before so he shortly after as it seems invaded the land of Israel and made that great havock of which we read 2 King 15.29 In the days of Pekah King of Israel came Tiglath-pileser King of Assyria and took Ijon and Abel-beth-Maacah and Junoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee all the land of Naphtali and carried them captive to Assyria See more hereof in the life of Pekah Ahaz towards the latter end of his reign set up a stately Dial which afterwards afforded a miraculous sign to his Son Hezekiah though he himself refus'd to ask a sign In the last year of his reign he set up his Son Hezekiah with him in the Kingdom Ahaz now dying was buried in Jerusalem but not among the Kings he having been so great an Idolater The Prophet Isaiah this year forewarns the Moabites of a great calamity that would befall them within three years after See Isaiah 15.1 Ch. 16.14 2 King 16. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 28. whole Chapter Isai 7. from v. 1 to 17. The 13th that reigned in Judah HEZEKIAH HEZEKIAH being taken by his Father into the Government in the last year of his reign from that time being the latter end of the third year of Hoshea * Though Hoshea was confirmed King in the twelfth year of Ahaz and so is said then to begin to reign in Samaria yet because he reigned then only as Viceroy under the King of Assyria the nine years of his absolute reign are not reckoned till he cast off the Assyrian Yoke and took upon him to reign as absolute King which was it seems two years after viz. in the 14th year of Ahaz and so the third of Hoshea was indeed the first of Hezekiah's reign King of Israel he reigned twenty nine years in Jerusalem His Mother's name was Abi or Abijah the daughter of Zachariah If she was as 't is supposed the daughter of that Zachariah by whom so long as he lived Vzziah was kept in the way of truth 2 Chron. 26.5 we may well think that her piety manifested in this religious education of her Son was a chief means under God that he proved so zealous for the cause of true Religion though his Father was so extreamly wicked He was twenty five years old when he began to reign and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his Father had done and removed the high places which neither Jehoshaphat nor any of the good Kings of Judah had done before 2 K. 18. fr. 1 to 4. 2 Chr. 29.1 2. In the first year of his reign in the first month Abib he opened the doors of the Lords house which his Father had caused to be shut up 2 Chron. 28.24 and repaired and adorned them by overlaying them with Gold Then assembling the Priests and Levites together in the East-street * The Street before the entrance to the great gate of the House of the Lord. whom his Father had forced to abide in their Cities and suburbs shutting them out of the house of the Lord he like a pious and prudent Prince spake to them after this manner Hear now ye Priests and Levites and attend unto the words which I shall speak unto you I require you in the first place to sanctifie your selves and to sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your Fathers and to carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place that is to cleanse it of all Idols and all those things which Idolaters used in their worship For our Fathers both mine and yours have trespassed and done that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and have forsaken him and have turn'd away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs upon it that is have openly basely and opprobriously forsaken the worship appointed by him in his Temple see Jer. 2.27 and have shut up the doors of the Porch and not suffered the lamps to be lighted in the Temple nor the incense to be burnt neither have they offered the burnt-offerings unto the Lord in the holy place as they should have done therefore the wrath of God was upon Judah and Jerusalem and he hath delivered them up to great trouble even to the astonishment and hissing of strangers as you have seen with your eyes For lo our Fathers have fallen by the sword and our wives sons and daughters have been led into captivity for their great transgressions Now seeing Reformation is a special means to divert the wrath of God it is in my heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel and thereby to engage my self and my people to a real reformation that so his fierce wrath may turn away from us Wherefore my Sons stir up your selves be not ye negligent for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him and to burn incense unto him therefore be not wanting to your duties and to perform the ordinances of his house as he requires The King having ended his speech several of the Priests and Levites taking courage thereat sanctified themselves and according to the Kings command which they saw was agreeable to the word of God they came to cleanse the Temple and upon the eighth day of the first month entring in at the Porch they began to cleanse the house of the Lord and spent eight days in cleansing the Holy of Holies and the holy place and the Porch and then spent eight days more in cleansing the Courts appertaining to the house and having brought out all the uncleanness and filthiness and Idolatrous trash they found in the Temple the Levites carried it out and threw it into the brook Kidron Then they came to the King and told him what they had done viz. that they had cleansed the whole house of the Lord and the Altar of Burnt-offering with all the vessels thereto appertaining
