in the city is evident vers 24. All the Israelites returned unto Ai and smote it with the edge of the sword Vers 17. And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel c. It seems Bethel being but a little town and confederate with Ai the inhabitants at the first approch of the Israelites had forsaken it as having no hope to be able to keep it and had added their power to that of Ai to make that the stronger And hence Bethel is also mentioned with Ai the text telling of us that there was not a man left that is a souldier neither in Ai or Bethel because from Bethel they were come to Ai and now altogether were gone out in the pursuit of the Israelites Yet if we consider how closely the ambush of the Israelites might be laid in some woods or some other places of covert betwixt Bethel and Ai I see not why we may not conceive that the Garrison of Ai seeing the Israelites fly again either by post sent thither or by some signe given them called forth the men of Bethel to joyn with them in the pursuit of the Israelites How Bethel came to be long after this in the possession of the Canaanites see the note upon Judg. 1.24 Vers 18. And the Lord said unto Joshua Stretch out the spear that is in thine hand towards Ai. This God enjoyned him to do as a signe to the people that they should now make a stand and with assurance that God would deliver the city into their hand should now again make head against the enemie from whom they had seemed to fly as even in these times the captain stretching forth his spear or staffe upon the face of the enemie is a signe to the souldiers of reinforcing the battell Vers 19. And the ambush rose quickly out of their place and they ranne as soon as he had stretched out his hand How they that lay covertly in the ambush on the West side of the city should among so many thousand discern Joshua his spear stretched out now especially when by a seeming flight they had drawn the enemie so farre from the city I cannot conceive and therefore I rather think that upon this signe given by Joshua his souldiers gave a shout or the musicall instruments gave warning for reinforcing the battell and hereby the spies knew it was time to enter the city Vers 19. And they hasted and entered into the city and took it and hasted and set it on fire That is some house in the city that by the smoke thereof the Israelites might perceive the city was taken See the following note Vers 24. All the Israelites returned unto Ai and smote it with the edge of the sword That is the men and women and children left in the city for they had before onely set fire on some one place of the city that thereby it might be known they had taken it but now upon Joshuas coming after they had slain those in the field they entered the city slew all that were found in it took away the spoyl and then burnt the city wholly with fire to the ground vers 28. Vers 25. And so it was that all that fell that day both of men and women were twelve thousand even all the men of Ai. That is say some Expositours twelve thousand of the men of Ai besides those of Bethel that joyned with the men of Ai vers 17. against the Israelites of whom how many were slain it is not expressed But because the number of the slain were taken by the Israelites who could not distinguish betwixt those of Ai and those of Bethel even those of Bethel might well be comprehended in those words even all the men of Ai because they were slain in this expedition of the Israelites against Ai. Vers 26. And Joshua drew not his hand back wherewith he stretched out the spear c. But still with his spear stretched forth led them on upon the chase and slaughter of their enemies Vers 28. And Joshua burnt Ai and made it a heap for ever even a desolation unto this day It is evident that in the dayes of Nehemiah this citie Ai was built again because we find it named Neh. 11.31 amongst the cities that Benjamin dwelt in though indeed it be not there called Ai but Aijah and therefore by this word for ever is meant onely as in many other places of Scripture a long time As for that clause even a desolation to this day see the notes upon chap. 3.9 Vers 29. And the King of Ai he hanged upon a tree untill the even tide Joshua was to execute Gods vengeance upon these inhabitants of Canaan now as the kings were most deeply ingaged in the abominations of the land through whose neglect of justice they became the more rife so the greatest severity he still shows against them And as soon as the sunne was down Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree See the note upon Deut. 21.23 And cast it at the entring of the gate of the city c. Where was the place of judgement that the very place where he was buried with a heap of stones raised upon him might intimate the justice of God in thus punishing him that took no care to punish the wickednesse that was dayly committed amongst his people Vers 30. Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal c. That is about this time Moses had before his death charged the Israelites that when they came into the land of Canaan they should build a monument of great stones and write the law thereon and that at the same time they should build an altar of whole stones and offer sacrifices thereon and that on mount Gerizim and mount Ebal where this was to be done the people should in a solemn manner give their consent to certain blessings and curses that should be read in their hearing as we may reade in the 27. Chapter of Deuteronomy Here therefore the story relates now how Joshua did what Moses had commanded them But why did he do it now or how could he do it now since they were not yet come to mount Gerizim and mount Ebal I answer Some affirm that these mountains were nigh to Ai and Bethel and others say That though this story be inserted in this place yet it was done long after the taking of Ai. But because it is generally held and not without just ground that Gerizim was in the tribe of Ephraim which was much further up into the countrey and withall that this word then immediately following the story of taking Ai Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord c. seems plainly to imply that this was done much about this time therefore I rather conceive that after the sacking of Ai Joshua finding the way to these mountains clear and open by reason of the terrour wherewith the enemies were stricken took this opportunity
why they had done it they could have nothing to say for themselves Vers 3. But they shall be as thorns in your sides See the note Numb 31.55 Vers 5. And they called the name of that place Bochim and they sacrificed there unto the Lord. Though by divine dispensation or at least Gods conniving at it the faithfull servants of God did sometimes sacrifice in other places then the Tabernacle for so did Samuel at Mizpeh 1. Sam. 7.6 and Gideon in Ophrah Judg. 6.24 yet there is no necessity that can force us to say it was so here For this Bochim might be in Shiloh or near about it where the Tabernacle was as is noted above vers 1. Vers 6. And when Joshua had let the people go the children of Israel went c. In the following part of this chapter is laid down in generall the summe of the whole book to wit Israels idolatrie and Gods dealing with them both in punishing them and delivering them again But the death of Joshua and the Elders which had seen the works of the Lord made way to this defection of Israel and therefore the story first begins with that and tells us how Joshua dismissed them from the camp where they had as yet continued together and sent them every tribe to their own portion which by lot in the late division of the land God had given them Vers 9. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres Josh 24.30 it is called Timnath-serah Vers 10. And there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord nor yet the works which he had done for Israel We need not inquire whether there were none now alive that knew the works of the Lord for there might be some that did as doubtlesse there were some likewise that did not fall away with the rest to the worship of idols and yet it might be said that there arose another generation that knew not the Lord c. namely because the greatest number was of that generation that had not seen the works of the Lord to wit those works which he did in Egypt yea many of them not those works which he did at their entrance into Canaan the dividing of Jordan c. and these they were that knew not the Lord that is effectually as the other generation had done who by the sight of Gods wondrous works were brought truly to fear the Lord. Vers 11. And the children of Israel did evill in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim That is the severall gods of the nations whom they called Baalim For Baal signifieth a Lord hence were those names so frequent amongst the great men of Carthage of Hannibal and Asdrubal and many others whereupon they called God by way of excellency Baal that is the Lord and when they came by degrees to fall to idolatry every man of renown that after his death was worshiped as a god was called Baal and by some of those eastern nations Bell Esa 46.1 Bell boweth down Nebo stoopeth yea and the severall planets which by the Chaldean Astrologers were said to rule in their severall houses in heaven were called Baalim that is Lords or rulers and so all the severall gods of the Chaldeans Syrians and Canaanites yea and severall idols and images of these gods were called Baalim Vers 13. And they forsook the Lord and served Baalim and Ashtaroth The goddesse of the Sidonians 1. Kings 11.5 And Solomon went after Ashtaroth the goddesse of the Sidonians 2. Kings 23.13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtaroth the abomination of the Sidonians and of the Philistines 1. Sam. 31.10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth yet it seems as Baalim was the common name of all their gods so was Ashtaroth the common name of all their goddesses Vers 10. And he delivered them into the hand of the spoilers that spoiled them he sold them into the hand of their enemies round about c. That is not onely suffered the enemies to enter upon the land carry away their goods whereby as with a gentler rod he did at first chastise them but at last he gave their persons also into the hands of those that made warre with them to be their bondslaves as a man should sell his child to be a servant or slave so did the Lord passe away the right which he had in them and put them under the power of the enemie who also sold them away here and there when they pleased Psal 44.12 Thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth by their price Vers 16. Neverthelesse God raised up judges that delivered them c. That is God stirred up men to undertake the avenging of them upon their enemies and to govern them according to the Laws of God and advanced them above others with the gifts of his Spirit that they might be fit for those great imployments Vers 17. And yet they would not hearken unto their Judges but they went a whoring after other gods c. That is for a while they hearkned unto them but not constantly within a while after they returned unto their evil wayes as it is more fully expressed vers 18 19. As for this phrase of going a whoring after other gods it is used frequently in the Scripture to imply mens unlawfull and base joyning of their souls to idols that were formerly entred into a covenant with God and therefore should have kept themselves solely to him as a wife to her husband and the rather doubtlesse is the blind mad and unreasonable zeal of idolaters compared to the violent and incorrigible lusts of whoremongers because as they that are once inflamed with those lusts are as men bewitched no counsell or perswasion doth any good upon them they care not what they spend what pains they take into what inconveniences they cast themselves so they may satisfie their lusts so it is with idolaters so bewitched they are that there is no disswading them no charge toil or danger can make them give over this abominable sinne Vers 18. For it repented the Lord because of their groanings c. See the note Gen. 6.6 Vers 19. And they returned and corrupted themselves more then their fathers Before it was said vers 19. that they returned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in which was meant of that generation which was immediately after those that in the dayes of Joshua and the godly Elders after him continued constant in the true Religion but this is now spoken of the children of those that in the following generation did apostatize from the true worship of God these their children though for a time during the life of their Judges they made a show of repentance and forsaking their idolatry yet when their Judges were dead they soon returned again
to the wicked wayes of their idolatrous fathers yea and did worse then they indeed as relapses in regard of sicknesse bring men usually into a more dangerous condition then they were in before so it is with relapses to idolatrie a Church and people that have been reformed and fall back to idolatry are usually farre worse and more grossely superstitious then they were before Vers 22. That through them I may prove Israel whether they will keep the way of the Lord c. These words may be understood two severall wayes for first they may have reference to that clause in the latter end of the foregoing verse where there is mention made of Joshua his leaving the Canaanites unexpelled the nations which Joshua left when he died and then the meaning must be that the nations were not wholly driven out in Joshua's time but were left for the tryall of Israel to wit to see whether they would be drawn away by their idolatries or no And secondly they may have reference to all that which is said in the two foregoing verses Because this people have transgressed my covenant c. I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died That through them I may prove Israel whether they will keep the way of the Lord c. and then the meaning must be that God for the sinne of the Israelites resolved not to cast out any more of the Canaanites that remained in the land that they might continually oppresse and vex the Israelites and so thereby he might prove them namely whether by these afflictions they would be brought to repent and turn to the Lord and so again to walk in his wayes And indeed both these may be well here comprehended CHAP. III. Vers 2. ONely that the generation of the children of Israel might know to teach them warre c. Two reasons were given in the latter end of the foregoing chapter why the Lord did not wholly cast out the Canaanites out of the land in the dayes of Joshua and here now a third is added Some conceive indeed the meaning of this clause to be this that by leaving the Canaanites amongst them God would now let this wicked generation know to their cost what warre is their fathers by the extraordinary help which the Lord afforded them did soon vanquish their enemies and knew not the misery that warre usually brings with it but this their degenerate posterity being now forsaken of God should know to their sorrow what warre is But according to our translation I conceive the meaning of the words to be rather this that God left these inhabitants of the land unexpelled that the future generations might hereby be made carefull to train up their people in martiall discipline that so they might be the better able to perform what God had enjoyned them in not suffering any of the Canaanites to remain in the the land And this it is I conceive that in these words the holy Ghost doth chiefly aim at not so much their teaching the people the skill of the warre as their intention therein to wit that they might obey the Lords command in driving out the remainder of this people Vers 3. Namely five Lords of the Philistines c. Here the nations are reckoned that were not cast out of Canaan and the first mentioned are the five Lords of the Philistines to wit the Lords of Ashdod Gaza Askelon Gath and Ekron indeed three of these cities were at first taken by the men of Judah after the death of Joshua to wit Gaza Askelon and Ekron but it seems the Philistines soon recovered them again See chap. 1.18 Vers 5. And the children of Israel dwelt amongst the Canaanites c. from the eleventh verse of the foregoing chapter unto this place we have had a summary description of the state of Israel in the dayes of the Judges and here now the Authour of this story enters upon the particular story of Othniel the first of the Judges telling us in the first place what their sinnes were that brought them into that bondage out of which Othniel delivered them Vers 7. And served Baalim and the groves That is the idols which they set up and worshipped in the groves Vers 8. And he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia See the note chap. 2.14 And the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years It seems to me evident that for some years after the death of Joshua the people continued constant in the worship of the true God chap. 2.7 And the people served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua and all the dayes of the Elders that out-lived Joshua c. and doubtlesse some few years it was after they fell to idolatry ere God sold them into the hand of this king of Mesopotamia and therefore how long after the death of Joshua these eight years began of Israels bondage under the king of Mesopotamia we cannot say Vers 9. And when the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord the Lord raised up a deliverer c. The word in the Hebrew signifieth a saviour but thereby is meant one that delivered them from the bondage they were in and this was Othniel who was the sonne of Calebs brother and withall his sonne in law as being married to Achsah his daughter chap. 1.13 for that noble exploit of his in taking Debir and this was the honour of the children of Judah that the first judge after Joshua was of their tribe the Lord therein making good that prophecy of Jacob Gen. 49.8 Judah thou art he whom thy Brethren shall praise thine hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies thy fathers children shall bow down before thee Many hold that Othniel became Judge of Israel immediately after the death of Joshua but me thinks it is clear in this place that it was not till towards the end of the eight years of Israels bondage under Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia for it is said that then the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord and thereupon God raised up Othniel to be a deliverer that is God did then by a speciall instinct of his Spirit stirre him up to make warre against this tyrant for the deliverance of his people and furnished him with all necessary gifts and graces of his Spirit both for the vanquishing of the enemie and for the government of the people which it seems upon this occasion he took upon him But yet if Othniel took Debir and thereupon married Calebs daughter whilst Joshua was yet living as many Expositours hold he did hereby we may probably gather that it was not many years after Joshuas death ere the Israelites were thus oppressed by this king and so thereupon Othniel was raised up of God to be their Judge Vers 10. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him That is God by his Spirit did poure forth upon him an extraordinary measure of all gifts requisite
morning doth shine most brightly and gloriously and that too as Solomon saith Prov. 4.18 more and more unto a perfect day so let them that love the Lord become prosperous glorious and renowned and let their prosperity grow and encrease daily Because the power and strength of the sunnes light and heat is not so much seen or felt when it is covered with clouds it is said to go forth in his might and indeed the expression here used is much like that 2. Sam. 23.4 He shall be as the light of the morning when the sunne â—iseth even a morning without clouds And the land had rest fourty years That is unto fourty years counting them from Ehuds death See chap. 3.11 CHAP. VI. Vers 1. ANd the children of Israel did evill in the sight of the Lord and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years By the evill which the children of Israel did is principally meant their fearing and worshiping the gods of the Amorites vers 10. And I said unto you I am the Lord your God fear not the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell but ye have not obeyed my voice but yet when the Lord undertook to punish them for this whether it were because they had not proceeded so farre herein as in former times or for some other reason known onely to the Lord evident it is that he laid not his hand upon them so heavily now as he had done formerly both because the misery that God brought upon them lasted but seven years and also because we reade not that these Midianites did bring the Israelites into bondage as other their oppressours had done but onely made inroads every year into the land and so robbed and pillaged their countrey whence it may be it is as some have observed that it is not said here according to the expression elsewhere used the Lord sold them into the hand of Midian but that the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian What it was at this time that moved the Midianites to invade the land of Israel we need not enquire The Israelites indeed in the latter dayes of Moses had made warre with the Midianites and destroyed multitudes of them of which see the note Numb 31.17 and it may be that the Midianites pretended now the taking revenge upon the Israelites for that but however the Midianites though the posterity of Abraham were alwayes deadly enemies to the Israelites and besides when the Lord means to punish a people for their sinnes he can bring against them what nation he pleaseth Vers 2. And because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them dens which are in the mountains and caves and strong holds That is many of those dens and caves and strong holds which are in the land of Canaan the Israelites made at this time to wit to hide themselves and their estates therein from the Midianites the poorer sort the dens and the caves and the other the strong holds and forts and thus at first they onely thought to shelter themselves by these outward means and did not seek to make God their hiding place but all in vain and therefore at length they saw their folly herein and then as it is said vers 6. They cryed unto the Lord. Vers 3. And so it was when Israel had sowen that the Midianites came and the Amalekites and the children of the East That is and other the children of the East to wit of Arabia that lay eastward of Canaan Even the Midianites were of these eastern nations for they passed over Jordan that was on the east side of Canaan when they invaded the land and therefore when Gideon had overcome them he sent to the inhabitants of mount Ephraim chap. 7.24.25 to stop them from returning over Jordan but they were aided it seems by other of these eastern nations that bordered upon them as the Ishmaelites mentioned chap. 8.24 For they had golden earings because they were Ishmaelites and some others Now it is noted that these nations came up every year into the land of Canaan when Israel had sowen because the end of their coming was to eat up with their cattell the green corn that so they might impoverish and samish the Israelites For the most of these eastern people dwelt not in cities and towns but in tents onely which they used to remove from one place to another carrying their cattell along with them whence is that of the Prophet Esa 13.20 It shall never be inhabited neither shall it be dwelt in from one generation to another neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there neither shall the shepherds make their fold there and so it was it seems with the Midianites and therefore every spring when the Israelites had sowen they came up with their tents and cattell that they might eat up all the encrease of the land and therefore partly are they compared to grassehoppers or locusts vers 5. they came up with their cattell and their tents as grassehoppers for multitude c. Vers 4. And they encamped against them and destroyed the encrease of the earth till thou come unto Gaza c. Gaza lay on the coast of the midland western sea and so they entered on the east and went quite through the land even as farre as Gaza that lay on the Western coasts destroying all as they went so that they left no sustenance for Israel that is none in a manner they took from many of the Israelites all their sustenance and impoverished all by taking away the greatest part of that they had Vers 8. The Lord sent a Prophet unto the children of Israel c. This was to prepare them for the deliverance he intended them by Gideon by calling them to repentance and amendment of life Vers 10. I am the Lord your God fear not the gods of the Amorites c. That is worship not the Gods of the Amorites because religious worship is alwayes accompanied with the fear and reverence of that God whom men worship therefore fear is often put for the whole worship that is to be yielded to God Vers 11. And there came an Angel of the Lord and sat under an oke c. This Angel was the sonne of God who is therefore called Jehovah vers 24. And Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord and called it Jehovah-Shalom but not desiring to seem to Gideon any other then some Prophet sent unto him from the Lord he sat down as a man wearied with travell and desirous to rest himself and therefore as a traveller he had a staff in his hand too vers 21. Then the Angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staffe that was in his hand and that under an oke that was in Ophrah that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite that is who was of the posterity of Abiezer Josh 17.2 and consequently of the tribe of Manasseh as vers 15. And he said unto him Wherewith shall I save Israel
