either Mitteh a Bed or Matteh a Staff Scipione nixus Jacob ad spondae caput Deum moribundus adorat Anonym he bowed himself to God by way of Thankfulness both for those Promises of the Land of Cannaan in the expectation whereof he desired there to be buried as also because he was assured by Joseph he should be buried there Gen. 47. from vers 13. to the end SECT XLVI SOmetime after this Joseph heard that his Father was sick and he went to visit him taking his two Sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him to receive the Blessing of their venerable Grandfather When Israel heard He was come he raised up himself and sat upon the Bed as if a new degree of strength had been added to him Then He spake to his Son Joseph after this manner God Almighty appeared to me some years since at Luz (r) Or Bethel and twice see Ch. 28. 13 19. Ch. 35.6 in the Land of Canaan and blessed me saying Behold I will make thee fruitful and multiply thee and will make of thee a multitude (s) Viz. 13 populous Tribes of People and will give this Land to thy Seed after thee for an everlasting Possession (t) See Sect. 3. and Gen. 13.15 and Ch. 17.8 Hac locutione significat Israelitas sore perpetuos terrae haeredes usque ad Christi adventum quo renovatus fuit mundus The Lord was pleased there to renew and confirm to me the Blessing promised to my Father and Grandfather which is to go on still and to descend on our Posterity And therefore thy two Sons Ephraim (u) Jacob here prefers Ephraim and Manasseh though by Birth they are only my Grandchildren yet by Adoption shall be my Sons and accordingly in the division of the Promised Land they shall have the Priviledge of my Sons Each of them shall have a Twelfth share and they shall be Heads of Tribes no less than Reuben and Simeon and in them Two thou shalt have a double portion (x) This giving to the First-born a double Portion as many other things before-mentioned See Ch. 38. being in practice among the Patriarchs before Moses's time was afterwards put into a Law Deut. 21.17 and so the Right and Priviledge of the First-born 1 Chron. 5.1 And if thou shalt beget any Sons after them they shall be thine that is they shall be counted thy Off-spring and accordingly shall be ingrafted into the Stock and Tribe of Ephraim or Manasseh as if they were their Sons and not their Brethren and shall not make peculiar Tribes by themselves as these Two shall do Neither will any of thy Brothers have cause to complain that I give thee this Priviledge of the First-born For had I been fairly dealt with thy dear Mother Rachel had been my only Wife and so thou being her eldest Son hadst had that Right unquestionably And now I have mentioned thy dear Mother I cannot but remember with grief how soon she was taken from me she dying in Child-bed of thy Brother Benjamin Ch. 35.16 19. in the Land of Canaan near Bethlem-Ephrata as we came from Padan-Aram And she dying in that manner Her body could not well be kept so that I was forced to bury her there and could not carry her to the Sepulchre of our Ancestors where I my self desire to be buried Then Israel whose Eyes were dim perceiving two young Youths to stand before him but not knowing them he asked Who these were Joseph answered They are my Sons whom God hath given me in this Place Jacob said Bring them to me and I will bless them that is I will in the Name and by the Authority of God declare how He will bless them and this Blessing I will confirm to them by laying my Hands upon them They being brought to him and kneeling down between his knees He kissed them and embraced them saying to Joseph I had not thought to see thy Face and loe God hath shewed me thy Seed also Then Joseph took his two Sons from between his Fathers knees that he might place them in that order wherein he desired the Blessing should be given them And taking Ephraim in his right hand opposite to his Fathers left hand and Manasseh in his left hand opposite to his Fathers right hand and bowing himself before him in token of Reverence and Thankfulness for adopting his Sons he presented them unto him Jacob thereupon stretched out his right hand (y) Here is the first express mention of the Imposition of â— Hands which was afterwards often used 1. In Benedictions Mat. 19.13 2. In extraordinary Collations of Gifts and Graces Acts 8.17 3. In miraculous Cures Mark 6.5 4. In Ordination of Magistrates and Church-Officers Numb 8.10 Deut. 34.9 Acts 6.6 and 13.3 1 Tim. 4.14 and laid it upon Ephraim's head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manasseh's head who was the elder and he did it wittingly not crossing his Arms by chance but purposely as a sign and intimation of that which afterwards should come to pass to wit that Ephraim though the younger should have the preheminence Joseph seeing this though he knew that his Father in this action was guided by a Prophetick Spirit yet supposing he might be mistaken in this Circumstance of laying his hands by reason of the dimness of his sight he sought to rectifie his supposed Errour by removing his right hand from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's being carried therein as 't is probable by that natural affection that Fathers use to bear to their eldest Sons and accordingly told him That Manasseh was the First-born and therefore he desired him to lay his right (z) The right hand is naturally more strong and so more honourable than the left Jacob accordingly giveth the strongest and most honourable blessing to Ephraim by this sign of the right hand put upon him hand on him But Jacob refused to do it telling him He knew very very well what he did For though Manasseh should be great yet his younger Brother should be greater than he (a) In Number Issue and Power Numb ch 1. Eight thousand and three hundred men more of Ephraim than Manasseh See Deut. 33.17 Of Ephraim came Joshua and the Kings of the ten Tribes The Tribe of Ephraim is called The Tribe of Joseph Numb 1.32 34. Apoc. 7.8 The name of Ephraim is taken for the whole Kingdom of Israel Isa 7.2 They both had a double lot Josh 17.17 and his Seed should become a multitude of Nations Then Jacob solemnly blessed Joseph and his Children saying The God before whom my Fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk in Uprightness and Integrity The God which fed me all my life long to this day The Angel of the Covenant the Son God who hath hitherto preserv'd and delivered me from all Evil Bless the Lads (b) This action of blessing Joseph's Children Jacob is said to have performed by Faith Heb. 11.21 and let my Name (c) H. e. Adopto
9. 9ly Concerning the daily Sacrifices to be offered on this Altar constantly besides all other occasional Sacrifices which were to be two Lambs of the first year one to be offered in the Morning (g) A Pattern for our Devotion Morning and Evening the other in the Evening (h) Or between the two Evenings see Ch. 12.6 that is from the beginning of the declining of the Sun viz. three in the Afternoon to Sun-setting Hoc juge Sacrificium singulis diebus nullo intermisso sive Sacro sive prosano osserebatur scil agnus unus mane ante omnia Sacrificia alter vespere post alia Sacrificia for a Burnt-Offering to the Lord with an Omer or Pottle (i) See Notes on Exod. 16.36 of Flour mingled with the fourth part of an Hin (k) An Hin containing six Pints so the fourth part of an Hin is a Pint and half or a Pint and half of pure Oil and a Pint and half of Wine (l) Which was to signifie that Christ by the Oblation of Himself for Us becomes not only Redemption but also Food Gladness and chearing Comfort to be poured upon it and all to be consumed by fire upon the Altar Upon their performance of these things God promises to meet with them there at the door (m) Duobus ergo locis Deus loquebatur primo super Arcam in Sto Storum secundo ad ostium Tabernaculi Utrique loco propinquum erat altare illi thymiamatis huic holocausti In utroque offerebatur juge Sacrificium mane vespere ad colendam illam dignationem praesentiae divinae Jans of the Tabernacle before which the Altar stood and to manifest his gracious Presence and reveal his will to them And by such manifestations of his Glory He would declare that He had made choice of the Tabernacle and Altar for holy Services to Himself and that He had set apart Aaron and his Sons to minister to Him in the Priests Office And He would by such evident Tokens of his Presence dwell (n) Quia Tabernaculum erat quasi tentorium Dei tanquam Principis in medio populi sui habitantis among them and would be their God and manifest his especial Favour to them in directing and protecting them Exod. 29. from vers 38. to the end 10ly Concerning the brasen Laver which was to be made with a foot or base of Brass (o) This was made of the Womens brasen Looking-glasses Exod. 38.8 'T is like the Women did set a piece of shining Brass or burnish'd Metal before their Faces when they dress'd themselves on which it was to stand and Aaron and his Sons before they ministred were to wash their Hands and Feet (p) Hence some collect that the Priests ministred in the Tabernacle being bare-foot or in slight Sandals out of it Probably it had spouts for the water to issue forth at and at the bottom some Vessel to receive the water which the Priests made use of For being lifted up upon its Foot or Base the Priests could not put their Feet into it but probably they were to wash in the water drawn from it and they were to be careful constantly to do it being threatned in case they omitted it with destruction by the Hand of the Lord. Exod. 30. from vers 17. to 22. 11ly Touching the setting apart of Aaron and his four Sons for the Priests Office and concerning the particular Ornaments and Vestments they were to use in their Ministration for their Glory and Honour and to make them more Venerable among the People and to be a sign of their Consecration and Sanctification unto God And these Garments were to be made by such as were wise-hearted and whom God had filled with the Spirit of Wisdom for such a purpose And first Concerning the sacred Attire and Ornaments of the High Priest which are methodically ranked Levit. 8.7 8 9. 1. Linnen Breeches or Drawers next his Flesh 2. A Coat of fine Linnen embroidered over them 3. An embroidered Girdle to gird it withall 4. Over this Coat and Girdle a Robe all of blue which was to have Bells and artificial Pomegranates intermingled in the hem of it that the sound of all the Bells being heard when he went into the holy Place to minister the people might second him with heart and mind in his Sacred Offices and the Lord threatneth death to him if he should enter otherwise into the most holy Place then thus apparalled and so through his disobedience and neglect of Gods Command should be an occasion of the peoples Irreverence and want of Devotion towards God 5. Upon this Robe He was to wear the Ephod which was to be made of Gold of Blue of Purple of Scarlet of fine twined Linnen and to have on the Shoulders thereof two Onix Stones set in ouches of Gold and graven with the Names of the twelve Tribes of Israel to intimate to them that God seeing their Names upon the Shoulders of the High Priest would remember the Covenant He had made with their Fathers and accordingly would do them good 6. To the Ephod with Chains of Gold and golden Rings was to be fastned the Breastplate of Judgment (q) So called because the High Priest did put it on when he inquired of the Lord for the people in doubtful cases to give a right judgment and he could not give Sentence in Judgment without that on his Breast and the Judgment given thereby was called the Judgment of Urim Numb 27.21 wherein were to be set four rows of precious Stones three in a row in which were to be ingraven the Names of the Tribes of the Children of Israel which Aaron was to bear upon his Breast when he went into the Sanctuary and in this Breast-plate was to be the Vrim and Thummim signifying Light and Perfection * Ut significarent in Doctore duo requiri Scientiam vitae puritatem Grot. by which some understand those rows of precious Stones in the Breast-plate before mentioned and so called not only in regard of their brightness and perfection but with respect unto their use which was that by them the High Priest might inquire of God for the people in doubtful Cases and might by the special Inspiration of the Spirit of God be inabled to return them an answer from God (r) Hence it is they say that in the 39. Ch. of Exod. where Moses doth exactly relate how all things were made according to Gods appointment there is no mention made of Urim and Thummin but only of the twelve precious Stones set in the Breast-plate because those Stones were usually called by the people the Urim and Thummim For 't is thought that he earnestly looking upon those rows of precious Stones with respect to the Divine Institution and thereby inviting the Spirit to come upon him his understanding was suddenly so illuminated that he gave a satisfactory Answer in all particulars to the Question propounded and in doubtful
