work peculiar to the Priest and not to be done by Moses without Gods express command 28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle 29 And he put the altar of burnt-offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation and offered upon it the burnt-offering and the meat-offering g For the consecration of the Altar this being the first sacrifice as the LORD commanded Moses 30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar and put water there to wash withal 31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat 32 When they went in to the tent of the congregation and when they came near unto the altar they washed as the LORD commanded Moses 33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court-gate so Moses finished the work 34 * â—…ev 16. 2. Numb 9. 15. 1 King 8. 10. Isa. 6. 4. Rev. 15. 8. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the LORD h i. e. The glorious presence of God which having been forfeited and lost was now returned to them and took its habitation among them filled the tabernacle 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent i Partly because of the extraordinary thickness and brightness of the Cloud which both dazzled his eyes and struck him with horrour as 1 King 8. 11. and partly because of his great reverence and dread of that eminent and glorious appearance of God and partly because he was not called to it as he was not able to go up into the mount till he was called Exod. 24. 16. of the congregation because the cloud abode thereon and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle the children of Israel †Heb. journeyed went onward in all their journeys 37 But if the cloud were not taken up then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up 38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day and fire k The same pillar which in the day time was like a cloud in the night time had the appearance of fire See Exod. 13. 21. was on it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys ANNOTATIONS ON LEVITICUS The ARGUMENT THis Book containing the actions of about one monthes space acquainteth us with the Levitical Ceremonies used after the tabernacle was erected and anointed in the wilderness and is therefore called Leviticus It treats of laws concerning persons and things unclean and clean by infirmity or accident as also purifyings in general once a year and divers particular cleansings with a brief repetition of Divers laws Chap. 19. together with certain feasts of 7 years rest of the Iubilee and the redemption of things consecrated to God c. but especially of such Ceremonies as were used about offerings and sacrifices which were both expiatory for trespasses wittingly or unwittingly committed whether by the people or the priests and also Eucharistical in the owning of Gods blessings here are declared also laws for the regulating of these and prescribing the lawful time for marriages here is set down how several abominable sins are punishable by the Magistrate and how these things are to be managed by certain persons appropriated to the tribe of Levi whose office is confirmed from heaven and the male-administration of it threatned and the Iudgement particularly inflicted on Nadab and Abihu for an Example here are also promises and threatnings to the observers or breakers of this law CHAP. I. 1 AND the LORD called unto Moses a Who stood without Exod. 40. 35. waiting for Gods call and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation b From the mercy-seat in the Tabernacle saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them * chap. 22. 18. If any man of you bring an offering c There are divers kinds of sacrifices here prescribed some by way of acknowledgement to God for mercies either desired or received others by way of satisfaction to God for mens sins others were meer exercises of piety and devotion And the reason why there are so many kinds of them was partly respect to the childish estate of the Iews who by the custom of nations and their own natural inclinations were much addicted to outward rites and ceremonies that they might have full employment of that kind in Gods service and thereby be kept from temptations to Idolatry and partly to represent as well the several perfections of Christ the true sacrifice and the various benefits of his death as the several duties which men owe to their creator and redeemer all which could not be so well expressed by one sort of sacrifices unto the LORD ye shall bring your offering of the cattle even of the herd and of the flock d Or of the sheep though the Hebrew word contains both sheep and goats as appears both from the use of the word Gen. 12. 16. and 2â—… 9. and 38. 17. and from ver 10. and other places of Scripture Now God chose these kinds of creatures for his sacrifices either 1. in opposition to the Egyptian Idolatry to which divers of the Israelites had been used and were still in danger of revolting to again that the frequent destruction of these creatures might bring such silly Deities into contempt Or 2. because these are the fittest representations both of Christ and of true Christians as being gentle and harmless and patient and most useful to men Or 3. as the best and most profitable creatures with which it is fit God should be served and which we should be ready to part with when God requires us to do so Or 4. as things most common and obvious that men might never want a sacrifice when they needed or God required it 3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice e Strictly so called such as was to be all burnt the skin excepted Levit. 7. 8. See Gen. 8. 20. and 1 King 3. 15. For otherwise every sacrifice was burnt more or less These sacrifices did partly signifie that the whole man in whose stead the sacrifice was offered was to be intirely and unreservedly offered or devoted to Gods service and that the whole man did deserve to be utterly consumed if God should deal severely with him and directed us to serve the Lord with all singleness of heart without self-ends and to be ready to offer to God even such sacrifices or services wherein we our selves should have no part nor benefit of the herd let him offer a male f As being more perfect than the female Mal. 1. 14. and more truly representing Christ. without blemish g Of which see Exod. 29. 1. Levit. 22. 22 c. To signify
and let us return into Egypt g This was but a purpose or a desire and yet it is imputed to them as if they had done it Nehem. 9. 16 17. they appointed a captain c. even as Abrahams purpose to offer up Isaac is reckoned for the deed Heb. 11. 17. g Stupendious madness whence should they have protection against the many hazards and provision against all the wants of the wilderness could they expect eitâ—…er Gods cloud to cover and guide them or Manna from heaven to feed them who should conduct them over the Red Sea or if they went another way who should defend them against those nations by whose borders they were to pass what entertainment could they expect from the Egyptians whom they had deserted and brought to so much ruine 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces h As humble and earnest suppliants either to the people to intreat them to desist from their wicked and pernicious enterprize or rather to God by comparing this with Numb 16. 4. and 20. 6. the onely reâ—…uge to which Moses resorted in all such straits and who alone was able to still and govern this tumultuous and stiff-necked people before all the assembly i That they might be awakened to apprehend their sin and danger when they saw Mosâ—…s at his prayers whom God never used to deny and never failed to defend even with the destruction of his enemies of the congregation of the children of Israel 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh which were of them that searched the land rent their clothes k To testifie their hearty grief for tâ—…e peoples blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses and that dreadful judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the 〈◊〉 and people of God 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel saying The land which we passed through to search it is an exceeding good land 8 If the LORD delight in us l If by our rebellion and ingratitude we do not provoke God to loath and forsake us then he will bring us into this land and give it us a land which floweth with milk and honey 9 Onely rebel ye not against the LORD neither fear ye the people of the land for they are bread for us m We shall destroy them as easily as we do our bread or common food Compare Numbers 24. 8. Psal. 14. 4. their †Heb. shadow defence n i. e. Their counsel conduct and courage and especially God who was pleased to afford them his protection till their iniquities were full Gen. 15. 16. is utterly departed from them and hath given them up as a prey to us is departed from them and the LORD is with us o By his special grace and almighty power to save us from them and from all our enemies fear them not 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones and the glory of the LORD appeared p Now in extremity of danger to rescue his faithful servants and to stop the rage of the people in the tabernacle q i. e. Upon or above the tabernacle where the cloud usually resided in which the glory of God did appear upon occasion and now in a more illustrious manner as the state of things required of the congregation before all the children of Israel 11 And the LORD said unto Moses How long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signs which I have shewed among them 12 I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them r This was not an absolute determination as the event shewed but onely a commination like that of Ninevehs destruction within 40 days with a condition implyed except there be speedy repentance or powerful intercession * Exod. 32. 1â—… and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they 13 And * Exod. 32. 12. Deut. 32. 27. Moses said unto LORD Then s i. e. In case thou dost utterly destroy them the Egyptians shall hear it for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them t Whereby thou didst get great honour to thy self which now thou wilt certainly lose 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land u For there was much entercouse between these two nations * Exod. 15. 14. Josh. 2. 9. and 5. 1. for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people that thou LORD art seen face to face and that * Exod. 13. 21. thy cloud standeth over them and that thou goest before them by day time in a pillar of a cloud and in a pillan of fire by night 15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man x i. e. Altogether or to a man and suddenly as it were by one blow as if all had but one neck then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak saying 16 Because the LORD was not * Deut. 9. 28 able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them y His power was quite spent in bringing them out of Egypt and could not finish the work he had begun and had sworn to do therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness 17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my LORD be great z i. e. Appear to be great discover its greatness A real verb put for a declarative or the thing for the manifestation of the thing And this may be understood either 1. of Gods power in preserving the people and carrying them on into Canaan which sence may seem to be favoured by the foregoing verse where the Egyptians deny that God had power to do so And according to that sence he addes the following words not as an explication of this power but 〈◊〉 an argument to move him to shew forth his power fâ—…r his people notwithstanding their 〈◊〉 according â—…s or rather 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew word is oft rendred he had spoken saâ—…ing c. and so he should maintain the honour and the truth of his own name or of those titles which he had ascribed to himself Or 2. the power of his grace and mercy or the greatness of his mercy as he calls it ver 19. in pardoning of this and their other sins for to this the following words manifestly restrain it according as thou hast spoken c. where the pardon of their sins is the onely instance of this power both described in God titles ver 18. and prayed for by Moses ver 19. pardon I beseech thee c. and granted by God in answer to him ver 20. I have pardoned c. Nor is it strange that the pardon of sin especially of such great sins be spoken of as an act of power in God because undoubtedly it is an act of omnipotent and infinite goodness whence