the telling of the dream and the interpretation thereof that he worshiped c. That is he bowed himself to God by way of thankfullnesse for bringing him to hear this for the strengthening of his faith for first hereby it was manifest that God had already stricken them with a fear of him those forces which he had raised against them and secondly he might plainly see that Gods hand was in this businesse to comfort and encourage him that just at this time one of the souldiers should be telling this dream and another of his fellows should in this manner expound it Vers 18. And say The sword of the Lord and of Gideon Thus was Gideon carefull in the first place to ascribe all their successe to the Lord acknowledging thereby that Gideons sword would have been of no power to vanquish their enemies if the Lord should not fight for them and cause the sword of Gideon to be victorious but yet withall he appointed them to joyn his name with the Lords the sword of the Lord and of Gideon because he perceived by that which he heard in the camp of the Midianites that the Lord had made his name terrible amongst them Vers 19. So Gideon and the three hundred men that were with him came to the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch If the Hebrews in these times did as some conceive divide the night into three watches the meaning of the words is plain that this was done in the beginning of the second watch but it is evident that in future times they had foure watches allowing three hours to every watch Matt. 14.25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them walking on the sea If it were so now also the meaning must be that Gideon came upon them in the beginning of the third watch which is called the middle watch because it begun about midnight but I should rather think that they had not four watches till they came to be under the Romane government and so followed their custome in the ordering of their night-watches And they blew the trumpets and brake the pitchers that were in their hands c. Besides the terrour of the suddennesse of seeing so many lights burning about them and of hearing so many pitchers broken so many trumpets sounding and so many men crying out the sword of the Lord and of Gideon that in the dead of the night when they lay sleeping securely the first thoughts which advised reason could suggest must needs be that it could not but be a mighty army that had so many trumpets and lights attending them and hence it was that the Midianites ran and cryed and fled vers 21. Yea besides we may well think this was the rather appointed that herein we might have a sweet type of the spirituall conquest of Satan by Christ and his elect For how did Christ vanquish hell and death but 1. by being broken for our transgressions and bruised for our sinnes Heb. 2.14 For as much therefore as the children are pertakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil and 2. by his resurrection wherein the splendour of his divinity did shine forth most gloriously Rom. 1.4 and 8.34 And how do the Saints prevail but 1. by the preaching and the free profession of the Gospell the treasure we have in earthen vessels 2. Cor. 4.7 that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2. By shewing forth the power of the word in the light of a holy conversation and 3. By a willing suffering for the truth Rev. 12.11 They overcame him by the bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Vers 21. And they stood every man in his place round about the camp As if they had come onely to be torch-bearers to the rest of the army and indeed thereby testifying also that this victory was to be the sole work of God according to that Exod. 14.14 The Lord shall sight for you and ye shall hold your peace Vers 24. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan That is the foords and passages of the river Jordan even unto Beth-barah or Bethabarah John 1.28 or else these waters unto Beth-barah were some other rivers they were to passe over ere they came to Jordan and therefore distinguished from them and indeed by this means many of the Midianites did they here intercept and amongst the rest two of their princes Oreb and Zeeb and the other that escaped over before the passages could be taken Gideon pursued now hereby the Israelites might have seen the humble spirit of Gideon namely that he desired not to ingrosse the glory of the victory wholy to himself but was willing that his brethren should have their share in it too Vers 25. And they slew Oreb at the rock Oreb and Zeeb they slew at the wine-presse of Zeeb c. That is the rock and winepresse which were afterwards called upon this occasion the rock Oreb and the wine presse of Zeeb namely because there these princes were taken and slain the very places where it may be they had hid themselves for fear of the Israelites As for the next clause where it is said that they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan though this be here inserted that so the whole passage of that which the men of Ephraim did might be related together yet it was not done as is expressed in the words till Gideon had passed over Jordan to pursue those Midianites that were escaped which must be noted because we see that after this there is mention made of Gideons passing over Jordan Chap. 8.4 And Gideon came to Jordan and passed over he and the three hundred men that were with him CHAP. VIII Vers 1. ANd the men of Ephraim said unto him Why hast thou served us thus c. See the last note of the foregoing chapter As afterwards they quarrelled with Jephthah chap. 12.1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together and went northward and said unto Jephthah Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon and didst not call us to go with thee So here now they contended with Gideon Jacob had given this tribe of Ephraim the preheminence above that of Manasseh which might happely make them the more impatient of this dishonour which was now done them as they conceived and the lesse able to brook that the Manassices of whom Gideon was should become so renowned for this victorious exploit of theirs against the Midianites But however being puffed up partly with the potency of their tribe and partly with the preheminence they had above the other tribes in that the Tabernacle was settled amongst them
all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that they entred into an hold of the house of the God Berith This tower of Shechem was some fort or castle in some adjoyning village belonging to Shechem but not in the city as is evident because the men of this tower saw not the destruction of Shechem but heard of it and most probable it is that it was the same which was called vers 6. the house of Millo the ruine whereof is here related to shew that Jothams curse vers 20. did fall as well upon the house of Millo as upon the inhabitants of Shechem for hearing what Abimelech had done to Shechem they retired to a strong hold in the house of Baal-Berith to wit as resting not onely in the strength but also in the holinesse of the place and the help of their god and this it may be was the fort from which the village was called the tower of Shechem or perhaps some other place nearer hand of greater strength then that and so there they were all burnt by Abimelech about a thousand men and women as is expressed afterwards vers 49. Vers 50. Then went Abimelech to Thebez c. This was also some place belonging to Shechem for how else vvas Jothams prophecy fulfilled vers 20. that a fire should come out from the men of Shechem and devoure Abimelech Vers 53. And a certain woman cast a piece of a milstone upon Abimelechs head c. Thus he receives his deaths vvound vvith a stone vvho had slain his brethren all upon one stone vers 5. Vers 56. Thus God rendred the wickednesse of Abimelech which he did unto his father in slaying his seventy brethren To vvit because Gideon his father was wronged though dead in the murther of his children and this was the circumstance that did most aggravate Abimelechs sinne and provoke the Lord that he could so farre forget his father as to imbrue his hands in the bloud of his children CHAP. X. Vers 1. ANd after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the sonne of Puah c. Though there be no mention made of any enemies that invaded the land of Israel in the dayes of this Tola the seventh Judge of Israel if Abimelech be reckoned for one yet it need not seem strange that it should be said of him that he arose to defend Israel or to deliver Israel as the word in the original may also be translated for it may well be that the land was invaded in his time by some of the neighbouring nations though it be not expressed and indeed considering that idolatry and superstition were so rise in the land all the time of Abimelechs three years tyranny as is evident chap. 8.33 and 9.4 46. it is like enough that God did raise them up some adversaries or other to plead the quarrell of his covenant as in former times but then besides it might be said that he did desend or deliver Israel either because he did happely compose the factious tumults and combustions that were raised in the land in Abimelechs time or else because he retained them from their idolatry which was a great deliverance and thence it is said that afterwards the children of Israel did evill again in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim c. vers 6. or else because being raised of God to be Judge of Israel consequently he was to desend or deliver them in case any enemy should rise up against them and oppresse them As for the last clause of this verse where it is said of this Tola that he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim though he were a man of Issachar we need not stumble at that neither for besides that the Israelites did not alwayes live in their own tribes it is probable that in this place Tola lived for the more conveniency of executing judgement amongst the people Shamir in mount Ephraim being near upon in the midst of the tribes within Jordan and not farre too from the Tabernacle in Shiloh which was another considerable advantage Vers 3. And after him arose Jair a Gileadite c. To shew that this Jair the eighth Judge of Israel was a man of great renown before he was raised to be Judge it is noted in the following verse that he had thirty sonnes to wit by severall wives that rode on asse-colts as being princes and men of great place See chap. 5.10 and that they had thirty cities called Havoth-Jair that is the villages of Jair Now though there was one Jair who at the first entring of the Israelites into Cannaan above three hundred years before this took all the countrey of Argob in the land of Gilead and so the towns therein were called after his name Havoth-Jair Num. 33.41 And Jair the sonne of Manasseh took the small towns thereof and called them Havoth-Jair Deut. 3.14 Jair the sonne of Manasseh took all the countrey of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi and called them after his own name Bashan Havoth-Jair yet this must needs be another Jair and so perhaps these were other towns which had their names from this Jair the Judge of Israel as the other had their names from the other Jair in Moses time and indeed of those that were called Havoth-Jair in Moses time there were but three and twenty 1. Chron. 2.22 And Zegub begat Jair who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead yet most probable it is that this man was descended of that Jair and that coming to inherit so many of those towns which his Ancestours had taken from the Amorites the possession or government whereof he divided amongst his thirty sonnes they were also in this regard called Havoth-Jair the old name on a second ground being now renewed and confirmed on them as we see the like in the note upon Gen. 26.33 However this Jair was of that half tribe of Manasseh that inhabited without Jordan though he were raised to be Judge of all Israel and doubtlesse one out of those parts was purposely raised of God to be Judge because those tribes without Jordan were to suffer so much in his dayes by the invasion of the children of Ammon vers 8. and therefore it was most sit that he that was to be Judge should live amongst them Vers 6. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim c. Concerning Baalim and Ashtaroth see the Notes chap. 2.9 13. The hainousnesse of the Apostacy of the Israelites at this time above that of their forefathers is noted first by setting down not onely generally that they worshiped the idol-gods of the nations that were about them Baalim and Ashtaroth but also particularly what a multitude of false gods they had now entertained even the gods of all the nations about them the gods of Syria Sidon Moab the children of Ammon and the Philistines as indeed we find elsewhere that these nations had for the most part some
but also of other things revealed to him by the Lord at other times in regard whereof that is added which follows in the next verse the Lord appeared again in Shiloh to wit to Samuel Vers 21. For the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. That is by Christ the word of his Father or by revealing his will and word unto him which afterwards was to be delivered by him to others to wit by propheticall revelation and not by any corporall or visible apparition CHAP. IV. Vers 1. ANd the word of Samuel came to all Israel Or came to passe the meaning is that Samuel as a Prophet made known the word of the Lord as to Eli before so afterwards to all Israel reproving them for their sinnes and telling them beforehand the judgements that would fall upon them if they did not repent All which did accordingly come upon them Now Israel went against the Philistines to battel c. Who began now again to invade the land of Israel It may seem that all the fourtie years of Elies judging Israel they had been quiet happely because they had been so exceedingly weakned by the slaughter which Samson made so often among them especially at his death where no doubt most of their princes and lords were slain Judg. 16.30 And Samson said Let me die with the Philistines and he bowed himself with all his might and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people that were therein so the dead which he slew at his death were mo then they which he slew in his life But now they began again to quarrell with the Israelites and that no doubt not without the secret counsell of God who intended to punish hereby both the Priests and people of Israel and hereupon it was that the Philistines being entred upon the land of Israel the Israelites were gathered together to fight with them now the camp of the Israelites was besides Eben-ezer that is a place where afterward a stone was erected that was called Eben-ezer the occasion whereof we may see chap. 7.11 12. and the camp of the Philistines was in Aphek a citie in the tribe of Judah which bordered upon the land of the Philistines see Josh 15.53 Vers 3. Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines Let us fetch the Ark c. Though idolatrie and many other grosse sinnes were at this time rife amongst the Israelites They provoked him to anger with their high places and moved him to jealousie with their graven images saith the Psalmist concerning these very times Psal 78.58 yet so blind and stupid they were that because they were the seed of Abraham and the people of God they wondered why God should take the uncircumcised Philistines part against them never minding or mentioning their own wickednesse which had provoked the Lord to bring these miseries upon them Wherefore say they hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines and vainly they thought to mend all for the future by fetching the Ark of God to be amongst them Let us say they fetch the Ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us that when it cometh among us it may save us out of the hand of our enemies Now however they were moved no doubt to take this course first because the Ark was the signe of Gods presence amongst them whence it is said vers 4. that the people sent to Shiloh that they might bring from thence the Ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts which dwelleth between the Cherubims and secondly because the Israelites in former times had prevailed mightily against their enemies when the Ark was amongst them as when they vanquished the Midianites Num. 31.6 and at the sacking of Jericho when the walls of the citie fell down before them Josh 6.4 5. and on the other side when the Ark was not with them they had gone by the worst as when they went out to fight against the Canaanites Num. 14.44 45. They presumed to go up unto the hill top nevertheles the Ark of the covenant of the Lord and Moses departed not out of the camp Then the Amalekites came down and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill and smote them and discomfited them even to Hormah and therefore it seems afterwards to have been an usuall custome to carrie forth the Ark into the field with them for Saul had it with him when he was in arms against the Philistines chap. 14.18 Saul said unto Ahiah Bring hither the Ark of God for the Ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel and Joab as some think had it with him when he went out against the Ammonites the Ark and Israel and Judah abide in tents said Uriab 2. Sam. 11.11 yet because at present they did merely rest upon the outward signe and did not repent them of their sinnes whereby they had forfeited their interest in God nor seek to make their peace with God as they ought to have done therefore their confidence in the Ark was groundlesse and vain and the signe of Gods presence became ineffectuall amongst them And doubtlesse there was a secret overruling hand of God in this their sudden resolution to fetch the Ark into the camp whereby he made way to the delivering up the Ark into the power of the enemie and to the death of the two sonnes of Eli who coming along with the Ark were slain by the Philistines Vers 4. And the two sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phinehas were there with the Ark of the covenant of God To wit either to carrie it as Num. 4.15 or at least to attend it Vers 7. And the Philistines were afraid for they said God is come into the camp This happely the Philistines spake as thinking the Ark to be some representation of the God of the Israelites and having the same opinion of it as they had of their own idols at least they conceived that there was some divine power that went along with the Ark where it went which was the reason why they were stricken with such astonishment and fear And they said Wo unto us for there hath not been such a thing heretofore That is in former conflicts we have had with them they used not to bring their Ark into the camp even by this unwonted shout of the Israelites we may see how much greater their hope and confidence is now then it hath been formerly Vers 8. These are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wildernesse In the former part of this clause it is manifest that the Philistines speak of those divers great plagues wherewith the Lord smote both Pharaoh and his people in Egypt thereby forcing them to let his people go but these words in the wildernesse are added in the close because in the overthrow of the Egyptians in the red sea which joyned to the desert of Etham Exod. 13.20 there was a