tells them If they had been merciful to his Brethren he would have spared their lives which he might lawfully have done they being not Canaanites though they were Enemies But now he could not do it seeing by the Law of God he was bound being next of blood and also a Magistrate to punish them with death that had murdered his Brethren see Numb 35.19 31. Whereupon he bad his young Son Jether to rise up and slay them And he imposes this work on him rather than another that he might train him up from a Youth to draw his Sword against the Enemies of Israel and that he might avenge the death of his Vncles and that it might add if not to the pain yet to the dishonour of their death to die by so young an hand But this young Boy had scarce courage enough to look them in the face so far was he from drawing his Sword against them Zeba and Zalmuâ—na seeing this said to Gideon Rise thou up and fall upon us thy self For as the man is so is his strength Do thou slay us with thy own hand and dispatch us quickly and let us not fall ignobly by the hand of a Child So Gideon slew them with his own hand and took away the Ornaments that were on their Camels necks which were very rich being adorned with Gold-Chains and Jewels as Ensigns and Memorials of his Victory Now the Ephramites came over Jordan and brought the Heads of Orch and Zeeb and presented them to Gideon But then they highly expostulated †Thus they proudly quarrelled with Jephta Ch. 12. and upon the same account see the like 2 Sam. 19.41 42 43. with him that they were not called out as well as other Tribes when he first raised Forces to go against the Midianites They looked upon this as a great neglect and contempt of them that other Tribes that were not so nearly allied to him and the Manassites as they were being both of them of Joseph's Posterity should be called to the first On-set and they left only to snatch up here and there some of the flying Midianites So that he and his Souldiers had gathered in the main Vintage and they were called in only to gather up the Gleanings Gideon mildly answered That they had no cause to complain For what have I done says he in comparison of you Are not the Gleanings of Ephraim better than the Vintage of Abiezer * Gideon was of that Family Consider what vast multitudes of them you have had the killing and pillaging of at the Fords of Jordan whilst we went in pursuit of only fifteen thousand of them that fled with Zeba and Salmunna Consider you have had the Honour to take and kill Oreb and Zeeb and therefore what cause have you to murmur or repine This mild Answer of his abated their anger and so they rested satisfied Judg. Ch. 7. whole Chapter and Ch. 8. from 1. to 22. SECT CXL THe people of Israel were now so highly pleased with Gideon for delivering them out of the hands of Midian that they offered to make him their King and to settle the Kingdom successively upon his Posterity He told them He would not Rule over them as a King because the accepting of the Regal Power to Himself and his Family would seem as it were a taking of the Government out of God's Hand who set up whom He pleased to Rule over them The Lord saith he shall Rule over you Take ye heed of rejecting Him 1 Sam. 8.6 7. neither I nor my Son shall be your King Thus he would not give any consent to the Change of the Government without God's leave But though Gideon refused this profer of theirs yet he told them He had one Request to make to them which if they would grant him he would take it very kindly from them which was That every one of them would give him one of those Ear-rings * Or golden Ornaments whither worn in the Ear or on the Forehead For the Hebrew word is used for both see Gen. 24.22 35.4 which they had taken from the Ishmaelites who used to wear such golden Ornaments They told him They would willingly do it And accordingly spreading a Garment to receive them every one cast in one of those Ear-rings or golden Ornaments they had taken from the Ishmaelites and the weight of them came to a thousand seven hundred Shekels of Gold which according to our account comes to 2380 pounds And besides these they added some Chains and golden Boxes wherein the Ishamelites carried sweet Perfumes and purple Garments which the Kings of the Midianites had worn All these they added besides the Collars which had been taken from the Necks of the Camels which Gideon had taken to himself as his proper Prey Gideon of part of this Gold now given him made an Ephod like that of Aaron's with a Breast-plate set with many precious stones of great value see Exod. 28.15 16 17. and made of Gold Blue Purple Scarlet c. 'T is like his design in making this Ephod was that it should be a Monument of that great Victory he had obtained after he had offered Sacrifice to God over the Midianites the Monument being made of the Prey there taken and possibly his purpose was to make use of this Ephod to enquire by the Judgment of Vrim what the Will of the Lord was upon all Emergent Occasions not considering that this Priviledge was only annexed to Aaron's Ephod or possibly he made this Ephod that the High Priest being adorned with it should Sacrifice for him and the people at the Altar which he by the Command of God had erected in Ophrah But what-ever was his intention he seems herein highly to have sinned against God and to have ministred occasion to the Israelites to commit Idolatry to which they were before of themselves too prone For after his death the Israelites did grosly abuse this Ephod to Idolatry and Superstition either resorting to it to inquire concerning the Will of God in their Doubts and Difficulties or offering Sacrifices there by occasion of it or being taken with the glory of it falling down before it and worshipping it and at last abusing it to the grossest Idolatry and making use of as 't is probable in the Worship of Baal vers 33. Be sure some way or other they Idolatrously abused it and are therefore said to have gone a whoring after it and it became a Snare to Gideon and to his House that is it insnared his Posterity by degrees drawing them to do that which was very displeasing to God and at last became the utter ruine of his Family For all the Tragical Accidents that afterwards befel his House may be looked upon as the effects of God's Wrath for this Idolatry However the Midianites were now so vanquished that they lifted not up their heads any more to vex Israel Gideon therefore after this Victory went and dwelt quietly in his own house and judged
old heavy and corpulent and falling down backward he broke his neck and died having judged Israel forty years Samuel the 14th Judg. His daughter-in-law Phinehas's wife was with child and ready to be delivered who when she heard those dismal tidings of the taking of the Ark the death of her father-in-law and husband she bowed her self and the pains of travel came upon her and being delivered yet so as she was ready to expire the women about her sought to comfort her telling her that she had borne a Son but she regarded it not only named the child Iehabod that is where is the glory (c) v. 22. Quod capta esset Arca Dei illud imprimis eam cruciabat nam domesticam calamitatem publicae postponebat Eliciamus hinc documentum lamentandi potius spiritualia dona quam temporalia Mendoz. intimating that the Ark being taken b which was the sign of Gods presence the glory was departed from Israel and so she gave up the Ghost 1 Sam. Ch. 4. whole Chapter SECT CLVI THE Philistines having taken the Ark they carried (a) Illa lex de non tangenda Area ad solos Israelitas spectavit unde Philistini Arcam tangentes non dederunt poenas quia culpam non contraxerunt Mendoz. it undoubtedly with great Triumph to Ashdod since call'd Azotus Act. 8.40 and placed it in the Temple of Dagon their God presenting it as a captive before their Idol by whose help possibly they perswaded themselves they had overcome the Hebrews and their God yet possibly they had some kind of reverence for it and therefore feared to offer any violence to it or to open it or take forth the Tables of the Law that were in it but however that was they placed it near unto Dagon The Priests of Dagon rising early the next morning and coming to see how the Ark and their Idol had agreed together they found that Dagon was fallen on his face to the earth before the Ark whereby the Lord did discover to them what a vain Idol their Dagon was and that the God of Israel was the only true Almighty God and that he had cast down their Idol-god in his own Temple The Priests took their Idol and set it up again and no doubt used all their skill to fasten it and make it sure from falling any more But coming again the next morning they found their Dagon fallen again upon his face to the ground before the Ark and his head and both the palmes of his hands (e) Gravius secunda vice mutilatur Dagon ut sic intelligerent Azotii veri Numinis potentiam Idoli sui vanitatem Fag cut off and cast at the threshold of the House only the stump and lower part of him was left intire Their Dagon being thus broken to pieces the Priests could not set him up again nor conceal his ruin from the people as possibly before they had done they might see now that it was not by any Casualty but by the will and power of God that he was thus thrown down But though God had cast the head and hands of Dagon to the threshold that so they might as it were be despised and trodden upon by those that came into that house yet the Priests and the people of Ashdod were so superstitious (d) Nulla Miracula satis magna sunt ad animum impium emendandum citra Dei spiritum P. Martyr even to the time when this History was written that they would not so much as