that conspiracy it is added ver 18. And a fire was kindled in their company the flame burnt up the wicked As for Num. 26. 10. which seems to oppose this opinion we shall see more on that place if God permit and all their goods 33 They and all that appertained to them went down alive into †Heb. Hâ—…ll the pit r i. e. Into the earth which first opened it self to receive them and then shut it self to destroy them and transmit them to further punishments and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Lest the earth swallow up us also 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD s i. e. From the cloud wherein the glory of the Lord appeared ver 19. to give sentence in this cause and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense 36 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 37 Speak unto Eleazar t Rather than to Aaron partly because the troublesome part of the work was more proper for him and partly least Aaron should be polluted by going amongst those dead carcases for it is probable this fire consumed them as lightning sometimes doth others by taking away their lives and leaving their bodies dead upon the place the son of Aaron the priest that he take up the censers out of the burning u i. e. From among the dead bodies of those men who were burnt Burning put for those who are burnt as captivity for the captives Numb 21. 1. and poverty for the poor 2 King 24. 14. and scatter thou the fire x i. e. The cinders or ashes which are left in or near their censers yonder y i. e. Far from the altar and sanctuary into an unclean place where the ashes were wont to be â—…ast by which God shews his rejection of their services for they are hallowed z Either 1. by Gods appointment because they were presented before the Lord by his express order ver 16 17. Or 2. by Goâ—… jâ—…st judgment because they together with the persons that used them were accursed and devoted by God and therefore were the Lords and to be imployed in any profane or common use as appears from Lev. 27. 28. But the first reason is the chief and is rendred by God himself ver 38. 38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls a i. e. Their own lives who were the authors of their own death and destruction Compare 1 King 2. 23. Prov. 20. 2. This he saith for the vindication of Gods justice and his own ministry in this severe dispensation let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar b To wit of burnt-offerings which was made of wood but covered with brass before this time Exod. 27. 1 2. to which this other covering was added for further ornament and security against the fire which was continually burning upon it for they offered them before the LORD therefore they are hallowed and they shall be a sign c A monument or warning to all strangers to take heed of invading the Priesthood as it follows ver 40. unto the children of Israel 39 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers wherewith they that were burnt had offered and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar 40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come near to offer incense before the LORD that he be not as Korah and as his company d i. e. That he do not imitate them in their sin and therefore bring upon himself the same plague as the LORD said to him e i. e. To Eleazar These words belong to ver 38. the meaning is that Eleazar did as God bad him by the hand of Moses 41 But on the morrow f Prodigious wickedness and madness so soon to forget such a terrible instance of divine vengeance all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying ye have killed g You who should have preserved them and interceded for them have pulled down Gods wrath upon them for the maintenance of your own authority and interest the people of the LORD h So they call those wicked wretches and rebels against God which shews the power of passion and prejudice to corrupt mens judgments 42 And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they i i. e. Moses and Aaron who in all their distresses made God their refuge looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation and behold the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation k To hear what God who now appeared would say to him 44 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 45 Get ye up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment and they fell upon their faces l To beg pardon and mercy for the people as they oft did thus rendring good to them for evil which the people required with evil for their kindness 46 And Moses said unto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein from off the altar and put on incense m Which was a sign of intercession Psal. 141. 2. and was to be accompanied with it Luk. 1. 9 10. and go quickly unto the congregation n With the incense to stir up the people to repentance and prayer to prevent their utter ruine This he might do upon this extraordinary occasion having Gods command for his warrant though ordinarily incense was to be offered onely in the Tabernacle and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the LORD the plague is begun o In cutting off the people by a sudden and miraculous stroke 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation p Hazarding his own life to obey God and to do this wicked people good and behold the plague was begun amongst the people and he put on incense and made an atonement for the people 48 And he stood between the dead and the living q Whereby it may seem that this plague like that fire Numb 11. 1. began in the uttermost parts of the congregation and so proceeded destroying one after another in an orderly manner which gave Aaron occasion and direction so to place himself as a Mediatour to God on their behalf and the plague was stayed 49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred beside them that died about the matter of Korah 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the plague was stayed CHAP. XVII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses
Church and in the Minds and Hearts of men and enflames the Souls of Believers with Love to God and Zeal for his Glory 5 And the LORD will create s Will in a marvellous manner produce as it were by a new Work of Creation upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblies a * Exod. 13. 21. cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night t A Pillar of Cloud and Fire like that wherewith the Lord directed and protected and honoured the Israelites when they came out of Egyâ—…t Whereby he implies That God would be their Protector and their Glory for ‖ Or above upon all the glory u Upon all that Church and People which God will make so glorious not onely in his own Eyes but even in the Eyes of the World upon all holy Assemblies of sincere Christians shall be †Heb. a covering a defence 6 And there shall be a tabernacle x Or he i. e. the Lord shall be a tabâ—…rnacle or a tent to defend them from the violent Heat of the Sun and other Injuries of the Weather which was the Use and Benefit of Tents for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain CHAP. V. NOw will I sing a I will record it to be a Witness for God and against you as Moses did his Song Deut. 31. 19. 32. 1. to my welbeloved b To the Lord of the Vineyard as appears by the last Clause of the Verse to God or Christ whom I love and serve and for whose Glory eclipsed by you I am greatly concerned a song of my beloved c Not devised by me not the Effect of my Envy or Passion but inspired by God which therefore it behoveth you to lay to heart touching his vineyard d His Church oft and very fitly called a vineyard because of God's singular Respect to it and Care of it and his Delight in it and expectation of good Fruit from it c. My welbeloved hath * Psal. 80. 8. Oant. 8. 12. Jer. 2. 21. Mat. 21. 33. Mar. 12. 1. Luk. 20. 9. a vineyard in †Heb. the horn of the son of oyl a very fruitful hill e Hills being Places most commodious for Vines See Psal. 80. 10. Heb. in an horn which may signisie either 1. the Figure or Shape of the Land of Canaan which resembles an Horn or 2. the Heighth and Hilliness of that Land as Horns are the highest parts of Beasts or 3. the Goodliness and Excellency of it as an horn when it is ascribed to a man signifies his Glory and Dignity as Iob 16. 15. Psal. 89. 17 24 c. the son of oil which by a vulgar Hebraism notes an oily or a fat Soil 2 And he ‖ Or made a wall about it fenced f That neither Men nor Beasts might spoil it it and gathered out the stones thereof g Which otherwise would have marred the Land of which see 2 Kings 3. 19. The sence is He removed all Hinderances and gave them all the Means of Fruitfulness and planted it with the choicest vine and built a tower h For the Residence of the Keepers that they might be obliged and encouraged to watch over it with more diligence in the midst of it and also †Heb. hewed made a wine-press therein and he looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes 3 And now O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah judge I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard i I dare make you Judges in your own Cause it is so plain and reasonable 4 What †Heb. was there to do could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it k What Work is there belonging to the Office of a Master or Keeper of the Vineyard which I have neglected wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes l How unworthy and inexcusable a Crime is it that you have not onely been unfruitful in good Works but also filled with all the Fruits of Wickedness 5 And now go to I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard m He graciously warns them before-hand that they may have space and invitation to repent and so to prevent the threatned Miseries * Psal. 80. 12. I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be †Heb. for a treading trodden down n I will withdraw my Presence and Protection from them and give them up into the Hands of their Enemies 6 And I will lay it waste it shall not be pruned nor digged o Vine-dressers use to dig up and open the Earth about the Roots of the Vines for divers good purposes The meaning is I will remove my Ministers who used great care and diligence to make you fruitful but there shall come up briers and thorns p I will give you up to your own wicked Lusts. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it q I will deprive you of all my Blessings which are oft compared to rain c. 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah †Heb. plant of his pleasures his pleasant plant r In whom God formerly delighted to dwell and converse Compare Prov. 8. 31. Ier. 31. â—…0 and he looked for judgment but behold †Heb. a scab oppression for righteousness but behold a cry s From the Oppressed crying to Men for Help and to God for Vengeance 8 Wo unto them that join * Mic. â—… â—… house to house that lay field to field t That add new Purchases of Houses and Lands to their former Possessions Not that this was in it self unlawful but because they did this from an inordinate and insatiable desire of Riches and with the Injury of their Brethren as is manifest from the foregoing and following Words till there be no place that they may be placed alone u That they alone may be the Lords and Owners and all others onely their Tenants and Servants in the midst of the earth 9 ‖ Or this is in mine ears saith the LORD c. In mine ears said the LORD x I heard God speak what I am now about to utter Heb. In the ears of the Lord. Which may relate either 1. to the foregoing Words The Cry of your Sins and of the Oppressed is come into God's Ears he hears and sees it and will certainly punish it Or 2. to the following Clause which being of great importance he ushers in with an Oath I speak it in God's Ears as well as in yours I call God to witness the
or commandements to wit the ten commandements so called by way of eminency for these onely were written by God upon the stony tables as appears by Exod. 34. 28. the rest were written onely by Moses in a book above ver 4. which I have written that thou mayest teach them 13 And Moses rose up and his minister Joshua g Who did not go up with Moses to the top of the mount as is sufficiently implyed both here and above ver 1 2. but abode in some lower place waiting for Moses his return as appears from Exod. 32. 17. And there Ioshua abode 40 dayes not fasting all the while but having as the rest had Manna for his meat and for his drink water out of the brook that discended out of the mount as we read Deut. 9. 21. and Moses went up into the mount of God 14 And he said unto the elders Tarry ye here for us h i. e. For me and Ioshua and here i. e. in the camp where he was when he spake these words for it was where not onely Aaron and Hur but the people might come as it here follows and therefore not upon the mount untill we come again unto you and behold Aaron and Hur i Whom Moses had made joint-commissioners to determine hard causes which were brought to them from the Elders according to the order Exod. 18. 22. Some make Aaron the Ecclesiastical head and Hur the civil head But Aaron was not authorized for Ecclesiastical matters till chap. 28. are with you if any man have any matters to do let him come unto them 15 And Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered the mount 16 And * Num. 14. 10. the glory of the LORD k i. e. The tokens of his glorious presence in the fire ver 17. Deut. 4. 36. abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered l From the eyes of the people it six dayes and the seventh day m So long God made Moses wait either to exercise his humility devotion and dependance upon God Or to prepare him by degrees for so great a work Or because this was the Sabbath day called therefore the seventh with an emphatical article And God might chuse that day for the beginning of that glorious work to put the greater honour upon it and oblige the people to a stricter observance of it So it was upon a Lords Day that St. Iohn had his Revelation delivered to him Rev. 1. 10. he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud 17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like * Deut. 4. 36. devouring fire n He saith like it for it was not devouring fire as appears by Moses his long abode in it Note here whatsoever the Elders of Israel saw before the people saw no similitude of God as Moses observes Deut. 4. 15. on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel 18 And Moses went up into the midst of the cloud o The God that called him enabling him to enter and abide there whereas when he was left to himself he could not enter into the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 35. and gat him up into the mount and Moses was in the mount forty dayes and forty nights p In which he did neither eat nor drink Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 9. 