from above He tells how many Cubits the Waters rosâ above the Mountains and how many days the Waters kept above the Earth and the Effects of the Floud as to living Creatures 8. He relates by what means the Waters asswaged 9. In what month and day the Ark rested and in what place it did so 10. He relates when Noah opened the Window of the Ark and of his sending out the Raven and the Dove 11. He tells the month and the day when the Earth was dried 12. He relates the going out of Noah c. And 13. He tells of the Sacrifice of Noah and 14. Of God's promise not to send such another Deluge chap. 6 7 8. Here are all the marks of a true and complete Historian nor can the Wit of Man make any such Objections as will destroy the credibility of these Relations Moses next relates how God blessed Noah and his Sons forbad the eating of Bloud and Murder Covenanted not thus to destroy the Earth again and appointed the Rain-bow as a sign of this Covenant He tells also how Noah was over-come with Wine of the Curse denounced against Canaan and of the Blessing of Shem and Japhet and the Death of Noah chap. 9. Moses gives account of the Sons of Japheth of Ham where he speaks more particularly of Nimrod and of the Sons of Shem chap. 10. which is a most excellent piece of Antiquity A Relation of the Building of Babel and of the Children of Shem unto Abram Abram comes with his Father to Haran He receives the Promise of the Messias and comes into the Land of Canaan to Sichem Thence he removes to Bethel c. and on occasion of a Famine goes with Sarai to Egypt whom he gave out to be his Sister Pharaoh having taken her restores her to Abram being informed that she was his Wife chap. 11. and 12. Abram returns out of Egypt to Canaan with great Wealth His Kinsman Lot was with him who had also much Substance They part from each other and Lot pitched his Tent toward Sodom God promiseth to Abram the Land of Canaan chap. 13. Lot is taken Prisoner in the Battel between four Kings with five He is rescued by Abram who is blessed by Melchizedek Abram's Answer to the King of Sodom chap. 14. After this Moses relates how Abram was encouraged by God and assured that his Posterity should inherit the Land of Canaan The Birth of Ishmael by Hagar the Change of Abram s Name the Institution of Circumcision the Change of Sarai's Name and the Promise of Isaac and Circumcision of Abraham and Ishmael chap. 15 16 17. Moses goes on to relate Abraham's Hospitable entertaining of three Angels who appeared to Him in the likeness of Men Their Message is related the Birth of Isaac predicted and Sarah's Amazement and Weakness mentioned The Wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrha and Abraham's Intercession for Sodom The Destruction of these Places Lot preserved The incestuous Original of Moab and Ammon chap. 18 19. Abraham sojourns at Gerar The King thereof takes Sarah but being warned of God restores her Isaac is born and circumcised Hagar and Ishmael are dismissed Hagar being in great distress is relieved by God Abimelech makes a Covenant with Abraham chap. 20 21. Abraham is commanded to offer up his Son Isaac He readily obeys God accepts of this Obedience and preserves Isaac Abraham is again blessed Of the Posterity of Nahor chap. 22. After this we have an account of the Age and Death of Sarah Of the Purchase of a Burying place for her Of Abraham's sending his Servant to procure a Wife for Isaac Of the Servant's exemplary diligence and success and of the Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah ch 23 24. Of Abraham's Sons by Keturah Of his Age and Death Of the Posterity of Ishmael and of his Death c. Of the Birth of Jacob and Esau and how Esau sold his Birth-right Of the Journey of Isaac to Gerar c. Of a Covenant between Abimelech and Isaac and of the Marriage of Esau chap. 25 26. Moses proceeds to relate after what manner Jacob obtained the Blessing which Isaac bestowed on him and which he designed for Esau As also the Journey of Jacob to Padan-Aram and several Passages relating thereunto chap. 27 28. Jacob is entertained by Laban and contracts with him for his Service He Marries Leah and afterwards Rachel the Daughters of Laban The Children of Jacob Laban upon Jacob's desire to depart from him makes a new contract with him upon which Jacob useth policy and grows rich upon it chap. 29 30. Jacob leaves Laban privately Laban pursues him and enters into a Covenant with him at Galeed Jacob goes on and sends a Message to Esau whom he much feared He prays to God on this occasion and sends a Present to Esau He wrestles with an Angel and is called Israel Jacob meets Esau and is kindly received by him Jacob comes to Succoth thence toward Shechem in the Land of Canaan he purchaseth some Land there and builds an Altar Dinah is ravished and the Shechemites destroyed chap. 31 32 33 34. Jacob goes to Bethel where he builds an Altar His Name is changed into that of Israel God blesseth him Rachel dies and we have an account also of the Death of Isaac chap. 35. Moses relates an account of Esau of his Wives and Children and also of the Horites chap. 36. We have next a very particular Relation of Joseph one of the younger Sons of Jacob Of his Dreams and the hatred that his Brethren bore towards him Of their conspiring his Death and of his being carried into Egypt chap. 37. Of the Children of Judah another of Jacob's Sons Of the Birth of Pharez and Zarah by Tamar chap. 38. The History of Joseph is continued He is advanced in the House of Potiphar and resisteth the temptation of his Mistress he is however accused falsely and cast into Prison where God prospers him He interprets the Dreams of two of the King of Egypt's Servants who were in Prison with him to whom it hapned as Joseph fore-told The Dreams of Pharaoh King of Egypt are interpreted by Joseph who predicted a great Plenty and great Famine Upon this Joseph is greatly advanced in Egypt Of the Children of Joseph and the beginning of the Famine Ten Sons of Jacob are sent upon the occasion of the Famine to buy Corn in Egypt when Joseph saw them he accused them for Spies They are furnished with Corn and their Money returned into their Sacks They are required to bring with them Benjamin their younger Brother and their Brother Simeon is detained as a Pledge Joseph's Brethren return with Benjamin and are entertained by him They are sent away with Corn but brought back again to Egypt and accused of Theft The pathetical Supplication of Judah upon this occasion Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren minds them of God's Providence sends for his Father and being plentifully provided for they report to their Father that Joseph was
five and thirty years and begat Salah 13. And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years and begat sons and daughters 14. And Salah lived thirty years and begat Eber. 15. And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years and begat sons and daughters 16. And Eber lived four and thirty years and begat Peleg 17. And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years and begat sons and daughters 18. And Peleg lived thirty years and begat Reu. 19. And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years and begat sons and daughters 20. And Reu lived two and thirty years and begat Serug 21. And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years and begat sons and daughters 22. And Serug lived thirty years and begat Nahor 23. And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years and begat sons and daughters 24. And Nahor lived nine and twenty years and begat Terah 25. And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years and begat sons and daughters 2008. 1996. 26. And Terah lived seventy years and begat Abram Nahor and Haran 27. Now these are the generations of Terah Terah begat Abram Nahor and Haran and Haran begat Lot 28. And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity in Vr of the Chaldees 29. And Abram and Nahor took them wives the name of Abram's wife was Sarai and the name of Nahor's wife Milcah the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah 30. But Sarai was barren she had no child 31. And Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran his sons son and Sarai his daughter in law his son Abram's wife and they went forth with them from Vr of the Chaldees to go into the land of Canaan and they came unto Haran and dwelt there 32. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years and Terah died in Haran 1. ONE language At this time the whole Race of Mankind spake one language Some think 't is probable it might be the Hebrew Tongue 2. From the East i. e. As they were journeying they came immediately from the East Shinar See Ch. 10. v. 10. Dwelt there By what follows it appears that they did intend to dwell there for the future contrary to God's command of replenishing the Earth ch 9.1 3. They said Nimrod very probably which Josephus affirms did encourage others of his Race and Temper to this contempt of God Brick The place being a Plain not affording Stone Slime A natural Cement to be found in Pits and lower Grounds 4. Build In this attempt they were guilty I. Of contempt of God's declared Will chap. 9. verse 1. which they endeavour to make void II. Of proudly seeking their own Fame and advancing their Power and Dominion Let us make us a Name They are by some also thought guilty III. Of a distrust of God's Truth who had declared that he would not drown the World any more whereas they are supposed to design a City and high Tower against the danger from another Floud To Heaven It is expressed Hyperbolically and imports a great height Deut. 9.1 A Name i. e. A Fame and Renown Compare Gen. 6.4 1 Chron. 17.8 with 2 Sam. 7.9 Lest we be Thus while they consult to defeat God's purpose they do that which was the occasion of bringing it to pass 5. Came down to see This is spoken after the manner of Men. God is then said to descend when he reveals himself by word or deed to us who live in this lower World The Chaldee renders it he appeared c. 6. Restrained They will give farther instances of their Rebellion and Tyranny if they be not defeated 7. Vs See Gen. 1.26 with the Note there 9. From thence From that very place which they intended to build to prevent their being scattered abroad v. 4. 10. These c. As ch 5. we have an account of the Generations from Adam to Noah who was the tenth from Adam So we have here an account from Noah to Abram who was the tenth from Noah And from hence we may learn that the Age of Man's life was much shortned after the Floud The whole time from the Floud to the Birth of Abram is but 352 years whereas from Adam's Creation to the Floud was no less than 1656. 26. Begat Abram Not that Abram was the first-born But he then began to beget Gen. 5.32 'T is supposed that Haran was the eldest and Abram the youngest That Abram was not the eldest is evident from this That Sarah the Daughter of Haran was but ten years younger than Abram and then Haran will be supposed to have begotten her when he was about nine years old Abram must be born the 130th year of Terah's life For Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran ch 12. v. 4. And this was after Terah's death 2008. 1996. who lived 205 years v. 32. 28. Before i. e. In Terah's life-time Vr of the Chaldees The name of a place in Mesopotamia Act. 7.2 It received its Name from the Chaldees who as they might subdue it at first so lived in it and gave it its denomination afterwards Vr in the Hebrew Tongue signifies Fire 29. Iscah The same with Sarai This is the opinion of the Jews nor is there cause to reject it 31. Terah took Abram c. Terah removed from his own Country with Abram who had received a Command from God to come out of it Gen. 12.1.15.7 Act. 7.3 And though this Command were the chief reason of this remove yet 't is thought that Terah was rendred inclinable to remove from the grief which he took at the Death of Haran there as well as at the Barrenness of Sarai v. 28 30. See Joseph Antiq. l. 1. c. 7. and Abravenel on the place Haran This is the name of a place in Mesopotamia Dwelt there It is likely that the occasion of their stay there was from the sickness or weakness of Terah When he was dead Abram went into Canaan CHAP. XII The ARGUMENT God calleth Abram from his own Country and encourageth his Remove with a promise to bless him and a particular promise of the Messias Abram's age when he left Haran He comes into the land of Canaan and sojourns there Vpon occasion of a famine in Canaan he goes into Egypt He owns Sarai as his Sister there Sarai is taken into the house of Pharaoh King of Egypt who by plagues was forced to restore her and dismisseth both Abram and Sarai and all that belonged to Abram 1. NOW the LORD had said unto Abram Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house unto a land that I will shew thee 2. And I will make of thee a great nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing 3. And I will bless them
do he sheweth unto Pharaoh 29. Behold there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt 30. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt and the famine shall consume the land 31. And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following for it shall be very grievous 32. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice it is because the thing is established by God and God will shortly bring it to pass 33. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise and set him over the land of Egypt 34. Let Pharaoh do this and let him appoint officers over the land and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years 35. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh and let them keep food in the cities 36. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt that the land perish not through the famine 37. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants 38. And Pharaoh said unto his servants Can we find such a one as this is a man in whom the Spirit of God is 39. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so discreet and wise as thou art 40. Thou shalt be over my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled only in the throne will I be greater then thou 41. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph See I have set thee over all the land of Egypt 42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph's hand and arayed him in vestures of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck 43. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had and they cried before him Bow the knee and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt 44. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph I am Pharaoh and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt 45. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On and Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt 46. And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt 47. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfulls 48. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and laid up the food in the cities the food of the field which was round about every city laid he up in the same 49. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea very much untill he left numbering for it was without number 50. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him 51. And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh for God said he hath made me forget all my toil and all my father's house 52. And the name of the second called he Ephraim for God hath caused me to be fruitfull in the land of my affliction 53. And the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended 54. And the seven years of dearth began to come according as Joseph had said and the dearth was in all lands but in all the land of Egypt there was bread 55. And when all the land of Egypt was famished the people cried to Pharaoh for bread and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians Go unto Joseph what he saith to you do 56. And the famine was over all the face of the earth and Joseph opened all the store-houses and sold unto the Egyptians and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt 57. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn because that the famine was so sore in all lands 1. PHaraoh A Name that was common to the Kings of Egypt See v. 44. River Nilus or some branch of it whose Waters rendred Egypt fruitfull 2. Kine The increase whereof together with that of Corn v. 5. serve greatly toward the sustenance of life 3. Vpon the brink of the river Not feeding in a Medow as the fat Kine did v. 2. but on the dry Banks of that River the over-flowing of which rendred the Land fruitfull Deut. 11.10 11. 8. The Magicians i. e. Interpreters says the Greek Version They were a sort of Men professing a skill in interpreting Dreams Dan. 2.10 and that used inchantments Exod. 8.18 9. My faults i. e. My offences against thee He might also remember now his ingratitude to Joseph ch 40.14 23. 13. Him he hanged i. e. He did foretell what afterward came to pass that he should be hanged 14. Out of the dungeon Where he was possibly ministring to the Prisoners who were committed to his charge 16. It is not in me God c. See chap. 40.8 24. None that could Which confirms the truth of what Joseph had said before v. 16. and ch 40.8 30. Shall be forgotten i. e. It shall be as if it had not been at all by reason of the Famine which was to succeed The Land i. e. The People of the Land says the Chaldee 32. Established i. e. Fully confirmed The Greek render it true which Greek word signifies that which is not onely true but sufficiently confirmed and attested Joh. 5.31 and ch 8.13 14. 34. Let Pharaoh do this c. Or Let Pharaoh constitute and appoint What we render do signifies to make or appoint as doth also the Greek word which answers to it See Mark 3.14 and Acts 2.36 Of the Land i. e. Of the growth and increase of the Land 35. Vnder the hand of Pharaoh Under the hand of Pharaoh or of those whom Pharaoh should appoint 36. Store Not to be touched till the Famine came 38. In whom the Spirit of God is This Pharaoh concludes from the interpretation which Joseph had given of his Dream Dan. 5.11 as also from Joseph's words v. 16. The Chaldee hath it the Spirit of Prophecy 40. Over my house He made him Lord of his house and ruler of all his substance Psal 105.21 Shall all my people be ruled i. e. They shall be obedient as the Vulgar and Greek Versions have it He had power to bind his Princes at his pleasure Psal 105.22 Act. 7.10 42. His ring As a mark of his favour to Joseph and perhaps of the authority which he gave him Esth 3.10 and 8.2 43. In the second Chariot As an argument that he was next in honour to the King himself 2 Chron.
35.24 Esther 6.2 Bow the knee They were to do homage to Joseph as to the second person in the Kingdom as one who was the Father of the King and Country ch 45.8 The Chaldee renders it This is the Father of the King 44. I am Pharaoh i. e. I am King Pharaoh was the common Name of the King as Ptolomy was in after-times Gen. 12.15 And as the Ptolomies were distinguished by other additional or proper Names so were the Pharaohs also Thus we read of Pharaoh-necoh 2 Kings 23.9 compare Jer. 44.30 And thus were the Caesars among the Romans distinguished from one another Pharaoh in this place implies the Soveraign authority as is implied by what follows Without thee shall no man lift up his hand c. i. e. No man shall have power to do any thing without his leave at least not against his will 45. Zaphnath-paaneah A revealer of secrets says Josephus Priest Or Prince and Governor of On or Heliopolis say the Greek He might be both Prince and Priest ch 14.18 47. By handfulls i. e. In great abundance v. 49. CHAP. XLII The ARGUMENT Jacob sendeth his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn Joseph chargeth them as being Spies They make their Answer They are imprisoned and set at liberty upon condition that they would bring Benjamin into Egypt Their remorse for their former ill usage of Joseph Simeon is left in Egypt as a pledge The rest are sent back with Corn and their Money in their Sacks of Corn. They relate to Jacob what had befallen them who is not willing to send Benjamin 1. NOW when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt Jacob said unto his sons Why do ye look one upon another 2. And he said Behold I have heard that there is corn in Egypt get you down thither and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die 3. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt 4. But Benjamin Joseph's brother Jacob sent not with his brethren for he said Lest peradventure mischief befall him 5. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came for the famine was in the land of Canaan 6. And Joseph was the governor over the land and he it was that sold to all the people of the land and Joseph's brethren came and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth 7. And Joseph saw his brethren and he knew them but made himself strange unto them and spake roughly unto them and he said unto them Whence come ye And they said From the land of Canaan to buy food 8. And Joseph knew his brethren but they knew not him 9. And Joseph remembred the dreams which he dreamed of them and said unto them Ye are spies to see the nakedness of the land you are come 10. And they said unto him Nay my lord but to buy food are thy servants come 11. We are all one man's sons we are true men thy servants are no spies 12. And he said unto them Nay but to see the nakedness of the land you are come 13. And they said Thy servants are twelve brethren the sons of one man in the land of Canaan and behold the youngest is this day with our father and one is not 14. And Joseph said unto them That is it that I spake unto you saying Ye are spies 15. Hereby ye shall be proved by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence except your youngest brother come hither 16. Send one of you and let him fetch your brother and ye shall be kept in prison that your words may be proved whether there be any truth in you or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies 17. And he put them all together into ward three days 18. And Joseph said unto them the third day This do and live for I fear God 19. If ye be true men let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison go ye carry corn for the famine of your houses 20. But bring your youngest brother unto me so shall your words be verified and ye shall not die And they did so 21. And they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us 22. And Reuben answered them saying Spake I not unto you saying Do not sin against the child and ye would not hear therefore behold also his blood is required 23. And they knew not that Joseph understood them for he spake unto them by an interpreter 24. And he turned himself about from them and wept and returned to them again and communed with them and took from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes 25. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn and to restore every man's money into his sack and to give them provision for the way and thus did he unto them 26. And they laded their asses with the corn and departed thence 27. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn he espied his money for behold it was in his sack's mouth 28. And he said unto his brethren My money is restored and lo it is even in my sack and their heart failed them and they were afraid saying one to another What is this that God hath done unto us 29. And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan and told him all that befell unto them saying 30. The man who is the lord of the land spake roughly to us and took us for spies of the country 31. And we said unto him We are true men we are no spies 32. We be twelve brethren sons of our father one is not and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan 33. And the man the lord of the country said unto us Hereby shall I know that ye are true men leave one of your brethren here with me and take food for the famine of your housholds and be gone 34. And bring your youngest brother unto me then shall I know that you are no spies but that you are true men so will I deliver you your brother and ye shall traffick in the land 35. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks that behold every man's bundle of money was in his sack and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money they were afraid 36. And Jacob their father said unto them Me have ye bereaved of my children Joseph is not and Simeon is not and ye will take Benjamin away all these things are against me 37. And Reuben spake unto his father saying Slay my two sons if I bring him not to thee deliver him into my hand and I will bring him to thee again 38. And he said My son shall not go down with you for his brother is dead and he is
left alone if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave 1. SAw The Scripture sometimes puts seeing for hearing Thus all the people saw the thundrings Exod. 20.18 And so here when Jacob saw i. e. when Jacob heard as it is expressed Acts 7.12 and v. 2. of this Chapter Corn The Hebrew word signifies breaking Corn being a principal thing wherewith we break our fast or hunger Psal 104 1â Why do ye look one upon another i. e. Why are ye negligent or slothfull as the Greek and Vulgar render it 2. Get you down thither Egypt was lower than the Land of Canaan And we find the coming from Egypt thither expressed by a word that signifies to ascend as the going from Canaan to Egypt is expressed by going down ch 45.9 13. 4. Lest peradventure He was the more concerned for Benjamin as being the onely Son as he supposed of Rachel whom he loved 6. Governor The word in the Hebrew hath great affinity with the word Sultan and seems to be its Original He it was that sold i. e. He did it partly in his own Person and partly by his Servants and Officers Bowed down And by doing so fulfilled the Dream ch 37.7 9. Ye are Spies This is to be understood as a Charge rather than a positive Affirmation Upon this occasion his Dreams are more fully made good Nakedness i. e. The weakest and most undefended places Thus we call a Man without defensive Arms naked and so we call a City without Walls or Garrison And Joseph might the more plausibly charge his Brethren as Spies because the way which they came from Canaan into Egypt is observed to be the way that was least defensible against Spies or Common Enemies 11. One man's sons And it is not likely that one man would venture so many children upon so dangerous a design as that of spying the nakedness of a Land nor need a whole Country apprehend any danger from one Family 13. Is not i. e. Is dead ch 44.10 15. By the life of Pharaoh This is at least a vehement asseveration or apprecation of life and health to Pharaoh which Joseph useth to assure his Brethren of his intentions Thus much the phrase elsewhere seems to import 1 Sam. 1.26 And then the sense of Joseph's words is as if he had said As sure as Pharaoh lives Or As sincerely as I desire the life and welfare of Pharaoh vid. Ezek. 33.11 Ye shall not go i. e. Ye shall not all go Except c. i. e. Unless you do agree to bring with you your youngest Brother 21. We are verily guilty c. Thus their affliction brings their sin to remembrance Hos 5.15 When they stand in need of mercy they remember the time when they refused to shew it 22. Reuben answered Compare ch 37.21 22. 23. By an Interpreter Who possibly was out of the way at this time 24. Simeon The eldest Son next to Reuben who endeavoured his deliverance and was the more blameable for not pleading for Joseph He was of a cruel disposition ch 34.25 and ch 49.5 and 't is like had shewed it in his carriage to Joseph 25. To restore An act of Mercy in Joseph this was considering his Father's necessity at present 28. Afraid Guilt makes Men so Levit. 26.36 God hath done They justly own the hand of God 33. Take food for the famine The words are Elliptical in the Hebrew and import that they should take that provision which was wanting in their family As the Chaldee hath it 35. Afraid They might fear to be accused of Theft ch 43.22 38. Alone i. e. The onely Child as he supposed of his Mother See v. 4. CHAP. XLIII The ARGUMENT Jacob is hardly perswaded to send Benjamin into Egypt Joseph entertaineth his Brethren at a Feast 1. AND the famine was sore in the land 2. And it came to pass when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt their father said unto them Go again buy us a little food 3. And Judah spake unto him saying The man did solemnly protest unto us saying Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you 4. If thou wilt send our brother with us we will go down and buy thee food 5. But if thou wilt not send him we will not go down for the man said unto us Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you 6. And Israel said Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother 7. And they said The man asked us straitly of our state and of our kindred saying Is your father yet alive have ye another brother and we told him according to the tenor of these words Could we certainly know that he would say Bring your brother down 8. And Judah said unto Israel his father Send the lad with me and we will arise and go that we may live and not die both we and thou and also our little ones 9. I will be surety for him of my hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever 10. For except we had lingred surely now we had returned this second time 11 And their father Israel said unto them if it must be so now do this take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels and carry down the man a present a little balm and a little honey spices and myrrh nuts and almonds 12. And take double money in your hand and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks carry it again in your hand peradventure it was an over-sight 13. Take also your brother and arise go again unto the man 14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin if I be bereaved of my children I am bereaved 15. And the men took that present and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin and rose up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph 16. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to the ruler of his house Bring these men home and slay and make ready for these men shall dine with me at noon 17. And the man did as Joseph bad and the man brought the men into Joseph's house 18. And the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's house and they said Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us and take us for bondmen and our asses 19. And they came near to the Steward of Joseph's house and they communed with him at the door of the house 20. And said O sir we came indeed down at the first time to buy food 21. And it came to pass when we came
them that stood by him and he cried Cause every man to go out from me and there stood no man with him while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren 2. And he wept aloud and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard 3. And Joseph said unto his brethren I am Joseph Doth my father yet live And his brethren could not answer him for they were troubled at his presence 4. And Joseph said unto his brethren Come near to me I pray you and they came near and he said I am Joseph your brother whom ye sold into Egypt 5. Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with your selves that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life 6. For these two years hath the famine been in the land and yet there are five years in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest 7. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance 8. So now it was not you that sent me hither but God and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt 9. Haste you and go up to my father and say unto him Thus saith thy son Joseph God hath made me lord of all Egypt come down unto me tarry not 10. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen and thou shalt be near unto me thou and thy children and thy children's children and thy flocks and thy herds and all that thou hast 11. And there will I nourish thee for yet there are five years of famine lest thou and thy houshold and all that thou hast come to poverty 12. And behold your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you 13. And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen and ye shall hast and bring down my father hither 14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept and Benjamin wept upon his neck 15. Moreover he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them and after that his brethren talked with him 16. And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house saying Joseph's brethren are come and it pleased Pharaoh well and his servants 17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph Say unto thy brethren This do ye lade your beasts and go get you unto the land of Canaan 18. And take your father and your housholds and come unto me and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt and ye shall eat the fat of the land 19. Now thou art commanded this do ye Take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives and bring your father and come 20. Also regard not your stuff for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours 21. And the children of Israel did so and Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh and gave them provision for the way 22. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment 23. And to his father he sent after this manner ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way 24. So he sent his brethren away and they departed and he said unto them See that ye fall not out by the way 25. And they went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father 26. And told him saying Joseph is yet alive and he is governour over all the land of Egypt And Jacob's heart fainted for he believed them not 27. And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him the spirit of Jacob their father revived 28. And Israel said It is enough Joseph my son is yet alive I will go and see him before I die 1. COuld not refrain himself i. e. He could no longer forbear being moved by the words of Judah Go out Joseph was not willing that any should be Witnesses of his own Passion or his Brethren's former Faults 2. The Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh i. e. The Egyptians who went out hearing it soon told it to the House of Pharaoh Compare v. 16. 4. Whom ye sold He tells them this to gain belief rather than to upbraid them 5. God did send c. i. e. I was sent hither not without the special Providence of God 8. Not you that sent me hither but God The good event of the thing was intirely to be imputed to God though the fault were theirs 10. Land of Goshen A fruitfull part of the Land of Egypt lying towards Canaan ch 46.28 29. 47.1 6 27. 12. That it is my mouth They might not onely discern some resemblance from his Countenance by which they might call him to mind but his speaking to them in their own Language without an Interpreter Compare v. 1. with ch 42.23 might farther confirm them 15. Talked with him Having now overcome their fears 16. The fame thereof c. Being quickly carried from one to another See the Note on v. 2. 18. Fat of the land i. e. The best of it Compare Ps 63.5 Numb 18.12 20. Regard not Let not your Eye spare Compare Deut. 7.16 22. Three hundred pieces of silver i. e. Three hundred Shekels See the Note on ch 20.16 24. See that ye fall not out by the way Be not angry as the Latin and Greek have it They would be apt to reproach each other now for their former cruelty to Joseph 26. Fainted Through his fear and distrust 27. Revived iâ Jacob now believing the truth of what his Sons had said 28. It is enough Joseph my son is yet alive Two things his Sons told him viz. That Joseph was alive and that he was Governour of Egypt And the latter of the two Joseph required them to tell his Father v. 9. But for Joseph's Glory and Dominion Jacob does not rejoice as one greatly affected with it 'T was his Life gave him the Joy He said It is enough Joseph my son is yet alive It is enough if Joseph be yet alive as the Vulgar Latin hath it See ch 46.30 CHAP. XLVI The ARGUMENT Jacob cometh to Beer-sheba God appears to him and encourageth his going into Egypt whence he with his Family goes down into Egypt A particular account of his Family which went thither Joseph meets his Father and instructs his Brethren what they should say unto Pharaoh 1. AND Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac 2. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night and said Jacob Jacob. And he said Here am I. 3.
