give him cause of further suspition Yet such might be the Questions though not here particularly mentioned concerning those Heads as every private person might not be acquainted with nor able to resolve but such onely as were acquainted with the Counsel of War 8 And David said to Uriah Go down to thy house q Not doubting but he would there Converse with his Wife and so cover their Sin and Shame and wash thy feet r As Travellers there used to do And Uriah departed out of the kings house and there ‡ Heb. went out after him followed him a mess of meat from the king s Seemingly as a Testimony of David's respect and Affection to him but really to cheer up his Spirits and dispose him to desire his Wives company 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the kings house with all the servants of his lord t With the King's Guard This he did either upon some suspition of the matter See v. 7. Or by the secret direction of Gods wise and irresistible Providence who would bring David's Sin to light and went not down to his house 10 And when they had told * Whether of their own accord or being first asked by David it doth not appear David saying Uriah went not down unto his house David said unto Uriah Camest thou not from thy journey u Wearied with hard service and Travel and therefore didst need refreshment nor did I expect or desire that thou shouldest now attend upon my Person or keep the Watch. why then didst thou not go down unto thine house 11 And Uriah said unto David The ark x Which it seems was now carried with them for their encouragement and direction as was usual See Numb 10. 35. 1 Sam. 4. 4. and Israel and Judah abide in tents and * Chap. 20. 6. my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields y To wit in Tents which are in the Fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife z He might possibly add these words to insinuate his apprehension of the King's Design and to awaken his Conscience to the consideration of his Sin and of the Injury which he had done him His meaning is Now when God's People are in a doubtful and dangerous Condition it becomes me to Sympathize with them and to abstain even from lawful Delights Whereby he might possibly intimate how unworthy it was for David in such a season to indulge himself in sinful and injurious Pleasures But David's Ear was now Deaf his Heart being hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 12 And David said to Uriah Tarry here to day also and to morrow I will let thee depart So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day and the morrow 13 And when David had called him ▪ i. e. Being invited by David he did eat and drink before him and he made him drunk a Or he made him merry as the Word oft signifies He caused him to Drink more than was convenient and at even he went out to lie on his bed b Which it doth not appear that he did the Night before but now his Excess in Eating and Drinking might make it more necessary for him with the servants of his lord c i. e. In some Chamber in the King's Court where the Kings Servants used to take their Repose but went not down to his house 14 And it came to pass in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah 15 And he wrote in the letter saying Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the ‡ Heb. strong hottest battel and retire ye ‡ Heb. from after him from him that he may be smitten and die d So far is David from Repenting upon these just and great Occasions that he seeks to cover one Sin with another and to hide his Adultery with Murder even the Murder of a most Excellent Person and that in a most Malicious and Perfidious manner 16 And it came to pass when Joab observed the city that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were e Placed there to defend it because that part of the City was supposed either the weakest or the place designed for the Assault Ioab having formerly committed a base Murder upon Abner was ready to execute this wicked Command of the King that so he being involved in the same Guilt with him might the more willingly receive him into favour 17 And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab and there fell some of the people of the servants of David and Uriah the Hittite died also 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war 19 And charged the messenger saying When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king 20 And if so be that the kings wrath arise and he say unto thee Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall 21 Who smote * Judg. 9. 53 Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth ▪ Called also Ierubbaal Iudg. 9. 1. See the note on 2 Sam. 2. 8. did not a woman cast a piece of a milstone upon him from the wall that he died in Thebez why went ye nigh the wall then say thou Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also f Which he knew would be acceptable news to the King and therefore allay his Wrath. This indeed might make the Messenger suspect that David had an hand in Uriah's Death and possibly Ioab might say so for that very reason that these matters by degrees being known David might be hardned in Sin and so Ioab might have the greater interest in him 22 So the messenger went and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for 23 And the messenger said unto David Surely the men prevailed against us and came out unto us into the field and we were upon them even unto the entring of the gate g We beat them back and pursued them even to the Gate 24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants and some of the kings servants be dead and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also 25 Then David said unto the messenger Thus shalt thou say unto Joab Let not this thing ‡ Heb. be 〈◊〉 in thine 〈◊〉 displease thee h Be not dejected or discouraged by this sad occasion for the sword devoureth †one as ‡ Heb. So 〈◊〉 such well as another make thy battel more strong against the city and overthrow it and encourage thou him i i. e. Ioab to proceed in the Siege 26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead she mourned
Or spaces and pillars were square in prospect doors and posts were square with the windows and light was against light in three ranks k He speaks either first of the the same lights mentioned v. 4. it being the manner of the Hebrews to repeat the same things Or rather of the smaller Windows or Lights which were over the several Doors as the manner of many Buildings is 6 ¶ And he made a porch of pillars l i. e. Supported by divers Pillars for the more Magnificent entrance into the House upon which also it is thought there were other Rooms built as in the House the length thereof was fifty cubits and the breadth thereof thirty cubits and the porch m Now mentioned which is said to be before them i. e. before the Pillars on which the House of Lebanon stood or before the Doors and Posts mentioned v. 5. or a porch i. e. another and a lesser Porch which was before them i. e. before the Pillars of the greater Porch now mentioned was ‖ Or according to them before them and the other pillars n Or and 〈◊〉 i. e. fewer and lesser Pillars for the support of the lesser Porch and the thick beam o Which was laid upon these Pillars as the others were v. 2. were ‖ Or according to them before them 7 ¶ Then he made a porch p Another Porch or distinct Room without the House for the throne q Described chap. 10. 18. where he might judge r The People that brought their 〈◊〉 â—…efore him even the porch of judgment and it was covered with cedar ‡ Heb. from floor to floor from one side of the floor to the other s i. e. The whole Floor or from floor to 〈◊〉 i. e. from the lower Floor on the Ground to the upper Floor which covered it 8 ¶ And his house where he dwelt â—…ad another court within the porch t i. e. Between the Porch and the House called therefore the middle court 2 King 20. 4. which was of the like work Solomon made also an house for Pharaohs daughter u Of which see 1 King 3. 1. and 2 Chron. 8. 11. * Chap. 3. 1. whom he had taken to wife like unto this porch x Not for form or quantity but for the Materials and Woorkmanship the Rooms being covered with Cedar and furnished with like Ornaments 9 All these y Buildings described here and in the former Chapter were of costly stones according to the measures of hewed stones z Either First which were hewed in such measure and proportion as exact Workmen use to hew ordinary Stones Or Secondly As large as common hewed Stones which are oft very great sawed with saws within and without a Both on the inside of the Buildings which were covered with Cedar and on the outside also even from the foundation unto the coping b From the bottom to the top of the Building and so on the outside toward the great court c Not onely on the outside of the front of the House which being most visible men are more careful to adorn but also of the other side of the House which looked towards the great Court belonging to the Kings House 10 And the foundation was of costly stones even great stones stones of ten cubits d Not square which would have been both unnecessary and unportable and unmanageable but of solid measure by which Stones and Timber are usually measured and so they were onely two cubits square but there were twenty solid Cubits contained in them And so also the following eight cubits are to be understood and stones of eight cubits 11 And above e i. e. In the Roof or upper part for this is opposed to the foundation were costly stones f Intermixed here the one and there the other after the measures of hewed stones and cedars f Intermixed here the one and there the other 12 And the great court g To wit of Solomon's dwelling-House mentioned ver 8. round about was with three rows of hewed stones and a row of cedar-beams h Of which see the note on 1 King 6. 36. both for the inner court of the house of the LORD i Or as Heb. and which is oft used in that sense for a particle of comparison or similitude as Prov. 11. 25. and 17. 3. and 25. 23. for the inner court c. i. e. as it was in that inner Court of which the very same thing is said 1 King 6. 36. Otherwise it might seem very improper and impertinent to speak of the Court of the Lord's House here where he is treating onely of Solomon's House and for the porch of the house k Or of this house to wit of which I am here speaking i e. Of the King's House the Porch whereof had Pillars verse 6. and these both of Stone and Cedar as may seem most probable because the other Pillars were such And whereas the number and quality of the Pillars of the Porch was omitted v. 6. that defect is here supplied and we are implicitly acquainted with both of them But this I speak with submission 13 ¶ And king Solomon sent and fet Hiram out of Tyre 14 He was ‡ Heb. the son of a widow-woman a widows son of the tribe of Naphthali l Obj. She was one of the daughters of Dan 2 Chron. 2. 14. Ans. So indeed Haram King of Tyre there affirms but he might easily mistake or be misinformed especially being no Israelite nor a careful observer of the distinction of Tribes Or she might be of Dan by her Father and of Naphthali by her Mother or by her Husband who was of that Tribe and therefore she was truly a widow of Naphthali and his father was a man of Tyre m Either by his descent being a Tyrian by Birth or by Education and Habitation he or his Father being given to the study of these Arts and having planted themselves at Tyre for their improvement therein However that was it was a singular Providence of God that there was at that time so excellent a Workman fit for so great and Glorious Works a worker in brass and he was filled with wisdome and understanding and cunning to work all works in brass n And of gold and stone and purple and blew c. as is affirmed 2 Chron. 2. 14. But onely his skill in brass is here mentioned because he speaks onely of the Brasen things which he made and he came to king Solomon and wrought all his work 15 For he ‡ Heb. fashioned cast * 2 Chr. 4. 12. two pillars of brass o Of which see 2 King 25. 16 17. Ier. 52. 21. of eighteen cubits high a piece p Obj. They are said to be 35 Cubits high 2 Chron. 3. 15. Ans. That place manifestly speaks of both the Pillars and this of each
this great and strange emergency and Zeresh his wife unto him If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews e Which they were told and was generally supposed but they were not infallibly sure of it before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail against him but shalt surely fall before him f This they concluded either 1. By rules of policy because Hamans reputation and interest was hereby sinking and Mordecai whom they understood to be a man of great wisdom and courage and government of himself was now got into the Kings favour and thereby was likely to gain an opportunity of making his addresses to the King who being of a mild disposition might easily be moved to a dislike if not revocation of his own bloody decree and consequently to a detestation of that person who had procured it Or 2. By former experience and the observation of Gods extraordinary actions on the behalf of the Jews and against their enemies in this very Court and Kingdom Or 3. By instinct and inspiration to their minds either from God who might suggest this to them as he did other things to other wicked men Balaam Caâ—…aphas c. for his own greater glory and the good of his people or from the Devil who by Gods permission might know this and reveal it to them who sought to him in their superstitious and idolatrous methods 14 And while they were yet talking with him came the kings chamberlains and hasted to bring Haman g Who was now slack to go thither by reason of the great dejection of his own mind and the fear of a worse entertainment from the King and Queen than he had formerly received unto the banquet that Esther had prepared CHAP. VII 1 SO the king and Haman came †Heb. to drink to banquet with Esther the queen 2 And the king said again to Esther on the second day * Ch. 5. 6. at the banquet of wine a So it is called to note that it was not designed for a seast to fill their bellies but rather for a banquet to delight and please their palates with wine and other delicacies see on ch 5. 8. What is thy petition queen Esther and it shall be granted thee and what is thy request and it shall be performed even to the half of the kingdom 3 Then Esther the queen answered and said If I have found favour in thy sight O king and if it please the king let my life be given me at my petition b It is my humble and only request that thou wouldst not give me up to the malice of that man that â—…esigns to take away my life and will certainly do it if thou dost not prevent it and my people c And the lives which is easily supplied out of the foregoing branch of my people the Jews of whom I am descended at my request 4 For we are * Ch. 3. 9. sold d By the craft and cruelty of that man who offered a great sum of mony to purchase our destruction I and my people e For we are all given up to his malice and rage without any exception of my own person †Heb. that they should destroy and kill and cause to perish to be destroyed to be slain and to perish f She useth variety of expressions to make the deeper impression upon the Kings mind but if we had been sold for bond-men and bond-women I had held my tongue g Because that calamity had neither been irrecoverable nor intolerable nor yet unprofitable to the King for whose honour and service I should willingly have submitted my self and people to any kind of bondage although the enemy could not countervail the kings damage h His ten thousand talents if paid into the Kings treasury would not repair the Kings loss in the customs and tributes which the King receives from the Jews within his dominions 5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen Who is he and where is he i The expressions are short and doubled as proceeding from a discomposed and enraged mind †Heb. wâ—…se heart 〈◊〉 â—…led him that durst presume in his heart to do so k i. e. To circumvent me and by subtilty to procure an irrevocable decree whereby not only my estate should be so much impaired and so many of my innocent Subjects be destroyed without mercy but my Queen also should be involved in the same danger and destruction 6 And Esther said †Heb. 〈◊〉 adversary The adversary and enemy is l Of the King and of my Person and People this wicked Haman Then Haman was afraid ‖ Or at the presence of before the king and the queen 7 And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace-garden m Partly as disdaining the company and sight of so ungrateful and audacious a person partly to cool and allay his troubled and inflamed spirits and partly to consider within himself the hainousness of Hamans crime and the mischief which himself had done by his own rashness and what punishment was fit to be inflicted upon so great a delinquent and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen for he saw n By the violent commotion of the Kings mind and passions that there was evil determined against him by the king 8 Then the king returned out of the palace-garden into the place of the banquet of wine and Haman was fallen upon the bed o Or by or beside the bed on which the Queen sat at meat after the manner where he was fallen upon his knees and upon the ground at her feet as humble suppliants used to do and as the Queen did at the Kings feet ch 8. 3. whereon Esther was Then said the king Will he force the queen also p Will he now attempt my Queens Chastity as he hath already attempted her life His presumption and impudence I see will stick at nothing He speaks not this out of a real jealousy for which there was no cause in those circumstances but from an exasperated mind which takes all occasions to vent itself against the person who gave the provocation and makes the worst construction of all his words and action †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before me in the house q In my own presence and palace As the word went out of the kings mouth they r i. e. The Kings and Queens Chamberlains then attending upon them covered Hamans face s Partly that the King might not be offended or grieved with the sight of a Person whom he now loathed and partly because they looked upon him as a condemned person for the faces of such used to be covered 9 And * Ch. 1. 10. Harbonah one of the chamberlains t Who knew this either by his own observation or by the information of