tread on the threshold of that Temple accounting it sanctified by the touch of the head and hands of their Idol And thus by the over-ruling Providence of God even their superstition became a means to perpetuate the memory of this wonderful work of God in confounding their Idol which otherwise might in some short time have been forgotten The Lord having thus clearly discovered to the men of Ashdod that their Dagon was a vain Idol and that the God of Israel whose Ark they had boldly surprized was the only true God which he had sufficiently demonstrated first by casting down their Idol before his Ark and at last by breaking it in pieces yet notwithstanding they continued as superstitiously devoted to their Idol as they were before and were not afraid still to detain the Ark of God in captivity Therefore the Lord resolved to punish them severely for it and accordingly his hand was heavy upon the City of Ashdod and upon the Coasts thereof and he destroyed and wasted their land by sending multitudes of Mice among them Ch. 6.5 and smote them with the Emerods a disease not only painful but as the Psalmist intimates Psal 78.66 disgraceful also and to many of them mortal as appears from v. 10. The men of Ashdod seeing in what a sad condition they were they openly said the Ark of the God of Israel should not abide among them for they plainly saw that his hand was heavy upon themselves by inflicting this strange disease upon them and that it had been heavy also upon Dagon their God wherefore they convened the Lords of the Philistines to consult together what course was fit to be taken in this case These Lords agreed that the Ark should be carried from thence to Gath another of their five principal Cities situate upon an hill near unto the Sea see Amos 6.2 resolving thereby to try whither it was the presence of the Ark that had caused those plagues or whither they came by any other accident The Ark being brought to Gath God smote the inhabitants thereof both small and great with Emerods in their secret parts hereupon they sent away the Ark to Ekron another of the principal Cities of the Philistines when it was come thither the Ekronites cry'd out they have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to bring upon us the same plagues that they have been plagued with because of it And it fell out accordingly for immediately there was a deadly destruction throughout the City possibly some mortal contagion reigned among them and the men that died not of that plague were yet smitten with the Emerods so that the cry of the city went up to heaven hereupon they also convened the Lords of the Philistines and desired them to send away the Ark to its own place viz. to the land of the Israelites that they might not be destroyed by reason of it But these Lords being very loth to part with so glorious a Trophie of their victory desired yet to try a little further and therefore sent it after this to Gaza and Askelon as appears Ch. 6.4 17. which Cities felt the same plagues by reason of the Ark which the other had done Thus the Ark of the Lord was in the Country of the Philistines seven months (a) Miruâ— hic stupor quod tam diu in suo consilio pertinaces haereant tot hominum funere suam insaniam tueri vellent Sanctius but they being at last
shews that the hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord Prov. 21.1 He comes at last to Naioth where he Samuel and David being all met together he prophesied for a while before them praising God with Psalms and Hymns and then throwing aside his Princely robe or military habit and falling down on the ground he lay in a trance or extasie all that day and the night following see Numb 24.4 And thus was Saul in the midst of all his fury cast down * See a like case in one of his name and Tribe Act. 9. and as it were bound by the Almighty power of God and expos'd to shame and contempt among all that saw him thus disrobed thus manacled and restrain'd insomuch that some of them said What is Saul that hath shewed himself so great an enemy to David now among the Prophets and come hither to act as one of them This was mercifully ordered for David who hereby had liberty to escape for his life 1 Sam. Ch. 19. whole Chapter SECT CLXXI. DAvid taking the opportunity of Saul's extasie wherein he continued a day and a night he fled from Naioth to Gibeah where Jonathan was and heavily complaining to him that his father should still persecute him he said What have I done what is mine iniquity what is my sin against thy father that he so earnestly seeketh my life Jonathan replies Chap. 19.6 God forbid it should be so my father hath sworn to me that thou shalt not die and moreover he doth not use to do any thing of moment without acquainting me with it and I know nothing of any such purpose he hath and therefore I believe thou art more afraid than thou needest to be It seems Jonathan had not heard of Saul's sending his messengers to take David at his own house nor of his pursuing him to Naioth David seeing him so difficult to believe that he was in such danger he solemnly protested and swore to him as true as the Lord liveth it was so and as sure as he himself was alive there was but a step between him and death And as for his Father 's not acquainting him with it that was no argument against it for 't is like he would not let him know of it that it might not grieve him and that he might not use means to prevent it Jonathan then said seeing the case is so I will do any thing for thee thou canst reasonably desire of me David therefore propounds a way to him how he might discover his fathers affection towards him It seems the Feast of the New-Moon was to be celebrated on the morrow in which they offered Peace-offerings and Gratulatory Sacrifices sounding Trumpets over their Offerings see Numb 10.10 28.11 Psal 81.3 and on the remainder of these Oblations they feasted together And though the Feast lasted only one day viz. the first day of the month yet there being provisions in an ample and plentiful manner provided they were allowed to eat what remained the next day if the Sacrifice which was offered was a vow or voluntary offering see Levit. 7.16 This Feast was to be kept at Saul's Court the next day the chief men of his Court being to sit with him at Table and every one having his known seat which was so peculiar to him that if it were empty no other sat in it Now David being a great Commander in the Army and the Kings Son-in-law had among others his seat and did use at this Festival to sit with the King at Table David therefore tells Jonathan that he intended to absent himself from this feast and not to be at it either the first or second day but on the third day he would come and hide himself in the fields that he might be inform'd how things went He desires Jonathan diligently to observe how the King took his absence If he missed him and took notice of his absence he desires Jonathan to tell him that he asked leave of him that he might go and keep this New-Moon-Feast with his kindred at Bethlem for their family for some signal mercy received from God did annually set apart that day to commemorate it And says he if thy father accept my excuse and be not displeased at my absence then we may conclude all is well but if he be angry at it then it it a manifest sign that he hath determined evil agaiâ—â—t me and is vex'd at my absence because it did cross his purpose of doing me a mischief I pray thee therefore deal kindly with thy servant for thou hast brought me into a Covenant of friendship with thee which we made in the presence of the Lord and with invocation of him to be a witness and judge between us to reward the faithful and to punish the transgressour And as for me if thou hast hitherto found any iniquity in me slay me thy self for why shouldest thou expose me to thy fathers fury Jonathan replied Far be it from thee that thou shouldest die either by my hand or my fathers If I knew of any evil determin'd against thee by my father assure thy self I would not conceal it from thee Then David said seeing thou canst hardly come to me thy self without suspition nor canst safely intrust any servant with such a secret how shall I know whither thy Father were enraged at my absence or no Jonathan desires him to go out with him into the field that they might discourse of these things more privately there he tells him that when he had sounded his Father and discovered his mind and purpose concerning him he would faithfully reveal it to him whether it were good or bad if I do not says he then let the Lord God of Israel inflict deserved punishments on me as a false and faithless friend And as for my part being well assured that the Lord hath made choice of thee to succeed my Father I do heartily pray that the Lord would advance thee to the Kingdom as he did my Father and would make thee victorious over thine enemies as my Father hath been And when God shall have made thee King after my Father thou shalt not cut me off as a jealous King would do being the next heir but shalt manifest that great kindness towards me which by Covenant made in the Lords presence thou hast bound thy self to shew me And because this Covenant made between us extendeth not only to our own persons but to our posterity also thou shalt not take off thy loving-kindness from my house for ever see 2 Sam. 21.7 no not then when the Lord hath cut off all the enemies of David from the face of the earth So Jonathan renewed and ratified the Covenant that was before made between them and he said let the Lord require it at the hands of Davids enemies and consequently of me if I keep not Covenant with David but prove his enemy And as Jonathan renewed and confirmed his Covenant by a solemn oath with David
