verse though called there by another name Vers 11. But Jeush and Beriah had not many sonnes therefore they were in one reckoning c. That is they were joyned together and counted as one family and that because there were not many of their posterity Vers 13. Aaron was separated that he should sanctifie the most holy things he and his sonnes for ever c. That is he and his posterity were set apart to the work of the priesthood to be imployed about the most holy things according to the holy ordinances which God had appointed Vers 24. These were the sonnes of Levi c. from the age of twenty years and upward To wit when they came to serve in the Temple for though at this time when they were assigned to their severall imployments they were onely numbred that were thirty years old and upward vers 3. yet before his death David gave order that in each family and office of the Levites all of twenty years old and upward should be taken in to the service of the Temple vers 27. For by the last words of David the Levites were numbred from twenty years old and above and the reason is prefixed vers 25 26. For David said The Lord God of Israel hath given rest unto his people that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever and also unto the Levites they shall no more carry the tabernacle nor any vessels thereof c. see the note ver 3. Vers 28. Because their office was to wait on the sonnes of Aaron for the service of the house c. and in the purifying of all holy things c. That is the washing and cleansing both of the holy places and vessels yea and the sacrifices before they were offered by the priests upon the altar Vers 29. And for all manner of measure and cise That is the Levites also took care to see that those things that were employed in the service af the Temple as fine floure and wine and oyle for the meat offerings c. should be given to the priests according to that weight and measure appointed by the law for to some sacrifices there was a greater measure of these required and to some lesse see Numb 15.4 6 9. and Levit. 23.13 and the Levites were to look that the just measures was observed in all these things yea many Expositours conclude from hence that the Levites had the overseeing of all publick measures and kept the patterns or standard of them in the Temple whence they say it is that the just shekel is called the shekel of the sanctuary Exod. 30.31 CHAP. XXIIII Vers 3. ANd David distributed them both Zadok of the sonnes of Eleazar c. That is David distributed all the priests the sonnes of Aaron into two parts all that were of the sonnes of Eleazar in one over whom Zadok was the chief and all that were of the sonnes of Ithamar in the other over whom Ahimelech was chief to wit under the high priest who accordingly attended in the Temple according to their offices in their service Vers 4. And there were moe chief men found of the sonnes of Eleazar then of the sonnes of Ithamar c. That is there were more heads of families found among the sonnes of Eleazer then among the sonnes of Ithamar and consequently being to divide the priests into twenty foure orders or courses in each of which there was one to be the chief and head of the rest he appointed sixteen of these courses among the sonnes of Eleazar and but eight among the sonnes of Ithamar Vers 5. Thus were they divided by lot one sort with another c. That is having divided the priests into twenty foure parts those of Eleazer into sixteen parts and those of Ithamar into eight there were lots cast amongst these divisions promiscuously not preferring those of one Image before those of another to determine both which of these companies should serve first and which second and so in order each company being to serve a week and then to go out and also which of those that were heads of families in each company should be the chief of that company and so the first company was chosen by lot and the lot fell upon Jehoiarib to be the head of that company which was thenceforth called the course of Jehoiarib and so after the same manner in all the rest Vers 10. The eighth to Abijah Of this course was Zachariah the father of John the Baptist Luke 1.5 Vers 19. These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the Lord according to their manner under Aaron their father c. That is as Eleazar and Ithamar did in former times discharge the work of the priesthood in the house of God under Aaron their father so did these sonnes of Eleazar and Ithamar now in their courses discharge the same work after the same manner or else the meaning of these words is onely this that after their manner that is week by week chap. 9.25 or after the manner appointed in the Law these priests in their severall courses did all discharge the work of the inferiour priesthood being all of them under the command of the high priest who is here called Aaron because he held the same place that Aaron formerly did Vers 20. And the rest of the sonnes of Levi were these c. Having in the former part of the chapter expressed the severall courses of the priests here now are added the severall families of the rest of the sonnes of Levi that were not priests to wit the Levites and as some conceive who they were of those families that were heads of the severall companies of the Levites that were to serve in the Temple in their turns and courses as the priests also did or rather because the Gershonites were set down before chap 23.7 these that are here added are said to be the rest of the sonnes of Levi to wit the Kohathites and Merarites who especially attended upon the Priests Vers 31. These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sonnes of Aaron That is as the priests being divided into twenty foure companies there were lots cast for them as is above-said vers 5. so was it on the other side with the Levites too according to the severall employments whereto they were set a part they were divided into twenty foure divisions and lots were cast who should attend the service in the first course coming in and going out with the first course of the priests and so who should be in the second course with the second course of priests c. This is expressed concerning the singers in the next chapter and the like it seems therefore was done both for the porters and those that attended upon the priests and did the other work of the Lord chap. 23 4 5. In the presence of David the king and Zadok and Abimelech and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites even the