and Gibeah where Saul and Jonathan and the forces of the Israelites were chap. 13.16 lay North and South the one from the other and that these two rocks here mentioned Bozez and Seneh lay together in the midst the one Northward the other Southward for how else could it be said in the following verse that the forefront of the one was situate Northward over against Michmash and the other Southward over against Gibeah But now the difficulty is how therefore it can be here said that these rocks were between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over and yet withall that there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side which seem to be contrary the one to the other But for the resolving of this I know no other probable answer that can be given but this to wit first that the passages between which the rocks are said to be were the two severall streights or inlets whereat there was a passable way though craggy through these rocks the one as they came from Michmash to go to Gibeah the other as they went from Gibeah to go to Michmash so that indeed there was but one passage through these rocks and that was surely the passage mentioned in the last verse of the foregoing chapter which the Philistines had surprized onely the two inlets into this are the passages here intended the one called the passage of Michmash as we see chap. 13.23 the other the passage of Gibeah And secondly that whereas it is said there was a sharp rock on the one side a sharp rock on the other the meaning is not that as men went along in this passage there was a sharp rock on each side to wit on the right hand and on the left for the rocks standing the one with the forefront Northward and the other with the forefront Southward that could not be He that went through this passage from Gibeah to Michmash must go over both rocks one after another and could not have one on his right hand and the other on his left but that there was a sharp rock on the one side toward Michmash and a sharp rock on the other side toward Gibeah which is mentioned to shew that unlesse it were by that passage which the Philistines kept there was no going over a sharp steep craggie rock making the way unpasseable in all other places all which notwithstanding Jonathan with his armour-bearer clambered over this rock on his hands and feet and so got to the garrison of the Philistines Vers 6. Come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised This calling the Philistines uncircumcised was to intimate that Jonathan relyed upon the covenant which God had made with his people and consequently upon the promises which the Lord had given them that they should vanquish their enemies and happely more particularly upon that which the Lord had said concerning Saul that he should save his people out of the hand of the Philistines chap. 9.16 Yet he addes It may be that the Lord will work for us for though he were carried to this attempt by a powerfull instinct of Gods spirit and a strong faith in the promises of God yet because he had not a speciall promise of victory at this time he is not confident of the successe but leaveth that to God It may be c. Vers 7. Behold I am with thee according to thy heart That is as willing and ready to follow thee in this enterprise as thine own soul can desire Vers 9. If they say thus unto us Tarty untill we come to you then we will stand still c. By the secret guidance of Gods holy spirit he pitcheth no doubt upon this as a signe whereby he should know whether they might with hope of successe undertake this attempt and no doubt prayed that it might prove a true token as Abrahams servant did in alike case Gen. 24.13 concerning which see the note there Yet was not this chosen without some ground of naturall reason for if they said Tarry untill we come to you it might argue courage and boldnesse but if they said Come up to us that might bewray some fearfulnesse in them Vers 11. And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines c. To wit in the way that led to the ordinary passage which was now kept by the Philistines As for that scoff of the Philistines when they espied them Behold the Hebrews come forth out of the holes see the note above vers 2. Vers 12. And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armour-bearer and said Come up to us and we will shew you a thing This they say by way of derision as implying that they durst not come up or that if they did they would give them their payment but God intended it as a token advising Jonathan what he should do Vers 13. And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet c. To wit because the way where they went was so steep that otherwise they could not have clambered up and because by this means they might the better shelter themselves under the rocks and so get up unespyed for we must know that they went not up in the ordinary passage which was kept by the Philistines but when they had discovered themselves to the Philistines in that way and the Philistines had in a scoffing manner challenged them to come up as is before noted vers 11 12. then they turned aside and crept up on the sharp rock above mentioned vers 4. where the Philistines never dreamt of an enemies coming upon them and so came upon them unawares Had they climbed up in any place where the Philistines could have seen them we may well think that they might easily have beaten them down but they therefore wound about some other way and clambering up on all foure as we use to say did shelter themselves under the covert of those craggy rocks till they were gotten up in a place where the Philistines looked not for them Vers 15. And there was trembling in the host c. In these words is shewn whence it was that Jonathan and his armour-bearer should so strangely beat down the garrison of the Philistines before them and that presently upon this the whole army of the Philistines should so easily be put to disorder and flight it was because the Lord had stricken them all with a mighty terrour there was trembling in the host c. not onely the garrison was thus affrighted whom Jonathan at first assaulted but those also in the camp and the spoilers to wit those mentioned before chap. 13.17 they also trembled all which too was helped forward with a terrible earthquake that was sent at the same time the earth quaked that is that also was moved under them and seemed as it were to quake for fear which I say no doubt the Lord sent the more to terrifie and
David did thereupon conclude that doubtlesse he was the man to whom God intended the kingdome whereto he willingly yields and onely seeks to make a covenant with David and therefore we see afterwards also how confidently he spake of Davids being king chap. 23.17 And he said unto him Fear not for the hand of my father Saul shall not find thee and thou shalt be king over Israel c. Vers 14. And thou shalt not onely while yet I live shew me the kindnesse of the Lord c. That is either first the kindnesse which the Lord requires us to shew one to another and which is so pleasing and acceptable to him or secondly the kindnesse which the Lord is wont to shew to his faithfull servants and wherein thou shalt approve thy self like unto God or thirdly the great kindnesse which by covenant made in the Lords presence thou hast bound thy self to shew me And thus whilest David was in an humbled and afflicted estate Jonathan beheld him as king of Israel and so did the believing thief look upon Christ when he hung upon the crosse Luke 23.42 And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome Vers 16. Let the Lord even require it at the hands of Davids enemies And so consequently of me if I keep not covenant but prove an enemy to David Vers 17. And Jonathan caused David to swear again because he loved him As desirous to make a sure and stedfast league with him whom he so dearly loved Vers 18. Then Jonathan said to David To morrow is the new moon and thou shalt be missed c. See the notes vers 5 6. Vers 19. Thou shalt go down quickly and come to the place where thou didst hide thy self when the businesse was in hand and thou shalt remain by the stone Ezel c. According to this Translation of ours the meaning of these words must needs be this that Jonathan advised David that on the third day he should go down to the place where he hid himself at the first and should stay there till he came thither and did by his shooting of arrows according to their following agreement secretly inform him whether he might safely come to his father or no. Now the place intended was doubtlesse that where David hid himself when Jonathan first gave him notice of his fathers purpose to kill him chap. 19.2 Saul my father seeketh to kill thee now therefore I pray thee take heed to thy self and hide thy self c. and therefore Jonathan saith Where thou didst hide thy self when the businesse was in hand because then was the first time when Saul did discover his purpose to kill David As for the stone Ezel that is that sheweth the way which was hard by that place it was probably some stone to direct travellers the way they were to go Vers 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof c. The reason why Jonathan did not agree to meet with David and so to make known to him how his father stood affected towards him but rather to give him warning thus secretly by shooting of arrows was because he desired to decline as much as might be his fathers jealousie of any intercourse that was betwixt him and David Vers 27. And Jonathan arose and Abner sat by Sauls side and Davids place was empty To wit Jonathan arose to Abner coming to sit down as thereby testifying his respect of him c. It seems that Saul and Jonathan were set down at the table before Abner came and so when he came Jonathan rose as by way of honour to Abner because he was the kings cosin and captain of the host and then Abner sat by Sauls side and Davids place was empty whereby it may appear that as Josephus saith Jonathan sat at the right hand of the king and David used to sit on his left hand as being his sonne in law and so Abner now sitting on that side he was next Saul because Davids place was empty yet the meaning of those words and Jonathan arose may be that Saul being set down in his seat Jonathan arose to sit down at the table by his father Vers 26. Something hath befallen him he is not clean surely he is not clean See the note verse 5. Vers 27. Saul said unto Jonathan his sonne Wherefore cometh not the sonne of Jesse c. This title be gives him the sonne of Jesse sheweth in part his discontent and displeasure against him Vers 30. Thou sonne of the perverse rebellious woman c. As if he had said thou art right thy mothers sonne she hath been alwayes perverse and rebellious and so art thou We need not enquire wherein Jonathans mother had deserved this censure for this is the property of wrathfull persons to spare none in their anger but to speak any thing that may grieve or dishonour the partie against whom their spirit is stirred and therefore he addes also Thou hast chosen the sonne of Jesse to thine own confusion and to the confusion of thy mothers nakednesse that is to the dishonour and shame of thy mother to wit by bereaving her of the honour of having a king for her sonne yea by bringing a stain of dishonesty upon her because if David should succeed in the kingdome and Jonathan be passed by it would imply that Jonathan were illegitimate and base born and so not fit to inherit and that therefore David that was onely Sauls sonne in law was chosen in his room Vers 40. And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad That is his quiver bow and arrows Vers 41. And assoon as the lad was gone David arose out of a place towards the south c. When they first agreed that Jonathan should give notice to David how his father stood affected towards him by the shooting of his arrows and the words he should speak to the lad that was sent to fetch them they agreed upon this secret way of giving David intelligence because they thought some body might be present in the field where it was done and hardly could hope for an opportunity to meet and consult together yet when Jonathan had done that and looking about perceived the coast was clear he sent away the lad and then David arose out of a place towards the south that is the place where he had hid himself south-ward of the field where all this had been done and so they had an opportunity beyond their expectation to mourn with one another and conferre together before their parting And they kissed one another and wept one with another till David exceeded His condition being now in the eye of reason most grievous and most miserable CHAP. XXI Vers 1. THen came David to Nob to Ahimelech the Priest c. It is of no great importance to know whether this Nob were that without Jordan in the tribe of Manasseh which is called Nobah Numb 32.42 and Judg. 8.11 or that in the tribe of Benjamin
what affection Rizaph had shown to her sonnes that were hanged and how carefull she had been to keep their dead bodies from being torn and mangled that they might be decently interred partly as being stirred up by the example of Rizpah to shew the like respect to the dead bodies of Saul and his family and partly that this honourable buriall of her sonnes might be some comfort to that poore sad woman he went himself and fetched the bones of Saul and Jonathan and buried them together with the bones of those that were lately hanged in the Sepulchre of Kish the father of Saul Vers 13. And they gathered the bones of them that were hanged That is after their bodies had been buried for some time or else we must say that the bodies hanged so long ere rain came that the greatest part at least of the flesh was consumed Vers 15. And David waxed faint To wit as being then grown old and therefore not so well able to hold out in the fight as formerly he had been Vers 17. Thou shalt go no more out with us to battel that thou quench not the light of Israel That is for fear thou shouldest be slain in whom consists the conduct joy and life of thy people kings are called in the Scripture the light of their people 1. Kings 15.4 The Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem to set up his sonne after him Psal 132.17 I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed partly because by their wisdome the people are governed partly because they are to shine as lights by good example but principally because they are the means of so much joy and comfort to a people and thence it is that the people here tell David that by his death the light of Israel would be quenched Vers 18. And it came to passe after this that there was again a battel with the Philistines at Gob. This Gob it seems was near unto Gezer and therefore 1. Chron. 20 4. it is said that the battel was in Gezer Then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph. Or Sippai 1. Chron. 20.4 This Sibbechai was one of Davids worthies as was also Elhanan mentioned in the following verse see 1. Chron. 11.26 â—9 Vers 22. These foure were born to the giant in Gath and fell by the hand of David And by the hand of his servants Though David did not kill them himself yet their death is ascrâ—bed to David as well as to his captains and that beâ—◠〈◊〉 they fought in his quarrel and under his command CHAP. XXII Vers 1. ANd David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him c. In expressing the time and the occasion of Davids composing this following Psalme to wit that it was when the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul his deliverance from Saul is particularly mentioned not because that was the last of his deliverances but because that was the greatest the fury and rage of Saul against him was greatest and of longest continuance and brought him often into the greatest dangers and therefore he mentions this particularly when David had gotten some breathing-time from his troubles he gave not himself to idlenesse and worldly pleasures but calling to mind his many former deliverances he composed Psalmes of thanksgiving that God might have the glory of all that he had done for him Vers 2. And he said The Lord is my rock and my fortresse and my deliverer c. This very song we have again in the book of the Psalmes and it is there the 18. Psalme onely there are some clauses here that are expressed there in other words and in some places a clause is now and then added also in one of them which is not in the other as here in the very beginning of the Psalme we have not those words I will love thee O Lord my strength which are there prefixed the reason whereof may be as some Expositours conceive because here we have it as it was at first composed by David but there as it was afterwards revised and upon second thoughts in some expressions altered and changed when he delivered it to the Levites to be sung in the Temple the reason why he useth here in the entrance of the Psalme such variety of expressions to set forth the praise of God calling him his rock his fortresse his deliverer his shield the horn of his salvation his high tower his refuge his saviour is partly because his heart was so full of thankfulnesse upon the consideration of his many deliverances that this made him so abundantly to powre out his soul in the high praises of God he thought he could never sufficiently expresse them and partly because he desired hereby to set forth what an alsufficient defence the Lord was unto him that God was all in all for his preservation and that there was no securitie to be thought on but he had found it in God Vers 3. The God of my rock in him will I trust c. Psal 18. vers 2. this is expressed thus my God my strength in whom I will trust and the last clause of this verse my refuge my Saviour thou savest me from violence is not in the 18. Psalme as for the next words here he is my sheild and the horn of my salvation a horn signifieth in the Scripture power and glory Psal 92.10 My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn Amos 6.13 Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength Hab. 3.4 He had horns coming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power horns therefore are used to signifie kings Dan. 8.21 The great horn that is between his eyes is the first king Rev. 17.12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings c. in which regard Christ is called an horn of salvation Luke 1.69 God therefore is here called by David the horn of his salvation to imply that by him he had been advanced and enabled both to defend himself and to push down his enemies before him Vers 5 When the waves of death compassed me the floods of ungodly men made me afraid To expresse the condition he was in by reason of his enemies David compares them here to waves and floods of waters first to set forth the multitude of his enemies they came in amain to Saul from all parts of the kingdome to take part against David as in a flood the waves come tumbling and rowling one in the neck of another secondly to signifie the violent rage of his enemies who were in this regard like floods of water that come rowling down from hills and mountains and carry all before them and thirdly to intimate that yet like land floods that continued not long their roaring rage made him afraid but that fear did drive him to God as it follows in the next verse and then their rage was
spies had advised to send two or three thousand he had for the better assurance pitched upon the greater number to wit three thousand and those no doubt of his choicest souldiers yet when the men of Ai sallied out the Israelites fled presently before them which shews plainly that God being offended did in an exâ—raordinary manner strike them with astonishment and fear Vers 5. For they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim and smote them in the going down That is in the descent of a hill So that it seems the Israelites fled at the first on-set before a man was slain of them being stricken with a strange fear and were onely slain flying Wherefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water That is the whole people of Israel were extremely terrified and dismaid because of the flight of those forces they had sent against Ai. It is strange also indeed that so poore a losse as this for there were but six and thirty slain should drive the whole camp of Israel into such a terrour But God had withdrawn his supporting hand and in this case the most stout and valiant will soon shrink and be afraid Vers 6. And Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face c. To wit because the Canaanites had thus put the Israelites to flight The losse they had received indeed was nothing to speak of for what was the losse of six and thirty men to them that had so many hundred thousand in their Camp But alas it was not their losse so much as the apprehension of Gods displeasure that lay so heavy upon them God had promised that no man should be able to stand before them Chap. 3.16 and that he would without fail drive out the inhabitants of the land before them Chap. 3.10 their flying therefore now before the enemy especially in so inglorious a manner was to them an argument that God was offended with them and so had withdrawn himself from their help and hence was this heavy lamentation even the smallest affliction if it be looked upon as an effect of Gods anger is terrible to the people of God Wicked men onely grieve for the punishment and therefore so long as God visits them with a more gentle hand by way of warning they never regard it But the genuine children of God mourn chiefly still for Gods displeasure which if it be discovered by a frown or the least chastisement it wounds them to the heart Concerning this custome of rending their clothes when they were greatly afflicted for any thing that befell them see the note upon Gen. 37.29 And put dust upon their heads This was another expression of grief which the Jews and other nations likewise in former times used upon any extraordinary occasion of sorrow as we may see 1. Sam. 4.12 Job 2.12 And when they lift up their eyes afarre off and knew him not they lift up their voice and wept and they rent every one his mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven Ezek. 27.30 And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee and shall cry bitterly and shall cast up dust upon their heads and shall wallow themselves in the ashes and was practised at this time by Joshua and the elders of Israel 1. by way of humbling themselves before God even to imply what Abraham in expresse words acknowledged Gen. 18.27 that they were but dust and ashes not worthy to appear before God or to speak unto him 2. By way of imploring Gods mercy to them in regard of the frailty of their condition according to that expression which Job useth Job 10.9 Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me into dust again and David Psal 103.14 For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but dust and 3. By way of representing their miserable and sad condition which with words they were not able sufficiently to expresse even that they were brought down to the very dust to a low and poor and despised condition and were indeed in a manner as so many dead men Vers 7. And Joshua said Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan c. Some expositours seek to give such an interpretation to these words as may wholly clear Joshua from that which the words seem to intend to wit an impatient expostulation with God for bringing the Israelites over Jordan that he might there deliver them into the hands of the Amorites to destroy them and to that end they make the meaning of his words to be onely this That he desired to know of God what it was wherewith he had provoked him to deliver them up into the power of their enemies over whom otherwise they should have been victorious as if he had said It is not O Lord without cause that thou hast withdrawn thine assistance from us and suffered these uncircumcised people to put us to slight and therefore make known to us we beseech thee what the sinne is whereby we have forfeited those promises thou hast made to us of driving out the inhabitants of this land before us And so likewise they understand the following clause would to God we had been content and dwelt on the other side Jordan as intended onely to imply how much better it had been for them to have stayed in the land without Jordan then to be brought over Jordan to be destroyed by the inhabitants there And indeed it cannot be well thought that either Joshua did indeed think that God had brought them over Jordan purposely that the Canaanites might there destroy them or that he intended to contest and quarrell with God for dealing so with him or that he so much as wisht indeed that they had not come over Jordan Well but yet the words do manifestly imply more then an humble desire of knowing what the sinne was wherewith they had provoked God to let the enemie prevail over them Wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan c. are manifestly words of Expostulation with God and therefore I conceive that thus we must understand them to wit that though Joshua did not think indeed that God had a purpose to deliver them into the power of the Canaanites but meant onely to plead with God for his poore people that he would not repent of the good he had promised he would do for them nor suffer the Canaanites to prevail over them yet in expressing his desire herein being carried away with his passion and sorrow he brake forth beyond the bounds of that modesty and reverence wherewith it is fit that men should expresse their desires when they addresse themselves to supplicate the great God of heaven and earth Vers 9. And what wilt thou do unto thy great name To wit because if thy people be cut off the idolatrous Canaanites will hereupon take occasion to blaspheme thy name saying as Deut.