reckoned here as coming with Jacob but as all the Souls of his House or Family 28. Judah Who had given a good proof a little before how he was concerned for his Father ch 45.18 To direct his face i. e. To shew him the way 2298. 1706. 30. Now let me die since Jacob had now obtained his desire Compare ch 45.28 and Luk. 2.29 32. Shepherds Joseph is not ashamed of his Brethren s Employment but freely acquaints Pharaoh with it though he knew that the Egyptians detested Shepherds 34. That ye may dwell in the land of Goshen In a fruitfull Country and toward the Confines of Canaan to which they were to return Far from the snares of the Court and out of the way of the Egyptians which hated them and detested that Employment For every Shepherd c. The soft Egyptians hated Men of that hardy Employment and possibly upon account of some loss from that sort of Men and upon the score of their own Superstition they detested the Employment See the Note on ch 43.32 CHAP. XLVII The ARGUMENT Joseph presents five of his Brethren to Pharaoh Jacob also appears before him The Famine encreaseth The Egyptians for Corn part with their Money and Cattel and their Land The Land of the Priests was exempted A fifth part of the encrease of the Land is reserved for Pharaoh Jacob's Age. He sweareth Joseph to bury him with his Fathers 1. THen Joseph came and told Pharaoh and said My father and my brethren and their flocks and their herds and all that they have are come out of the land of Canaan and behold they are in the land of Goshen 2. And he took some of his brethren even five men and presented them unto Pharaoh 3. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren What is your occupation And they said unto Pharaoh Thy servants are shepherds both we and also our fathers 4. They said moreover unto Pharaoh For to sojourn in the land are we come for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan now therefore we pray thee let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen 5. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph saying Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee 6. The land of Egypt is before thee in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell in the land of Goshen let them dwell and if thou knowest any man of activity amongst them then make them rulers over my cattel 7. And Joseph brought in Jacob his father and set him before Pharaoh and Jacob blessed Pharaoh 8. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob How old art thou 9. And Jacob said unto Pharaoh The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years few and evil have the days of the years of my life been and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage 10. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from before Pharaoh 11. And Joseph placed his father and his brethren and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt in the best of the land in the land of Rameses as Pharaoh had commanded 12. And Joseph nourished his father and his brethren and all his father's houshold with bread according to their families 13. And there was no bread in all the land for the famine was very sore so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine 14. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the corn which they bought and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house 15. And when money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan all the Egyptians came unto Joseph and said Give us bread for why should we die in thy presence for the money faileth 16. And Joseph said Give your cattel and I will give you for your cattel if money fail 17. And they brought their cattel unto Joseph and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses and for the flocks and for the cattel of the herds and for the asses and he fed them with bread for all their cattel for that year 18. When that year was ended they came unto him the second year and said unto him We will not hide it from my lord how that our money is spent my lord also hath our herds of cattel there is not ought left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands 19. Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes both we and our land buy us and our land for bread and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh and give us seed that we may live and not die that the land be not desolate 20. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh for the Egyptians sold every man his field because the famine prevailed over them so the land became Pharaoh's 21. And as for the people he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof 22. Onely the land of the priests bought he not for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them wherefore they sold not their lands 23. Then Joseph said unto the people Behold I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh lo here is seed for you and ye shall sow the land 24. And it shall come to pass in the increase that you shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh and four parts shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for them of your housholds and for food for your little ones 25. And they said Thou hast saved our lives let us find grace in the sight of my lord and we will be Pharaoh's servants 26. And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day that Pharaoh should have the fifth part except the land of the Priests onely which became not Pharaoh's 27. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the country of Goshen and they had possessions therein and grew and multiplied exceedingly 28. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years 29. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die and he called his son Joseph and said unto him If now I have found grace in thy sight put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh and deal kindly and truly with me bury me not I pray thee in Egypt 30. But I will lie with my fathers and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying-place And he said I will do as thou hast said 31. And he said Swear unto me And he sware unto him And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head 1. GOshen See the Note on chap. 45.10 2. Some of his brethren
Or the meanest of them as the Hebrew word will bear 1 Kings 12.31 and not the goodliest whom Pharaoh might have desired for his Court. 3. Occupation The Hebrew word signifies Work 4. To sojourn Not to dwell in Egypt and therefore they desire Goshen as near to Canaan 7. Jacob blessed Pharaoh i. e. He saluted him and gave him thanks as the Hebrew word signifies 2 Kings 4.29 Numb 6.23 24. Compare Matt. 26.26 with Luk. 22.19 9. Pilgrimage Jacob's life was a Pilgrimage It was spent in many places of Canaan in Padan-Aram and then in Canaan again and now in Egypt Heb. 11.9 13. An hundred and thirty years Hence it is evident that Jacob was about Ninety years old when Joseph was born Evil Though Jacob in some respect were a prosperous Man yet he met with many Evils He fled from Esau served Laban Twenty years He was defeated in his hope of Rachel and she was barren also He fled from Laban feared Esau halted He was afflicted in Dinah in Simeon and Levi and in Reuben and upon the score of Joseph In the Sons of Judah and in Thamar Besides the death of Rachel and the sending away of Benjamin Have not attained c. Abraham lived an Hundred seventy five years and Isaac an Hundred and eighty Gen. 25.7 and ch 35.28 10. Blessed At his going out as at his coming in See the Note on v. 7. 11. Land of Rameses So called here by Anticipation the Israelites built a City of that Name afterward Exod. 1.11 and 12.37 12. According to their families Or as a little Child is nourished Heb. According to the little ones 13. Land of Egypt i. e. The People of the Land as the Chaldee hath it 17. Fed them Heb. Led them 18. Second year i. e. The year after and not the second year of the seven years famine 21. He removed them The better to secure to Pharaoh the propriety from the People says Josephus And also it was a good means to prevent their Sedition which they would be tempted to if they had continued in their old Patrimonies 22. Priests Tho' the Hebrew word sometimes signifie Princes or great Officers Yet the ancient Versions the Chaldee Greek and Vulgar understand it of Priests here And so does Josephus and the Syriack Version of this place And what is here said of the Priviledge of the Priests is confirmed by what we read to the same purpose in the Second Book of Herodotus 24. Fifth part Ch. 41.34 29. Vnder my thigh See the Note on ch 24.2 30. With my fathers i. e. In the Land of Canaan where Abraham and Isaac were buried That the Israelites might be mindfull of their return thither 31. Swear unto me Jacob requires an Oath not because he distrusted Joseph but that he might furnish him with an argument to prevail with Pharaoh and accordingly we find Joseph making use of it ch 50.5 Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head i. e. He worshipped God raising himself upon the head of his Bed And possibly he might also lean upon the top of his Staff as the Greek hath it See Heb. 11.21 CHAP. XLVIII The ARGUMENT Joseph with his two Sons visits his Father in his sickness Jacob puts him in mind of God's promise and taketh Ephraim and Manasseh for his own Sons He blesseth them and preferrs Ephraim before Manasseh He fore-tells the Israelites return into Canaan And gives Joseph a portion of Land 1. AND it came to pass after these things that one told Joseph Behold thy father is sick and he took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim 2. And one told Jacob and said Behold thy son Joseph cometh unto thee and Israel strengthened himself and sat upon the bed 3. And Jacob said unto Joseph God Almighty appeared unto me ãâã Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me 4. And said unto me Behold I will make thee fruitfull and multiply thee and I will make of thee a multitude of people and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession 5. And now thy two sons Ephraim and Manasseh which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt are mine as Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine 6. And thy issue which thou begettest after them shall be thine and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance 7. And as for me when I came from Padan Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath the same is Beth-lehem 8. And Israel beheld Joseph's sons and said Who are these 9. And Joseph said unto his father They are my sons whom God hath given me in this place And he said Bring them I pray thee unto me and I will bless them 10. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age so that he could not see And he brought them near unto him and he kissed them and embraced them 11. And Israel said unto Joseph I had not thought to see thy face and lo God hath shewed me also thy seed 12. And Joseph brought them out from between his knees and he bowed himself with his face to the earth 13. And Joseph took them both Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel's left hand and Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel's right hand and brought them near unto him 14. And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manasseh's head guiding his hands wittingly for Manasseh was the first-born 15. And he blessed Joseph and said God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk the God which fed me all my life long unto this day 16. The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the lads and let my name be named on them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth 17. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim it displeased him and he held up his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head 18. And Joseph said unto his father Not so my father for this is the first-born put thy right hand upon his head 19. And his father refused and said I know it my son I know it âe also shall become a people and he also shall be great but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he and his seed shall become a multitude of nations 20. And he blessed them that day saying In thee shall Israel bless saying God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh and he set Ephraim before Manasseh 21. And Israel said unto Joseph Behold I die but God shall be with you and bring you again unto the land of your fathers 22. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above
that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed 4. So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken unto him and Lot went with him and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran 2083. 1922. 5. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brothers son and all their substance that they had gathered and the souls that they had gotten in Haran and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan and into the land of Canaan they came 6. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem unto the plain of Moreh And the Canaanite was then in the land 7. And the LORD appeared unto Abram and said Vnto thy seed will I give this land and there builded he an altar unto the LORD who appeared unto him 8. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent having Beth-el on the west and Hai on the east and there he builded an altar unto the LORD and called upon the Name of the LORD 9. And Abram journeyed going on still toward the south 10. And there was a famine in the land and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there for the famine was grievous in the land 11. And it came to pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt that he said unto Sarai his wife Behold now I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon 12. Therefore it shall come to pass when the Egyptians shall see thee that they shall say This is his wife and they will kill me but they will save thee alive 13. Say I pray thee thou art my sister that it may be well with me for thy sake and my soul shall live because of thee 14. And it came to pass that when Abram was come into Egypt the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair 15. The Princes also of Pharaoh saw her and commended her before Pharaoh and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house 16. And he intreated Abram well for her sake and he had sheep and oxen and he-asses and men servants and maid-servants and she-asses and camels 17. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife 18. And Pharaoh called Abram and said What is this that thou hast done unto me Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife 19. Why saidst thou She is my sister so I might have taken her to me to wife now therefore behold thy wife take her and go thy way 20. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him and they sent him away and his wife and all that he had 1. HAD said viz. Before he came to Haran Act. 7.2 3. with Gen. 11.31 Get thee out i. e. Go thou at least whether thy Relatives go with thee or no So it follows Of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house I will shew thee God did not tell him whither and Abram's obedience was therefore the greater argument of his faith in God that he went out not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 with Isa 41.2 2. Great Nation i. e. The Head and Father of a great Nation See ch 17. v. 4. Bless thee viz. In all things ch 24. v. 1. Not onely with Temporal but Spiritual Blessings Gal. 3.9 14. Thy Name i. e. Thy Renown and Fame I will make great See ch 23.6 and ch 6.4 with the Note on ch 11.4 Thou shalt be Or be thou as it is in the Hebrew 3. And I will c. God in this promise to Abram assures him that he will not onely bless him but his friends and that he that should be Abram's enemy should be cursed In thee i. e. In thy seed ch 22. v. 18. And that Seed is Christ Gal. 3.16 Act. 3.25 All the families i. e. Not onely the Jews and those that descended from Abram according to the flesh but all the faithfull Rom. 4.11 Gal. 3.7 9. 4. So Abram i. e. Upon this Promise or Covenant on God's part Abram departed first from Vr and then after his father's death from Haran Here begin the 430 Years mentioned Exod. 12.40 41. Gal. 3.17 2083. 1922. 5. The souls that they had gotten i. e. The Persons which they had gotten the possession of Their Domesticks and especially their Servants who were part of their Possessions The word we render Souls signifies Persons ch 14. v. 21. And Servants ch 36. v. 6. Rev. 18.13 And the word we here render gotten signifies to procure or get the possession of a thing Deut. 8.17 The Jews add that these Souls which they had gotten were instructed in the true Religion which opinion of theirs as it is very ancient and constantly received among them so it is so far from being inconsistent with the Text that it will appear highly probable to him that compares ch 14 v. 14. ch 17. v. 23. with ch 18. v. 19. 6. The place of Sichem i. e. The place where afterwards Sichem was See ch 34. v. 24. Plain of Moreh i. e. A Plain beset perhaps with Oaks called Moreh of which see ch 35.4 Josh 24.25 26. Jud. 9.6 Canaanite Abram's worshipping the true God among this wicked people was the more commendable and for that reason it may be mentioned in this place By Canaanite in this place is probably meant some particular Tribe or Families more specially so called who in Abram's time dwelt in that part of the Country For sometime the word Canaanite is to be taken in that restrained sence as Gen. 13. v. 7. Exod. 3.8 17. It is evident that those are reckoned as a distinct Tribe or People from the Canaanites who were yet the Off-spring of Canaan and consequently Canaanites Compare Gen. 10.15 7. An Altar For Sacrifice To which we may suppose him moved by the promise above mentioned Appeared See ch 13.3 4. 8. Beth-el It is the name of a place called Luz and after this Beth-el which word signifies the House of God ch 28. v. 19. Tent He did not build an House being but a Sojourner in a strange Land Heb. 11.9 Called upon i. e. Worshipped Prayed says the Chaldee 11. To look upon i. e. Of Aspect She was now but about her middle age ch 23.1 had born no children and may well be supposed of that vigour and comeliness which might be a temptation to the Egyptian people 13. My sister And so she was But of that see the Notes on ch 20. v. 12. My soul shall live i. e. I shall be spared and well used Because of thee Because of thy words says the Chaldee 15. Pharaoh This is the common name of the Kings of Egypt for a long time after 17. With great Plagues Josephus tells us that it was with disease and sedition It is probable that a disease was at least part of the infliction God here made good his promise to Abram v. 3. Compare Psal
unto him and he sold his birth right unto Jacob. 34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils and he did eat and drink and rose up and went his way thus Esau despised his birth-right 1. TOok a Wife Or a Concubine as she is called 1 Chron. 1.32 whose Children did not inherit v. 6. and ch 22.24 Abraham's taking this Wife contributed toward the fulfilling the promise made ch 17. v. 6. Now was Sarah dead and Isaac married 2. She bare By the particular and special blessing of God upon Abraham and in order to the fulfilling his promise ch 17. v. 6. Rom. 4.19 Midian See Numb 25.6 7. Shuah Job 2.11 3. Sheba Job 1.15 4. Epher From whom Africa is thought to be called Joseph Antiqu. l. 1. c. 16. 5. All that he had unto Isaac i. e. He made Isaac his Heir having in his life-time given gifts to his other Children and sent them away v. 6. See ch 24.36 and ch 21.12 6. From Isaac And by this means prevented a future quarrel about the inheritance East-country viz. Arabia the happy says Josephus 2183. 1821. 8. Gave up the ghost Or expired Several of the ancient Versions have so rendred it that they seem to imply that Abraham died an easie death A thing not improbable see ch 15.15 it being said that he died in a good old age Was gathered i. e. He passed into the state of the dead following his deceased Ancestors 9. Ishmael Who though he were sent away from Abraham's family and might not inherit yet was not so far removed but that he was at hand to attend upon his Father's funeral Machpelah See ch 23.9 11. Blessed his Son i. e. He entailed upon him the blessing and promise made to his Father ch 17.19 Lahai-roi See ch 16.14 and ch 24.62 12. Generations Or the account of the Off-spring of Ishmael as also of the fulfilling the promise made to his Father Abraham ch 17.19 13. Nebaioth Whence the Region Nabathaea was so called His Posterity dwelt in Arabia Isa 60.7 Kedar Compare Ezek. 27.21 Isa 21.16 14. Dumah Isa 21.11 15. Tema Hence the people called Temanites Job 2.11 Jetur 1 Chron. 5.19 16. By Or in which agrees well with the Hebrew and is confirmed by the Greek i. e. in their several Towns and Castles thus they were called Twelve Princes According to the promise ch 17.20 18. From Havilah unto Shur Havilah seems to be so called from Havilah the Son of Cush ch 10.7 Of Shur See ch 16.7 These two are put for the extreme borders of the Sons of Ishmael 1 Sam. 15.7 As thou goest Or as one goes from Egypt toward Assyria He died Or fell as it is in the Hebrew i. e. His lot or country was in the presence of his brethren We have an account of Ishmael's death before v. 17. and here of the Country where he dwelt The ancient Versions render the word to this sense He fell i. e. He dwelt say the Chaldee and the Greek The Hebrew word is used in this sense elsewhere Judg. 7.12 Numb 34.2 1 Sam. 29.3 Psal 78.55 According to this sense that is fulfilled which was fore-told of Ishmael that he should dwell in the presence of all his brethren ch 16.12 He might therefore be said there to fall where his dwelling or inheritance happened See Ezek. 47.22 As the words lie in the Hebrew Compare Psal 16.6 19. The generations i. e. The history not onely of his Off-spring but of what happened to him Compare ch 5.1 20. Syrian Aramite according to the Hebrew which signifies a Syrian Compare Luk. 4.27 with 2 King 1.1 Of Padan-Aram i. e. Of that part of Syria which was called Padan-Aram This is the same with Mesopotamia ch 24.10 and called onely Padan ch 48.7 and seems to be the most cultivated part of that Country it being called the Country or Field of Aram or Syria Compare Hos 12.12 21. For his Wife The Hebrew Text seems to imply that his Wife joined with him in his prayer 22. If it be so why am I thus q. d. If so that God hath heard our prayers why am I in this disorder Went to enquire Either by prayer or to some holy Man and possibly to Abraham who was now living v. 7. with v. 26. 23. Two Nations i. e. The heads of two Nations the Edomites and Israelites The Elder shall serve Rom. 9.12 This was in great measure fulfilled when the Edomites were made subject to the Israelites 2 Sam. 8.14 with 2 Chron. 25.11 12. which subjection continued some considerable time 2 Kings 8.20 25. Esau i. e. Made or perfected according to the Hebrew as if born more like to a Man than to a Babe This Birth of Esau and Jacob though it be mentioned after the Death of Abraham yet it came to pass about fifteen years afterwards as will evidently appear to the diligent Reader The Order of Time is not always observed in these Books See chap. XX. v. 1. As also chap. XXVI 26. Jacob i. e. A Supplanter His taking hold of his Brother's heel was the reason of that name as the Hebrew Text intimates and the Vulgar expressly affirms Compare ch 27. v. 36. 27. In Tents As Abraham did Heb. 11.9 31. Birth-right Of the advantages whereof see the Note on Gen. 49.3 33. He sold his birth-right He parted with it at so mean a price that he is said to despise it v. 34. and therefore called Profane Heb. 12.16 CHAP. XXVI The ARGUMENT Vpon occasion of a famine Isaac removes to Gerar. God appears to him forbids him to go into Egypt renews his Promise and his Oath made unto Abraham Isaac gives out that Rebekah was his Sister Abimelech discovers the pretence Isaac's prosperity at Gerar. He is hereupon envied and removes He diggeth Wells Of the Wells called Esek Sitnah and Rehoboth Isaac builds an Altar and enters into Covenant with Abimelech The Wives of Esau 1. AND there was a famine in the land besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham and Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. 2. And the LORD appeared unto him and said Go not down into Egypt dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of 3. Sojourn in this land and I will be with thee and will bless thee for unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all these countries and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father 4. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven and will give unto thy seed all these countries and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed 5. Because that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge my commandments my statutes and my laws 6. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. 7. And the men of the place asked him of his wife and he said She is my sister for he feared to say She is my wife lest said he the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah
kindness I pray thee unto me and make mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this house 15. For indeed I was stollen away out of the land of the Hebrews and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon 16. When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good he said unto Joseph I also was in my dream and behold I had three white baskets on my head 17. And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bake-meats for Pharaoh and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head 18. And Joseph answered and said This is the interpretation thereof the three baskets are three days 19. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee and shall hang thee on a tree and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee 20. And it came to pass the third day which was Pharaoh's birth-day that he made a feast unto all his servants and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants 21. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand 22. But he hanged the chief baker as Joseph had interpreted to them 23. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph but forgat him 3. In ward Or Custody as the Hebrew word imports Captain of the guardâ This Office did belong to Potiphar ch 37.36 and probably Joseph was cast into a Prison belonging to him where the Keeper oâ the Prison might have information of the wrong wââ was done him Prison See ch 39.20 Was bound Oâ had been bound and where he was still confined 4. Captain of the guard Who upon better Information might think fit to trust Joseph A season Hebr. Days i. e. Certain days 5. Dreamed See the Notes on ch 20.3 According to the interpretation i. e Such as did signifââ the Event which ââseph did foretell 6. Sad Being thoughtfull upon the account of their Dreams 8. There is no interpreter They were shut up and could not have the liberty to consult the Magicians and Wise-men ch 41.8 To God ch 41.8 16. 12. Are three days i. e. They do signifie three days 13. Lift up thine head Or Take an account of thee when he shall survey his Family Exod. 30.12 See v. 20. of this Chapter Vnto thy place i. e. Unto thy former Office and Dignity 15. Stollen away So he was by his Brethren His Father knew not what became of him Land of the Hebrews i. e. The Land of Canaan where Abraham the Hebrew dwelt ch 14.13 and which God promised to his posterity I have done nothing i. e. Nothing amiss which deserves this confinement 19. From off thee By taking it from thee Pharaoh removed him from his Office and perhaps also took off his head before his body was hanged on a Tree 23. Forgat him Joseph after this continued two years in Prison ch 41.1 CHAP. XLI The ARGUMENT The two Dreams of Pharaoh are interpreted by Joseph who also adviseth Pharaoh what he should do Joseph is highly advanced by Pharaoh Unto Joseph are born Manasseh and Ephraim The beginning of the Famine fore-told by Joseph 1. AND it came to pass at the end of two full years that Pharaoh dreamed and behold be stood by the river 2. And behold there came up out of the river seven well-favoured kine and fat-fleshed and they fed in a medow 3. And behold seven other kine came up after them out of the river ill-favoured and lean-fleshed and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river 4. And the ill-favoured and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favoured and fat kine So Pharaoh awoke 5. And he slept and dreamed the second time and behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk rank and good 6. And behold seven thin ears and blasted with the east-wind sprung up after them 7. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears and Pharaoh awoke and behold it was a dream 8. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men thereof and Pharaoh told them his dream but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh 9. Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh saying I do remember my faults this day 10. Pharaoh was wroth with his servants and put me in ward in the captain of the guard 's house both me and the chief baker 11. And we dreamed a dream in one night I and he we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream 12. And there was there with us a young man an Hebrew servant to the captain of the guard and we told him and he interpreted to us our dreams to each man according to his dream he did interpret 13. And it came to pass as he interpreted to us so it was me he restored unto mine office and him he hanged 14. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon and he shaved himself and changed his raiment and came in unto Pharaoh 15. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph I have dreamed a dream and there is none that can interpret it and I have heard say of thee that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it 16. And Joseph answered Pharaoh saying It is not in me God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace 17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph In my dream behold I stood upon the bank of the river 18. And behold there came up out of the river seven kine fat-fleshed and well-favoured and they fed in a medow 19. And behold seven other kine came up after them poor and very ill-favoured and lean-fleshed such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness 20. And the lean and the ill-favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine 21. And when they had eaten them up it could not be known that they had eaten them but they were still ill-favoured as at the beginning So I awoke 22. And I saw in my dream and behold seven ears came up in one stalk full and good 23. And behold seven ears withered thin and blasted with the east-wind sprung up after them 24. And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears and I told this unto the magicians but there was none that could declare it unto me 25. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh The dream of Pharaoh is one God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do 26. The seven good kine are seven years and the seven good ears are seven years the dream is one 27. And the seven thin and ill-favoured kine that came up after them are seven years and the seven empty ears blasted with the east-wind shall be seven years of famine 28. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh what God is about to
And he said I am God the God of thy father fear not to go down into Egypt for I will there make of thee a great nation 4. I will go down with thee into Egypt and I will also surely bring thee up again and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes 5. And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him 6. And they took their cattel and their goods which they had gotten in the land of Canaan and came into Egypt Jacob and all his seed with him 7. His sons and his sons sons with him his daughters and his sons daughters and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt 8. And these are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt Jacob and his sons Reuben Jacob's first-born 9. And the sons of Reuben Hanoch and Phallu and Hezron and Carmi. 10. And the sons of Simeon Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman 11. And the sons of Levi Gershon Cohath and Merari 12. And the sons of Judah Er and Onan and Shelah and Pharez and Zerah but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul 13. And the sons of Issachar Tola and Phuvah and Job and Shimron 14. And the sons of Zebulun Sered and Elon and Jahleel 15. These be the sons of Leah which she bare unto Jacob in Padanârâm with his daughter Dinah all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three 16. And the sons of Gad Ziphion and Haggai Shuni and Ezbon Eri and Arodi and Areli 17. And the sons of Asher Jimnah and Ishuah and Isai and Beriah and Serah their sister and the sons of Beriah Heber and Malchiel 18. These are the sons of Zilpah whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter and these she bare unto Jacob even sixteen souls 19. The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife Joseph and Benjamin 20. And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim which Asenath the daughter of Pâtipherah priest of On bare unto him 21. And the sons of Benjamin were Bela and Becher and Ashbel Gera and Naaman Ehi and Rosh Muppim and Huppim and Aâd 22. These are the sons of Rachel which were born to Jacob all the souls were fourteen 23. And the sons of Dan Hushim 24. And the sons of Naphtali Jahzeel and Guni and Jezer and Shillem 25. These are the sons of Bilhah which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter and she bare these unto Jacob all the souls were seven 26. All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt which came out of his loins besides Jacob's sons wives all the souls were threescore and six 27. And the sons of Joseph which were born him in Egypt were two souls all the souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt were threescore and ten 28. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph to direct his face unto Goshen and they came into the land of Goshen 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father to Goshen and presented himself unto him and he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while 2298. 1706. 30. And Israel said unto Joseph Now let me die since I have seen thy face because thou art yet alive 31. And Joseph said unto his brethren and unto his father's house I will go up and shew Pharaoh and say unto him My brethren and my father's house which were in the land of Canaan are come unto me 32. And the men are shepherds for their trade hath been to feed cattel and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have 33. And it shall come to pass when Pharaoh shall call you and shall say What is your occupation 34. That ye shall say Thy servants trade hath been about cattel from our youth even untill now both we and also our fathers that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians 1. BEer-sheba A place that was in the South part of Canaan and in the way to Egypt See the Note on ch 21.31 Sacrifices Eucharistical ones for his Safety Joseph's Life and many other Blessings which he had received 2. In the visions of the night See ch 15.1 3. Fear not to go Upon several accounts Jacob might fear to go with his whole Family especially into Egypt Abraham had been injured there ch 12.15 It had been foretold that his Seed should be afflicted by the Egyptians ch 15.13 Isaac had been warned not to go into Egypt ch 26.2 The Egyptians were Men of very different Usages and Manners from the Hebrews v. 34. and ch 43.32 They were also of a different Religion and Jacob besides might fear lest by this means his Posterity should be deprived of the Land of Canaan A great nation And this was made good There were Seventy that went into Egypt and they in the space of Two hundred and ten or fifteen years encreased to about Six hundred thousand Exod. 12.37 Deut. 10.22 4. Bring thee up His Body was brought into Canaan ch 50.3 13. and his Posterity also returned thither 6. Had gotten Or had possessed as the Vulgar renders it Jacob who is therefore to be reckoned in the number of those who went into Egypt See v. 8. 7. His daughters and his sons daughters It appears not that he had above one Daughter viz. Dinah and one Grand-daughter Serah v. 17. But this Enallage of number is very usual with the Sacred Writings in the like case See v. 17. and v. 23. with ch 21.7 8. Jacob and his sons He with his Children says the Vulgar These words do also intimate that Jacob is to be reckoned in the number of the Seventy with his Sons See v. 6. 10. Of Simeon Exod. 6.15 Jemuel called Nemuel Num. 26.12 1 Chron. 4. 24. Ohad omitted Numb 26.12 and 1 Chron. 4.24 and that probably because he died without Children Jachin otherwise called Jarib 1 Chron. 4.24 Zohar called also Zerah Numb 26.13 and 1 Chron. 4.24 15. Thirty and three Reckoning Jacob in the number See v. 8. 19. Jacob's wife She was the Wife which he desired and loved most 21. The sons of Benjamin He was now about the Age of Twenty and seven years allowing him to be twelve or thirteen years younger than Joseph See ch 35.18 Belah 1 Chron. 8.1 Becher 1 Chron. 7.8 23. Sons of Dan See the Note on v. 7. 26. Threescore and six Jacob and Joseph and his two Sons are not to be put into this number 27. Threescore and ten To make up this number Jacob and Joseph with his two Sons ought to be reckoned This being the number of this Family Jacob himself the Head of it is of that number They are not
physicians to embalm his father and the physicians embalmed Israel 3. And forty days were fulfilled for him for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days 4. And when the days of his mourning were past Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh saying If now I have found grace in your eyes speak I pray you in the ears of Pharaoh saying 5. My father made me swear saying Lo I die in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan there shalt thou bury me Now therefore let me go up I pray thee and bury my father and I will come again 6. And Pharaoh said Go up and bury thy father according as he made thee swear 7. And Joseph went up to bury his father and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh the elders of his house and all the elders of the land of Egypt 8. And all the house of Joseph and his brethren and his father's house onely their little ones and their flocks and their herds they left in the land of Goshen 9. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen and it was a very great company 10. And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad which is beyond Jordan and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation and he made a mourning for his father seven days 11. And when the inhabitants of the land the Canaanites saw the mourning in the floor of Atad they said This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim which is beyond Jordan 12. And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them 13. For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a burying-place of Ephron the Hittite before Mamre 14. And Joseph returned into Egypt he and his brethren and all that went up with him to bury his father after he had buried his father 15. And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead they said Joseph will peradventure hate us and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him 16. And they sent messengers unto Joseph saying Thy father did command before he died saying 17. So shall ye say unto Joseph Forgive I pray thee now the trespass of thy brethren and their sin for they did unto thee evil And now we pray thee forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father And Joseph wept when they spake unto him 18. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face and they said Behold we be thy servants 19. And Joseph said unto them Fear not for am I in the place of God 20. But as for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive 21. Now therefore fear ye not I will nourish you and your little ones And he comforted them and spake kindly unto them 22. And Joseph dwelt in Egypt he and his father's house and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years 23. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees â4 And Joseph said unto his brethren I die and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. 25. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel saying God will surely visit you and ye shall carry up my bones from hence 2369. 1635. 26. So Joseph died being an hundred and ten years old and they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt 2. Physicians Those to whom the care of Embalming belonged To embalm i. e. So to apply Spices to the Body that it might be preserved from Putrefaction 3. Threescore and ten days i. e. Thirty days according to the custom of the Hebrews Numb 20.29 Deut. 21.13 with Deut. 34.8 besides the forty days of embalming mentioned before which were likewise days of Mourning 4. Vnto the house of Pharaoh He does not speak to Pharaoh himself and that perhaps because he was a Mourner and for that reason might not come into his Presence See Esth 4.2 5. Which I have digged It was usual for Men to dig their Sepulchres in their life-time And the place which Abraham bought was spacious enough for Jacob to build his burying-place in 2 Chron. 16.14 Isa 22.16 Matt. 27.60 Gen. 23.17 7. All i. e. A great number of them Matt. 3.5 10. Atad A place not far 't is probable from Hebron Beyond Jordan In respect to Moses who writes this Relation 13. Machpelah See Notes on Gen. 23.9 14. He had buried He was principally concerned in it and was obliged by Oath ch 47.31 19. For am I in the place of God q. d. It belongs not to me to punish you for your sins nor will it become me to remember your former faults since God hath turned your Evil into Good 20. God meant it c. Joseph does not vaunt his own Wisdom and Skill but owns God as the Author of the Good which befell him and his Father's House 23. Ephraim's children See ch 48.19 20. 25. An oath See ch 47.29 Of the children of Israel It is not said Of his Brethren For besides that 't is very probable they were most of them dead so they were least concerned had they now been alive because the Israelites were not like to return during their life Hence i. e. When ye go hence He was obliged by Oath to carry his Father's Body forthwith and this he alledges v. 5. To have ordered his own Burial there forthwith might have been thought a contempt of the Land of Egypt and brought mischief on his Brethren He is willing his Body should be left in Egypt a Memorial of his Benefaction to the Egyptians and to his own People a Pledge of their Deliverance 2369. 1635. 26. Died viz. in Egypt THE BOOK OF EXODUS THE General Argument OF THE Second Book of MOSES CALLED EXODUS THIS Second Book of Moses treats of the Departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt and with respect thereunto it is called Exodus from a Greek word which imports a Departure or going out And though some other Matters are herein treated of yet that is the principal Subject of this Book For the main of the other Matters herein related are either such as were preparatory thereunto or consequent thereupon Of the first sort there are several Particulars related in this Book And they are these which follow I. The Names of the Children of Israel and the Number of them which came down into Egypt who were of that Race Of this we have an account Exod. I. v. 1 2 3 4 5. II. The Miseries which these
the birth and preservation of Moses of the Wonders wrought in Egypt of the Israelites most miraculous deliverance thence of their travel in the Wilderness and the wondrous things which happened there If we be taken with the knowledge of Laws here we shall find that which will entertain us also For besides the moral Precepts in which all Mankind are concerned we have an account of the Laws of the Israelites by which they were to be governed in their own Land And tho' it be true that these judicial Laws were given to the Hebrews and that they were concerned in them and that other Nations must be governed by the Laws of their several Countries yet certain it is that the Justice and the Equity on which these Laws are founded and which they recommend are worthy the consideration and imitation too of other Nations And if inquisitive persons think it worth their while to look into the Laws of Sparta and Athens of Rome and other Kingdoms and Commonwealths certainly they must judge the Laws of Moses which came from God himself are well worthy their looking into and their serious consideration Again if Religion or the way of worshipping God and the Holy Rites and Ceremonies thereunto belonging will entertain us we have here some account of that also and a farther afterwards and of the Persons appointed to minister in Holy Things of their Vestments Separation and solemn Consecration to their Office Or lastly If our Curiosity leads us to consider curious Mechanism or the Work of the most able Artificers we have an account of the Structure of the Tabernacle of its several parts and dimensions of its Instruments and Utensils and the curious Work made use of about that and the Priest's Holy Garments Secondly Here is also to be found a Symbolical Representation of better things to come For several Matters related here are Symbols and Types of something else which was to be revealed in the days of the Messias which does mightily enhanse the value of these Relations and which exalts them above the rate of other Relations It would be too long to dilate upon Particulars I shall onely observe that the Redemption of the Israelites from Egypt was a great Symbol and Type of Christ's far greater Redemption of Mankind And that the Structure and Frame of the Tabernacle was a Type also of Evangelical Things And whoever will take the pains to compare what Josephus says of the parts of the Sanctuary and the mystical meaning thereof with what is said by the Divine Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews on that occasion will be farther convinced of the truth hereof Thirdly This Book lays before us a lively Idea of God's special Providence and Care of his People and consequently lays a great foundation for Piety particularly for Obedience to his Precepts and trust and affiance in him under all Events Moses is preserved notwithstanding all Arts used to destroy him The Israelites live and increase under the severest hardships The Bush is burnt with Fire but not consumed All the Wit and Malice and Power of Men cannot defeat God's Counsels nor destroy the People whom he will preserve They whom God will save Man cannot destroy They are safe who are under his protection He can find Meat and Drink for them in a barren Wilderness While they obey and follow God they are safe And therefore our greatest Care and highest Wisdom is with all imaginable care to do the Will of God and then to trust to him for a supply of our Necessities and a defence against our Enemies and a certain relief under our most pressing straits and difficulties And all this is powerfully recommended to us from the Matters laid before us in this Book of Moses called Exodus NOTES ON THE Book of EXODUS CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT The Names of the Sons of Israel who came into Egypt They multiply there when oppressed by a new King The Midwives obey not the King who commanded them to kill the Male-children of the Hebrews after which the same Command is given to the People of Egypt 1. NOW these are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt every man and his houshold came with Jacob. 2. Reuben Simeon Levi and Judah 3. Issachar Zebulun and Benjamin 4 Dan and Naphtali Gad and Asher 5. And all the souls that came out of the loyns of Jacob were seventy souls for Joseph was in Egypt already 6. And Joseph died and all his brethren and all that generation 7. And the children of Israel were fruitfull and increased abundantly and multiplyed and waxed exceeding mighty and the land was filled with them 8. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt which knew not Joseph 9. And he said unto his people Behold the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier then we 10. Come on let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to pass that when there falleth out any war they join also unto our enemies and fight against us and so get them up out of the land 11. Therefore they did set over them task-masters to afflict them with their burdens And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities Pithom and Raamses 12. But the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew And they were grieved because of the children of Israel 13. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor 14. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in brick and in all manner of service in the field all their service wherein they made them serve was with rigor 15. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives of which the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah 16. And he said When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them upon the stools if it be a son then ye shall kill him but if it be a daughter then she shall live 17. But the midwives feared God and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them but saved the men children alive 18. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said unto them Why have ye done this thing and have saved the men-children alive 19. And the midwives said unto Pharaoh Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women for they are lively and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them 20. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplyed and waxed very mighty 21. And it came to pass because the midwives feared God that he made them houses 22. And Pharaoh charged all his people saying Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river and every daughter ye shall save alive 1. THESE are the names God had promised to Abraham that he would exceedingly multiply his seed Gen. 15.5 And by comparing the number of those that went into Egypt with the number that came out thence we may