supplies as we have occasion The King tells them that seeing they would have it so he would do as they desired So standing at the Gate of the City to see his Army march he spake to the three Generals in the audience of the people that they should deal gently for his sake with the young man Absalom For besides his tender natural affection to him 't is like he feared lest he should die in his sins and under the heinous and heavy guilt of Murder Incest and Rebellion The Armies now approach each other and the Battel was fought in that part of Gilead which belonged to the Tribe of Gad near unto the Wood Ephraim so called either because it was close by Jordan right against the portion of Ephraim on the other side of the river or else because this was the place where Jeptha slew the Ephraimites Judg. 12.5 6. The Armies furiously engaging against each other Absalom's Army was discomfited and a great slaughter of them made and being disordered and routed and scattered a great many of them fled into the wood whither being pursued they were easily slain in that confusion and fright they were in so that more of them were slain in the wood * V. 8. The wood devoured more that day than the sword Frequens est ut id ab aliquo loco factum dicatur quod in illo loco ab allis perfectum est Sanctius than in the field the Country people as 't is like falling upon all straglers they met with so that the number of all the slain amounted to about twenty thousand Absalom flying among the rest happened to run upon a party of David's Souldiers which when he perceived striving to decline the danger he was in he fled into the wood and running his Mule fiercely to escape it happened that his head was catched in a crotch or forked bough of an Oak and his Mule going from under him he hung between heaven and earth as unworthy to live in either of them One of David's Souldiers seeing him thus hung told Joab thereof Joab asks him why he did not presently smite him and kill him Had he done it he would have given him ten shekels of silver and a military girdle for his pains which would have been a great honour to him The man replies though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand yet I would not put forth my hand against the Kings Son for the King in our hearing charged all you his Generals that none should touch the young man Absalom and if I should have done otherwise than I have done I should have wrought falshood and treachery * Fecissem inique contra animam meam q.d. whatever encouragements had emboldned me to do it they would have prov'd false and deceitful I should have wrought falsehood against my own life for he that wittingly doth any thing to the prejudice of his life may be said to work falshood against it against my own life for had I killed Absalom the King would have found out who did it and then thou thy self wouldst have set thy self against me as much as any other Joab angrily replied that he must not stand to talk with him but bad him shew him where it was that Absalom hung which he accordingly doing Joab preferring the peace and welfare of the King and Kingdom before the personal command and private affection of the King took three darts in his hand and run them through the midst of Absalom's body near his heart while he hung in the Tree and then the young men his Armour-bearers came and killed him out-right Absalom being dead Joab sounded a retreat and recalled his Souldiers from pursuing the Israelites that followed Absalom who thereupon stole home to their own houses Joab's Souldiers took Absalom's body and threw it into a great pit in the wood and cast a great heap of stones upon it and this was all the burial he had It seems sometime before this God had taken away his three Sons mentioned Ch. 14.27 not judging him worthy of children that would not honour his own Father and had basely murdered his own brother Absalom hereupon being depriv'd of his Children who should have kept up his name reared up for himself a pillar or some famous Sepulchral Monument possibly something like one of the Pyramides of the Kings of Egypt in the Kings dale †Call'd the Kings dale as some think because the King of Sodom and Melchisedeck King of Salem did there meet Abraham Gen. 14.17 lying between Jerusalem and Mount Olivet to perpetuate his name and memory But now God disappointed his pride and ambition by causing him to be buried in a pit under a heap of stones in an ignominious manner like a Malefactor The Army of David having obtained this great victory over Absalom and his forces Ahimaaz the Son of Zadock desired Joab to send him to the King with the glad tidings of it that the King might know how God had avenged him of his enemies Joab tells him that he should not go now for there was a mixture of joy and grief in this news and he would send him another time when he should be a messenger only of good Joab knew that the news of Absalom's death would so imbitter the joy of the victory to David that Ahimaaz would have but a cold welcome for bringing it So he bad Cushi a servant and possibly a footman to David to run to the King and tell him what he had seen Cushi runs accordingly Ahimaaz desires of Joab that he may run after him Joab asks him why he was so desirous to go seeing he had no news to carry that would be pleasing to the King but if he were so bent upon it he might go if he would Cushi ran the nearest way which was hilly and mountainous but Ahimaaz ran the way of the plain which though longer about yet was the more easie to run and so he outran Cushi The Watchman from the Turret of the Gate of Mahanaim discovering a man running thitherward acquaints the King with it who sat there earnestly expecting news The King said if he be alone he brings good tidings for they that are beaten in battel do flee in companies whereas the victors do usually dispatch only one or two to carry news of the victory being themselves otherwise employed in pursuing the enemy Then the Watchman discovered another running alone The King said he also bringeth us good news The Watchman said methinks the foremost seems to be Ahimaaz The King said if it be he he is a good man and undoubtedly comes to bring me good tidings Ahimaaz then immediately approached and as soon as he came near to the King he cried all is well then falling upon his face to the earth before the King he said Blessed be the Lord thy God who hath delivered the men that lifted up their hands against thee to be slain by thy servants The King asks
is like they had brought the Tabernacle with all the things appertaining to it from Gibeon The Priests * 2 Chron. 5.4 'T is said the Levites took up the Ark because the Priests were also Levites that is of the Tribe of Levi. took up the Ark on their shoulders the Levites according to their several appointed ranks carried the Tabernacle with the boards and curtains and the holy vessels belonging thereunto The King and the Elders walked after in a solemn procession to Mount Moriah (a) The Temple to speak properly was not built on Mount Sion but on Mount Moriah but because the whole City of Jerusalem is usually called Sion and Mount Sion from that Mount that was a chief part of it thence it is that the Temple Gods dwelling place is usually said to have been in Sion where the Temple was built whither being come the Priests carried the Ark into the Oracle or most holy place and set it under the wings of the Golden Cherubims But they drew out the staves of the Ark something from under the wings of the Cherubims that they might be seen in the holy place which was before the Oracle but they were not seen as taken out of the Ark 2 Chron. 5.9 And possibly these staves were the rather thus disposed to remember the people that if they brake Gods Covenant the staves yet remained within the rings of the Ark ready to bear away the Symbol of Gods gracious presence from them The Levites also disposed those things which they carried belonging to the (b) The Tabernacle was carried about in the Wilderness forty years it remained in Gilgal about fourteen years it remain'd in Shiloh till Samuels time 1 Sam. 4.4 it then remain'd in Nob till Saul destroyed that place 1 Sam. 22.19 it was in Gibeon all Davids time from thence it was brought into Zion and from thence into the Treasuries of the Temple Tabernacle into the Treasuries of the Temple there to remain as Sacred things not again to be removed When the Priests had set the Ark in its place and were come out immediately an hundred and twenty of them with silver Trumpers and the Levite-singers viz. Asaph Heman and Jeduthun with their Sons and Brethren being arrayed in white linnen and having Cymbals Psalteries and Harps in their hands stood at the East-end of the Altar and the Trumpets sounding and they playing on their Instruments and lifting up their voices with one consent and making one melodious harmony sang as it seems the 136 Psalm the burden of which is For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Whilst they were thus employed suddenly the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud which was an extraordinary manifestation of the presence of God 2 Chron. 5.14 't is said the glory of God filled the house which intimated that the brightness of his glory was such that if it were not clouded over no mortal eyes could behold it It seems the cloud was such and so amazing that the Priests could not continue to minister in the Sanctuary where the cloud was and by this visible sign of his presence the Lord did sanctifie to himself this place see Exod. 40.34 and shewed his approbation of all that was done Solomon standing upon a Brazen Scaffold made for him in the outward Court right before the door of the Priests Court through which he might look and apprehending this cloud to be a manifestation of Gods gracious presence and acceptance of the house he had built for his service in a rapture of joy he brake out into these words The Lord said he is pleased to dwell in thick darkness Levit. 16.2 and by a cloud he hath usually testified his presence among his people as when he led the Israelites by a cloud Exod. 13.21 In a cloud he appeared at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.16 In a cloud he appeared that covered and filled the Tabernacle as soon as it was reared up by Moses Exod. 40.34 and therefore doubtless in this cloud the Lord doth now appear unto us and testifies his favourable acceptance of our service in building this house for his name Then directing his speech to God he said O Lord I have built a Temple for thee to manifest thy gracious presence in an house not to be removed as the Tabernacle was but a setled place for thee to abide in (c) Officium Templi non est prastare Deo habitationem sed hominibus directionem ad soliâ—m divinum sempiteruâ—â— quod in câ—lo est Cajet to be there ready on all occasions to resolve us in such cases as we shall humbly propound unto thee and to hear such prayers as we shall make unto thee and to grant such blessings as we shall humbly crave of thee and to accept such sacrifices and services as we shall there offer up and present unto thee And O Lord I pray thee accept this house for thine and ever manifest thy gracious presence therein as long as this dispensation we are now under shall last and till the truth of this type shall be exhibited Then the King turned his face to the people standing about him and blessed them and said Blessed and praised be the Lord God of Israel who spake to David my Father that I should build a Temple for his great name and hath by his good hand upon me enabled me to do it The Lord also said since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt I chose no City out of all their Tribes in which I appointed an house to be built that my name might be there in a peculiar manner worshipped But having chosen David to be King over my people it was in his heart to build an house for my name And thereupon I said to him whereas it was in thine heart to build an house to my name I like it well that it was in thine heart to do it Nevertheless thou shalt not build this house for me but thy Son that shall come out of thy loins he shall build it And the Lord hath now graciously performed the word that he spake and I am risen up in my fathers room to sit on the Throne of Israel and have built an house for the Lord as he promised I should do and an abiding place for the Ark wherein are the two Tables of the Law which the Lord gave as a Covenant to his people requiring obedience on their part and promising many blessings on his part to the obedient Then Solomon turned his face towards the Altar of Burnt-offering and towards the most holy place and having stood a while he then kneeled down and spreading forth his hands towards heaven poured forth this Divine Prayer saying O Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepest Covenant and shewest mercy to thy servants that walk before thee in the integrity of their hearts Thou hast kept thy