the Heart as Exod. 15. 8. Deut. 4. 11. And so it may be here for the Army as such hath no Heart Properly so called And so this is fitly alledged as a Proof of the sharpness and force of his Arrows that they not onely wound those who march in the Front but even those who are in the midst of the Army where they may seem secure and out of their Reach of the Kings Enemies But the middle Words may be and are by many included within a Parenthesis and so they may agree with our Translation thus Thine Arrows are sharp for the People fall under thee which is an Evidence of their sharpness in the Heart or against the Heart Or piercing into the Heart Which is an easie and usual Ellipsis of the Kings Enemies 6. * Psal. 93. 2. Heb. 1. 8. Thy throne O God z It is most Evident that the Speech is still continued to the same Person whom he calls King v. 1. 11. and here God Which change of the Title was very expedient and in some sort necessary to give us a true understanding of this Psalm and to assure us that he doth not speak of Solomon to whom neither these nor the foregoing nor the following Words agree because his Reign was peaceable and short and stained with many and great iniquities but a far greater King even of the Messias who is not onely a Man but also the mighty God as he is called Isa. 9. 6. and as the Apostle solâ—…dly proves from this place Heb. 1. 8. For though the Name of Elohim or God be sometimes given in Scripture to some Creatures yet in those Cases it is always Clogged with some diminishing Expression signifying that they are onely made or called Gods and that onely for a certain Time and Purpose as is manifest from Exod. 4. 16. and 7. 1. Psal. 82 6. and it is no where put simply and absolutely for any Person but him who is God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. is for ever and ever a To wit Properly and in thine own Person in which as he Lives for ever so he must necessarily Reign for ever whereas David whose Throne is said to be Established for ever 2 Sam. 7. 16. was a Mortal man and therefore that Promise was not intended of nor could be fulfilled in his Person without including his Posterity And as he here gives to the Messias the Name of God which was never given to David nor Solomon so he ascribes an everlasting Kingdom to him in such a Sence as it was never given to them So Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 14. the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter b It is not strange that thy Throne is not liable to the same uncertainties and Causualties with the Thrones of earthly Princes because their Scepters are commonly managed with great injustice and manifold iniquities which lay the Foundation of their overthrow whereas thou rulest with exact Righteousness and Equity whereby thy Throne is Established Prov. 16. 12. 7. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness c Thou dost not onely do that which is good and avoid that which is Evil Which even bad Princes and Men may do and sometimes Actually do for Politick or Prudential Reasons but thou dost this sincerely and from an inward Principle even from a true Love to God and Goodness and from an implacable Hatred against all Wickedness therefore d So this Particle is commonly used And so it denoteth Either 1. The reward of Christ's righteous Administration of his Kingdom So the Sence is Because thou hast given so many and great Proofs of thy Love to Righteousness and of thy Hatred of sin and that not onely by the constant Course of thy Life but also by thy Death and Passion therefore God hath raised and exalted thee far above all Men and Angels to a state of Joy and endless Glory at his right Hand which is fitly expressed by the Oyl of gladness For anointing doth not always signifie the Conferring of inward Gifts or Endowments but sometimes onely notes the Designation or inauguration of a Person to some high Dignity or Employment as Ezek. 28. 14. and elsewhere Or 2. The final Cause or end of Christ's Unction So the Sence is To that end i. e. That thou mightest love Righteousness and hate Wickedness and govern thy self and thy Kingdom accordingly God hath anointed thee c. i. e. Hath endowed thee with all the Gifts and Graces of thy Holy Spirit Act 10. 38. in an Eminent and peculiar manner to the Comfort and Refreshment of thine own and all thy Peoples Hearts and hath Solemnly called thee to be the Priest and Prophet and King of all his People But the former Sence seems to be the truest and is for Substance the same thing which is said in other Words Phil. 2. 8 9 10. God thy God e According to thy humane Nature Ioâ—… 20. 17. though in respect of thy divine Nature thou art his Fellow Zech. 13. 7. and his Equal Phil. 2. 6. and one with him Iob. 10. 30. hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness f So called here as also Isa. 61. 3. Partly because it not onely makes the Countenance fresh and pleasant Psal. 104. 15. but also rejoyceth the Heart Prov. 27. 9. and Partly because it was a Token of gladness and used in Feasts and other Solemn occasions of Rejoycing Of which see Psal. 23. 5. Dan. 10. 3. Amos 6. 6. above thy fellows g i. e. Above all them who partake with thee in this Unction Either 1. Above all that ever were anointed for Priests or Prophets or Kings Or 2. Above all Believers who also have received this same Unction 1 Iob. 2. 20. 27. and are made Priests and Kings unto God Revel 1. 6. 8. All thy garments smell of myrrhe and aloes and cassia h Wherewith they used to Persume their Garments See Gen. 27. 27. This may denote those glorious and sweet smelling Vertues which as they were Treasured up inwardly in Christs Heart so did they manifest themselves outwardly and visibly and give forth a greatful Smell in the whole Course of his Life and Actions his Doctrine also was a sweet Savour unto God and Men 2 Coâ—… 2. 14 15. out of the ivory palaces i Which may be referred Either 1 To the Garments which were usually kept in and now upon this extraordinary Solemnity were brought out of Palaces or Houses or Wardrobes of Ivory so called here as also Amos 3. 15. not because they were wholly made of Ivory but because they were adorned or covered here and there with it Or rather 2. To the King himself who is here supposed to reside in his ivory Palaces and his Garments are so fragrant that they do not onely Perfume the whole Palaces in which he is but the sweet Savour thereof is perceived by those that pass by them or are at some distance from them All which is
of Ur of the Caldees to give thee this land to inherit it 8 And he said Lord GOD whereby shall I know p He asks a sign not out of distrust of God's promise for he was strong in faith Rom. 4. 20. but for further assurance and confirmation of it And such an asking of a sign was not an unusual practise with good men as Iud. 6. 37. 2 King 20. 8. nor are they reproved for it but on the contrary Ahaz was commanded to ask a sign and reproved for not asking it Isa. 7. that I shall inherit it 9 And he said unto him Take me ‖ Take and offer at my command and for my service an heifer of three years old q At which time it is perfect in stature and strength and therefore fittest for God's service and a shee-goat of three years old and a ram of three years old and a turtle-dove and a young pigeon r This and the other Creatures here following and sacrifices are the same which afterwards were prescribed in the Levitical Law 10 And he s i. e. Abram who by divine instinct and precept did all this which here follows took unto him all these and divided them in the midst t Into two equal parts This was done for two reasons 1. To represent the torn and distracted condition in which his seed was to ly for a season 2. To ratifie God's covenant with Abram and his seed for this was a rite used in making covenants as appears both from Scripture Ier. 34. 18. and other Authors and laid each piece one against another u Partly to encourage hope that God would in his time put those parts together and unite those dry bones to which the Israelites are compared Ezek. 37. and cloth them with flesh and partly that the persons entring into covenant might pass between those parts and so testifie their union and conjunction in one and the same sacrifice Either because there were two Birds and the one was laid against the other which answered to the division of the larger Creatures or because they belonged not to the Ceremony of the Covenant but were for the use of sacrifice wherein they were to be offered whole as afterwards was prescribed Levit. 1. 15 17. but the birds divided he not x. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses y To devour them whereby he signifies either 1. The disturbance and distraction which good men are exposed to in the service of God from evil Spirits and men or rather 2. The great peril of Abrams posterity who were not only torn in pieces like these sacrifices but even the remainder of them were likely to be devoured by the Egyptians whose King is compared to an Eagle the chief of the Birds of prey Ezek. 17. Abram drove them away z By the blast of his mouth as the Hebrew word signifies representing Abrams conquest over all his Enemies by Faith and Prayer whereby he engaged God to be the preserver and deliverer of his people 12 And when the Sun was going down a deep sleep fell upon Abram a Partly natural from his labour in killing and sacrificing those creatures and partly sent upon him from God to make way for the following representation and lo an horror of great darkness fell upon him b i. e. He seemed to be covered with a dreadful darkness which was either 1. A Token of God's special presence compare 1 King 8. 12. Or 2. A signification of the distressed and doleful condition of Abram's seed for darkness in Scripture is frequently mentioned as an emblem or sign of great misery as Psal. 88. 6. and 107. 14 c. 13. And he said unto Abram Know of a surety * Act. 7. 6. that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs c i. e. In Canaan and Egypt for though Canaan was theirs by promise to be fulfilled in after times yet it was not theirs by actual donation and possession but they were strangers in it Gen 17. 8. Psal. 105. 11 12. and shall serve them and * Exo. 1. 11. they shall afflict them four hundred years d Exactly 405 years but a small sum is commonly neglected in a great number both in sacred and prophane writers There were 430 years between the first promise or between the renewing and confirming of the promise by the gift of Isaac and Israels going out of Egypt or God's giving of the Law Exod. 12. 40. Gal. 3. 17. but part of this time Abraham with his Son Isaac lived in much honour and comfort but after Isaac grew up the affliction here mentioned began with Isaac in Canaan and continued to him and his posterity in Egypt till this time was expired 14. And also that nation whom they shall serve e i. e. Egypt the principal seat of their servitude and the instrument of their sorest bondage will I judge f i. e. Punish as that word is used Psal. 51. 6. Obad. v. 21. and elsewhere and afterward * Exo. 12. 36. Psal. 105. 37. shall they come out with great substance g The accomplishment whereof see Exod. 3. 22. and 11. 2. and 12. 35 37. 15. And thou shalt go to thy Fathers h i. e. Either 1. Into Heaven where thy godly progenitors are gone Or 2. Into the state of the dead where all thy Fathers are gone before thee This may seem more probable at least in this place partly because this or the like phrase is indifferently used concerning good and bad men See Gen. 25. 8. Psal. 49. 19. partly because this phrase is so expounded Act. 13. 36. He i. e. David was laid to his Fathers and for that is saw corruption partly because some of Abram's Fathers and particularly Nahor his grand-father who lived and dyed an Idolater cannot with any warrant from Scripture be presumed to be gone to the place of blessedness in their Souls in peace * Free from those afflictions which shall come upon thy posterity after thy decease thou shalt be buried in a good old age 16 But in the fourth generation i In the end of the 400 years mentioned v. 13. a generation being at that time reckoned at one hundred years or thereabouts Or in the fourth generation numbred from their going into Egypt or from their leaving Canaan which may possibly be implyed by these words they shall come hither So Caleb was the fourth from Iudah and Moses the fourth from Levi and so doubtless many others they shall come hither again for the iniquity of the Amorite k i. e. Of the people inhabiting Canaan And the Amorites one of those people v. 21. are here put for all the rest as Gen. 48. 22. 1 King 21. 26. 2 King 21. 2. Amos 2. 10. either because they were the greatest and stoutest of all Amos 2. 9. or because Abram dwelt among that people Gen. 13. 18.
and well with the flocks and bring me word again so he sent him out of the vale of Hebron and he came to Shechem 15 And a certain man found him and behold he was wandring in the field and the man asked him saying What seekest thou 16 And he said I seek my brethren tell me I pray thee where they feed their flocks 17 And the man said they are departed hence for I heard them say Let us go to Dothan q A place not very far from Shechem where afterwards a City was built See 2 King 6. 13. And Joseph went after his brethren and found them in Dothan 18 And when they saw him afar off even before he came near unto them they conspired against him to slay him 19 And they said one to another Behold this †Heb. Master of dreams dreamer r Heb. this master of dreams this crafty dreamer that covers his own ambitious designs and desires with pretences or fictions of dreams cometh 20 Come now therefore and let us slay him and cast him into some pit s Partly as unworthy of burial partly to cover their villanous action and partly that they might quickly put him out of their sight and minds and we will say some evil beast hath devoured him t There being great store of such creatures in those parts See 1 King 13. 24. 2 King 2 24. and we shall see what will become of his dreams 21 And * chap. 42. 22. Reuben heard it and he delivered him u He did so as to the violent and certain dispatch of his life which was intended Or the act is here put for the purpose and endeavour of doing it in which sence Balak is said to fight against Israel Jos. 24. 9. and Abraham to offer up Isaac Heb. 11. 17. So here he delivered him i. e. used his utmost power to deliver him that so he might recover his fathers favour lost by his incestuous action out of their hands and said Let us not kill him 22 And Reuben said unto them Shed no blood but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness and lay no hand upon him That he might rid him out of their hands to deliver him to his father again 23 And it came to pass when Joseph was come unto his brethren that they stript Joseph out of his coat his coat of many ‖ Or pieces colours that was on him 24 And they took him and cast him into a pit and the pit was empty there was no water in it 25 And they sate down to eat bread x To refresh themselves their consciences being stupified and their hearts hardned against their brother notwithstanding all his most passionate intreaties to them Gen. 42. 21. and they lift up their eyes and looked and behold a company of * See v. 28 36. Ishmeelites y The Posterity of Ishmael See Gen. 25. 18. came from Gilead z A famous place for balm and other excellent commodities and for the confluence of Merchants See Ier. 8. 22. and 22. 6. with their camels bearing spicery and balm a Or rosin as the antient and divers other translatours render it and myrrhe going to carry it down to Egypt 26 And Judah said unto his brethren What profit is it if we flay our brother b If we suffer him to perish in the pit when we may sell him with advantage and conceal his bloud c i. e. His death as the word blood is oft used See Deut. 17. 8. 2 Sam. 1. 16. and 3. 28. 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him for he is our brother and our flesh and his brethren †Heb. hearkned were content 28 Then there passed by Midianites d This story seems a little involved and the persons to whom he was sold doubtful Here seem to be two if not three sorts of Merchants mentioned Ishmaelites and Midianites here and Medanites as it is in the Hebrew ver 36. which were a distinct people from the Midianites as descending from Medan when the Midianites descended from Midian both Abrahams Sons Gen. 25. 2. The business may be accommodated divers ways either 1. the same persons or people are promiscuously called both Ishmaelites and Midianites as they also are Iudg. 8. 1 24 28. either because they were mixed together in their dwellings and by marriages or because they were here joyned together and made one Caravan or company of merchants And the Text may be read thus And the Midianite merchant-men either the same who are called Ishmaelites ver 27. or others being in the same company with them passed by and they i. e. not the Merchant-men but Iosephs brethren spoken of ver 27. the relative being referred to the remoter antecedent as it is frequently in the Scripture liâ—…t up Ioseph and sold him to the Ishmaelites or Midianites c. or 2. the persons may be distinguished and the story may very well be conceived thus The Ishmaelites are going to Egypt and are discerned at some distance by Iosephs brethren while they were discoursing about their brother In the time of their discourse the Midianites who seem to be coming from Egypt coming by the pit and hearing Iosephs cries there pull him out of the pit and sell him to the Ishmaelites who carry him with them into Egypt There they sell him to the Medanites though that as many other historical passages be omitted in the sacred story And the Medanites or Midianites if you please onely supposing them to be other persons then those mentioned ver 28. which is but a fair and reasonable supposition sell him to Potiphar Merchant-men and they drew and lift up Joseph out of the pit and * Psal. 105. 17. Wisd. 10. 13. Act. 7. 9. sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for * See Mat. 27. 9. twenty pieces of silver and they brought Joseph into Egypt 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit e That according to his brethrens order ver 27. he might take him thence and sell him and behold Joseph was not in the pit and he rent his clothes f As the manner was upon doleful occurrences See below ver 34. Numb 14. 6. Ezra 9. 3. Iob 1. 20. and 2. 12. 30 And he returned unto his brethren and said The child g So he calls him comparatively to his brethren though he was 17 years old ver 2. is not h i. e. Is not in the land of the living or is dead â—…s that phrase is commonly used as Gen. 42. 13 36. compared with Gen. 44. 20. Iob 7. 21. Ier. 31. 15. Lam. 5. 7. Mat. 2. 18. and I whither shall I go i Either to find the child or to flee from our father He is more solicitous then the rest because he being the eldest brother his father would require Ioseph at his hand and being so highly incensed against him for his former