these first that he might be near hand to Joshua who dwelt in mount Ephraim to the end that by him he might enquire of the Lord upon any speciall service Secondly that he might be the nearer to the Tabernacle which at this time was in Shiloh a city in Ephraim ANNOTATIONS Upon the book of JUDGES CHAP. I. NOw after the death of Joshua c. In this book the history of the Commonwealth of Israel is continued from the death of Joshua to the dayes of Eli all which time at least the most of which time they lived under the command and government of certain Judges whom God successively raised up to rule over them as his deputies and vicegerents and therefore is this book called the book of Judges for though Eli and Samuel may well be numbred amongst the Judges of Israel because they commanded in chief after the same way of government as these did whose history is recorded in this book yet because the change of the government from that of Judges to that of Kings happened in the daies of Samuel and the story of Samuel must needs be begun from the dayes of Eli therefore the acts of their times are not recorded here but are reserved to another book Who wrote this book is no where expressed it sufficeth us to know that it hath alwaies been kept in the Church amongst those Oracles of God whose penmen were guided by the infallible inspiration of his Spirit and indeed one passage of this book to wit that concerning Sampson chap. 13.7 the child shall be a Nazarite to God is by the judgement of many learned Expositours principally intended by the Evangelist S. Matthew where he undertakes to alledge a testimony out of the writings of Gods Prophets Matt. 2.23 And he came and dwelt in a citie called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet He shall be called a Nazarene The children of Israel asked the Lord saying Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first to fight with them In the last years of Joshua his government the Israelites had lived in peace Josh 21.44 And the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he sware unto their fathers and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand the Canaanites not daring to provoke them and the Israelites not yet attempting any further upon the Canaanites partly because the land they had already vanquished was as much as they could well people partly perhaps out of an over-eager desire to and love of the rest they now enjoyed and indeed they knew it was agreeable to the will of God that they should not drive out all the inhabitants at once but by degrees Deut. 7.22 And the Lord thy God will put out these nations from before thee by little and little Thou maist not consume them at once lest the beasts of the field encrease upon thee But now Joshua being dead who a little before his death had encouraged them to go forward in expelling the Canaanites though they had no man chosen of God to command over them in chief as Moses and Joshua did yet finding that indeed it was now fit they should proceed on in the warre they assembled themselves together as it seems at Shiloh and there resolved to renew their battels against the inhabitants of the land onely because the successe of their first attempts would be a matter of great consequence either for the encouragement or disheartning the people therefore they would first enquire of the Lord which accordingly they did they asked the Lord as it is here said to wit by Phinehas the high priest or Eleazar if he were yet living which is doubtfull because he died immediatly after the death of Joshua Josh 24.33 before the propitiatory or mercy-seat who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first to fight against them that is which of our tribes shall first begin and set upon the inhabitants that still abide in their lot for this is doubtlesse the meaning of this question they asked Vers 2. And the Lord said Judah shall go up c. That is the tribe of Judah because that was the most populous and the strongest of the tribes and had their portion in the chief of the land which it was therefore fit should be first cleared of the enemie therefore they were appointed first to begin the warre and besides thus was that still accomplished which Jacob prophecied concerning the preheminence this tribe should have above the rest 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 Vers 3. And Judah said unto Simeon his brother Come up with me c. The Simeonites were brethren to those of Judah both by father and mother but besides their cohabitation was another tie betwixt them in regard whereof they lived in the same lot as brethren in one and the same house and in this respect chiefly is Simeon called Judahs brother Vers 4. And Judah went up and the Lord delivered the Canaanites c. That is one particular people of this countrey so called And they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men That is in and about Bezek to wit in taking the town or after they had taken it when the king fled thence to save his life as is more particularly after related Vers 6. But Adoni-Bezek fled and they pursued after him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his great toes And thus as he had done to many other kings as himself confesseth in the following verse to wit either out of a kind of barbarous sporting crueltie or else to render them thereby unfit for warre ever after that by the al-ruling providence of God is now done to him by the Israelites that had now taken him prisoner Indeed we reade not that Gods people were wont to inflict any such strange kind of punishment upon those that were vanquished by them nor doth it stand with piety thus to torture and afflict those that are taken in warre with such studied and uncoucht wayes of punishment and besides the Israelites had an expresse command not to spare the lives of any of these nations but presently to cut them off and therefore as it is likely that some speciall reason moved the Israelites to inflict this unusuall punishment upon him so I conceive it most probable that either when they took the city they found some of these poore captive kings that had been thus inhumanely used by him a spectacle that might well stirre their spirits against him or at least that they might receive information from others herein and so might be moved thereby to deal with him as he had dealt with others as judging it consonant to that Law of retaliation which God established amongst his people Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for
Deborah sets forth the warre that was made against the Israelites cities by this expression then was warre in the gates but withall it may also imply the prevailing power of the enemy when they made inroads into their land to wit that they many times came up to the very gates of their cities Was there a shield or spear seen among fourty thousand in Israel This may be meant either of the scarcity of arms amongst them the enemy whereever they prevailed disarming them that they might not afterward be able to attempt any thing against him or rather because we see not but Baraks troops were armed for warre that the Israelites were so quelled that not a man amongst the many thousands of Israel durst take up a shield or spear against them according to that Levit. 26.36 And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintnesse into their hearts in the land of their enemies and the sound of a shaking leaf shall chase them and they shall flee as fleeing from a sword and they shall fall when none pursueth Vers 9. My heart is to the governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly amongst the people That is I cannot but highly love and honour the governours of Israel that were as willing to hazard themselves in this warre against Jabin as any of the people yea and to undergo the same travell and hardnesse together with them and indeed this in the heads and rulers of the people was most to be admired and extolled first because such men have usually the fairest estates and for them therefore to hazard all they enjoyed in rising up with Deborah against this great tyrant as willingly as those of the poorer sort that had scarce any thing to lose was a signe of an heroicall spirit for which they deserved to be highly honoured secondly because men that had been formerly imployed in offices of peace are not men usually fit for the service of warre and therefore it must needs be a singular zeal for Gods glory and the good of Gods people that made them lay by their gowns to gird on a sword thirdly because such men are usually puffed up with their greatnesse and it was therefore a rare thing for such to stoop to joyn with meaner men yea to put too their helping hand amongst the meanest for the cause of God and his people against their enemies and fourthly because the examples of men of such rank was no doubt a mighty means to draw on the meaner sort to come flocking in to the service Vers 10. Speak ye that ride on white asses ye that sit in judgement and walk by the way That is let all those that are men of honour and eminency above others that use to ride up and down upon white asses all magistrates and Judges that sit in the seat of justice and so likewise all the common sort of people that travell on foot from one place to another let them all in their severall places speak of this great deliverance which God hath wrought for his people Riding on asses it seems was a note of great and honourable persons in those times and countreys and therefore it is noted of Jair who was one of the Judges that he had thirty sonnes that rode on thirty asse-colts and they had thirty cities chap. 10.40 and so likewise of Abdon who was another of the Judges chap. 12.14 that he had fourtie sonnes and thirty nephews that rode on threescore and ten asse-colts and unlesse by white asses here nothing else be meant but slick and goodly asses it seems that white asses were principally used by such persons and though the most Expositours limit this first clause to merchants who they say used to ride on white asses yet I conceive we may better understand it of all men of eminency that used to ride in pomp and State and so likewise by those that sit in judgement are meant their Judges and chief Magistrates and by those that walk by the way are meant the meaner and common sort of people and the reasons why Deborah stirres up these men under these expressions to praise God for the vanquishing of Jabin and Sisera is to intimate the just cause they had to speak with joy of this great mercy of God to wit because whereas formerly all the wayes of the land were pestred with cut-throat souldiers so that there was no stirring in safety from one place to another and all course of justice was in a manner stopped up the sword having silenced the Laws now the Judges might sit in Judgment as formerly the great ones might now ride up and down upon their white asses according to their wonted manner which before they could not and the common people of all sorts might now passe to and fro and travell about their businesses from one place to another without fear Vers 11. They that are delivered from the noise of the archers in the place of drawing waters there shall they rehearse c. This may be meant of the Israelites that followed Barak and fought against Sisera and his archers at the river Kishon see chap. 4.7 And I will draw unto thee unto the river Kishon Sisera the Captain of Jabins army with his chariots and his multitude but the most of Expositours understand it of the meaner sort of people that were wont to be slain or taken captives by the enemies that lay in wait for them at the place of drawing waters Fountains wells of water were rare in those dry countreys of great esteem they went in many places farre to fetch water here therefore the Canaanites used to ly in wait for them so that no sooner could the poore people come thither but presently the Canaanites with a great outcry were ready to set upon them and their arrows came presently singing about their ears and oft struck them dead for both these may be intended by the noise of the archers but now saith Deborah these poore wretches being delivered from this danger may go freely to those places and there declare the righteous acts of God in destroying these their enemies Then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates Hereby many things may be implyed first their freedome to go forth at the gates of their cities within which they were in a manner cooped up before secondly the restoring of the people to the gates as places of judicature from which they were restrained before there was warre in the gates now there was Law and judgement there thirdly their returning to the cities that were thence banished or fled and the countrey peoples resorting thither upon their severall occasions Vers 12. Awake awake Deborah utter a song This expression Deborah useth onely to imply the exceeding greatnesse of the mercy which God had afforded them which required that she should rouze up her self to praise the Lord for it with all her might and with all the strength of her soul Arise Barak and lead
Gideon and the host of the Midianites and secondly how unexpectedly the Lord had raised the spirit of Gideon to undertake this attempt and made the people so willing to follow him that ere while had hid themselves in caves and dennes of the earth chap. 6.2 and thirdly that God had beforehand told Gideon that he would deliver the Midianites into their hands and confirmed his promise with many miraculous signes I say considering these things one would have thought that had the Israelites vanquished the Midianites with these two and thirty thousand that were now come in to Gideon they would never have attributed their victory to themselves and robbed God of his glory But the Lord knew well how prone men are upon any successe in this kind to vaunt themselves and to forget God and therefore being very tender of his glory this way he would not let the Israelites be so many as they were but would have them brought to a handfull of three hundred men that they might be the more abundantly convinced that their victory was merely of God and not of themselves Vers 3. Whosoever is fearfull and afraid let him depart early from mount Gilead That the Israelites should make such a proclamation as this when they were to go out to battell God had formerly enjoyned in his Law Deut. 20.8 Concerning which see the the note in that place Now for the mount Gilead from which they were now to depart because that mount Gilead which is so frequently mentioned in the Scripture was without Jordan and Gideon and his army were now within Jordan chap. 6. it must needs be yielded that this mount Gilead here spoken of was another mount of the same name in the tribe of Manasseh within Jordan near the valley of Jezreel where the Midianites now lay which is probable enough considering that we may well think that a great many of this half of Manasseh within Jordan were also descended from Gilead the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasseh and night therefore call this mountain Gilead either in remembrance of their father or else as a witnesse that though they were parted from their brethren by Jordan yet they were of the same tribe with those of their brethren the Manassites that inhabited mount Gilead without Jordan And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand and there remained ten thousand For though they had before of their own accord as volunteirs couragiously proffered their services against the Midianites yet now when they came to see the power and strength of the enemy their hearts began to fail them and thereupon they soon imbraced this liberty given them to depart away Vers 4. The people are yet too many bring them down unto the water and I will try them for thee there That is I will discover who they be that are indeed fit for this service Vers 5. Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue as a dog lappeth him shalt thou set by himself c. That is every one that takes up water in the palm of his hand and so laps it up Those that were to be dismissed were such as kneeling down upon their knees bowed their heads down to the river and so putting their mouthes into the water drunk and sucked up their fill the other sort that were to be retained were such as onely bending their bodies a little did with their hands snatch up a little water for the refreshing of themselves and so lapping it up went away And these are said to lappe as a dog lappeth because this kind of drinking in such a snatching manner without thrusting their mouths into the water as horses and other cattell do is most like the lapping of dogs who put not their mouths into the water but snatch it up with their tongues nor drink so soakingly as other cattell especially when they are hunting but onely lappe a little and make hast presently away and why were these chosen and the other sent away because that other kind of drinking argued weaknesse and faintnesse sloth and a greedy desire of filling themselves as men impatient of the thirst they had indured this on the other side argued strength and abilitie of body and that they were content with a little refreshing more minding the businesse they had in hand then the filling themselves Vers 7 By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you c. Whereas of the enemy there were at least a hundred thirty five thousand chap. 8.10 so that for every souldier Gideon had left there were foure hundred and fifty of his enemies and in this poore remainder of Gideons troups which he brought we see a shadow of that Christ saith Matt. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen Vers 8. So the people took victualls in their hands and their trumpets That is the trumpets of the whole army even those that were dismissed for amongst thirty two thousand there might well be three hundred trumpets Vers 9. And it came to passe the same night the Lord said unto him c. That is the same night after he had dismissed all his souldiers save onely those three hundred men that lapped the water so that it seems this also the Lord revealed to him in a nightly vision or dream The like is noted before in the foregoing chapter Vers 10. But if thou fear to go down go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host That is if thou fearest to go down and set upon the enemy because thy army is reduced to so small a number then go first with thy servant privately to their army and there thou shalt hear what shall further stregthen thy faith Vers 12. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grassehoppers for multitude There is expresse mention made of a hundred thirty five thousand of them chap. 8.10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor and their host with them about fifteen thousand men all that were left of the children of the east for there fell a hundred twenty thousand men that drew sword Vers 13. Behold I dreamed a dream and lo a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian c. The analogy betwixt Gideon and this barley cake consists chiefly in this that being a man comparatively base and of no esteem nor likely in the eye of reason with those poore weak troops which he had so suddenly scrambled together to ruine the whole army of the Midianites no more then that the fall of a barly cake should overthrow one of their strongest and goodliest tents but rather likely to be devoured by them so soon as ever he should show himself amongst them even to be eaten up by them as men eat bread Psalm 14.4 he should notwithstanding utterly ruine and overthrow that huge army of the Midianites and lay their pomp and glory in the dust Vers 15. And it was so when Gideon heard