hearken to the voice of the first sign that they will believe the voice of the latter sign 9. And it shall come to pass if they will not believe also these two signs neither hearken unto thy voice that thou shalt take of the water of the river and pour it upon the dry-land and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry-land 10. And Moses said unto the LORD O my Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue 11. And the LORD said unto him Who hath made man's mouth or who maketh the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind have not I the LORD 12. Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say 13. And he said O my Lord send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send 14. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother I know that he can speak well And also behold he cometh forth to meet thee and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart 15. And thou shalt speak unto him and put words in his mouth and I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what ye shall do 16. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people and he shall be even he shall be to thee in stead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him in stead of God 17. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand wherewith thou shalt do signs 18. And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said unto him Let me go I pray thee and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt and see whether they be yet alive And Jethro said to Moses Go in peace 19. And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian Go return into Egypt for all the men are dead which sought thy life 20. And Moses took his wife and his sons and set them upon an ass and he returned to the land of Egypt And Moses took the rod of God in his hand 21. And the LORD said unto Moses When thou goest to return into Egypt see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in thine hand but I will harden his heart that he shall not let the people go 22. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh Thus saith the LORD Israel is my son even my first-born 23. And I say unto thee Let my son go that he may serve me and if thou refuse to let him go behold I will slay thy son even thy first-born 24. And it came to pass by the way in the inn that the LORD met him and sought to kill him 25. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the fore-skin of her son and cast it at his feet and said Surely a bloudy husband art thou to me 26. So he let him go then she said A bloudy husband thou art because of the circumcision 27. And the LORD said to Aaron Go into the wilderness to meet Moses And he went and met him in the mount of God and kissed him 28. And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him and all the signs which he had commanded him 29. And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel 30. And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people 31. And the people believed and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that he had looked upon their affliction then they bowed their heads and worshipped 1. THey will not believe Moses might well suppose that the Israelites would not presently and without a sign give him credit See v. 9. and compare it with ch 3.18 2. What is that in thine hand These words make way for that which follows 4. It became a rod in his hand As this sign was designed to gain the Israelites belief v. 5. so it was very instructive also to them The turning of a rod or staff into a Serpent did fitly represent their past and their present Condition under Pharaoh And the turning the Serpent into a Rod or Staff was a fair Symbol of that deliverance from their present Bondage which was promised to them Besides Moses is confirmed and encouraged in his Office which he would have declined as he fled from the Serpent by his taking the Serpent by the Tail and turning it into a Staff 5. That they may be believe c. These words acquaint us with the great End of this Sign See John 20.31 6. As snow This was afterward reputed a sign of a most dangerous sort of Leprosie see Numb 12.10 12. and therefore a fit Symbol of the calamitous condition of the Israelites at this time 7. As his other flesh And this might fairly put them in mind that their present condition was not without hope 8. That they will believe Or that they may believe For these words do not so much fore-tell the Event see v. 9. as they do the design and purpose of these Signs 9. Shall become Heb. Shall be and shall be i. e. It shall certainly be so 10. Eloquent Heb. A man of words i. e. He was not of a ready speech or utterance Heretofore Heb. Since yesterday nor since the third day An usual form of speech among the Hebrews this is by which they describe the time past Nor since thou hast spoken c. i. e. This want of utterance hath not been removed since thou hast given me Commission to go into Egypt 12. With thy mouth See Matth. 10.19 Mark 13.11 Luke 12.11 13. Wilt send Or shouldest send Many have thought that Moses means the Messias whom God would send Send by the hand of him who is fit to be sent says the Chaldee 16. Thou shalt be to him instead of God Vid. Ch. 7. 1. Thou shalt command him and make my Will known to him 20. Sons His two Sons Gershom and Eliezer An ass The Greek renders it in the Plural the Enallage of Number is very usual with the Sacred Writers The rod of God i. e. The Rod or Staff which God commanded him to take v. 17. and with which he was to work Signs 21. I will harden c. i. e. I will after he hath hardened his own heart leave him to his stubbornness and impenitence See ch 9.34 22. First-born i. e. Beloved and favoured more than the other Nations as the first-born 24. The LORD met him The Angel of the Lord say the Greek and Chaldee Sought to kill him i. e. Inflicted probably some disease upon him 25. Sharp stone Or knife which according to the Custom then was made of a sharpened stone vid. Josh 5.2 Cast it Heb. Made it touch His feet i. e. The
Child 's whom she circumcised Surely a bloody Husband art thou to me What we translate Husband is observed to signifie Son-in-law And these words are with great probability supposed to express that her Son was now circumcised and to be referred to her Son not to Moses who is called a bloudy Son because of the Circumcision By Circumcision persons were admitted into Covenant and received into the Church and Family of the true God And he that was thus received might very fitly be called by this Name which signifies one received into a Family by Marriage He was henceforth a Son of God and obliged to obey the Laws of this Church or Family Gal. 5.3 compare Josh 5.9 See Mr. Mede's Disc on the place 30. Spake Vid. v. 16. And did i. e. Moses did see v. 17. 31. Bowed Out of Reverence and Thankfulness to God CHAP. V. The ARGUMENT Pharaoh refuseth to let the Israelites go out of Egypt instead of that does encrease their task and refuseth to hear their just Complaints They thereupon apply themselves to Moses and Aaron and Moses represents their case to God 1. AND afterwards Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh Thus saith the LORD God of Israel Let my people go that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness 2. And Pharaoh said Who is the LORD that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the LORD neither will I let Israel go 3. And they said The God of the Hebrews hath met with us let us go we pray thee three days journey into the desart and sacrifice unto the LORD our God lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword 4. And the king of Egypt said unto them Wherefore do ye Moses and Aaron let the people from their works get you unto your burdens 5. And Pharaoh said Behold the people of the land now are many and you make them rest from their burdens 6. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the task-masters of the people and their officers saying 7. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick as heretofore let them go and gather straw for themselves 8. And the tale of the bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them you shall not diminish ought thereof for they be idle therefore they cry saying Let us go and sacrifice to our God 9. Let there more work be laid upon the men that they may labor therein and let them not regard vain words 10. And the task-masters of the people went out and their officers and they spake to the people saying Thus saith Pharaoh I will not give you straw 11. Go ye get you straw where you can find it yet not ought of your work shall be diminished 12. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble in stead of straw 13. And the task-masters hasted them saying Fulfill your works your daily tasks as when there was straw 14. And the officers of the children of Israel which Pharaoh's task-masters had set over them were beaten and demanded Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day as heretofore 15. Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh saying Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants and they say to us Make brick and behold thy servants are beaten but the fault is in thine own people 17. But he said Ye are idle ye are idle therefore ye say Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD 18. Go therefore now and work for there shall no straw be given you yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks 19. And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case after it was said Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task 20. And they met Moses and Aaron who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh 21. And they said unto them The LORD look upon you and judge because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants to put a sword in their hands to slay us 22. And Moses returned unto the LORD and said Lord wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this people why is it that thou hast sent me 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name he hath done evil unto this people neither hast thou delivered thy people at all 1. GO Viz. Out of Egypt See ch 4.23 That they may hold a feast unto me i. e. A Religious feast Let my Son go that he may serve me Ch. 4.23 Sacrifice was a considerable part of this Service v. 3. In the Wilderness The Wilderness was a convenient place for the Service and Worship of God which requires great attention and abstraction The Labors of Egypt and the Wars and Conquests of Canaan could not but be in great measure an hindrance to them And Philo brings in Moses and Aaron saying thus to Pharaoh viz. That they must in the Wilderness perform their sacred Rites which were different from those of other Men and that also after such a way and manner as required recess because of the different usages in this Divine Worship from what was elsewhere practised or allowed De vit Mos 2. Who is the LORD c. The Name of the Lord is not revealed unto me says the Chaldee See ch 3.19 3. The God of the Hebrews hath met with us Vid. Ch. 3.18 The God who wrought great Deliverances for the Hebrews and particularly for Abraham Isaac and Jacob who were of that Race and is therefore able to save his Servants Lest he fall upon us c. Which would prove a loss to Pharaoh 4. Wherefore do ye c. Pharaoh takes no notice of what Moses and Aaron said v. 3. which contained Motives to persuade him to let them go 6. Task-masters of the people and their officers These Task-masters were Egyptians appointed to exact Labour from the Israelites But the Officers were Israelites who were by the Egyptians set over their Brethren and to see that they did their task and were to answer for their neglect See v. 14. and v. 19. These are rendred by the Greek by a word that signifies Scribes and were probably of the Elders of the People ch 3.18 7. Straw to make Brick This Straw was either to mingle with the Earth of which the Bricks were made or perhaps to burn the Brick with which latter is a sense not at all repugnant to the words used in the Hebrew 8. Therefore c. Their desire of going out of Egypt to serve God is by Pharaoh imputed to idleness both here and v. 17. Whereas in truth though the Worship of God require Abstraction from worldly Cares see the Note on v. 1. Yet he that serves and worships God as he ought to do is so far
from being idle that he is not onely employed in the main and greatest business but does it with all his Power and Might It requires the whole Man and the greatest Application that is possible 9. Let there more work c. Heb. Let the work be heavy upon the men 13. Your daily tasks Heb. A matter of a day in his day i. e. so much as is expected every day 14. The officers of the children of Israel who were Israelites See v. 6. 15. Vnto Pharaoh And not unto the Task-masters who were set over them upon a presumption that Pharaoh did not allow of their oppression and out of hopes that he would redress it 16. In thine own people i. e. In the Task-masters They do not here charge Pharaoh 21. To be abhorred Heb. To stink i. e. We are rendred vile in the sight of Pharaoh 22. Vnto the Lord Who was alone able to help them in their Calamity 23. Neither hast thou delivered thy people at all Hebr. Delivering thou hast not delivered CHAP. VI. The ARGUMENT God reneweth his Promise of delivering the Israelites out of Egypt Of the name JEHOVAH Moses is again commanded to go unto Pharaoh Of the Families of Reuben Simeon and Levi. 1. THEN the LORD said unto Moses Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh for with a strong hand shall he let them go and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land 2. And God spake unto Moses and said unto him I am the LORD 3. And I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them 4. And I have also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan the land of their pilgrimage wherein they were strangers 5. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and I have remembred my covenant 6. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel I am the LORD and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will rid you out of their bondage and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm and with great judgments 7. And I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you a God and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians 8. And I will bring you in unto the land concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it you for an heritage I am the LORD 9. And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage 10. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 11. Go in speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt that he let the children of Israel go out of his land 12. And Moses spake before the LORD saying Behold the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me how then shall Pharaoh hear me who am of uncircumcised lips 13. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt 14. These be the heads of their fathers houses The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel Hanoch and Pallu Hezron and Carmi these be the families of Reuben 15. And the sons of Simeon Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman these are the families of Simeon 16. And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations Gershon and Kohath and Merari And the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years 17. The sons of Gershon Libni and Shimi according to their families 18. And the sons of Kohath Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Vzziel And the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years 19. And the sons of Merari Mahali and Mushi these are the families of Levi according to their generations 20. And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife and she bare him Aaron and Moses And the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years 21. And the sons of Izhar Korah and Nepheg and Zichri 22. And the sons of Vzziel Mishael and Elzaphan and Zithri 23. And Aaron took him Elisheba daughter of Aminadab sister of Naashon to wife and she bare him Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar 24. And the sons of Korah Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph these are the families of the Korhites 25. And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Pâtiel to wife and she bare him Phinehas these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families 26. These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies 27. These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt these are that Moses and Aaron 28. And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt 29. That the LORD spake unto Moses saying I am the LORD speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee 30. And Moses said before the LORD Behold I am of uncircumcised lips and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me 1. WITH a strong hand i. e. Being thereunto compelled with severe Judgments V. c. 3. v. 19 20. 3. God Almighty Or God All-sufficient V. Gen. 17.1 God gave unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob great proofs of his Almighty Power and many promises also of the Land of Canaan But by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them It is not said That this name was not known to them See Gen. 22.14 Nor can the words be understood of the Letters of the Name but it is by my name JEHOVAH was I not known c. By this name must be understood that which it doth signifie JEHOVAH denotes not onely God's Eternal Being but his giving of Being to other things and especially the performing his Promise Now Abraham Isaac and Jacob had received Promises but enjoyed not the thing promised The time was now come in which God would bring to pass what he had promised and now they should know that he is the Lord V. Isa 49.23 c. 52.6 c. 60.16 The knowing him by his name JEHOVAH implies the receiving from him what he had promised before He is not called JEHOVAH till he had finished the Creation Gen. 2.4 The doing of that which He before decreed and promised speaks Him to be JEHOVAH See Exod. 20.2 This Interpretation agrees exactly with the Context For in the very next words God lets them know that he would make good his Promise which is expressed
by establishing his Covenant v. 4. and declares that he remembers his Covenant v. 5. And then follow these words Wherefore say unto the children of Israel I am JEHOVAH and I will bring you out c. V. 6. with v. 7 8. For the farther clearing of this matter it is to be remembred That God is said to make himself known to those whom he takes into Covenant Thus in Judah is God known Psal 76.1 Again In the day when I chose Israel and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob and made my self known unto them in the land of Egypt when I lifted up my hand unto them saying I am the Lord your God In the day that I lifted up my hand unto them to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them c. Ezek. 20.5 6. When God entred into Covenant with Abraham it was by the name of God Almighty Gen. 17.1 upon which he promiseth to his Seed the Land of Canaan v. 8. By this name Isaac blesseth Jacob and bestows on him the Blessing of Abraham ch 28.3 4. By this name Jacob blesseth Joseph ch 48.3.49.25 God lets them here know that he who had made a Promise to their Fathers by the name of God Almighty would now confirm His Covenant to them and make his Promise good by the name of JEHOVAH Say unto the children of Israel I am JEHOVAH i. e. I will make good to you what I promised by the name of God Almighty And ye shall know that I am JEHOVAH your God And I will bring you into the land concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it you for an heritage I am JEHOVAH Exod. 6.6 7 8. 4. My covenant with them God promised Abraham the Land of Canaan Gen. 15. and renewed this promise afterward 6. Wherefore say c. i. e. Assure them I will make good my promise See v. 7 8. 8. I did swear H. Lift up my hand See Gen. 14.22 9. For anguish of spirit Heb. Shortness or Straitness They were dejected in their Spirits through their bondage and not prone to believe the tidings of their Deliverance See the LXXII 12. Vncircumcised lips That is not eloquent He complained before of an impediment which not being taken away he calls his Lips Uncircumcised 14. The sons of Reuben V. Gen. 46.9 1 Chron. 5.3 This following account is to make way to the stock of Moses and Aaron who descended from Levi the third Son of Jacob and hence it is that the following account of Reuben and Simeon is premised lest they should be thought to be contemned 15. And the sons 1 Chron. 4.24 16. Of the sons of Levi Num. 3.17 1 Chron. 6.1 18. Sons of Kohath Numb 26.57 1 Chron. 6.2 20. Amram V. ch 2.2 Numb 26.59 His father's sister See the Notes on ch 2.1 25. She bare him V. Numb 25.11 27. These are that Moses and Aaron See the Notes on v. 14. 29. I am the LORD The JEHOVAH v. 3. who am ready to accomplish what I have formerly promised 30. Vncircumcised See v. 12. CHAP. VII The ARGUMENT Moses is farther directed and encouraged in his Message to Pharaoh His Rod is turned into a Serpent The Magicians of Egypt do the like Pharaoh's Heart is hardened The Waters are turned into Blood The Magicians do so Pharaoh's Heart is hardened 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses See I have made thee a god to Pharaoh and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet 2. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh that he send the children of Israel out of his land 3. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt 4. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that I may lay my hand upon Egypt and bring forth mine armies and my people the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by great judgments 5. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them 6. And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them so did they 7. And Moses was fourscore years old and Aaron fourscore and three years old when they spake unto Pharaoh 8. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 9. When Pharaoh shall speak unto you saying Shew a miracle for you then thou shalt say unto Aaron Take thy rod and cast it before Pharaoh and it shall become a serpent 10. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh and they did so as the LORD had commanded and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants and it became a serpent 11. Then Pharaoh also called the wisemen and the sorcerers now the magicians of Egypt they also did in like manner with their inchantments 12. For they cast down every man his rod and they became serpents but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods 13. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart that he hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 14. And the LORD said unto Moses Pharaoh's heart is hardened he refuseth to let the people go 15. Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning lo he goeth out unto the water and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand 16. And thou shalt say unto him The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee saying Let my people go that they may serve me in the wilderness and behold hitherto thou wouldest not hear 17. Thus saith the LORD In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD behold I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river and they shall be turned to blood 18. And the fish that is in the river shall die and the river shall stink and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river 19. And the LORD spake unto Moses Say unto Aaron Take thy rod and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt upon their streams upon their rivers and upon their ponds and upon all their pools of water that they may become blood and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone 20. And Moses and Aaron did so as the LORD commanded and he lift up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood 21. And the fish that was in the river died and the river stunk and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt 22. And the magicians of Egypt did so
with their inchantments and Pharaoh's heart was hardened neither did he hearken unto them as the LORD had said 23. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house neither did he set his heart to this also 24. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink for they could not drink of the water of the river 25. And seven days were fulfilled after that the LORD had smitten the river 1. A God i. e. A Prince or Master See the Chaldee and the Notes on ch 4.16 Thy Prophet Thy Interpreter says the Chaldee Thy Mouth to speak for thee See ch 4.16 that being one great Office of a Prophet Deut. 18.18 See ch 6.30 4. My hand My powerfull Plague or Stroke as the Chaldee hath it The Hand being the Instrument whereby we effect what we desire does fitly express the Power of him that doth effect Mine armies V. ch 6.26 and ch 12.41 5. Shall know that I am the LORD See ch 6.7 and the Note on ch 6.3 7. Fourscore years old This agrees well with Act. 7.30 and speaks God's Power and Providence V. Deut. 34.7 2 Cor. 12.9 9. A serpent V. ch 4.3 The Greek render it a Dragon 11. The magicians Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses says the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.8 and the Chaldee Paraphrase called Jonathan's calls them Janis and Jambres These Magicians are mentioned not onely among the Jewish Writers but among the Heathen also particularly by Apuleius With their inchantments i. e. With their secret sleights or jugglings The Hebrew word is thought to import an hidden and secret and therefore a commonly unaccountable Art 12. They became serpents Not without the Divine Permission But then their Rods which became Serpents were swallowed up by the Rod of Aaron And though the Magicians turned Water into Blood and brought Frogs upon Egypt we do not find that they were able to turn that Blood into Water and send away the Frogs which they had brought upon the Land as Moses did ch 8.13 They were permitted to punish but had not power to relieve the Egyptians 13. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart Or And Pharaoh's heart waxed strong or hard i. e. Pharaoh's Heart was hardened as the Vulgar and Chaldee render it And we find the same words in the Hebr. so rendered v. 22. not onely by the Greek and Latin but by the English Version also Nor is there any person mentioned either in the one place or in the other See ch 8.32 and the Note upon it That he hearkened not Or And he hearkened not Hebr. 14. Is hardened Or is heavy and dull and not easily moved 15. Goeth out Moses is directed to take this opportunity of meeting with Pharaoh it not being perhaps easie for him to have access to his Court. 16. In the wilderness See the Note on ch 5.1 17. I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand God commands Moses directs and Aaron smites v. 19 20. And God may be therefore said to do that which by his Command was done and by his Power To blood This was a great plague to the Egyptians who wanted Rain Deut. 11.10 11. and were by this means deprived of their Food from the Fish v. 18. and Numb 11.5 and of their Drink also v. 18. 20. Turned to blood And that so it was appears from what follows v. 21. that the Fish died and the River did stink so that the Egyptians could not drink as formerly 22. And the Magicians of Egypt did so And that they might do the Waters being changed successively and not all at once besides that they digged for Waters as appears from vers 24. Vid. Wisd 17.7 23. Neither did he set his heart i. e. He regarded not This speaks his wilfull neglect See v. 16. CHAP. VIII The ARGUMENT The Plague of Frogs The Magicians do also the like Pharaoh sues to Moses and Aaron for the removal of the Frogs and promiseth thereupon to dismiss the Israelites The Frogs are removed Pharaoh hardens his Heart The Plague of Lice The Magicians not able to do the like The Plague of Flies Pharaoh inclines to let the Israelites go but upon the removal of them hardens his Heart 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses Go unto Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the LORD Let my people go that they may serve me 2. And if thou refuse to let them go behold I will smite all thy borders with frogs 3. And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly which shall go up and come into thine house and into thy bed-chamber and upon thy bed and into the house of thy servants and upon thy people and into thine evens and into thy kneading-troughs 4. And the frogs shall come up both on thee and upon thy people and upon all thy servants 5. And the LORD spake unto Moses Say unto Aaron Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams over the rivers and over the ponds and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt 6. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt 7. And the magicians did so with their inchantments and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt 8. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the LORD that he may take away the frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD 9. And Moses said unto Pharaoh Glory over me when shall I intreat for thee and for thy servants and for thy people to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses that they may remain in the river onely 10. And he said To morrow And he said Be it according to thy word that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God 11. And the frogs shall depart from thee and from thy houses and from thy servants and from thy people they shall remain in the river onely 12. And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh 13. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses and the frogs died out of the houses out of the villages and out of the fields 14. And they gathered them together upon heaps and the land stank 15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 16. And the LORD said unto Moses Say unto Aaron stretch out thy rod and smite the dust of the land that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt 17. And they did so for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and smote the dust of the earth and it became lice in man and in beast all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt 18. And the magicians did so with their inchantments to bring forth lice but they could not so
there were lice upon man and upon beast 19. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh This is the finger of God And Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 20. And the LORD said unto Moses rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh lo he cometh forth to the water and say unto him Thus saith the LORD Let my people go that they may serve me 21. Else if thou wilt not let my people go behold I will send swarms of flies upon thee and upon thy servants and upon thy people and into thy houses and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies and also the ground whereon they are 22. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth 23. And I will put a division between my people and thy people to morrow shall this sign be 24. And the LORD did so and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants houses and into all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies 25. And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said Go ye sacrifice to your God in the land 26. And Moses said It is not meet so to do for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God Lo shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and will they not stone us 27. We will go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he shall command us 28. And Pharaoh said I will let you go that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness onely you shall not go very far away intreat for me 29. And Moses said Behold I go out from thee and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people to morrow but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD 30. And Moses went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD 31. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people there remained not one 32. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also neither would he let the people go 2. All thy borders i. e. The whole Land of Egypt 3. Kneading-troughs Or Dough. 7. And the magicians Wisd 17.7 See the Notes on ch 7.12 8. Intreat the LORD Pharaoh is forced to this his Magicians not being able to remove the Frogs which they were permitted to bring upon the Egyptians 9. Glory over me Or Have this honour over me i. e. Have thou the honour of appointing me the time when I shall intreat the Lord for thee See v. 10. and Judg. 7.2 When Or Against when To destroy Heb. To cut off 10. To morrow Or Against to morrow 12. Because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh Or Concerning the appointed time which was agreed on before for the removing the Frogs In this Sense the Greek understood the words 15. Respite i. e. That the Plague was removed 17. Lice One of the Ancients inquires Why God punished the Egyptians with such vile and inconsiderable Animals rather than with Bears Leopards Lions and such ravenous Creatures or the Serpents of Egypt which would quickly have destroyed theâ And his answer is That God designed to correct not to destroy the Egyptians For had he designed their destruction he needed not the help of any Animals he might have done it by Plague or Famine When Men says he wage War they furnish themselves with the most powerfull assistance but the powerfull God when he designs to inflict evils makes use of the smallest and most inconsiderable Instruments what smaller than Lice and yet the Egyptians were forced to own the Finger of God Phil. de vit Mos l. 1. 18. Did so i. e. They attempted to do the like 19. This is the finger of God Or This Plague is of God's inflicting See the Chaldee The Power of God is represented by his Hand or Finger in the Scripture Phrase Ps 8.3 See Luk. 11.20 The Magicians do here confess God's Work and are not able to do the same And Pharaoh's heart was hardened These are the same words in the Hebr. with those ch 7.13 and they do imply that Pharaoh hardened his own Heart He continued in his obstinacy after the Magicians were baffled and were forced to acknowledge the Finger of God See v. 32. 21. Swarms of flies Or A mixture of noisom Beasts 22. I will sever c. By making this wonderfull difference this Plague was rendered the more convictive and Pharaoh the more inexcusable 23. A division Heb. A redemption And so it was to the Israelites a Rescue and Redemption and a distinguishing Mercy See Psal 111.9 Isa 43.2 3. To morrow Or By to morrow 24. There came See Wisd 16.9 A grievous swarm Not onely a very troublesome but a very numerous swarm Corrupted Or destroyed 26. It is not meet It is not right God having called the Israelites out of Egypt V. ch 3.18 The abomination of the Egyptians Or The things which the Egyptians worship as the Vulgar and the Chaldee understand the words at least the Beasts which the Egyptians abstain from and will neither eat nor kill V. Gen. 43.32 and the Notes on that place 27. As he shall See ch 3.18 32. Hardened his heart at this time also As he had done before v. 19. so he did again after a new Plague that spoke not onely the Power but the peculiar Providence of God v. 22 23. and all this after his Magicians had acknowledged the Power of God CHAP. IX The ARGUMENT A grievous Murrain Pharaoh's Heart is hardened The plague of Boyls The plague of Hail and the grievous Effects of it Pharaoh sues to Moses and Aaron to be delivered from it and promiseth to let the Israelites go The Hail is removed and Pharaoh thereupon hardens his Heart and refuseth to let the People go 1. THen the LORD said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh and tell him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me 2. For if thou refuse to let them go and wilt hold them still 3. Behold the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattel which is in the field upon the horses upon the asses upon the camels upon the oxen and upon the sheep there shall be a very grievous murrain 4. And the LORD shall sever between the cattel of Israel and the cattel of Egypt and there shall nothing die of all that is the childrens of Israel 5. And the LORD appointed a set time saying To morrow the LORD shall
do this thing in the land 6. And the LORD did that thing on the morrow and all the cattel of Egypt died but of the cattel of the children of Israel died not one 7. And Pharaoh sent and behold there was not one of the cattel of the Israelites dead And the heart of Pharaoh was hardned and he did not let the people go 8. And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron Take to you handfulls of ashes of the furnace and let Moses sprinkle it towards the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh 9. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt and shall be a boyl breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast throughout all the land of Egypt 10. And they took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven and it became a boyl breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast 11. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boyl for the boyl was upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians 12. And the LORD hardned the heart of Pharaoh and he hearkned not unto them as the LORD had spoken unto Moses 13. And the LORD said unto Moses Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me 14. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart and upon thy servants and upon thy people that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth 15. For now I will stretch out my hand that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence and thou shalt be cut off from the earth 16. And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth 17. As yet exaltest thou thy self against my people that thou wilt not let them go 18. Behold to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even untill now 19. Send therefore now and gather thy cattel and all that thou hast in the field for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field and shall ãâã it be brought home the hail shall come down upon them and they shall die 20. He that feared the word of the LORD amongst the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattel flee into the houses 21. And he that regardeth not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattel in the field 22. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt upon man and upon beast and upon every herb of the field throughout the land of Egypt 23. And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven and the LORD sent thunder and hail and the fire ran along upon the ground and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt 24. So there was hail and fire mingled with the hail very grievous such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation 25. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field both man and beast and the hail smote every herb of the field and brake every tree of the field 26. Onely in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was there no hail 27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this times the LORD is righteous and I and my people are wicked 28. Intreat the LORD for it is enough that there be no more mighty thundrings and hail and I will let you go and ye shall stay no longer 29. And Moses said unto him Assoon as I am gone out of the city I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD and the thunder shall cease neither shall there be any more hail that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD's 30. But as for thee and thy servants I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God 31. And the flax and the barley was smitten for the barley was in the ear and the flax was bolled 32. But the wheat and the rie were not smitten for they were not grown up 33. And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD and the thunders and hail ceased and the rain was not poured upon the earth 34. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased he sinned yet more and hardned his heart he and his servants 35. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardned neither would he let the children of Israel go as the LORD had spoken by Moses 3. A very grievous murrain i. e. A great and general Mortality as appears from v. 6. What we render Murrain signifies the Pestilence when it is referred unto Men and is very frequently by the Greek rendered by a word which signifies Death 4 5. And the LORD c. This great Plague was accompanied with some circumstances which did render it more fit to work upon Pharaoh Viz. I. That the Israelites did not suffer by it which was an argument of God's particular care and providence v. 4. And II. That God set a time when it should happen which was an argument that it was God's work v. 5. 6. All the cattel i. e. All that was in the Field v. 3. 7. And Pharaoh sent c. And by this means he was assured of the truth of what is said v. 4. and therefore left without excuse for his Infidelity 10. And Moses sprinkled It is very probable that Aaron did so likewise it being said of them both that they took ashes A boyl See Rev. 16.2 11. Could not stand before Moses These Magicians at the first withstood Moses but now are not able to stand before him their folly being now manifest 2 Tim. 3.8 9. 12. And the LORD hardned This God is not said to have done till now after five Plagues were past and Pharaoh had hardened his own heart God left him to the wickedness of his own heart when he had sundry times hardened himself before As the LORD Ch. 4.21 14. All my plagues i. e. All that I have determined to inflict Thine heart Which shall be wounded with grief and fear 16. For this cause Rom. 9.17 Have I raised thee up Heb. Made thee stand i. e. I have preserved thee and kept thee alive notwithstanding the foregoing Plagues which have been inflicted He may be said to be raised up who is preserved alive when he was in danger of dying Jam. 5.15 Thou hast been kept or preserved so the Greek render it 18. Since the foundation thereof i. e. Since it became a nation v. 24. 19. Thy cattel Which escaped the
Murrain v. 6. 26. Was there no hail See Notes on v. 4. and 5. and Isa 32.18 19. 28. Mighty thundrings Heb. Voices of God Psal 29.4 5. 29. I will spread abroad my hands I will extend my hands in Prayer says the Chaldee See v. 28. and 1 Tim. 2.8 The Earth Psal 24.1 32. Not grown up Heb. Hidden or dark i. e. They were not so forward as the Barley 35. As the LORD had spoken As the Lord had commanded says the Vulgar referring it to the words immediately going before By Moses Heb. By the hand of Moses CHAP. X. The ARGUMENT Pharaoh is threatned with a most grievous Plague of Locusts Vpon this and his Servants request he inclines to terms But they being refused God sends the Plague of Locusts and removes them at his request After which he refuseth to let the people go After this succeeded the Plague of Darkness Pharaoh is hardned and warneth Moses to come no more into his presence 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants that I might shew these my signs before him 2. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son and of thy sons son what things I have wrought in Egypt and my signs which I have done amongst them that ye may know how that I am the LORD 3. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh and said unto him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy self before me Let my people go that they may serve me 4. Else if thou refuse to let my people go behold to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast 5. And they shall cover the face of the earth that one cannot be able to see the earth and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped which remaineth unto you from the hail and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field 6. And they shall fâll thy houses and the houses of all thy servants and the houses of all the Egyptians which neither thy fathers nor thy father's fathers have seen since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day And he turned himself and went out from Pharaoh 7. And Pharaoh's servants said unto him How long shall this man be a snare unto us Let the men go that they may serve the LORD their God Knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh and he said unto them Go serve the LORD your God but who are they that shall go 9. And Moses said We will go with our young and with our old with our sons and with our daughters with our flocks and with our herds will we go for we must hold a feast unto the LORD 10. And he said unto them Let the LORD be so with you as I will let you go and your little ones look to it for evil is before you 11. Not so go now ye that are men and serve the LORD for that you did desire And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence 12. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts that they may come up upon the land of Egypt and eat every herb of the land even all that the hail hath left 13. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt and the LORD brought an east-wind upon the land all that day and all that night and when it was morning the east-wind brought the locusts 14. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested in all the coasts of Egypt very grievous were they before them there were no such locusts as they neither after them shall be such 15. For they covered the face of the whole earth so that the land was darkned and they did eat every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left and there remained not any green thing in the trees or in the herbs of the field through all the land of Egypt 16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste and he said I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you 17. Now therefore forgive I pray thee my sin onely this once and intreat the LORD your God that he may take away from me this death onely 18. And he went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD 19. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west-wind which took away the locusts and cast them into the Red sea there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt 20. But the LORD hardned Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go 21. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt even darkness which may be felt 22. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days 23. They saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three days but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings 24. And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said Go ye serve the LORD onely let your flocks and your herds be stayed let your little ones also go with you 25. And Moses said Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt-offerings that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God 26. Our cattel also shall go with us there shall not an hoof be left behind for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God and we know not with what we must serve the LORD untill we come thither 27. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not let them go 28. And Pharaoh said unto him Get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die 29. And Moses said Thou hast spoken well I will see thy face again no more 1. FOR c. Or Though Ch. 4.21 2. Mayest tell c. See ch 9.16 Deut. 6.20 22. Psal 78.5 6 7. 4. Locusts Wisd 16.9 5. The face Heb. The eye i. e. the superficies of the Earth The Jewish Writers by the Eye of the Earth understand the Sun and that the multitude of Locusts did intercept the light of the Sun and hinder the Egyptians from seeing the Earth which agrees very well with what follows in this Verse and with vers 15. vid. Abravenel and the Chaldee on the place The residue Ch. 9.32 Every tree Though the Trees were broken by the Hail yet it does not thence follow that they were altogether rendred unfruitfull 6. Have seen Vid. Vers 14. 7. A snare i. e. An occasion of our ruine 8. Who Heb. Who and who c. 10. Let the LORD c. These words seem to be spoken scoffingly q. d. You may assoon expect I should wish you all manner