be taken out of the offerings which were laid up in the Treasuries of the Temple and those being much exhausted by Ahaz and the people being much impoverished by inrodes of enemies Hezekiah for the ease of the people appointed a portion for and towards these sacrifices out of his own revenue He commanded also the people that dwelt at Jerusalem to give to the Priests and Levites the portion and maintenance that by the Law belonged to them that so being freed from distracting worldly cares they might the better attend to their work and might search into and study and meditate on the Law of God and faithfully expound it to the people teaching them to perform the duties therein commanded And the children of Israel in and about Jerusalem when this command was first given brought in abundance of the first-fruits of corn wine and oyl and honey and of the things that grew out of the earth and the tythe of all things that were by the Law injoined And those that dwelt in the Cities of Judah brought in the tythe of oxen and sheep and all other things which were ordained to be set apart from the rest of their goods as being consecrated unto God and given to the Priests and Levites And they brought in so abundantly that they laid them by heaps and they began to make those heaps and to bring in their tythes to the house of the Lord in the third month which was the beginning of their harvest and finished them in the seventh month when they gathered all other fruits of the land and which was counted the last of their harvest And therefore the Feast of Tabernacles which was in that month was called the feast of ingathering in the end of the year Exod. 23.16 When Hezekiah and the Princes came and saw those heaps which were many and great ones they blessed the Lord for stirring up the people to bring in their tythes so chearfully and so plentifully and blessed the people for their forwardness therein Then the King asked the Priests and Levites how it came to pass seeing there were many of them that they had spent no more of the provisions brought in for them Azariah the chief Priest of the house of Zadock made this answer Be Be pleas'd to understand O King that since the people began to bring in their first-fruits and tythes into the house of the Lord we have had enough to eat and have left a great deal besides For God hath so abundantly blessed his people that their offerings have not only yeilded us sufficient provision but this overplus which thou seest here is also left Then the King commanded that they should prepare Chambers and storehouses wherein to lay up what remained for the future and ordered that the tythes and offerings and dedicate things should be laid up in them and appointed Cononiah the Levite and Shimei his brother to be Treasurers and to keep an account of what was brought in and what was delivered out according to the order established 1 Chron. 26.20 Then there are ten set down by name who were overseers under them by the command of the King and the high Priest who had the chief rule over those that belonged to the house of the Lord. And Core who was Porter at the East-gate and six under him had charge to distribute the oblations and tythes to the Priests and Levites and that to all sorts of them as they were set in their several courses both great and small viz. to every one what was sufficient for him And they were to distribute them also to the young ones who were in their Genealogies of males from three years old and upward and to those that were registred in the Genealogies of Priests and Levites from twenty years old and upward who came in their particular courses to do service in the house of the Lord. Nay further they were to distribute them to all their little ones that were registred though under three years and to their wives sons and daughters throughout the whole multitude or congregation of Priests and Levites for they having sanctified themselves in their distinct offices for the holy service of the Temple they had not time or leisure to provide temporal things for themselves their wives and children as others had And besides those persons before mentioned that were to distribute the holy things to those that dwelt at Jerusalem or came up thither in their several courses to perform their service at the Temple there were others also of the Priests chosen that dwelt in the other Cities of the Kingdom that were to give portions to the Priests and Levites whose names were registred according to their Families who were then abiding in those places and not attending at the Temple This care did Hezekiah take throughout all Judah and he did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord and he did it in truth and sincerity And in every work that he began relating to the service of the house of the Lord and to the observance of the Moral Law and the ordinances about Divine worship by all which he took care that God might be duly sought unto and honoured and obeyed he did it uprightly and with a fervent zeal and the Lord prospered him therein 2 Chron. 