that place Ramath-Lehi As for this phrase and spread themselves in Lehi it is purposely used to imply how great an army of the Philistines it was that came up against him Vers 12. Swear unto me that you will not fall upon me your selves Thus by yielding up himself to be bound by them that he might be delivered to the Philistines he discovered how carefull he was that the Philistines should not hurt the Israelites for his sake and by agreeing before-hand with them that they should not fall upon him themselves he sought to prevent the danger of being constrained to resist them or do them any hurt in his own defence Vers 13. And they bound him with two new cords and brought him up from the rock And herein was Samson a type of Christ that was bound by the Jews his own brethren and so delivered up to Pilate and the Romans Matth. 27.2 Vers 14. And the cords that were upon his hands became as flax c. Thus our Saviour also of whom Samson was a type being by the treachery of the Jews the people whom he came to save yea his own disciples delivered over into the hands of his enemies and so to death Matth. 26.21 And as they did eat he said Verily one of you shall betray me yet not without his voluntary yielding thereto Joh. 10.18 No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self the pains of death could not hold him Acts 2.24 but he rose again and by the jaw-bone of an asse that is weak and contemptible means in the eye of reason the foolishnesse of preaching 1. Cor. 1.21 he beat down the kingdome of Satan before him and hath subdued the world under him Vers 18. And he was sore a thirst and he called on the Lord c. How sore Samsons thirst was appears in this that he was also through faintnesse ready to die and so not able to stirre from the place where he was to seek water else where Though therefore his thirst and faintnesse might partly proceed in a naturall way from the violent stirring of himself in such an extraordinary work as this was of slaying a thousand Philistines with the jaw-bone of an asse yet we may well think that there was a speciall hand of God besides in it first that he might herein as in many other things be a type of Christ who in the heat of his agony upon the crosse and when he had now in a manner vanquished all the powers of hell and death did also cry out of thirst John 19.28 After this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst and secondly that he might hereby see his own weaknesse and so might be kept from being proud of his former victories and might be taught to acknowledge that it was merely of God that he had thus beaten down his proud enemes before him and thus indeed God is usually wont to humble his servants when they have done any memorable act that they may not be puffed up therewith as seeing how weak they are in themselves if they had not been endued with power from on high as for the words here which Samson spake when he cryed upon God in his thirst Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant and now shall I die for thirst c. therein first he doth not onely intimate his assurance that God would not now suffer him to perish and that because God had so miraculously enabled him to destroy his enemies but even from this he pleads with God for help as concluding that all this great work would come to nothing if after all this he should perish for thirst and so should fall into the hands of the Philistines and secondly he intimates that it was in Gods service that he had thus wearied himself and thereupon desires the Lord to remember him in this his extremity For so much is clearly enough implyed in those words thy servant Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant and now shall I die for thirst For indeed as long as men are imployed in Gods service they may boldly call upon God in all their wants and need not doubting but he will supplie them Vers 19. But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw and there came water thereout c. Some reade this place as it is in the margin of our Bibles But God clave an hollow place that was in Lehi and there came water thereout So that the meaning may be either that God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw-bone of the asse wherewith Samson had before made such havock amongst the Philistines or else that God clave some hollow place in that field which in memorie of this miraculous act of his done with an asses jaw-bone he had called Lehi that is the jaw-bone and so accordingly also we must understand the last words of this verse wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkor that is the well of him that called or cryed which is in Lehi unto this day to wit either that Samson called that particular place where the water came out of the jaw-bone Enhakkor and that this place hence called Enhakkor was in that field or tract of ground which he had formerly called Lehi or else that Samson called the fountain which sprung out of the hollow place in Lehi Enhakkor and that this well or spring of water continued afterwards and was to be seen in Lehi at the time when this Historie was written and indeed because the words do seem plainly to implie that there was a well or spring that continued in that place called Enhakkor that is the well of him that called or cryed insomuch that some hold that the water which God miraculously gave Samson for the quenching of his thirst was a well that sprung out of the earth onely it came through the tooth or the hollow place where the tooth had been in the asses jaw therefore I rather think that God clave an hollow place in the field called Lehi whence a fountain sprung called Enhakkor which continued untill the time of writing this Historie then that it was an hollow place out of the very jaw-bone of the asse out of which God brought water that Samson might drink thereof and be refreshed Vers 20. And he judged Israel in the dayes of the Philistines twenty years See the note chap. 13.1 CHAP. XVI Vers 1. THen went Samson to Gaza and saw there an harlot and went in unto her This mention that is made of his seeing the harlot to whom he went in implies that he went not thither for that purpose but going secretly thither with some other intent he was on a sudden intangled with the sight of this harlot and so drawn to commit folly with her Vers 2. And they compassed him in and laid wait for him all night in the gate c. That is hearing by some
that is the Lord shall rule the whole world and at the last day he shall judge all the inhabitants of the earth yea and that by the Messiah the Lord Christ his anointed King who though at first he shall live in a low and mean estate and condition yet when he hath finished the work of mans redemption he shall then be exalted above all principalities and powers and shall sit down at the right hand of his father all power shall be given him both in heaven and in earth he shall gather in his elect people among all nations govern them by his word and spirit and destroy all his and their enemies Thus I say it is generally thought by Interpreters that these words are a prophecie concerning Christ the Lords anointed yet in regard the kingdome afterward established amongst the Jews was a figure of the kingdome of Christ it may also be well understood of that Vers 11. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the Priest This is repeated again vers 18. where it is also added that in his ministring before the Lord he was girded with a linen Ephod It is expressely said in the former chapter vers 24. that Samuel was carried by his parents to the Tabernacle and left there so soon as even he was weaned But we cannot possibly think that there was any service of the Tabernacle that at those years Samuel was able to do and therefore the meaning of this clause is onely that afterwards even whilest he was yet but a child de did such service in the Tabernacle as according to his years and strength he was capable of doing The Levites indeed did not enter upon the service of the Tabernacle till they were twentie five years old Levit. 8.24 But now Samuels case was extraordinary because by the speciall vow of a Nazarite he was even from his tender years consecrated to the service of the Lord and therefore we see even in his childhood he did wait upon the service of the Tabernacle to wit in such services as still by degrees he grew able to do as happely in locking and unlocking the doores of the Tabernacle in laying up and fetching out the vestments of the Priests and such like for that it was some ministerie in the Tabernacle that he was employed in is evident because vers 18. it is said that he wore a linen Ephod which was an holy garment in the doing of it We find not indeed in the law of Moses that there was any such linen Ephods appointed for the Levites but for the inferiour Priests onely the sonnes of Aaron Exod. 39.27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron and for his sonnes either therefore afterwards when the Tabernacle came to be settled in the land of Canaan it was ordered and that by divine authoritie that the Levites also should wear such linen Ephods when they attended upon the service of the Tabernacle or else Samuel was by speciall dispensation because of the Nazarites vow or some other reason appointed to wear this holy vestment which yet seems not so probable because it appears that this linen Ephod was so commonly worn by all that were employed in holy services that even David also when he danced before the Ark 2. Sam. 6.14 was girded with a linen Ephod However hereby I say it is clear that Samutl in his childhood and youth did attend upon the service of the Tabernacle in such services as he could then discharge and that before Eli the Priest that is according as he was ordered and directed by Eli who undertook the training of him up and upon whom he chiefly attended in the service he did Vers 12. Now the sonnes of Eli were sonnes of Belial they knew not the Lord. This is meant of the effectuall knowledge of faith so they knew not the Lord they had no lively knowledge nor apprehension of God They that have a floating knowledge in their brains of those things which they believe not in their hearts may be well said not to know that which by a speculative knowledge they understand well enough and so they that understand well enough those things which God hath revealed concerning himself either by his word or works if this their knowledge be not accompanied with faith and the fear of God and so though they know God yet they do not glorifie him as God Rom. 1.21 these men do not indeed know God they may say they know him but their own works may confute them for if they did indeed know him they would fear him and honour him as God They professe that they know God saith the Apostle concerning such men as these Tit. 1.16 but in their works they denie him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate He that saith I know him saith S. John 1. John 2.4 and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him and thus it is said here of the sonnes of Eli that they knew not the Lord Though they were Priests whose office it was to teach and instruct the people in the knowledge of God yet because they were wicked ungodly wretches sonnes of Belial concerning which expression see the note Deut 13.13 therefore they are said not to have known the Lord as upon the same ground the Prophet Hosea complained of the people of God in his time that there was no knowledge of God in the land Hos 4.1 And this is here inserted concerning the sonnes of Eli to intimate both the faith of Samuels parents in leaving him and also the singular grace of God in preserving him pure and incorrupt where there was such danger of infection by reason of these sonnes of Belial with whom he was to live Vers 13. The Priests servant came whilest the flesh was in seething with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand c. Concerning this flesh-hook see Exod. 27.3 The sinne of these sonnes of Eli here set forth was this first that not content with the breast and shoulder which onely were the Priests portion of the peace-offerings Levit. 7.31 32 33 34. they used to take out of that which was seething for the sacrifices as their customarie fees not having any Law of God for it all that their flesh-hook could take out and it is said that this they did not now and then but alwayes vers 14. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither Again sometimes they would have this their overplus customarie portion before the flesh was seething that they might rost it yea before the fat was burnt directly against that Law Levit. 7.31 And the Priest shall burn the fat upon the altar but the breast shall be Aarons and his sonnes yea and perhaps before the fat was taken off which may be the reason why vers 29. they are said to have made themselves fat with the chiefest of the offerings Vers 18. But Samuel ministred before the Lord
to anoint David and so he was a king of Gods own providing the king in whose seed the kingdome was to be established Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come and who would in his government carefully perform the will of God chap. 13.14 The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart And indeed in all these things David was a notable type of Christ for first he was the Sonne of David Matth. 1.1 and the king of Israel Joh. 1.49 upon whom the kingdome was settled for ever Luke 1.33 And he shall reigne over the house of Israel for ever and of his kingdome there shall be no end secondly he was given of God to be the king of his Church that he might save them out of the hands of their enemies when no man desired it when we thought not of any such mercy nor begged it of God he of his own free grace gave us his sonne to be our king I have set my king upon my holy hill of Sion saith the Lord Psal 2.6 Thou hast loved righteousnesse and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows Heb. 1.9 and thirdly he doth administer this kingdome according to Gods own heart Psal 40 7 8. Then said I Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart which the Apostle doth plainly apply to Christ Heb. 10.6 7. So that besides the reasons formerly given why the Lord appointed the kings of Israel to be anointed with oyl chap. 10.1 this also may be added concerning David and his posterity to wit that they were anointed to shadow forth that there was a Messiah to come whom God had anointed to be king over his Church even the Lord Christ upon whom the Spirit of God and the true oyl of anointing was poured forth without measure whence it was that Christ did apply to himself that prophesie Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel c. Luke 14.18 It is much argued amongst expositours whether David and so his posterity also if not all the kings of Israel too were not anointed with the holy oyl of the Tabernacle wherewith the Preists were anointed and there are many who though they think it altogether improbable that the Prophets would use the sacred oyl of the Tabernacle in anointing the idolatrous kings of Israel yet they hold that David and his successours were anointed with that oyl first because it is said that David was anointed with holy oyle Psal 89.20 I have found David my servant with my holy oyl have I anointed him And secondly because it is expressely said of Solomon 1. King 1.39 that Zadok took an horn of oyl out of the Tabernacle and anointed Solomon But now on the other side first because that Law of the Preists oyl Exod. 30.32 seems to imply that it was not to be used for any other but the Priests onely secondly because we find no command that this service should be performed with that sacred oyl and thirdly because when David was anointed the second time by the men of Judah 2. Sam. 2.4 the Tabernacle was then at Gibeon that was under the power of Ishbosheth the sonne of Saul and so David could not then be anointed with that oyl of the Tabernacle therefore it is judged most probable by many other Expositours that neither David nor Solomon were anointed with that oyl but say they because the office and imployment of the supreme Magistrate who sits in Gods seat and executes Gods judgements may be called holy as the Seat of Justice is called the holy place Eccles 8.10 therefore it is said that David was anointed with holy oyl And for that place 1. Kings 1.39 they answer that it may well be that this horn of oyl wherewith Samuel was now sent to anoint David was afterwards laid up in the Tabernacle and so Solomon was anointed therewith But however there was much oyl in the Tabernacle besides that which was made for the Priests anointing which Zadok might take thence for the anointing of Solomon Vers 2. And Samuel said How can I go If Saul heare it he will kill me This question might well proceed both from a fearfull apprehension of the danger of this act a desire to be instructed how with least danger this businesse might be carried And the Lord said Take an heifer with thee and say I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord. Thus the Lord advised him to conceal the principall cause of his coming and to alledge onely that businesse which he had to do there that might be safely made known which was not unlawfull Vers 3. And call Jesse to the sacrifice c. That is invite him to the feast thou makest with thy peace-offerings Vers 4. And the Elders of the town trembled at his coming c. Bethlehem was but a little obscure town Micah 5.2 And thou Bethlehem-Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah c. Either therefore because it was such news to see Samuel there they feared he came as a Prophet with some heavy message of Gods displeasure against them or else because he came so unexpectedly and withall so privately and without attendance they feared he had fled from Saul as having happely heard of that which had passed betwixt him and the king related in the former chapter and so were troubled for him and withall perhaps afraid lest Saul should be enraged against them for entertaining him Vers 5. And he sanctified Jesse and his sonnes and called them to the sacrifice That is he appointed them to prepare and sanctifie themselves both legally and spiritually that they might eat of the sacrifices See the note on Josh 3.5 Vers 6. And it came to passe when they were come that he looked on Eliab c. Somewhat is here left to be supposed as necessarily following upon that which is expressed to wit that Samuel had acquainted Jesse with the cause of his coming and that hereupon Jesse brought in his sonnes one by one into some private place whither before they sat down to eat of the sacrifice they had retired themselves for that purpose that he might be anointed whom God had chosen and so when Samuel beheld Eliab the first-born he said to himself Surely this is the man The comelinesse of his person made him think this was he whom God had chosen but herein he was led by his own spirit as Nathan in a like case was when he encouraged David to build a Temple 2. Sam. 7.3 And Nathan said to the King Go do all that is in thy heart for the Lord is with thee and hereby it was the more manifest that it was not Samuel but God that chose David to be King Vers 7.