of good as that I should let your little ones go 11. For that you did desire Or if you desire that As the words may well be rendred q. d. If you sincerely persist in that desire 13. An east-wind The Greek render it a South-wind And it might possibly be a South-East Wind. See Numb 11.31 with Psal 78.26 14. Before them there were no such c. For their multitude and the hurt which they did there had not been the like nor should there be in the Land of Egypt What we read Joel 1.2 ch 2.2 is not repugnant to what is affirmed here 16. Called Heb. Hastned to call 17. This deaths This Plague of the Locusts which may well be called Death either because they killed Men as well as the Hail as is affirmed Wisd 16.9 or else because they did destroy the remaining supports of Life 19. Cast Heb. Fastned They were so cast that as to the event of things it was as if they had been fastned Red-sea In the Hebrew it is the Sea of Rush so called 't is probable from the Rushes or Flaggs that grew about it It was called the Red-sea because it bordered upon the Country of Edom which in the Hebrew Tongue signifies Red 1 King 9.26 Gen. 25.30 21. Even darkness which may be felt Heb. That one may feel darkness This we call Palpable Darkness and it proceeds from the thick Mists and Foggs of the Air. But the Hebrew word being derived from a word that signifies to feel or to remove the Chaldee renders it in the latter sense thus After the darkness of the night was gone intimating that the day should be turned into dark night 23. Neither rose any from his place i. e. Not to any considerable distance See ch 16.29 But all c. Wisd 18.1 25. Vs Heb. Into our hands 26. With what we must serve the LORD untill we come thither i. e. What Beasts we may be obliged to offer up till God give his Command 29. I will see thy face again no more Moses hence seems to have spoken the following words c. 11. where he foretells the death of the First-born before he went out of Pharaoh's presence CHAP. XI The ARGUMENT The Israelites are directed to ask of their Neighbours Jewels of Gold and Silver God gives them Favour with the Egyptians Pharaoh is threatened with the death of the First-born Moses leaves Pharaoh in great anger 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt afterwards he will let you go hence when he shall let you go he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether 2. Speak now in the ears of the people and let every man borrow of his neighbour and every woman of her neighbour jewels of silver and jewels of gold 3. And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people 4. And Moses said Thus saith the LORD About mid-night will I go out into the midst of Egypt 5. And all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill and all the first-born of beasts 6. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt such as there was none like it nor shall be like it any more 7. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue against man or beast that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel 8. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me and bow down themselves unto me saying Get thee out and all the people that follow thee and after that I will go out and he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger 9. And the LORD said unto Moses Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt 10. And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh and the LORD hardned Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land 1. SAID Or had said As it may be rendred and is Gen. 12.1 See Exod. 10.29 and vers 8. of this Chapter Thrust you out Ch. 12.31 33. 2. Borrow Or Ask or Beg. What they received was a gift agreeably hereunto it is said The Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians v. 3. The Greek and Latin render it to the same sense and Josephus tells us That the Egyptians honoured the Hebrews with Gifts partly to hasten their departure and partly upon the score of that familiarity which was between them as Neighbours Jos Antiq. l. 2. c. 5. See the Notes on ch 3. v. 22. Jewels Ch. 3.22 and 12.35 3. Moses Ecclus 45.1 4. About midnight Ch. 12.29 5. That sitteth upon his throne i. e. Who was to have sat upon the Throne of his Kingdom or to reign after him to which sense the Chaldee renders the words Behind the mill It was the custom to put Slaves to grind in a Mill. See Judg. 16.21 7. Move his tongue i. e. The Israelites were quiet and undisturbed Vid. Jos 10.21 8. That follow thee Heb. That is at thy feet That are with thee saith the Chaldee A great anger Heb. Heat of Anger CHAP. XII The ARGUMENT The beginning of the Year is changed The Passover instituted The Rites of this first Passover The Feast of Vnleavened-bread and the time of it The meaning of the Passover to be taught The First-born of the Egyptians slain The Egyptians hasten the Israelites out of Egypt They come to Succoth The time when they left Egypt Rules concerning the Passover 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying 2. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months it shall be the first month of the year to you 3. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel saying In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb according the house of their fathers a lamb for an house 4. And if the houshold be too little for the lamb let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb 5. Your lamb shall be without blemish a male of the first year ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats 6. And ye shall keep it up untill the fourteenth day of the same month and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening 7. And they shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-posts of the houses wherein they shall eat it 8. And they shall eat the
flesh in that night rost with fire and unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it 9. Eat not of it raw nor sodden at all with water but rost with fire his head with his legs and with the purtenance thereof 10. And ye shall let nothing of it remain untill the morning and that which remaineth of it untill the morning ye shall burn with fire 11. And thus shall ye eat it with your loins girded your shooes on your feet and your staff in your hand and ye shall eat it in haste it is the LORD's passover 12. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt both man and beast and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment I am the LORD 13. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are and when I see the blood I will pass over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt 14. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever 15. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day untill the seventh day that soul shall be cut off from Israel 16. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you no manner of work shall be done in them save that which every man must eat that onely may be done of you 17. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread for in this self-same day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever 18. In the first month on the fourteenth day of the month at even ye shall eat unleavened bread untill the one and twentieth day of the month at even 19. Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses for whosoever eateth that which is leavened even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel whether he be a stranger or born in the land 20. Ye shall eat nothing leavened in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread 21. Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said unto them Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families and kill the passover 22. And ye shall take a bunch of hysop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin and none of you shall go out at the door of his house untill the morning 23. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel and on the two side-posts the LORD will pass over the door and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you 24. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever 25. And it shall come to pass when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you according as he hath promised that ye shall keep this service 26. And it shall come to pass when your children shall say unto you What mean you by this service 27. That ye shall say It is the sacrifice of the LORD 's Passover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses And the people bowed the head and worshipped 28. And the children of Israel went away and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron so did they 29. And it came to pass that at midnight the LORD smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon and all the first-born of cattel 30. And Pharaoh rose up in the night he and all his servants and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not an house where there was not one dead 31. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said Rise up and get you forth from among my people both you and the children of Israel and go serve the LORD as ye have said 32. Also take your flocks and your herds as ye have said and be gone and bless me also 33. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people that they might send them out of the land in haste for they said We be all dead men 34. And the people took their dough before it was leavened their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders 35. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment 36. And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians so that they lent unto them such things as they required and they spoiled the Egyptians 37. And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth about six hundred thousand on foot that were men besides children 38. And a mixed multitude went up also with them and flocks and herds even very much cattel 39. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt for it was not leavened because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry neither had they prepared for themselves any victual 40. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel 2513. 1491. who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years 41. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years even the self-same day it came to pass that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt 42. It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations 43. And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron This is the ordinance of the passover there shall no stranger eat thereof 44. But every man's servant that is bought for money when thou hast circumcised him then shall he eat thereof 45. A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof 46. In one house shall it be eaten thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house neither shall ye break a bone thereof 47. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it 48. And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the passover to the LORD let all his males be circumcised and then let him come near and keep it and
for the Israelites Jethro rejoiceth at it and adviseth Moses to teach the People Laws and to appoint Judges among the People Moses follows the Advice of Jethro who afterward departed from him 1. WHEN Jethro the priest of Midian Moses's father-in-law heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt 2. Then Jethro Moses's father-in-law took Zipporah Moses's wife after he had sent her back 3. And her two sons of which the name of the one was Gershom for he said I have been an alien in a strange land 4. And the name of the other was Eliezer for the God of my father said he was my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh 5. And Jethro Moses's father-in-law came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he encamped at the mount of God 6. And he said unto Moses I thy father-in-law Jethro am come unto thee and thy wife and her two sons with her 7. And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and did obeisance and kissed him and they asked each other of their welfare and they came into the tent 8. And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake and all the travail that had come upon them by the way and how the LORD delivered them 9. And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians 10. And Jethro said Blessed be the LORD who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians 11. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them 12. And Jethro Moses's father-in-law took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God And Aaron came and all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses's father-in-law before God 13. And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening 14. And when Moses's father-in-law saw all that be did to the people he said What is this thing that thou doest to the people Why sittest thou thy self alone and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even 15. And Moses said unto his father-in-law Because the people come unto me to enquire of God 16. When they have a matter they come unto me and I judge between one and another and I do make them know the statutes of God and his laws 17. And Moses's father-in-law said unto him The thing that thou doest is not good 18. Thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this people that is with thee for this thing is too heavy for thee thou art not able to perform it thy self alone 19. Hearken now unto my voice I will give thee counsel and God shall be with thee be thou for the people to Godward that thou mayest bring the causes unto God 20. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do 21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness and place such ever them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 22. And let them judge the people at all seasons and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee but every small matter they shall judge so shall it be easier for thy self and they shall bear the burden with thee 23. If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so then thou shalt be able to endure and all this people shall also go to their place in peace 24. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said 25. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 26. And they judged the people at all seasons the hard causes they brought unto Moses but every small matter they judged themselves 27. And Moses let his father-in-law depart and he went his way into his own land 1. JEthro Vid. Chap. 2.16 2. After he had sent her back That is After Moses had sent her back from the Inn when he was going into Egypt Vid. Chap. 4.24 25. 3. Name Ch. 2.22 Gershom That is A stranger there 4. Eliezer That is My God is an help 5. At the mount of God The Mountain on which the glory of God was revealed says the Chaldee This was Horeb where God gave his Law Exod. 3.1 Deut. 5.2 6. He said He sent Messengers that in his name told Moses of his coming Vid. Matth. 8.5 compared with Luk. 7.3 7. Welfare Heb. Peace 8. Come upon them Heb. Found them 9. Hand i. e. The Dominion or Tyranny as the Chaldee hath it 11. For in the thing c. Ch. 1.10 16 22. and 5.7 and 14.18 The Egyptians justly suffered for their Pride and Arrogance and God did defeat them in their Designs and inflicted on them that very evil which they designed to afflict the Israelites with Compare ch 1.22 with ch 22.29 and ch 14.28 12. Sacrifices i. e. Other Sacrifices for no man might eat of the Burnt-offering it being intirely offered up Lev. 1.9 whereas in Peace-offerings the Priest and People had their share Lev. 7.14 Deut. 27.7 Before God Before the glory of God appearing in the Cloud and possibly before the Tabernacle For there are those that think that this passage of Jethro's coming to Moses related in this Chapter did happen in the following year after the Law was given and the Tabernacle erected And that Opinion is grounded upon what we read v. 12. and v. 16. compared with Deut. 1.9 Numb 10.29 30. 15. To enquire of God i. e. To enquire of the mind of God in things which were doubtfull This they did by consulting his Servant and Prophet 16. One and another Heb. A man and his fellow 18. Thou wilt surely wear away Heb. Fading thou wilt fade Thou art not c. Deut. 1.9 19. To God-ward Seeking instruction from the presence of God says the Chaldee This Counsel Moses followed Num. 15.34 35. and ch 27.5 21. Hating covetousness Or Hating gain and free from the love of riches 26. At all seasons i. e. At all occasions and times when they were not forbid by some other superior Law whereby they were obliged to attend upon God's more immediate worship CHAP. XIX The ARGUMENT The Israelites come to Sinai Moses goes up into the Mount and receives a Message to the People which he delivers and returns their Answer unto God He is commanded to Sanctifie the People
That is thou shalt be prosperous whether thou livest in the City and followest the Imployment of Citizens or in the Country and art imployed in Country Affairs such as Plowing and Sowing and breeding of Cattel c. 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body i. e. Thou shalt be prosperous and happy in thy Children This Blessing does in common concern those of a City and of the Country whereas those which follow do relate especially to them who lead a Country life 5. Blessed c. That is thy Basket and other Receptacles of thy encrease shall be replenished and thou shalt have abundance 6. Blessed c. That is thou shalt be blessed in all thy Undertakings safe in thy Dwellings and in thy Journeys 9. Shall establish thee an holy people unto himself That is he will own thee before all the World for a separate and peculiar People 10. That thou art called by the name of the LORD i. e. Thou art a peculiar People of the Lord's 12. His good treasure i. e. The Heaven as it follows or the lower Heaven This is called the treasure of snow and hail Job 38.22 and of the rain in this place 20. Cursing vexation and rebuke The first of these words is more general and imports adversity But vexation seems to denote the disquiet of Mind under it and rebuke the disappointment and unsuccessfulness which do attend upon it as it follows in all that thou settest thine hand unto 22. And with blasting and with mildew These two are the plagues of Corn with which Men are nourished 1 King 8.37 in which they may be said to be smitten when their Food is thus corrupted 23. Thy heaven that is over thy head c. That is though God send Rain upon other Countries yet he will restrain it from thy Land Levit. 26.19 24. The LORD c. That is instead of Rain thy Land shall be filled with Dust 28. Madness i. e. With distraction that thou shalt not be able to consult wisely Blindness Or ignorance of fit means to be used see v. 29. for that it is to be understood of such Blindness is evident from what follows not onely in the next Verse but from v. 31. and v. 34. 36. Thee and thy king This was fulfilled in the Captivity of Babylon 2 Chron. 36 6. And there shalt thou serve c. Either by choice or by constraint See Jer. 44.17 18 19. Dan. 3.6 37. An astonishment i. e. So great shall thy plagues be that the Beholders thereof shall be astonished See 1 King 9.7 A proverb and a by-word i. e. A common subject of reproach and scorn 43. The stranger c. Not only their Foreign Enemies should prevail over them but those who lived among them by permission and were in a condition much inferior to them shall prosper when they themselves shall decline 46. They shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder i. e. These Curses shall not appear like the common afflictions and miseries which fall upon Mankind but they shall be very signal and wonderfull and such as shall draw Men's Eyes after them as things very extraordinary 48. Therefore c. This is highly just that they who refuse the service of God should be Slaves to their Enemies See 2 Chron. 12.8 and instead of the easie yoke of God's Law should be put under a yoke of Iron 49. A nation against thee from far It is very probable from what follows that this referrs to the Romans to whom the Jews were subject under their second Temple and by whom their City and Temple and People were destroyed in the days of Vespasian and Titus 52. He shall besiege thee Of this see Josephus's History of the Jewish War 53. The fruit of thine own body Of this also see Josephus 58. Name The Name of God is God himself and so it is here for it follows The LORD thy God 64. Scatter thee c. It is a great Addition to the Misery of Exiles that they are dispersed from each other and this hath been remarkably the Lot of the Jews Which neither thou nor thy fathers have known This is not said v. 36. and the reason of the Difference seems to be this that though they did know the Gods of Babylon which was nearer to them they did not know those of the Romans at a greater Distance 66. Hang in doubt viz. It shall be at the pleasure of thine Enemies amongst whom thou art 67. In the morning c. That is thou shalt be restless weary of the Day in which thou beholdest grievous Objects and of the Darkness of the Night in which thou fearest an unseen Danger 68. Egypt Where we find Numbers of them when they were subdued by the Romans Joseph Jewish Wars l. 7. By the way Or To the way i. e. Egypt Compare Deut. 17.16 And no man shall buy you So vile they will be that though exposed to sale and some of them sold yet the Market will be overstocked and glutted with them CHAP. XXIX The ARGUMENT Moses minds the Israelites of the Works of God which they had seen and thence exhorts them to Obedience All are to enter into Covenant with God The Wrath of God against him who should flatter himself in an Evil way The Miseries which their Disobedience would bring upon them Secret things belong unto God 1. THese are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. 2. And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his land 3. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signs and those great miracles 4. Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day 5. And I have led you forty years in the wilderness your clothes are not waxen old upon you and thy shooe is not waxen old upon thy foot 6. Ye have not eaten bread neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink that ye might know that I am the LORD your God 7. And when ye came unto this place Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us unto battel and we smote them 8. And we took their land and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half tribe of Manasseh 9. Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them that ye may prosper in all that ye do 10. Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God your captains of your tribes your elders and your officers with all the men of Israel 11. Your little ones your wives and thy stranger that is in thy camp from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of to
Expeditions Hear his voice O Lord when in his distress he shall call upon thee and bring him safely back from the Wars to his own People Strengthen his hands O Lord and save him from his Enemies It hath been thought that Simeon is here included though he be not expressed And that may the more reasonably be supposed because not onely Simeon's Inheritance was within the Inheritance of Judah Josh 19.1 but he was also joined with Judah in those Wars against the Canaanites in which the Divine Aid is implored for Judah here in those Words Hear Lord which words import the reason of Simeon's Name Compare Gen. 29.33 8. Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim be with thy holy one The Vrim and the Thummim were placed in the Breast-plate and this Breast-plate was appropriate to Aaron and to the succeeding High-Priests the Sons of Aaron Exod. 28.30 and the meaning of these words is q. d. Let the great Dignity of the High-Priesthood continue in the Posterity of Aaron who was of this Tribe of Levi and dignified with this separate and holy Office Whom thou didst prove at Massah viz. Whom thou hast sufficiently tried and proved Massah signifies Trial or Proof and is not a proper Name And the words may be rendred Whom in proving thou didst prove And this Sense is confirmed by the Greek Vulgar Latin and Chaldee and Syriac and the Hebrew Text narrowly considered gives great ground to preferr this Sense Because the Particle here which we have translated as signifies in and is not the same which we translate at in the following Words Thou didst strive i. e. Whom thou didst punish or chastise as that Hebrew word does signifie Isa 49.25 Jer. 2.9 but not deprive of the Dignity of the Priesthood At the waters of Meribah See Numb 20.13 9. Who said c. Which Tribe of Levi in that general Defection Exod. 32. did upon God's Command without all respect of persons or favour to their nearest Relations slay those who had been guilty of Idolatry v. 28 29. They have observed c. Compare Mal. 2.5 6. and Psal 99.7 10. They shall teach c. That is the Priests the Levites Compare Ezek. 44.23 24. Levit. 10.11 11. His substance That is his Store Compare Deut. 8.18 He had no Inheritance but yet had his Provisions allotted him by God 12. The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him i. e. Benjamin favoured of God shall have his Inheritance in a safe place viz. about Jerusalem the Holy City and the Temple or Place of God's special Residence among the Israelites Compare Josh 18.11 28. He shall dwell between his shoulders i. e. His Temple shall be situated in his land as the Chaldee renders the last Words Compare Numb 34.11 and Josh 15.10 13. For the deep c. i. e. for the Springs in the lower Parts of the Land 14. Brought forth Or ripened By the Moon Or Monthly 15. Lasting hills See the Note on Gen. 49.26 16. Of him that dwelt in the bush That is Of God who appeared in the Bush to Moses Exod 3.2 17. Like the firstling of his bullock viz. for Strength and Power See Ps 68.9 The ten thousands c. Gen. 48.19 18. Rejoice Zebulun c. See the Notes on Gen. 49. v. 13. and v. 15. 19. Vnto the mountain viz. Of God's House as appears from the following words Compare Isa 2.2 3. Sacrifices of righteousness i. e. Sacrifices of Praise and Thanksgiving for the abundance of all things Compare Ps 4.5 with Psal 50.14 and 51.19 They shall suck i. e. They shall by their Traffick and Merchandise get great Riches which is expressed by the abundance of the Seas and treasures hid in the Sand Because their Wealth came to them from the Seas into their Ports or Sea-shoars 20. That enlargeth Gad That is who hath given him a large possession and will deliver him out of his straits See the Note on Gen. 49.19 As a lion and teareth c. These words speak his great Courage and Conquest over the Power of his Enemies Of both which see 1 Chron. 12.8 and 1 Chron. 5.8 with v. 19 20 21 22. 21. He provided the first part for himself That is he chose his Inheritance with the first on this side Jordan Numb 32.1 Portion of the Lawgiver i. e. That part of the Country which Moses the Lawgiver entred upon and which he divided Numb 32.33 Seated Heb. Cieled or hid They were protected in fenced Cities which they built for the security for their Wives and Children Num. 32.34 35 36. And he came c. That is after he had made provision for the safety of his Family and Cattel he accompanied the Leaders and Captains of the People and assisted them in conquering the Land and destroying the Inhabitants who were justly by God devoted to destruction Josh 1.14 22. Dan is a lion's whelp he shall leap from Bashan i. e. Dan is nimble and ready for Prey like a young Lion from Bashan a place of Flocks and Cattel that skips at the Lambs or other prey 23. Possess thou the west and the south His Tribe lay North and East but yet he was so situated that by Zebulun who lay next him and upon the Coast of the great Sea he could easily be possessed of the Commodities of the Sea which we here translate West Again lying upon the River Jordan Josh 19.33 he had the advantage of enjoying those Commodities which came down that River from the Southern parts of the Land 24. Dip his foot in oyl i. e. He shall have plenty of Oyl Compare Job 29.6 and Gen. 49.20 25. Thy shooes shall be iron c. Or under thy feet shall be iron Compare Deut. 8.9 As thy days so shall thy strength be i. e. Thy strength shall bear proportion to thy days That shall be great and they shall be many 26. Who rideth upon the heaven in thy help i. e. He does dispose the Heavens above for thy aid and assistance which he affords thee readily From the Clouds he sends Thunder and Lightning Hail and Tempest to the discomfiting his People's Enemies Thus had God done Exod. 9.23 and thus did he do afterward Josh 10.10 11. Compare Psal 18.9 10. In his excellency c. See Psal 68.33 34. 28. The fountain of Jacob i. e. Jacob's Posterity that came from him as from a Fountain which is here put for the Streams as in Psal 104.10 Compare Psal 68.26 and Isai 48.1 29. The sword of thy excellency i. e. It is not thy own Sword hath gotten thee the Victory and thy Renown but God's Assistance Thine enemies c. Such shall be thy Conquests and Success over the Power called here the high places of thine Enemies that they who are such shall yet not own their Enmity but at least yield a feigned subjection to thee Compare Deut. 32.13 Psal 44.18 and 66.3 CHAP. XXXIV The ARGUMENT Moses goeth up unto Mount Nebo and takes a view of the Land from thence He dieth there Of his Burial and Age and the time which the People mourned for him Joshua succeeds him Moses commended 1. AND Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo to the top of Pisgah that is over against Jericho and the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead unto Dan. 2. And all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and all the land of Judah unto the utmost sea 3. And the south and the plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm-trees unto Zoar. 4. And the LORD said unto him This is the land which I sware unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob saying I will give it unto thy seed I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not go over thither 5. So Moses the servant of the the LORD died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the LORD 6. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-Peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day 7. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated 8. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended 9. And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom for Moses had laid his hands upon him and the children of Israel hearkened unto him and did as the LORD commanded Moses 10. And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the LORD knew face to face 11. In all the signs and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land 12. And in all that mighty hand and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel 1. ALL the land of Gilead unto Dan i. e. The Land of Gilead on this side Jordan unto a place called afterwards Dan in the Northern Border of the Land of Canaan Josh 19.47 Judg. 18.29 2. Vtmost sea That is the Mediterranean-sea the Western Border of the Land See Deut. 11.24 5 According to the word c. That is as God had foretold he should 6. He buried him That is the Lord buried him by the Ministry of Angels or at least without imploying any of the Israelites therein Compare Gen. 7.16 No man knoweth of his sepulchre c. That there might be no occasion of Idolatry or Superstition given to the Israelites 8. Thirty days Compare Numb 20.29 9. Wisdom This is here mentioned as that which is very necessary in a Governour of others Compare 1 King 3.9 For Moses had laid his hands upon him The laying of the Hands of Moses is not brought in as a cause but as a sign of Joshua's Wisdom For Moses laid his Hands on him by God's direction and to make it known that he was the person appointed and fitted by God for the Employment he was called to Take thee Joshua the son of Nun a man in whom is the spirit and lay thine hands upon him Numb 27.18 10. There arose not a prophet c. See Numb 12.8 FINIS
pretence though he is content to part with Hebron Obj. IV. It is pretended that Moses cou'd not write those words Deut. 2.12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir before-time but the children of Esau succeeded them when they had destroyed them from before them and dwelt in their stead as Israel did unto the land of his possession which the Lord gave unto them The force of the Objection lies in the latter part of the words as Israel did c. By which it 's pretended is meant that Israel dwelt in Seir and expell'd the Idumaeans but that this hapned not in the time of Moses as appears from v. 5. but long afterwards This being that which David mentions Psal 108.9 and which was in his time effected 1 Chron. 18.13 Praeadamit l. 4. c. 1. I answer That here is no mention of the Israelites possessing the Land of the Idumaeans That is fiction and without any shadow of ground from this Text. And for the true meaning of the place I referr the Reader to the Note on Deut. 2.12 Obj. V. It is pretended that Moses could not write those words Gen. 12.6 And the Canaanite was then in the Land This Objection is made by Mr. Hobbs and by Spinosa The utmost of it amounts but to thus much That these words cou'd not be writ by Moses because it wou'd be impertinent for him to say this which was so well known at that time For the Canaanite continu'd above 400 years in the Land after this and therefore those words were added by some hand after the Destruction of the Canaanites Before I answer this I observe this by the way That this Objection is not of the sort of some others which pretend that Moses cou'd not write some passages because the words they insist on mention some-thing that hapned after his time That cannot be pretended here Here all that can be said is That we cannot think Moses wou'd write these words without a Cause I answer 1. That what Moses says is that the Canaanite was THEN in the Land i. e. He had in those early days of Abram possession of that Land which God intended above 400 years afterward to bestow on the Posterity of Abram In the very next words we read And the Lord appear'd unto Abram and said unto thy seed Will I give THIS Land i. e. This very Land which is now in possession of the Canaanite and for that reason call'd the Land of Canaan chap. 11.31 We have a particular account of the Destruction of the Canaanite and of the precise time when it hapned But that Relation does not tell us how long they had been possessed of it That we learn here The Objectors force a sense upon the words As if these words The Canaanite was then in the Land imported thus much The Canaanite was not as yet dispossess'd of the Land Whereas the Text onely tells us that they were Possessors of it THEN when Abram came first to it and when God promis'd it to his Posterity And then the words have no reference to the Destruction of the Canaanites but to their early Possession onely 2. It is very certain that the word Canaanite sometimes signifies a particular Tribe or Family so call'd and not the general Name of the Inhabitants of that Land Thus the word signifies Gen. 13.7.15.21 Numb 13.29.14.25 And then Moses onely relates that in that tract of Land in which Abram then was this Tribe dwelt 3. It is very unreasonable therefore to object this against Moses his being the Author of these words and that because we do not understand the reason of his bringing in these words in this place Because there might be sufficient Reasons though at this distance we were not able to discern them And at this rate we may reject any ancient Author whatsoever I add that 't is to be considered what Land is meant in these words 'T is said that Abram passed through the Land to the place of Sichem It follows The Canaanite was then in the Land viz. of Sichem But these Canaanites were destroyed and their City spoiled and their Land driven before the Israelites went into Egypt and thââefore before Moses wrote these words Gen. 34. In Abram's time the Canaanite was in that Land and even then he durst go thither and profess the Worship of the true God but he was not there afterward being destroyed by Jacob's Sons That Land being void they came thither to feed their Flocks Gen. 37.14 The Words are well rendred by a late Writer Et Cananaeus quidem tunc temporis in eo tractu fuit Obj. VI. 'T is farther objected that Moses cou'd not be the Author of some part of Deut. 3. And two places are insisted upon viz. v. 11. For onely Og King of Bashan remain'd of the remnant of Giants Behold his bed-stead was a bed-stead of Iron is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon c. These words 't is said cou'd not be written by Moses but by a later Author for Moses need not to have mention'd the Bed-stead to those Jews his Contemporaries who had seen the Giant himself Besides 't is pretended that this Bed-stead was not found out till the times of David 2 Sam. 12.30 And therefore these words must be written by a later Author than Moses The other place is v. 14. Jair the son of Manasseh took all the Country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi and called them after his own name Bashan-Havoth-Jair unto this day 'T is pretended that these words were added by a later Writer by way of Explication of v. 13. And that Moses wou'd never have said unto this day if he had been the Writer of these words and that therefore the words were written by a much later Writer who gives an account of this matter à longissimâ primâ origine i. e. from the very ancient and first Original To which I answer First As to v. 11. For the mention of the Bed-stead Moses cannot be charged with impertinence He mentions it ad fidem faciendam and he wrote for Posterity and not barely for those who were then living Besides there might also be very many of them who never saw the Giant and to suppose it shou'd have been in Bashan proves nothing at all To affirm that this Bed-stead was not found till David's time and to cite to that purpose 2 Sam. 12.30 is to abuse the Reader for there 's no such thing to be found there Secondly As to v. 14. 'T is a lewd thing to suppose that Verse inserted by another hand and to offer no proof If there be any thing like a proof it must be fetch'd from those words Vnto this day I shall shew that there is nothing in that expression that will inferr a Writer later than Moses The Objection is in it self very unreasonable These Objectors have some pretence when they urge against Moses that he wrote of things after his time But shall he be blam'd
from that it being one of the most difficult and obscure Passages of the whole Pentateuch But still here is nothing proved That Moses wrote this Book called The Wars of the Lord appears not And granting it to be true it is nothing to the purpose For why might not Moses cite a Book of his own Writing as well as another and later Author And what if Moses did write the Wars of Amalek must he therefore write that of the Amorites Warring against the Moabites before he was concerned with them also These kind of pretences may amuse some that are not given to Thinking they can never prevail with them that consider duly Obj. X. 'T is pretended that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses but rather of him And that because Moses is generally mentioned by the Writer as a third Person And besides that we find Moses is commended in the Pentateuch Numb 12.6 8. Deut. 34.10 And if we take him for the Writer of those Books we must suppose him also to have commended himself which will hardly be granted in a Man of so great Humility and Wisdom as Moses was I answer 1. As to the Pretence that Moses is not the Author because he speaks of himself as of a third Person then it follows That whoever does in his History or Work mântion himself as Moses in these Books is supposed to do he cannot be the Author of that Book or Relation This wou'd be to conclude too much And yet if this Proposition be not true tâââ Objection hath so far as it goes no manner of force in it That he cannot be the Author of a Book that mentions himself as a third Person may be affirm'd indeed easily but can never be proved If this were admitted we must discharge several Authors of the Books of the Holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament also and then we must not believe that Julius Caesar wrote the Commentaries that go under his name or Josephus that part of his reputed Works where he speaks of himself as of a Third Person 'T is hardly credible that the Objectors can believe the Consequence of this Objection and I think there is no fear if they should that any indifferent Person shou'd believe with them 2. As to the second Part of the Objection That we cannot suppose that Moses wou'd commend himself nor consequently that he shou'd write the Pentateuch where he is commended I answer That this Objection whatever may be inferr'd from it does not conclude that Moses was not the Author of these Books For 't is not impossible for a Man to write an Encomium of himself But let us consider the Matter more closely 'T is said indeed that the Man Moses was very meek above all the Men which were upon the face of the Earth Numb 12.3 This is said upon occasion of what was said against him by Miriam and Aaron They spake against him very sharply Upon which 't is said And the Lord heard it Moses is not said to take notice of it himself He was not like to give any just offence nor apt to fall into anger when others reproach'd him It follows Now the man Moses was very meek c. I do not see what there is in these words unbecoming Moses Here 's no boasting or pride no shadow or foot-steps of it He had a just occasion to mention that he had neither provoked these angry persons nor did he highly resent the reproaches they followed him with He might say this well enough and ascribe due honour to God who had wrought this Temper in him The best Man in the World may well be allowed to defend his own Innocence and to own the great Things which God hath done for him The Objection will lie against Job against the Psalmist against St. Paul as well as against Moses if a good Man may not lawfully upon any occasion speak well of himself For what follows in v. 6 7 8. where Moses is preferr'd to any other Prophet 't is certain that they are the Words not of Moses but of God himself And well might he write what God himself said upon this occasion especially when it tended so much to justifie his Divine Mission upon the credit whereof the success of all his Ministry intirely depended The Sin of Moses is related Numb 20.12 and the Punishment inflicted on him on that account The relating of this is as strong an Objection against another Person 's writing these Books as what is nam'd above is against Moses For supposing another Person had been the Writer that Writer must be suppos'd not onely to relate what we read Numb 20. but to repeat it frequently also Obj. XI It is pretended that Moses cannot be supposed to be the Author of those words Exod. 6. These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies These are they which spake to Pharaoh King of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt These are that Moses and Aaron v. 26 27. 'T is suppos'd that Moses wou'd not write thus of himself I answer 1. That he may well be suppos'd to write as a Third Person as hath been shewed before And then 2. Allowing him to write for the sake of Posterity and not onely for the Persons of that present Age of which there can be no doubt He may well be granted to be the Writer of these words concerning himself and Aaron who were both greatly concerned in the Matters related afterwards Obj. XII The Author of the Book call'd Tractatus Theologico politicus mentions some other Books written by Moses and wou'd thence inferr by a way of reasoning peculiar to himself that Moses was not the Author of the Pentateuch He mentions the Book of the Covenant Exod. 24. This Book he says contains very little viz. Those Precepts onely which are found from Exod. 20.24 to chap. 24. And he allows that Moses wrote the Book of the Law of God Deut. 31.9 which Joshua afterwards enlarged viz. with the Relation of the Covenant which the People enter'd into in his Time Josh 24.25 26. And because we have no Book that contains at once the Covenant of Moses and that of Joshua he concludes that this Book of the Law is lost He grants that Moses wrote a Book of the Law and gave it to the Priests with a Command that it shou'd be at a certain time read unto the People which cou'd not therefore be the Pentateuch that being too great a Volume to be read at one Solemnity He grants also that Moses wrote the Song mentioned Deut. 32. And this Book of the Law containing part of the Deuteronomy and this Song is all that he will allow him to have written and left to Posterity I answer 1. I am willing to grant that the Book of the Covenant might not contain more than three or four Chapters of Laws And let it
10.5 14. 1 Chron. 16.21 19. So I might Hence it appears that the very Egyptians thought it unlawfull to take another man's wife and that the King did not judge himself at liberty in this matter 20. They sent him away i. e. They sent him away honourably It seems to be intimated that he was dismissed with respect in that it is said That Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him and that he was sent away not onely with his Wife but with all that he had The word in the Hebrew is used in such a sence Exod. 18.27 CHAP. XIII The ARGUMENT Abram and all that belonged to him leave Egypt and come into Canaan Abram continues in Canaan from whom Lot separates and pitched his tent toward Sodom God renews his Promise to Abram who removed to Hebron 1. AND Abram went up out of Egypt he and his wife and all that he had and Lot with him into the south 2. And Abram was very rich in cattel in silver and in gold 3. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Beth-el and Hai 4. Vnto the place of the altar which he had made there at the first and there Abram called on the Name of the LORD 5. And Lot also which went with Abram had flocks and herds and tents 6. And the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together for their substance was great so that they could not dwell together 7. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattel and the herdmen of Lot's cattel and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land 8. And Abram said unto Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my herdmen and thy herdmen for we be brethren 9. Is not the whole land before thee Separate thy self I pray thee from me if thou wilt take the left hand then I will go to the right or if thou depart to the right hand then I will go to the left 10. And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan that it was well watered every where before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah even as the garden of the LORD like the land of Egypt as thou comest unto Zoar. 11. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan and Lot journeyed east and they separated themselves the one from the other 12. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom 13. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly 14. And the LORD said unto Abram after that Lot was separated from him Lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art northward and southward and eastward and westward 15. For all the land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever 16. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth so that if a a man can number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also be numbred 17. Arise walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it for I will give it unto thee 18. Then Abram removed his tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre which is in Hebron and built there an altar unto the LORD 1. INto the South Not Southward for Canaan was North of Egypt but into the Southern part of the Land of Canaan ch 12. v. 9. with v. 3. of this Chapter This part of the Land is called the South Josh 10.40 and the South Country Josh 11.16 3. From the South i. e. From the place which is South of Beth-el See ch 12. v. 8 9. At the beginning viz. Before he went into Egypt ch 12.8 4. Place of the Altar i. e. Where the Altar stood before he went into Egypt The Altar it self might be during that time fallen or destroyed by the Canaanites 5. Tents viz. To receive his Servants 1 Chron. 4.41 6. Not able Not because of its unfruitfulness nor because it was in it self too strait but because it was then inhabited insomuch that there was not room for Abram and Lot and their substance to remain together The Canaanite and Perizzite dwelling then in the land v. 7. 7. A strife This arose it is like from want of convenient room for their Cattel Perizzite These Perizzites seem to be a branch of the Family of the Canaanites and dwelt together with them who were called the Canaanites in that part of the Land which did afterwards come into the possession of Judah Judg. 1.3 4 5. 8. Abram It was an argument of great modesty and humility in Abram to yield to Lot whose Unkle he was He seeks peace and gives Lot his choice of what part of the Land he would choose to sojourn in v. 9. 10. As the Garden of the Lord See ch 2.8 Compare Isa 51.3 and Ezek. 28.13 As thou comest to Zoar i. e. That part which leads to Zoar was well watered Zoar was called by that name afterwards Gen. 19.22 Before that it was called Bela ch 14.2 11. The Plain of Jordan This was a place agreeable to his occasions who had flocks and herds and tents v. 5. East Or into that part of the Country which was Eastward 12. In the land of Canaan Or in that part which was more strictly so called In the Cities Or in one of the Cities Compare Judg. 12.7 Toward Sodom i. e. He removed his Tent from place to place till he came unto Sodom where he fixed See ch 14. v. 12. 13. Before the Lord Or against the Lord ch 19. v. 5. And this sence agrees very well with the Hebrew Text. Compare Psal 51.4 14. After that Lot c. At that time when Abram had put an end to the strife between his and Lot's herd-men and effectually prevented contention for the future when he was left alone and in the worst Land when he was at leisure and at peace God said to him c. 15. Which thou seest i. e. All that is round about thee and within thy view To thee will I give it and to thy seed For the Hebrew Particle which we render And it is sometimes taken Exegetically and signifies no more than Even 1 Sam. 18.3 Zech. 9.9 1 Chron. 21.12 And that sence of it agrees to this place For ever Upon condition of their Obedience Compare Deut. 4.25 26. Judg. 2.20 21. 16. Dust It is an Hyperbolical expression and denotes that his Seed should be very numerous 17. Vnto thee i. e. I do here make it over to thy family and posterity and will actually give them the possession of it of which I now give thee the promise and grant 18. Plain of Mamre A place so called from Mamre the Brother of Eshcol and Aner who were confederate with Abram Gen. 14.24 From him Hebron was called Mamre Gen.