f Heb. the streams or the flowing waters whose nature it is to be constantly in motion stood upright as an heap and the depths were congealed g i. e. Hardned stood still as if they had been frozen and so they were a wall on both hands chap. 14. 22. in the heart h i. e. The midst as that word is used Psal. 18. 16. and 46. 2. Ezek. 28. 2. of the sea 9 * Judg. 5. 30. The Enemy said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust i The lust of covetousness and revenge too shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword mine hand shall ‖ Or repossess destroy k Or take possession of them and theirs see of this word Numb 14. 12 24. them 10 Thou didst blow with thy wind the sea covered them * ver 5. they sank as lead in the mighty l Heb. Magnificent or honourable made so by being the instrument of thy glorious work waters 11 * 2 Sam. 7. 22. 1 King 8. 23. Psal. 86. 8. Jer. 10. 6. Who is like unto thee O LORD amongst the ‖ Or mighty ones Gods m So called and esteemed or Princes or Potentates as Psal. 29. 1. Ezek. 32. 21. Who is like thee glorious in holiness n Or Righteousness thy power is great and glorious but thou dost not abuse it to unrighteous and unworthy purposes but to holy and honourable designs to the punishment of wicked Tyrants and to the vindication of thine oppressed and holy people fearful in praises o In praise-worthy actions the act being put for the object as fear is put for a thing to be feared as Psal. 14. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 14. Or to be feared or had in reverence when thou art praised to be both loved and feared at the same time doing wonders 12 Thou stretchest out thy right hand the earth p Either 1. The Globe consisting of Earth and Water which is here called Earth as it is called the deep and the waters Gen. 1. 2. Or 2. The Earth is here put for the Sea the other part of the same Globe as the Soul is put for the body or the dead carcass the other part of the man Levit. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb 6. 6 9 11. Or 3. The Earth properly either because many of them sunk into the mud at the bottom of the Sea and were buryed in it Or because after they were cast up upon the shore they were buried by the Israelites in the Earth swallowed them 13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation q i. e. Canaan the place where not onely tâ—… shall dwell but thou in and with them See Psal. 78. 52 c. 14 * Num. 14. 14 Deut. 2. 25. Josh. 2. 9. The people shall hear and be afraid forrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina 15 Then the Dukes of Edom shall be amazed * Num. 22. 3. Hab. 3. 6. the mighty men of Moab trembling shall take hold upon them * Josh. 5. 1. all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away 16 * Deut. 2. 25. Josh. 2. 9. Fear and dread shall fall upon them by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still r Or be as silent they shall be so struck with amazement that they shall be impotent both for speech and motion as a stone till thy people pass over O LORD till the people pass over * chap 19. 5. Deut. 32. 9. 2 Sam. 7. 23. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 9. which thou hast purchased 17 Thou shalt bring them in and * Psal. 44. 2. and 80. 8. plant them in the mountain s Either 1. In the Country of Canaan which is a mountainous Country full of Hills and Vallies Deut. 11. 11. not like Egypt a plain and low Country Or 2. in and about the Mount of Moriah where the Temple was to be built which is here put for the whole Land it being the most eminent part of it round about which the people were planted and to which they were frequently to resort of thine inheritance in the place O LORD which thou hast made for thee to dwell in in the Sanctuary O LORD which thy hands have established t Will certainly build and establish i. e. cause to be built and established The past tense for the future to note the certainty of it according to the style of the Prophets 18 * Psal. 146. 10. Isa. 57. 15. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever 19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the Sea and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea 20 And Miriam the Prophetess u So called either in a general sense because she was an instructer of other Women in the praise and service of God Or in a more special sense because she had the spirit of Prophesie See Numb 12. 2. and Mic. 6. 4. the sister of Aaron x Quest. Why not of Moses also Answ. 1. She might be Moses his sister onely by one Patent Aarons by both 2. She was best known to the people by her relation to Aaron with whom she had lived for many years when Moses was banished took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her * Psal. 68. 25. with timbrels and with dances y According to their antient custom in publick solemnities See Iudg. 11. 34. and 21. 21. 1 Sam. 18. 6. 2 Sam. 6. 14 21. Ier. 31. 4 13. 21 And Miriam answered them z Either 1. The Women last spoken of and then it is an Enallage of the Gender Or 2. The men spoken of before They sung by turns or by parts either the same words being repeated or some other words of a like nature added See 1 Chron. 16. 41. 2 Chron. 5. 13. Esra 3. 11. sing ye to the LORD for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea 22 So Moses brought Israel from the red sea and they went out into the wilderness of Shur a So usually called Gen. 16. 7. and by the Israelites Etham as may be gathered by comparing this place with Numb 33. 8. for both there and here it is said they went three days in this Wilderness and they went three dayes in the wilderness and found no water 23 And when they came to Marah they could not drink of the waters of * Numb 33. 8. Marah for they were bitter therefore the name of it was called †That is bitterness Marah 24 And the people murmured against Moses saying What shall we drink 25 And he cryed unto the LORD and the LORD shewed him a
is a difference among Prophets nor do I put the equal authority and honour upon all of them I the LORD will make my self known unto him in a vision k Whereby God represents things to the mind of a Prophet when he is awake as Gen. 15. 1. and 46. 2. Dan. 8. 18. and 10. 8. and will speak unto him in a dream l By which God manifests his mind to them in a dream as Gen. 20. 3. and 28. 12. 7 My servant Moses is not so * Heb. 3. 2. who is faithful in all mine house m i. e. Whom I have set over all my house i. e. my Church and people and therefore over you and who hath discharged his office faithfully and not partially and self-seekingly as you falsly accuse him 8 With him will I speak * Exod. 33. 11. mouth to mouth n i. e. Distinctly by an articulate voice immediately not by an interpreter nor by shadows and representations in his fancy as it is in visions and dreams and familiarly This is called speaking face to face 2 Epist. of Iohn ver 12. and 3 Epist. ver 14. even apparently o Plainly and certainly and not in dark speeches p Not in parables similitudes riddles dark resemblances as by shewing a boyling pot an Almond Tree c. to Ieremy a chariot with wheels c. to Ezekiel and the similitude of the LORD q Not the face or essence of God which no man can see and live Exod. 33. 20. it being invisible Col. 1. 15. and never seen by man Iohn 1. 18 but some singular manifestation of his glorious presence as Exod. 33. 11 20 c. and 34. 5 c. Deut. 34. 10. Yea the Son of God appeared to him in an humane shape which he took up for a time that he might give him a forecast of his future incarnation shall he behold wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant r Who is so in such an eminent and extraordinary manner Moses 9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them and he departed s From the door of the Tabernacle in token of his great displeasure not waiting for their answer and judging them unworthy of any further discourse 10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle t Not from the whole Tabernacle for then they must have removed but from that part of the Tabernacle whither it was come to that part which was directly over the Mercy-seat where it constantly abode and * Deut. 24. 9. behold Miriam became leprous u She and not Aaron either because she was first or chief in the transgression or because God would not have his worship either interrupted or dishonoured which it must have been if Aaron had been leprous white as snow x This kind of leprosie was the most virulent and incurable of all See Exod. 4. 6. 2 King 5. 27. It is true when the leprosie began in a particular part and thence spread it self over all the flesh by degrees and at last made it all white that was an evidence of the cure of the leprosie Levit. 13. 12 13. but it was otherwise when one was suddenly and extraordinarily smitten with this universal whiteness which shewed the great corruption of the whole mass of blood as it was here and Aaron looked upon Miriam and behold she was leprous 11 And Aaron said unto Moses Alas my lord I beseech thee lay not the sin upon us y Let not the guilt and punishment of this sin rest upon us upon her in this kind upon me in any other kind but pray to God for the pardon and removal of it wherein we have done foolishly and wherein we have sinned 12 Let her not be as one dead z Either naturally because part of her flesh was putrefied and dead and not to be restored but by the mighty power of God Or morally because she was cut off from all converse with others Levit. 13. 46. of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mothers womb a Like an untimely birth without due shape and proportion or like a still born child that hath been for some time dead in the womb which when it comes forth is white and putrefied and part of it consumed 13 And Moses cryed unto the LORD saying Heal her now O God I beseech thee 14 And the LORD said unto Moses * See Heb. 12. 9. If her father had but spit in her face b i. e. Expressed some eminent token of indignation and contempt which this was Iob 30. 10. Isa. 50. 6. should she not be ashamed c And withdraw her self from her fathers presence as Ionathan did upon a like occasion 1 Sam. 20. 34. So though God healed her according to Moses his request yet he would have her publickly bear the shame of her sin and be a warning to others to keep them from the same transgression seven dayes let her be * Lev. 13. 46. shut out from the camp seven dayes d The time appointed for cleansing the unclean See Numb 6. 9. and 31. 19. and after that let her be received in again 15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven dayes and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again e Which was a testimony of respect to her both from God and from the people God so ordering it partly least she should be overwhelmed by such a publick rebuke from God and partly least she being a Prophetess together with her person the gift of Prophesie should come into contempt 16 And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth f Where they abode as is said Numb 11. 35. for Miriams sake and pitched in the wilderness of Paran g i. e. In another part of the same wilderness as may be gathered from Numb 10. 12. See also Deut. 33. 2. It is possible they might have removed out of one part of that wilderness into another wilderness and then returned again into another part of it as we know the Israelites had many strange windings and turnings in their Wilderness travels And this part was more especially called Rithmah Numb 33. 18. and Kadesh-barnea Numb 13. 26. Deut. 1. 19. which were two noted places in that part both which seem to be comprehended within their camp or near adjoyning to it CHAP. XIII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses a In answer to the peoples petition about it as is evident from Deut. 1. 22. And it is probable from the following story that the people desired it out of diffidence of Gods promise and providence though Moses liked of it as a prudent course to learn where or how to make the first invasion And God granted their desire for their trial and punishment as well knowing from what root it came saying 2 * chap. 32. 8. Deut. 1. 22. Send thou men b Do as
z Whose kindness and compassion to him as he had formerly experienced so now he expected it in his deep distress This practice of divination by the dead or by the Ghosts or Souls of dead Persons called up by Magical Art was very usual among all Nations and from them Saul learned it 12 And when the woman saw Samuel she cryed with a loud voice a For fear of her life Saul himself being Witness of her Crime and the woman spake to Saul saying Why hast thou deceived me for thou art Saul b This she knew either by some Gesture of Reverence which this supposed Samuel might shew to Saul as to the King or by information from this Ghost or from the Spirit by whose help she had raised him 13 And the king said unto her Be not asraid for what sawest thou And the woman said unto Saul I saw ‖ Or a god gods c i. e. A god a Divine Person Glorious and full of Majesty and Splendor exceeding not onely Mortal men but common Ghosts She useth the Plural Number gods either after the manner of the Hebrew Language which commonly useth that word of one Person or after the Language and Custom of the Heathens But the whole Coherence shows that it was but one For Saul desired but one v. 11. and he enquires and the Woman answers onely of one v. 14. ascending out of the earth d As if it came from the place of the dead 14 And he said unto her ‡ Heb. what is his form What form is he of And she said An old man cometh up and he is covered with a mantle e The usual Habit of Prophets 2 King 2. 8 13. Zech. 13. 4. and particularly of Samuel 1 Sam. 15. 27. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel f The Woman pretended and Saul upon her Suggestion believed that it was Samuel indeed And so many Popish and some other Writers conceived But that it was not Samuel but the Devil representing Samuel is sufficiently evident For First It is most incredible that God who had just now refused to answer Saul by the means which himself appointed and used in that case would answer him or suffer Samuel to answer him in that way and upon the use of those means which God detested and contemned which would have given great countenance and encouragement to Saul and the Witch and all Professors and Consulters of those Devillish Arts. Secondly There are divers passages in this Relation which plainly discover that this was no good but an evil Spirit as first That he receives that Worship from Saul v. 14. which good Spirits would not suffer Revel 19. 10. and 22. 8 9. Secondly That amongst his other sins for which he condemneth him he omitteth this of asking Counsel of one that had a familiar Spirit to enquire of it for which transgression with others he is expresly said to have died 1 Chron. 10. 13. which the true Samuel who was so Zealous for Gods Honour and so Faithful a Reprover would never have neglected especially now when he takes Saul in the very Fact Thirdly That he pretends himself to be disquieted and brought up v. 15. by Saul's Instigation and the Witches Art which is most false and impious and absurd to imagine concerning those Blesâ—…ed Souls who are returned to their God Eccles. 12. 7. and entred into peace and rest Isa. 57. 2. and lodged in Abraham's bosom Luk. 16. 22. and rest from their labours Revel 14. 13. The onely Argument of any colour to the contrary is onely this That the Devil could not so particularly and punctually discover Saul's future Events as this Samuel doth v. 19. But this also hath little weight in it it being confessed and notoriously known that evil Spirits both in the Oracles of the Heathen and otherwise have oft-times foretold future contingencies God being pleased to Reveal such things to them and to permit them to be the Instruments of Revealing them to Men for the trial of some and for the terror and punishment of others Besides the Devil might foresee this by strong conjectures as by the numerousness strength courage and resoluteness of the Philistine Host and the quite contrary condition of the Israelites and by divers other symptoms far above the reach of Mortal men but such as he by his great Sagacity could easily discern And for that express determination of the time to morrow v. 19. that word may be understood not of the very next day but indefinitely of some short time after this as it is taken Exod. 13. 14. Deut. 6. 20. Ios. 4. 6 21. And then it was easie to gather from the present posture of the two Armies that the Fight and the Ruin of the Israelites was very near And that it was not the very next day but some days after this is evident from the course of the Story and hath been proved by a late Learned Writer See my Latin Synopsis on this place and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself 15 ¶ And Samuel said to Saul Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up g As the Devil appeared in Samuel's Shape and Garb so also he speaketh in his Petson that he might 〈◊〉 Saul and encourage others to seek to him in this wicked way And God permits him to do so for Saul's greater condemnation and punishment And Saul answered I am fore distressed for the Philistines make war against me and God is departed from me and answereth me no more neither ‡ Heb. by the hand of prophets by prophets nor by dreams h He omitteth the Uâ—…im here because he neither did nor could enquire by that because Abiathar had carried it away to David and so he expected no answer that way therefore I have called thee that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do 16 Then said Samuel Wherefore then dost thou ask of me seeing the LORD is departed from thee and is become tâ—…ine enemy 17 And the LORD hath done ‖ Or 〈◊〉 himself to him i i. e. To David as it is explained in the following words The Pronoun Relative put before the Noun to which it belongs as is usual in the Hebrew Text as Psal. 87. 1. and 105. 19. Prov. 7. 7 8. Ier. 40. 5. Otherwise to him is put for to thee such changes of Persons being frequent among the Hebrews Otherwise for himself i. e. for the accomplishment of his Counsel and Prediction and Oath and for the Glory of his Justice and Holiness * Chap. 1â—… as he spake by †me k Still he nourisheth this persuasion in Saul that it was the true Samuel that spake to him for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thâ—…ne hand and given it to thy ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 hand neighbour even to David 18 * Chap. 〈◊〉 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek
LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee 32 And the king said unto Cushi Is the young man Absalom safe And Cushi answered The enemies of my lord the king and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt be as that young man is u May they perish and be cut off as he is 33 ¶ And the king was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate x Retiring himself from all men and business that he might wholly give up himself to lamentation and wept and as he went thus he said O my son Absalom my son my son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son y This he might speak from a deep sense of his Eternal state because he died in his sins without the least testimony of repentance and because David himself had by his own siâ—…s been the unhappy instrument and occasion of his Sons death CHAP. XIX AND it was told Joab a By his Messengers upon their return Behold the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom 2 And the ‡ Heb. salvation or deliverance victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son 3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city b Not openly and orderly and triumphantly as Conquerors use to do but secretly and disorderly and asunder as if they were afraid and ashamed lest David should see them and look upon them with an evil eye as those that had an hand in the killing of his dearly beloved Son as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battel 4 But the king covered his face c As a deep mourner as one that desired neither to see nor to be seen by any others and the king cried with a loud voice O my son Absalom O Absalom my son my son 5 And Joab came into the house d Either the Gate-house or his now dwelling-house in the City to which he was retired that he might more freely indâ—…lge himself in the expressions of his grief to the king and said Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants e By disappointing their just hopes of praises and rewards and by requiâ—…ing them with contempt and tacit rebukes which this day have saved thy life and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters and the lives of thy wâ—…ves and the lives of thy concubines f All which Absalom struck at and had sooner or later actually taken away if he had not been cut off in such a manner without expecting thy knowledge or consent and therefore thy carriage towards them that have saved the lives of thee and thine with the utmost hazard of their own is highly unjust and ungrateful 6 ‡ Heb. by loving c. In that thou lovest thine enemies and hatest thy friends for thou hast declared this day ‡ Heb. that princes or servants are not to thee that thou regardest neither princes nor servants for this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had died this day then it had pleased thee well g This is not to be understood as exactly true in the rigour of it but onely comparatively and Hyperâ—…olically spoken For David desired their preservation and Absalom's too but it must be considered that Ioab was now in an high transport of passion which might easily hurry him into indecent expressions and that David's carriage gave too much colour to such a suggestion and that such sharpness of speech was in a manner necessary to awaken the King out of his Lethargy and to preserve him from the impendent mischiefs 7 Now therefore arise go forth and speak ‡ Heb. to the heart of thy servants comfortably unto thy servants for I swear by the LORD h This Oath was either assertory of what he believed might in reason be expected as likely in great measure to come to pass or else promissory or rather minatory of what he by his influence could and would effect and if so it was much more than became him to say to his Sovereign and could onely be excused by the circumstances which at this time might make it seem necessary For David was indeed to blame in taking no more notice of their good service however Ioab might be faulty also in disobeying the Kings express command as to Absalom's person and great reason there was that David as Ioab did now advise should shew himself less displeased to the people who had exposed their lives to preserve him and his if thou go not forth i To the Gate to shew thy self to thy people and kindly and thankfully to acknowledge the good service that they have now done thee there will not tarry one with thee this night k The hearts of all thy people will forth with be irrecoverably alienated from thee and they will look out for some other person on whom they may set the Crown and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that beâ—…el thee from thy youth until now 8 Then the king rose and sate in the gate l He was come forth out of his retirement and appeared in publick on the Seat of Judgment at the Gate of the City to receive the Addresses of his people and mind the Affairs of the Kingdom and they told unto all the people saying Behold the king doth sit in the gate and all the people came before the king m To congratulate him for the Victory and to prosess their subjection to him So Ioab's Speech though very severe and presumptuous was it seems a word in season and had that good effect which he designed for Israel had fled every man to his tent 9 ¶ And all the people were at strife n Quarrelling one with another as the Authors or Abettors of this shameful and cursed Rebellion throughout all the tribes of Israel saying o Discoursing privately and publickly of David's high merits which God being now reconciled to David brings afresh to their memories and reneweth the sense of their obligations to their King which they had lately shaken off Thus the Crowns of Kings sit faster or looser upon their heads as God is pleased to dispose of the thoughts and hearts of their people which he can turn in an instant which way he will The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom p Now we come to reflect upon our own actions we are sensible of our folly and unworthiness in adhering to Absalom and thereby forcing David to fly out of the Land of Canaan to the parts beyond Iordan for his security 10 And Absalom whom we anointed q i. e. Caused to be Anointed
3. 3 4. 7 And ‡ Heb. his words were with Joab he conferred with Joab the son of Ze ruiah and with Abiathar the priest and they ‡ Heb. helped after Adonijah following Adonijah helped him t Either because they thought the right of the Crown was his or rather from secret grudges because they perceived themselves neglected by David and possibly by Solomon too and from carnal policy that they might secure and advance their own Interest which they saw to be in manifest danger 8 But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and * Chap. 4. 18. Shimei and Rei and * 2 Sam â—…3 8. the mighty men which belonged to David u His great and famous Commanders and the Guards and Soldiers under them were not with Adonijah 9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattel x Partly for a Sacrifice and partly for Feasts that he might engage God to be on his side and draw a multitude of people after him by the stone of Zoheleth which is by ‖ Or the well Rogel En-rogel y Or the fountain of Rogel or of the Fuller a place nigh to Ierusalem See Ios. 15. 7. and 18. 16. 2 Sam. 17. 17. and called all his brethren the kings sons z Either because he knew they envied and were discontented with Solomon and therefore would favour him or that he might engage them so to do and all the men of Judah the kings servants a Except these here excepted v. 10. 10 But Nathan the prophet and Benaiah and the mighty men b Because he knew they favoured Solomon his Competitor and Solomon his brother he called not 11 ¶ Wherefore Nathan spake c Being prompted to it both by his Piety in fulfilling the will of God declared to him and by him to David concerning Solomon's Succession 2 Sam. 7. 13. 1 Chron. 22. 8 9. and by his prudence as knowing that Adonijah hated him for being the principal instrument of Solomon's advancement unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon d Who being retired and private in her appartment was yet ignorant of what was done abroad and who was likely to be most zealous in the cause and most prevalent with David saying Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of * 2 Sam. 34. Haggith doth reign and David our lord knoweth it not e So far is he from consenting to it as thou mayest fear or others think that they have not yet acquainted him with it 12 Now therefore come let me I pray thee give thee counsel that thou mayest save thine own life and the life of thy son Solomon f For he will never reckon himself safe till his Competitor and his Friends be taken out of the way 13 Go and get thee in unto king David and say unto him Didst not thou my lord O king swear g i. e. Thou didst Swear which David himself owneth v. 30. which probably he did to satisfie Bathsheba's doubts and fears about it and to oblige himself to a compliance with the Divine will declared about it See chap. 2. 15. and 1 Chron. 28. 5. unto thine hand maid h So she calleth her self to testify her reverence and subjection to him not onely as her Husband but as her King saying * 1 Chr. 22. 9. Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne i Another expression of the same thing to signify David's sincerity and fervency in his Swearing which adds to his obligation Why then doth Adonijah reign k How comes this to pass Or why doâ—…t thou suffer it 14 Behold while thou yet talkest there with the king I will also come in after thee and ‡ Heb. â—…ill uâ—… confirm thy words 15 ¶ And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber and the king was very old and Abishag the Shunammite ministred unto the king 16 And Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance unto the king and the king said ‡ Heb. what to thee What wouldest thou 17 And she said unto him My lord thou swarest by the LORD thy God l To whom thou art highly obliged whose name thou justly fearest and honourest and therefore thou wilt'st not pollute it by Perjury but make Conscience of thy Oath unto thine handmaid saying Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne 18 And now behold Adonijah reigneth and now my lord the king thou knowest it not m This she adds partly lest she should seem to accuse the King of inconstancy and perfidiousness and partly to aggravate Adonijah's crime from that gross neglect and contempt of the King which did accompany it 19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattel and sheep in abundance and hath called all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the captain of the host but Solomon thy servant n Who is not so presumptuous as Adonijah usurping the Throne before his time but carries himself modestly and submissively as thy Son and Servant and Subject hath he not called 20 And thou my lord O king the eyes of all Israel are upon thee o The generality of the People are in suspence whether Adonijah's practices be with thy consent or no and wait for thy Senâ—…ence which they will readily embrace that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king p She speaks onely in general as owning the Kings Prerogative to give the Crown to which of his Sons he pleased if he had not restrained himself by his Oath to Solomon after him q i. e. After thy death Whereby she taxeth Adonijah's ambition who usurped the Crown whilst his Father lived 21 Otherwise it shall come to pass when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers r i. e. Die as his Fathers did See Gen. 47. 30. that I and my son Solomon shall be counted ‡ Heb. shall be sinners offenders s We shall be punished with death as Malefactors as guilty of practising against the right Heir of the Crown and transferring the Kingdom to Solomon and covering our ambitious designs with a pretence of Religion 22 ¶ And lo while she yet talked with the king Nathan the prophet also came in t To discourse with the King which made it fit for her to withdraw as she did v. 28. 23 And they told the king saying Behold Nathan the prophet And when he was come in before the king he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground 24 And Nathan said My lord O king hast thou said u Is this done by thy consent without which it seems strange that he durst attempt it Adonijah shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne 25 For he is gone down this day and hath slain oxen and fat cattel and
searched found out 48 And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD p Such as God by the Mouth of Moses had commanded to be made for his House and Service and such as Moses had made onely these were larger and richer and more according to the difference of the Temple and Tabernacle and Solomon's vast riches and the poverty of Moses and the Israelites at that time the altar of gold q To wit of Incense as appears from 1 Chron. 28. 18. where this is mentioned amongst the things for which David left Gold and Solomon is here said to build it and therefore this cannot be that Altar made by Moses Exod. 25. 23 24. and 30. 1 3. which also was of Shittim-Wood whereas this was made of Cedar and covered with Gold 1 King 6. 20. and the table of gold whereupon the * Exod. 25. 30 shew-bread was r Under which by a Synecdoche are comprehended both all the utensils belonging to it and the other ten Tables which he made together with it 2 Chron. 4. 7 8. 49 And the candlesticks s Which were ten according to the number of the Tables whereas Moses made but one whereby might be signified the progress of the Light of Sacred Truth which was now grown clearer than it was in Moses his time and should shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day of Gospel Light of pure gold t Of massy and fine Gold five on the right side and five on the left before the oracle u In the Holy place with the flowers x Wrought upon the Candlesticks as it had formerly been See on Exod. 25. 31. and the lamps and the tongs of gold 50 And the bowls and the snuffers and the basons and the spoons and the ‡ Heb. ashpans censers of pure gold and the hinges of gold both for the doors of the inner house the most holy place and for the doors of the house to wit of the holy temple 51 So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD and Solomon brought in the ‡ Heb. Holy things of David things * 2 Sam. 8. 11. 2 Chron. 5. 1. which David his father had dedicated even the silver and the gold y Either First All of it and so Solomon built it wholly at his own charge Or Secondly So much of it as was left and the vessels z Those which David had dedicated and with them the Altar of Moses and some other of the old utensils which were now laid aside far better being put in the room of them did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD CHAP. VIII THen * â—… Chr â—… 2. Solomon assembled the elders of Israel a The Senators and Judges and Rulers and all the heads of the tribes b For each Tribe had a peculiar Head or Governor the ‡ Heb. princes chief of the fathers c The chief Persons of every great Family in each Tribe of the children of Israel unto king Solomon d Unto himself the antecedent Noun being put for the relative and reciprocal Pronoun as is frequent with the Hebrews in Jerusalem e Where the Temple was built and now finished that they might bring up the ark f To the top of this high Hill of Moriah upon which it was built whither they were now to carry the Ark in a Solemn pomp that by this their attendance they might make a publick profession of that service and respect and obedience which they owed unto that God who was Graciously and Gloriously present in the Ark. of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David g Where David had placed the Ark 2 Sam. 6. 12 17. See on 1 King 2. 10. and 3. 1 which is Zion h Which is also called Zion because it was built upon that Hill 2 And all the men of Israel i Not onely the chief Men who were particularly invited but a vast number of the common people as being forward to see and to joyn in this great and Glorious Solemnity assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast k Understand either first The Feast of Tabernacles Or rather Secondly The Feast of the Dedication to which Solomon had invited them which was before that Feast for that began on the 15 day of the 7th month Lev. 23. 34. but this began at the least 7 days before that Feast for Solomon and the People kept the Feast for 14 days here v. 65. i. e. 7 days for the Dedication of the Temple and 7 other days for that of Tabernacles and after both these were finished he sent all the People to their homes on the 23 day of the month See 2 Chron. 7. 9 10. in the month Ethanim which is the seventh month l Which time he chose with common respect to his Peoples convenience because now they gathered in all their Fruits and now they were come up to Ierusalem to Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles Quest. The Temple was not finished till the eighth month 1 King 6. 38. how then could he invite them in the seventh month Ans. This was the 7th month of the next Year For although the house in all its parts was finished the Year before yet the utensils of it described chap. 7. were not then fully finished but took up a considerable time afterward and many preparations were to be made for this great and extraordinary occasion 3 And all the elders of Israel came and the priests took up the ark m For although the Levites might do this Numb 4. 15. yet the Priests did it at this time partly for the greater honour of the Solemnity and partly because the Levites might not enter into the Holy place much less into the Holy of Holies where it was to be placed into which the Priests themselves might not have entred if the High-Priest alone could have done it Obj The Levites are said to have done this 2 Chron. 5. 4. Ans. That is most true because all the Priests were Levites though all the Levites were not Priests 4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD and the tabernacle of the congregation n That made by Moses which doubtless before this time had been translated from Gibeon to Zion and now together with other things was put into the Treasuries of the Lords-House to prevent all the superstitious use and prophane abuse of it and to oblige the people to come up to Ierusalem as the onely place where God would now be Worshipped and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle even those did the priests and Levites o The Priests carrying some and the Levites others bring up 5 And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him were with him before the ark sacrificing sheep and oxen p Either First
rather by the Power and Providence of God which disposeth the hearts of Kings as he pleaseth and inclined them to this course that they might though ignorantly accomplish his word and counsel 32 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat that they said Surely it is the king of Israel And they turned aside d They drew their Forces from their several quarters towards Iehoshaphat to fight against him and Jehoshaphat cried out e To the Lord for help 2 Chron. 18. 31. 33 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel f Which they easily perceived either by their words uttered to God or them or by the difference of his shape and countenance from that of Ahab which probably many of them very well knew that they turned back from pursuing him 34 And a certain man drew a bow ‡ Heb. in his simplicity at a venture g Heb. In his simplicity i. e. ignorantly without care or choice or any design or thought of reaching Ahab Or according to his perfection i. e. with his perfect and utmost strength which is mentioned as the reason why it pierced through the joynts of his Armour and smote the king of Israel between the ‡ Heb. joynts and the breast-plate joynts of the harness h Where the several parts of his Armour are joyned together which possibly were not then joyned with so much art and closeness as now they are wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot Turn thine hand and carry me out of the host i Out of the midst of the Host where the heat of the Battel was into a safer part of the Army See the next Verse for I am ‡ Heb. made sick wounded 35 And the battel ‡ Heb. ascended increased k i. e. Grew hot and violent that day and the king was stayed up l Was supported by Cordials or by his Servants that by his presence he might encourage his Soldiers to Fight more couragiously and that he might see the event of the Battel in his chariot against the Syrians and died at even and the blood ran out of the wound into the ‡ Heb. bosom midst of the chariot 36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host m Probably by Iehoshaphat's order with the consent of the chief Captains of Israel and possibly with the permission of the King of Syria upon notice of Ahab's Death which was the onely thing at which he aimed ver 31. about the going down of the sun saying Every man to his city and every man to his own countrey n The King is Dead and the Battel ended and therefore every man hath liberty to return to his own House and private occasions 37 ¶ So the king died and ‡ Heb. came was brought to Samaria and they buried the king in Samaria 38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria and the dogs licked up his blood o Together with the Water wherewith it was mixed and they washed his armour according * Chap. 21. 19. unto the word of the LORD which he spake p Of which see the Note on chap. 21. 19. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and the ivory house q Heb. the house of the tooth or teeth to wit of Elephants See chap. 10. 18. Not that it was made wholly of solid Ivory but because the other materials were covered or intermixed or adorned with Ivory Compare Amos 3. 15. which he made and all the cities that he built are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 40. So Ahab slept with his fathers and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead 41 ¶ And * 2 Chr. 20. 31. Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab r Who Reigned 22 Years therefore he Reigned about 18 Years with Ahab king of Israel 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign and he reigned twenty and five years s Part by himself and partly with his Sons whom he took into the Fellowship of his Kingdom Of which see more on 2 King 1. 17. in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi 43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father t He took the same care for the Government of his Kingdom and especially for the Reformation of Religion that Asa did of whom see Chap. 15. 11. he turned not aside from it doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD nevertheless the high places were not taken away u Object It is said he did take them away 2 Chron. 17. 6. Answ. He took away those which were Erected to Idols of which he seems to speak there because the high places are there joyned with groves which were generally Erected to Idols and not to the True God as will appear to any one that shall compare all the Scriptures where groves are mentioned but he could not take away those which were Erected to the True God of which this place manifestly speaks as also that Parallel place 1 King 15. 14. where see the notes Or he took them away but not fully or not in the very beginning of his Reign for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places 44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel x With Ahab first and then with his Son This is noted as a Blemish in his Government 2 Chron. 19. 2. and proved of most Mischievous Consequence to Iehoshaphat's Posterity as we shall see 2 King 9. and 10. 45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat and his might that he shewed and how he warred are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah y Whence the most memorable Passages were Translated into that Canonical Book of the Chronicles 46 And the remnant of the Sodomites z Of whom see Deut. 23. 17. 1 King 14. 24. and 15. 12. which remained in the days of his father Asa he took out of the land 47 There was then no king in Edom a deputy a Sent and set over them by the Kings of Iudah from the time of David 2 Sam. 8. 14. until the days of Iehoram 2 Chron. 21. 8. was king 48 Jehoshaphat ‖ Or had ten ships made ships b As it is expressed 2 Chron. 20. 36. Or there were to Iehoshaphat ten ships the Ellipsis of the Verb Substantive and of the Praefix Lamed being frequent in the Hebrew Language Some render the Words he made ten ships so joyning both Texts together and out of both compleating the sence of Tharshish c Either 1. Of the Sea as this Word is thought sometimes to be used Or rather 2. To go to Tarshish