infamous thing Hos 9.10 They went to Baal-peor and separated themselves unto that shame Vers 5. Who lay on his bed at noon Though it be not simply evil to lie on a bed at noon yet considering that the Scripture sets forth Ishbosheth in other things to be a man of a slothfull and dull spirit not active in any thing but leaving all to Abners disposing we may justly think that it is purposely noted here as the just reward of his idlenesse and sloth that as he slept away his time so he dyed at last sleeping Vers 6. And they came thither into the midst of the house as though they would have fetched wheat c. The meaning of this is either that they came in the disguise and habite of countreymen or merchants that came to buy wheat or of porters that came to fetch away wheat that was bought or else rather that being known Captains of Ishbosheths bands under a colour that they came to fetch corn for the souldiers or for themselves for the souldiers in those times had usually their pay in corn they had free accesse into the house and so went in where he lay and slew him and that by smiting him under the fifth rib of which see the note chap. 2.23 and this doubtlesse they did hoping that David would reward them for it for though David seemed greatly to take to heart the death of Abner and to be highly displeased with Joab for it yet because he did not punish him these captains perhaps concluded that David was well enough pleased with it though he would not be known of it and so he would be with them too if they should kill Ishbosheth and hereby it is likely they encouraged themselves in this treacherous villany against their Lord and Master Vers 11. How much more when wicked men have slain a righteous person That is in respect of them which conspired against him he had deserved well of them and for them therefore thus treacherously to slay him in his own house upon his bed when he thought of no danger was a villany that did farre more justly deserve death and the rather too because they durst do this notwithstanding David had so severely punished him that pretended he had slain Saul Vers 12. And they slew them and cut off their hands and their feet and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron To wit that all men might see how much David abhorred this fact of theirs and how farre he was from knowing any thing of it or giving the least encouragement to them that did it CHAP. V. Vers 1. THen came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron c. That is many of all the tribes of Israel in the name of the rest not onely the elders and heads of each tribe as is expressed vers 3. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron but multitudes also of the people that bare arms as is more largely expressed 1. Chron. 12.23 where it is particularly expressed how many thousands of each tribe there came as likewise how they were there with David three dayes eating and drinking and making merry together vers 39.40 For saith the text their brethren had prepared for them and there was joy in Israel And indeed though the greatest part of these tribes had for seven years stood out against David for Ishbosheth and the house of Saul yet because now at last they were not subdued by the sword and forced to submit but came in freely of their own accord God enclining their hearts thereto even this submission of theirs did also shadow forth the willing submission of believers to Christs sceptre and government as is noted before concerning the men of Judahs taking David to be their king chap. 2.4 as likewise Davids free accepting of these did shadow forth Christs gratious acceptance of those that do at length come in and submit to him and that he never will cast off any for their former obstinacy and rejecting of grace Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh That is Israelites as thou art Herein they might imply their hope that in this regard he would receive them into his favour though they had hitherto sided with the house of Saul against him but doubtlesse they principally alledged this as one of the main motives that now induced them to accept of him for their king to wit because though he were not of any of their tribes yet he was an Israelite and the law enjoyned them onely to this that their king should be one from amongst their brethren Deut. 17.15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee thou mayest not set a king over thee which is not thy brother and seeing the hand of God was so evidently with him why therefore should they oppose him and indeed this also brings in all believers to stoop willingly as was prophesied Psalme 110.3 to the sceptre of Christ Ephes 5.29 30. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth it and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church For we are members of his body of his flesh and his bones and Heb. 2.14 16 17. Forasmuch therefore as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil For verily he took not on him the nature of angels but took on him the seed of Abraham Wherefore in all things it behoveth him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be made a mercifull and faithfull high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Vers 2. Also in times past when Saul was king over us thou wast he that leadest out and broughtest in Israel c. That is thou wert our captain that 〈◊〉 lead forth our armies and bring them back again Two other reasons are here alledged by the Israelites whereby they were now moved to come in and submit themselves to Davids government The first is that they considered how well David had deserved at their hands and that indeed during Sauls reigne he had been their chiefest support and defence under God against their enemies and the other is that God had by Samuel appointed him to rule over them and they were bound by the law of God to take a king of his choosing Deut. 17.15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose ◠and this they alledge as the chief motive in the following words And the Lord said to thee Thou shalt feed my people Israel that is as a shepherd provides for his flock so must thou provide for my people and thou shalt be a captain over Israel and indeed this is the chief reason too that brings men to submit to
his mind was all should be put to the sword not so much as the blind and the lame should be spared and that because he had been upbraided with them but according to the second Exposition of that speech of the Jebusites that it is meant of their blind and lame gods which may seem the more probable because here the Jebusites and the blind and lame are distinguished from each other who so smiteth the Jebusites and the blind and the lame the meaning of this clause is more evident to wit that these their idol-gods were abhorred of David and that he would utterly destroy them Wherefore they said the blind and the lame shall not come into the house That is it grew to be a Proverb to wit the blind and the lame shall not come into the house They that understand that speech of the Jebusites vers 6 Except thou take away the blind and the lame thou shalt not come in hither of the blind and lame amongst the people find it somewhat difficult to give the sence of this Proverb Some conceive that against those that were confident of keeping any fort which they could not keep or generally that bragged of any thing which they could not effect this used to be objected as a Proverb the blind and the lame shall not come into the house that is take heed your confidence prove not like that of the Jebusites or if you do it it must not be by the blind and the lame as the Jebusites thought to defend their walls or take heed that be not done to you which you threaten against others as David cast out the blind and lame which should have kept out him others think that the people did thus insult over the Jebusites your blind and lame that should have kept out us are never likely to enter again into this fort or that David did indeed make this order as a perpetuall monument of this victory that neither blind nor lame should enter his pallace called the citie of David but did Mephibosheth think we never enter it But now if we understand that speech of the Jebusites vers 6. of their idol-gods then the meaning of this Proverb is plain to wit that no blind nor lame gods should be tolerated in the Temple or in the citie or any where amongst them that were the people of the everliving God Vers 9. And David built round about from Millo and inward This Millo was the town-house in the citie of David where the people had their solemn assemblies or rather some tower or fortresse and place of munition belonging to the citie for 2. Chron. 3.5 it is said of Hezekiah that he repaired Millo in the city of David and made darts and shields in abundance and we see there was the like place in Shechem or near unto it Judg. 9.6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together and all the house of Millo and went and made Abimelech king Now from thence inward onely David is said to have built because the rest of the citie without Joab repaired 1. Chron. 11.8 And he built the citie round about even from Millo round about and Joab repaired the rest of the citie Vers 11. And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David and cedar trees and carpenters c. This may be inserted here either with reference to that which is related in the foregoing verse concerning the continuall increase of Davids glory and greatnesse David went on and grew great and so though hitherto we reade of no Embassie that any of the neighbouring kings sent unto him yet now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers unto him to wit to congratulate his settling in the kingdome or else to the last words of the former verse and the Lord God of hosts was with him to wit as an effect of Gods favour the Lord being with him even Hiram though a stranger shewed him great respect and kindnesse howsoever we may surely conclude that it was upon Davids request that he sent in these Cedar trees and Carpenters and Masons it seems that when Hiram sent his Embassadours to David David took this occasion to desire of Hiram both Cedar trees and workmen to build him an house because there was plenty of Cedar trees in Lebanon which was the greatest part at least in his dominion and the Tyrians were esteemed the most excellent workmen that were both in wood and stone and so the king of Tyre fulfilled his desire and indeed the like is clearly expressed concerning Solomon 1. Kings 5.1 2 3. Vers 12. And David perceived that the Lord had established him c. That is he saw it by daily experience the spirit of the Lord withall inwardly perswading his heart that it was so Vers 13. And David took him moâ— concubines and wives c. Which was expressely against the Law of God concerning the kings of Israel Deut. 17.17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away Vers 14. Shammua and Shobab c. This Shammua is called Shimea 1. Chron. 3.5 and so also Elishua vers 15. Elishamah 1. Chron. 3.6 and Eliada vers 16. Beeliada 1. Chron. 14.7 Vers 17. But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel all the Philistines came up to seek David Whilest there were civil warres betwixt David and Ishbosheth they were content to stand by and look on but when they saw the people generally to submit to the government of so puissant a Prince and that he had driven out the Jebusites from Jerusalem and that the king of Tyre had made a league with him they thought it was time then for them to oppose him and what they could to hinder the growth of his Royall power And David heard of it and went down to the hold To wit there to muster and arm his souldiers that then he might go out against the Philistines 1. Chron. 14.8 And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel all the Philistines went up to seek David and David heard of it and went out against them It may be meant of any strong fort but most probably we may think that it was some fort nigh the Philistines convenient for the keeping of them in that they might not invade the land of Israel Vers 18. The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim Or the valley of the giants which was in the border of Judah Josh 15.8 Vers 20. And David came to Baal-perazim c. A place so called because of the victory here obtained whither the Philistines were now come up from the valley of Rephaim 1. Chron. 14.11 So they came to Baal-perazim and David smote them there then David said God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim and so much is expressed in the following words of David the Lord hath broken forth upon mine
soon stilled and so his former fears made him now the more thankfull Vers 6. The sorrows of hell compassed me about the snares of death prevented me That is deadly sorrows and dangers had so hemmed me in that there seemed to be no possibilitie of escaping them no more then there is of a sick mans escape that hath pangs of death already upon him I was brought to the very brink of hell or of the grave there was but a step betwixt me and death 1. Sam. 20.3 and to the same purpose tends the next clause the snares of death prevented me that is my enemies had so cunningly contrived their plots for my death that like hidden snares they were ready to take hold on me suddenly ere I was aware of them in so much that all hope of help seemed to be prevented if help should come it would come too late Vers 7. I called upon the Lord and cried to my God and he did then heare my voice out of his Temple That is he heard me out of heaven which is here called the Temple of God because the Temple was a type of heaven first as being the place of Gods speciall presence fot though God be every where present yet in heaven he manifests his presence in a more eminent manner then elsewhere secondly in regard of the exceeding glory of heaven which to shadow forth the Temple was built so exceeding glorious and thirdly in regard of the transcendent holinesse of heaven whither no unclean thing shall ever enter where God is continually served by his Angels and glorified Saints and there is not the least mixture of pollution in their service Vers 8. Then the earth shook and trembled the foundation of heaven moved c. In these and the following words David sheweth how the Lord in his hot displeasure fought from heaven against his enemies and poured forth his vengeance upon them and that under the similitude of a sore tempestuous storm when the earth quakes the air is covered with thick black and dark mists and sends forth winds rain thunder and lightning c. first to imply that the Lords power and terrible wrath was as evidently to be seen and as much to be admired in the destruction of his enemies as in a horrid and terrible storm wherein every one is forced to acknowledge his hand and secondly to imply how suddenly God rescued him and destroyed them things were changed on a sudden as when a storm unexpectly ariseth in the air and thirdly to allude to the punishment of Pharaoh and the Egyptians when God rescued his people thence for the Scriptures do usually allude to that redemption of Israel out of Egypt that being as it were the archtype or chief pattern wherein God meant to let his people see how in all succeeding ages be would deliver them and destroy their enemies in Psal 18.7 this first clause is expressed thus the foundations of the hills moved and the meaning is that the hills were shaken even from their very foundations or bottomes but here these hills are called the foundations of heaven as elsewhere also to wit Job 26.11 the pillars of heaven because the tops of high mountains seems to touch the clouds and the heavens seem to lean upon them and because the earth is in the centre of the world about the which the heavens do continually turn Vers 10. He bowed the heavens also and came down c. For in rainy and tempestuous weather not onely the tops of hills seem covered with clouds but every where the lower region of the air is filled with mists and cloudy darknesse but withall some conceive that this following expression and darknesse was under his feet is used to imply Gods coming invisibly to the help of David Vers 11. And he rode upon a Cherub and did flie and he was seen upon the wings of the wind In Psalme 18.10 it is And he did flie upon the wings of the wind David here speaketh of strong and violent winds which the Lord also useth as his instruments in the execution of his judgements he saith that he rode upon a Cherub to wit because the Lord governs the winds at his command by the ministery of the Angels they raise them and they still them and they order them as God hath appointed and he useth the word Cherub rather then that of Angel because the Angels were represented in the mercy seat and tabernacle under the figure of golden-winged Cherubims and he desired so to expresse the power of God here as withall he might put them in mind that it was that God who did all these things that had entred into a speciall covenant with Israel that he would be their God and they should be his people and so dwelt among them in his tabernacle Vers 12. And he made darknesse pavilions round about him To wit as a king that being angry should withdraw himself from his subjects and not suffer them to see him Vers 13. Through the brightnesse before him were coals of fire kindled c. This is somewhat varied Psal 18.12 13. At the brightnesse that was before him his thick clouds passed hail-stones and coals of fire The Lord also thundred in the heavens and the highest gave his voice hail-stones and coals of fire Vers 15. And he sent out arrows and scattered them lightning and discomfited them By Gods arrows here are meant thunderbolts or hail-stones c. as the hail-stones that fell upon the Canaanites are called arrows Hab. 3.11 and therefore also Psalme 18.14 the last clause is expressed thus He shot out lightning and discomfited them Vers 16. And the chanels of the sea appeared the foundations of the world were discovered c. This is meant of the raging of the seas in tempestuous weather when the waves will rise in such an admirable manner as if in the gulfs and breaches of the waves made thereby the very channel and bottome of those seas would be discovered and laid bare yet withall there may be in these words an allusion to the drying up of the red sea and Jordan before Israel Vers 17. He sent from above he took me he drew me out of many waters This expression David useth to imply how strange and miraculous his deliverance was as if a hand from heaven had been reached forth to snatch him up when he was ready to sink Vers 18. He delivered me from my strong enemy c. This seems to be meant of Saul in particular but may be also understood indefinitely of all his strong enemies the like may be said of that clause vers 49. Thou hast delivered me from the violent man Vers 20 He brought me forth also into a large place c. That is he freed me out of all the straits I was in and this he did not for any merit in me but of his own free grace and favour He delivered me because he delighted in me Vers 21. The Lord rewarded me according to my