as were not of the Tribe of Levi but of other Tribes Indeed the basest of the people were Priests good enough for his Golden Calves but because he pretended to have erected them for the worship of the true God this also is charged upon him as a provocation And he ordained a Feast to be kept in the eighth month in imitation of the Feast of Tabernacles which God ordained to be kept on the 15th day of the 7th month Levit. 23.34 he ordains it to be kept in another month that the people might not take it for the same Feast of Tabernacles and so think themselves obliged to go to Jerusalem to keep it And to grace this Idolatrous worship that he had set up even he himself did sacrifice upon the Altar that he had built to work in his peoples minds an higher esteem of it and also burnt incense to his Idols whereby he usurpt the Priests office * So did Uzziah 2 Chro. 26.16 intrude himself into the Priests office Whilst he was thus sacrificing at Bethel a certain Prophet sent by God out of Judah came unto him thus timely did the Lord give him warning and called him to repentance and in the zeal and fervency of his spirit he cried in the word of the Lord inventing nothing of his own head against this Altar saying O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord Behold a child shall be born unto the house of David Josiah †About 300 years after this Prophesie was fulfilled See 2 King 23.16 by name and upon thee shall he offer the bones of the Priests of the High-places that do now or shall hereafter burn incense upon thee so that this Altar shall one day have a goodly sacrifice burnt upon it viz. the bones of the Priests that sacrific'd upon it and the defiling and polluting of this Altar in this manner will be a sacrifice very pleasing unto God Possibly O Jeroboam says he thou wilt not believe this therefore I will give thee a sign from the Lord that this shall certainly come to pass Behold this Altar shall now be rent in sunder and the ashes upon it shall fall upon the ground to signifie the utter demolishing of it hereafter Jeroboam hearing this and being enraged at the Prophet put forth his hand from the Altar where he was burning incense and cried out lay hold on him and immediately his hand was dried up and the flesh withered and the sinnes shrank so that he was disabled from hurting the Prophet himself and the people were scared from obeying their King in what he required And immediately the Altar was rent and clave asunder The King then intreated the Prophet to pray * 1 King 13.6 To intreat the face of one that is offended is earnestly to desire the change of his countenance that his angry look may be turned into smiling for him that his hand might be restored which he accordingly did and it was upon his prayer restored and became whole as it was before The King was so taken with this kindness that he invited the Prophet to come home with him and to refresh himself and he would reward him for it The Prophet replied If thou wilt give me half thine house I will not go with thee neither will I eat bread or drink water in this City for so God hath commanded me intending I should shew my detestation of your Idolatry by avoiding all communion with such Idolaters And he hath commanded me also that I should not return the way I came but some other way as abhorring the very way that brought me to the sight of such abominations So he returned another way and not the way by which he came to Bethel Now there dwelt an old Prophet in Bethel whose Sons came to him and told him all that this Prophet had said to the King and what he had done to the Altar and in healing Jeroboams hand the old Prophet presently enquired which way this Prophet went and commanding his Asse to be presently sadled he rode thereon and following after him found him sitting under an oak and then invited him to come home with him to eat bread He told him could not do it for he was expresly forbidden it by the Lord. The old Prophet said I am a Prophet as well as thou art and an Angel spake unto me by the command of the Lord that I should bring thee back to my house to eat bread and drink water But he lyed unto him However the poor deluded Prophet upon this did go back with him and did eat bread and drunk water And as they sat at the Table the word of the Lord came to the Prophet that fetcht him back by some internal inspiration or Prophetick extasie whereby he was as it were constrained to denounce against his deluded guest the judgment that would fall upon him for coming back and eating and drinking with him and so consequently to condemn himself for the gross lye he had told He tells him thus saith the Lord seeing thou hast not kept my commandment but camest back and hast eaten and drunk in this place that I forbad thee behold thy carcass shall not come into the Sepulcher of thy Fathers and thou shalt not die among thy own kindred nor be buried with thy progenitors which intimated to him that he should die in his return before he gat home to his own land and this was a gracious warning to him that he might repent of his sin before his death So when they had eaten and drunken the old Prophet caused his own Ass to be sadled for the Prophet he had brought back and so dismissed him He was not gone far from the old Prophets house before a Lion met him and slew him and his body being fallen in the way the Ass stood by it as also the Lion That the Ass should not fly from the Lion nor the Lion prey upon the living Ass nor the dead body of the Prophet but that both of them should stand rather as a guard to preserve it from other creatures and that the Ass should stay there as it were on purpose to carry back the dead Prophets body to Bethel to be buried there these are strange passages of Providence and do shew that 't was not hunger that provoked the Lion to kill the Prophet but the over-ruling hand of God and that God had regard to the Prophets body and would preserve it for burial though he testified his displeasure against his sin for the warning of others And behold men passed by and saw the carcass cast in the way and the Lion standing by the carcass and they came and told it in the City where the old Prophet dwelt who thereupon said undoubtedly it is the man of God that was disobedient unto the word of the Lord therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the Lion which hath slain him as the Lord threatned So he went immediately and found his carcass cast in the way
their sins 1 Sam. 15.2 before the Lord and to punish me for them by taking away my Son Possibly she thought that Elijah had besought God thus to punish her as by his prayer he had brought the drought and famine upon the land or that he was sent as the minister of Gods wrath to take away her Son from her Elijah said to her Give me thy Son and he took him out of her bosom and carried him to an upper loft and laid him on his own bed and cried unto the Lord and said O Lord my God let me humbly plead with thee why hast thou brought so great an evil upon this widow with whom I sojourn as to take away her Son I am afraid thy name will hence come to be blasphemed and thy Prophets despised and it will be said it had been well for this woman if this Prophet had never come into her house Having thus said he stretched himself upon the child three times putting his mouth upon the childs mouth and his eyes upon the childs eyes and his hands upon the childs hands and he cried unto the Lord and said O Lord I pray thee let this childs soul come into him again And the Lord graciously heard his prayer and the soul of the child came immediately into him again and he revived So the Prophet took the child and deliverd him to his mother alive * See the like miracle wrought by Elisha 2 King 4.34 and by Paul Act. 20.10 See also Heb. 11.35 Cum graves imminerent vexationes religionem magis indies piis Deus aperire aliquid voluit de immortalitate animarum Grot. Then said the woman By this I know that thou art a true Prophet and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth namely the things that were foretold by thee concerning the continuance of the drought and the increase of my meal and oyl And this child is the first that we read of in the Scriptures that being dead was restored to life again The drought having now continued well nigh three years and six months Elijah goes to present himself unto Ahab and to give notice to him that they should have rain that so what he had said to him before might be made good to wit that there should be no rain but according to his word The Governour of Ahabs house at this time was Obadiah an excellent person and one who feared the Lord greatly and worshipped him in spirit and truth and kept himself from the Idolatry of the times though he went not up to Jerusalem to peform the Ceremonial worship there required 'T is a wonder there should be such a pious person in so corrupt a Court but God ordered it so by his alwise Providence for the good of his Prophets For when Jezabel slew and cut off the Prophets †They that gave themselves to be throughly instructed in the will of God and were ready on all occasions to declare the same to others were stiled Prophets of the Lord he took a hundred of them and hid them by fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water 'T is like some other pious men also in Israel besides Obadiah hid and preserved several Prophets of the Lord from her fury But the drought now being very sore Ahab ordered Obadiah to go one way as he himself would another that so traversing all the land of Israel they might find herbage and water for their horses and mules which were ready to perish for want of it Elijah meets Obadiah who knowing him fell on his face before him and said to him Art not thou my Lord Elijah He answered I am and I desire thee to go and tell thy Lord and Master that Elijah is here Obadiah answered Wherein have I so offended thee that thou shouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me I protest unto thee that my Lord the King hath sought thee not only in the land of Israel but also in all the neighbouring Countries and among all the Nations that are in league with him and he hath pressed them so far that they were fain upon their oaths to avow that they knew nothing of thee (a) How Elijah was concealed in Sarepta we need not inquire seeing he being inform'd of his danger the widow might use means to hide him and now why enjoynest thou me to go and tell Ahab that thou art here Possibly as soon as I am gone from thee the Spirit of the Lord (b) What was done by any supernatural working of God they used to say was done by the Spirit of God that is some wind from the Lord or some Angel will take thee up (c) It seems in those times Elijah was usually thus miraculously caught up and so perhaps other Prophets too and carried from one place to another whence it was that when Elijah was at last taken up into heaven the young Prophets would needs send out to seek him 2 King 2.16 The like we read of Philip Act. 8.19 and carry thee to some other place and then the King will slay me either because I did not apprehend thee when I saw thee or because I shall seem to have deluded him by telling him that which he will not find upon search to be true I thy servant have desired to fear the Lord from my youth and to cleave unto him and have been kind to his servants the Prophets in hiding many of them from the fury of Jezebel as I suppose thou hast heard and I may be further useful to them and therefore I hope thou wilt not lay upon me so perilous a command Elijah assures him he was resolved to shew himself unto Ahab Hereupon Obadiah went and acquainted the King therewith who presently came out to him and in a very angry manner said What! art thou he that troubles Israel No says Elijah thou and thy Fathers house have troubled Israel in forsaking God and following Baal After some vehement contest between them about the Baal-worship the Prophet having doubtless received it in charge from God before as may appear from ver 36. propounds to the King a way of trial to be peformed on mount Carmel which stood near the Sea whither God were God or Baal were God The God answering by fire says he and consuming the sacrifice from heaven let him be acknowledged for the true God The King being confident that the way of his worship was right agrees thereto and possibly the natural desire that is in all men to see things strange and unusual as this trial was might the more incline him to it Accordingly he assembles the Prophets of Baal viz. those that lived dispers'd up and down in the Country and the heads of the people to see the issue of this strange trial Elijah when the people were met together spake to them saying How long will ye halt between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal
came to Ahab and said to him Thy servant Benhadad saith unto thee I pray thee let me live Ahab replies Is he yet alive He is my brother Now the messengers did diligently observe whither any words would fall from him that signified any comfort to them and hastily catched at them And accordingly hearing these words they speedily replied Thy Brother Benhadad yet liveth Does he says he go and bring him unto me And he spake these words so as they perceived he intended good to their King Then Benhadad came forth to him and he caused him to come up into his Chariot so that he not only shewed mercy to him who had before carried it so insolently towards himself but he highly honoured him Benhadad being much wrought upon by this kindness tells him that the Cities which his Father had taken from Ahab's Father or Predecessor see Chap. 15.20 he would now restore to him and he should make streets for his subjects to meet and freely trade in at Damascus as his Father had made in Samaria so that it seems the former Kings of Syria had great power over the Kings of Israel Ahab like a weak Prince told him he did accept those conditions and would send him away upon that Covenant and agreement and accordingly so dismissed him Thus slightly did this weak and wicked King Ahab pass over the great damage had been done to the people of Israel by the Syrians invading their land two years together But how well Benhadad performed his Covenant will appear afterwards by his detaining Ramoth-Gilead so that Ahab and Jehoshaphat were fain to join their forces to besiege it see Ch. 22.3 Nevertheless upon this league made there followed a three years cessation of Arms between the two Nations see 1 King 22.1 Shortly after this victory one of the Sons of the Prophets to foreshew in himself as was usual with the Prophets see Isa 20.2 3 4 Jer. 27.2 a shadow of that calamity which was to come upon Ahab requires one of his neighbours by command from the Lord which he made known unto him to smite him to wit with a sword so as to wound him that thereby he might the better resemble a Souldier that had been in the battel and being wounded and bloody he might the better shew Ahab what he was to expect from the revenging hand of God for sparing Benhadad But this neighbour preferring his own reason before the command of God refused to smite the Prophet and was thereupon for his disobedience immediately slain by a Lion as the Prophet threatned him And hereby Gods anger against Ahab for his miscarriage in not smiting Benhadad whom God had appointed to destruction under a pretence of clemency was intimated Then the Prophet met another man whom he bad as he did the former to smite him and he smote him so that he wounded him Then the Prophet departed and waited for the King by the way and disguised himself puting ashes upon his face besmeared with blood that it could not easily be discerned who he was that so the King not knowing him might the more impartially give his judgment in the case propounded As the King passed by he cried unto him saying Thy servant O King went out into the midst of the battel and behold a Commander in the Army turned aside to me and brought me a prisoner and charged me to keep him safe and to look to him that he might not escape if he did he told me my life should go for his or else I should pay a Talent * A Talent of silver was reckoned at Three hundred seventy five pounds of our money A Talent of Gold was ten times as much of silver for my neglect But so it was as thy servant was busie here and there the prisoner slipt away from me Ahab replied As thou hast stated the case so shall thy judgment be Thou hast decided the case against thy self and shalt suffer accordingly Then the Prophet washed off the ashes from his face so that the King knew him And he said to Ahab Thus saith the Lord because thou hast let Benhadad go whom I put into thy hands and whom I appointed to utter destruction as Saul spared Agag therefore thy life shall go for his life and thou thy self shalt die for it and thy people shall die instead of his people Possibly Ahab had been expresly charged not to spare Benhadad certain it is the Prophet had told him v. 28. that because he and his Syrians had blasphemed the Lord saying He was the God of the hills and not of the vallies therefore he would deliver them into his hands And therefore he could not spare that blasphemous wretch without plain contempt of God who had delivered him into his power Ahab being thus self-convict went to his own house in Samaria heavy and displeased with this doleful message of the Prophet 1 King 20. wh Ch. God had now given to Ahab great evidences of his Almighty power and that he was the true and only God in giving rain in so strange a manner Ch. 18.45 and in giving him two such great and wonderful victories over the Syrians as we have seen in the foregoing Chapter But yet none of these things as it seems so far wrought upon him as to turn his heart to God No mercies will mend some kind of men nor work upon their base and disingenuous tempers We have this fully exemplified in Ahab of whom we are next to relate a remarkable story Ahab had in Jezreel a Palace Royal and near unto it one Naboth a Citizen of that place had a Vineyard which Ahab's eye being often upon he had a great mind to it and spake to Naboth to let him have it to make a Garden of Herbs and he would either give him a better Vineyard for it or the full worth of it in money Naboth considering that God had forbidden in his Law the perpetual alienating of Inheritances Levit. 25.23 told the King he could not do it without sinning against God Ahab hereupon went home heavy and displeased and so inwardly vext that he laid him down upon his bed and turn'd away his head as not caring to speak to any body and refus'd to eat Jezebel his wife came to him and seeing him so much out of humour asked him what ailed him He told her the reason of it was Naboths refusing to sell him his Vineyard Jezebel answered Art thou King of Israel and dost thou trouble thy self so much about such a thing as this chear up thy heart and be merry let me alone see if I do not procure this Vineyard for thee Whereupon she presently wrote Letters in Ahab's name to the Elders and Nobles of the City and sealed them with the Kings Seal wherein she orders them to proclaim a Fast as if some high wickedness had been committed against God that called for speedy humiliation from all the people and after that to set Naboth upon a Scaffold in the sight
that 20 in all with Athaliah reigned in Judah and 19 in Israel 2 year Jehoram or Joram 12. Jehu 28. Jehoahaz 17. Joash 16. Jeroboam 41. Zachariah 6 Month. Shallum 1 Month. Menahem 10. Pekahiah 2. Pekah 20. Hoshea 9. AHAZIAH began to reign over Israel in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah The 8th King that reigned in Israel was AHAZIAH and reigned two years He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his Father and of his Mother and in the way of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin and he served Baal and worshipped him and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger according to all that his Father had done 1 King 22. from 51 to the end As he was walking in his Palace at Samaria some grate in the floor of the Chamber where he was whereby perhaps light was conveyed to the lower room did suddenly break and so he fell through and was dangerously bruised with the fall In this extremity he sends messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whither he should recover or no This Idol was so famous that the Jews used to call the Prince of Devils Baalzebub Mat. 12.24 An Angel of the Lord sends Elijah to meet these Messengers and to say unto them Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron Therefore go back again to the King that sent you and tell him what I say unto you and further acquaint him that he shall not come down from that bed on which he is gone up to lye but shall surely die The Messengers perceiving Elijah to understand the secret message they were sent about and hearing him also so peremptorily to foretell the Kings death they knew he must be some Prophet though it seems they knew not his person And accordingly they went back to the King and told him faithfully what he had said The King askt them what manner of man he was they told him an hairy man and girt with a leathern girdle * John Baptist was thus attired to shew that he was that other Elijah that was to come compare Mat. 3.4 with Mal. 4.5 about his loins Then the King knew it was Elijah the Tishbite and being enraged at this hard message he resolved to have the life of him that sent it and possibly he was something also excited thereunto by his mother Jezebel who was as much incensed against Elijah as Herodias was against John Baptist Mat. 14.8 Whereupon he sent a Captain of fifty with his fifty men to apprehend him who he understood as it seems was at Mount Carmel The Captain coming to the place where he was call'd to him and as 't is like in a scornful deriding manner said Thou that art esteem'd a man of God and takest liberty to send what bold messages thou pleasest to the King know thou that by me the King commands thee to come down and to render thy self to me If thou wilt not I have here those with me that will fetch thee down with a vengeance Elijah answered If I be indeed a man of God as thou scornfully calledst me let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty And immediately fire came from heaven and consumed them This judgment Elijah denounced out of an extraordinary zeal for the glory of God and by a special instinct of his Spirit And therefore when the Disciples of Christ out of a carnal desire of revenge would have imitated this act of Elijah they were reproved by our Saviour for it who told them they knew not what manner of spirit they were of that is they did not well consider from what