31. from v. 2 to the end About this time as 't is supposed that Copy of Solomon's Proverbs mentioned Prov. 25.1 was found and transcribed by some of Hezekiah's servants out of the old Manuscript which was as 't is like much spotted and soiled with time and neglect Further we are to observe what an excellent character is given of Hezekiah 2 King 18.5 6. viz. that he trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him there was none like him among all the Kings of Judah since the rent of the Kingdoms nor before him He excelled those that went before him in removing the high places which neither Jehoshaphat nor any of the good Kings of Judah had hitherto done But as for those that were after him some may object that which is said of Josiah 2 King 23.25 viz. that there was no King before him like unto him But to this we may answer that though Josiah excelled Hezekiah in some things yet in other things Hezekiah excelled him For Hezekiah was the first that removed the high places but when Josiah removed them he had Hezekiah's example to encourage him therein and Hezekiah was more successful in war than Josiah They were indeed both excellent Princes though in some things the one might excell the other 'T is further said of Hezekiah that he clave to the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his commandments And the Lord was with him and he prospered him in all his enterprizes As in particular in his wars against the Philistines against whom he mightily prevailed and took all those Cities from them which they had taken from his father Ahaz see 2 Chron. 28.18 But we
for the correction only and not destruction of his people v. 12. Then after an humble expostulation with the Lord that he should use such wicked instruments as executioners of his judgments upon his own people that were more righteous than they He expresses his resolution to wait with patience for the Lords answer from v. 13. to the end and Ch. 2. v. 1. 4ly We have Gods answer to the Prophets replication which he commands him to publish expound and make plain to his Auditors telling him that the accomplishment of the vision should not be presently but in Gods due time and therefore it would be a sign of a proud and impatient heart in them not to wait for it whereas 't is the duty of the godly to live by faith in the worst of times Then the Lord shews that he will punish the Chaldeans for their intemperance pride and insatiableness for their covetousness haughtiness and bloody cruelty for their drunkenness and notorious gross Idolatry The Prophet acquiesces in this answer from the Lord and testifies his submission in an holy prayer which he thereupon makes wherein having shew'd how much he was affected at the hearing of Gods decree to punish the Jews by the Chaldeans he prays notwithstanding that the Lord would please to revive his Church in their troubles and make known his love and favour to them in the midst of their punishment and in wrath remember mercy He urges his petition with arguments taken from Gods bringing Israel out of Egypt from the glorious manifestation of himself at Sinai at the giving of the Law from his active power and strength metaphorically set forth by his having horns coming out of his hands from the effects of his power having variety of plagues at his command and from his ruling over all Nations and setting them their bounds and giving Canaan to Israel making a path for them thorough the Red-sea and the river Jordan giving his people water out of the rock and destroying the Canaanites to give them possession of their land giving mighty victories to his people when their enemies were strong and confident Hereupon he expresses that Gods judgments now threatned against his people being so different from his former dealings with them were matter of great astonishment to him yet he must rest satisfied that the day of their trouble would come and could not be prevented In the conclusion of his prayer for a pattern to the faithful he elegantly sets forth the triumph of his own faith in and over all those sad calamities Though the fig-tree should not blossom neither should fruit be in the vine though the labour of the olive should fail and the fields should yield no meat though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there should be no herd in the stall yet he would rejoice in the Lord in the God of his salvation Ch. 3. Manasseh dying was buried in the Garden of his own house called the Garden of Vzzah 't is like this was done by his own appointment after his repentance as judging himself unworthy to be buried in the sepulchres of the Kings of Judah because of the abominations of his younger years 2 King 21.17 18. 2 Chron. 