Mark I pray you and see how this man seeketh mischief That is by this second message he hath sent if you well observe it you may plainly see that though he pretends a treaty and would seem upon conditions willing to raise this siege yet in truth he intends nothing but mischief and ruine to us or else he would never propound such conditions to us either we must yield up the whole citie to be pillaged by his souldiers and our selves our wives and children to be their slaves or else nothing will content him Vers 9. Tell my lord the king All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do but this thing I may not do Thus though Ahab refused to submit to what Benhadad had the second time required of him yet his denyall came from him so poorely that it plainly discovered how fearfull he was and loth to provoke Benhadad For first he still cals Benhadad his lord and himself his servant Secondly whilest he denyes the second motion he is carefull to let him know that he was still willing to yield to the first And thirdly it was not This thing I will not do but this thing I may not do It was easie to discern that it was the peremptory indignation of the people that had made him reject the propositions of Benhadad rather then any courage that was in himself Vers 10. The gods do so unto me and more also if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls c. In a bragging manner he threatens the utter ruinating of their city and withall to terrifie Ahab and the people the more vaunts that such was the multitude of his souldiers that the dust of Samaria should not suffice for handfuls for them so speaking of Samaria notwithstanding the strength of her walls and bulwarks as if it were but a heap of dust which should be levelled to the ground with as much ease as if every souldier were to carry away but a handfull or rather after an hyperbolicall manner menacing them that they would make nothing to carry away the very ground whereon the city stood or at least the bulwarks of the city though each of his followers took but a handfull the like expression we see 2 Sam. 17.13 Vers 12. He said unto his servants Set your selves in array c. This may be translated also as it is in the margin of our bibles place the engines to wit for the battering of the city it seems that during the parly or treaty there was a cessation of arms on both sides and therefore when Benhadad saw that Ahab would not yield to what he had propounded he commanded his captains again to prepare for an assault upon the citie Vers 13. And behold there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel c. God foretels what he means to do by a prophet that the victory might not be ascribed to chance and withall to discover the exceeding riches of his grace in affording so much mercy to this vile wretch even by one of those prophets whom he sought to destroy Vers 14. Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces That is not by thy experienced captains or old trained souldiers shalt thou prevail over the Syrians but by the young men that wait and attend upon the princes of the provinces Then he said Who shall order the battel This question propounded by Ahab to the prophet may be understood two severall wayes to wit either that he required who should go out with his forces as Commander in chief to order the battell as he should see cause or else that he desired to know whether he should stay till the king of Syria came out and set themselves in battell array against them or whether he should go out first and set the battell in array against the Syrians And he answered Thou That is Ahab himself to wit that the young men might the more readily undertake the service Vers 15. Then he numbred the young men of the princes of the provinces and they were two hundred and thirty two c. And these it seems were to be captains and leaders to the seven thousand afterwards mentioned and or else rather these were to go before as a forlorn hope to set first on the enemy and then the body of the army was to follow and second them and so much indeed the following words vers 17. seem to imply And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first c. Vers 18. Whether they be come out for peace take them alive or whether they be come out for warre take them alive That is though they should now come out to sue for conditions of peace yet take them prisoners and bring them to me which was against the law of arms as thinking scorn to fight with them he commands his men to take them alive and as presumptuously puft up with his great strength he thinks enough to say Take them alive as if the Israelites had not courage enough to lift up a hand against them Vers 22. Go strengthen thy self and mark and see what thou doest That is take heed that through security or any other way thou doest not give any advantage to these Syrians when they shall again invade the land the next yeare and herein doubtlesse the prophet did intend to imply not onely that he should prepare all outward means for the withstanding of the Syrians but also that he should be carefull by faith and repentance and prayer to make his peace with God lest God should be provoked at last to deliver him up into the hands of his enemies and if this were the same prophet that foretold the former victory as the vvords seem here to import And the prophet came to the king of Israel the king had the more reason now to give credit to what he said Vers 23. Their gods are gods of the hils therefore they were stronger then we This speech of the servants of the king of Syria was grounded on that sottish conceit of the heathen that their gods bare rule some in one place and some in another and because the former battell was fought in a hilly countrey therefore they concluded that the gods of the Israelites were gods of the hils the rather also inclining to this conceit say some Expositours partly because the land of Israel was in a great part of it full of mountains and hils and partly because they had heard that the Israelites used constantly to offer up their sacrifices in hils and high places But however observable it is how herein also they flattered both their king and themselves too there is not a word spoken of their own cowardise or the sensuality and security of their king who was drinking himself drunk when the Israelites came upon them but all their losse is ascribed to this that their gods were gods of the valleys and the gods of the Israelites gods of the
to joyn themselves to these sacred societies of the sonnes of the prophets and hence it was that their colledge had not now room enough for them and therefore they desire liberty of Elisha their master to build another and that they affected not either pomp or state but were contented with a very homely dwelling is evident by this that themselves were to be the builders of it Let us go we pray thee unto Jordan and take thence every man a beam and let us make us a place there vers 2. Vers 8. In such and such a place shall be my Camp That is the king of Syria resolved upon a place where he would lie in ambush with his army knowing that the army of the Israelites was to passe that way and so hoping on a sudden to fall out upon them Vers 9. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel saying Beware thou passe not such a place c. That is he sent to Jehoram the sonne of Ahab who was now king and succeeded his brother Amaziah in the throne of Israel Chap. 3.1 Had not Ahab his father spared the king of Syria when he had him in his power 1. Kings 20.34 the Syrians had not been perhaps such continuall thornes in the sides of his sonne but now he smarted for his fathers foolish pity onely God was pleased to save his people by the prophet Elisha that so they might thereby be rendred more carefull to keep God for their friend or else might be left without excuse Vers 13. And he said Go and spie where he is that I may send and fetch him A resolution that discovered no lesse folly then rage for what a madnesse was it to lay a plot to surprise him of whom they had said that he knew every word that the king spake in his greatest secrecie Vers 15. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early c. Because Gehazi is after this Chap. 8.4 called the servant of the man of God some Expositours hold that it was Gehazi that the text here speaks of and consequently that the leprosie of Gehazi was of that sort which did not make those that had it unclean and so unfit to converse with others But yet because Gehazi is no more mentioned in the story as imployed in the ministring to Elisha therefore it is most probable that upon that fact of his mentioned in the former chapter being stricken with Leprosie he was dismissed from his attendance upon Elisha and this other servant here mentioned was one that succeeded in his room Vers 18. And he smote them with blindnesse according to the word of Elisha To wit such a blindnesse as the Sodomites were stricken with Gen. 19.11 which was not a deprivation of sight for they would never have followed a man that promised to shew them the citie where the prophet was if they had been stark blind but rather a withholding of their sight from seeing that which they desired to see or a dazeling and deluding the sense that made them mistake what they saw and apprehend it to be something else then what it was Vers 19. And Elisha said unto them This is not the way c. Elisha going forth of the city to meet them when he saw them coming towards it it seems they enquired of him both concerning the town and concerning the prophet and hereupon he answered them as secretly mocking them and insulting over them with these ambiguous words This is not the way to wit which you must go Neither is this the citie where you must meet with Elisha Follow me c. Vers 21. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha when he saw them My father shall I smite them c. It is not likely that Elisha would bring such an army of Syrians into the city but that first he would give warning to the king to arm themselves in a readinesse that when they came into Samaria instead of being able to do any hurt there upon the opening of their eyes they should see themselves begirt with their enemies ready upon a word given to cut all their throats And hence is this speech of the kings to the prophet My father shall I smite them shall I smite them his repeating those words showing that his fingers itched to make use of this advantage to be revenged on the Syrians though yet he would not do it without the prophets leave Vers 22. Wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow As if he should have said if thou hadst taken them prisoners in the battell thou wouldest not have slain them much lesse being cast into thy hands not by any force and policie of thine but onely by this miraculous providence of the Almighty Now thus God was pleased to have these bloudy enemies of Gods people dismissed in peace that even they might publish these miraculous works of God in a strange land Set bread and water before them that they may eat and drink and go to their master To wit that both he and his Syrians might there heare what God had done to this army whom they had sent to apprehend his prophet Vers 23. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel That is they gave over those inrodes into the land which before had been usuall with them and that happely as overcome with the favour which was shown them at least for the present yea and when perhaps some long time after they did again invade the land it was not by sending out such bands of boote-halers as formerly fearing perhaps lest they should be catched in a trap as now they had been but the king gathered all his host and went up against them with a power which he thought they would be no way able to resist Vers 24. Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host and went up and besieged Samaria This was that Ben-hadad that had once before besieged Samaria in Ahabs time 1 Kings 20.1 Then the Israelites raised the siege and made him fly with shame and losse and the rather happely did he now attempt the besieging of this city again that be might blot out the reproach of his shamefull flight from the former siege encouraged thereto by the great overthrow he had given the Israelites in that battell wherein Ahab was slain 1 Kings 22.34 It may indeed seem strange that Naaman being so great with the king of Syria did not keep him off from invading the land of Israel But for this we must consider first that Naaman might in this time be dead or secondly that he durst not shew himself so farre a friend to Gods people as to disswade the king from this warre or thirdly that perhaps he had lost his place and favour with the king beacuse he had embraced the Religion of Israel However in this second siege of Samaria we see how the Israelites still smarted for Ahabs impious pitty in
the kingdome of the ten tribes as well as those of Judah and Benjamin the advice which he took with his counsel 2. Chron. 25.17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and advise and sent to Joash the sonne of Jehoahaz the sonne of Jehu saying Come let us see one another in the face seems to imply that they debated amongst them these just grounds which he had to make warre against the king of Israel and most likely it is that these things were objected by him in this challenge that he sent but because he sent this message in an insolent manner as one that did rather desire to decide the businesse by the sword then to have it otherwise composed and to try the strength and courage of the king of Israel in a pitched battel therefore is this onely expressed that he challenged him to meet him in the field and give him battel face to face for that is the meaning of these words Come let us look one another in the face Vers 9. The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon c. Thus Joash answered Amaziah by a parable and the drift of it was to put Amaziah in mind how vain a thing it was for them that are comparatively weak and of little strength easily overborn and troden down to entertain proud and aspiring thoughts concerning themselves as if they were above the reach of danger and he makes the thistles pride in this parable to be the desiring of the cedars daughter for his sonnes wife therein to couch secretly an argument from the lesse to the greater if it were too much for the thistle to offer affinitie with the cedar much more then to make warre against the cedar which he would have Amaziah know was just his case because he looked upon Amaziah as a poore weak and contemptible king in comparison of himself though proud and quarrelsome he compares him to a thistle the basest of all shrubs though full of prickles and himself who had ten of the tribes of Israel under his command whereas the other had but two to a cedar the most noble of all trees onely he compares Amaziah to a thistle in Lebanon as well as himself to a cedar in Lebanon because Amaziah was a king as well as he again from the foolish pride in the thistle in sending such a message he implies how farre greater the pride and folly of Amaziah was in sending such a challenge to him and last of all by shewing what became of the thistle There passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trode down the thistle he gives Amaziah to understand what his end would be if he persevered in his resolution to make warre against him to wit that his forces would easily crush and ruine him and indeed the miseries that would befall him are well compared to the treading down of a wild beast because warre bellum quasi bellua doth usually destroy and tread down all before it and souldiers as men void of all reason and carried on merely with fury and brutish passions are wont without all consideration in a rude and brutish manner to beat and trample down all where they come and therefore is the time of warre called a day of trouble and treading down Isa 22.5 Vers 11. But Amaziah would not heare To wit because God would have him punished for his idolatry whereunto he was then newly fallen upon his victory against the Edomites 2. Chron. 25.20 But Amaziah would not heare for it came of God that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies because they sought after the Gods of Edom. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up c. That is he stay not till the enemie brake in and spoiled his countrey but entred the kingdome of Judah and so encountred with him in Beth-shemesh which belonged to Judah which is added because there was another Beth-shemesh in the tribe of Naphtali Josh 19.38 Vers 13. And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah c. And thus in this Amaziah the sonne of Joash God did yet further revenge the death of Zachariah the sonne of Jehoiada who was most inhumanely and ungratefully murthered in his fathers dayes according to that which he said at his death the Lord look upon it and require it and withall Amaziah himself was severely punished for his Apostacy to idolatry upon his victory over the Edomites And brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate foure hundred cubits Some conceive that this part of the wall was broken down that the inhabitants might be rendred hereby the more fearfull to attempt any thing against the kingdome of Israel the strength of the citie being so farre impaired but such a breach that might be so easily made up again could be no great curb to them others say that it was done at Joash his command that at that breach he might enter the citie in his chariot carrying the king before him as in triumph but why should foure hundred cubits of the wall be beaten down that he might enter with his chariot more probable therefore it is that the citie at first standing out against him he battered down that part of the wall by the north gate which was towards Ephraim and therefore called the gate of Ephraim and so took the citie by force Vers 14. And he took all the gold and silver c. and hostages and returned to Samaria These hostages he took for assurance of their performing the conditions he had imposed upon them but having Jerusalem in possession and their king his prisoner why did he not seize upon the kingdome and joyn the twelve tribes again under his government I answer that which lately had befallen Athaliah shewed plainly how constantly affected the people stood to the house of David neither could he tell what forces the people abroad in the countrey might presently raise against him no marvell therefore though he chose rather to go away with a certain spoil then to hazard all by aiming at the crown of Judah upon such weak and uncertain terms Vers 16. And Jehoash slept with his fathers See the note chap. 13.13 It seems he out-lived not long that sacrilegious act of his in robbing the Temple of Jerusalem Vers 17. And Amaziah the sonne of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash sonne of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years To wit un-unto the fifteenth yeare of Jeroboam the sonne of Joash king of Israel See the note verse 2. Vers 19. Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem c. Ascribing all the miseries that had befallen their citie and kingdome to him who had provoked the king of Israel to invade their land whereupon Jerusalem was taken and pillaged c. they were enraged against him and so conspired together to take away his life which though he discovered and fled to Lachish yet they pursued him thither and there
those times passed for currant amongst them and that the rather happely because even to this that clause may be referred Luke 3.23 as was supposed namely that in those dayes it was supposed by them that followed the Septuagint translation that Shelah was the sonne of Cainan and Cainan the sonne of Arphaxad It is indeed true that some Interpreters do leave Cainan out of the genealogy of Luke and alledge that in some Greek copies it is not found which being granted we cannot say but they had strong inducements to leave it out But on the other side admitting our translation of the Evangelist to be just and warrantable the answer formerly given for the reconciling of this difference is doubtlesse the most satisfying that I any where find amongst the Expositours both of the Old and New Testament Vers 35. The sonnes of Esau Eliphaz Revel c. Eliphaz was the sonne of Esau by his wife Adah and Revel by his wife Bashemath Gen. 36.10 Vers 36. The sonnes of Eliphaz Teman and Omar Zephi and Gatam Kenaz and Timna and Amalek Amalek was the sonne of Eliphaz by Timna his concubine the sister of Lotan the sonne of Seir of which see Gen. 36.12 But this Timna here mentioned was the sonne of Eliphaz though of the same name with his concubine Vers 38. And the sonnes of Seir Lotan c. This Seir was Prince of the Horites who at first inhabited the land of Edom till the children of Edom destroyed them and dwelt in their room Deut. 2.12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir before time but the children of Esau succeeded them when they had destroyed them from before them and dwelt in their stead and therefore is the genealogy of the Horites here recorded onely because Esau and his sonne Eliphaz were joyned in affinity with these Princes of the Horites and perhaps thence the Edomites took some occasion of quarrel against them and so seized upon their countrey The posterity of Seir here mentioned were dukes in mount Seir as is noted Gen. 36.30 Vers 43. Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom c See Gen. 36.31 CHAP. II. Vers 6. ANd the sonnes of Zerah Zimri and Ethan and Heman and Calcol and Dara Zimri as is most probable was the immediate sonne of Zerah as being the same that is called Zabdi the father of Carmi the father of Achan Josh 7.1 But the rest if they were the same Ethan and Heman and Calcol and Dara mentioned 1. Kings 4.31 that were so famous for their wisedome as it is commonly held they were then were not these the immediate sonnes of Zerah but rekoned here amongst his sonnes onely because they were of his posterity and men famous in their time but the sonnes of Mahol as is expressely noted 1. Kings 4.31 Vers 7. And the sonnes of Carmi c. Who was the sonne of Zimri or Zabdi Josh 7.1 Vers 15. Ozem the sixth David the seventh It is evident that Jesse had eight sonnes when David was anointed king by Samuel 1. Sam. 16.10 but concerning that see the note there Vers 17. And the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite See the note 2. Sam. 17.25 Vers 18. And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife and of Jerioth This was not Caleb the son of Jephunneh who was but fourty years old when he searched Canaan Josh 14.7 but another of the same name the sonne of Hezron of whom see Gen. 46.12 and his genealogy is here largely set down because there were many men of renown amongst his posterity and the chief aim of this chapter is to shew how God blessed the tribe of Judah according to his promise Gen. 49.8 c. 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 see also Exod. 31.2 Her sonnes are these Jesher and Shobab and Ardon This may be referred either to Azubah or Jerioth yet by most Expositours it is referred to the last to wit that these were the sonnes of Jerioth and that Calebs sonnes by Azubah are those mentioned vers 42. Vers 21. And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead c. See Josh 17.1 Numb 26.29 Vers 22. And Segub begat Jair who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead The grandfather of Jair was Hezron of the tribe of Judah but his grandmother was of the tribe of Manasseh the daughter of Machir and it seems his father Segub was by Machir his mothers father adopted for his sonne and so Jair is called the sonne of Manasseh Deut. 3.14 and joyning with his brethren by the mothers side in subduing that portion of land which was assigned to them without Jordan he had there his portion amongst them though he were by the fathers side of the tribe of Judah see the note upon Numb 32.41 Vers 23. And he took Geshur and Aram with the towns of Jair c. That is he took Geshur and Aram from those that were the ancient inhabitants But this was Geshur without Jordan in the portion of the half tribe of Manasseh there seated for there was another Geshuri within Jordan that was not subdued when Joshua began to divide the land amongst the Israelites Josh 13.2 As for Kenath he took that as it seems by means of Nobah who happely was one of his posterity or captains and fought against Kenath under the command of Jair Numb 32.41 42. And Jair the sonne of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof and called them Havoth-jair And Nobah went and took Kenath and the villages thereof and called it Nobah after his own name Vers 24. Abiah Hezrons wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa That is the Prince of Tekoa or rather the father of the inhabitants of Tekoa Vers 34. Now Sheshan had no sonnes but daughters c. Ahlai therefore the sonne of Sheshan mentioned vers 31. died it seems his father yet living or else Ahlai was his daughter whom he married to his Egyptian servant Vers 42. Now the sonnes of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were Mesha his first-born which was the father of Ziph. These were his sonnes by Azubah his first wife of whom mention was made vers 18. and Mesha his first-born is called the father of Ziph because he was the father of the inhabitants of Ziph. And the sonnes of Maresha the father of Hebron That is the sonnes of Maresha were also the posterity of Caleb by Azubah Vers 49. And the daughter of Caleb was Achsah Caleb the son of Jephunneh had a daughter also named Achsah Josh 15.17 but this must needs be the daughter of Caleb the sonne of Hezron Vers 50. These were the sonnes of Caleb the sonne of Hur c. This is the posterity of a second Caleb the sonne of Hur mentioned before vers 20. and the first mentioned is Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim which