9 18. whereby it seems most probable the six days mentioned ver 16. were a part of these 40 days because Moses being in perpetual expectation of Gods call seems not to have had leasure for eating and drinking nor provision neither Besides he is not said to be in the midst of the cloud so long but onely in the mount where he was those six days ver 15 16. CHAP. XXV 1 AND the LORD spake a Having delivered the Moral and Judicial Laws he now comes to the Ceremonial Law wherein he sets down all things very minutely and particularly whereas in the other Laws he was content to lay down general rules and leaveth many other things to be by analogy deduced from them The reason of the difference seems to be this That the light of reason implanted in all men gives him greater help in the discovery of Moral and Judicial things then in Ceremonial matters or in the external way and manner of Gods Worship which is a thing depending wholly upon Gods institution and not left to mans invention which is a very incompetent Judge of those things as appears from hence because the wittiest men destitute of Gods revelation have been guilty of most foolery in their devices of Gods Worship unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel that they †Heb. take for me bring me an ‖ Or. heave offering offering * chap. 35. 5. of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering 3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them gold and silver and brass 4 And blue b Or Skie-coloured But here you must not understand the meer colours which could not be offered but some materials proper for the work and of the colours here mentioned to wit Wool or Threds or some such like things as appears from Heb. 9. 19. and from the testimony of the Jews and purple and scarlet and fine †Or silk linnen c Which was of great esteem in antient times and used by Priests and great Officers of state See Gen. 41. 42. Rev. 19. 8 14. and goats hair d Heb. Goats But that their hair is understood is apparent from the nature of the thing and from the use of the word in that sense in other places 5 And rams skins died red and badgers skins and Shittim-wood e A kind of Wood growing in Egypt and the Deserts of Arabia very durable and pretious See Exod. 35. 24. Numb 33. 49. Esa. 41. 19. Ioel 3. 18. 6 * chap 27. 20. Oyl for the light f For the Lamps or Candlesticks ver 〈◊〉 * chap. 30. 23 Spices for anointing oyl g Wherewith the Priests and the Tabernacle and the 〈◊〉 thereof were to be anointed and for * chap. 30. 3â—… sweet incense h Heb. Incense of Spices or Sweet-odors So called to distinguish it from the incense of the fat of Sacrifices which was burnt upon the Altar 7 Onyx-stones i Or Sardonyx-stones Note that the signification of the Hebrew Names of the several stones are not agreed upon by the Jews at this day and much more may we safely be ignorant of them the religious use of them being now abolished and stones to be set k Stones of fulness or filling or perfecting stones so called either because they did perfect and adorn the Ephod or because they filled up the ouches or the hollow places which were left vacant for this purpose in the * chap. 28. 4. Ephod and in the * chap. 28. 15. breast-plate l
6. 3. and 90. 13. this evil congregation which murmure against me I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel which they murmure against me 28 Say unto them * chap. 〈◊〉 and 32. 〈◊〉 Deut. 1. 〈◊〉 As truly as I live saith the LORD as * See Veâ—… ye have spoken p When you wickedly wished you might have died in the wilderness ver 2. in mine ears so will I do to you q I will bring your imprecations upon your heads 29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness and all that were numbred of you according to your whole number from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me 30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land concerning which I †Heb. 〈◊〉 my hand sware to make you r i. e. Your Nation for God did not swear to do so to these particular persons dwell therein save Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones which ye said should be a prey them will I bring in and they shall know the land which ye have despised 32 But as for you your carcases they shall fall in this wilderness 33 And your children shall ‖ Or 〈◊〉 wander s Like sheep feeding in the deserts or shall be shepherds i. e. shall live like the shepherds of Arabia in tents and removing from place to place having no certain dwelling in the wilderness fourty years t i. e. So long as to make up the time of your dwelling in the wilderness forty years as appears from Numb 33. 8. Dâ—…t 1. 3. and 2. 14. Compare Amos 5. 25. It is manifest that one whole year and part of another were past before this sin or judgment and bear your whoredoms u i. e. The punishment of your whoredomes to wit of your Apostacy from and perfidiousness against your Lord who was your husband and had married you to himself See Ier. 3. 14. Whence Idolatry is called whoredom untill your carcases be wasted in the wilderness 34 * chap. 13. 25. After the number of the dayes in which ye searched the land even * Psal. 95. 10. Ezek. 4. 6. fourty dayes each day for a year x So there should have been 40 years to come but God was pleased mercifully to accept of the time past as a part of that time shall ye bear your iniquities even fourty years and ye shall know ‖ Or altering of my 〈◊〉 my breach of promise y That as you have first broken the covenant between you and me by breaking the terms or conditions of it so I will make it void on my part by denying you the blessings promised in that covenant and to be given to you in case of your obedience So you shall see that the breach of promise wherewith you charged me ver 3. lies at your door and was forced from me by your perfidiousness Or my breach either passively i. e. your breaking off from me as such pronouns are oft used as Gen. 50. 4. Isa. 53. 11. and 56. 7. or actively i. e. my breaking of or departing from you and stopping the current of my blessings towards you you shall feel by experience how sad your condition is when I withdraw my grace and favour from you 35 I the LORD have said I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation that are gathered together against me in this wilderness they shall be consumed and there they shall die 36 And the men whom Moses sent to search the land who returned and made all the congregation to murmure against him by bringing up a slander upon the land 37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land * 1 Cor. 10. 10. Heb. 3. 17. Jude 5. died by the plague z Either by the pestilence threatned ver 12. or by some other sudden and extraordinary judgment before the LORD a i. e. Sent from the cloud in which God dwelt and from whence he spake to Moses and wherein his glory at this time appeared before all the people ver 10. who therefore were all and these spies among the rest before the Lord. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh which were of the men that went to search the land lived still 39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel and the people mourned greatly 40 And they rose up early in the morning and gat them up b i. e. Designed or attempted or prepared themselves to go up for that they were not yet actually gone up plainly appears from ver 42. 44. and from Deut. 1. 41. Things designed or indeavoured in Scripture-phrase are oft said to be done See on Gen. 37. 21 22. Exod. 8. 18. into the top of the mountain saying Lo we * Deut. 1. 41. be here and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised for we have sinned 41 And Moses said Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD c Either that command Go not up c. which though in this place mentioned after yet may seem to have gone before their transgression by comparing this place with Deut. 1. 42 43. or that command above ver 25. turn ye and get ye into the wilderness c. which was a course directly contrary to that which they took but it shall not prosper 42 Go not up for the LORD is not among you that ye be not smitten before your enemies 43 For the Amalekite and the Canaanite are there before you and ye shall fall by the sword because ye are turned away from the LORD therefore the LORD will not be with you 44 But they presumed d Guilty both of rashness and rebellion thus running from one extreme to another to go up unto the hill top nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD and Moses departed not out of the camp 45 Then the Amalekite came down and the Canaanite e Largely so called but strictly the Amorite as appears from Deut. 1. 44. which dwelt f So they were a part and branch of those that dwelt in the valley ver 25. Or sat i. e. placed themselves lay in ambush expecting your coming in that hill and smote them * Deut. 1. 44. and discomfited them even unto * chap. 21. â—… Hormah g A place so called afterwards Numb 21. 3. from the great slaughter or destruction of the Israelites at this time CHAP. XV. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 * Lev. 23. 1â—… Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When ye be come into the land of your habitations which I give a i. e. Will certainly give you notwithstanding this great provocation and my unchangeable commination And for their better assurance hereof he repeats and amplifies the laws of sacrifices whereby thorough Christ he was or
e Four moneths before Aaron and but a few more before Moses and was buryed there 2 And there was no water for the congregation f Which having followed them through all their former journeys began now to fail them here and because they were now come near Canaan and other countreys where waters might be had by ordinary means and therefore God would not use extraordinary least he should seem to prostitute the honour of miracles This story though like that Exod. 17. is different from it as appears by divers circumstances and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron 3 And the people * Exod. 17. 2. chode with Moses and spake saying Would God that we had died * chap. 11. 1 33. 14. 37. 15. 32 35 45. when our brethern died before the LORD g i. e. Suddenly rather than to die such a lingring and painful death Their sin was much greater than their parents in like case because they should have taken warning by their miscarriages and by the terrible effects of them which there eyes had seen 4 And * Exod. 17. 3. why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness that we and our cattel should die there 5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt to bring us in unto this evil place it is no place of seed or of figs or vines or of pomegranates neither is there any water to drink 6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly h Partly to avoid the growing rage of the people for Gods singular protection of them did not exclude the use of ordinary means and partly to go to God for relief and redress unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and * chap. 14. 5. 15. 4. they fell upon their faces and * chap. 14. 10. the glory of the LORD appeared unto them 7 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 8 * Exod. 17. 5. Take the rod i That rod which was laid up before the Lord in the tabernacle as appears from ver 9. But whether it was Aarons rod which was undoubtedly laid up there Numb 17. 10. or Moses his rod by which he wrought so many miracles it is not considerable or whether it was not one and the same rod which was commonly called Moses his rod as here ver 11. and elsewhere and sometimes Aarons rod as Exod. 7. 12. which may seem most probable For it is likely though not related elsewhere in Scripture that wonder-working rod called the rod of God Exod. 4. 20. was laid up in some part of the tabernacle though not in or near the Ark where Aarons blossoming rod for a particular reason was put and gather thou the assembly together thou and Aaron thy brother and speak ye unto the rock k Which will sooner hear and obey my commands than these sottish and stubborn people before their eyes and it shall give forth his water and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink 9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD l i. e. Out of the Tabernacle as he commanded him 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock and he said unto them Hear now ye rebels must we fetch you water out of this rock 11 And Moses lift up his hand and with his rod he smote the rock twice and the * Exod. 17. 6. water came out abundantly and the congregation drank and their beasts also m To the men it was a sacrament 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. but to the beasts it was no holy but a common thing So that the elements in the Sacraments have no inherent and inseparable holiness but onely a relative holiness with respect to their use out of which they are unholy and common 12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron Because * chap. 27. 14. Deut. 1. 37. 3. 26. 32. 51. ye believed †Heb. not in 〈◊〉 me not n But shewed your infidelity which they did either by their looks and gestures or rather by the matter and manner of their expressions and actions either 1. by smiting the rock and that twice which is emphatically noted as if he doubted whether once smiting would have done it whereas he was not commanded to smite so much as once but onely to speak to it or 2. by the doubtfulness of these words ver 10. Must we fetch water out of the rock which implies a suspicion of it as the like words do Gen. 18. 13. whereas they should have spoken positively and confidently to the rock to give forth waters And yet they did not doubt of the power of God but of his will whether he would gratify these rebels with this further miracle after so many of the like kind And besides the words themselves it is considerable both with what mind they were spoken which God saw to be distrustful and in what manner they were delivered which the people might discern to come from disbelief or doubt And there might be divers other unbelieving words used by them at this time and place though they be not here recorded it being usual in Scripture to give onely the summe or principal heads of discourses or events leaving the rest to be gathered out of them See Psal. 106. 32 33. to sanctifie me o i. e. To give me glory of my power in doing this miracle and of my truth in punctually fulfilling my promise so to do and of my goodness in doing it notwithstanding the peoples perverseness in the eyes of the children of Israel p This made their sin scandalous to the Israelites who of themselves were too prone to infidelity and little needed such an ill example to prevent the contagion whereof God leaves a monument of his great displeasure upon them and inflicts a punishment as publick and manifest as their sin was therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them 13 * Deut. 33. 8. Psal. 95. 8. 106. 32 c. This is the water of ‖ That is strife Meribah q Called Meribah Kadesh to distinguish it from another Mebah Exod. 17. 7. because the children of Israel strove with the LORD and he was sanctified in them r Or among them to wit the children of Israel last mentioned by the demonstration of his omnipotency veracity and clemency towards the Israelites and of his impartial holiness and severity against sin even in his greatest friends and favourites as Moses was 14 And Moses sent messengers s By Gods direction Deut. 2. 1 2 3. from Kadesh unto the king of Edom Thus saith thy brother t For was not Esau who is Edom Gen. 36. 1. Iacobs brother Mal. 1. 2. Israel Thou knowest all the travel that hath