frame of spirit that uncharitable motion came For those who are called to preach the Gospel are to shew all meekness and gentleness to men and to desire and endeavour to save them and not to destroy them Luk. 9.54 55. Ahaziah was nothing moved with this dreadful judgment that had befallen his Captain and his men but like a man that neither feared God nor regarded the lives of his subjects he sends another Captain of fifty and his men to take the Prophet This second Captain shews himself as impudent as the former and coming to Elijah said to him O man of God thus saith the King Come down quickly He not only commands him to come down but to do it speedily implying that he would not be delayed but would drag him down by force if he would not yield instantly Elijah gave him the same answer he had done the former Captain saying to him If I be a man of God let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty which was done immediately And thus we see that like sins usually pull down like judgments One would have thought that Ahaziah should have been greatly terrified with two such dreadful judgments as these were but increase of judgments increases some mens hardness and obdurateness Therefore like a desperate man and as it were in defyance of God himself he sends a third Captain with his men to take Elijah but he being sensible of his extream danger and terrified with what had befallen the two Captains and their men that went before him He when he came to Elijah in a most humble posture fell on his knees before him and besought him saying O man of God I pray thee let my life and the lives of these fifty thy servants be precious in thy sight and do not suffer them as vile things to be cast away nor deal with us as thou didst with the former Captains and their men but be intreated to go along with us to the King An Angel from the Lord immediately spake to Elijah to go along with him and bids him not be afraid but to tell the King expresly what the Lord had said Elijah being assured of Gods protection readily goes and tells the King plainly from the Lord that he should die of that sickness It may seem strange that the King who was so enraged against the Prophet before that he sent no less than three Captains of fifty one after another to take him intending no doubt to kill him for delivering so sad a message to his servants concerning his death yet now when he has the Prophet in his hands and hears him utter the same terrible things against him to his face he should neither speak not do any thing against him So true is that of Solomon that the hearts of Kings are in the hands of God Prov. 16.1 And as Elijah prophesied so it came to pass for Ahaziah soon after died having reigned two years and Jehoram his Brother reigned in his stead 2 King 1. from v. 2. to the end JEHORAM or Joram 2 King The 9th King of Israel JEHORAM 8.16 second Son of Ahab succeeded his Brother Ahaziah in the latter end of the 18th year of Jehoshaphat and reigned twelve years He
taking this advantage forthwith she laid hold on the Princes of the blood and those of the Royal family that remained in Judah and slew them although some of them as 't is like her own Grandchildren so cruel and bloody are the minds of Idolaters But by the wonderful Providence of God it happened that Joash an infant-son of Ahaziah escaped her hands for Jehoshaba the wife of Jehoiada the High Priest got him away and hid him with his nurse in a private Chamber belonging to the Temple Athaliah did these strange and unnatural things that she might quietly possess the Royal Throne and set up the worship of Baal again in the Kingdom And some conjecture that she had Sons by some other man besides Jehoram whom she desired to promote to the Crown perhaps some of those who brake up the house of God and bestowed the dedicated things thereof upon Baal as we read 2 Chron. 24.7 For the Sons of Athaliah that wicked woman had broken up the house of God and all the dedicated things thereof did they bestow upon Baalim Athaliah having thus usurped the Crown she reigned about six years 2 Chron. 22.10 11 12. 1 King 11. from 1 to 4. The 8th that reigned in Judah was JOASH AThaliah having usurped the Crown and reigned about six years during which time she had much promoted the worship of Baal in Judah at length Jehoiada the High Priest began to think of setling this young Joash in the Throne to whom it did belong not only by natural right being the former Kings Son but by vertue of the promise made by God to David and his posterity 2 Sam. 7.13 16. Having therefore imparted this secret to five Captains of the land in whose fidelity he had most confidence and he and they having made a Covenant to do their utmost to depose Athaliah the Vsurper and to set up Joash and to pull down Idolatry and establish the true Religion afterwards by their means he drew in others of the principal men of the Kingdom both Levites and others procuring them to meet at Jerusalem in order to the carrying on of the design And accordingly they being met together in some Chamber of the Temple and having taken an Oath of secresie and fidelity he shewed them the Kings Son Then they resolved how the business should be manag'd the next Sabbath-day in every particular The Levites were by an order long since established among them by David divided in twenty four Companies which did in their courses each company a week perform the service of the Temple the rest abiding in their private dwellings in the several Cities of Judah and so every Sabbath-day they that served the week before went out and another company came in to serve in their rooms In each company there were a great many of these Levites besides Porters and Singers Now because Jehoiada and his Associates were not able to bring together secretly so many trusty and serviceable hands of the Country as would be sufficient to manage this great business therefore he resolv'd to arm the Levites for the work having secretly laid in the Chambers of the Temple some arms and weapons for the purpose And that the Levites whom he intended to employ in this business might be the stronger he took in the new company that were to come in on the Sabbath-day and did not dismiss the old that should have gone out but retained them still and so by that means without any noise he made up such a number as he thought would be able to deal with the Queens ordinary Guards if need should be All these Levites therefore he disposes under the command of several Captains either such as were principal men among the Levites or others whom he had sworn his associates in this design in this manner Those that were to enter into the service of the Temple that Sabbath-day he divided into three Companies One Company whereof he assigned to watch at the Gate of the outer Court viz. the North-gate that led to the Kings Palace where Athaliah now was Another company he assign'd to the East * Call'd the Gate of Shur or the Gate of the foundation 2 King 11.6 Gate that led into the City A third company to the South-gate Those Levites that should have gone out from the service of the Temple he divided into two companies and appointed them to be a Guard in the Temple unto the Kings person the one on his right hand and the other on his left Then he gave to the Captains for themselves and their men King David's Spears and Shields See 1 Sam. 21.9 2 Sam. 8.7 viz. such weapons as were there reserved as Trophies and monuments of David's victories which weapons of war were some of those things dedicated by David and brought into the Temple by Solomon 1 King 7.51 Thus this Guard of Levites stood every man with his weapon in his hand and Jehoiada charged them to look to it that their watches were not disordered by the breaking in of any body and that if any offered to break through their ranks by force they should slay them Things being thus ordered he brought forth the Kings Son to them and set him on the Brazen Scaffold and Jehoiadah and his Sons anointed him and put the Crown upon his head and gave into his hands the Testimony that is the Book wherein the Law of God was written and wherein was testified what God required of his people and what they might expect from him in case of obedience These things being done all there present made a great acclamation and cried out God save the King Then Jehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King and the people viz. that the King should serve the Lord and maintain his pure worship and root out Idolatry and that the people should join with him therein and should fear and serve the Lord and him only and every way carry themselves as became his peo-people Then he made a Covenant between the King and the people viz. that the King should govern them righteously and that they should yield due obedience unto him Athaliah being at the Palace which was near the Temple and hearing these great loud acclamations of the peo-people and of such as in the great Court stood about the King she with a few of her servants that were about her rusht into the Temple through the Guards and when she came to the great Court she saw the King standing by the Pillar on the Brazen Scaffold with the Crown on his head and the Trumpeters about him blowing and all the people there present wonderfully rejoicing upon this she rent her clothes and cried out Treason Treason Jehoiada immediately commanded the Officers and Commanders to lay hold on her and to have her out of the ranges and and to kill any man that offered to rescue her and to carry her out of the Temple and to slay her which accordingly they did in the
this place And so that came to pass which God threatned Levit. 26.34 35. Then shall the land enjoy her Sabbaths as long as it lyeth desolate it shall rest because it did not rest in your Sabbaths when ye dwelt upon it * See Pag. 169. Hereupon many begin the seventy years captivity from the destruction (c) Here many begin the Seventy years captivity though some begin it from the carrying away of Jeconiah 2 King 24.12 of Jerusalem which are called the seventy years of the desolations of Jerusalem Dan. 9.2 Now the desolation of that City was not till the last fatal destruction of it And the same term also of seventy years is set for the subjection of the neighbouring Nations as we find Isai 23.15 And it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years according to the days of one King after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot c. CHAP. VI. The sixth Age of the World containing the space of time from the carrying of Judah into Captivity unto the liberty granted by Cyrus for their return and consists of seventy years ending in the 3478 year of the World THE City of Jerusalem and the Temple being thus destroyed and burnt down to the ground by Nebuzaradan he left only a few and those of the poorer sort of the people there to dress the Vineyards and to be husbandmen over whom Gedaliah the Son of Ahikam a man of the same Nation was placed Governour but as a Provincial Governour only without any badg of Regality or Kingly Title 'T is like this Gedaliab was one of those that followed the advice which the Prophet Jeremy gave both to Zedekiah and the rest Jer. 21.8 9 10. And unto this people thou shalt say thus saith the Lord Behold I set before you the way of life and the way of death He that abideth in this City shall die by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence but he that goeth out and falleth to the Caldeans that besiege you he shall live and his life shall be unto him for a prey For I have set my face against this City for evil and not for good saith the Lord it shall be given into the hand of the King of Babylon and he shall burn it with fire 'T is like therefore that upon this account he was made Governour by Nebuchadnezzar's command Jer. 39.10 Jer. 40.5 2 King 25.12 22. Seraiah the chief Priest and Zephaniah the second Priest and the three Keepers of the Gate of the Temple and other principal men by whose counsels Zedekiah had been much led to resist the King of Babylon contrary to Jeremy's warnings Nebuzaradan took and carried them to Riblah to Nebuchadnezzar and there they were put to death But Jehozadak the Son of Seraiah who after him came to be High Priest was carried away prisoner to Babylon 2 King 25. from 18 to 22. Jer. 52. from 24 to 28. 