promised it to him even his Seed ch 13. v. 15 17. he desires to know who of his Seed shall inherit it and when He questions not God's veracity but desires a more distinct knowledge of this matter And the following words fully answer this request of his 9. Take me c. These creatures were clean and fit for Sacrifice But seem not here made use of for Sacrifice but for Confirmation of God's Covenant and Promise Compare Jer. 34.18 10. Divided he not When they were used in Sacrifice they were not to be divided by the Law made afterwards 11. Fowls The Hebrew word is fowl and seems to imply some one of the more ravenous sort and is a fit representation of Pharaoh who afflicted Abram's seed Compare Ezek. 17.3 7 12. And one of the Chaldee Paraphrasts expounds fowls here by the Idolatrous people Carkases A fit resemblance of the afflicted condition of Abram's posterity Drove them away He put them to flight says the Chaldee 12. Horror of great darkness A token of the affliction of his feed predicted in the next verse Compare Esther 8.16 and Psal 88.6 and Psal 107.14 13. Four hundred years This time begins at the birth of Isaac and ends at the Israelites departure out of Egypt And in this space three things were to befall Abram's seed which are here distinctly named as also Act. 7.6 I. That it should be a stranger in a land not theirs and so Isaac and Jacob were II. That they should serve And so they did in Egypt ch 47.6 with Exod. 1.11 III. That they should be afflicted And so the Israelites were very greatly a considerable time before they came out of Egypt From the birth of Isaac to the coming out of Egypt were Four hundred years which appears thus From Isaac's birth to that of Jacob were Sixty years ch 25.26 Thence to the birth of Joseph were Ninety ch 41.46 with ch 45.6 11.41.30 and 47.9 Thence to Joseph's death One hundred and ten years ch 50. v. 26. Thence to the birth of Moses Sixty years which space of time the undoubted beginning and end of these Four hundred years require Thence to the Eightieth year of Moses when they came out of Egypt Eighty years In all Four hundred years 14. Judge i. e. Punish See the Book of Exodus and Psal 105.27 28 c. Substance Compare Exodus 12.35 15. And thou c. q. d. But though thy posterity shall be thus afflicted thou shalt die in peace and full of years ch 25.8 16. In the fourth generation The fourth generation Hebr. i. e. The fourth from the descent into Egypt Thus was Caleb the fourth from Judah 1 Chron. 2. And Aaron and Moses the fourth descent from Levi Exod. 6.16 18 20. Amorites These are named being very considerable for their power Amos 2.9 And those among whom Abram lived ch 13.18 and ch 14.13 Not yet full There is a certain measure of wickedness beyond which God will not spare a sinfull Land And though the seasons of punishing Nations with a general ruine be known to God onely yet when a Land adds to its Sins it does both hasten and assure to it self destruction Compare Jer. 51.13 Matt. 23.32 1 Thessal 2.16 with Ezek. 14.14 17. And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark behold a smoaking furnace and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces 18. In that same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram saying Vnto thy seed have I given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river the river Euphrates 19. The Kenites and the Kenizites and the Kadmonites 20. And the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaims 21. And the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites CHAP. XVI The ARGUMENT Sarai bearing no children gives Hagar to Abram she conceives and despiseth her mistress and being therefore hardly used by her fled from her An Angel meets her and puts her upon returning and submitting to Sarai He foretells her the birth of a son directs her what to call him and describes his temper c. Of the place where the Angel met her The birth of Ishmael 1. NOW Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children and she had an handmaid an Egyptian whose name was Hagar 2. And Sarai said unto Abram Behold now the LORD hath restrained me from bearing I pray thee go in unto my maid it may be that I may obtain children by her and Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai 3. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife 4. And he went in unto Hagar and she conceived and when she saw that she had conceived her mistress was despised in her eyes 5. And Sarai said unto Abram My wrong be upon thee I have given my maid into thy bosom and when she saw that she had conceived I was despised in her eyes the LORD judge between me and thee 6. But Abram said unto Sarai Behold thy maid is in thy hand do to her as it pleaseth thee And when Sarai dealt hardly with her she fled from her face 7. And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness by the fountain in the way to Shur 8. And he said Hagar Sarai's maid whence camest thou and whither wilt thou go and she said I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai 9. And the angel of the LORD said unto her Return to thy mistress and submit thy self under her hands 10. And the angel of the LORD said unto her I will multiply thy seed exceedingly that it shall not be numbred for multitude 11. And the angel of the LORD said unto her Behold thou art with child and shalt bear a son and shalt call his name Ishmael because the LORD hath heard thy affliction 12. And he will be a wild man his hand will be against every man and every man's han against him and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren 13. And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her Thou God seest me for she said Have I also here looked after him that seeth me 14. Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahairoi Behold it is between Cadesh and Bered 15. And Hagar bare Abram a son and Abram called his son's name which Hagar bare Ishmael 16. And Abram was fourscore and six years old when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram 1. SArai Notwithstanding the foregoing promises Sarai did not bear any Child Nor had God as yet promised that she should Besides she is now Seventy five years old and not likely to bear any v. 3. Hand-maid Or Bond-woman ch 21.10 Gal. 4.30 2. Restrained Lo children are an heritage of the Lord Psal 127.3 Obtain children by her Or be builded by her v. 4. Compare Ruth 4.11 with the Note on Exod. 1.21 3. Ten years And was
his Father But there is another sense of these words mentioned by several of the Jews viz. That Anah found or light upon the Eânims a strong and powerfull sort of Men Deut. 2.10 in the Wilderness who would have taken away his Asses and that he did with courage and without any help rescue himself What we render Mules the Chaldee renders Gyants or Strong Men. The word in the Hebrew is in a manner the same with that in Deut. 2.10 30. Among their Dukes i. e. According to their several Dukedoms ch 10.31 Dan. 7.17 31. Before there reigned any King c. The Israelites till they were possessed of the Land of Promise neither had a King nor were they under any shadow of obligation of making one Deut. 17.14 But that they would in due time have a King over them Moses well knew as appears from Deut. 17. And it cannot therefore be inferred from hence that these words were not written by Moses but by one who lived in that time when the Israelites had actually a King over them We may very reasonably suppose that the eight Kings named afterward might from the time of Esau to this time of Moses reign successively one after another For from the Marriage of Esau to the Eightieth year of Moses are more than Two hundred years And for the Dukes mentioned afterward we have no cause to suppose them to succeed each other after the death of these Kings See the Note on v. 40. 32. Bela The Kings which follow were of several Families and not in a Line of one certain Family succeeding to one another 37. Rehoboth The name of a City in Mesopotamia near the River Euphrates 39. The daughter of Mezahab The Chaldee renders it the daughter of a Goldsmith 40. Dukes These Dukes or Governours may well be supposed to be Governours in several Places or Territories at one and the same time There appears no reason why we should suppose them to succeed one another CHAP. XXXVII The ARGUMENT Joseph is hated of his Brethren His two Dreams He is sent to visit his Brethren His Brethren conspire his death but Reuben interposing his Life is preserved He is sold to the Ishmeelites and carried into Egypt but they pretend to their Father that he was killed by some wild-beast Jacob mourns Joseph is sold to Potiphar in Egypt 1. AND Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger in the land of Canaan 2. These are the generations of Jacob Joseph being seventeen years old was feeding the flock with his brethren and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah his father's wives and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report 3. Now Israel loved Joseph more then all his children because he was the son of his old age and he made him a coat of many colours 4. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more then all his brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him 5. And Joseph dreamed a dream and he told it his brethren and they hated him yet the more 6. And he said unto them Hear I pray you this dream which I have dreamed 7. For behold we were binding sheaves in the field and lo my sheaf arose and also stood upright and behold your sheaves stood round about and made obeysance to my sheaf 8. And his brethren said unto him Shalt thou indeed reign over us or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us and they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words 9. And he dreamed yet another dream and told it his brethren and said Behold I have dreamed a dream more and behold the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeysance to me 10. And he told it to his father and to his brethren and his father rebuked him and said unto him What is this dream that thou hast dreamed shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down our selves to thee to the earth 11. And his brethren envied him but his father observed the saying 12. And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem 13. And Israel said unto Joseph Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem Come and I will send thee unto them and he said unto him Here am I. 14. And he said to him Go I pray thee see whether it be well with thy brethren 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 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 dreamer cometh 20. Come now therefore and let us slay him and cast him into some pit and we will say Some evil beast hath devoured him and we shall see what will become of his dreams 21. And Reuben heard it and he delivered him 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 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 sat down to eat bread and they lift up their eyes and looked and behold a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrhe going to carry it down to Egypt 26. And Judah said unto his brethren What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood 27. Come and let us sell him unto the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him for he is our brother and our flesh and his brethren were content 28. Then there passed by Midianites merchant-men and they drew and lift up Joseph out of the pit and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver and they brought Joseph into Egypt 29. And Reuben returned unto the pit and behold Joseph was not in the pit and he rent his clothes 30. And he returned unto his brethren and said The child is not and I whither shall I go 31. And they took Joseph's coat and killed a kid of the goats and dipped the coat in the blood 32. And they
Israelites did lie under in Egypt and the great Hardships which they met with there of which we have an account in the remaining part of that Chapter and afterwards Chap. 5. III. The Persons by whose Ministry this Deliverance was wrought and under this Head is to be reckoned the account we have of Moses of his Birth and of his wonderfull Preservation and of his Divine Mission Ch. 2 and 3. and Power given to him to do wonderfull Works As also that of Aaron his Brother ch 4. and 6. IV. The Assurance which Moses received of his Success in this Undertaking ch 6. V. The Wonders which were wrought and the Plagues inflicted upon Pharaoh King of Egypt and upon his People to induce them to believe the Divine Mission of Moses and Aaron and to let the Israelites go out of Egypt And we have a particular account of these wonderfull Works to the end of the Eleventh Chapter These wonderfull Works deserve a special Consideration They were wrought to procure a belief of the over-ruling Power of the God of Israel and that Moses and Aaron were sent by him The Works themselves were above the Power of a Creature And though the Sorcerers and Magicians of Egypt were able in some measure to imitate some of the first Works of Moses ch 7. yet were they forced quickly to give out and to own the unimitable Power of God And when they inflicted Evils they were destitute of Power to remove those Inflictions ch 8. v. 7 8. The Magicians of Egypt could not produce so much as Lice out of the Dust of the Earth ch 8.18 't was above their Power and for the swarm of Flies which were sent upon the Egyptians the place where the Israelites dwelt was by the wonderfull Providence of God exempted from them ch 8.22 Thus it was also in the Murrain it did light on the Cattel of the Egyptians but not upon that which belonged to the Israelites ch 9. The Plague of Boyls succeeded which was so grievous upon the Egyptians that the Magicians themselves could not stand before Moses v. 11. The Hail with Thunder and Fire came next but this grievous Plague fell upon the Egyptians onely the Israelites felt it not v. 26. A grievous Plague from the Locusts followed and that was followed by a thick Darkness which affected the Egyptians only the Israelites enjoying Light as before And lastly the Death of the First-born which sell onely on those of the Egyptians and from which the Israelites were excused ch 11. After this wonderfull manner did God think fit to effect and bring to pass the Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt This was a most signal Blessing to that People and never to be forgotten And as God thought fit by Moses to transmit to Posterity the History of the Facts relating to this Matter so he appointed a Festival and a very Solemn one to be annually kept by the Israelites in remembrance of it and appointed the Month in which this Departure happened to be for the future observed as the first of at least the Ecclesiastical year The Israelites are often put in mind by Moses and the succeeding Prophets of this Deliverance and it is made use of as an Inducement to their Obedience to the Law given them afterwards Exod. 20.2 And that they might not forget this Deliverance they were afterwards obliged to keep up the remembrance of it once every Week on their Sabbath-day Deut. 5.15 And besides all this to perpetuate the memory of this Deliverance the first-born of Man and Beast are to be separated or set apart Exod. 13. Of this Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt and of the Solemn Festival appointed for a Memorial of it viz. The Passover and Feast of Unleavened-bread and the rites thereunto belonging we have an account ch 12. and 13. When the Israelites Went from Egypt God took care of them and directed their Journies by a certain Pillar which in the Day appeared as a Cloud and as Fire in the Night ch 13.21 22. And whereas the Egyptians were so hardy as to pursue them God miraculously saves the Israelites by giving them a passage through the Red-Sea and drowns the Egyptians which followed them ch 14. In memory whereof we have a Solemn Hymn or Song of Moses ch 15. I will now represent the Facts that were consequent upon this Deliverance The bitter Waters of Marah were made sweet by Moses ch 15.25 And when the People wanted Bread they were miraculously supplied with Quails and Manna ch 16. And when they wanted Water they are supplied with it from a Rock in Horeb. When they were assaulted by Amalek they prevailed whiles Moses held up his hands in memory of which Victory an Altar is built ch 17. Next follows an account of the coming of Jethro of his Reception by Moses and the Counsel he gave him ch 18. And now were the Israelites come to the Wilderness in Sinai in the third Month after they were come from Egypt And here God gives them the Law and that he does in a manner that was very solemn and awfull Moses goes up into a Mountain where God instructs him what he should say to the Israelites the better to prepare them for receiving the Law and returns their answer unto God He is sent down to them again to sanctify them and warn them And God sent him a third time with a charge to them to keep their distance The Mountain was in a smoke and God descended on it in Fire and it quaked and the People were terrified chap. 19. This was a fit time and place for them to receive their Law They had a little before received many proofs of the Power of God and of his care of them which might dispose them to Obedience to God's Law They were in a Wilderness a place of recess and leisure They were freed from the Slavery of Egypt and from the Idolatrous Examples of the Egyptians On the other hand they were short of Canaan and so not diverted by Wars with that People nor acquainted with their filthy Practices and idolatrous Rites nor rendred dull and stupid by the Plenty and Prosperities of that Land And therefore was this a most fit season for this Solemnity 'T was God's great care that his People should neither imitate the People of Egypt whence they came nor of Canaan whither they were going This he told them elsewhere by Moses After the doings of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt and after the doings of the Land of Canaan whither I bring you shall ye not do neither shall ye walk in their Ordinances Levit. 18.3 To have given this Law in Egypt might have been too soon and to have done it when they were possessed of Canaan might have been too late Here they are placed between both intirely delivered from Egypt and unacquainted with Canaan and consequently the better disposed to receive God's Law And whereas they had been miraculously brought out of Egypt
Zipporah his daughter 22. And she bare him a son and he called his name Gershom for he said I have been a stranger in a strange land 23. And it came to pass in process of time that the king of Egypt died and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage and they cried and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage 24. And God heard their groaning and God remembred his covenant with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob. 25. And God looked upon the children of Israel and God had respect unto them 1. A Man Called Amram Exod 6.20 Numb 26.59 A daughter of Levi Her name was Jochebed and she was Amram's Father's Sister Exod. 6.20 The Family of Israel was as yet small and the Law of Marriages not yet given This was afterward forbid Lev. 18.12 2. A goodly child A beautifull Child Heb. 11.23 Act. 7.20 See Joseph Antiqu. l. 2. c. 5. 4. His sister viz. Miriam Exod. 15.20 5. The daughter of Pharaoh Called Thermuthis by Josephus 6. This is one of the Hebrews children She might very well thus judge not onely because he was circumcised as the Hebrews were but because she saw him thus exposed for fear of being discovered and killed according to the King's Command 7. His sister Who had placed her self so as she might see what became of her Brother 8. Go She was the more inclined not onely because the Child was beautifull but because she had none of her own as Josephus tells us 10. Her son Her adopted Son as the Vulgar hath it She called his name Moses i. e. Drawnout from a word that signifies to draw out See Ps 18.16 Josephus likewise tells us That Moses even among the Egyptians did signifie one saved from the Waters 11. Grown Not onely in Stature of which v. 10. but in Strength and Years He was now full forty years old Act. 7.23 12. He slew the Egyptian His example is not to be imitated by us who do not know what his Authority was However Moses supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them Act. 7.25 13. The second day i. e. The next day Act. 7.26 14. A prince Heb. a Man a Prince A ruler and a judge Act. 7.27 16. Priest Or Prince It is very possible he might be both Priest Prince also See Gen. 47.22 17. Drove them away Them i. e. not the Daughters it being the Masculin Gender in the Hebr. but the Flocks or some Servants who were under these Daughters 18. Reuel their father Reuel was Jethro's Father and their Grandfather And Jethro was also called Hobab See Numb 10.29 Judg. 4.11 It is usual in the Scripture to call the Grandfather Father See Gen. 24.48 V. M. B. Israel Concil in Exod. qu. 1. 21. Zipporah his daughter i. e. The Daughter of Jethro See the Greek v. 16. 22. Gershom Ch. 18.3 the former part of which word signifies a Stranger in the Hebr. 24. Covenant Gen. 15.14 and 46.4 25. God had respect unto them Heb. Knew them God had a mercifull regard to them See the Chaldee and Psal 1.6.31.7 CHAP. III. The ARGUMENT Moses keeps the Flock of Jethro and comes to Horeb. The burning Bush not consumed Moses is appointed by God to deliver the Children of Israel out of Egypt Of the Name of God The Message of Moses God fore-tells the Event or Success of his undertaking 1. NOW Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law the priest of Midian and he led the flock to the back-side of the desart and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. 2. And the Angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and be looked and behold the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed 3. And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burnt 4. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the midst of the bush and said Moses Moses And he said Here am I. 5. And he said Draw not nigh hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground 6. Moreover he said I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God 7. And the LORD said I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters for I know their sorrows 8. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large unto a land flowing with milk and honey unto the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jeââsites 9. Now therefore behold the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them 10. Come now therefore and I will send thee unto Pharaoh that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt 11. And Moses said unto God Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt 12. And he said Certainly I will be with thee and this shall be a token unto thee that I have sent thee When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt ye shall serve God upon this mountain 13. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say to me What is his name What shall I say unto them 14. And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM And he said Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you 15. And God said moreover unto Moses Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel The LORD God of your fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you this is my name for ever and this is my memorial unto all generations 16. Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say unto them The LORD God of your fathers the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob appeared unto me saying I have surely visited you and seen that which is done to you in Egypt 17. And I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites unto a land flowing with milk and honey 18. And they shall hearken to thy voice and thou shalt come thou and the elders of Israel unto the king of Egypt and you shall say
the Memory of their deliverance out of Egypt The Firstlings of Beasts to be set apart The Israelites take with them the Bones of Joseph They are directed by a Cloud and Pillar of Fire 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Sanctifie unto me all the first-born whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel both of man and of beast it is mine 3. And Moses said unto the people Remember this day in which ye came out from Egypt out of the house of bondage for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place there shall no leavened bread be eaten 4. This day came ye out in the month Abib 5. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee a land flowing with milk and honey that thou shalt keep this service in this month 6. Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD 7. Vnleavened bread shall be eaten seven days and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters 8. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day saying This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt 9. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand and for a memorial between thine eyes that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt 10. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year 11. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers and shall give it thee 12. That thou shalt set a-part unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast the males shall be the LORD's 13. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb and if thou wilt not redeem it then thou shalt break his neck and all the first-born of man amongst thy children shalt thou redeem 14. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come saying What is this that thou shalt say unto him By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt from the house of bondage 15. And it came to pass when Pharaoh would hardly let us go that the LORD slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt both the first-born of man and the first-born of beast therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix being males but all the first-born of my children I redeem 16. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand and for frontlets between thine eyes for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt 17. And it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines although that was near for God said Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war and they return to Egypt 18. But God led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt 19. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel saying God will surely visit you and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you 20. And they took their journey from Succoth and encamped in Etham in the edge of the wilderness 21. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light to go by day and night 22. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people 2. Sanctifie Ch. 22.29 and 34.19 Levit. 27.26 Numb 3.13 and 8.16 Luk. 2.23 The word signifies to set a-part and that may be said to be sanctified to God which is set aside for his service v. 12. And because the First-born were set aside by God's Command and were therefore more peculiarly his already they were forbid in their voluntary Vows to consecrate them unto the Lord Levit. 27.26 Of man and of beast The Firstling of a Beast fit for Sacrifice was not to be redeemed but the Blood thereof was to be sprinkled on the Altar the fat to be burnt and the flesh to be the Priests Numb 18.17 18. The Firstling of an unclean Beast was to be redeemed v. 13. and the Price to be given to the Priest Numb 18.15 The First-born of Men were to be set a-part to the Service of God Instead of the First-born of the People God took the Levites Numb 3.12 After this the First-born were to be redeemed and the Price to be given to the Priest Numb 18.15 3. Bondage Heb. Servants 4. In the month Abib The Hebrew word Abib signifies an Ear of Corn and because Barley was Eared at this time of the year this month is called the month of Abib The Latin renders it of new fruits and the Greek to the same sense 5. When c. Hence it appears that this Service was after this first Passeover in Egypt determined to the Land of Canaan vid. Deut. 12.1 6. ch 16.5 6. 6. Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread It is elsewhere said Six days shalt thou eat unleavened bread Deut. 16.8 But it is plain these six are the six days after the first day of the Feast after which first day they had the liberty of going home but might not eat leavened Bread during those remaining six days And to this purpose it is said Thou shalt sacrifice the Passover v. 6. And thou shalt rest and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose and thou shalt turn in the morning and go unto thy tents Upon this it follows Six days shalt thou eat It is a very probable opinion of the Jews that though they were obliged to eat unleavened Bread with the Paschal Lamb Exod. 12.8 Yet for the six days remaining they were onely obliged if they eat Bread that it should be unleavened but were not under any obligation to eat Bread upon each of those days It is not said Whosoever eateth not unleavened Bread but it is said Whosoever eateth leavened Bread from the first day untill the seventh day that soul shall be cut off from Israel Exod. 12.15 9. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand c. i. e. This Solemnity shall be unto thee a Memorial of what God hath done for thee as if it were something on thine hand or before thine eyes Vid. Deut. 6.8 Isa 49.16 Cant. 8.6 See Notes on v. 16.
12. That thou Ch. 22.29 and 34.19 Ezek. 44.30 Set apart Heb. Cause to pass over i. e. Thou shalt not reckon it thine own but God's Vid. Levit. 27.32 13. Of an Ass Of unclean beasts Numb 18.15 The Ass is named that creature being very common among them Jud. 10.4 and 12.14 And the Ass therefore seems named here as a most common Beast and comprehending other Creatures that were not fit for Sacrifice And Philo the Jew when he mentions this Law reckons Horses Asses and Camels and such-like de Sacerdot Honor. l. Lamb Or Kid vid. ch 12.3 14. In time to come Heb. To morrow Vid. Matt. 6.34 16. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand and for frontlets between thine eyes See verse 9. Hence the Jews understanding these words literally took up a custom of using their Phylacteries Matt. 23.5 which they wore on their Hands and Foreheads These were made of Skins of a clean Beast in which were written four Tracts or little Sections of their Law viz. Deut. 6.4 to the end of v. 9. Exod. 13.1 to the end of v. 10. Exod. 13.11 to the end of v. 16. Deut. 11.13 to the end of v. 21. 18. Harnessed Or by five in a rank i. e. They went in good order and having their Loins girded See ch 12.11 19. The bones of Joseph Vid. Act. 7.16 God will c. Gen. 50.25 Josh 24.32 20. They took c. Numb 33.6 21. The LORD Numb 14.14 Deut. 1.33 Nehem. 9.19 Psal 78.14 1 Cor. 10.1 He is called the Angel of God ch 14.19 And it is supposed that he is the Son of God it being said that they tempted Christ in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.9 And Philo the Jew thinks it credible that a certain invisible Angel accompanied the Cloud as the Conductor of the People Whom says he we may not see with bodily eyes Vid. Phil. de Vit. Mos l. 1. And there is ground for this opinion of his from the place compared with ch 14.19 where it is said And the Angel of God which went before the Camp of Israel removed and went behind them And the Pillar of the Cloud went from before their face and stood behind them 22. The Pillar The Pillar of a Cloud and of Fire seem to be but one Pillar ch 14.19 20 24. Spread as a Cloud by day and having the appearance of Fire by night for the guidance of the People CHAP. XIV The ARGUMENT The Israelites are directed in their Journey Pharaoh pursues them The Israelites are much afraid Moses endeavours to quiet them The Angel and Cloud remove behind the Camp of Israel The Israelites pass through the Red sea the Egyptians following them are drowned 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Speak unto the children of Israel that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the sea over against Baal-zephon before it shall ye encamp by the sea 3. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel They are entangled in the land the wilderness hath shut them in 4. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart that he shall follow after them and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh and upon all his host that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD And they did so 5. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people and they said Why have we done this that we have let Israel go from serving us 6. And he made ready his chariot and took his people with him 7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Egypt and captains over every one of them 8. And the LORD hardned the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and be pursued after the children of Israel and the children of Israel went out with an high hand 9. But the Egyptians pursued after them all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horse-men and his army and overtook them encamping by the sea beside Pihahiroth before Baal-zephon 10. And when Pharaoh drew nigh the children of Israel lift up their eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraid and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD 11. And they said unto Moses Because there were no graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt 12. Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt saying Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians then that we should die in the wilderness 13. And Moses said unto the people Fear ye not stand still and see the salvation of the LORD which he will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day ye shall see them again no more for ever 14. The LORD shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace 15. And the LORD said unto Moses Wherefore criest thou unto me Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward 16. But lift thou up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it and the children of Israel shall go on dry-ground through the midst of the sea 17. And I behold I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians and they shall follow them and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and upon all his host upon his chariots and upon his horse-men 18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh upon his chariots and upon his horse-men 19. And the angel of God which went before the camp of Israel removed and went behind them and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood behind them 20. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel and it was a cloud and darkness to them but it gave light by night to these so that the one came not near the other all the night 21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east-wind all that night and made the sea dry-land and the waters were divided 22. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry-ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left 23. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea even all Pharaoh's horses his chariots and his horse-men 24. And it came to pass that in the morning-watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud and troubled the host of the Egyptians 25. And took off their chariot-wheels that they drave them heavily so that the Egyptians said Let us flee from the face of Israel for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians 26. And the LORD
Aaron took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances 21. And Miriam answered them 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 and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water 23. And when they came to Marah they could not drink of the waters of Marah for they were bitter therefore the name of it was called Marah 24. And the people murmured against Moses saying What shall we drink 25. And he cried unto the LORD and the LORD shewed him a tree which when he had cast into the waters the waters were made sweet there he made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he proved them 26. And said If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God and wilt do that which is right in his sight and wilt give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians for I am the LORD that healeth thee 27. And they came to Elim where were twelve wells of water and threescore and ten palm-trees and they encamped there by the waters 1. MOses Wisd 10.20 Vnto the LORD i. e. To his praise Vid. Psal 106.12 Rev. 15.2 3. 2. My strength To whose assistance this deliverance is to be ascribed Song i. e. The argument of my Praise and Thanksgiving Vid. Isa 12.2 And I will prepare him aâ habitation Or I will glorifie him as the Greek and Vulgar render it 3. A man of War i. e. A great Warriour It is an Hebraism The Hebrew word which we translate Man is observed in Conjunction with another word to signifie some Excellency or Perfection Thus a man of Words signifies an eloquent Man Exod. 4.10 6. Thy right hand The Scripture speaks say the Jews in the language of the Children of Men. The right hand of a Man is the instrument by which he effects what he finds in his power Hence it is attributed to God when his Power is celebrated 8. With the blast of thy nostrils Or Wind of thine anger This may referr to that Wind ch 14.21 which made way for the destruction of the Egyptians Congealed i. e. Hardened as congealed Matter is so that the Hebrews went on dry-land 9. Destroy Or repossess 10. Blow with thy Wind See v. 8. and ch 14.21 27. 11. Gods Or mighty ones Fearfull in praises To be feared and reverenced when thy Name is celebrated or praised 12. The Earth swallowed them As they sunk into the Deep See Jon. 2.6 And possibly some of them were buried in the Sands brought on them by the violence of the returning Waters 13. Vnto thy holy habitation i. e. To the Land of Canaan the place of the Hebrews rest and the place in which God would reveal himself to them and where he would dwell with them Jer. 50.19 Psal 78.54 55. 14. The People Deut. 2.25 Josh 2.9 16. Fear Deut. 2.25 Josh 2.9 Still i. e. Stupified and so far over-powered with their fears that they shall not be able to defend themselves Pass over Viz. Into the promised Land Purchased Or Possessest 17. Which thou hast made for thee to dwell in This verse contains a description of Canaan as it was the place where God would dwell and that in a Sanctuary which being certainly to be built when God should command is spoken of as already done 20. The prophetess One to whom God revealed himself Vid. Num. 12.2 Gen. 20.7 and Mic. 6.4 21. Answered them i. e. She answered the Men who probably did sing the Song first And when they had sung then Miriam did repeat it 23. To Marah So called by anticipation as appears from the following words Marah That is Bitterness 25. A tree Ecclus 38.5 There he made for them a Statute c. The Jews commonly understand these words with reference to some particular Laws given in this place viz. Concerning the Sabbath honouring of Parents c. But we have no sufficient reason to credit this When 't is said He appointed them as the Hebrew word imports a Statute c. those words seem to refer to that monition which follows v. 26. which is so comprehensive as if obeyed would dispose them to obey all God's Laws 26. Healeth Ps 103.3 27. Elius Num. 33.9 CHAP. XVI The ARGUMENT The Israelites come to Sin They murmur for want of Bread They are promised Bread from Heaven Quails are sent and Manna Rules to be observed concerning the Manna It was not to be found on the Sabbath day A Pot of Manna is reserved as a Memorial The Israelites are to eat of this Bread forty Years 1. AND they took their journey from Elim and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin which is between Elim and Sinai on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt 2. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness 3. And the children of Israel said unto them Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh-pots and when we did eat bread to the full for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger 4. Then said the LORD unto Moses Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law or no. 5. And it shall come to pass that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily 6. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel At even then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt 7. And in the morning then ye shall see the glory of the LORD for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD And what are we that ye murmur against us 8. And Moses said This shall be when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat and in the morning bread to the full for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him And what are we your murmurings are not against us but against the LORD 9. And Moses spake unto Aaron Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel Come near before the LORD for he hath heard your murmurings 10. And it came to pass as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel that they looked toward the wilderness and behold the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud 11. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 12. I have heard the murmurings
Tears from our Eyes The Greek render it by the first-fruits of the Wine-press The first-born Ch. 13.2 12. and 34.19 30. Thou shalt give it The meaning is that thenceforward it shall be accepted and therefore the Chaldee renders Thou shalt separate It was to continue seven days with the Dam on the eighth day and afterward it was esteemed fit for the Priest as well as for the Altar Levit 22.27 31. Neither c. Levit. 22.8 Ezek. 44.31 CHAP. XXIII The ARGUMENT Of Slander wresting Judgment and respect of persons Of Charity Bribery and Oppression Of the Sabbath and Sabbatical Year Of Idolatry Of the several Festivals An Angel is promised Their Obedience is required and encouraged by several Promises 1. THOV shalt not raise a false report put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment 3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause 4. If thou meet thine enemies ox or his ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again 5. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldest forbear to help him thou shalt surely help with him 6. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause 7. Keep thee far from a false matter and the innocent and righteous slay thou not for I will not justifie the wicked 8. And thou shalt take no gift for a gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous 9. Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt 10. And six years thou shalt sow thy land and shalt gather in the fruits thereof 11. But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still that the poor of thy people may eat and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vine-yard and with thy olive-yard 12. Six days thou shalt do thy work and on the seventh day thou shalt rest that thine ox and thine ass may rest and the son of thy hand-maid and the stranger may be refreshed 13. And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect and make no mention of the names of other gods neither let it be heard out of thy mouth 14. Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year 15. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days as I commanded thee in the time appointed of the month Abib for in it thou camest out from Egypt and none shall appear before me empty 16. And the feast of harvest the first-fruits of thy labours which thou hast sown in the field and the feast of in gathering which is in the end of the year when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the field 17. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God 18. Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain untill the morning 19. The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God Thou shalt not seeth a kid in his mother's milk 20. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared 21. Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he wââ not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him 22. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries 23. For mine Angel shall go before thee and bring thee in unto the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites and I will cut them off 24. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods nor serve them nor do after their works but thou shalt utterly overthrow them and quite break down their images 25. And ye shall serve the LORD your God and he shall bless thy bread and thy water and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee 26. There shall nothing cast their young nor be barren in thy land the number of thy days I will fulfill 27. I will send my fear before thee and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee 28. And I will send hornets before thee which shall drive out the Hivite the Canaanite and the Hittite from before thee 29. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field multiply against thee 30. By little and little I will drive them out from before thee untill thou be increased and inherit the land 31. And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines and from the desart unto the river for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand and thou shalt drive them out before thee 32. Thou shalt make no covenant with them nor with their gods 33. They shall not dwell in thy land lest they make thee sin against me for if thou serve their gods it will surely be a snare unto thee 1. RAise Or Receive Put not thine hand c. i. e. Consent not to See Prov. 11.21 These words and the following are directed to Judges See Phil. Judae ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2. Speak Heb. Answer 3. A poor man Vid. Levit. 19.15 4. Or his ass Or any other breast that belongs to him Deut. 22.1 2 3. 5. If thou see c. Deut. 22.4 And wouldest forbear to help him Or Wilt thou cease to help him Or And wouldest cease to leave thy business for him Thou shalt surely leave it to join with him 6. Of thy poor i. e. Of thy poor Neighbour Deut. 27.19 7. From a false matter Or from a false word or lye 8. Thou shalt c. Deut. 16.19 Ecclus 20.29 Wise Heb. Seeing 9. Not oppress This Precept seems to be given to Judges and Magistrates that ch 22.21 to private Men. Heart Heb. Soul 10. Six years Levit 25.3 11. Let it rest c. i. e. Thou shalt not sow the Land nor gather the fruits See v. 10. and Lev. 25.4 May eat What Fruits the Vines and Trees produce as well as what the the Earth should bring forth from some scattered and remaining Seeds Vine-yard Which thou shalt not prune Lev. 25.4 Olive-yard Or Olive-trees 12. Six days Ch. 20.8 Deut. 5.13 Luk. 13.14 13. Of the names i. e. With any honour or regard to them See Deut. 12.3 Josh 23.7 Ps 16.4 Hos 2.17 Nah. 1.14 It not being absolutely unlawfull to mention the