use and of the place of the mercy-seat t i. e. In what particular part of the Holy of Holies it was to be placed 12 And the pattern †〈…〉 of all u For Even the Pattern of all for this clause belongs both to the foregoing and to the following Particulars that he had by the spirit x By the Spirit of God as is evident from v. 19. For seeing all the particulars of the Tabeâ—…acle built by Moses were suggested to him by Gods Spirit by which even the Workmen were inspired Exod. 25. 40. and 31. 3. it is not credible that God would use less care and exactness in the building of this far more glorious and durable Work of the courts of the house of the LORD and of all the chambers round about of the treasuries of the house of God and of the treasuries of the dedicate things y All which were within the Courts or adjoyning to them as the other Chambers v. 11. were adjoyned to the House 13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD 14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold for all instruments of all manner of service silver also for all instruments of silver by weight for all instruments of every kind of service 15 Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold and for their lamps of gold by weight for every candlestick and for the lamps thereof and for the candlesticks of silver by weight both for the ‖ main body 〈◊〉 the. candlestick and also for the lamps thereof according to the use of every candlestick z Whether they were large and fixed in one place whereof there were ten in the Holy Place 1 King 7. 49. or such as were less and loose to be carried from place to place as need required 16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shew bread a By this and 2 Chron. 4. 19. it appears that there were divers Tables to be used either successively or together about the shew-bread but one of them seems to have been of more Eminency and use than the rest and therefore it is most commonly called the Table of the Shew-bread in the singular number But oâ—… this and the rest of the Utensils here named see the Notes on Exodus for every table and likewise silver for the tables of silver 17 Also pure gold for the flesh-hooks and the bowls and the cups and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver 18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the * 1 Sam. 4. â—… 1 Kin. 6. 23. c. cherubims b i. e. Of the Cherubims which Solomon was to make of which see 1 King 6. 23. for those which were fastened to the Mercy-seat were made by Moses long before which he fitly compares to a Chariot because within them God is oft said to sit and to dwell as 2 King 19. 15. Psal. 80. 1. 99. 1. and sometimes he is said to ride upon a Cherub Psal. 18. 10. And because a Chariot is made to carry a Person from place to place this Expression may be used to intimate that God was not so fixed to them by the building of this Temple but that he both could and would remove from them if they forsook him And when they did so God did make use of the Chariot of his Cherubims to convey himself away from them as is noted Ezek. 10. 15 c. that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenent of the LORD c Not above it for that was done by Moses his Cherubims but before it to keep it from the Eyes of the High-priest when he entred into the most Holy Place 1 King 6. 23. 19 All this said David * Exod. 25. 40. the LORD made me understand in writing by ‖ Or from his hand upon ‖ Or to or within me d The meaning is either 1. That God revealed this to Samuel see 1 Chron. 9. 22 or God or Nathan or some other Man of God who put it into writing and by them to David Or 2. That God did as it were by his own Hand and Finger wherewith he wrote the Ten Commandments Exod. 31. 18. write these things upon the Table of my Mind which now I deliver to thee even all the works of this pattern 20 And David said to Solomon his son Be strong and of good courage e See the Notes on v. 10. and do it fear not nor be dismayed for the LORD God even my God will be with thee he will not fail thee nor for sake thee until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD 21 And behold the courses of the priests and the Levites even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilfull man for any manner of service also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment CHAP. XXIX 1 FUrthermore David the king said unto all the congregation Solomon my son whom alone God hath chosen is yet * Ch. 22. 5. young and tender a Comparatively for he was now married as appears by comparing 2 Chron. 9. 30. and 12. 13. and the work is great for the palace is not for man but for the LORD 2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold and the silver for things of silver and the brass for things of brass the iron for things of iron and wood for things of wood onyx-stones and stones to be set b Diamonds or Emeraulds or Rubies or any of those pretious Stones which are usually set in Rings or such things glistering stones and of divers colours and all manner of precious stones and marble-stones in abundance 3 Moreover because I have set my affection to the house of my God †Heb. there is to me a peculiar treasure I have of mine own proper good c Of that which I had reserved as a peculiar Treasure to my own Use after I had separated those things which I had devoted to God of gold and silver which I have given to the house of my God over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house 4 Even three thousand talents of gold of the gold of * 1 Kin. 9. 28. Ophir d Which was accounted the best and purest Gold of which see Iob. 22. 24. 28. 16. Isa. 13. 12. By which it appears that those 100000 Talents mentioned before ch 22. 14. were a courser
house twenty cubits and the breadth thereof twenty cubits and he overlaid it with fine gold amounting to six hundred talents 9 And the weight of the nails k i. e. Of each of the Nails or Heads of those Nails whereby the Plaâ—…es were fastned to the Boards was fifty shekels of gold and he overlayed the upper chambers l Of which see on 1 Chro. 28. 11. with gold 10 And in the most holy house he made two cherubims ‖ 〈…〉 of image-work m Made in the shape of Young Men or Boyes as they commonly are Or of moveable work so called because they were not fixed to the Mercy-seat as the Mosaical Cherubims were but stood upon their Feet as it is said here v. 13. in a moving posture and overlaid them with gold 11 And the wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long one wing of the one cherub was five cubits reaching to the wall of the house and the other wing was likewise five cubits reaching to the wing of the other cherub 12 And one wing of the other cherub was five cubits reaching to the wall of the house and the other wing was five cubits also joyning to the wing of the other cherub 13 The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits and they stood on their feet and their faces were ‖ 〈…〉 inward n. Heb. Towards the House or rather that House not the Holy House as divers understand it for then their backs must have been turned towards the Ark which was indecent and directly contrary to the posture of Moses his Cherubims which looked towards it but the Most Holy House which was last named v. 8. and of which he continues yet to speak this Posture being most agreeable to their Use which was with their Wings to close in the Ark and cover it as it is expresly affirmed below ch 5. 8. 14 And he made the * 〈…〉 vail o To wit the Inner Vail before the Most Holy Place by comparing this with Exod. 26. 31. 1 King 6. 21. of blue and purple and crimson and fine linen and †〈…〉 wrought cherubims thereon 15 Also he made before the house p i. e. Before the Holy House or before the Temple as this is explained v. 17. lest it should be understood of the Most Holy House of which he had spoken before * 〈◊〉 â—… 15 21 two pillars of thirty and five cubits †〈…〉 high q To wit both of them of which see the Notes on 1 King 7. 15. and the chapiter that was on the top of each of them was five cubits 16 And he made chains as in the oracle r As he had done or like unto those which he made in the Oracle of which see 1 King 6. 21. The particle as is oft understood as Gen. 49. 9. Deut. 33. 22 c. and put them on the heads of the pillars and made an hundred pomegranats s In each Row or 200 in all as it is said 1 King 7. 20. and put them on the chains 17 And he * 1 Kin. 7. 21. reared up the pillars before the temple one on the right hand and the other on the left and called the name of that on the right hand ‖ That is he shall establish Jachin and the name of that on the left ‖ That is in it is strength Boaz. CHAP. IV. 1 MOreover he made * Ezek. 43. 13 17. an altar of brass twenty cubits the length thereof and twenty cubits the breadth thereof and ten cubits the height thereof a Qu. How could this be when God had said Thou shalt not go up by Steps unto mine Altar that thy Nakedness be not discovered thereon Exod. 20. 26. and Steps were necessary for so high an Altar as this was Ans. 1. These Steps were so made that there was no fear of this Inconvenience 2. That Law was useful and fit when it was made but afterwards when the Priests were commanded to wear Linen Breeches in their Holy Ministrations to cover their Nakedness Exod. 28. 42. it was not necessary 3. Howsoever God could undoubtedly dispense with his own Law as here he did for he it was that gave these Dimensions for the Altar 2 * 1 Kin. 7. 23. Also he made a molten sea b Of this and v. 3 4 5 c see the Notes on 1 King 7. 23 c. of ten cubits †Heb. from his brim to his brim from brim to brim round in compass and five cubits the height thereof and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about 3 * 1 Kin. 7. 25. And under it was the similitude of oxen which did compass it round about ten in a cubit compassing the sea round about Two rows of oxen were cast when it was cast 4 It stood upon twelve oxen three looking toward the north and three looking toward the west and three looking toward the south and three looking toward the east and the sea was set above upon them and all their hinder parts were inward 5 And the thickness of it was an hand breadth and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup ‖ Or like a lilie-flower with flowers of lilies and it received and held three thousand baths 6 He made also * 1 Kin. 7. 38. ten lavers c Of which see 1 King 7. 39 c. and put five on the right hand and five on the left to wash in them †Heb. the work of burnt-offering such things as they offered for the burnt-offering they washed in them but the sea was for the priests to wash in 7 * 1 Kin. 7. 49. And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form d Either 1. The Form which was appointed for them by God who signified it to David Or rather 2. The old form which God prescribed to Moses Exod. 25. 31 c. for so these were made And this clause seems to be added here because in many things there was a great Variation from the old Form as in the posture of the Cherubims the height of the Altar and divers other things and set them in the temple five on the right hand and five on the left 8 * 1 Kin. 7. 48. He made also ten tables e Of which see 1 King 7. 48. and placed them in the temple five on the right side and five on the left and he made an hundred ‖ Or bowls basons of gold 9 Furthermore * 1 Kin. 6. 36. he made the court of the priests and the great court and doors for the court and overlaid the doors of them with brass 10 And * 1 Kin. 7. 39. he set the sea on the right side of the east-end over against the south 11 And Huram made the pots and the shovels f Of these and the following Verses see the Notes
â—…3 the work of their Lord l Either 1. Of Nehemiah who was their Lord and Governour and had given a general command for the carrying on of this work Or 2. Of God whom they owned for their Lord whose work this was partly because it had proceeded thus far by Gods singular Providence and Blessing and partly because it was done for the defence of the City and People and Temple of God And therefore they are branded to all posterity for the neglect of so great and pious a work 6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehojada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodejah they laid the beams thereof and set up the doors thereof and the locks thereof and the bars thereof 7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite the men of Gibean and of Mizpah unto the throne of the governour on this side the river l i. e. Unto the place where the Governour of the Country on this side Euphrates for and under the Persian Kings somtimes had a Palace or Throne to which all Persons living in the adjacent parts were to resort for judgment 8 Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhajah of the goldsmiths next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries and they ‖ 〈…〉 fortified m It is not said they repaired as was said of the rest but they fortified it either because this part of the Wall was less demolished than the other and therefore they needed not to repair it but one ly to make it stronger by some additions or to note their extraordinary care and diligence that they would not onely repair it and restore it to its former state but make it stronger than ever it was which also might be fit to be done in that part of the City Others render it they left as this word commonly signifies and so the meaning is They omitted the building of that part of the Wall because it remained standing this being that space of 400 cubits which was pulled down by Ioash King of Israel and rebuilt by Uzziah who made it so strong that the Chaldeans could not pull it down without more trouble than they thought fit to imploy about it But this Chapter gives us an account of what they did in the Building not of what they did not but left as they found it Jerusalem unto the broad wall 9 And next unto them repaired Rephajah the son of Hur the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem n As Rome was anciently divided into several quarters or Regions so was Ierusalem and especially this was divided into two parts whereof one was in the Tribe of Benjamin and nearest to the Temple the other in the Tribe of Judah and more remote from it which accordingly had two several Rulers this man and the other v. 12. but both under the chief Governour of the City 10 And next unto them repaired Jedajah the son of Harumaph even over against his house o That part of the Wall which was next to him which his own Interest obliged him to do with care and next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah 11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab repaired the †〈…〉 other piece and the tower of the furnaces 12 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem p i. e. Of the other half c. see on v. 9. he and his daughters q Who were either Heiresses or rich Widows and caused part to be done at their charges 13 * Ch. 2. 13. The valley-gate repaired Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah they built it and set up the doors thereof the locks thereof and the bars thereof and a thousand cubits on the wall unto * Ch. 2. 13. the dung-gate 14 But the dung-gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem r A Town or Territory the Government whereof was divided between two persons he built it and set up the doors thereof the locks thereof and the bars thereof 15 But * 〈◊〉 2. 14. the gate of the fountain repaired Shallum the son of Col-hozeh the ruler of part of Mizpah he built it and covered it and set up the doors thereof the locks thereof and the bars thereof and the wall of the pool of * 〈…〉 †〈…〉 Siloah s That part of the Wall which was directly against that Pool by the kings garden and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David 16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk the ruler of the half part of Beth-zur unto the place over against the sepulchres of David t i. e. The place which David appointed for his own Sepulchre and the Sepulchres of his Successors the Kings of Israel and Iudah and to the * 〈◊〉 â—…0 20. pool that was made u To wit by Hezekiah 2 King 20. 20. Whereby it is distinguished from that Pool which was natural and unto the house of the mighty x Or of the valiant which possibly was formerly appointed for the receipt of those chief Captains that should attend upon the King in their courses or of some other valiant Commanders who should upon occasion resort to Ierusalem 17 After him repaired the Levites Rehum the son of Bani next unto him repaired Hashabiah the ruler of the half part of Keilah in his part 18 After him repaired Bavai the son of Henadad the ruler of the half part of Keilah 19 And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshus the ruler of Mizpah another piece over against the going up to the armory y Either to the house of the forrest of Lebanon which was their Armory from Solomons days Isa. 22. 8. or to some other place which either before or since that time had been used as another and less Armory for common occasions at the turning of the wall z Or as the corner or which is in the corner 20 After him Baruch the son of ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Zabbai earnestly repaired a Did his work with eminent diligence and fervency which is here noted to his commendation the other piece from the turning of the wall b Or from the corner as v. 19. unto the door of the house c Unto that part of the Wall which was over against or next to this door of Eliashib the high priest 21 After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz another piece from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib d Therefore the door was not in the middle of the House as now they commonly are but at one end of it 22 After him repaired the priests the men of the plain e Either of the plairs of Iordan or of the plain country round about