that is the Lord shall rule the whole world and at the last day he shall judge all the inhabitants of the earth yea and that by the Messiah the Lord Christ his anointed King who though at first he shall live in a low and mean estate and condition yet when he hath finished the work of mans redemption he shall then be exalted above all principalities and powers and shall sit down at the right hand of his father all power shall be given him both in heaven and in earth he shall gather in his elect people among all nations govern them by his word and spirit and destroy all his and their enemies Thus I say it is generally thought by Interpreters that these words are a prophecie concerning Christ the Lords anointed yet in regard the kingdome afterward established amongst the Jews was a figure of the kingdome of Christ it may also be well understood of that Vers 11. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the Priest This is repeated again vers 18. where it is also added that in his ministring before the Lord he was girded with a linen Ephod It is expressely said in the former chapter vers 24. that Samuel was carried by his parents to the Tabernacle and left there so soon as even he was weaned But we cannot possibly think that there was any service of the Tabernacle that at those years Samuel was able to do and therefore the meaning of this clause is onely that afterwards even whilest he was yet but a child de did such service in the Tabernacle as according to his years and strength he was capable of doing The Levites indeed did not enter upon the service of the Tabernacle till they were twentie five years old Levit. 8.24 But now Samuels case was extraordinary because by the speciall vow of a Nazarite he was even from his tender years consecrated to the service of the Lord and therefore we see even in his childhood he did wait upon the service of the Tabernacle to wit in such services as still by degrees he grew able to do as happely in locking and unlocking the doores of the Tabernacle in laying up and fetching out the vestments of the Priests and such like for that it was some ministerie in the Tabernacle that he was employed in is evident because vers 18. it is said that he wore a linen Ephod which was an holy garment in the doing of it We find not indeed in the law of Moses that there was any such linen Ephods appointed for the Levites but for the inferiour Priests onely the sonnes of Aaron Exod. 39.27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron and for his sonnes either therefore afterwards when the Tabernacle came to be settled in the land of Canaan it was ordered and that by divine authoritie that the Levites also should wear such linen Ephods when they attended upon the service of the Tabernacle or else Samuel was by speciall dispensation because of the Nazarites vow or some other reason appointed to wear this holy vestment which yet seems not so probable because it appears that this linen Ephod was so commonly worn by all that were employed in holy services that even David also when he danced before the Ark 2. Sam. 6.14 was girded with a linen Ephod However hereby I say it is clear that Samutl in his childhood and youth did attend upon the service of the Tabernacle in such services as he could then discharge and that before Eli the Priest that is according as he was ordered and directed by Eli who undertook the training of him up and upon whom he chiefly attended in the service he did Vers 12. Now the sonnes of Eli were sonnes of Belial they knew not the Lord. This is meant of the effectuall knowledge of faith so they knew not the Lord they had no lively knowledge nor apprehension of God They that have a floating knowledge in their brains of those things which they believe not in their hearts may be well said not to know that which by a speculative knowledge they understand well enough and so they that understand well enough those things which God hath revealed concerning himself either by his word or works if this their knowledge be not accompanied with faith and the fear of God and so though they know God yet they do not glorifie him as God Rom. 1.21 these men do not indeed know God they may say they know him but their own works may confute them for if they did indeed know him they would fear him and honour him as God They professe that they know God saith the Apostle concerning such men as these Tit. 1.16 but in their works they denie him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate He that saith I know him saith S. John 1. John 2.4 and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him and thus it is said here of the sonnes of Eli that they knew not the Lord Though they were Priests whose office it was to teach and instruct the people in the knowledge of God yet because they were wicked ungodly wretches sonnes of Belial concerning which expression see the note Deut 13.13 therefore they are said not to have known the Lord as upon the same ground the Prophet Hosea complained of the people of God in his time that there was no knowledge of God in the land Hos 4.1 And this is here inserted concerning the sonnes of Eli to intimate both the faith of Samuels parents in leaving him and also the singular grace of God in preserving him pure and incorrupt where there was such danger of infection by reason of these sonnes of Belial with whom he was to live Vers 13. The Priests servant came whilest the flesh was in seething with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand c. Concerning this flesh-hook see Exod. 27.3 The sinne of these sonnes of Eli here set forth was this first that not content with the breast and shoulder which onely were the Priests portion of the peace-offerings Levit. 7.31 32 33 34. they used to take out of that which was seething for the sacrifices as their customarie fees not having any Law of God for it all that their flesh-hook could take out and it is said that this they did not now and then but alwayes vers 14. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither Again sometimes they would have this their overplus customarie portion before the flesh was seething that they might rost it yea before the fat was burnt directly against that Law Levit. 7.31 And the Priest shall burn the fat upon the altar but the breast shall be Aarons and his sonnes yea and perhaps before the fat was taken off which may be the reason why vers 29. they are said to have made themselves fat with the chiefest of the offerings Vers 18. But Samuel ministred before the Lord