out of Egypt Deut. 5.15 And it was a standing sign of that People's relation to God as their Maker and Deliverer Ezek. 20.20 That doth sanctifie you Or That doth set you apart to my Service and as a sign and token thereof the Sabbath was ordained for the service of God and rest from Worldly Occasions 14. Ye shall keep c. Ch. 20.8 Deut. 5.12 Ezek. 20.12 Be put to death The case was thus says Maimon among the Jews He that proudly and wittingly did work on the Sabbath was liable to be cut off i. e. To perish by the hand of God If he did it ignorantly he was obliged to bring his Sin-offering but if he were convicted by Witnesses he was to be stoned Num. 15.27.30 and 35. 15. Holy Heb. Holiness 17. In six days Gen. 1.13 and 2.2 18. Two tables Deut. 9.10 With the finger of God This is spoken after the manner of Men and is to be understood accordingly These Tables and the Writing on them were noâ the work of a Man but were the work of God Vid. ch 31.16 Vid. More Nevochim p. 1. c. 66. CHAP. XXXII The ARGUMENT In the absence of Moses the Israelites prevail with Aaron to make a Calf They commit Idolatry God's great displeasure thereupon Moses intercedes with God on their behalf The Tables of Stone are broken Moses destroys the Calf and expostulates with Aaron The Sons of Levi slay many of the Israelites by the direction of Moses Moses minds the People of the greatness of their Sin He pleads with God on their behalf 1. AND when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron and said unto him Vp make us gods which shall go before us for as for this Moses the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt we wot not what is become of him 2. And Aaron said unto them Break off the golden ear-rings whââh are in the ears of your wives of your sons and of your daughters and bring them unto me 3. And all the people brake off the golden ear-rings which were in their ears and brought them unto Aaron 4. And he received them at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool after he had made it a molten calf and they said These be thy gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt 5. And when Aaron saw it he built an altar before it and Aaron made proclamation and said To morrow is a feast to the LORD 6. And they rose up early on the morrow and offered burnt-offerings and brought peace-offerings and the people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play 7. And the LORD said unto Moses Go get thee down for thy people which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves 8. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them they have made them a molten calf and have worshipped it and have sacrificed thereunto and said These be thy gods O Israel which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt 9. And the LORD said unto Moses I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people 10. Now therefore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great nation 11. And Moses besought the LORD his God and said LORD why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand 12. Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say For mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people 13. Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swarest by thine own self and saidest unto them I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed and they shall inherit it for ever 14. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people 15. And Moses turned and went down from the mount and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand the tables were written on both their sides on the one side and on the other were they written 16. And the tables were the work of God and the writing was the writing of God graven upon the tables 17. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted he said unto Moses There is a noise of war in the camp 18. And he said It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome but the noise of them that sing do I hear 19. And it came to pass assoon as he came nigh unto the camp that he saw the calf and the dancing and Moses's anger waxed hot and he cast the tables out of his hands and brake them beneath the mount 20. And he took the calf which they had made and burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder and strawed it upon the water and made the children of Israel drink of it 21. And Moses said unto Aaron What did this people unto thee that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them 22. And Aaron said Let not the anger of my lord wax hot thou knowest the people that they are set on mischief 23. For they said unto me Make us gods which shall go before us For as for this Moses the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt we wot not what is become of him 24. And I said unto them Whosoever hath any gold let them break it off So they gave it me then I cast it into the fire and there came out this calf 25. And when Moses saw that the people were naked for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame amongst their enemies 26. Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said Who is on the LORD's side let him come unto me And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him 27. And he said unto them Thus saith the LORD God of Israel Put every man his sword by his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour 28. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men 29. For Moses had said Consecrate your selves to day to the LORD even every man upon his son and upon his brother that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day 30. And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses said unto the people Ye have sinned a great sin and now I will
go up unto the LORD peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin 31. And Moses returned unto the LORD and said Oh this people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold 32. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin and if not blot me I pray thee out of thy book which thou hast written 33. And the LORD said unto Moses whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my book 34. Therefore now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee Behold mine angel shall go before thee Nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them 35. And the LORD plagued the people because they made the calf which Aaron made 1. THE People Not all the People but a considerable part of them See v. 26. and 1 Cor. 10.7 Vnto Aaron Or against Aaron 'T is very probable that they came in a very tumultuous and violent manner v. 22. Vp make us Gods c. Act. 7.40 They desire an Image or visible Symbol of the Divinity which might at their pleasure go before them Moses having been absent some considerable time and the Pillar which was wont to go before them having during that time stood still 2. Golden Ear-rings Possibly those very Jewels which the Egyptians had furnished them with at their departure out of Egypt ch 12.35 These Ear-rings were materials of Idolatry both now and before and after this time Gen. 35.4 Judg. 8.24 4. And c. 1 King 12.28 Psal 106.19 Thy Gods Or thy God Nehem. 9.18 They Worshipped God by this Image v. 5. which yet does not excuse them from Idolatry Act. 7.41 1 Cor. 10.7 Exod. 20.4 5. 5. To the LORD To Jehovah but yet the Calf by which Jehovah is Worshipped is called an Idol Act. 7.41 6. People 1 Cor. 10.7 Play This mirth was an attendant upon their Idolatrous Worship and is expressed by a word in the Hebrew that is sometimes applied to Whoredom Idolatry being esteemed a spiritual Whoredom or Fornication Gen. 39.17 7. Go Deut. 9.12 Thy people They have no right to be called God's people 8. They have Deut. 9.8 9. I have seen c. Ch. 33.3 Deut. 9.13 10. Let me alone c. i. e. Do not pray or intercede for them as the Chaldee hath it 11. And Moses c. Psal 106.23 The LORD Heb. The face of the LORD 12. Wherefore Numb 14.13 13. I will multiply Gen. 12.7 and 15.7 and 48.16 14. Repented c. He was appeased and turned from the Evil as the Vulgar and Chaldee have it 15. On both their sides i. e. On the two fore-sides 16. Tables Ch. 31.18 17. Shouted In the mirth mentioned v. 6. 18. Being overcome Heb. Weakness Sing Play says the Chaldee Moses being before instructed v. 7. discerned it not to be the voice of conquering or conquered People but of those who rejoiced or sang as Men were wont to do in Festivals and the Dancing attending upon them Vid. Psal 68.25 Judg. 21.19 21. 19. Brake them c. The People having first broken their Covenant with God 20. And he took c. Deut. 9.21 Burnt it He melted it probably and by that means he first destroyed the form or figure of the Calf Ground it to powder And did by this destroy the whole Compages of it and expose the Vanity of the Idol Drink c. And by this means Moses utterly destroyed all the reliques of this Idolatry Deut. 7.25 There is an Opinion among the Jews that this drink was like the Water of Jealousie Numb 5. serving for the discovery of the Idolaters whom the Levites destroyed 24. And there came out this Calf A very weak excuse of his Sin much like that which we read Gen. 3.12 and 1 Sam. 15.15 25. Naked i. e. By reason of their Sin stripped and robbed of the favour and protection of God which was their glory and their strength vid. Numb 14.9 And now they were exposed to the scorn and violence of their Enemies Their enemies Heb. Those that rose up against them 26. On the LORD's side i. e. That have not fallen into Idolatry 29. For Moses c. Or And Moses said Consecrate your selves to day to the LORD because every man hath been against his son and against his brother c. 32. Out of thy book which thou hast written This is spoken of God after the manner of Men and speaks the great Charity of Moses who chooses rather to suffer though death it self see Num. 11.15 than to behold the destruction of his People 33. Whosoever c. He that sins shall die 34. Angel See ch 23.20 35. Plagued By the Levites and in the plagues afterwards CHAP. XXXIII The ARGUMENT God refuseth to go with the People at which Message they mourn The Tabernacle or Tent of Moses is removed out of the Camp The cloudy Pillar stands at the door of it God speaks unto Moses Face to Face Moses desires God to shew him his Way and his Glory God's words to Moses upon this occasion 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Depart and go up hence thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt unto the land which I sware unto Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob saying Vnto thy seed will I give it 2. And I will send an Angel before thee and I will drive out the Canaanite the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite the Hivite and the Jebusite 3. Vnto a land flowing with milk and honey for I will not go up in the midst of thee for thou art a stiff-necked people lest I consume thee in the way 4. And when the people heard these evil tidings they mourned and no man did put on him his ornaments 5. For the LORD had said unto Moses Say unto the children of Israel Ye are a stiff-necked people I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment and consume thee therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee that I may know what to do unto thee 6. And the children of Israel stript themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. 7. And Moses took the Tabernacle and pitched it without the camp afar off from the camp and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation And it came to pass that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the Tabernacle of the congregation which was without the camp 8. And it came to pass when Moses went out unto the tabernacle that all the people rose up and stood every man at his tent-door and looked after Moses untill he was gone into the tabernacle 9. And it came to pass as Moses entred into the tabernacle the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle and the LORD talked with Moses 10. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle-door and all the people rose up and worshipped every man in his tent-door 11. And the LORD spake unto
life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul 12. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel No soul of you shall eat blood neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood 13. And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among you which bunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten he shall even pour out the blood thereof and couer it with dust 14. For it is the life of all flesh the blood of it is for the life thereof therefore I said unto the children of Israel Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof whosoever eateth it shall be cut off 15. And every soul that eateth that which died of it self or that which was torn with beasts whether it be one of your own country or a stranger he shall both wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean untill the even then shall he be clean 16. But if he wash them not nor bathe his flesh then he shall bear his iniquity 2. Vnto Aaron and unto his sons and unto all the children of Israel This following Precept concerned the Priests and all the People as appears from v. 5 6. and is accordingly given unto all of them 4. And bringeth it not c. While the Israelites were in the Wilderness they were to eat no Meat at their own private Tables whether it were the Flesh of Bullock Lamb or Goat v. 3. but that whereof they had first sacrificed to God at the Tabernacle And this was commanded the more effectually to take them off from Sacrificing to Devils v. 7. This Command was dispensed with when they were setled in their own Land and their Dwellings were remote from the Tabernacle Deut. 12.21 An offering i. e. A Peace-offering of which the People as well as the Priest had a share as appears from v. 5. Blood shall be imputed unto that man i. e. His Transgression shall be hatefull to God as Murder Isa 66.3 5. In the open field i. e. Without the Camp v. 3. where they would be most prone to transgress this Law being most remote from the Observation of others 6. Sweet savour Exod. 29.18 chap. 4.31 7. No more Here is an intimation of their guilt formerly in this kind see Act. 7.42 43. of which we have a more express account in the words which follow And this is the reason of the Law above-mentioned by the practice whereof they were obliged to renounce their Sacrificing to Devils 1 Cor. 10.18 20 21. Vnto Devils i. e. Unto Idols See 1 Cor. 10.19 with v. 20. It is very likely that the Idols which they Worshipped might be in the figure of Goats that are hairy the Hebrew word importing some such rough or hairy Creatures The word is rendred Satyr Isa 34.14 compare Deut. 32.17 2 Chron. 11.15 Whoring Idolatry is frequently called Whoredom or Fornication See the Notes on Exod. 20.5 This This is to be understood of the Idolatry just before forbidden and may also be extended to the Law concerning the Priests mentioned before v. 6. 8. Strangers i. e. Proselytes as the Greek have it Sacrifice i. e. Of any other sort or kind 10. Eateth any manner of blood See the Notes on Gen. 9.4 and Levit. 3.17 11. The life The blood and the life are inseparable and are therefore put one for another and upon that account the blood was offered upon the Altar The beginning of this Verse may well be translated thus Because the life of the flesh is in the blood therefore I have given it to you c. 12. Therefore viz. Because it is appointed to make atonement And is consequently a type of the blood of the Messias Rom. 3.25 Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 20. Heb. 9.12 22. This ãâã therefore the principal Cause why the eating of blood is here forbidden 13. Which hunteth Heb. That hunteth any hunting 14. For it is c. Gen. 9.4 See also the Notes there 15. That eateth See Deut. 14.21 That which died of it self Heb. A carcase 16. Iniquity Or Punishment due to him for his offence CHAP. XVIII The ARGUMENT The Israelites are warned to shun the Practices of Egypt and Canaan Of unlawfull Marriages Adultery is forbid and several other impure Mixtures and Practices 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them I am the LORD your God 3. After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt shall ye not do and after the doings of the land of Canaan whither I bring you shall ye not do neither shall ye walk in their ordinances 4. Ye shall do my judgments and keep mine ordinances to walk therein I am the LORD your God 5. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments which if a man do he shall live in them I am the LORD 6. None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him to uncover their nakedness I am the LORD 7. The nakedness of thy father or the nakedness of thy mother shalt thou not uncover she is thy mother thou shalt not uncover her nakedness 8. The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover it is thy father's nakedness 9. The nakedness of thy sister the daughter of thy father or daughter of thy mother whether she be born at home or born abroad even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover 10. The nakedness of thy son's daughter or of thy daughter's daughter even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover for theirs is thine own nakedness 11. The nakedness of thy father's wives daughter begotten of thy father she is thy sister thou shalt not uncover her nakedness 12. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister she is thy father's near kinswoman 13. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister for she is thy mother's near kinswoman 14. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother thou shalt not approach to his wife she is thine aunt 15. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter-in-law she is thy son's wife thou shalt not uncover her nakedness 16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife it is thy brother's nakedness 17. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter neither shalt thou take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter to uncover her nakedness for they are her near kinswomen it is wickedness 18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister to vex her to uncover her nakedness besides the other in her life time 19. Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness 20. Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy
neighbour's wife to defile thy self with her 21. And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God I am the LORD 22. Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind it is abomination 23. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thy self therewith neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto it is confusion 24. Defile not you your selves in any of these things for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you 25. And the land is defiled therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it and the land it self vomiteth out her inhabitants 26. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments and shall not commit any of these abominations neither any of your own nation nor any stranger that sojourneth among you 27. For all these abominations have the men of the land done which were before you and the land is defiled 28. That the land spue not you out also when ye defile it as it spued out the nations that were before you 29. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations even the Souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people 30. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs which were committed before you and that ye defile not your selves therein I am the LORD your God 3. Egypt Which was an Idolatrous Nation Ezek. 20.7 8. ch 23.8 and where they had defiled themselves And they being warned against Idolatry before ch 17.7 are seasonably here cautioned to shun the doings of Egypt Of Canaan That Land was guilty of that uncleanness which is forbidden in the following words and therefore the Israelites are here very seasonably warned against the Practices of that People v. 24 25 27 28. and ch 20.23 And the Wilderness is chosen as a very fit place to give these Laws in the Israelites being removed from the Snares and Temptations of Egypt and not as yet mingled with the People of Canaan 5. Which if a man do he shall live in them Ezek. 20.11 Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 Life in the phrase of the Holy Scripture implies Ease and Prosperity or the Comforts and Blessings of Life Levit. 25.36 1 Sam. 25.6 1 King 1.25 These were promised to the Israelites upon Obedience to the Laws of Moses In or by these Laws while they adhered to them they enjoyed these good things The express promise of Eternal life belongs to the Gospel-Covenant Joh. 17.3 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Tim. 1.10 Heb. 8.6 For though Obedience to the Law the Moral part of it especially were the way to a future as well as present Happiness Matt. 19.17 18 19. Yet that Obedience through the Corruption of humane Nature being imperfect could not intitle them to the Reward of Eternal life 6. Near of kin to him Heb. Remainder of his flesh This general Expression is to be explained by the following Particulars To uncover their nakedness This is to be understood of carnal Copulation as is plain from what follows as well as from the use of the words themselves in other places v. 18. 1 Cor. 12.23 7. Of thy father or the nakedness of thy mother The Hebrew Particle which we translate Or may be translated Even as it sometimes signifies 1 Sam. 28.3 2 Sam. 2.15 Zech. 9.9 and then the latter words are but Exegetical of the former And then the Prohibition is but one though the fault be double For he that lieth with his Father's Wife doth uncover his Father's nakedness as well as his Mothers ch 20.11 and verse 8. of this Chapter It is expressly said v. 8. that the nakedness of the Father's Wife is the nakedness of the Father And chap. 20.11 that the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness Again ch 20.20 21. The Man that lies with his Uncle's or Brother's Wife is said to uncover his Uncle's and Brother's nakedness And he that defiles his Father's bed may be fitly said to uncover his Father's nakedness She is thy Mother i. e. Thine own Mother the Mother-in-law being forbid in the next Verse 8. The nakedness Chap. 20.11 Deut. 22.30 and 27.20 1 Cor. 5.1 9. Born at home or born abroad i. e. Begotten by thy Father of another Wife or Woman or born of thy Mother by another man ch 20.17 10. Thine own Thy Son and Daughter being thine own Flesh 11. Thy Sister i.e. By the same Father 12. Thou c. Ch. 20.19 Near kinswoman viz. Partaking of the same Flesh 14. Thou shalt not uncover c. Ch. 20.20 See the Notes on verse 7. 15. Thou c. Ch. 20.12 16. Thou c. Ch. 20.21 Thy brother's wife i. e. During his life but if he dye and dye Childless then the Brother that was next married her Deut. 25.5 17. Wickedness Incest saith the Vulgar 18. Wife to her Sister Or One wife to another This is the Marginal reading but we are not so to understand these words as if Polygamy were here forbid For that it was not is evident from the practice of the Israelites which passeth without reproof And therefore though the Marginal reading be such as the Original abstractly considered will bear yet the subject-matter requires that we take the word Sister in the common acceptation of it and then is an Israelite forbid to take to Wife his Wife's Sister whiles that Wife is living To vex her As a Rival to her which frequently occasions vexation 1 Sam. 1.6 19. Also c. Ch. 20.18 21. Thy seed That is Thy Children or Off-spring Deut. 18.10 Pass through the fire Chap. 20.2 2 King 23.10 Here is no mention of Fire in the Hebrew Text but that it is to be understood is plain from Deut. 18.10 2 King 23.10 Such a Custom obtained among the ancient Heathens they made it a part of their Religion to burn some of their Children as a Sacrifice to their false God 2 Chron. 28.3 Jer. 7.31.19.5 Ps 106.37 38. Molech Called Act. 7.43 Molach the name of an Idol which the Ammonites worshipped 1 King 11.7 and otherwise called Milchom 2 King 23.13 It hath been thought to be the same with the Planet Saturn or else the Sun which they worshipped and Molech may indifferently relate to the Star or the Image and Figure thereof Jer. 49.3 Amos 5.36 It was a very principal Idol among the Heathen and the Hebrew word implies Dominion and Kingly Superiority 23. Neither c. Ch. 20.15 25. Vomiteth out her inhabitants Being as it were overcharged and burthened with them Jer. 9.19 26. Stranger Or Sojourner and Proselyte 27. For all these abominations c. As Abominations implies such things as have a a Moral turpitude a filthiness and malignity antecedent to any positive Law these words cannot extend to all the particulars mentioned from v. 7. but these words must referr to the sins mentioned v. 20 21 22 23.
to which the words v. 24. seem particularly to referr But the word Abomination is sometimes applied to those things which were forbid by a positive Law and that were not antecedently evil as in Levit. 11.10 20 40 41. Deut. 17.1 And the practice of any of the things forbidden from v. 7. might be reckoned as Abominations especially to the Israelites and Proselytes of Justice who were obliged to keep these Laws see v. 26. in the sense of that word 28. Spued out See v. 25. CHAP. XIX The ARGUMENT Obedience to Parents is required and observation of God's Sabbaths Idolatry is forbidden The Law of the Peace-offering A remainder for the Poor out of the Harvest and Vintage Theft Fraud and Perjury Inhumanity Vnjustice and Tale-bearing are forbid so are Revenge and Hatred and divers mixtures Several other Laws viz. Concerning the use of Bondwomen planting Trees of Fruit eating Blood c. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel and say unto them Ye shall be holy for I the LORD your God am holy 3. Ye shall fear every man his mother and his father and keep my sabbaths I am the LORD your God 4 Turn ye not unto idols nor make to your selves molten gods I am the LORD your God 5. And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD ye shall offer it at your own will 6. It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it and on the morrow and if ought remain until the third day it shall be burnt in the fire 7. And if it be eaten at all on the third day it is abominable it shall not be accepted 8. Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD and that soul shall be cut off from among his people 9. And when ye reap the harvest of your land thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest 10. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger I am the LORD your God 11. Ye shall not steal neither deal falsly neither lie one to another 12. And ye shall not swear by my name falsly neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God I am the LORD 13. Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour neither rob him the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning 14. Thou shalt not curse the deaf nor put a stumbling-block before the blind but shalt fear thy God I am the LORD 15. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour 16. Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour I am the LORD 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him 18. Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self I am the LORD 19. Ye shall keep my statutes Thou shalt not let thy cattel gender with a diverse kind Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee 20. And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman that is a bond-maid betrothed to an husband and not at all redeemed nor freedom given her she shall be scourged they shall not be put to death because she was not free 21. And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation even a ram for a trespass-offering 22. And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him 23. And when ye shall come into the land and shall have planted all manner of trees for food then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you it shall not be eaten of 24. But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withall 25. And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof that it may yield unto you the increase thereof I am the LORD your God 26. Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood neither shall ye use inchantment nor observe times 27. Ye shall not round the corners of your heads neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard 28. Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead nor print any marks upon you I am the LORD 29. Do not prostitute thy daughter to cause her to be a whore lest the land fall to whoredom and the land become full of wickedness 30. Ye shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary I am the LORD 31. Regard not them that have familiar spirits neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them I am the LORD your God 32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and fear thy God I am the LORD 33. And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land ye shall not vex him 34. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born amongst you and thou shalt love him as thy self for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt I am the LORD your God 35. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment in mete-yard in weight or in measure 36. Just balances just weights a just ephah and a just hin shall ye have I am the LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt 37. Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes and all my judgments and do them I am the LORD 2. Ye shall be holy Ch. 11.44 and 20.7 1 Pet. 1.16 3. Fear Or Reverence And this must be an inward Awe and Reverence and is due to the Mother who generally does not over-awe her Children as well as to the Father who hath greater Power and a superior Authority and is generally less despised Sabbaths Not onely the Seventh day but all other appointed times of rest ch 16.31 4. Idols The Hebrew word is observed to signifie things of nought and which have no true Being or Value See 1 Cor. 8.4 and ch 10.19 5. At your own will Or That it may be accepted i. e. Ye shall offer it as is appointed that so God may accept it This sense is confirmed by v. 7. and the Greek and Vulgar See Levit. 1.3 and 23.11 6. The same day If the Sacrifice of Peace-offering be for Thanksgiving ch 7.15 On the morrow If
sold within a full year may he redeem it 30. And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations it shall not go out in the jubile 31. But the houses of the villages which have no walls round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country they may be redeemed and they shall go out in the jubile 32. Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites and the houses of the cities of their possession may the Levites redeem at any time 33. And if a man purchase of the Levites then the house that was sold and the city of his possession shall go out in the year of jubile for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel 34. But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold for it is their perpetual possession 35. And if thy brother be waxen poor and fallen in decay with thee then thou shalt relieve him yea though he be a stranger or a sojourner that he may live with thee 36. Take thou no usury of him or increase but fear thy God that thy brother may live with thee 37. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury nor lend him thy victuals for increase 38. I am the LORD your God which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God 39. And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor and be sold unto thee thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bond-servant 40. But as an hired servant and as a sojourner he shall be with thee and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile 41. And then shall he depart from thee both he and his children with him and shall return unto his own family and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return 42. For they are my servants which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt they shall not be sold as bond-men 43. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour but shalt fear thy God 44. Both thy bond-men and thy bond-maids which thou shalt have shall be of the heathen that are round about you of them shall ye buy bond-men and bond-maids 45. Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you of them shall ye buy and of their families that are with you which they begat in your land and they shall be your possession 46. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you to inherit them for a possession they shall be your bond-men for ever but over your brethren the children of Israel ye shall not rule one over another with rigour 47. And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee or to the stock of the stranger's family 48. After that he is sold he may be redeemed again one of his brethren may redeem him 49. Either his uncle or his uncle's son may redeem him or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him or if he be able he may redeem himself 50. And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubile and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him 51. If there be yet many years behind according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for 52. And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile then he shall count with him and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption 53. And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him and the other shall not rule with rigour over him is thy sight 54. And if he be not redeemed in these years then he shall go out in the year of jubile both he and his children with him 55. For unto me the children of Israel are servants they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt I am the LORD your God 2. Into the land c. This Precept of the Sabbatical year was annexed to the Land of Canaan and not used âsewhâââ Maimon H. Shemit c. 4. Keep Heb. Rest A sabbath Exod. 23.10 3. Gather in Which they might not do on the seventh year v. 5. 4. For the LORD Or To the LORD It was an acknowledgment that God was the Proprietor of the whole hand v. 23. 5. That which groweth of its own accord Whether it arise from the Seed which happened to fall upon the Land before the Seventh Year or from the remainder of Roots or Herbs which grow of their own accord Not reap Not reap with a design of gathering in as in other Years Of thy vine undressed Heb. Of thy separation These Fruits were such as grew of themselves without the Labour and Cultivation of the Owner of the Soil which was this Year separated from his care and pains 6. The sabbath of the land i. e. The growth of the Land this Seventh Year 9. Of the jubile Heb. Loud of sound In the day of atonement A fit time of shewing Mercy to others when they received Pardon from God This publick notice of the Liberty ensuing was a Type of the Liberty which Christ hath procured for us by the Gospel Luk. 4.18 19 21. It is to this purpose observed That the Thirtieth and last Jubile of the Jews happened on the Thirtieth Year of our Saviour and the beginning of his preaching the Gospel Isa 61.1 2. Luk. 4.19 John Baptist was our Lord's fore-runner and the voice crying in the Wilderness Mark 1.1 2 3. His preaching is fitly represented by the sound of the Trumpet here It is very probable that J. Baptist began his Ministry upon this tenth Day of this seventh Month which was the Day of Atonement and solemn Repentance a very fit time for him to begin to preach Repentance to the People Matt. 3.2 3. Ja. Armach Annal. p. 11. This account is the more likely to be true because the Jews themselves allow the Liberty and Freedom treated of in this Chapter to be a shadow of the Redemption of Messias Vid. R. Bechaâ on the Pentatcuch f. 161. col 1. and R. D. Kimchi on Ezek. 1.1 10. A jubile The Hebrew word which we render Jubile signifies Freedom says Josephus Antiq. l. 3. c. 10. It does indeed in this place denote no less The Hebrew imports a bring back or restoringing and fitly expresses that return to their Lands and Liberty which happened in this Year Jer. 31.9 11. Not sow In which this Year agrees with the Sabbatical Year 13. Vnto his possession
of hand if I have found favour in thy sight and let me not see my wretchedness 16. And the LORD said unto Moses Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people and officers over them and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation that they may stand there with thee 17. And I will come down and talk with thee there and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee and will put it upon them and they shall bear the burthen of the people with thee that thou bear it not thy self alone 18. And say thou unto the people Sanctifie your selves against to morrow and ye shall eat flesh for you have wept in the ears of the LORD saying Who shall give us flesh to eat for it was well with uâ in Egypt therefore the LORD will give you flesh and ye shall eat 19. Ye shall not eat one day nor two days nor five dâys neither ten days nor twenty days 20. But even a whole month untill it come out at your nostrils and it be lothsome unto you because that ye have despiseâ the LORD which is among you and have wept before him saying Why came we forth out of Egypt 21. And Moses said The people amongst whom I am âât six hundred thousand foot men and thou hast said I will giâe them flesh that they may eat a whole month 22. Shaââ the flocks and the âârdâ be slain for them to suffice them or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to suffice them 23. And the LORD said unto to Moses Is the LORD's hand waxed short thou shalt see now whether my words shall come to pass unto thee or not 24. And Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and set them round about the tabernacle 25. And the LORD came down in a cloud and spake unto him and took of the spirit that was upon him and gave it unto the seventy elders and it came to pass that when the spirit rested upon them they prophesied and did not cease 26. But there remained two of the men in the camp the name of the one was Eldad and the name of the other Medad and the spirit rested upon them and they were of them that were written but went not out unto the tabernacle and they prophesied in the camp 27. And there ran a young man and told Moses and said Eldad and Medad do prophesie in the camp 28. And Joshua the son of Nun the servant of Moses one of his young men answered and said My lord Moses forbid them 29. And Moses said unto him Enviest thou for my sake would God that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them 30. And Moses got him into the camp he and the elders of Israel 31. And there went forth a wind from the LORD and brought quails from the sea and let them fall by the camp as it were a days journey on this side and as it were a days journey on the other side round about the camp and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth 32. And the people stood up all that day and all that night and all the next day and they gathered the quails he that gathered least gathered ten homers and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp 33. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague 34. And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah because there they buried the people that lusted 35. And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth and abode at Hazeroth 1. COmplained Heb. Were as it were complainers They began to mutter and were discontent and uneasie upon their three days march ch 10.38 but did not openly mutiny and complain as they did afterwards It displeased the LORD Heb. It was evil in the ears of the LORD The LORD heard it It is not said that Moses heard it as it is v. 10. when they openly complained Fire of the LORD i. e. A Fire which the Lord sent among them Burnt Psal 78.21 2. Was quenched Heb. Sunk 3. Taberah That is Burning 4. Mixt multitude As Exod. 12.38 Fell a lusting Heb. Lusted a lust Wept again Heb. Returned and wept Who shall give 1 Cor. 10.6 This was a Sin distinct from that mentioned v. 1. and a greater and more severely punished compare v. 1. with v. 33. and much aggravated upon the following accounts I. Their Discontent v. 1. was improved into an open complaint v. 4 5 6. II. They declared their Distrust of God's Power and Providence of which they had had great experience v. 4. and v. 18. with Psal 78.22 III. They unthankfully despised God and his former Mercies v. 6 7 20. IV. They covetously desire Flesh when they had much Cattel of their own Exod. 12.32 38. with Numb 32.4 V. And this they did after God had plentifully provided for their natural necessities Exod. 16.2 5. Freely Without price or for a very mean price The over-flowing of Nile may well be supposed to afford great plenty and besides that some of the Egyptians at least by their Religion could not lawfully taste them Herodot Book II. nor yet the Onions c. which follow 6. Dried away Like the Earth that is parched and rendered barren for want of moisture 7. The Manna Exod. 16.14 31. The following words give us an account that the Manna ought not to have been contemned as here it is For 1. It was pleasant to the sight 2. Of a delightfull taste 3. Fit to be dressed and prepared several ways or with great variety 4. It was fresh every morning 5. And easily obtained Colour thereof as the colour of Heb. The eye of it as the eye of Bdellium Chrystal say the Greek See Exod. 16.31 8. Fresh oyl It had the taste at once of Oyl and Honey two of the choicest provisions of nature Exod. 16.31 12. As a nursing-father That is as one who though he want not Compassion yet cannot quiet a sucking Child as a nursing Mother by her Breast 15. Let me not see my wretchedness i. e. Let me not suffer To see death is to die Luk. 2.26 Psal 89.48 To see Salvation is to be saved Psal 91.16.50.23 And to see Labour and Sorrow is to suffer or to be miserable Jer. 20.18 16. Elders Men at least grave for Wisedom and of Place and Authority who are called Officers Such there were in Egypt Exod. 5.14 And were to be in the Land of Promise Deut. 16.18 And by the advice of Jethro Rulers had been chosen to judge in Civil and smaller Matters Exod. 18.22 26. and of least difficulty Stand there viz. That they may thereby be
And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land to fall by the sword that our wives and our children should be a prey were it not better for us to return into Egypt 4. And they said one to another Let us make a captain and let us return into Egypt 5. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel 6. And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh which were of them that searched the land rent their clothes 7. And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel saying The land which we passed through to search it is an exceeding good land 8. If the LORD delight in us then he will bring us into this land and give it us a land which floweth with milk and honey 9. Onely rebell not ye against the LORD neither fear ye the people of the land for they are bread for us their defence is departed from them and the LORD is with us fear them not 10. But all the congregation bade stone them with stones and the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel 11. And the LORD said unto Moses How long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signs which I have shewed among them 12. I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier then they 13. And Moses said unto the LORD Then the Egyptians shall bear it for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them 14. And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people that thou LORD art seen face to face and that thy cloud standeth over them and that thou goâst before them by day-time in a pillar of a cloud and in a pillar of fire by night 15. Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak saying 16. Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness 17. And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying 18. The LORD is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression and by no means clearing the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation 19. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now 20. And the LORD said I have pardoned according to thy word 21. But as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD 22. Because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice 23. Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it 24. But my servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the land whereinto he went and his seed shall possess it 25. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley To morrow turn you and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea 26. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 27. How long shall I bear with this evil congregation which murmur against me I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel which they murmur against me 28. Say unto them As truly as I live saith the LORD as ye have spoken in mine ears so will I do to you 29. Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness and all that were numbred of you according to your whole number from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me 30. Doubtless ye shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein save Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31. But your little ones which ye said should be a prey them will I bring in and they shall know the land which ye have despised 32. But as for you your carcases they shall fall in this wilderness 33. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years and bear your whoredoms until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness 34. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land even forty days each day for a year shall ye bear your iniquities even forty years and ye shall know my breach of promise 35. I the LORD have said I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation that are gathered together against me in this wilderness they shall be consumed and there they shall die 36. And the men which Moses sent to search the land who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing up a slander upon the land 37. Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land died by the plague before the LORD 38. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh which were of the men that went to search the land lived still 39. And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel and the people mourned greatly 40. And they rose up early in the morning and gat them up into the top of the mountain saying Lo we be here and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised for we have sinned 41. And Moses said Wherefore now do you transgress the commandment of the LORD but it shall not prosper 42. Go not up for the LORD is not among you that ye be not smitten before your enemies 43. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you and ye shall fall by the sword because ye are turned away from the LORD therefore the LORD will not be with you 44. But they presumed to go up unto the hill-top nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD and Moses departed not out of the camp 45. Then the Amalekites came down and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill and smote them and discomfited them even unto Hormah 2. Died in this wilderness This which they foolishly wish for happens to them v. 28 29. 4. Let us return into Egypt This was a great height of Wickedness for God had delivered them from Egypt by a miraculous manner and followed them ever since with miracles of Mercy This purpose of their Return speaks great Insolence Ingratitude and Contempt of God Nehemiah 9.16 17. Deut. 17.16 5. Fell on their faces Either to pray to God on their behalf or to prevail