pollute them or the Priesthood and of the Levites 30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers and * Ch. 12. 1. appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites every one in his business 31 And for the * Ch. 10. 34. wood-offerings at times appointed and for the first-fruits x And particularly I took care for these things because they had been lately neglected Remember me O my God for good ESTHER THis Book was constantly received for a part of the Canon of the Scripture by the People of the Iews whose authority herein is the more considerable because to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. to keep them safely and transmit them carefully to Posterity And it is a very strong presumption that they were true to their trust that our blessed Lord and his holy Apostles who taxed the Iews with many faults both greater and less never charged them with unfaithfulness herein which if the Iews had been guilty they would certainly have done and by their Office were obliged to do it for the Instruction and Caution of the Christian Church whose Faith was built no less upon the Writings of the Prophets than upon the Doctrine of the Apostles The Pen-man of it is both by Iewish and Christian Interpreters ancient and modern thought to be Mordecai who was both an holy man of God and a principal Actor in this History And therefore who so fit and proper for it as himself CHAP. I. 1 NOw it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus a Qu. Who was this King Ans. It is confessed and manifest that this was one of the Kings of Persia But which of them it was is not yet agreed nor is it of any necessity for us now to know But it is sufficiently evident that this was either 1. Darius Hystaspis as divers both Jewish and Christian Writers affirm for his Kingdom was thus vast and he subdued India as Herodotus reports and one of his Wives was called Atossa which differs little from Hadassah which is Esthers other name Esth. 2. 7. Or 2. Xerxes whose Wife as Herodotus notes was called Amestris which is not much differing from Esther by whom all these things were transacted whilst he was potent and prosperous before his unhappy expedition against the Grecians Or 3. Artaxerxes Longimanus to whom the characters of Ahasuerus represented in this Book do not disagree And whereas it is objected that by this account Mordecai must be a man of about 140 Years and consequently Esther who is called his Uncles daughter ch 2. 7. must be too old to make a Wife for the King as for Mordecai it may be granted there being divers instances of persons of greater Age than that in sacred and prophane Historians and for Esther it may be said that she was his Uncles Grand-Daughter nothing being more frequent than for the names of sons or daughters to be given to more remote posterity this is Ahasuerus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces b So seven new Provinces were added to those 120 mentioned Dan. 6. 1. 2 That in those days when the king Ahasuerus sate on the Throne of his kingdom c i. e. Either was lately advanced to it or rather was settled in the peaceable possession of it which was in Shushan the ‖ Or chief city palace d Or the castle or the chief or royal city as both Jewish and Christian Interpreters render it Shushan might be the proper name of the Palace which thence was given to the whole City Here the Kings of Persia used to keep their Courts chiefly in Winter as ordinarily they were in Ecbatana in Summer 3 In the third year of his reign he made a feast unto all his Princes and his servants the power e i. e. The mighty men the chief Officers of State and Commanders of all his Forces whom by this splendid entertainment he endeavoured to oblige and assure to himself of Persia and Media the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him 4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious Kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days even an hundred and fourscore days f Making every day a magnificent Feast either for all his Princes or for some of them who might come to the Feast successively as the King ordered them to do The Persian Feasts are much celebrated in Authors for their length and Luxury 5 And when these days were expired the king made a feast unto all the people that were †Heb. found present g Both such as constantly resided there and such as were come thither upon their occasions of whatsoever condition or quality in Shushan the palace both unto great and small seven days in the court of the garden h The Persian Gardens were exceeding large and pleasant of the kings palace 6 Where were white green and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 blue hangings fastened with cords of fine linnen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble the beds i For in those Eastern Countries and ancient times they did not sit at Tables as we do but rested or leaned upon Beds of which we have many testimonies both in Scripture as Esth. 7. 8. Amos 2. 8. 6. 4. Ioh. 13. 23. and in all other Authors were of gold and silver upon a pavement ‖ Or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 of red and blue and white and black marble 7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold the vessels being divers one from another and †â—…eb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 royal wine in abundance †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 king according to the state of the king 8 And the drinking was according to the law none did compel k i. e. According to this Law which the King had now made that none should compel another to drink more than he pleased which the Persians and other loose and heathenish Nations used to do though that practice was connemned by the wise and sober Heathens and among others by this great Prince Or no man did compel another to drink according to the Law i. e. as by the Laws or Orders of the Persians prescribed and used in their Feasts they might have done if not restrained by this Law for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house that they should do according to every mans pleasure 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women l Whilest the King entertained the men For this was the common custom of the Persians that Men and Women did not feast together but in several places in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus 10 On the seventh day when the heart of the king was merry with wine he commanded Mehuman Biztha Harbona Bigtha and Abagtha Zethar and Carcas the seven ‖ Or 〈◊〉 chamberlains m Or
and partly for the greater illustration of Gods glorious Power and Wisdom and Goodness in giving his People such an admirable and unexpected deliverance Yet God so ordered things that this Letter should be sent in due time before it was too late for there were yet near nine Months to come before that appointed day and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews q That they might understand their Liberty and be encouraged to use it for their own defence and to the lieutenants and the deputies rulers of the provinces r That they should publish and disperse them into all parts that both themselves and others might take notice of the Kings Pleasure and Kindness to the Jews which are from India unto Ethiopia an hundred twenty and seven provinces unto every province according to the writing thereof and unto every people after their language and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language 10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus name and sealed it with the kings ring and sent letters by posts on Horse-back and riders on mules camels and young dromedaries s Which were not employed in the sending of the former Letter but this coming later required more care and speed that the Jews might be eased from the torment of their present Fears and have time to furnish themselves with necessaries for their own defence 11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city †Liberty and authority to gather themselves together and to stand for their life t To stand up and fight for the defence of their Lives against all that should seek to destroy them to destroy to slay and to cause to perish all the power of the people u Either Governours or governed without any exception either of Age Dignity or Sex as it follows and province that would assault them both little ones and women x Which is here added because it was put into the former decree and to strike the greater terrour into their enemies and according to the Laws and customs of this Kingdom whereby Children were punished for their Parents offences which also in some cases was allowed and practised in sacred story Yet we read nothing in the execution of this decree of the slaughter of Women or Children nor is it probable that they would kill their innocent Children who were so indulgent to their Families as not to meddle with the spoil and to take the spoil of them for a prey 12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month Adar 13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was †Heb. â—…ed published unto all people and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their Enemies 14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out being hastened and pressed on by the kings commandment y By his particular and express Command to that purpose and the decree was given at Shushan the palace 15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of ‖ Or violet blue and white and with a great crown of gold z Which the chief of the Persian Princes were permitted to wear but with sufficient distinction from the Kings Crown and with a garment of fine linen and purple and the city of Shushan a Not only Jews but the greatest number of the Citizens who by the Law of Nature written upon their hearts had an abhorrency from bloody Counsels and designs and a compiacency in acts of benignity and Mercy or for other reasons of which see on Chap. 3. 15. rejoiced and was glad 16 The Jews had light b Which is oft put for gladness as 2 Sam. 22. 29. Iob 18. 5 6. Psal. 27. 1. because light is pleasant and disposeth a man to joy whereas darkness inclines a man to sorrow and gladness and joy c This explains the former Metapâ—…or by two words expressing the same thing to note the greatness of the joy and honour d Instead of that contempt under which they had lain 17 And in every province and in every city whithersoever the kings commandment and his decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a good day e i. e. A time of feasting and rejoicing and thanksgiving and many of the people of the land became Jews for the fear of the Jews f Whom possibly they had irritated by their former threatnings and now gave this evidence of their Repentance that they were willing to submit to that severe precept of Circumcision fell upon them CHAP. IX 1 NOw in the twelfth month that is the month Adar on the thirteenth day of the same when the kings commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them a In that day which was selected by Haman with great Industry and Art as the most lucky day and which their Enemies had oft times formerly thought of and â—…o doubt threatned the Jews with it though it was turned to the contrary that the Jews had rule over them that hated them 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus to lay hand on such as sought their hurt and no man could withstand them b Their Enemies though they did and were allowed to take up Arms against them yet were easily conquered and destroyed by the Jews for the fear of them c Who had such potent Friends at Court and so great a God on their side who by such unusual and prodigious Methods whereof doubtless they had been particularly informed had brought about such a mighty and unexpected deliverance fell upon all people 3 And all the rulers of the provinces and the lieutenants and the deputies and †Heb. those which did the business that belonged to the king officers of the king d Heb. and all them that did the Kings business i. e. Not only the chief persons designed by the foregoing words but all his other Ministers or Officers of what quality soever ‖ Or exâ—…lled Gr. 〈◊〉 helped the Jews because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them 4 For Mordecai was great e i. e. The greatest in Place and Power and Favour with the King both for his near relation to his beloved Queen and for his good service done to him in preserving his Life and managing his Affairs and for those excellent Abilities and Virtues which he discovered in him and especially by the disposition of the heart-ruling God in the kings house and his fame went out throughout all the provinces for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater 5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke
k Or and which conjunction is oft understood he giveth meat c. i. e. By the self-same Clouds he punisheth wicked men by Thunder and Lightning and provideth for others by those plentiful Showers which accompany them 32. With clouds l With thick and black Clouds spread over the whole Heavens as it is in times of great Thunders and Lightnings Heb with hands either the Clouds are so called for their resemblance to hands 1 Kings 18. 44. as being hollow and spread abroad or the meaning is that God covereth the light as it were by the hollow of his Hand as a man sometimes covâ—…rs the light of a Candle he covereth the light m Either the Lightning or rather the Sun which is fitly called Light Iob 31. 26. Psal. 136 7. as being the Fountain of Light and commandeth it not to shine n Or giveth a charge concerning it to wit that it shall be covered Or forbiddeth it as this Hebrew word joyned with this Proposition usually signifies as Gen. 2. 17. 28. 6 1 Kings 2. 43. 11. 11. and elsewhere i. e. hindreth it as it were by an express command or prohibition from its usual and proâ—…er work to wit from shining by the cloud that cometh betwixt o Which God interposeth as a vail between the Sun and Earth by which he doth as it were deliver his command or prohibition to the Sun that he should not shine 33. The noise thereof p To wit of or within the black and thick Cloud spoken of v. 32. Or â—…is i. e. Gods noise to wit the Thunder which is called Gods voice Psal. 29. 4 5. sheweth concerning it q To wit the rain which is the Principal subject of these Verses of which he speaketh expresly v. 27 28. and of its Companions the Clouds and Thunder and Lightning in all the following Verses The sense is The Thunder gives notice of â—…he approaching Rain the cattle also concerning †Heb. that whicâ—… goeth up the vapour r And as the Thunder so also the Cattle sheweth which Verb is understood out of the foregoing Clause after the manner concerning the Vapour i. e. concerning the coming of the Rain but he puts Vapour for the Rain because divers Cattle are very sagacious in this matter and do not onely perceive the Rain when it is ready to fall but foresee it at some distance by the Vapours which are drawn up by the Sun in great abundance and by divers motions and actions give men timely notice of it as hath been observed not onely by Husbandmen but also by learned Authors CHAP. XXXVII 1. AT this also a Of which I have already spoken and am now to speak further to wit the Thunder which hath oft times made even Atheists and other wicked men to tremble with a fear of horrour and good men to tremble with a fear of reverence and a due dread of God's Judgments my heart trembleth and is moved out of his place b Leaps and beats excessively as if it would leap out of my Body 2. †Heb. hear in hearing Hear attentively c It seems not improbable that whilst Elihu was speaking it Thundred greatly and that Tempest was begun wherewith God ushered in his Speech as it here follows Chap. 38. 1. and that this occasioned his return to that subject of which he had discoursed before and his exhortation to them to mind it with deeper attention †Heb. â—…is voice with trembling the noise of his voice d Or his Voice to wit the Thunder which is called a Voice Exod. 20. 18 and Gods Voice Psal. 29. 4. with trembling because the Thunder is an effect or evidence of God's mighty Power and oft-times of his Anger also and the sound that goeth out of his mouth e As the voice and Thunder is God's Voice goeth out of Man's Mouth Or that is produced by God's word or command which is oft signified by his Mouth 3. He directeth it f To wit his Voice which he shooteth or guideth like an Arrow to the mark so disposing it that it may do that work for which he sends it under the whole heaven g Far and wide through all the parts of this lower world and his †Heb. light lightning unto the †Heb. wings of the earth ends of the earth h From one end of the Heaven to the opposite end or part of the Earth as from East to West Mat. 24. 27. 4. After it * Psal. 29. 3. a voice i i. e. After the Lightning For though the Thunder be in order of Nature before the Lightning yet the Lightning is seen before the Thunder is heard roareth he thundreth with the voice of his excellency k Or with his excellent or high or lofty Voice both loud and full of Majesty and awfulness and he will not stay l Or delay Heb. take them by the â—…eel as Iacob did Esau in the Womb to delay or stop him from entring into the World before him them m Either 1. the Lightnings spoken of in the beginning of the Verse But these do not stay till his Voice bâ—… heard but come before it Or rather 2. The Rains and storms of which he spoke before and will speak again v. 6. when his voice is heard 5. God thundreth marvellously n With a wonderful and terrible noise and so as to produce many wonderful effects as the breaking down of great and strong Trees or Buildings the killing of men in a stupendious manner c. with his voice * Chap. 5. 9. 36. 26. great things doth he which we cannot comprehend o Even in the course of Nature and in visible things which all men see but scarce any can give the true and satisfactory reasons of them for the greatest Philosophers speak onely by guess and are greatly divided among themselves about them And therefore it is not strange if the secret and deep counsels of Divine Providence be out of our reach and it is great arrogancy in thee O Iob to censure them because thou dost not fully understand them 6. For * Psal. 14â—… 16 17 he saith to the snow be thou on the earth p By his powerful Word and Will the Snow is made in the Air and falls upon the Earth where and when he seeth fit †Heb. aâ—…d to the shower of Rain and â—…o the showers of 〈◊〉 of his streâ—…th likewise to the small rain and to the great rain of his strength q i. e. Those great storms or showers of Rain which come with great force and irresistible violence 7. He Sealeth up the hand of every man r By these great Snows and Rains he drives men out of the Fields and seals or binds up their hands from all that work and drives them home to their Houses and in a manner shuts them up there See Gen.