1 Chron. Ch. 6.15 The Prophet Jeremy being bound with chains was carried with the rest as far as Rama towards Babylon and had there his irons knocked off and was set at liberty and had his choice given him whither he would go on to Babylon and there to be honourably treated or stay in Judea with those poor people that were there left And he choosing to stay was sent back with money in his purse to Gedaliah the Governour who made his residence at Mizpeh in the Tribe of Benjamin Jer. 39. from 11 to 15. Jer. 40. from 1 to 7. Some of those Captains and Souldiers which upon the taking of Jerusalem had fled away by night and were scattered over the Country and some of the Jews that had fled to the Moabites and Ammonites and other neighbouring Nations returned after a while to Gedaliah into their own Country where they had good provision of wine and oyl and other summer-fruits to subsist withal Gedaliah made his residence at Mizpeh in the Tribe of Benjamin leaving the rest of the Jews that were with him to live in such Towns as they thought fit Jer. 40. from 7 to 13. 2 King 25.23 24. Ismael the Son of Nethaniah of the race of the Kings of Judah had it seems during the siege of Jerusalem kept himself out of the storm with Baalis King of the Ammonites Jer. 40.14 and being of the Royal seed he envied that the Government of the Jews should be committed to Gedaliah who seems to have been but of private condition and being stirred up likewise as 't is probable by the King of Ammon he made a conspiracy with some few more to slay him Johanan of whom mention is made 2 King 25.23 came and discovered this conspiracy to Gedaliah and offered his help to dispatch Ismael to prevent it but Gedaliah would not believe it but thought he spake falsely of Ismael and would by no means consent he should be taken off Not long after Ismael came to him with ten resolute fellows to Mizpeh where Gedaliah friendly entertained him giving no credit to such as informed him of his treacherous intentions against him and in the seventh month Ismael with his associates taking their opportunity wickedly murdered Gedaliah and such Jews and Caldeans as he had then about him And a day or two after fourscore Jews coming from several places of the Kingdom in a most sad and mournful manner with their beards shaven and clothes rent and having cut themselves deploring the desolation that was fallen upon Jerusalem and bringing certain offerings and incense with them which they purposed to offer to the Lord in the place where the Temple before stood now lying in its dust Ismael having notice of their coming went out to meet them and with counterfeit tears making shew that he also bore a part with them in their sorrow he invited them to go with him to Gedaliah feigning himself to be one of his friends thereby to try how they stood affected to him and having gotten them within the City of Mizpeh he and his companions slew them all there in the open streets ten only excepted whom he spared because they promised to discover to him some treasure hid in the fields during the war and the bodies of the slain he threw into King Asa's pit * In the days of King Baasha Asa King of Judah it seems made a pit in Mizpâ—h for a hiding place in case of danger of which we find no mention but only here which he made in Mizpeh for fear of Baasha See 1 King 15.22 Jer. 40. from 13 to the end Jer. 41. from 1 to 10. 2 King 25.25 Ismael having now taken the Kings daughters whom the Caldeans had left behind being hidden possibly at first and afterwards coming forth had committed themselves to the care of Gedaliah and many others of the people captive he was returning with them as his prisoners to the King of Ammon but Johanan meeting him with a band of men
could go abrest on it Nehemiah divided the people into two great companies consisting of Priests Levites Princes and people they entred upon the wall about the middle of the west-wall near the dung-gate and there the two Companies parted and each went as in procession in this order The one company had Ezra the Priest before them and other Priests followed after him sounding with their Trumpets after them came the Levites playing on sacred Musical instruments and the Singers all sounding forth Gods praises and their own joy and thankfulness After them came the Princes and Rulers and after them the people and this company went on the right hand Southward by the fountain-gate and about the City of David and all along the South-wall even unto the water-gate on the East The other company went in like manner and Nehemiah himself the last of them And they made their procession on the left hand Northwards from beyond the Tower of the Furnaces even unto the broad wall These two Companies somewhat beyond the Prison-gate met together and in order descended from the East-wall to go into the house of God and that day they offered great sacrifices and greatly rejoiced with feasting and singing for God by his gracious Providence over them gave unto them their wives and children great occasion of rejoicing so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard a great way off and the report of it went into other Nations After they had thus manifested their zeal in dedicating the wall they manifest their piety in providing for the Priests and Levites who had had so great an hand in it and accordingly some faithful Levites were appointed to take care of all such things as by the people should be brought for the Ministers of the house of God and places were appointed to lay up all offerings first fruits and tythes which were brought out of the fields viz. the portions appointed by the Law for the Priests and Levites And the people chearfully brought in the forementioned portions rejoycing that there was care taken to settle the Priests and Levites in their accustomed courses and so to provide for them that they should not be forced to go into the Country to seek maintenance but might now stay their full time and course at the house of God to perform their particular services there And both Singers and Porters kept the watch of their God that is which by Gods command they were appointed unto taking care that the worship of God should be duly performed and they kept the watch of purification taking care that themselves and the people should be kept from legal uncleanness according to the commandment of David and Solomon his Son who walked in the statutes of David his Father 1 King 3.3 For in the days of David and Asaph Jedathun and Heman with whom David consulted there were some chief Singers appointed who had a charge over the rest to see all things belonging unto the Singers duly and orderly performed and there were Songs of praise and thanksgiving composed and set unto tunes by those Singers And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave to the Singers and Porters such portions as were appointed for their daily maintenance And the people set apart holy things for the Levites and the Levites set apart a tenth part of them for the Priests Neh. 12. wh Ch. After these things Nehemiah appointed Hanani who first brought him word of the sad estate of Jerusalem and Hananiah the Ruler of the Palace * i e. Palatii R gii in monte Sion who was a faithful man and one that feared God above many to be Governours over the City and to order the guards and matches thereof and to take care that the Gates were carefully shut and opened in due time Then perceiving that the City was large and great yet but thinly inhabited and that though some fair houses were built before the Temple was finished Hag. 1.4 yet abundance of other houses were not built thereupon God putting it into his heart †Good motions useful and profitable for the Church arise from Gods Spirit he calls together the Nobles and Rulers and people and numbred them that had returned out of the Captivity according to their Genealogies that so it might be known what families formerly appertained to the City that out of them a number might be selected and appointed to settle themselves there again And secondly that as need required others also might be called to dwell there though their Progenitors had not been formerly inhabitants thereof And 3ly that as men were found able they might lend aid towards the rebuilding of those houses in Jerusalem that now lay in rubbish And for their better proceeding in this matter a precedent was sought of their former numbring in the days of Zerubbabel and a Register was found of it which is here set down which in many things differs from that Ezr. 2. therefore 't is thought that that in Ezra was taken and written when they were preparing to come out of Babylon and this when they were come into Judea And there is added to that Register what was given at their first return out of Babylon towards the building of the Temple c. viz. all that was given by the encouragement of Cyrus viz. both by Jews and Persians but here is only set down what was collected after the people were numbred by Nehemiah And as then there was a collection of money and other things made when they were numbred according to their Genealogies in Zerubbabels time Ezra 2.68 so was it now also only that collection was meerly for the building of the Temple and this was partly for the service of the Temple for why else were so many Priests garments given and in part also for the rebuilding of the City See v. 4. Nehem. 7. from 1 to 8. v. 70 71 72. On the first day of the seventh month which was the Feast of Trumpets Levit. 23.24 the Jews were gathered together as one man to Jerusalem and they met both men and women before the water-gate the Court of the Temple not being able to contain so great a multitude and desired Ezra to bring the Book of the Law and to read it and expound it to them See Deut. 31.11 Ezra accordingly brought it and standing upon a pulpit of wood he read therein distinctly before the people and expounded it and gave them the sense of it Ezra also blessed the Lord the great God and all the people answered Amen and Amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground And several other persons viz. Priests and Levites stood on his right hand and on his left to be witnesses of the truth of what he delivered and to move the people the better to entertain it And not only Ezra but others of the Priests and Levites also expounded the Law and caused the people to understand