came to Jerusalem to inform them of the conspiracy of their enemies against them As for the intelligence they brought them some conceive that the wayes that led from Jerusalem to Samaria are intended in those words from all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you But others and I think more probably understand it of all places about the city from whence the builders of the wall should return into the citie where the Jews were when they gave them this intelligence from all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you that is they will on a suddain beset the city and assault it on every side when you shall leave your work and return to us into the city either to eat or to rest and refresh your selves from the severall places round about the city where you are now imployed in building the walls on a sudden they will break in upon us Vers 13. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall and on the higher places c. That is hearing by the consonant report of our brethren that came from severall places that our adversaries had a purpose to assault us I caused the people to give over their work and to arm themselves to keep off the enemy and to that end I set some of them beneath behind the wall and others above in the towers and other fortifications to beat off the adversaries and keep them from entring the citie Vers 15. We returned all of us to the wall every one unto his work That is when the enemies hearing that their purpose was discovered gave over their intended invasion of the city and so their counsell was brought to nought we having notice thereof returned to our work which was a while given over that we might be in a readinesse to withstand the enemies if they had come against us Vers 16. The half of my servants wrought in the work c. That is though we returned to our work again when we heard that the enemy had given over their plot of coming suddenly upon us to fight against us yet after this we were the more carefull to be in a readinesse to resist them lest they should again at some other time renew their conspiracie to which end first there was never but half of my servants that is my houshold servants and guard or trained bands whose captain Nehemiah was employed in building the wall the other half stood alwayes ready armed to keep off the enemy if occasion should be and secondly even those that were employed in building were also alwayes armed as is expressed vers 17. They which builded on the wall and they that bare burdens with those that laded every one with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other hand held a weapon And the rulers were behind all the house of Judah To wit to oversee them and encourage them in their work and sometimes perhaps when need was to help them too Vers 17. Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work and with the other hand held a weapon That is even they also that wrought in the building were also alwayes armed ready at all assayes to have joyned with the rest in resisting the enemy if he had set upon them literally this cannot be understood for how could they build the wall or lay burdens upon the shoulders of those that bare them and yet all the while hold their weapons in one of their hands It is therefore a proverbiall kind of speech signifying onely that whilest they vvere busiest in building they had also their weapons ready at hand to fight against the enemy if need were for so Nehemiah explains this phrase in the following words vers 18. For the builders had every one his sword girded by his side c. Vers 22. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people Let every one with his seruant lodge within Jerusalem c. That is he gave charge to the people that none of them should go out of the city to lodge and that because he would have them alwayes in a readinesse to keep their turns both of watching by night and of working by day Vers 23. Saving that every one put them off for washing To wit either their garments or their bodies for upon occasion of legall pollutions the Jews did wash their bodies often CHAP. V. Vers 2. THere were that said We our sonnes and our daughters are many therefore we take up corn for them c. That is having a great charge of children that which we earn will not maintain us and therefore we are constrained whilest we work for the publick to take up corn upon use of the nobles and rulers and rich men amongst us to keep us from starving and that by pawning or selline our children to them for servants till we can redeem them which we are never like to do as is expressed vers 5. We bring into bondage our sonnes and our daughters to be servants and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already neither is it in our power to redeem them so that we are in as bad or worse a condition then when we were bondslaves in Babylon and the having of many children which is of it self a great blessing of God is turned to us as a bitter curse Vers 3. We have morgaged our lands vineyards and houses that we might buy corn because of the dearth Even those that had not so great a charge of children were forced to morgage their estates because of the dearth that was amongst them Vers 4. There were also that said We have borrowed money for the kings tribute c. That is though we had sufficient to sustain the charge of our selves and families yet not also to defray the tribute that was laid upon us but even to pay that we have been constrained to morgage our lands and vineyards for though the Jews had liberty given them to return from Babylon into their own countrey yet they were to pay tribute there as is evident Ezra 4.13 If this city be builded and the walls set up again then will they not pay toll tribute and custome and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the king and chap. 7.24 Also we certifie you that touching any of the Priests and Levites singers porters Nethinims or ministers of this house of God it shall not be lawfull to impose toll tribute or custome upon them Vers 5. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren our children as their children That is we are reasonable creatures as well as they not beasts yea Israelites of the seed and linage of Abraham as well as they not heathens though they use us as if we were not such Vers 7. And I set a great assembly against them To wit both of those that were oppressed and those of the better sort in the congregation that were not tainted with this sinne yea
first which was against the laws of the Medes and Persians chap. 8.8 and therefore they were enraged at it and would not obey it or else happely they did not believe that this second edict was indeed sent forth by the king but was onely the device of Mordecai or at least would not believe it as being loth to be beaten off from destroying the Jews whom they hated with a deadly hatred and had long assured themselves that they should now have liberty to wreak their teen upon them and therefore were resolved to put in execution the first decree now herein was the wonder that the Jews being a few to speak of should be able to stand against their enemies but the reason of this is given that God struck their enemies with such terrours fears that they were not able to withstand them The rulers for fear helped the Jews vers 3. many others no doubt durst not stirre and those that had with great confidence armed themselves when the Jews assembled themselves and stood for their lives vvere suddenly daunted and so easily slain by the Jevvs and thus God did immediatly more for the preservation of the Jevvs by making them terrible to their enemies then all that Esther and Mordecai had done Vers 6. And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men It is above all strange that in Shushan the city royall called here Shushan the palace where the kings favour to Mordecai and the rest of the Jews could not be unknown there should be so many found that would obstinately undertake the massacring of the Jews in confidence of the first decree chap. 3.13 notwithstanding by the second decree chap. 8.10.11 the Jews were allowed to kill and destroy all their enemies that should set upon them But for this we must consider first that when wicked men are hardened of God that they may be destroyed they do usually thus violently rush upon their own ruine the vengeance of God not suffering them to rest and secondly that in likelihood there were many of the faction of Haman that being enraged with the death of their great lord and the sudden preferment of Mordecai were mutinously inclined and ready enough therefore to be stirred up to this attempt by Hamans ten sonnes that were ringleaders to the rest as by their death is evident Vers 10. The ten sonnes of Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the enemy of the Jews slew they To wit those before mentioned by name in the three foregoing verses for by Hamans boasting of the multitude of his children chap. 5.11 And Haman told them of the multitude of his children it may seem he had more beside these how this agrees with the Apocryphall additions of Esther we may see chap. 16.18 where it is said that in the decree by warrant whereof the Jews did now slay their enemies there was mention made that not Haman onely but also all his family with him were then hanged already But on the spoil laid they not their hand Though by the kings decree they might have done it chap. 8.11 Take the spoil of them for a prey and that because they would hereby make it evident that they aimed not at the enriching of themselves with the spoils of those they had slain but only at their own necessary and just defence and that it might not be said that they had slain any one causelessely onely to get his estate Vers 11. On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king The report of this which had happened in the city was soon brought unto the king perhaps by some that would willingly have stirred up the kings wrath against the Jews Vers 13. Let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according to this dayes decree To wit by slaying those who this day set upon the Jews but escaped their hands and were not slain by them as these five hundred were And this no doubt she desired as aiming at Gods glory in the revenge of his peoples enemies and at the peace of the Church which might else afterwards be disturbed by these that were now for the present escaped And let Hamans ten sonnes be hanged upon the gallows That is let the dead bodies of these sonnes of Haman who were this day slain with others be for their greater reproch and the terrour of others hanged upon the gallows whereon their father was before hanged Vers 16. But they laid not their hands on the prey See above vers 10. Vers 17. On the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar c. The drift of the words in the three following verses is to shew that the other Jews that lived not at Shushan slew their enemies on the thirteenth day and then rested and kept a day of feasting on the fourteenth day whereas the Jews at Shushan slew their enemies both on the 13th and 14th dayes and so kept not their day of feasting till the fifteenth day Vers 20. And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters unto all the Jews c. That is in the writings and letters which he sent unto the Jews concerning their keeping the feast of Purim he wrote the relation of these things before mentioned as the ground of this annuall festivity or else it may be meant more generally that Mordecai was the pen-man of the holy ghost in writing this whole book of Esther Vers 21. To stablish this among them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar and the fifteenth c. To wit because on the fourteenth day the countrey Jews rested from slaying their enemies and those in Shushan not till the fifteenth and so they were taught to rejoyce in one anothers welfare But was not this unlawfull like that sin of Jeroboams 1. Kings 12.33 I answer No and that because it was a politick ordinance for civill respects and not any addition to the worship of God Vers 22. Dayes of feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poore As their custome was in all their solemn festivities Neh. 8.10 Then he said unto them Go your way eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared c. Vers 26. Therefore for all the words of this letter and of that which they had seen concerning this matter and which had come unto them c. This clause is added because of those things related in these letters concerning the danger the Jews were in and their deliverance from that danger which moved them to take upon them to keep the feast of Purim some of them they had seen with their own eyes in their severall dwellings as the decree that was brought from the king for the destroying of the Jews and the preparations that were made by the enemies to put this decree in execution and the second decree likewise wherein the Jews were allowed to
enemies before me as the breach of waters which hath reference either to the dispersion of the enemie who were scattered as water in an earthen vessell will runne about when the vessell is broken or to Gods power in driving away the enemie as when waters break through the banks and sweep away all before them and thence this place was called Baal-perazim or the plain of breaches and to this the Prophet doth allude Isa 28.21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to passe his act his strange act Vers 21. And there they left their images and David and his men burnt them That is the souldiers burnt them at Davids command for so it is expressed 1. Chron. 14.12 And when they had left their gods there David gave a commandment and they were burnt with fire and this was according to the Law Deut. 7.5 Thus shall you deal with them Ye shall destroy their altars and break down their images and cut down their groves and burn their graven images with fire Now the leaving of their gods there is a signe of the terrour wherewith they were stricken Vers 23. Thou shalt not go up but fetch a compasse behind them and come upon them over against the mulberry trees That is thou shalt not go up directly against them but fetching a compasse about shalt set upon them over against the mulberry trees to wit that setting suddenly upon them where they looked not for him the assault might strike them with the greater terrour Vers 24. And let it be when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees that then thou shalt bestirre thy self c. When David heard the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees not a noise of the shaking of the tops of the trees with a wind but a sound as if some body were going upon the tops of the trees then he was to break forth suddenly upon the Philistines whether this sound of going were as if an army of men horsemen and chariots had been marching over the tops of the trees as some conceive we cannot say but doubtlesse it was appointed as a signe of Gods going forth with his holy angels to destroy the Philistines before them wherewith David being encouraged was presently to break forth and set upon them and therefore it was upon the tops of the trees not on the ground to signifie forces that were sent from on high from heaven and such as needed not the ground to support them but could march through the aire to come in to the help of his people CHAP. VI. Vers 1. AGain David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel thirty thousand The ark the especiall signe of Gods presence amongst his people and from whence he had promised to answer them concerning all things he would give them in charge had been in the private house of Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim about seven and fourtie years ever since the Philistines sent it back to the land of Judah 1. Sam. 7.1 now because being there in a private house the people began by degrees to neglect it as if they had forgot what a treasure it was so soon as David was established in the kingdome and had driven the Jebusites out of Jerusalem he thought presently of fetching up the ark from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem first as judging it most for the honour of God and of his ark that it should not lie hid in a private family but be settled in the chief citie of the kingdome in a place purposely appointed for it and secondly that being in the heart of the kingdome and in Jerusalem the royall citie the people might the more conveniently resort unto it to consult with God and to perform the duties of his worship and service In the 1. Chron. 13.1 2 c. it is said that first David called together all the captains and elders and heads of the people and imparted to them what he thought and then consulted with them whether it would not be best to gather together all the chosen men of Israel that they might in a solemn manner fetch up the ark of God unto Jerusalem and that when they had approved of this his purpose then he gathered together this great assembly of the people even thirty thousand as is here related and indeed the reason why the relation of the fetching up the ark is in that first book of Chronicles set before the relation of the two victories which he obtained over the Philistines whereas here the story of those two victories is set down first in the latter end of the former chapter may well be this because that consultation with the captains and elders was before the invasion of the Philistines but the assembling of the people to fetch up the ark was after it as here it is set down Vers 2. And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah c. That is being come with all those chosen men of Israel whom he had gathered together to Baale of Judah that is to Kirjath-jearim 1. Chron. 13.6 which was also called Kirjath-baal Josh 15.9 and Baalah or Baaleh of Judah where the ark had been so long a time saving onely when it was upon extraordinary occasions brought into the camp as there 1. Sam. 14.18 David arose and went thence to carry the ark unto Jerusalem Vers 3. And they set the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah That is a hill or high place so called in Kirjath-jearim of which see the note 1. Sam. 7.1 doubtlesse because it was a long way to carry the ark from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem therefore they put it in a cart encouraged thereto by the example of the Philistines and thence it was that they put it into a new cart as they also did 1. Sam. 6.7 8. Now therefore make a new cart and take two milch kine and take the ark of the Lord and lay it upon the cart c. But herein they manifestly transgressed the law of God which expressely appointed that the Levites should carry it upon their shoulders Num. 4.15 and 7.9 and so this was the first occasion of Gods displeasure and of that dismall accident that followed in the death of Uzzah vers 6. for so much David himself acknowledged when he came up the second time with the Israelites to fetch away the ark 1. Chron. 15.12 13. Sanctifie your selves saith he to the Levites both ye and your brethren that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it for because ye did it not at first the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order It is indeed very strange that when