to be omitted in this place and which is seated in a Cloud which also may well be called God's Cloud because therein God puts his Bow as the Rainbow is called Gen. 9. 13. 16. Dost thou know the balancings q How God doth as it were weigh and suspend the Clouds in Balances so that although they are ponderous and full of Water yet they are by his power kept up in the thin Air from falling down upon us in spouts and floods as sometimes they have done and generally would do if not over-ruled by an higher Providence of the clouds the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge r Who exactly knows the weight These are effects and evidences of his infinite power and knowledge 17. How thy garments are warm s How and why thy garments keep thee warm of which as there are some natural causes so it is certain that they are not sufficient to do it without Gods blessing as experience shews Hagg. 1. 6. when he quieteth the earth t i. e. The Air about the earth By the South wâ—…nd u Which though sometimes it brings Tempests v. 9. yet commonly it ushereth in hot weather Luke 12. 55. as the North-wind brings cold v. 9. Or from the South wind i. e. from the Tempest which was noted to come out of the South v. 9. Heb. from or by the South i. e. by the Suns coming into the Southern parts which makes the Air quiet and warm 18. Hast thou with him * 〈◊〉 1. 6. spread out the skie x Wast thou his co worker or assistant in spreading out the Skie like a Tent or Canopy over the Earth Or canst thou spread out such another Skie Then indeed thou mayst with some colour pretend to be privy to his coâ—…nsels and to judge of his works which is strong y Which though it be very thin and transparent yet is also firm and compact and stedfast and of great force when it is pâ—… up and as a molten looking glass z Made of Brass or Steel as the manner then was 19. Teach us what we shall say unto him a i. e. Unto God either by way of Apology for thee or rather by way of debate and disputation with him about his counsels and ways about which we know not what to say and therefore are willing to be taught by thee who pretendest to such exquisit knowledge of these matters So it is a reproof of his presumption and arrogance for we cannot * Ch. 32. 14. order our speech b we know neither with what words or matter nor in what method and manner to maintain discourse with him or plead against him The words our speech are easily understood out of the former Clause of the Verse by reason of darkness c Both because of the darkness of the matter God's counsels and ways being a great depth and far out of our reach and because of the darkness or blindness of our minds 20. Shall it be told him that I speak d Heb. that I will speak Shall I send or who dâ—…re carry a Challenge from me to God or a Message that I am ready and desirous to debate with him concerning his proceedings This indeed thou hast done in effect but far be such presumption from me if a man speak e If a Man should be so bold and venturous to enter the Lists with God surely he shall be swallowed up f With the sense of God's infinite Majesty and spotless Purity 21. And g Or For as this Particle is oft rendred the following words containing a reason of those which go before now h This Particle is either 1. a note of time and so it intimates a sudden change which then was in the Weather which having been very dark begâ—…n now to clear up Or rather 2. a note of inâ—…erence to usher in the argument men see not i Either 1. do not observe as seeing is oft used nor consider these glorious works of God or 2. cannot behold or at least not gaze upon it the bright light which is in the clouds k Or in the Skies For the Hebrew word signifies both Clouds and Skies This is to be understood either 1. of bright and lightsome Clouds or rather 2. of the Sun which is oft and emphatically called light as was noted before and here the bright light which men â—…ftimes cannot behold either when it is covered with a black and thick Cloud or when as it follows the Skie is very clear and consequently the Sun shine is very bright And therefore it is not strange if we cannot see God who dwellet in darkness 1 Kings 8. 12. nor discern his counsels and ways which are covered with great obscurity and if we dare not approach to him with whom is as it here follows terrible Majesty and if we presume to do so we must needs be swallowed up as was said v. 20. but the wind passeth l Or rather when as this Particle is oft used the wind passeth and cleanseth them m Either the Clouds i. e. cleanseth the Air from them or the Skies by driving away those Clouds which darkned it 22. †Hâ—…b gold Fair weather n Or when which Particle may well be understood out of the foregoing Verse and so this may be a further description of the time when men cannot see or gaze upon the Sun namely when fair Weather c. Heb. Gold either 1. properly And so this may be noted as another wonderful work of God that the choicest of Metals to wit Gold should be found in and fetched out of the bowels of cold northern Countreys Or 2. Metaphorically as this word is oft used of bright and shining things as we read of golden Oyl Zech. 4. 12. and we call happy times golden Days And so bright and fair Weather may well be called golden because then the Sun gilds the Air and Earth with its beams which also are called by Poets golden Bâ—…ms cometh out of the north o i. e. From the Northern Winds which scatter the Clouds and clear the Skie Prov. 25. 23. with God is terrible Majesty p And therefore we neither can nor may approach too near to him nor speak presumptuously or irreverently to him or of him And so this is the Application of what he had now said that we could not see the Sun c. much less God and withal it is an Epiphonema or Conclusion of the whole foregoing Discourse Those glorious works of his which I have described are Testimonies of that great and terrible Majesty which is in him which should cause us to fear and reverence him and not to behave our selves so insolently towards him as Job hath done 23. Touching the Almighty * 1 Tim. 6. 16. we cannot find him out q To wit to perfection as it is expressed Iob. 11. 7. We cannot comprehend him his Being
the next Words as also Exod. 15. 17. and in many other places of Scripture in which God's people are said to dwell in the next Verse of which and the things done in it he speaks in the following Verses and which being Destitute of those Constant supplies from the overflowings of a great River which Egypt enjoyed God took a special Care to supply with Rain asoccasion required of which see Deut. 11. 10. 11. whereby thou didst †Heb. confirm it confirm t Or stablish or support or sustain thine inheritance u Either thy People Or rather thy Land as was now said when it was weary x Dry and Thirsty and Parched with excessive Heat and ready to Faint for want of Rain Compare Psal. 63. 1. 10 Thy congregation y Thy People of Israel who are all united into one Body under thee their Head and Governour For though this Word commonly signifies Living Creatures yet sometimes it signifies a Company of Men as here below v. 31. and 2 Sam. 23. 13. Compared with 1 Chron. 11. 15. and Psal. 74. 19. Or the Proper signification of the Word may be retained and it may be rendred thy Flock For God oft Compares himself to a Shepherd and his People to Sheep and particularly he is said to have led his People like a Flock by the Hand of Moses and Aaron Psal. 77. 20. To wit in the Wilderness and Consequently he may be here said to have brought his Sheep into and made them to dwell in Canaan as in a Green and good Pasture as God speaks of his People under this very Metaphor Psal. 23. 2. hath dwelt therein thou O God hast prepared z Or prepared it which Pronoun is oft understood and here most easily out of the foregoing Clause of this Verse where it is expressed Prepared it to wit this Land for the use of thy People which God did many ways Partly by designing it for them and expelling the old Inhabitants to make way for them and Partly by furnishing it with all sorts of Provisions both for necessity and delight and making it fruitful by his special Blessing in giving Rain in its Proper Seasons of thy goodness a By thy free and singular Goodness Which may be referred both to the Cause of this Preparation God did it not for their Righteousness or Worthiness but out of his meer Mercy as God oft telleth them and to the manner and Measure of it God did wonderfully increase the Fruits of it that it might suffice for the supply of such a numerous People which without his extraordinary Blessing it would not do as appears by the state of that Land at this Day as it is Reported by Travellers and Eye-Witnesses of it for the poor b To wit for thy People of Israel whom he here calls Poor Partly to repress that Pride and Arrogance to which they are exceeding Prone and to mind them of the Dependence upon God for all that they have and Hope for and Partly because they really were when God undertook the Conduct of them into Canaan a very poor and beggerly People and so they would have still been if God had not provided for them in a singular manner 11 The Lord gave the word c i. e. The Matter of the Word or Discourse here following He put this Triumphant Song into their Mouths he gave his People all those Successes and Victories which are here celebrated Or gave the Matter or thing which was published great was the †Heb. Army company of those that published it d The works of God on the behalf of his People were so glorious and wonderful that all sorts of Persons both Men and Women that heard of them broke forth into Songs of Praise to God for them The Hebrew word is of the Feminine Gender because it was the manner of the Hebrews that when the Men returned Victorious from the Battel the Women went out to meet them with Songs of Triumph Exod. 15. 20. Iudg. 11. 34. 1 Sam. 18. 6. 12 Kings of armies e The Kings of Canaan and other Nations which came forth against the Israelites accompanied with great and numerous Armies †Heb. did flee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did flee apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoil f The spoil was so much that there was enough not onely for the Proper use of those who took it but also to be divided to their Wives and Children when they came home This Verse and that which follows may be taken Either 1. For the Triumphant Song sung by those Publishers mentioned v. 11. Or 2. For the Words of David continuing the Relation of the Victories granted by God to Israel over their Enemies 13 Though ye g have lien among ‖ Or Ranges the pots h Like Scullions that commonly lye down in the Kitchin among the Pots or Hearth-stones whereby they are very much discoloured and desormed Which is fitly opposed to the following Beauty Though you have been filled with Affliction and Contempt yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold k Beautiful and Glorious like the Feather of a Dove which according to the Variety of its postures and of the light shining upon it look like Silver or Gold Ye Israelites to whom he now turneth his Speech i Or yee have been Which may seem more suitable to the Context both foregoing and following wherein he doth not speak Propherically of things to come but Historically of things past So the Sence of the Verse is Though you have formerly been exposed to great Servitude and Reproach and Misery to wit in Egypt yet since that time God hath changed your Condition greatly for the better 14 When the Almighty scattered kings ‖ Or for her 〈◊〉 c. Or thou madest it â—…o Snow in it l In Canaan at the coming of the Israelites thither ‖ it was white as snow in Salmon m The Land was as white as Mount Salmon is with the Snow which falls and lyes for a long time upon it which is opposed to the Native obscurity of that Mountain by the many shady Trees which were there Iudg. 9. 48. But because there is nothing certain Either concerning the great height of this Mountain or concerning its Snow as we do read of the Snow of Lebanon Ier. 18. 14. other Interpreters both Hebrew and Christian and the Chaldee amongst the rest take this Word Salmon for a Common and not a Proper name signifying Darkness or a Shadow as the Root from whence it comes unquestionably signifies Nor is it strange if this Word be no where else taken in that Sence but here because that is the Lot of many Hebrew Words or of some significations of them that they are to be found but in one Text of Scripture This being granted the Words are or may be rendred thus it was Snow-white or
thou madest it Snow-white in Darkness or as the Chaldee renders this Word in the shadow of Death i. e. Thou didst cause Light to shine out of Darkness When the state of thy People and of the Land of Canaan which thou hadst given to them was Dark and 〈◊〉 or Bloody by reason of the Wars raised against them by the Canaanitish Kings thou didst quickly change it and whereas it was Red like Scarlet or Crimâ—…on thou mad'st it whiter than Snow 15 The hill of God n i. e. Of Zion the seat of God's Ark. is as the hill of Bashan o Equal to it to 〈◊〉 in height as the next Clause explains it which yet is not to be understood of an external and Visible height for Zion was a low and little Hâ—…ll and Bashan a very high 〈◊〉 but of its spiritual height or Exaltation in Regard of the glorious Priviledges of God's Presence and Worship and Blessing conferred upon it in which Respect the Mountain of the Lords House is said to be Established on the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills Isa. 2. 2. an high hill as the hill of Bashan 16 Why leap ye p Why do you Triumph and boâ—…st of your height and look upon poor Zion with Storn and Contempt as un obscure and inconsiderable Hill if Compared with you He speaks to the Hills by an usual Figure called 〈◊〉 ye high hills * Psal. 87. 1. 〈◊〉 132. 1â—… this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in yea the LORD will dwell in it for ever q This Hiâ—…l though despicable in your Eyes is precious and Honourable in God's Eyes and chosen by him for his settled and perpetual Residence For though the Ark was removed from this particular place in which it was now to be placed to the Hill of Moriah upon which the Temple was built yet it must be remembred that Zion and Moriah stood one near to the other being both in Ierusalem and are by some said to have been but two Tops of one and the same Hill 17 * Deut. 33. 2. Dâ—…n 7. 10. Heb. 12. 22. Rev. 9. 16. The chariots of r i. e. The Hosts or Armies whereof Chariots were a great and Eminent part in those times and places which attend upon God to do his Pleasure and to fight for him and for his People God are twenty thousand ‖ Or even mary Thousands †Heb. Thousands of doubling or doubtâ—… ones even thousands of angels the Lord is among them s i. e. An innumerable Company a certain number being put for an uncertain as Psal. 3. 6. and 91. 7. and in many other places as in Sinai in the holy place t Here is not onely the Presence of the Angels but of the great and blessed God himself And here the Psalmist seems to be transported by the Prophetical Spirit from the Narration of those external Successes and Victories of which he had been speaking in the former part of the Psalm unto the Prediction of higher and more Glorious things even of the coming of the Messiah and of the Happy and Transcendent Priviledges and Blessings accruing to Mankind by it described in the next Verse And the Connexion of this new Matter with the former is sufficiently Evident For having preferred Zion before other Hills v. 15 16. he now proves its Excellency by an invincible Argument because this is the place to which the Lord of Hosts himself the Messiah God manifested in the Flesh was to come as is manifest from Psal. 2. 6. and 110. 2. Isa. â—… 3. and 23. 16. Compared with 1 Pet. 2. 6. Isa 59. 20. Compared with Râ—…m 11. 26. and many other places of Scripture And when he did come into the World he was attended with a multitude of holy Angels which celebrated his Birth Luk. 2. 14. t God is no less Gloriously though less Terribly present here then he was in Sinai when the great God attended with Thousands of his Angels solemnly appeared there to deliver the Law Heb. Sinai is in the Sanctuary or holy Place Which is a Poetical and a very Emphatical Expression and very Perâ—…inent to this place For having advanced Zion above all other Hiâ—…ls he now equals it to that venerable Hill of Sinai which the Divine Majesty honoured with his glorious Presence Here saith he you have in some sort Mount Sinai it self to wit all the Glories and Priviledges of it the Presence of Iehovah attended with his Angels and the same Law and Covenant yea and a greater Priviledge than Sinai hâ—…d to wit the Lord Iehovah descending from Heaven into an humane Body as appears by his ascending thither again which the next Verse describes and visibly coming into his own Temple as it was Prophecied concerning him Mal. 3. 1. 18 * Eph. 4. 8. Thou hast ascended on high u Having spoken of the Lord and of his Presence upon Earth he now turneth his Speech to him as is most usual in this Book And the Contents of this Verse do not agree to the present occasion of carrying the Ark to Zion but have a manifest Reference to Christ and to his Ascension into Heaven in whom and in whom alone they are literally and fully accomplished and to whom therefore they are ascribed Eph. 4. 8. Although the Expressions here used are borrowed from the Anâ—…ient Custom of Princes or Generals of Armies who after some glorious Archievments and Victories used to go up into their Royal Cities in triumphant Chariots being attended by their captive â—…nemies and afterward to distribute divers gifts to their Soldiers and Subjects and sometimes to do some Acts of Grace and â—…lemency even to their Rebels and Enemies and to receive them into the number of his own people thou hast led captivity x 〈◊〉 1. Those who did formerly take thy people captives Or rather 2. Those whom thou hast taken captive as this word is most commonly used as Numb 21. 1. Deut. 21. 10. Iudg. 5. 12. c. So poverty is put for the poor 2 Kings 24. 14. This is meant of death and sin and the Devil and all the Enemies of Christ and of his people whom Christ led in triumph having spoiled them and making a shew of them opâ—…nly as it is expressed Col. 2. 15. captive thou hast received gifts y Though as thou art God thou art uncapable of receiving any thing more than thou hast yet according to thy manhood thou hast received from God all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and all those gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit which are necessary either to the perfection of thy nature or to the discharge of thine Office or to the service and good of thy Church and people †Heb. the Maâ—… for men z Not for thy self for thou didst not need them having thâ—… fulness of the God-head dwelling in thee bodily Col. 2. 9. but for the sons of men or