33.20 The 15th King that reigned in Judah was AMON AMON was one and twenty years old when he began to reign and reigned two years He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the evil ways his Father had walked in and served the Idols his Father had served and worshipped them and forsook the Lord God of his Fathers and walked not in his ways He renewed such Idolatrous carved images as his Father had made and sacrificed to them He did evil as his Father had done but he repented not nor humbled himself before the Lord as his Father had done but trespassed more and more 2 King 21 from 19 to 23. 2 Chron. 33. from 21 to 24. This impious King was at last slain by his own servants in his own house and his death was revenged on those servants by the people of the land who made his Son Josiah King in his stead He was buried in the same Garden his Father Manasseh was buried in 2 King 21. from v. 19. to the end 2 Chron. 33 from v. 24 to the end IOSIAH The 16th King that reigned in Judah was JOSIAH was eight years old when he began to reign the youngest King that ever sat upon the Throne of Judah and reigned thirty one years in Jerusalem He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the ways of David his Father In the eighth year of his reign and sixteenth of his life he began to seek after the God of David his Father and to inquire how he might serve the Lord aright and did openly declare and manifest his Religious care to set up and further the true worship of God and in the twelfth year of his reign and twentieth of his life he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the groves and the carved and molten images and from all that filth of Idolatry wherein they had so long lain which he did with a great deal of zeal and fervency of spirit 2 Chron. 34.1 2 3. 2 King 22.1 2. In the thirteenth year of his reign the Prophet Jeremy began to Prophesie Jer. 1.2 by whom doubtless Josiah was much encouraged in the ways of Piety The Collector of his Prophesies did not set down all things in the order of time as they were done but possibly as they came to his hands Jeremy Prophesied eighteen years in Josiah's time eleven in Iehoiakim's and eleven in Zedekiah's so that he bore the iniquity of the house of Iudah forty years see Ezek. 4.6 In the eighteenth year of his reign and twenty sixth of his life he began to set upon repairing of the Temple and sent Shaphat the Scribe and Maaseiah and Ioah great officers of State 2 Chron. 34.8 to Hilkiah the High Priest that the money that had been collected for that use might be delivered into the hands of the overseers of the work who were faithful men therewith to buy materials to repair the Temple (a) We do not read of any solemn repairing of it since the days of Joash 2 King 12.2 5. and now above two hundred years had passed between Joash and Josiah So that the Temple might well stand in need of repair at this time See 2 King 12.15 and the Chambers of the Priests and Levites which some of the Idolatrous Kings of Iudah had suffered to run to decay and to pay the workmen that so the work might go on Hilkiah doing accordingly and going in hand with the work as he was searching into those parts of the Temple that needed repair he found the original copy of the Law written by Moses which was at first laid up in the side of the Ark of the Covenant Deut. 31.24 25 26. which
a great Marriage and bring the Bride from Medaba with great Pomp being the Daughter of one of their Noblest Princes they went and hiding themselves under the Covert of the Mountain when the Bridegroom and his Friends came forth with Timbrels and Instruments of Musick rose up out of the Ambush slew 400 of them and took the Spoil So having revenged the death of their Brother they returned again into the Marshes of Judea 1 Mac. 9. When Bacchides heard this he marched down and came thither with a great Army upon the Sabbath-day and Jonathan being beset behind and before by the enemy and on each side with the River and Marshes yet encouraged his men to fight and after having slain about a 1000 of them seeing himself too weak for the enemy He and his men leaped into Jordan and got over to the other side neither did the enemy attempt to follow him As for Bacchides he returned to Jerusalem and built fenced Cities in Judea and a Fort in Jericho and other places and garrison'd them all that by their Sallies and Incursions they might annoy the Israelites He fortifyed also the Cities of Bethsura and Gazara with the Castle at Jerusalem where he placed Soldiers and Provisions and taking the Sons of the chief of the Country for Hostages he put them in ward in the Tower of Jerusalem 1 Mac. 9. The Ambassadors sent from Judas Maccabaeus to Rome were kindly received and concluded a League of Association with the Romans the Tenor of which was That they should mutually assist and succour each other against the common Enemy And the Articles were written in Tables of Brass The Senate also wrote Letters to Demetrius That he should forbear to oppress the Jews any further being their Confederates otherwise they vvould vvage War upon