of that common sin was not directly and properly death but exclusion from the land of Canaan and death onely by way of consequence upon that and had no sons 4 Why should the name of our father be †Heb. diminished done away e As it will be if it be not preserved by an inheritance given to us in his name and for his sake Hence some gather that the first son of each of these heiresses was called by their fathers name by vertue of that law Deut. 25. 6. whereby the brothers first son was to bear the name of his elder brother whose widow he married from among his family because he hath no son give unto us therefore a possession f In the land of Canaan upon the division of it which though not yet conquered they concluded would certainly be so and thereby gave glory to God by believing among the brethren of our father 5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD g i. e. Into the Tabernacle where God was pleased to speak with Moses upon occasions Exod. 25. 22. Numb 7. 89. For it was an hard case and though their plea seemed reasonable yet Moses shewed his humility and modesty that he would not determine it himself without Gods particular direction 6 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right thou shalt surely give them h In Hebrew it is of the masculine gender to shew that women in this case should enjoy the mans priviledge and that the heavenly Canaan whereof this was a type did belong no less to women than to men Gal. 3. 28. a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their fathers i i. e. Which belonged to their fathers in case they had lived to pass unto them 8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying If a man die and have no son then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter 9 And if he have no daughter then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren 10 And if he have no brethren k Nor sisters as appears from ver 8. then ye shall give his inheritance unto his fathers brethren 11 And if his father have no brethren then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family and he shall possess it and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment l A statute or rule by which the Magistrate shall give judgment in such cases as the LORD commanded Moses 12 And the LORD said unto Moses * Deut. 3. 2â—… and 32. 4â—… Get thee up into this mount Abarim m The whole tract of mountains was called Abarim Numb 33. 47. whereof one of the highest was called Nebo Deut. 32. 49. and the top of that Pisgah Deut. 34. 1. and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel 13 And when thou hast seen it thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people n Of which phrase see Gen. 15. 15. and 25. 8. as * chap. 2â—… 〈◊〉 and 31. 2. Deut. 10. 6. Aaron thy brother was gathered 14 For * chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 1. 3â—… Psal. 1â—… 〈◊〉 ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin in the strife of the congregation to sanctifie me at the water before their eyes that is the * Exod. 〈◊〉 water of Meribah in Kadesh o This is added to distinguish this miscarriage of Moses from that of the people in Rephidim Exod. 17. 7. in the wilderness of Zin 15 And Moses spake unto the LORD p The words here following and others too which are recorded Deut. 3. 23 26. saying 16 Let the LORD * chap. 16. 〈◊〉 God of the spirits of all flesh q i. e. Of all men the searcher of spirits that knowest who is fit for this great employment the father and giver and governour of spirits who canst raise and suit the spirits of men to the highest and hardest works as thou didst those Numb 11. 16 17. See Numb 16. 22. set a man over the congregation 17 Which may go out before them and which may go in before them r i. e. Which may wisely conduct them in all their affairs both when they go forth to war or upon other occasions and when they return home and live in peace A metaphor from shepherds as it here follows which in those places used not to go behind their sheep as ours now do but before them and to lead them forth to their pasture and in due time to lead them home again Of this phrase see Deut. 28. 6. Act. 1. 21. and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the congregation of the LORD be not * Zech. 〈◊〉 Matth. â—… 〈◊〉 as sheep which have no shepherd 18 And the LORD said unto Moses Take thee Joshua the son of Nun a man in whom is the spirit s The spirit of government of wisdom and of the fear of the Lord c. and lay thine hand upon him t By which ceremony Moses did both design the person and confer the power and by his prayers which accompanied that rite obtain from God all the spiritual gifts and graces necessary for his future employment as appears from Deut. 34. 9. See of this custom Gen. 48. 14. Levit. 1. 4. Numb 8. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 19 And set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation u That they may be witnesses of the whole action and may acknowledge him for their supream ruler and give him a charge x Thou shalt command him in my name to undertake the government of my people which otherwise he will be afraid and unwilling to do and thou shalt give him counsels and instructions for the right management of that great trust in their sight 20 And thou shalt put some of thine †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour upon him y Thou shalt not now use him as a servant as thou hast done but as a brother and thy partner in the government shewing respect to him and causing others to do so and thou shalt impart to him the ensigns and evidences of thy own authority whatsoever they be Some understand this honour of those spiritual endowments which did adorn Moses which Moses was now to confer upon him But this Ioshua had before for in him was the spirit ver 18. and he received a further measure of the spirit by Moses his laying on of hands from both which this honour is distinguished and had he meant this he would not have expressed it in so dark and doubtful a phrase but have called it a putting not of honour but of the spirit upon him as it is called Numb 11. 17. And seeing the word honour here may very well be properly understood why should we run to
on 1 King 7. 40 c. and the ‖ Or bowls basons and Huram †Heb. finished to make finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God 12 To wit the two pillars and * 1 Kin. 7. 41. the pommels and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars and the two wreathes to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars 13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreathes two rows of pomegranates on each wreath to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were †Heb. upon the face upon the pillars 14 He made also bases and ‖ Or caldrone lavers made he upon the bases 15 One sea and twelve oxen under it 16 The pots also and the shovels and the flesh-hooks and all their instruments did Huram his father g i. e. Solomons Father the Relative being put before the Antecedent which is not unusual in the Hebrew Tongue And he is so called here because Solomon usually called him by that name out of that great Respect which he bare to him for his Excellent Art and Service which he did for him it being usual to call great Artists and Inventers of things by this Name of which see Gen. 4. 20 21. Or Huram Abiu or Abif a Man so called or Huram Abi as ch 2. 13. make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of †Heb. made bright or scoured bright brass 17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them in the †Heb. thicknesses of the ground clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah 18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance for the weight of the brass could not be found out 19 And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God the golden altar also and the tables whereon the †Heb. bread of faces shew-bread was set h Which were of Gold and so are distinguished from those ten Tables mentioned v. 8. which seem to have been made of Silver Compare 1 Chron. 28. 16. 20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps that they should burn after the manner i According to the Prescription of God to and by Moses before the oracle of pure gold 21 And the flowers and the lamps and the tongs made he of gold and that †Heb. perfections of gold perfect gold 22 And the snuffers and the ‖ Or bowls basons and the spoons and the censers of pure gold and the entry of the house the inner doors thereof for the most holy place and the doors of the house of the temple were of gold k To wit in part they were made of Wood 1 King 6. 30. 2 King 18. 16. but covered with Golden Plates CHAP. V. 1 THus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished * 1 Kin. 7. 51. And Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated and the silver and the gold a Or even as that particle is oft understood the Silver and the Gold the Remainder of those vast Sums mentioned 1 Chron. 22. 14. and all the Instruments put he among the treasures of the house of God 2 * 1 King 8. 2 c. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel b Of this and the following Verses see the Notes on 1 King 8 1 c. and all the heads of the tribes the ‖ Or rulers of the families So Gr. chief of the fathers of the children of Israel unto Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David which is Zion 3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month 4 And all the elders of Israel came and the Levites took up the ark 5 And they brought up the ark and the tabernacle of the congregation and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle these did the priests and the Levites bring up 6 Also king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark sacrificed sheep and oxen which could not be told nor numbred for multitude 7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place to the oracle of the house into the holy place even under the wings of the cherubims 8 For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above 9 And they drew out the staves of the ark that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle but they were not seen without And ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kin. â—… â—… there it is unto this day c When this History was first written not when it was reviewed by Ezra who made some Additions to it For after the Return from Babylon neither Staves nor Ark were any more seen or heard of 10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses * Deut. 10. 2 5. put therein at Horeb ‖ Or 〈◊〉 when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt 11 And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place for all the priests that were †Heb. 〈◊〉 present were sanctified and did not then wait by course d According to Davids Appointment 1 Chron. 24. 25. which was onely for the Ordinary Service but in Extraordinary Solemnities such as this eminently was they all came together 12 * 1 Chr. 25. â—… And also the Levites which were the singers all of them of Asaph of Heman of Jeduthun with their sons and their brethren being arrayed in white linen having cymbals and psalteries and harps stood at the east-end of the altar and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets 13 It came even to pass as the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD and when they lift up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick and praised the LORD saying * Psal. 136. For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever that then the house was filled with a cloud even the house of the LORD 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God CHAP. VI. 1 THen * 1 Kin. 8. 1â—… c. said Solomon a This whole Chapter for the Substance and almost all the Words of it are explained in the Notes on 1 King 8. The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the * Lev. 16. 2. Exod. 20. 21. thick darkness 2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee and a