one bullock or for one ram or for a lamb or a kid 12. According to the number that ye shall prepare so shall ye do to every one according to their number 13. All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner in offering an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 14. And if a stranger sojourn with you or whosoever be among you in your generations and will offer an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD as ye do so he shall do 15. One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you an ordinance for ever in your generations as ye are so shall the stranger be before the LORD 16. One law and one manner shall be for you and for the stranger that sojourneth with you 17. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 18. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When ye come into the land whither I bring you 19. Then it shall be that when ye eat of the bread of the land ye shall offer up an heave-offering unto the LORD 20. Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave-offering as ye do the heave-offering of the threshing-floor so shall ye heave it 21. Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave-offering in your generations 22. And if ye have erred and not observed all these commandments which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses 23. Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses from the day that the LORD commanded Moses and hence-forward among your generations 24. Then it shall be if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD with his meat-offering and his drink-offering according to the manner and one kid of the goats for a sin-offering 25. And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel and it shall be forgiven them for it is ignorance and they shall bring their offering a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD and their sin-offering before the LORD for their ignorance 26. And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger that sojourneth among them seeing all the people were in ignorance 27. And if any soul sin through ignorance then he shall bring a she-goat of the first year for a sin-offering 28. And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD to make an atonement for him and it shall be forgiven him 29. You shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance both for him that is born amongst the children of Israel and for the stranger that sojourneth among them 30. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the land or a stranger the same reproacheth the LORD and that soul shall be cut off from among his people 31. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD and hath broken his commandment that soul shall utterly be cut off his iniquity shall be upon him 32. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath-day 33. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron and unto all the congregation 34. And they put him in ward because it was not declared what should be done to him 35. And the LORD said unto Moses The man shall be surely put to death all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp 36. And all the congregation brought him without the camp and stoned him with stones and he died as the LORD commanded Moses 37. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 38. Speak unto the children of Israel and hid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue 39. And it shall be unto you for a fringe that ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which ye use to go a whoring 40. That ye may remember and do all my commandments and be holy unto your God 41. I am the LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God I am the LORD your God 2. Speak Levit. 23.10 When ye be come c. In these words they are given to understand that God would make good his Promise of giving the Land to their Children ch 14.31 notwithstanding their Diffidence and Murmurings for which they were sentenced to die in the Wilderness ch 14.29 3. An offering by fire This is a general expression of those Offerings which were in whole or part burnt upon the Altar A burnt-offering or a sacrifice These two are the kinds of Offerings by Fire to which the following Precept belongs This Precept which follows concerned the daily Burnt-offering as well as others Exod. 29.40 By Sacrifice here is meant a Peace-offering So the word Sacrifice does sometimes import v. g. Exod. 18.12 Levit. 17.5 8. ch 22.37 Deut. 12.27 And that it does so here is evident from the words which follow where we have mention of a Vow and Free-will-offering which are two of the distinct kinds contained under the general Head of Peace-offerings Levit. 7.16 ch 22.21 In performing Heb. In separating Levit. 22.21 Sweet Savour Exod. 29.18 4. Shall he Levit 2.1 A tenth-deal i. e. The tenth part of an Ephah as the Vulgar Latin and Greek have it here and is expressly said Numb 28.5 This tenth-deal of an Ephah is the same with an Omer See the Note on Exod. 16.36 An Hin This is a Measure of Liquids containing about the quantity of our Gallon 8. Or for a sacrifice See the Note on v. 3. Peace-offerings i. e. The one kind thereof called a Free-will-offering v. 3. 15. One ordinance Exod. 12.49 chap. 9.14 Before the LORD i. e. In matters relating to God's Service which are here spoken of 20. A cake of the first of your dough This Cake was not to be offered upon the Altar but to be given to the Priests to whom all Heave-offerings as well as the First-fruits were due ch 18.8 The giving it to them was giving it to the Lord v. 19 21. As ye do See Levit. 2.14 22. And not observed c. See Levit 4.13 That place speaks of doing that which ought not to be done This of not doing what ought to be done 24. Committed Or admitted For the word does not import this a Sin of Commission and from the Context it appears that a Sin of Omission is here spoken of Without the knowledge
for the proof of what is said v. 13. That Arnon was now the border and not the possession of Moab This being of moment because the Israelites were forbidden to invade the possession of Moab he confirms it from a certain Book or Narrative of the Wars of the Lord which was then well known and now lost Out of which he citing a fragment onely to his present purpose it is no wonder that the passage is obscure What he did in the Red-sea Or Vaheb in Suphah It is enough for the present purpose that the Author of that Narrative who gives an account of the Wars of the Lord and particularly what he did at the Red-sea or at Vaheb in the Country of Suphah gives also a Relation of what happened about Arnon of which we have some account v. 26. and such a Relation as confirms what he said v. 13. viz. That Arnon was now onely the Border of Moab 15. Ar A City of Moab called Ar of Moab v. 28. and Isa 15.1 Lieth Heb. Leaneth 16. To Beer Or to the Well which God promised to Moses and supplied the Israelites with at this time 17. Song viz. O Praise Spring up Heb. Ascend Sing Or Answer It was the ancient Custom of the Hebrews to sing their Hymns of Praise alternately and he that made the Response or answered sang as well as he that began the Hymn Then Miriam is said to answer Exod. 15.20 And the Singing Women to answer one another 1 Sam. 18.7 18. Digged i. e. They thrust their Staves against the ground but God gave them the Water v. 16. Law-giver i. e. Moses v. 16. 20. That is in Or that is nigh or near So the Hebrew Particle sometimes signifies 1 Sam. 29.1 2 Chron. 15.16 Judg. 6.11 1 King 15.13 And this sense very well suits with this place Country Heb. Field Pisgah Or the Hill Jeshimon Or the Wilderness 21. Sent messengers Though Sihon were devoted to destruction yet this Course rendred him the more inexcusable and the justice of his destruction more conspicuous 22. Let me pass Deut. 2.27 Judg. 11.19 23. And Sihon Deut. 29.7 24. Israel Josh 12.2 Psal 135.10 11. Amos 2.9 Jabbock A River on the Borders of Ammon For the border of the children of Ammon was strong These words are not brought in as the reason why the Israelites carried their Victory no farther for the Country of Ammon was no part of their promised Land nay they were forbid to invade it Deut. 2.19 but as the reason why Sihon had not gained upon the Country of the Children of Ammon as he had upon that of Moab 25. Villages Heb. Daughters 27. Wherefore they that speak in proverbs c. The meaning of the place seems to be this That the Success of Sihon against the Moabites was so notorious and his Strength and that of Heshbon which he took from them so renowned that Men were wont in that time commonly to triumph and boast of it and say Come into Heshbon c. A Proverb sometimes imports no more than a Common Saying or By-word 1 Sam. 24.13 accompanied with insulting and boasting Hab. 2.6 Deut. 28.37 And what we render they that speak in proverbs in the Hebrew is expressed by one word which signifies ruling or imperious Men. Come into Heshbon c. These are the insulting Words which were commonly used at that time setting forth the Strength of Heshbon now in the possession of a powerfull Prince and therefore justly formidable to the remainder of Moab which is insulted over as a destroyed People v. 29. 29. People of Chemosh Or People that serveth Chemosh as the Chaldee hath it Chemosh was the Idol or Abomination as it is called 1 King 11.7 of Moab 30. In the land of the Amorites i. e. In that Land which they at that time possessed some of which was awhile ago in the possession of the Moabites 32. Jaazer A City at this time in the possession of the Amorites about which was good Pasture for Cattel Numb 32.1 3 4. 33. And they turned c. Deut. 3.1 and 29.7 34. Thou shalt do c. Psal 135.10 11. CHAP. XXII The ARGUMENT The Israelites remove to the Plains of Moab Balak sends to Balaam to Curse the People of Israel he refuseth to come He sends to him again and he goeth Of Balaam's Ass An Angel meets him He is received by Balak 1. AND the children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho 2. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites 3. And Moab was sore afraid of the people because they were many and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel 4. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us as the ox licketh up the grass of the field And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time 5. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor which is by the river of the land of the children of his people to call him saying Behold there is a people come out from Egypt behold they cover the face of the earth and they abide over against me 6. Come now therefore I pray thee curse me this people for they are too mighty for me peradventure I shall prevail that we may smite them and that I may drive them out of the land for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed 7. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand and they came unto Balaam and spake unto him the words of Balak 8. And he said unto them Lodge here this night and I will bring you word again as the LORD shall speak unto me And the princes of Moab abode with Balaam 9. And God came unto Balaam and said What men are these with thee 10. And Balaam said unto God Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab hath sent unto me saying 11. Behold there is a people come out of Egypt which covereth the face of the earth Come now curse me them peradventure I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out 12. And God said unto Balaam Thou shalt not go with them thou shalt not curse the people for they are blessed 13. And Balaam rose up in the morning and said unto the princes of Balak Get you into your land for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you 14. And the princes of Moab rose up and they went unto Balak and said Balaam refuseth to come with us 15. And Balak sent yet again princes more and more honourable then they 16. And they came to Balaam and said to him Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor Let nothing I pray thee hinder thee from coming unto me 17. For I will promote thee unto very great honour and I will
hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good 20. Behold I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it 21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel the LORD his God is with him and the shout of a king is among them 22. God brought them out of Egypt he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn 23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel according to his time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath God wrought 24. Behold the people shall rise up as a great lion and lift up himself as a young lion he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain 25. And Balak said unto Balaam Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all 26. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak Told not I thee saying All that the LORD speaketh that I must do 27. And Balak said unto Balam Come I pray thee I will bring thee unto another place peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence 28. And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor that looketh toward Jeshimon 29. And Balaam said unto Balak Build me here seven altars and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams 30. And Balak did as Balaam had said and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar 1. BVild me here seven Altars Balaam appointed this for the Worship of the true God as appears from v. 4. But herein was blameable that he would have Altars erected in the high places of Baal where now he was ch 22.41 Such were they who feared the Lord and yet had their Sacrifices in the houses of the high places They are said to fear the Lord and serve their own Gods 2 King 17.32 33. Besides this though his number of Sacrifices were not reproveable see Job 42.8 1 Chron. 15.26 2 Chron. 29.21 yet the multiplying of Altars hath a bad name in the Scriptures Hos 8.11 3. Stand by c. Attending upon the Service and expecting success He went to an high place Or he went solitary The Marginal reading is confirmed by the Chaldee and is preferible to the other For Balaam was in an high place before ch 22.41 and Solitude now best complied with the End of his going which was to meet with a Divine Revelation 6. He stood by See verse 3. 7. Parable The word signifies not onely a Similitude or figurative Speech but a weighty Sentence and such as deserves great esteem and regard and so it doth in this place East A place noted for Southsayers Isa 2.6 9. I see him Or I have seen him Balaam had been taken by Balak into the high places that he might thence see and Curse the Israelites which Course proved ineffectual Shall dwell alone i. e. They shall not sojourn in a strange Country as they have done in Egypt but be possessed of a Land of their own And shall not be reckoned among the nations They shall be a peculiar and separate People from the rest of the Nations both in their Religion and Laws and also shall be under a more special Care and Providence of God Exod. 19.5 Levit. 20.24 26. Psal 148.19 20. 2 Sam. 7.23 Psal 76.1 2 3. Ezra 9.2 Esth 3.8 Deut. 11.12 10. The dust The seed say the Greek very agreeably to the sense of the word here God promised Abraham to make his Seed as the Dust of the Earth and not to be numbred like that Gen. 13.16 and this Promise was repeated to Jacob Gen. 28.14 Fourth part i. e. One Camp or Squadron which consisted but of three Tribes and was with that respect the fourth part For thus they were divided by God's Command Numb 2. And perhaps more than this did not fall within his view See chap. 22.41 Me Heb. My soul or My life Death of the righteous i. e. Such a death as those die who are in Covenant with God and obey his Precepts 13. Shalt not see them all Lest he should be dismayed at the sight of so great a number 14. Pisgah Or The hill See Deut. 3.27 and 34.1 16. Put a word Ch. 22.35 19. God is not a man that he should lye c. That is God will make good his Promises and particularly that of bringing this People into the promised Land he not being like a Man who for want of Veracity or Power performs not his Promise 21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel That is Whereas it might be hoped by the Enemies of the Israelites that through their default they had forfeited all right to God's Promises he adds He hath not beheld c. It is weakly inferred from these words that God sees no sin in his own People and it is in it self a great untruth That he hath not knowledge of their sins no Man can affirm nor ought any man to say that he approves or will not punish them For I. God hath declared otherwise He said unto Moses I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people Exod. 32.9 with Deut. 9.13 14. And by the Prophet he said unto the whole Family of Israel whom he brought out of Egypt You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Amos 3.2 II. This cannot be the sense of these words for then Balaam would in vain have given Counsel to draw the Israelites into sin that they might be destroyed of which see an account chap. 24.14 The true sense of these words is next to be inquired after and it is this That God would not give up the Israelites to destruction for their sins which were not like the sins of the neighbouring Countries which were now ready to be destroyed for them He hath not beheld may be rendred in the Present Tense He doth not behold and Neither hath he seen Neither doth he see The word which we render Iniquity is observed to signifie an Idol in other places See 1 Sam. 15.23 Isa 66.3 And the Ancients understood it of Idolatry as is evident from the Vulgar Latin and Onkelos and our Church understands this place in the same sense as may be seen in the Book of Homilies The LORD is God c. i. e. Instead of any Image or Idol which was not now among them God is with them as their King giving them Victory and matter of Triumph See 2 Chron. 13.12 with Numb 10.9 compared with Josh 6.16 1 Sam. 4.5 22. God c. Ch. 24.8 When Philo the Jew cites this passage where 't is said God brought them out of Egypt he does it to this sense That God did put an end to the many Calamities in Egypt and bring their great numbers thence as One Man De vit Mosis
as great a share as the Congregation which staid at home though they were but about the fiftieth part of them 28. One soul of five hundred Or One of five hundred This is but the tenth part of what was taken out of the other Moyety belonging to the Congregation This being taken for the Priests the other for the Levites Now as the Levites were far the greater number so the same proportion is observed here as in the Tithes where the Priests received but one tenth of what was paid to the Levites 30. One portion of fifty The Congregation not having hazarded their lives are enjoined to part with ten times as much as those who went to the Battel and in such a proportion as the number of them that went to Battel held to the whole Congregation which was about the fiftieth part For that is the proportion between the 12000 Men of War and the whole Congregation which made up the number of 600000 and upwards ch 26. Flocks Or Goats 32. The rest of the prey i. e. That remained after they had killed the Males and the adult Women v. 17. and possibly eaten some of the Cattel also 37. Six hundred c. Which is exactly the proportion of one in five hundred injoined v. 28. See the Note there 49. Charge Heb. Hand 50. Gotten Heb. Found To make an atonement For they had sinned as appears from v. 14. 52. Offering Heb. Heave-offering 53. For himself See the Note on v. 26. 54. A memorial A Memorial at once of God's Mercy in preserving their number intire and of their Gratitude and Piety in offering up their Tribute of Praise CHAP. XXXII The ARGUMENT The Reubenites and Gadites desire their Inheritance on that side of Jordan Moses is displeased with their Request They offer Conditions whereupon their Request is granted 1. NOW the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattel and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead that behold the place was a place for cattel 2. The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses and to Eleazar the priest and unto the princes of the congregation saying 3. Ataroth and Dibon and Jazer and Nimrab and Heshbon and Elealeh and Shebam and Nebo and Beon 4. Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel is a land for cattel and thy servants have cattel 5. Wherefore said they if we have found grace in thy sight let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession and bring us not over Jordan 6. And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben Shall your brethren go to war and shall ye sit here 7. And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them 8. Thus did your fathers when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land 9. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol and saw the land they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them 10. And the LORD's anger was kindled the same time and he sware saying 11. Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob because they have not wholly followed me 12. Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite and Joshua the son of Nun for they have wholly followed the LORD 13. And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years untill all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was consumed 14. And behold ye are risen up in your father's stead an increase of sinfull men to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel 15. For if ye turn away from after him he will yet again leave them in the wilderness and ye shall destroy all this people 16. And they came near unto him and said We will build sheepfolds here for our cattel and cities for our little ones 17. But we our selves will go ready armed before the children of Israel untill we have brought them unto their place and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land 18. We will not return unto our houses untill the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance 19. For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan or forward because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward 20. And Moses said unto them If ye will do this thing if ye will go armed before the LORD to war 21. And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD untill he hath driven out his enemies from before him 22. And the land be subdued before the LORD then afterward ye shall return and be guiltless before the LORD and before Israel and this land shall be your possession before the LORD 23. But if ye will not do so behold ye have sinned against the LORD and be sure your sin will find you out 24. Build ye cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth 25. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses saying Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth 26. Our little ones our wives our flocks and all our cattel shall be there in the cities of Gilead 27. But thy servants will pass over every man armed for war before the LORD to battel as my lord saith 28. So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel 29. And Moses said unto them If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan every man armed to battel before the LORD and the land shall be subdued before you then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession 30. But if they will not pass over with you armed they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan 31. And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered saying As the LORD hath said unto thy servants so will we do 32. We will pass over armed before the LORD unto the land of Canaan that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours 33. And Moses gave unto them even to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan the land with the cities thereof in the coasts even the cities of the country round about 34. And the children of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer 35. And
the LORD and died there in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt in the first day of the fifth month 39. And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor. 40. And king Arad the Canaanite which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan heard of the coming of the children of Israel 41. And they departed from mount Hor and pitched in Zalmonah 42. And they departed from Zalmonah and pitched in Punon 43. And they departed from Punon and pitched in Oboth 44. And they departed from Oboth and pitched in Ije-abarim in the border of Moab 45. And they departed from Iim and pitched in Dibon-gad 46. And they removed from Dibon-gad and encamped in Almon-diblathaim 47. And they removed from Almon-diblathaim and pitched in the mountains of Abarim before Nebo 48. And they departed from the mountains of Abarim and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho 49. And they pitched by Jordan from Beth-jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab 50. And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho saying 51. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan 52. Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their pictures and destroy all their molten images and quite pluck down all their high places 53. And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell therein for I have given you the land to possess it 54. And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families and to the mo ye shall give the more inheritance and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit 55. But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you then it shall come to pass that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell 56. Moreover it shall come to pass that I shall do unto you as I thought to do unto them 2. By the Commandment of the LORD These words may well referr both to their Journeyings which were directed by God Exod. 13.21.14.2 Numb 10.13 and to Moses his description of them in this place which tended to the rendring the History the more credible and to perpetuate the Memory of God's miraculous Works and special Providence 3. Departed from Rameses Exod. 12.37 Here follows an account of Two and forty Mansions reckoning Rameses the place from whence they set forth for one 4. Vpon their Gods See the Note upon Exod. 12.12 6. From Succoth Exod. 13.20 8. Passed through Exod. 15.22 9. Came unto Elim Exod. 15.27 10. By the Red-sea i. e. Upon the Shoar of it 11. Wilderness of Sin Exod. 16.1 14. Rephidim Exod 17.1 15. Wilderness of Sinai Exod. 19.1 Hither they came in the third month after they came out of Egypt and stayed here near a year viz. to the twentieth day of the second month of the following year Numb 10.11 12. 16. At Kibroth-hattaavah i. e. The graves of lust See ch 11.34 This was in the Wilderness of Paran ch 10.12 and three days Journey from their last Mansion v. 33. 17. Encamped Ch. 11.35 18. Rithmah This place was likewise in the Wilderness of Paran ch 12.16 near Kadesh-Barnea ch 13.26 30. Encamped at Moseroth Deut. 10.6 and the Note upon that place 31. Bene-jaakan Called Beeroth of the children of Jaakan Deut. 10.6 See the Note on ch 32.3 32. Hor-hagidgad Called Gudgodah Deut. 10.7 33. Jotbathah The same with Jotbath Deut. 10.7 35. Ezion-gaber This lay on the Shoar of the Red-sea 1 King 9.26 36. Wilderness of Zin Chap. 20.1 Which is Kadesh That is it was at Kadesh where they pitched There was a twofold Kadesh viz. Kadesh-barnea which was the fifteenth Mansion See verse 18. and in the South part of Canaan chap. 34.4 Josh 15.3 and in the Wilderness of Paran chap. 12.16 And Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin of which mention is made here This was upon the Borders of Edom chap. 20.14 towards Ezion-gaber and the Red-sea chap. 2.8 37. Kadesh Ch. 20.22 Mount Hor See ch 20.22 23. the same with Mosera Deut. 10.6 See the Note on that place 38. Aaron Chap. 20.25 Deut. 32.50 40. King Arad Chap. 21.1 c. 41. Hor Chap. 21.4 44. Ije-abarim Or Heaps of Abarim This is called Iim being absolutely taken verse 45. 49. Abel-shittim Or the Plains of Shittim See chap. 25.1 51. When ye are Deut. 7.2 Josh 11 12. 52. All their pictures All those Images and Representations upon what Material soever they were wrought which were worshipped or designed for such an use See Deut. 16.22 with Levit. 26.1 High places i. e. All Groves or Chappels for Worship which were generally in high places See Deut. 12.2 54. Ye shall divide Chap. 26.53 and the Note on verse 55. Give the more inheritance Heb. Multiply his inheritance Give the less inheritance Heb. Diminish his inheritance 55. Pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides Josh 23.13 Judg. 2.3 i. e. They shall torment and mischief you as Pricks and Thorns are wont to do CHAP. XXXIV The ARGUMENT Of the Borders of the Land of Canaan The Names of those Men who were to divide it 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Command the children of Israel and say unto them When ye come into the land of Canaan this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof 3. Then your south-quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom and your south-border shall be the out-most coast of the salt-sea east-ward 4. And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Abrabbim and pass on to Zin and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadesh-barnea and shall go on to Hazar-addar and pass on to Azmon 5. And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt and the goings out of it shall be at the sea 6. And as for the western-border you shall even have the great sea for a border this shall be your west-border 7. And this shall be your north-border from the great sea you shall point out for you mount Hor. 8. From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad 9. And the border shall go on to Ziphron and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar-enan this shall be your north-border 10. And ye shall point out your east-border from Hazar-enan to Shepham 11. And the coast shall go down from
Shepham to Riblah on the east-side of Ain and the border shall descend and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth east-ward 12. And the border shall go down to Jordan and the goings out of it shall be at the salt-sea This shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about 13. And Moses commanded the children of Israel saying This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes and to the half-tribe 14. For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers have received their inheritance and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance 15. The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward toward the sun-rising 16. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 17. These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. 18. And ye shall take one prince of every tribe to divide the land by inheritance 19. And the names of the men are these Of the tribe of Judah Caleb the son of Jephunneh 20. And of the tribe of the children of Simeon Shemuel the son of Ammihud 21. Of the tribe of Benjamin Elidad the son of Chislon 22. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan Bukki the son of Jogli 23. The prince of the children of Joseph for the tribe of the children of Manasseh Hanniel the son of Ephod 24. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim Kemuel the son of Shiphtan 25. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun Elizaphan the son of Parnach 26. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar Paltiel the son of Azzan 27. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher Ahihud the son of Shelomi 28. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali Pedahel the son of Ammihud 29. These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan 3. Your south-quarter Josh 15.1 In this Quarter fell the Lot of the Tribe of Judah And the Land which they were about to enter into was thus set out that they might know the bounds of their Conquest and not think themselves at liberty to invade the Possessions of their Neighbours Salt-sea This is also called the Dead-sea and is the Lake of Sodom See the Note on Gen. 14.3 4. Kadesh-barnea See the Note on ch 33.36 5. Vnto the river of Egypt See Gen. 15.18 with the Note 6. The great sea That is the Sea called the Mediterranean 7. Mount Hor Not the place where Aaron died but a Mount in the Northern Coast of the Land and perhaps Libanus which was remarkable for its Eminence The Vulgar renders it the highest Mountain 11. Side Heb. Shoulder Sea of Chinnereth This is called the Lake of Genesareth Luk. 5.1 and the Sea of Galilee or of Tyberias Joh. 6.1 A farther account of the Bounds of this Land which did lie within Jordan is to be had from the Book of Joshua 14. For the tribe Chap. 52.33 Josh 14.2 3. 17. Eleazar Josh 19.51 CHAP. XXXV The ARGUMENT Eight and forty Cities are appointed for the Levites Of the Suburbs of those Cities Of the Cities of Refuge Of Man-slaughter and of Murder 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho saying 2. Command the children of Israel that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them 3. And the cities shall they have to dwell in and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattel and for their goods and for all their beasts 4. And the suburbs of the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about 5. And ye shall measure from without the city on the east-side two thousand cubits and on the south-side two thousand cubits and on the west-side two thousand cubits and on the north-side two thousand cubits and the city shall be in the midst this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities 6. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge which ye shall appoint for the man-slayer that he may flee thither and to them ye shall add forty and two cities 7. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities them shall ye give with their suburbs 8. And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel from them that have many ye shall give many but from them that have few ye shall give few every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth 9. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 10. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan 11. Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you that the slayer may flee thither which killeth any person at unawares 12. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger that the man-slayer die not until be stand before the congregation in judgment 13. And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge 14. Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan which shall be cities of refuge 15. These six cities shall be a refuge both for the children of Israel and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither 16. And if he smite him with an instrument of iron so that he die he is a murderer the murderer shall surely be put to death 17. And if he smite him with throwing a stone wherewith he may die and he die he is a murderer the murderer shall surely be put to death 18. Or if he smite him with an hand-weapon of wood wherewith he may die and he die he is a murderer the murderer shall surely be put to death 19. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him he shall slay him 20. But if he thrust him of hatred or hurl at him by laying of ââit that he die 21. Or in enmity smite him with his hand that he die he that sâote him shall surely be put to death for he is a murderer the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him 22. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity or have cast upon him any thing without laying
is possible that Zuph may in this place signifie some other place so called and not the Red-sea for Sea is not in the Hebrew And yet there is no difficulty in supposing it to signifie the Red-sea here because the Text implies no more than this That the words here set down were spoken in the places named Hazeroth See Numb 11.35 Dizahab This seems to import a place that was named from Gold found there See the Vulgar and LXXII Interpreters 2. There are eleven days journey c. The design of these words seems to be this That though the Israelites were yet on this side Jordan v. 5. the reason of their long stay in the Wilderness is not to be imputed to the length of the way it being but eleven days Journey from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea a place not far from the promised Land 4. After he had slain Sihon Numb 21. 24. 5. To declare That is to explain it and make it known to this People who survived their Rebellious Forefathers 6. Ye have dwelt long enough c. It appears by comparing Exod. 19.1 with Numb 10. 11 12. that they continued in the Wilderness of Sinai for the space of almost a Year in which time they received their Law erected their Tabernacle numbred their People set up their Standards and encamped by them in the order prescribed and were therefore sufficiently provided to march onwards in great order 7. All the places nigh thereunto Heb. All his neighbours In the south c. These which follow are the several Coasts or sides of the Land the Sea-side being on the West Lebanon on the North and Euphrates on the East 8. Set Heb. Given Abraham Gen. 15.18 and 17.7 8. 9. At that time That is about the time of our removing from Sinai or Horeb. For though the coming of Jethro be mentioned Exod. 18. before the giving of the Law yet it does not thence follow that he gave Moses the advice mentioned Exod. 18. before this time And by comparing Numb 10.29 and the Note on that place with what is said here Jethro seems to have continued with Moses till the Israelites removed from Horeb and to have given his Counsel at that time 12. Your strife That is the Controversies which arise between Man and Man 13. Take Heb. Give 15. Made Heb. Gave 16. I charged And the parts of this Charge are I. Patience to hear Causes II. Justice in judging Righteously Joh. 7.24 III. Courage 17. Ye shall not respect persons Heb. Acknowledge faces Lev. 19.15 ch 16.19 1 Sam. 16.7 Prov. 14.23 IV. Prudence The cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me 18. I commanded you at that time viz. Before you removed from Horeb I delivered to you the Laws which I had received 19. As the LORD our God commanded See v. 7. 23. I took twelve men of you Numb 13.3 24. And they turned Numb 13.24 28. Discouraged Heb. Melted Anakims Numb 13.28 29. Dread not c. To deliver them from fear he adds very powerfull Arguments viz. I. A promise of Divine Assistance The Lord your God which goeth before you he shall fight for you v. 30. II. The experience of God's Mercies toward them in Egypt and in the Wilderness where God had born them as a tender Father carries an infirm Child Isa 49.22 with Exod. 19.4 30 31. 32. In this thing viz. In going on cheerfully relying upon God's Promise to possess the Land v. 26. 33. Who went c. See Exod. 13.21 and the Note upon that and the following Verse 35. Surely Num. 14.29 36. Wholly followed Heb. Fulfilled to go after 37. Also the LORD was angry with me Numb 20.12 and 27.14 ch 3.26 and 4.21 and 34.4 as also the Note upon Numb 20.12 For your sakes That is upon occasion of your provocation Psal 106.32 33. 41. We have sinned Vid. Numb 14.40 42. I am not among you viz. to help and assist you 43. Went presumptuously up Heb. You were presumptuous and went up 44. As Bees do Which in great number and fury sting those who disturb them Ps 118.12 46. So ye abode in Kadesh c. That is ye continued a considerable time in Kadesh not onely during the time the Spies went to view the Land but after their return also CHAP. II. The ARGUMENT Moses proceeds in his Relation and rehearseth that they were forbid to meddle with the Edomites or with the Moabites or with the Ammonites Sihon the Amorite was given up to them 1. THen we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red-sea as the LORD spake unto me and we compassed mount Seir many days 2. And the LORD spake unto me saying 3. Ye have compassed this mountain long enough turn you north-ward 4. And command thou the people saying Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau which dwell in Seir and they shall be afraid of you take ye good heed unto your selves therefore 5. Meddle not with them for I will not give you of their land no not so much as a foot-breadth because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession 6. Ye shall buy meat of them for money that ye may eat and ye shall also buy water of them for money that ye may drink 7. For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee thou hast lacked nothing 8. And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau which dwelt in Seir through the way of the plain from Elath and from Ezion-gaber we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab 9. And the LORD said unto me Distress not the Moabites neither contend with them in battel for I will not give thee of their land for a possession because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession 10. The Emims dwelt therein in times past a people great and many and tall as the Anakims 11. Which also were accounted giants as the Anakims but the Moabites call them Emims 12. The Horims also dwelt in Seir before time but the children of Esau succeeded them when they had destroyed them from before them and dwelt in their steal as Israel did unto the land of his possession which the LORD gave unto them 13. Now rise up said I and get you over the brook Zered and we went over the brook Zered 14. And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea untill we were come over the brook Zered was thirty and eight years untill all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host as the LORD sware unto them 15. For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them to destroy them from among the host untill they were consumed 16. So it came to pass when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the
ye are this day 21. Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes and sware that I should not go over Jordan and that I should not go in unto that good land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance 22. But I must die in this land I must not go over Jordan but ye shall go over and possess that good land 23. Take heed unto your selves lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God which he made with you and make you a graven image or the likeness of any thing which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee 24. For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God 25. When thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt have remained long in the land and shall corrupt your selves and make a graven image or the likeness of any thing and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God to provoke him to anger 26. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it ye shall not prolong your days upon it but shall utterly be destroyed 27. And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen whither the LORD shall lead you 28. And there ye shall serve gods the work of mens hands wood and stone which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell 29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul 30. When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter days if thou turn to the LORD thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice 31. For the LORD thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them 32. For ask now of the days that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man upon the earth and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or hath been heard like it 33. Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire as thou hast heard and live 34. Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations by signs and by wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm and by great terrors according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes 35. Unto thee it was shewed that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God there is none else besides him 36. Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice that he might instruct thee and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire 37. And because he loved thy fathers therefore he chose their seed after them and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt 38. To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier then thou art to bring thee in to give thee their land for an inheritance as it is this day 39. Know therefore this day and consider it in thine heart that the LORD he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath there is none else 40. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes and his commandments which I command thee this day that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth which the LORD thy God giveth thee for ever 41. Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sun-rising 42. That the slayer might flee thither which should kill his neighbour unawares and hated him not in times past and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live 43. Namely Bezer in the wilderness in the plain-country of the Reubenites and Ramoth in Gilead of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan of the Manassites 44. And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel 45. These are the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments which Moses spake unto the children of Israel after they came forth out of Egypt 46. On this side Jordan in the valley over against Beth-peor in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites who dwelt at Heshbon whom Moses and the children of Israel smote after they were come forth out of Egypt 47. And they possessed his land and the land of Og king of Bashan two kings of the Amorites which were on this side Jordan toward the sun-rising 48. From Aroer which is by the bank of the river Arnon even unto mount Sion which is Hermon 49. And all the plain on this side Jordan east-ward even unto the sea of the plain under the springs of Pisgah 2. Ye shall not add c. chap. 12.32 Josh 1.7 Prov. 30.6 Revel 22.18 It is fit to require that they should neither add to nor take from the Divine Precepts at the beginning of this Exhortation to Obedience because God had given them his Law for their Rule of Life and had annexed his Promises to their Universal Obedience thereunto 3. Because of Baal-peor Numb 25.4 c. Or against Baal-peor and his Worshippers as the Vulgar and Chaldee have it Compare Numb 25.5 and the words which follow here 6. Your wisdom It is a fruit of great wisdom to fear God and obey his Laws The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his commandments Psal 111.10 Besides many of these Laws were such as the wiser Heathen could not but approve and did actually receive several of them into their own Laws 7. In all things that we call upon him for God shewed himself ready to hear the Prayers of his Servants upon all occasions Exod. 17.11 and to protect and defend them in all straits and dangers as appeared by the many Miracles which he had wrought 8. So righteous This speaks a Nation great For righteousness exalteth a nation Prov. 14.34 10. Thou stoodst The most aged among them were present at the giving of the Law 11. Mountain Exod. 19.18 Midst Heb. Heart which is well translated midst here not that it signifies the exact midst it is enough that it be in that in the midst of which it is said to be Of Heaven i. e. Of the Air or lower Heaven 12. Onely ye heard a voice Heb. Save a voice 14. Statutes and judgments i. e. The Judicial and Ceremonial Laws in contradistinction to the Moral mentioned v. 13. 15. Take ye therefore good heed c. They saw no Similitude when God gave his Law and are thereupon vehemently warned against Worshipping of God by any kind of Image
your God as ye tempted him in Massah 17. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God and his testimonies and his statutes which he hath commanded thee 18. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers 19. To cast out all thine enemies from before thee as the LORD hath spoken 20. And when thy son asketh thee in time to come saying What mean the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments which the LORD our God hath commanded you 21. Then thou shalt say unto thy son We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand 22. And the LORD shewed signs and wonders great and fore upon Egypt upon Pharaoh and upon all his houshold before our eyes 23. And he brought us out from thence that he might bring us in to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers 24. And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the LORD our God for our good always that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day 25. And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD ââr God as he hath commanded us 1. GO Heb. Pass over 2. Fear the LORD The fear of God being the principle of Obedience is frequently in the Scripture put for the whole of Religion or Godliness 4. One LORD He is but one in his Essence and onely to be worshipped 1 Cor. 8.5 6. These words are by way of Explication of the first Precept of the Decalogue chap. 5.7 5. Thou shalt love This love of God is another great Principle of Obedience and that which renders the Fear of him acceptable to him See chap. 10.12 Matth. 22.37 Mark 12.30 Luk 10.27 6. And these words See chap. 11.18 7. Teach them diligently Heb. Wheâ or Sharpen i. e. Inculcate them that they may take deep Root and make a lasting Impression 8. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand c. Their great care to remember these Precepts is commended to them by these Expressions For we do not forget what is fastened to our Hands and placed before our Eyes See the Notes upon Exod. 13.9 and v. 16. Compare Prov. 6.21 11. When c. ch 8.10 c. 12. Then beware c. Prosperity is generally very dangerous to Mankind Hence it is they are warned at such times of Plenty and Affluence of worldly things to beware ch 8.11 These things being a great snare and occasion of Pride and Haughtiness and many other Vices See Psal 73. and compare v. 5. with v. 6. and v. 7. with v. 8. 1 Tim. 6.9 17. Bondage Heb. Bondmen or Servants 13. Fear Chap. 10.12 20. and 13.14 By his name viz. Onely by his Name This Interpretation cannot be rejected with any reason Swearing could never be lawfull but when it was necessary and all that the Israelites were obliged to from these words was this that when they did swear they should do it by the Name of God onely and not by any Creature Matt. 5.34 Those words in this Verse serve Him are expressed by Christ by Him onely shalt thou serve Matth. 4.10 And the Greek here render those words to the same sense Hence it appears that the Doctrine which Christ taught does not contradict a Moral Precept of Moses 16. Ye shall not tempt c. Mat. 4.7 The meaning is ye shall not provoke him to anger by putting his Justice and Veracity to the proof and trial which Men do then when they break his Laws or call his Truth and good Providence in question As ye tempted Exod. 17.2 20. In time to come Heb. To morrow Testimonies This word seems to import those Laws especially which were the Memorials or Witnesses of something past v. g. The Passeover was a Memorial of their deliverance from Egypt as the Sabbath was both of that and of the World's Creation 22. Sore Heb. Evil 25. Our righteousness Both the Vulgar Latin and Greek understand this word Righteousness to import Mercy as it is observed to do in some other places And then the meaning of the words is this That God will be mercifull to us for the future if we obey his Laws And this agrees with verse 24. where this Obedience is said to be for our good always c. CHAP. VII The ARGUMENT The seven Nations are to be destroyed and likewise their Monuments of Idolatry No Covenants or Affinities with them allowed God's great love to the Israelites Great Motives to Obedience 1. WHen the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it and hath cast out many nations before thee the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites seven nations greater and mightier then thou 2. And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them thou shalt make no covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them 3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son 4. For they will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you and destroy thee suddenly 5. But thus shall ye deal with them ye shall destroy their altars and break down their images and cut down their groves and burn their graven images with fire 6. For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth 7. The LORD did not set his lâve upon you nor choose you because ye were more in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people 8. But because the LORD loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt 9. Know therefore that the LORD thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations 10. And repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them he will not be slack to him that hateth him he will repay him to his face 11. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I command thee this day to do them 12. Wherefore it shall come to pass if ye hearken to these judgments and keep and do them that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the