alter the thing that is gone out of my lips 35 Once have I sworn by my holiness x Here he gives some reasons why he would not break his Covenant with David though he should have just cause to do so and though he had upon such just cause broke his Covenant made with others first because this Covenant was confirmed by his Oath which adds not onely more solemnity but more stability and certainty to it as is evident from Heb. 6. 17. wherein he sheweth that God added an Oath to his Promise or Covenant to make and prove it to be immutable and from Heb. 7. 20 c. where he proveth the Priesthood of Melchisedeck to be unchangeable because it was confirmed by an Oath And though judgments simply threatned have not always been executed but sometimes were prevented yet those comminations which were confirmed by Oath were thereby rendred and declared to be irrevocable as we see Numb 14. 28 29 30. Ier. 44. 26. Secondly because this is said to be sworn once which word and phrase sometimes implies the compleatness certainty and irrevocableness of the thing said or done as Prov. 28. 18. shall fall at once Thus Christ is said to have died or suffered once Rom. 6. 10. Heb. 9. 26 28. Thirdly because God sware by his holiness in or by which God is but seldom read to speak or swear and when he is it constantly adds more weight and confirmation to the speech as Psal. 60. 6. and 108. 7. Amos 4. 2. * Heb. if I lie that I will not lye unto David 36 * 2 Sam. 7. 16. Luke 1. 33. Joh. 12. 34. His seed shall endure for ever and his throne * Psal. 72. 5 17. as the sun y In respect of perpetual duration as appears both from the foregoing words and from the following Verse before me 37 It shall be established for ever as the moon and as a faithful witness in heaven z Whereby he understands either first the moon last mentioned to which this clause may be added rather than to the Sun to imply that as the Moon though subject to Eclipses and frequent and manifold changes yet doth constantly and perpetually remain in Heaven as a witness of my covenant of the night as it is called Ier. 33. 20. so shall the House and Kingdom of David continue for ever notwithstanding all the Changes and Calamities which it may undergo Or secondly the Rainbow which though in it self it be unstable and transient and doth but seldom appear which learned men object against this opinion yet in Scripture is mentioned as Gods faithful and perpetual witness being called a token of Gods everlasting covenant between God and every living creature for perpetual generations Gen. 9. 12 16. And although it do not always appear to us neither do the Sun or Moon do so yet its appearances are doubtless very frequent in one or other part of the World and will be repeated from time to time to the end of the World Add to this that the word here rendred Heaven may as well be rendred the Cloud or Clouds as it is used Deut. 33. 26. Iob 35. 5. and 36. 28. Psal. 18. 12. and 77. 17. and 78. 23. Prov. 3. 20. Isa. 45. 8. And so the place being thus translated and as the faithful witness in the Cloud or Clouds doth plainly point us to the Rainbow Selah 38 But a Having hitherto declared the certainty of Gods promises he now proceeds to shew the unsuitableness of the present dispensations of Gods Providence thereunto and humbly expostulates with God about it thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast been wroth with thine anointed b That Person and Family which thou hast invested with the Kingdom 39 Thou hast made void c Which seems contrary to thy word given v. 34. the covenant of thy servant d i. e. made with him thou hast profaned his crown e By exposing that sacred Person and Family and Kingdom to contempt and giving his Scepter and Power into the hands of the Uncircumcised by casting it to the ground 40 * Psal. 80. 12. Thou hast broken down all his hedges f All the means of his protection and safety thou hast brought his strong-holds to ruine 41 All that pass by the way spoil him he is a reproach g An object of their scorn and reproach Is this the anointed of the Lord Is this the Everlasting Family and Kingdom to his neighbours 42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries h Thou hast given them Courage and Power and Success thou hast made all his enemies to rejoyce 43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword i So that he can neither offend his Enemies nor defend himself and hast not made him to stand k But to flee and fall before his Enemies for more is understood than what is expressed in the battel 44 Thou hast made his †Heb. brightness glory to cease and cast his throne down to the ground 45 The days of his youth hast thou shortned l The youthful and flourishing estate of David's kingdom was very short and reached not beyond his next successor and it hath been languishing by degrees till this time when it seems to be dead and buried thou hast covered him with shame Selah 46 * Psal. 79. 5â—… How long LORD wilt thou hide thy self for ever shall thy wrath burn like fire 47 Remember how short my time m i. e. Our time the time of our king and kingdom in whose name the Psalmist puts up this petition and about whom he was much more solicitous than about himself as is evident both from the following verses and from the whole body of the Psalm The sence seems to be this Our king and all his people and I among the rest are short-lived and perishing creatures that of themselves and according to the course of nature must shortly die And therefore there is no need that thou shouldest add further afflictions to sweep them away before their time is wherefore hast thou made all men in vain n Wherefore hast thou made us and our King and consequently all other men whose condition is in nothing better than ours and in respect of thy grace and mercy is much worse than ours in vain or to so little purpose Didst thou raise us and him establish us for thy people settle the crown upon David and his seed for ever by a solemn and unchangeable Covenant erect a magnificent and glorious Temple and vouchsafe so many and great promises and priviledges and all this but for a few years that our Crown and glory should be taken from us within a little time after it was put upon our heads that our Kingdom should be broken almost as soon as it was firmly established that thy worship should be so soon corrupted and thy Temple quickly robbed and not long after
they were in perpetual fear of further Severities and Sufferings at the pleasure of their cruel Lords and Masters and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve 4 That thou * Hab. 2. 6. shalt take up f Into thy Mouth as it is fully expressed Psal. 50. 16. this ‖ Or taunting speech proverb against the king of Babylon and say How hath the oppressour ceased g This is spoken by way of Astonishment and Triumph Who would have thought this possible the ‖ Or exactness of gold golden city h As they used to call themselves which therefore he expresseth here in a Word of their own Language ceased 5 The LORD hath broken * Psal. 125. 3. the staff of the wicked and the scepter of the rulers i This is an Answer to the foregoing Question It is God's own Work and not Man's and therefore it is not strange that it is accomplished 6 He who smote the people in wrath with †Heb. a stroke without removing a continual stroke he that ruled the nations in anger k With Rigour and not with Clemency as many Conquerours have done is persecuted and none hindreth l Neither the Babylonians themselves nor their Consederates could withstand the Power of the Medes and Persians 7 The whole earth m The Inhabitants and Subjects of that vast Empire who groaned under their cruel Bondage is at rest and is quiet they break forth into singing 8 Yea the fir-trees rejoyce at thee and the cedars of Lebanon n Which were felled down for the service of her Pride and Luxury but now are suffered to stand and flourish It is a Figure usual in Sacred and Profane Writers called Prosopopâ—…ia saying since thou art laid down no fâ—…ller is come up against us 9 ‖ Or the grave Hell o Or the grave as the same Word is rendred v. 11. and in innumerable other places to which he elegantly ascribeth Sense and Speech as Poets and Oratours frequently do from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming it stirreth up the dead for thee even all the †Heb. leaders ‖ Or great goats chief ones p Heb. the he-goats which lead and govern the Flock of the earth it hath raised up from their thrones q From their several Graves which he seems to call their thrones by way of Irony or Derision the onely Thrones now lest to them Thrones both paved and covered with Worms as is noted v. 11. in stead of their former Thrones made of Ivory or Silver and adorned with Gold and Precious Stones all the kings of the nations 10 All they shall speak and say unto thee Art thou r Who wa st King of Kings and far superiour to us in Power and Authority that didst neither fear God nor reverence Man that didst stay whom thou wouldest and keep alive whom thou wouldest Dan. 5. 19. become also weak as we art thou become like unto us 11 Thy pomp is brought down to †Heb. hell the grave s All thy Glory is lost and buried with thee and the noise of thy Viols t All thy musical and melodious Instruments which were much used in Babylon Dan. 3. 5 7 10. and were doubtless used in Belshazzar's Solemn Feast Dan. 5. 1. at which time the City was taken to which possibly the Prophet here alludes the worm is spread under thee u In stead of those rich and stately Carpets upon which thou didst frequently tread and the worms cover thee 12 How art thou fallen from heaven x From the heighth of thy Glory and Royal Majesty as Kings are sometimes called gods in Scripture so their Palaces and Thrones may be fitly called their heavens ‖ Or O day-star O Lucifer y Which properly is a bright and eminent Star which ushers in the Sun and the Morning but is here metaphorically taken for the high and mighty King of Babylon And it is a very usual thing both in Prophetical and in Profane Writers to describe the Princes and Potentates of the World under the Title of the Sun or Stars of Heaven Some understand this Place of the Devil to whom indeed it may be mystically applied But as he is never called by this Name in Scripture so it cannot be literally meant of him but of the King of Babylon as is undeniably evident from the whole Centext which certainly speaks of one and the same Person and describes him as plainly as Words can do it son of the morning z The Title of son is given in Scripture not onely to a Person or Thing begotten or produced by another but also in general to any thing which is any way related to another in which sence we read of a son of stripes Deut. 25. 2. the son of a night Ionah 4. 10. a son of perdition Ioh. 17. 12. and which is more agreeable to the present Case the sons of Arcturus Iob 38. 32. how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the nations 13 For thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into heaven a I will advance my self above the State of a weak and mortal Man Great Monarchs are easily induced be their own vain Imaginations and the Flattery of their Courtiers to entertain an Opinion of their own Divinity so far that many of them have received and required Divine Worship to be paid to them I will exalt my throne above the stars of God b Either 1. above all other Kings and Potentates whom God hath set up or 2. above the most eminent Persons of God's Church and People who are frequently called stars as Dan. 8. 10. Revel 1. 16 20. 12. 1. which sence the next Words favour I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation c I will establish my Royal Throne upon Mount Sion where the Jews meet together to worship God in the sides of the North d This is added as a more exact Description of the Place of the Temple which stood upon Mount Moriah which was Northward from the Hill of Zion strictly so called and was a part of the Hill of Zion largely so called See on Psal. 48. 2. 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds e To wit into Heaven as he said v. 13. I will be like the most high f In the uncontrollableness of my Power and the universal Extent of my Dominion over all the Earth 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell to the sides of the pit 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee g As hardly believing their own Eyes because this Change seemed impossible to them and consider thee saying Is this the man that made the earth h All the Nations of the Earth to tremble that did shake kingdoms 17 That made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities
peeled and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto a nation meted out and trodden under foot whose land the rivers have spoiled to the place of the Name of the LORD of hosts the mount Zion CHAP. XIX * Jer. 46. 13. Ezek. 29. 30. THE burden of Egypt a Some Learned men conceive that what was said more generally and darkly in the foregoing Chapter is here more particularly and clearly explained to be meant of Egypt it being usual for the Prophets to mix obscure and plain Passages together and to clear the one by the other Others understand that Chapter of Ethiopia and this of Egypt But this Controversie must be decided by an exact confideration of all the Passages of the former Chapter Behold the LORD rideth b As a General in the Head of his Army or as Judge riding Circuit to execute Judgment upon a swift cloud c Which Phrase sheweth that the Judgment shall come speedily unexpectedly and unavoidably And Clouds being very unusual in Egypt the Appearance of a Cloud was a kind of Prodigy and a Prognostick of some grievous Calamity and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall be moved d From their Seats and from their former Reputation Or shall hake or tremble So far shall they be from helping the Egypians as they expect that they shall tremble for themselves which divers of the Egyptian Gods being living Creatures might properly do at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it e They shall lose all their ancient Strength and Courage for which they had been Famous formerly 2 And I will †Heb. mingle set the Egygtians against the Egyptians f I will raise Civil Wars among them and they shall fight every one against his brother and every one against his neighbour city against city and kingdom against kingdom g For although all Egypt was now one Kingdom and under one King yet not many years after this time it was divided into twelve several Kingdoms between whom there were many and cruel Wars as is related by the Historians of those Times and particularly by Herodotus and Diodorus 3 And the spirit h Either 1. their Courage But of that he spake v. 1. Or 2. their Understanding as it is explained in the next Clause for the Word spirit is oft put for the Reasonable Soul as Eccles. 3. 21. 12. 7. and for the Thoughts of the Mind as Prov. 29. 11. Ezek. 13. 3. of Egypt †Heb shall be emptied shall fall in the midst thereof and I will †Heb. swallow up destroy the counsel thereof and they shall seek to the idols i As not knowing what to do without the help of an higher Power and to the charmers and to them that have familiar spirits and to the wizards 4 And the Egyptians will I ‖ Or shut up give over into the hand of a cruel lord and a fierce king k Either 1. of the King of Assyria or Chaldaea or 2. of those twelve petty Kings the Singular Number being put for the Plural or 3. of Psammetichus who being at first one of those twelve Kings waged War with the rest and subdued them and conquered all the Land of Egypt and ruled it with rigour shall rule over them saith the LORD the LORD of hosts 5 And the waters shall fail from the sea l Which may be understood either 1. Metaphorically of the taking away of their Dominion or Commerce c. or rather 2. Properly as may be gathered from the following Words and Verses For as the River Nilus when it had a full Stream and free Course did pour forth a vast quantity of Waters by its seven famous Mouths into the Sea so when that was dried up which is expressed in the next Clause those Waters did truly and properly fail from the Sea So there is no need of understanding by sea either the River Nilus or the great Lake of Moeris which after the manner of the Hebrews might be so called and the river m To wit Nilus upon whose Fulness and Overflow both the Safety and the Wealth of the Land depended as all Authors agree and therefore this was a very terrible Judgment shall be wasted and dried up n Not totally but in a very great measure as such Phrases are commonly used 6 And they shall turn the rivers far away o Which is to be taken Impersonally as such Expressions are very frequently for the rivers those small Rivolets by which the Waters of Nilus were conveyed and distributed into several Parts of the Land shall be turned far away as they must needs be when the great River Nilus which fed them was dried up and the brooks of defence p The several Branches of the River Nilus which were a great Defence to Egypt as is well known shall be emptied and dried up the reeds and flags q Which were very useful to them for making their Boats which were absolutely necessary in that Country and divers other things shall wither r As they commonly do for want of Water 7 The paper-reeds s Which by a Needle or other fit Instrument were divided into thin and broad Leaves which being dried and fitted were used at that time for Writing as our Paper is and consequently was a very good Commodity by the brooks by the mouth of the brooks and every thing sown by the brooks t And much more what was sown in more dry and unfruitful places shall wither be driven away †Heb. and shall not be and be no more 8 The fishers also shall mourn u Because they could catch few or no Fish by which Trade they got their Living Which also was a great Plague to the People whose common Diet this was because out of Superstitious Conceits they killed and eat but few Living Creatures as appears both from Sacred and Profane Writers and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish 9 Moreover they that work in fine flax x That make fine Linen which was one of their best Commodities of which see 1 Kings 10. 28. Prov. 7. 16. Ezek. 27. 7. and they that weave ‖ Or white works net-works shall be confounded 10 And they shall be broken in the †Heb. foundations purposes thereof y i. e. Of Egypt or of the Egyptians They shall lose their Ends aâ—…d Hopes for the Fishes in them shall die for want of Water all that make sluces and ponds †Heb. of living things for fish 11 Surely the princes of Zoan z The chief City in which the King and Court frequently resided See Psal. 78. 12. are fools the counsel of the wise counsellers of Pharoah is become brutish a Exceeding foolish and destructive to themselves how say ye