is called upon this house this house which I have built is called by thy Name 34 If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy name 35 Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication and maintain their ‖ Or right cause 36 If they sin against thee for there is * Prov. 20. 9. Eccles. 7. 20. Jam. 3. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 8. no man which sinneth not and thou be angry with them and deliver them over before their enemies and †Heb. they that take them captives carry them away they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near 37 Yet if they †Heb. bring back to their heart be think themselves in the land whether they are carried captive and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity saying We have sinned we have done amiss and have dealt wickedly 38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity whether they have carried them captives and pray toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers and toward the city which thou hast chosen and toward the house which I have built for thy name 39 Then hear thou from the heavens even from thy dwelling place their prayer and their supplications and maintain their ‖ Or right cause and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee 40 Now my God let I beseech thee thine eyes be open and let thine ears be attent †〈…〉 unto the prayer that is made in this place 41 Now * Psal. 132. 8 c. therefore arise O LORD God into thy resting-place b O thou that sittest in the Heavens arise from the Throne of thy Glory and come down into this place which thou hast appointed for thy constant and fixed Habitation from which thou wilst not remove as formerly thou hast done from place to place thou and the ark c i. e. Thou in the Ark. of thy strength let thy priests O LORD God be clothed with salvation d Which is the Sign and Instrument of thy great power put forth from time to time on the behalf of thy people i. e. Let them be adorned and encompassed on every side with thy Protection and Benediction For he seems rather to speak of the Salvation afforded to the Priests than of that which by Gods blessing on the Priests Labours is conferred upon the People this being a Prayer for Gods Blessing upon the whole Community consisting of Priests and People and let thy saints rejoyce in goodness e i. e. Let them have cause of Rejoycing and Thanksgiving for the Effects of thy goodness imparted unto them 42 O LORD God turn not away the face of thine anointed f i. e. Of me who by thy Command and Appointment was anointed the King and Ruler of thy People do not deny my present Requests nor send me back from the Throne of thy Grace with a sad Heart and dejected Countenance remember * Isa. 55. 3. the mercies of David thy servant g i. e. Those which thou hast promised to David and to his House for ever CHAP. VII 1 NOW * 1 Kin. 8. 54. when Solomon had made an end of praying the * Lev. 9. 24. Judg. 6. 21. 1 Chr. 21. 26. fire came down from heaven a In token of Gods Acceptance of his Prayer See on Levit. 9. 24. 1 Kin. 18. 38. and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the LORD b i. e. The Cloud which was the Sign of Gods glorious and gracious Presence filled the house 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD c Compare Exod. 40. 35. because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORDs house 3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down and the glory of the LORD upon the house d The Cloud first came down upon the House and then entred into the House and was seen both within it by the Priests and without it by the People they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement and worshipped and praised the LORD saying * Ch. 5. 13. for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever 4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD 5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God 6 * 1 Chr. 15. 16. And the priests waited on their offices the Levites also with instruments of musick * 1 Chr. 16. 42. of the LORD which David the king had made to praise the LORD because his mercy endureth for ever when David praised ‖ the LORD †Heb. by their hand by their ministery e For David composed the Psalms or Hymns 1 Chron. 16. 7. and appointed them to be sung by the Levites and instrumental Musick to be joyned to their Voices and the priests sounded trumpets before them and all Israel stood 7 Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court f Of this and v. 8 9 10. see the Notes on 1 King â—… 64 c. that was before the house of the LORD for there he offered burnt-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt-offerings and the meat-offerings and the â—…at 8 Also at that time Solomon kept the feast seven days and all Israel with him a very great congregation from the entring in of Hamath unto * 〈…〉 the river of Egypt 9 And in the eighth day they made †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a solemn assembly for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven days 10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away unto their tents glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David and to Solomon and to Israel his people 11 Thus * 1 Kin. 9. â—… c. Solomon finished the house of the LORD g See on 1 King 9. 1 2. and the kings house and all that came into Solomons heart to make in the house of the LORD and in his own house he prosperously effected 12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him I have heard thy prayer * Deut. 12. 5. and have chosen this place to my self for an house of sacrifice 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain or if I command the locusts h i. e. Use my Authority and Power over them to cause them to do so A Metaphor elsewhere used
imply and causeth them to wander in the ‖ Or void place wilderness where there is no way i Either 1. he giveth them up to foolish and pernicious counsels by which they are exposed to contempt and brought to their wits end not knowing what course to take Or 2. he banisheth them from their own Courts and Kingdoms and forceth them to flee into desolate wildernesses for shelter and subsistence 41. * 1 Sam. 2. 8. Psal. 113. 7 8. Yet setteth he the poor on high k And whilst he bringeth down great potentates at the same time he advanceth those who were obscure and contemptible ‖ Or after from affliction and maketh him families like a flock l Which increase very much in a little time 42. †Job 22. 19. The righteous shall see it m Or rather these things as it is expressed in the next verse They shall diligently observe these wonderful works of Gods mercy and justice and rejoice n Not only in the mercies of God vouchsafed to them and to other persons in want and misery but also in Gods judgments upon his implacable enemies which afford matter of rejoicing to good men as hath been once and again declared in this book both for the honour which God hath by them and for the sins and calamities of others which by this means are prevented and all * Job 5. 16. iniquity o i. e. Unrighteous or ungodly men the abstract being put for the concrete as faithfulnesses for the faithful Psal. 12. 2. and pride for the proud Psal. 36. 12. shall stop her mouth p Shall be put to silence So this or the like phrase is used Iudg. 18. 19. Iob 5. 16. 21. 5. 29. 9. They who used to speak loftily and wickedly and to sit their mouth against the heavens as they did Psal. 73. 8 9 to reproach God and his providence as either negligent or unrighteous in the management of the world shall now be forced to acknowledge his power and justice in those judgments which he hath brought upon them 43. * Hos. 14. 9. Whose is wise and will observe those things q Or Who for the Hebrew particle mi is interrogative is wise for as this conjunctive particle is frequently used he will observe these things All who are truly wise will consider all these events and lay them to heart as being very useful for their own instruction even they r Or each of them all such wise and considering persons shall understand the kindness of the LORD s Will see and acknowledge that God is kind or good to all and that his tender mercies are over all his works as it is said Psal. 145. 9. and singularly kind and gracious to all wise and godly men PSAL. CVIII A Song or Psalm of David This Psalm is almost word for word taken out of two foregoing Psalms the first five verses out of Psal. 57. 7 8 9 10 11. and the rest out of Psal. 60. 5 c. to which the Reader must resort for the explication of it This only is observable that the Psalmist designing to take the body of this Psalm out of Psal. 60. doth industriously lay aside that mournful Preface v. 1 2 3 4. and borrows one more pleasant out of Psal. 57. The reason of which change is supposed to be this that Psal. 60. was composed in the time of his danger and distress and the latter after his deliverance 1. O God my heart * Psal. 57. 7 8 c. is fixed I will sing and give praise even with my glory a Either 1. with my heart or soul which is fixed for that work as he said in the former branch Or rather 2. with my tongue which is called a mans glory Psal. 16. 9. comp with Act. 2. 26. So the first branch describes the fixedness of his heart to which this adds the expressions of his mouth 2. Awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early 3. I will praise thee O LORD among the people and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations 4. For thy mercy is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the ‖ Or skies clouds 5. Be thou exalted O God above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth 6. * Psal. 60. 5 c. That thy beloved may be delivered save with thy right hand and answer me 7. God hath spoken in his holiness I will rejoyce I will divide Shechem and mete out the valley of Succoth 8. Gilead is mine Manasseh is mine Ephraim also is the strength of mine head Judah is my law-giver 9. Moab is my wash-pot over Edom will I cast out my shoe over Philistia will I triumph 10. Who will bring me into the strong city who will lead me into Edom b This he repeats in this place either because though the enemies were defeated and subdued yet there was some strong city or cities which were not yet taken or in way of thankful commemoration of Gods goodness in answering his former requests as if he had said I remember this day to thy glory and my own comfort my former straits and dangers which made me cry out Who will bring me c. 11. Wilt not thou O God who hast cast us off and wilt not thou O God go forth with our hosts 12. Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man 13. Through God we shall do valiantly for he it is that shall tread down our enemies PSAL. CIX To the chief musician A Psalm of David It is sufficiently evident from the body of this Psalm that it was composed by David when he was in a state of persecution either by Saul or by Absalom and that amongst and above all the rest of his enemies he takes very particular notice of and breaks forth into vehement expressions of anger against one particular person which whether it were Doâ—…g or Ahitophel is not certain nor at all necessary to know But as David was and very well knew himself to be a Type of Christ and consequently his enemies did typifie or represent the enemies of Christ and this particular adversary of his did represent some singular and eminent enemy of Christ which though David might not yet the Spirit of God which indited this Psalm did know to be Iudas and accordingly directed all these bitter invectives and imprecations against him who deserved and received far worse punishments for his monstrous wickedness than all which are here mentioned And that he was the person principally aimed at in this Psalm will seem very probable to him who considers Davids mild and merciful temper even towards his enemies which he both professed in words in this very book as Psal. 35. 12 13 14. and practised in deeds as 2 Sam. 16. 10 11. 19. 22 23. and withal the severity of these imprecations reaching not onely to the persons of his
meets them is the same place which is sanctified by his glory and that was the Tabernacle verse 43. as it is expressed in our Translation and sufficiently implyed in the Hebrew by a common Ellipsis of the pronoun it i. e. that place where I meet with you to wit the Tabernacle shall be c. I will meet you to speak there unto you 43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel and ‖ Or Israâ—… the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory s i. e. By my glorious presence and appearance of which see Exod. 40. 34. 35. Levit. 9. 24. 44 And I will sanctifie the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar I will sanctifie also both Aaron and his sons to minister to me in the Priests office 45 And * chap. 25. â—… Lev. 26. 1â—… 2 Cor. 6. 1â—… I will dwell t By my special grace and favour and blessing for by his essence he fills all places amongst the children of Israel and will be their God 46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I may dwell amongst them I am the LORD their God CHAP. XXX 1 AND thou shalt make * chap. 37. 25. an altar to burn incense upon a Incense signifies the prayers of Gods people Psal. 141. 2. Revel 8. 3. which are not acceptable to God except they be offered upon the true Altar Christ. This incense also was useful to correct the bad smell of the sacrifices which were offerred on another Altar not far from it Yea some sacrifices were offered upon this Altar as appears from verse 10. Levit. 4. 7. But here onely the principal and constant use of it is noted of shittim-wood shalt thou make it 2 A cubit shall be the length thereof and a cubit the breadth thereof four-square shall it be and two cubits shall be the height thereof the horns thereof b See Exod. 27. 2. Though these horns as they were for another use so they seem to be here of another form and for ornament more than for service shall be of the same 3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold the †Heb. roof top thereof c This was made hollow like a grate that the ashes might fall thorough it and the †Heb. wall sides thereof round about and the horns thereof and thou shalt make unto it a crown d A border which encompassed the Altar that the things laid on it might not fall of of gold round about 4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it by the two †Heb. ribs corners thereof upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal 5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim-wood and overlay them with gold 6 And thou shalt put it before the vail e Before the second vail in the holy place and near to the holy of holies and consequently to the Ark and Mercy-seat that is by the ark of the testimony before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony where I will meet with thee 7 And Aaron shall burn thereon †Heb. iâ—…cense of spicâ—…s sweet incense f Aaron was to do this for the first time but afterwards any Priest might do it as appears from Luke 1. 