him both by Land and Sea And this vvas the first League that vvas ever knovvn to be betvven the Romans and the Jews About this time as it should seem Alcimus commanded the wall in the Temple which severed the Court of the People from that of the Gentiles to be pulled down which had been built by Zerubbabel and the Prophets whose Monuments he began also to pull down and destroy But at the same time he was so smitten that he could not open his own mouth nor so much as give orders concerning his own House but died in great Torment the third year after he had usurped the High-Priesthood After his death Jerusalem was seven years without any High-Priest at all But then Jonathan put on the High-Priests Robes After Alcimus's death Bacchides returned to Demetrius For two years the land of Judea continued quiet but at the end thereof certain wicked Jews sent for Bacchides again acquainting him that he might easily apprehend Jonathan and his Company in one night Whereupon Bacchides made towards them with a great force and sent privily Letters to his Friends in Judea to assist him in this Enterprize But their Plot was discovered to Jonathan and his Company and he taking 50 of the Contrivers of that Villany put them all to death Then Jonathan and Simon and those that were with him removed to Bethbasin in the Wilderness and repaired the walls thereof and fortified it which Bacchides having notice of went down thither and besieged it But such was his Entertainment from the besieged who sallying out burnt his Engines and killed many of his men that having lain before the place a long time to no purpose and being thus disappointed in his hopes he turn'd his anger against those that had procur'd him to make this Expedition in so much that he slew many of them and purposed to return into his own Land Jonathan having notice thereof sent to him to treat of peace and to exchange Prisoners which he gladly accepted of protesting he would not any more disturb Jonathan all the days of his life So he returned home into his own land and never after entred into Judea with an Army The Wars thus composed in Judea Jonathan dwelt at Michmash in the Tribe of Benjamin and began to judge the people and to take away the Wicked out of Israel About this time Alexander Bala crying himself up for the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes seized upon Ptolemais a City in Phaenicia Demetrius hearing of this began to prepare to fight with him and sent Letters also to Jonathan whereby he renewed peace with him and gave him Authority to levy forces and provide Arms that he might assist him in his War against Alexander He commanded also that the Hostages which were kept in the Fort should be released which was accordingly done and he delivered them to their Parents Jonathan improving this opportunity began to re-edifie and repair Jerusalem and to build up the Walls And the Aliens that were in the Forts which Bacchides built quitted them and hasted away to their own land Alexander having notice of Demetrius's Message to Jonathan he courts him likewise and desires his Friendship and Association And among many other Priviledges and Immunities which he granted to that Nation he appointed him to be the High-Priest sending him Purple and a Crown of Gold and honoured him with the Title of being called the Kings Friend So in the seventh month of the 160th year of the Seleucides Jonathan put on the holy Robe in the nineth year after the death of his brother Judas the Priesthood having been vacant seven years from the death of Alcimus being the first of the Hasmoneans that arrived at this dignity as being descended from Jehojarib of the Priests family indeed but not from Jaddus the High-Priest whose Heir Onias now lived in Egypt with Ptol. Philometor The Jews now disclaiming Demetrius of whose hatred to them they had had sufficient experience stick close to Alexander and from that time forward continued his Confederates in the War Alexander Bala having gotten an Army together made up partly of the Soldiers that revolted to him from Demetrius and partly of the Auxiliaries of Attalus King of Pergamus Ariarathes King of Cappadocia and Jonathan and especially Ptol. Philometor encountred Demetrius and conquering his Army killed him in the Fight after he had reigned in Syria twelve years And so Alexander obtained the Kingdom Alexander shortly after remembring how much he was engaged to Ptol. Philometor for his assistance sent to him to desire his Daughter to make him a Wife which he willingly assented to and brought her to Ptolemais in Phoenicia and there married her to him with Royal and magnificent Solemnity Jonathan being by Alexander invited to this Wedding he brought with him great Presents of Gold and Silver and several other things which he presented to both the Kings and their Friends so that thereby he much wrought himself into their favour At the same time several vile male-contents came out of Judea to accuse Jonathan but Alexander was so far from listning to any Tales against him that he caused him to be clothed with Purple and to set next to