the covenant which the LORD made with you then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights I neither did eat bread nor drink water 10. And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God and on them was written according to all the words which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of fire in the day of the assembly 11. And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone even the tables of the covenant 12. And the LORD said unto me Arise get thee down quickly from hence for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them they have made them a molten image 13. Furthermore the LORD spake unto me sayingâ I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people 14. Let me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater then they 15. So I turned and came down from the mount and the mount burned with fire and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands 16. And I looked and behold ye had sinned against the LORD your God and had made you a molten calf ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the LORD had commanded you 17. And I took the two tables and cast them out of my two hands and brake them before your eyes 18. And I fell down before the LORD as at the first forty days and forty nights I did neither eat bread nor drink water because of all your sins which ye sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD to provoke him to anger 19. For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you But the LORD hearkned unto me at that time also 20. And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him and I prayed for Aaron also the same time 21. And I took your sin the calf which ye had made and burnt it with fire and stamped it and ground it very small even untill it was as small as dust and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount 22. And at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah ye provoked the LORD to wrath 23. Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea saying Go up and possess the land which I have given you then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God and ye believed him not nor hearkned to his voice 24. You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you 25. Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights as I fell down at the first because the LORD had said he would destroy you 26. I prayed therefore unto the LORD and said O Lord GOD destroy not thy people and thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand 27. Remember thy servants Abraham Isaac and Jacob look not unto the stubbornness of this people nor to their wickedness nor to their sin 28. Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them and because he hated them he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness 29. Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched-out arm 1. THis day i. e. About this time For day does not always signifie a precise time See the Notes upon Gen. 2.4 2. The children of the Anakims Numb 13.28 3. As a consuming fire Which doeth waste that which stands in its way See chap. 4.24 Heb. 12.29 Quickly But not all at once chap. 7.22 The seeming difference between this place and chap. 7.22 as the words lie in the Hebrew Text is removed by this answer That chap. 7.22 is to be understood of the whole Land and this of the parts of it which they should successively attempt upon 7. In the Wilderness Both in the Wilderness of Shur Exod. 15.22 24. and in the Wilderness of Sin Exod. 16.1 2 3. 8. Also in Horeb viz. In the Wilderness of Sinai whither the Israelites came in the third month after they came forth out of Egypt 9. I abode in the mount Exod. 24.18 and 34.28 10. And the LORD delivered c. See Exod. 31.18 and the Note upon that place The words which the LORD spake with you i. e. The Ten Commandments which God spake from Mount Sinai Exod 20. when the People were assembled to receive the Law Exod. 19.17 For the other Laws were given them by the Mediation of Moses according to their own request Exod. 20.19 compared with Deut. 5.27 12. Arise Exod. 32.7 14. Let me alone i. e. Do not pray or intercede for them See Exod. 32.10 16. Which the LORD had commanded you For God had expressly Commanded them not onely not to worship any Idol or false God Exod. 20.3 4. but not to make with him Gods of Silver or Gold Exod. 20.23 See the Notes on Exod. 20.23 18. I fell down viz. As a Supplicant praying for the People of which see Exod. 34.8 9. As at the first That is as I did upon my coming down from the Mount upon their making and worshipping the Golden Calf For that he did then pray for the People is intimated v. 14. and more fully expressed Exod. 32.11 12 13. 21. Your sin That is the Calf which was the Object of their Idolatrous Worship It is usual in the phrase of the Holy Scripture to call the Object of the Idolatrous Worship by the name of the Sin committed See Isa 31.7 compare Exod. 32.20 and Act. 17.23 with the Marginal reading 22. Taberah c. Numb 11.1 3. Exod 17.7 Numb 11.34 These places bore the Memorial of their Sin and Punishment 25. Thus I fell down c. Of which see verse 18. and the Note there 28. Because the LORD Numb 14.16 with Exod. 32.12 CHAP. X. The ARGUMENT The two Tables are restored and put into the Ark. Of the Death of Aaron Of the Separation of the Levites to the Service of God The Israelites are exhorted to Obedience and particularly to be kind to Strangers 1. AT that time the LORD said unto me Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first and come up unto me into the mount and make thee an ark of wood 2. And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest and thou shalt put them in the ark 3. And I made an ark of shittim-wood and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first and went up into the mount having the two tables
were the peculiar Office of the Priests the Sons of Levi yet the other Families of the Levites were concerned in blessing and praising God 1 Chron. 16.4 and by the faithfull discharge of their Ministry did contribute toward the bringing Blessings upon the People 9. Wherefore Levi Numb 18.20 The reason why they had no inheritance follows The LORD is his inheritance i. e. The Gifts which He hath assigned or given him as the Chaldee hath it here are his See the Note on Numb 18.20 10. First time Or Former days 11. Take thy journey Heb. Go in journey This is mentioned as a proof that God had hearkned to the Intercession of Moses See the Note on verse 6. 12. And now O Israel c. Here Moses exhorts them to Obedience from very powerfull Arguments viz. I. From the Consideration of God's former Mercies v. 10 11. and v. 22. II. From his Soveraign Authority v. 14. III. From his peculiar Kindness to them v. 15. IV. From his infinite Power v. 17. And V. From his inflexible Justice v. 17 18. 14. The Earth Psal 24.1 16. Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your heart c. i. e. Do not content your selves with the bare Circumcision of the fore-skin of your Flesh but cast away the filthiness of your Mind and Manners Compare Deut. 30.6 and Rom. 2.28 29. 17. Regardeth not persons What-ever Nation they be of he will deal righteously with them 2 Chron. 19.7 Job 34.19 Act. 10.34 Rom. 2.11 Gal. 2.6 Ephes 6.9 Col. 3.25 1 Pet. 1.17 19. Love ye therefore the stranger c. See Levit. 19.33 34. 20. Thou shalt fear Chap. 6.13 Matt. 4.10 Luk. 48. Cleave Chap. 13.4 21. He is thy praise He is both the fittest object of thy Honour and Praise and the Author of what-ever makes thee worthy of Praise 22. With threescore c. Gen. 46.27 Exod. 1.5 As the stars According to his promise to Abraham Gen. 15.5 CHAP. XI The ARGUMENT The Israelites are exhorted to love and obey God They are put in mind of the wonderfull Works of God which they had seen And upon their Obedience are promised the good Land and great Prosperity therein Blessing and a Curse are set before them Of the Mounts Gerizim and Ebal 1. THerefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God and keep his charge and his statutes and his judgments and his commandments alway 2. And know ye this day for I speak not with your children which have not known and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God his greatness his mighty hand and his stretched-out arm 3. And his miracles and his acts which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt and unto all his land 4. And what he did unto the army of Egypt unto their horses and to their chariots how he made the water of the Red-sea to overflow them as they pursued after you and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day 5. And what he did unto you in the wilderness untill ye came into this place 6. And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab the son of Reuben how the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their housholds and their tents and all the substance that was in their possession in the midst of all Israel 7. But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did 8. Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day that ye may be strong and go in and possess the land whither ye go to possess it 9. And that ye may prolong your days in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed a land that floweth with milk and honey 10. For the land whither thou goest in to possess it is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out where thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs 11. But the land whither ye go to possess it is a land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of heaven 12. A land which the LORD thy God careth for the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year 13. And it shall come to pass if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul 14. That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season the first rain and the latter rain that thou mayest gather in thy corn and thy wine and thine oyl 15. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattel that thou mayest eat and be full 16. Take heed to your selves that your heart be not deceived and ye turn aside and serve other gods and worship them 17. And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you and he shut up the heaven that there be no rain and that the land yield nor her fruit and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you 18. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul and bind them for a sign upon your hand that they may be as frontlets between your eyes 19. And ye shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up 20. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house and upon thy gates 21. That your days may be multiplied and the days of your children in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them as the days of heaven upon the earth 22. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do them to love the LORD your God to walk in all his ways and to cleave unto him 23. Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier then your selves 24. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours from the wilderness and Lebanon from the river the river Euphrates even unto the uttermost see shall your coast be 25. There shall no man be able to stand before you for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon as he hath said unto you 26. Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse 27. A blessing if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you this day 28. And a curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day to go after other gods which ye have not known 29. And it shall come to
pass when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim and the curse upon mount Ebal 30. Are they not on the other side Jordan by the way where the sun goeth down in the land of the Canaanites which dwell in the champain over against Gilgal beside the plains of Moreh 31. For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you and ye shall possess it and dwell therein 32. And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day 1. HIS charge i. e. What-ever he hath given in charge 2. Know i. e. Consider For that is the sense of the word here and in many other places Isa 1.3 Eccles 5.1 6. What he did unto Dathan c. Numb 16.31 and 27.3 Ps 106.17 This is mentioned here as a most remarkable Example of God's displeasure for their Rebellion Substance Or living substance That was in their possession The meaning is which followed them and appertained to them Heb. Was at their feet 7. But your eyes have seen They which came out of Egypt had seen all and others some of God's Acts. 10. Is not as the land of Egypt The comparing it with the Land of Egypt in this place is not designed with respect to the fruitfulness of it but to make them sensible that they ought immediately to depend upon God's good Providence and endeavour to please him who is onely able to send them fruitfull Seasons And wateredst it with thy foot That is by deriving Water from the River Nilus which was done either by digging Furrows in the Earth or by fetching Water both which speak the labour of the Feet And the Land of Canaan would set them free from this toil 11. And drinketh water of the rain of heaven There was little or no Rain in Egypt and therefore the Inhabitants depended upon the over-flowing of Nilus for their increase and derived Water thence to the Land which they had sowed with great labour The Land of Canaan was better provided for 'T was supplied without the labour and industry of Men and the Inhabitants taught to look up to God for seasonable showrs 12. Careth for Heb. Seeketh This imports a more peculiar Providence of God upon which the Inhabitants were taught to depend and not upon the labour and industry which though used in Egypt they would now be excused from 14. The first rain and the latter rain The first upon sowing the Seed that it might take root The latter before Harvest that the Ear might be filled See Jer. 5.24 15. Send Heb. Give 16. Be not deceived viz. By any artifice what-ever the Idolaters may make use of E. g. A pretence that they direct their Worship by their Images to the Supreme God and that they enjoy fruitfull Seasons as a reward of their Worship and such-like 18. Bind them Chap. 6.8 With the Note upon that place 19. And ye shall Ch. 4.10 and 6.7 21. As the days of heaven upon earth That is as long as the World endures Whiles the Heaven keeps its place over the Earth according to the Vulgar Latin Thus we read His seed will I make to endure for ever and then it follows And his throne as the days of heaven Psal 89.29 See Jer. 33.25 24. Every place Josh 1.3 This is to be understood I. With restriction to the bounds which follow here And II. With the condition above mentioned v. 22. Wilderness On the South Lebanon On the North. Euphrates On the East The uttermost sea On the West The Mid-land Sea was on the West of Canaan 27. A blessing Ch. 28.2 28. Curse Chap. 28.15 29. The blessing upon Gerizim c. Of this see chap. 27.12 13. Josh 8.33 32. To do Chap. 5.32 CHAP. XII The ARGUMENT Monuments of Idolatry are to be destroyed The place which God should choose for his Publick Service is to be resorted to and there the Sacrifices are to be offered Blood may not be eaten Holy things must be eaten in the place which God shall choose The Levite is to be kindly treated They are permitted to kill and eat Flesh in their several Habitations They are cautioned against Idolatry 1. THese are the statutes and judgments which ye shall observe to do in the land which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it all the days that ye live upon the earth 2. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods upon the high mountains and upon the hills and under every green tree 3. And you shall overthrow their altars and break their pillars and burn their groves with fire and you shall hew down the graven images of their gods and destroy the ââmes of them out of that place 4. Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God 5. But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his ââmo there even unto his habitation shall ye seek and thither thou shalt come 6. And thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices and your tithes and heave-offerings of your hand and your vows and your free-will-offerings and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks 7. And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God and ye shall rejoice in all that you put your hand unto ye and your housholds wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee 8. Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes 9. For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which the LORD your God giveth you 10. But when ye go over Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about so that ye dwell in safety 11. Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there thither shall ye bring all that I command you your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices your tithes and the heave-offering of your hand and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD 12. And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God ye and your sons and your daughters and your men-servants and your maid-servants and the Levite that is within your gates forasmuch as he hath no part or inheritance with you 13. Take heed to thy self that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest 14. But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes there thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings and there thou shalt do all that I command thee 15. Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after according to the blessing of the LORD thy God
shalt sanctifie unto the LORD thy God thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock nor shear the firstling of thy sheep 20. Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose thou and thy houshold 21. And if there be any blemish therein as if it be lame or blind or have any ill blemish thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God 22. Thou shalt eat it within thy gates the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike as the roe-buck and as the hart 23. Onely thou shalt not eat the blood thereof thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water 1. AT the end of every seven years Levit. 25.2 4. Or in the Seventh year compare Levit. 25.4 and Exod. 23.11 Or last year of the seven as appears from v. 9. which is as much the End of the Seven as the First is the Beginning Exod. 21.2 Thus what was done in the third year is said to be at the end of three years chap. 14.28 2. Of the release The Jews do with great reason tell us that there was a two-fold Release viz. A Release of Lands of which see Exod. 23.10 11. And a Release of Money or Personal Debts of which this place is to be understood as appears from the following words Every creditor Heb. Master of the lending of his hand that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it It is not said he shall absolutely remit it He would then be rather esteemed a Donor than a Creditor Nor does the word in the Hebrew import an absolute Remission and an abandoning of all Title and Claim but an Intermission onely See Exod. 23.11 And it follows here He shall not exact it c. That is he hath no power to recover it this Seventh year when by reason the Land was not sown the Debtor was disabled from raising Money because it is a Release or Year of intermission of God's appointment 3. Of a foreigner That is of one who is not of the Jewish Nation and so not a Brother v. 2. 4. Save when there shall be no poor among you The Marginal reading is rather to be followed viz. To the end that there be no poor among you The shewing Mercy and Forbearance is a means to prevent the encrease of poor Men And therefore this Release would contribute to the keeping Men from extreme Poverty and by their Obedience to God's Laws they would in great measure keep it off also And though it is much their duty to order it so that there might be few or no Poor yet God who fore-saw that they would fail in their Obedience does fore-tell that there would always be Poor among them v. 11. 6. Thou shalt lend Chap. 28.12 And shalt consequently be rich And thou shalt reign over many For the rich ruleth over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender Prov. 22.7 8. But thou shalt open thine hand Matt. 5.42 Luk. 6.34 A bountifull supply is here Commanded which is expressed by what is sufficient for his need in the following words 9. Thought Heb. Word Wicked Heb. Belial The year of release is at hand viz. When it will not be in his power to exact v. 2. 11. The poor shall never cease c. And therefore there will never want Objects of their Compassion and Tryals of their Inclination that way 12. If thy brother i. e. One of thine own Nation as it follows See Exod. 21.2 Jer. 34.14 Be sold unto thee See Exod. 21.2 with the Note on that place Six years That is six complete years from the first entring upon the Service 15. And thou shalt remember c. This is a powerfull Motive to encline us to shew Mercy The Example of God's Mercy and the Sense of our Obnoxiousness to Sufferings do strongly move where they are duly considered 17. Then thou shalt take an awl c. See Exod. 21.6 with the Note upon that place And also unto thy maid servant thou shalt do likewise That is thou shalt let her go free in the Seventh year v. 12. Nor shall she go away empty but thou shalt furnish her liberally out of thy flock c. v. 14. For we find Moses returns to the same matter mentioned v. 12. in the words which follow v. 18. 18. A double hired servant Both because he served so long a time which is more than usually hired Servants do and without Hire or Wages 19. All the firstlings c. This is to be understood of a second sort of Firstlings of which see the Note on chap. 12.17 For of the First-born which were due to the Priest these words cannot be meant if we duly consider what is said Exod. 22.30 and compare it with what follows here See Exod. 34.19 21. If there be Levit. 22.20 chap. 17.1 Ecclus. 35.12 23. Onely c. See chap. 12.16 23. CHAP. XVI The ARGUMENT Of the Passeover and Feast of Unleavened Bread Of the Feast of Weeks and that of Tabernacles Every Male is to appear at the place which God should choose three times a year Of Judges and Justice Groves and Images are forbidden 1. OBserve the month of Abib and keep the passeover unto the LORD thy God for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night 2. Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passeover unto the LORD thy God of the flock and the herd in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there 3. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith even the bread of affliction for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in hast that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life 4. And there shall be no leavened-bread seen with thee in all thy coasts seven days neither shall there any thing of the flesh which thou sacrificed'st the first day at even remain all night untill the morning 5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the passeover within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee 6. But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in there thou shalt sacrifice the passeover at even at the going down of the sun at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt 7. And thou shalt rost and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose and thou shalt turn in the morning and go unto thy tents 8. Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God thou shalt do no work therein 9. Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn 10. And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a
many vices and the great reproach of her Sex 13. Thou shalt not have c. Thou shalt be so far from using deceit that thou shalt not have the Instruments thereof 17. Remember c. Great was the sin of Amalek He came upon the Israelites when they were newly delivered from Bondage and did it unprovoked he assaulted the feeblest of them and when they were weary because he feared not God CHAP. XXVI The ARGUMENT The Solemn Profession of him who brought the First-fruits of the Land And also of him who had set aside the Tithes of the Third Year The Covenant between God and the Israelites 1. AND it shall be when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and possessest it and dwellest therein 2. That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth theâ and shalt put it in a basket and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there 3. And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days and say unto him I profess this day unto the LORD thy God that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us 4. And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God 5. And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God A Syrian ready to perish was my father and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there with a few and became there a nation great mighty and populous 6. And the Egyptians evil entreated us and afflicted âs and laid upon us hard bondage 7. And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers the LORD heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labour and our oppression 8. And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an out-stretched arm and with great terribleness and with signs and with wonders 9. And he hath brought us into this place and hath given us this land even a land that floweth with milk and honey 10. And now behold I have brought the first-fruits of the land which thou O LORD hast given me And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God and worship before the LORD thy God 11. And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee and unto thine house thou and the Levite and the stranger that is among you 12. When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year which is the year of tithing and hast given it unto the Levite the stranger the fatherless and the widow that they may eat within thy gates and be filled 13. Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house and also have given them unto the Levite and unto the stranger to the fatherless and to the widow according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me I have not transgressed thy commandments neither have I forgotten them 14. I have not eaten thereof in my mourning neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use nor given ought thereof for the dead but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me 15. Look down from thy holy habitation from heaven and bless thy people Israel and the land which thou hast given us as thou swarest unto our fathers a land that floweth with milk and honey 16. This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart and with all thy soul 17. Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God and to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and to hearken unto his voice 18. And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments 19. And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God as he hath spoken 2. Of the first c. i. e. Of those Fruits whether the first ripe of their Corn or of the Fruit of their Trees which should happen to be first ripe Prov. 3.9 See Numb 18.13 The quantity is not determined by the Law the Jews decreed one part of Sixty 3. The priest c. i. e. The Priest who should at that time minister to whom this belonged Num. 18.13 I profess c. Hence it appears that the first Fruit was offered as an acknowledgement that their Land was given them by God 5. A Syrian ready to perish ãâã The summ of this acknowledgment amounts to this That their possession of that Land was intirely owing to the bounty of God and was not left them by their Ancestors For Jacob from whom they had the name of Israelites was forced to fly into Syria in a poor condition and to leave this Land who being descended from Parents who came from Syria and serving there his Uncle Laban with hard service many years is called here A Syrian ready to perish and upon his return with his Sons the Heads of the several Tribes was not able to leave it to them in possession but instead of that was forced with his Sons into Egypt where his Posterity was sorely afflicted But by the mercy of God they encreased there and were by him miraculously brought thence into this good Land v. 6 7 8 9. 10. Before the LORD i. e. Before the Sanctuary where God was more especially present Worship Or bow down the body as the Hebrew word imports And this was an expression of Worship aââ a sign of inward Reverence 12. The third year See chap. 14.28 with the Note upon chap. 12.6 Year of tithing viz. Of that Tithe which is mentioned in the following words and was to be eaten by the Levite and the Poor in their Gates 13. I have brought c. He was obliged to profess that I. He had honestly set a-part this Tithe of the Poor expressed by bringing them out of his House II. That he had bestowed them as God had appointed and also have given them c. 14. In my mourning This would have been a notorious breach of God's Law which required rejoicing chap. 14.23 26. For any unclean use That must be judged an unclean use which God had forbidden as he had all other uses besides what he required For the dead Or to the dead i. e. To any Idol as if my encrease were owing to any of them See Psal 106.28 16. This day It hath been observed
water 12. That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God and into his oath which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day 13. That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself and that he may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. 14. Neither with you onely do I make this covenant and this oath 15. But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God and also with him that is not here with us this day 16. For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt and how we came through the nations which ye passed by 17. And ye have seen their abominations and their idols wood and stone silver and gold which were among them 18. Lest there should be among you man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of these nations lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood 19. And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drankenness to thirst 20. The LORD will not spare him but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heavââ 21. And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law 22. So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you and the stranger that shall come from a fââ land shall say when they see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it 23. And that the whole land thereof is brimstone and salt and burning that it is not sown nor beareth nor any grass groweth therein like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim which the LORD overthrew in his anger and in his wrath 24. Even all nations shall say Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land What meaneth the heat of this great anger 25. Then men shall say Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers which he made with them where he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt 26. For they went and served other gods and worshipped them gods whom they knew not and whom he had not given unto them 27. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book 28. And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger and in wrath and in great indignation and cast them into another land as it is this day 29. The secret things belong unto the LORD our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for even that we may do all the words of this law 1. BEside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. This is the same Covenant with that in Horeb But because they had broken that and because they are now just entring into the promised Land and Moses had given them a more full Explication of the Law and was ready to die he renews the Covenant which they had before entred into 4. Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see c. That is God hath thought fit for your Sins and Provocations to leave you to your own Stupidity and Blindness of Heart God had done great things for them In his love and in his pity he redeemed c. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Isa 63.9 10. And that they were utterly inexcusable will appear from what follows v. 5 6 7. In which words we are told that God took great care of them that they might be at leisure to consider For they were not distracted with the cares for Food and Raiment c. God having made a great and miraculous Provision for them 6. Bread i. e. Bread which required not any labour of plowing or sowing of threshing and grinding c. But Manna from Heaven prepared ready to your Hands Wine or strong Drink These would have required some considerable Pains Instead of that they were supplied with Water which followed them 7. We smote them We were not enfeebled for want of Wine and strong Drink nor left without the Divine Assistance 10. All of you They were all concerned and therefore all stood ready to renew their Covenant 11. The hewr c. i. e. The meanest Servant Jos 9.27 12. And into his Oath What is rendred Oath signifies rather a Curse which was generally annexed to an Oath See the LXXII and v. 19 20. And because this Covenant had Curses annexed which were solemnly denounced against Transgressours Chap. 27.14 15. The entring into Covenant and into the Curse in case of failure are here conjoined Nehem. 10.29 15. With him that is not here i. e. With your Posterity The promise was to Abraham and his Seed 16 17. These two Verses contain Motives to incline them to enter into Covenant with God viz. Both because God had brought them out of Egypt and throuh other Nations and because they had had the opportunity of discerning the Folly of these People in worshipping Idols which cannot help them 18. Lest there should be c. These words connect with that Declaration which God makes in order to prevent the Sinner's flattering himself in an Evil way v. 20. We may find a like Expression Gen. 3.22 23. A root that beareth gall and wormwood That is an Evil principle called an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 which will infect and poison the Mind and produce the Curses denounced which will be very bitter Compare Act. 8.23 Heb. 12.15 19. To add drunkenness to thirst That is to abound in all manner of Wickedness To add sin to sin Isa 30.1 And drink it up like water Job 34.7 which course of Wickedness does but begât a greater Inclination to do wickedly still As Drunkenness does not ãâã but increase the Thirst Isa 56.12 20. Blot out his name i. e. Destroy him For Name is frequently put for the person to whom that Name does belong as hath been observed 21. Shall separate him unto Evil c. Whereas such a Sinner may think to escape in a Crowd and flatter himself that the Blessings promised to God's People among whom he lives shall be his Portion he shall be singled out and rendred a Monument of God's Displeasure 23. Burning i. e. Parched and dried up and made barren Psal 107.34 26. He had not given unto them See
their fathers shall ye send a man every one a ruler among them 3. And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran all those men were heads of the children of Israel 4. And these were their names Of the tribe of Reuben Shammua the son of Zaccur 5. Of the tribe of Simeon Shaphat the son of Hori 6. Of the tribe of Judah Caleb the son of Jephunneh 7. Of the tribe of Issachar Igal the son of Joseph 8. Of the tribe of Ephraim Oshea the son of Nuâ 9. Of the tribe of Benjamin Palti the son of Râââââ 10. Of the tribe of Zebâlââ Gaddiel the son of Sâdi 11. Of the tribe of Joseph namely of the tribe of Manasseh Gaddi the son of Susi 12. Of the tribe of Dan Ammiel the son of Gemalli 13. Of the tribe of Asher Sethur the son of Michael 14. Of the tribe of Naphtali Nahbi the son of Vophsi 15. Of the tribe of Gad Gânel the son of Machi 16. These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua 17. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said unto them Get you up this way south-ward and go up into the mountain 18. And see the land what it is and the people that dwelleth therein whether they be strong or weak fââ or many 19. And what the land is that they dwell in whether it be good or bad and what cities they be that they dwell in whether in tents or in strong hold 20. And what the land is whether it be fat or lean whether there be wood therein or not And be ye of good courage and bring of the fruit of the land now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes 21. So they went up and searched the land from the wilderness of Zââ unto Rehob as men come to Hâmath 22. And they ascended by the sâââh and came unto Hebron where Ahiman Sheshai and Talâââ the children of Anak were now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt 23. And they came unto the brook of Eshcol and cut down from tâââte a branch with one cluster of grapes and they bâre it between two upon a staff and they brought of the pomegranates and of the figs. 24. The place was called the brook Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence 25. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days 26. And they went and came to Moses and to Aaron and to all the congregation of the children of Israel unto the wilderness of Paran to Kadesh and brought back word unto them and unto all the congregation and shewed them the fruit of the land 27. And they told him and said We came unto the land whither thou sentest us and surely it floweth with milk and honey and this is the fruit of it 28. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land and the cities are walled and very great and moreover we saw the children of Anak there 29. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites dwell in the mountains and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and by the coast of Jordan 30. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses and said Let us go up at once and possess it for we are well able to overcome it 31. But the men that went up with him said We be not able to go up against the people for they are stronger then we 32. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel saying The land through which we have gone to search it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature 33. And there we saw the giants the sons of Anak which come of the giants and we were in our own sight as grashoppers and so we were in their sight 2. Send thou c. God gave this Command upon the People's request as appears from Deut. 1.22 3. Heads Called Rulers v. 2. They were Men of Authority among their Tribes Exod. 18.21 16. Jehoshua Or as the Seventy and Josephus and the New Testament call him Jesus i. e. a Saviour he being appointed to save the People and bring them into the possession of the promised Land and therein was a Type of our Blessed Saviour 17. Moses sent them c. He did it by God's direction v. 2. and after the People had desired it Deut. 1.22 and not for his own satisfaction or out of any distrust of God's Veracity South-ward i. e. Into the South part of the Land of Canaan the most dry and barren part of it Joshua 14.1.3 with Judg. 1.15 and Psal 126.4 Into the mountain Or Mountainous Region See also ch 14.40 45. 20. Be ye of good courage It required some Courage to bring away openly some of the Fruit of the Land especially at that time it was more hazardous to bear away a Branch with a Cluster of the Grapes and carry it openly between tâââ Men it being the time of the first ripe Grapes when they were generally more watchfull of them 21. Of Zin unto Rehob That is to say from the South to the most Northern part of the Land where Rehob was situate something toward the West Hâmath Situate in the North toward the West 22. Hebron A City which was in the South part of the Country and which fell to the Tribe of Judah Anak He was the Son of Arba who gave denomination to Hebron for it was called the City of Arba Jos 15.13 Gen. 23.2 Zoan A principal City of the Egyptians who vaunted of their great Antiquity Isa 13.11 23. And they came Deut. 1.24 Brook Or Valley and so v. 24. 24. Eshool That is A Cluster of Grapes 27. Milk c. Exod. 33.3 28. The people be strong c. The ten Spies discourage thâ People in these and the following words and bewray great distrust of God and the People soon imitate them as appears from v. 31. 32. Eateth up the Inhabitants Hââ they contradict themselves Compare v. 28. and v. 33. Men of great stature Heb. Men of statures CHAP. XIV The ARGUMENT The People murmur at the Report which the Spies made of the Land of Canaan Joshua and Caleb endeavour to quiet them God threatens to smite them with a Pestilence and disinherit them Moses intercedes with God for them God's Answer to Moses The People are smitten by the Amalekites and Canaanites 1. AND all the congregation lifted up their voice and cried and the people wept that night 2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole congregation said unto them Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt or would God that we had died in this wilderness 3.
the great Stature of Og. After the cubit of a man That is according to the Cubit of a Man grown up and of an usual size which is about half a yard 12. The Cities Numb 32.33 Josh 13.8 c. 14. Havoth-jair Numb 32.41 15. Gilead viz. The half of it See verse 12. Vnto Machir That is to his Posterity 16. Half the valley For the right understanding of this place it is to be considered that the Hebrew word here translated Valley signifies sometimes a Valley and sometimes a River and in the latter sense is rendred in this Verse in the words immediately foregoing The river Arâââ And so it ought to be rendred here and so it is rendred by the Greek and Vulgar Latin in this place And what we render half the Valley imports as much as to the middle of the River viz. Emphatically of the River just before mentioned Their Land extended from Gilead unto the middle of the River Arnon The truth of this appears from other places viz. Josh 12.2 We have an account of the same place being the place where Sihon dwelt who is there said to have ruled from Aroer which is upon the bank of the river Arnon and from the middle of the river which last are the same words in the Hebrew which we find here rendred by half the Valley and from half Gilead Again Deut. 2.36 the same place is described viz. From Aroer which is by the brink of the river of Arnon and from the city that is by the river viz. Ar of Moab which stood within the River and which was a City they were not permitted to invade even unto Gilead And the border even unto the river Jabbok These words seem to be Elliptical The sense is And the border was even unto the river Jabbok 17. Vnder Ashdoth-Pisgah Or under the Springs of Pisgah or the Hill 18. Ye shall pass over c. Numb 32.20 Meet for the war Heb. Sons of power 20. Return Josh 22.4 21. Commanded Numb 27.18 24. Thy greatness and thy mighty hand viz. In giving us the Conquest over such powerfull Enemies as Sihon and Og. 25. I pray thee let me go over c. It is not unreasonable to suppose that Moses should think the Threatning of God reversible and it must needs be very desirable by him to see that Land which had been so long ago promised so much expected and so greatly vilified by them that had been sent from Kadesh-barnea to search the Land But besides this it may be said that he had a desire especially to see that place where God would choose to dwell which the Jews affirm is meant by the goodly Mountain as well as the remoter Parts of the promised Land in which was Lebanon 26. Was wroth Numb 20.12 chap. 1.37 27. Pisgah Or the Hill See Numb 27.12 Behold it This was a favour not granted to the Men that searched and that murmured 28. Charge Give him Commission to execute my Will Encourage i. e. Give him assurance of success 29. Beth-peor Or the house of Peor The name of a Place or City so called CHAP. IV. The ARGUMENT The Israelites are exhorted to Obedience by several great Motives Such as their own Interest and the Reasonableness of it They are particularly warned against Idolatry and that very powerfully They are obliged to teach the Law unto their Children Three Cities of Refuge are set a part by Moses 1. NOW therefore hearken O Israel unto the statutes and unto the judgments which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you 2. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you 3. Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal-peor for all the men that followed Baal-peor the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you 4. But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day 5. Behold I have taught you statutes and judgments even as the LORD my God commanded me that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it 6. Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these statutes and say surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people 7. For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for 8. And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day 9. Onely take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons 10. Specially the day that thou stood'st before the LORD thy God in Horeb when the LORD said unto me Gather me the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their children 11. And ye came near and stood under the mountain and the mountain burnt with fire unto the midst of heaven with darkness clouds and thick darkness 12. And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude onely ye heard a voice 13. And he declared unto you his covenant which he commanded you to perform even ten commandments and he wrote them upon two tables of stone 14. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it 15. Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire 16. Lest ye corrupt your selves and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure the likeness of male or female 17. The likeness of any beast that is on the earth the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air 18. The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth 19. And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars even all the host of heaven shouldest be driven to worship them and serve them which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven 20. But the LORD hath taken you and brought you forth out of the iron furnace even out of Egypt to be unto him a people of inheritance as