9. This not being done in the Holy of Holies which was the High-Priests peculiar every morning when * chap. 27. 20. he dresseth the lamps g i. e. Cleansed them and prepared them for the receiving of the new lights he shall burn incense upon it 8 And when Aaron ‖ Or settâ—…th up †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascend lighteth the lamps †Heb. between the two 〈◊〉 at even h The time when all the lamps were to be lighted 1 Sam. 3. 3. Sce Exod. 27. 20 21. he shall burn incense upon it a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations 9 Ye shall offer no strange incense i i. e. Of any other â—…ort than what I shall here appoint verse 34 c. thereon nor burnt-sacrifice nor meat-offering neither shall ye pour drink-offering thereon 10 And * â—…ev 16. 14. 〈◊〉 23. 27. Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year k On the day of expiation Levit. 16. 19. Numb 29. 7. with the bloud of the sin-offering of atonements l To note that the prayers of the Saints are acceptable to God no otherwise but through the blood of Christ who was offered for the expiation of our 〈◊〉 once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations it is most holy unto the LORD 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 12 * chap. 38. 25. Numb 1. 2 5. and 25. 2. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after †Heb. them that are to be numbred See Numb 31. 50. their number then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul m A certain price for the redemption of their lives whereby they acknowledged the right and power which God had over their lives and that they had forfeited them by their sins and that it was Gods mercy to continue their lives to them unto the LORD when thou numbrest them n To wit upon any just occasion either now in the Wilderness or afterward It may seem that this payment was neither to be made at this time onely as some would have it nor yet every year as Iosephus and others affirm because it is not said to be a perpetual statute as other things of constant observance are but upon any eminent occasions when the service of the Tabernacle which is the end and use of this collection or Temple required it as may be gathered from 2 King 12. 4. compared with 2 Chron. 24. 6. Compare Neh. 10. 32. Matth. 17. 24. And as now it was imployed in the building of the Tabernacle so afterwards it might be laid out upon the repairs or other services of it that there be no plague amongst them when thou numbrest them 13 This they shall give every one that passeth among them that are numbred * Matth. 17. 24. half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary o Which though it hath been commonly conceived to be double to the common shekel yet divers late learned men seem more truely to judge that it was no more than the common shekel consisting of half a crown of English-money which is called the shekel of the Sanctuary because the standard by which all shekels were to be examined was kept in the Sanctuary as afterwards the just weights and measures were kept in Christian Temples or other publick places See Levit. 27. 25. Numb 3. 47. Ezek. 45. 10 11 12. add to this that it was a part of the Priests office
desparing sinners sometimes cry out that their sins are greater than God can pardon as some translate Cains words Gen. 4. 13. And since power is applied to Gods wrath in punishing sin Rom. 9. 22. why may it not as well be attributed to Gods mercy in forgiving it Especially if it be considered that even in men revenge is an act of impotency and consequently it must needs be an act of power to conquer their passions and inclinations to revenge and to pardon those enemies whom they could destroy according as thou hast spoken saying 18 The LORD is * Exod. 34. 6. Psal. 103. 8. long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression and by no means clearing the guilty * Exod. 20. 5. and 34. 7. visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation a These words may seem to be very improperly mentioned as being a powerful argument to move God to destroy this wicked people and not to pardon then It may be answered that Moses useth these words together with the rest partly because he would not sever what God had put together and partly to shew that he did not desire a full and absolute pardon but was willing that God should execute his vengeance upon the principal authours of this rebellion and leave some character of his displeasure upon all the people as God did but onely that God would not disinherit them ver 12. nor kill all the people as one man ver 15. nor destroy them both root and branch because he had promised not to extend his wrath against them in punishing their sins beyond the third and fourth generation But the truer answer seems to be that these words are to be translated otherwise and in destroying he will not utterly destroy though he visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation Of which see the notes on Exod. 34. 7. where all this verse is explained 19 Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even ‖ Or hitherto until now b After many and great provocations shew thy self still to be the same sin-pardoning God 20 And the LORD said I have pardoned according to thy word c So far as not utterly to destroy them as I threatned ver 12. and thou didst fear and beg the prevention of it ver 15. 21 But truly as I live * Psal. 72. 19. all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD d i. e. With the report of the glorious and righteous acts of God in punishing this rebellious people in manner following That this is the true sence appears both from the particle of opposition and the solemn introduction of them But truly as I live and from the following verses because all these men c. which come in without any note of opposition and have a manifest relation to and connexion with this verse 22 Because all those men which have seen my glory c i. e. My glorious appearances in the cloud and in the Tabernacle and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times f i. e. Many times A certain number for an uncertain as Gen. 31. 7. Levit. 26. 8. Iob 19. 3. Though some reckon ten times precisely wherein they did eminently provoke God and have not hearkened to my voice 23 * Deut. 1. 35. Psal. 95. 11. and 106. 26. Heb. 3. 17. †Heb. if tâ—…ey see the land Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it 24 But my servant * Josh. 14. 6 8 9. Caleb g Ioshua is not here named because he was not now among the people but a constant attendant upon Moses nor was he to be reckoned as one of them any more than Moses and Aaron were because he was to be their chief commander because he had another spirit with him h i. e. Was a man of another temper and carriage faithful and couragious not acted by that evil spirit of cowardize unbelief unthankfulness disobedience which ruled in his brethren but by the spirit of God and hath followed me fully i i. e. Universally and constantly in and through difficulties and dangers which made his partners halt him will I bring into the land whereinto he went k In general Canaan and particularly Hebron and the adjacent parts Ios. 14. 9. and his seed shall possess it l Or shall expell it i. e. its inhabitants the land being oft put for the people of it Compare Ios. 8. 7. and 14. 12. 25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley m Beyond the mountain at the foot whereof they now were ver 40. And this clause is added either 1. as an aggravation of Israels misery and punishment that being now ready to enter and take possession of the land they are forced to go back into the wilderness or 2. as an argument to oblige them more willingly to obey the following command of returning into the wilderness because their enemies were very near them and severed from them onely by that Idumâ—…an mountain and if they did not speedily depart their enemies would hear of them and fall upon them and so the evil which before they causelesly feared would come upon them they their wives and their children would become a prey to the Amalekites and Canaanites because God had forsaken them and would not assist nor defend them The verse may be rendred thus And or But for the present the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley therefore which particle is here understood as it is in other places to morrow turn ye c. Though some knit these words to the former and read the place thus Caleb and his seed shall possess it to wit the land near Hebron and also the land of the Amalekites and of the Canaanites that dwell in the valley Quest. But how are the Canaanites said to dwell in the valley here when they dwelt in the hill ver 45. and by the sea-coasts Numb 21. 1 Ans. 1. Part of them dwelt in one place and part in other places 2. The word Canaanite may here be understood more generally of all the inhabitants of Canaan to morrow turn ye and get ye into the wilderness by the way of the Red-sea n i. e. That leadeth to the Red-sea and to Egypt the place whither you desired to return ver 3 4. 26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 27 How long shall I bear with o Or pardon as ver 19 20. or spare which words are necessarily and easily understood It is a short and imperfect speech which is frequent in case of anger as Exod. 32. 32. Psal.
In the way as David did upon the like occasion 2 Sam 6. 13. Or Secondly When the Ark was come into the Priests Court where the Altar stood whence it was speedily to be conveyed to that place where the People could never behold it more Or rather Thirdly When the Ark was seated in its place for although they might in the way or passage offer some Sacrifices as David did yet that was not a proper season to offer so many Sacrifices as could not be told nor numbred as these are here said to be which far better agrees with what is more particularly related below ver 62 63 64. which is here signified in the general by way of anticipation as is frequently done in the Scripture in like cases that could not be told nor numbred for multitude 6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place into the Oracle of the house q i. e. To that part of the House which is called the Oracle 1 King 6. 5 16 19 23. or as it here follows the most holy place to the most holy place even under the wings of the cherubims r To wit of Solomon's new-made Cherubims 1 King 6. 23 24 27. not of the Mosaical Cherubims which were far less and unmovably fixed to the Ark Exod. 37. 7 8. and therefore together with the Ark were put under the wings of these Cherubims 7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above 8 And they drew out the staves s Not wholly which was expresly forbidden Exod. 25. 15. Numb 4. 6. but in part that the ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 ends of the staves were seen out in the ‖ Or arâ—… â—… 2 Chroâ—… 〈◊〉 holy place t Either First Properly so called which place was indeed before the oracle But how then could it be said that they were not seen without to wit in the Holy place For that they should be seen without to wit in the Court was so ridiculous a conceit that it had been absurd to suppose it or to say any thing to prevent it Nor is it much better what others say that these ends of the staves did discover themselves thorough the vail which they thrust forward though they did not pierce thorough it For neither in that case had they been seen and besides there was a Wall as well as a Vail in that place Or rather Secondly In the most Holy place which is oft called by way of eminency the Holy place as Exod. 29. 30. and 39. 1. Levit. 6. 30. and 10. 18. and 16. 2 16 17 20. And the Hebrew words rendred before the oracle may be as well rendred within the oracle the Phrase al pene being so used Gen. 1. 2. the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters i. e. in the Waters or in that confused heap of Earth and Water in which God was now Working that he might bring it into order and use and Gen. 1. 20. where it is well rendred in the open firmament of heaven i. e. of the Air. And thus the whole is most true They were seen out to wit without the Ark and the Cherubims which covered all the other parts but they were not seen without the Oracle to wit in the Holy place strictly so called For how could they be seen there when there was both a Wall and a thick Vail between that place and the Oracle And these Staves were left in this posture that the High-Priest might hereby be certainly guided to that very particular place where he was one day in a year to sprinkle Blood and to offer Incense before the Ark which otherwise he might mistake in that dark place where the Ark was wholly covered with the Wings of the great Cherubims which stood between him and the Ark when he entred thither Some conceive that the Door of the Oracle stood always open which yet seems very improbable and that they who were near the Door might see the ends of the Staves though by reason of the darkness of the place they could see nothing else there before the oracle and they were not seen without and there they are unto this day 9 * Exod. 2â—… 〈◊〉 Deut. 10. â—… There was nothing in the ark u Strictly and properly for in a more large sense as in is oft taken for by or near as is confessed and hath been proved before so the pot of Manna and Aaron's rod were also in it Heb. 9. 4. i. e. by it to wit in the most Holy place before the Ark of the testimony where God commanded Moses to put them as it is expressed Exod. 16. 33 34. Numb 1â—… 10. and not strictly in it But of this more God assisting on Heb. 9. 4. save the two tables of stone which * Deut. 〈◊〉 Moses put there at Horeb ‖ Or 〈◊〉 when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt 10 And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place x Either First The most Holy place into which the Priests had now entred to carry in the Ark. Or rather Secondly The Holy place where they might have stood to minister if the Cloud had not hindred them as may be gathered from the next Verse that the cloud y The usual token of Gods Glorious presence See Exod. 16. 10. and 24. 15 16. Numb 9. 15. * Exod. 〈◊〉 34 35. filled the house of the LORD z Partly in testimony of his Gracious acceptance of this Work and their Service and partly to beget an awe and reverence in them and in all others when they approach to God 11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud a Because the Cloud was either so bright that it dazled their eyes or rather so dark that it struck them with horror and amazement as is implied in the next Verse for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD 12 ¶ Then spake Solomon b Perceiving both Priests and People struck with horror and wonder at this darkness he minds them that this was no sign of Gods dislike or disfavour as some of them might possibly imagine but a token of his Approbation and Grace and special Presence among them The LORD * â—… Chr. 6. 1. said c Not in express words but by plain consequence because he hath declared both by his Words and Actions that he would manifest his presence â—…ith and dwelling among his People by a dark Cloud in which he would appear See Exod. 13. 21 22. and 24. 16. and 40. 35. Numb 9. 15. Deut. 4. 11. and 5. 22. Psal. 18. 12. and 97. 2. that he would dwell * 〈◊〉 16. 2. in the thick darkness 13 I have surely built thee an house
his Will is more than sufficient to do it shall he go away y Heb. go back i. e. retreat and run away from God faster than he did run towards and upon him v. 26. So it is a continuation of the former Metaphor of a Battel or Conflict between two persons 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity z i. e. In the vain and deceitful things of this World such as Power Riches Honour c. of which and of the loss of them he had been largely discoursing and now he subjoyns a general Caution to all men to take heed of running into the same errour and mischief with the fore-mentioned persons And withal he secretly intimates Iob's great sin which was the cause of his ruine to wit his carnal confidence in those vain things the Wealth and Glory and Children which God had given him from which Crime he therefore vindicates himself hereafter for vanity a i. e. Disappointment and disâ—…atisfaction and the vanishing or loss of all their imaginary felicity The same word vanity being elegantly repeated in another sense as is usual in Scripture and all Authors shall be his recompence b Heb. his exchange he shall exchange one vanity for another a pleasing vanity for a vexaâ—…ious vanity But this Verse is and may be rendred otherwise the Hebrew Parâ—…icle al. being here as it is elsewhere taken for a simple Negation Thus He that is deceived with vanity i. e with the vain things of this World wherewith most men are deceived and bewitched will not believe that vanity i. e. emptiness and disappointment and misery shall be his recompence And so this is an aggravation of his Calamity that it surprized him when he was confident and secure from all â—…ars of such an event 32. It shall be ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accomplished c To wit that which was last mentioned that vanity should be his recompence Or it i. e. his Branch mentioned in the next Clause of the Verse from which it is understood in this former Clause as is very usual in the holy Scripture shall be consumed or cut off * Ch. 22. 16. Psal. 55. 23. before his time d i. e. When by the course of Nature and common Providence it might have continued and flourished much longer and his branch e Either 1. his Glory and Prosperity Or rather 2. his Children by comparing v. 34. where the desolation is said to fall upon all the Congregation and Tabernacles of these men And so he reflects upon Iob who lost his Children shall not be green f i. e. Shall not continue to flourish as it had done 33. He g Either 1. the wicked man who by his sins is the Author of his own ruine Or 2. God who is easily understood both from the Matter and Context shall shake off h Heb. Shall take away by violence his unripe grapes i i. e. His Fruit his Children or other Comforts before their time as the vine k i. e. As the Vine either it self droppeth or rather loseth its tender Grapes which are plucked off by a violent hand and shall cast off his flower as the olive l Which flourisheth much about the same time with the Vine and is commonly handled in the same manner 34. For the congregation m i. e. Their Children and Servants and Friends and Dependents of hypocrites shall be desolate n i. e. Utterly destroyed and fire o i. e. Some eminent and terrible judgment of God which is oft expressed by fire as Isa. 9. 1â—… 26. 11. shall consume the tabernacles of bribery p i. e. Which were either built or maintained by extortion and bribery and such like unrighteous Courses whereof they thought Iob guilty Chapter 22. 8. 35. * Psal. â—… 1â—… Isa. 59. 4. Hos. 10. 13. They conceive mischief q i. e. They devise and contrive injurious and pernicious Enterprizes against others and bring forth ‖ Or 〈◊〉 vanity r Or iniquity or injury or trouble either 1. to others They execute what they had contrived Or 2. to themselves the mischief they designed for others falleth upon their own heads and they reap what they sowed and their belly s i. e. Their inward parts their hearts and minds See above on v. 2. prepareth deceit t Either 1. for others whom they design to cheat Or 2. for themselves who whilest they seek to deceive others shall find that they themselves are most deceived as being deprived of all their desires and hopes wherewith they fed themselves and cast into all those Calamities which they thought to prevent by these Artifices CHAP. XVI 1. THen Job answered and said 2. I have heard many such things a Both from you who do so odiously repeat the same things and from divers others For these things though you pride and please your selves in them as if you had made some great and strange discoveries are but vulgar and trivial ‖ Or 〈◊〉 * Chap. 13. 4. miserable comforters b In stead of giving me those Comforts which you pretend to do Chap. 15. 11. and which my Condition loudly calls for you feed me with terrours and censures and scoffs are ye all 3. Shall †Heb. 〈◊〉 of wiâ—… vain words have an end c When wiltst thou put an end to these idle and impertinent discourses He retorts upon him his Charge against Iob Ch. 15. 2 3. or what emboldneth thee that thou answerest d To wit so or in such manner so censoriously and opprobriously and peremptorily What secret grounds hast thou for thy Confidence Thy Arguments are flashy and weak if thou hast any stronger produce them 4. I also could speak as ye do if your soul e i. e. Your person as Gen. 12. 5. were in my souls stead I could heap up words against you f i. e. I could multiply Accusations and Reproaches against you as you do against me and * â—…am 2. 1â—… shake mine head at you g In way of derision as this phrase is most commonly used as 2 Kings 19. 21. Psal. 22. 7. Isa. 37. 22. Matth. 27. 39. 5. But I would strengthen you h i. e. Direct and support and comfort you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief i i. e. My discourse should comfort you The words your grief are here understood either out of the fore-going Clause where they are implied Or out of the next Verse where they are expressed Possibly the words may be thus rendred without any Ellipsis which is most natural if the Translation be true and suitable Compassion for the Hebrew word nid comes from nud which signifies to condole should restrain or govern my lips that they should avoid all speeches which may veâ—… you and speak onely what may be to your comfort and benefit whereas you let your Tongues loose
Wherefore are we counted as Beasts c i. e. Ignorant blockish and stupid men Ch. 17. 4 10. and †Heb. hidden Lam. 4. 1. reputed vile d Heb. polluted or unclean i. e. not fit to be conversed or discoursed with or contemptible as such things are in your sight e Either 1. To your faces or in your own hearing Or 2. In thy sight or Judgment O Iob so he speaks of Iob in the plural number as he did v. 2. 4. He teareth †Heb. his Soul himself f i. e. Iob of whom he speaks in the third person for the second as Ch. 12. 4. 16. 7. Obad. 3 3. Or O thou that tearest thy self Thou complainest of us for vexing thee with our speeches when in truth thou art thy own greatest tormenter by thy own impatience and rage in his anger shall the Earth be forsaken g To wit by God Shall God give over the government of the Earth and Men and things in it and suffer all things to fall out by chance and promiscuously to good and bad men without any regard to his Truth or Wisdom or Justice Shall God forbear to rule the World righteously as he hath hitherto done in favouring good men and destroying the wicked for thee h i. e. For thy sake or to prevent thy Complaints and Clamours and shall the rock be removed out of his place i Shall the Counsels of God which are more firm and unmoveable than Rocks and the whole course of his Providence be altered to comply with thy fancies or Humours 5. Yea k The thing is true and certain notwithstanding thy dissatisfaction and opposition against it the light of the wicked shall be put out l All their Glory and Felicity shall perish and the spark of his fire m i. e. Their highest and brightest Glory which he calleth the spark c. because like a spark it shines briskly for a moment but is quickly extinct shall not shine 6. The Light shall be dark in his Tabernacle n i. e. In his Family In stead of his former splendour both he and his shall fall into extremity of misery and his ‖ 〈◊〉 Lamp Candle shall be put out with him o i. e. His Glory shall die with him and not descend to his posterity as he hoped and designed Or his Candle which was with him or shone upon him shall be put out 7. The steps of his strength p i. e. His strong steps by a vulgar Hebraism By steps he means his Counsels as the next branch explains it his attempts and actions and by steps of strength such of them as seem to be most firm and settled contrived with greatest strength of Understanding and carried on with great resolution and might shall be straitned q i. e. Shall be hindred and entangled He shall be cast into great difficulties and troubles and perplexities so that he shall not be able to proceed and to accomplish his Enterprizes but shall find himself ensnared by his own devices as the next words declare it This Phrase is used also Prov. 4. 11 12. and it is opposed to the enlarging of a mans way or steps which signifies success and prosperity as Psal. 4. 1. 31. 8. and his own Counsel shall cast him down r He shall be undone by his own contrivances either because God will give him up to dangerous and destructive mistakes of his way or because God will oppose him and turn his own devices against him which he can easily do by throwing in unexpected accidents 8. For he is cast into a Net by his own Feet s By his own choice and design and actions and he walketh upon a snare t And therefore must needs be entangled and destroyed 9. The * Chap. 5. 5. Grin shall take him by the heel u i. e. Take fast hold of him so as to keep him in those distresses and the Robber x When he is ensnared the Robber shall come upon him and take and spoil or kill him Or the horrible or terrible man the Huntsman that said the Snare for him A Metaphor from those who hunt for wild Beasts who first lay snares for them and then seize upon them in the snares shall prevail against him 10. The Snare is †Heb. hidden laid for him in the ground y Where he doth not expect nor discern it The former snare he laid for himself but this was laid for him by another and a Trap for him in the way 11. * Ch. 15. 21. Jer. 6. 25. 20. 3. 46. 5. 49. 29. Terrours z Both from men and from God and from his own unquiet Mind and guilty Conscience shall make him afraid on every side and shall †Heb. scatter him drive him to his Feet a Shall force him to flee hither and thither and he knows not whither being secure and safe no where but pursued by terrours from place to place 12. His strength b Either 1. His Children which are and are called a mans strength as Gen. 49. 3. Psal. â—… 27. 4 5. Or rather 2. His Wealth and Power and Prosperity shall be hunger-bitten c Or famished i. e. utterly consumed and * Ch. 15. 23. destruction shall be ready at his side d i. e. Shall follow him at the heels as a most diligent servant or constant companion 13. It shall devour the †Heb. bars strength of his skin e Heb. The bars or rather the branches of the skin i. e. either the veins and sinews which branch out themselves through the skin as well as elsewhere Or the fat and flesh which like Bars support the skin and adorn and beautifie it as branches do a Tree without which the skin is shrivel'd up and deformed even the first-born of death f i. e. A most remarkable and terrible kind of death The first-born was the chief of his Brethren and therefore this title is given to things eminent in their kind as Isa. 14. 30. Col. 1. 18. Heb. 12. 23. Rev. 1. 5. shall devour his strength 14. * Chap. 8. 14. 11. 20. Psal. 112. 10. Prov. 10. 28. His confidence g i. e. All the matter of his Confidence his Riches Children c. shall be rooted out of his Tabernacle h i. e. Out of his Habitation and it i To wit the loss of his Confidence shall bring him to the King of terrours k Either 1. Into extream Fears and horrours of mind Or 2. To Death which even Aristotle called The most terrible of all terribles And this it will do either because it will expose him to his Enemies who will kill him or because the sense of his disappointments and losses and dangers will oppress his Spirits and break his Heart 15. It shall dwell in his Tabernacle l It i. e.
what he performeth or perfecteth or fulfilleth but leaveth it to be understood as being easie to be understood He performeth or perfecteth to wit all that he hath promised engageth himself to perform what he hath begun to do or what is yet to be performed it being usual in the Hebrew Language to understand a Verbal Noun after the Verb. He implies that God iâ—… not like Men who make large Promises but either through Inability or Carelessness or Unfaithfulness do not perform them but will certainly be as good as his Word 3. He shall send g Either 1. His Angels as Dan. 3. 28. Or 2. His help Or 3. His hand which is understood after this Verb 2 Sam. 6. 6. by Comp. 1 Chron. 13. 9. where it is expressed Or rather 4. His Mercy and his Truth as it here follows where also this Verb is repeated before those Words from heaven and save me ‖ Or he Reproacheth him that would swallow me up from the reproach of him that would swallow me up h i. e. From that shameful Destruction which they Design to bring upon me Or rather as it is rendred in the Margent of our Bible and by many others and as it is in the Hebrew He hath reproached i. e. He will certainly put to Shame or Reproach him that would swallow me up by disappointing his Expectation and delivering me from his Rage i. e. Shall discover them by their proper Fruits to wit by affording his Gracious help in pursuance of his Promises Selah * Psal. 40. 11. 43. 3. 61. 7. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth 4. My soul is among * Psal. 35 17. 58. 6. lions k I Live in the midst of a Generation of fierce and Bloody men which both in Scripture and other Authors are oft called Lyons â—… I have my abode and Conversation I lye leven among m Which Particle is easily borrowed out of the foregoing Clause them that are set on fire n even the sons of men o Whereby he explains what he meant by Lyons and tells us they were Beasts in the shape of Men. whose teeth p Which may be considered Either 1. As Instruments of Destruction as they are in Lyons Or rather 2. As Instruments of Speech as they are in Men for it here follows by way of Explication as the manner is and their Tongue And both seem to signifie their wicked and pernicious Calumnies of which he every where Complains and particularly in the History to which this Psalm seems to Relate 1 Sam. 24. 10. and by which they designed to promote his Destruction are spears and arrows q i. e. They grievously wound my Name and are devised to do me Mischief and their * Psal. 55. 21. tongue a sharp sword m To wit of or from Hell as is fully expressed Iam. 3. 6. who are meer Fire-brands and Incendiaries that are continually breathing out their Wrath and Threatnings and incensing Saul against me 5. * Psal. 7. 6. 148. 13. Be thou exalted r Glorifie thy Power and Goodness and Justice and Faithfulness by my Deliverance all which are exposed to Censure and Reproach whilst thou sufferest ungodly Wretches to oppress and Triumph over the Innocent and Righteous that put their trust in thee O God above the heavens s i. e. Higher than the Heavens or to the highest degree possible Or above all the false Gods which are supposed to reside in Heaven let thy glory be above all the earth t i. e. Above all Men upon Earth some whereof do now Audaciously lift up themselves against thee and above thee Or though as the Hebrew Particle is commonly rendred and it is no New thing to have the same Word or Particle diversly taken in the same Verse as hath been formerly shewed the whole Earth not onely amongst thine own People but so that even the Heathens shall be forced to acknowledge and admire thy Glorious deeds 6. * Psal. 7. 16. 9. 15. They have prepared a net for my steps my soul is bowed down u Or was bowed down I was even ready to fall and Perish Oâ—… mine Heart was oppressed and almost overwhelmed they have digged a pit before me x Heb. Before my Face not in my sight for that would have been in in Vain Prov. 1. 17. but in my Way where they thought I would go into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves y This was fulfilled in Saul who by pursuing fell into his Hands 1 Sam. 24. 3. Selah 7. * Psal. 108. 1. c. My heart is ‖ Or Prepared sixed z Or established in a full assurance of thy merciful Help It was ready to sink with Fear or bowed down v. 6. but now I have through thy Grace Conquered my Fears and am fixed in a stedfast Belief of thy Promises Or is prepared to wit to sing and give Praise as it follows O God my heart is sixed I will sing and give praise 8. Awake up my glory a Either 1. My Soul Or rather 2. My Tongue the Instrument of Singing which he was now about to do v. 7. 9. awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early b I will Rouse up and imploy all the Powers of my Soul and Body to set forth Gods Praises I will praise thee O LORD among the people c In the great Congregations amongst the Israelites of all Tribes who are called by this Name Deut. 33. 19. and amongst Heathens as I shall have occasion as he often had I will sing unto thee among the nations 10. * Psal. 36. 5. 71. 19. 89. 2. 108. 4. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens d i. e. Is most Evident and greatly Exalted and they truth unto clouds 11. Be * Vers. 5. thou exalted O God above the heavens let thy glory be above all the earth e. PSAL. LVIII The ARGUMENT This Psalm was Composed as very many others were upon the occasion of those wickedly Calumnies and unjust Censures and Sentences which were passed upon him by Saul and his Courtiers To the chief musician ‖ Or destroy not a Golden Psalm of David * Psal. 57. Tit. Al-taschith Michtam of David 1. DO ye indeed speak righteousness a The question implies a Denial You censure me freely without any Regard to Truth or Justice O congregation b The word signifies a Band or Company of men and seems to point at Saul's Judges and Counsellers who met together to Consult what they should do against David and probably passed a Sentence upon him as guilty of Treason and Rebellion do ye judge uprightly O ye sons of men c So he calls them Either 1. In Contempt and opposition of the sons of God or good Men. Or 2. By way of Admonition to mind them that they also were Men and must give an Account
Consciences made them dread both the present Judgment here and the terrible Consequences of it hereafter Heb. Who shall dwell for us c. i. e. in our stead Who will interpose himself between God's Anger and us How shall we escape these Miseries That this is the Sence of this Question may be gathered from the Answer given to it in the following Verse in which he directs them to the right Course of removing God's Wrath and regaining His Favour 15. He that * Psal. 15. 2. 24. 4. walketh †Heb. in righteousnesses righteously u Who is just in all His dealings with Men of which the following Clauses explain it Which is not spoken exclusively as if Piety towards God were not as necessary as Righteousness towards Men but comprehensively this being one Evidence and a constant companion of Piety and speaketh †Heb. uprightnesses uprightly x Who speaks truly and sincerely what He really intends he that despiseth y That refuseth it not for politick Reasons as Men sometimes may do but from a contempt and abhorrency of injustice the gains of ‖ Or deceits oppressions that shaketh his hands from holding z Or from taking or receiving as this Verb signifies Prov. 4. 4. 5. 5. 28 17. That will not receive much less retain Bribes of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of †Heb. bloods blood a Who will not hearken or assent to any Counsels or Courses tending to shed innocent Blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil b That abhorreth the very sight of Sin committed by others and guardeth his Eyes from beholding occasions of Sin of which see on Iob. 31. 1. 16. He shall dwell on †Heb. heights or high places high c Out of the reach of danger his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure d God will furnish him with all necessaries 17. Thine eyes shall see the king e First Hezekiah and then Christ as before in his beauty f Triumphing over all Enemies and Ruling his own People with Righteousness in which two things the beauty and glory of a King and Kingdome doth chiefly consist they shall behold †Heb. the land of far distance the land that is very far off g Thou shalt not be shut up in Ierusalem and confined to thine own narrow Borders as thou hast been but thou shalt have free Liberty to go abroad with honour and safety where thou pleasest even into the remotest Countries because of the great renown of thy King and the enlargement of his Dominions 18. Thine heart shall meditate terrour h This is Either 1. a Premonition concerning a future Judgment as if he said Before these glorious Promises shall be accomplished thou shalt be brought into great straits and troubles Or rather 2. a thankful Acknowledgment of deliverance from a former Danger as if he had said When thou art delivered thou shalt with pleasure and thankfulness recal to mind thy former Terrours and Miseries * 1 Cor. 1. 20. Where is the scribe where is the †Heb. weigher receiver where is he that counted the towers i These Words are Either 1. words of Gratulation and Insultation over the Enemy Thou shalt then say Where are the great Officers of the Assyrian Host They are no where they are not they are dead or slain Or rather 2. the words of Men dismayed and confounded such as proceeded from the Iews in the time of their distress and are here remembred to aggravate the present Mercy For the Officers here mentioned seem not to be those of the Assyrian Army who were actually fighting against the Iews and Ierusalem for then he would rather have mentioned the Captains of the host as the Scripture commonly doth in these cases than the scribes and receivers c. but rather of the Iews in Ierusalem who upon the approach of Sennacherib began to make Military preparations for the defence of the City and to chuse such Officers as were necessary and usual for that end such as these were to wit the scribe whom we call Muster-Master who was to make and keep a List of the Souldiers and to call them together as occasion required The receiver who received and laid out the Money for the Charges of the War and he that counted the Towers who surveyed all the parts of the City and considered what Towers or Fortifications were to be made or repaired for the Security of the City And unto these several Officers the People resorted with great distraction and confusion to acquaint them with all Occurrences or to quicken them to their several Works or to transact Matters with them as occasion required 19. * 2 Kin. 19. 32. Thon shalt not see a fierce people k As Moses said of the Egyptians Exod. 14. 13. So I say of the Assyrians that fierce and warlike People whom thou hast seen with great Terrour near the Walls of Ierusalem thou shalt see them again no more a * Deu. 28. 49. Jer. 5. 15. people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive l A forreign Nation whose Language is abstruse and unknown to thee of a ‖ Or ridiculous or barbarous stammering tongue m Of which see on Isa. 28. 11. that thou canst not understand 20 Look upon Zion n Contemplate Zions beauty and safety and her glorious and peculiar Priviledges It is an Object worthy of thy deepest Meditation the city of our solemnities o This he mentions as the chief part of Zions Glory and Happiness that God was solemnly Worshipped and the solemn Assemblies and Feasts kept in her thine eyes shall see * Psal. 46. 5. 125. 1 2. Ierusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken p Which was but very obscurely and imperfectly fulfilled in the literal Zion but was clearly and fully accomplished in the mystical Zion the Church of God in the times of the Gospel against which we are assured that the gates of Hell shall not prevail Mat. 16. 18. 21. ‖ Or but there glorious is the LORD we shall have a place c. But there q In and about Zion the glorious LORD will be unto us a place †Heb. broad of spaces or hands of broad rivers and streams r Though we have nothing but a small and contemptible Brook to defend us yet God will be as sure and strong a Defence to us as if we were surrounded with such great Rivers as Nilus or Euphrates which were a great security to Egypt and Babylon wherein shall go no galley with oars neither shall gallant ships pass thereby s But although they shall have from God the security of a great