bring the following judgement upon them or rather that this was an extraordinary act of devotion whereto the Priests were led by reasons grounded upon this strange and extraordinary work which God had wrought and perhaps also by a speciall instinct of Gods Spirit and is not therefore to be judged of according to the rules of other ordinary burnt offerings They considered that these kine had been given up by the Philistines to the service of the Lord in bringing home the Ark and that having been employed in so sacred of service it was not fit they should be imployed to any other use or much lesse that they should be sent back to the Philistines again and therefore they resolved by this way of an extraordinary burnt-offering to yield them up to the Lord by whose all-ruling providence they were so miraculously swayed to bring back the Ark unto that place And indeed had they sinned in offering these kine for a burnt-offering why should not this be mentioned vers 19. as the cause of Gods displeasure against them as well as their looking into the Ark. Vers 15. And the Levites took down the Ark of the Lord c. That is the Priests who were of the tribe of Levi for Bethshemesh as is before noted was one of the Priests cities Josh 21.16 nor was it lawfull for the Levites to touch the Ark Num. 4.15 And when Aaron and his sonnes have made an end of covering the Sanctuarie and all the vessels of the Sanctuarie as the camp is to set forward after that the sonnes of Kohath shall come to bear it but they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die Vers 18. And the golden mice according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords both of fenced cities and of countrey villages c. That is according as all the cities and villages of the Philistines were divided into five parts and were under the command of their five great lords each of those cities before mentioned being the mother citie in each division so accordingly there were five golden mice given as was said before vers 4. and that in the name and happely at the charge not of the mother-cities onely but of all the severall circuits or provinces that belonged to them because all had been punished with that plague of mice which were sent amongst them even all the land of the Philistines unto the great stone of Abel that is mourning so called doubtlesse because of the peoples lamentation vers 19. as upon a like occasion the floore of Atad where the sonnes of Jacob with the Egyptians mourned for the death of Jacob was called Abel-mizraim Gen. 50.11 that is the mourning of the Egyptians Vers 19. And he smote the men of Bethshemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord. It was not lawfull for any but the Priests no not the Levites who carried it to look upon the Ark bare and uncovered Num. 4.20 But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die It was therefore sufficient to render the people obnoxious to the judgement that fell upon them if we suppose that it came covered from the Philistines and they uncovered it to look upon it or that it came uncovered and they took libertie without any fear or reverence to stare and gaze upon it But yet the words seem to import that they proceeded further even to look into the Ark either merely out of curiositie or perhaps to see whether the Philistines had not put any thing into it or taken any thing out of it onely I see not how so many could offend in this kind Even he smote of the people fiftie thousand and threescore and ten men That is of them and of the people together that came flocking from all parts to see the Ark there were slain fiftie thousand and threescore and ten men It were much that there should be so many found in so little a citie as Bethshemesh was but amongst those multitudes that might come from all parts to see the Ark there might well be fiftie thousand and threescore and ten slain Vers 21. And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim c. Pretending happely that their citie of Bethshemesh was not a place of such safetie for the Ark to be in as Kirjath-jearim was they sent to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim to desire them to fetch the Ark thither The Philistines say they have brought again the Ark of the Lord come ye down and fetch it up to you CHAP. VII Vers 1. ANd the men of Kirjath-jearim came and fetcht up the Ark of the Lord c. Three particulars are here related concerning this removall of the Ark. The first is that it was fetcht up from Bethshemesh by the men of Kirjath-jearim a citie in the tribe of Judah not farre from Bethshemesh called formerly Baalah and Kirjath-Baal Josh 15.9 60. and 18.14 Now this being none of the cities of the Priests who onely might touch the Ark though it be said that the men of Kirjath-jearim fetcht up the Ark yet thereby is meant onely that they came up to have it carried to their citie and attended it when it was removed for they were doubtlesse priests either of Bethshemesh or of some other place that carried the Ark. Notwithstanding the men of Bethshemesh were smitten for looking into the Ark chap. 6.19 yet the men of Kirjath-jearim did not oppose the removing of it to their citie but themselves fetched it thither no doubt with much joy and that because they knew that it was not the presence of the Ark amongst the men of Bethshemesh but their unreverend carriage of themselves in gazing upon the Ark or looking into it that was the cause of their miserie The second thing related is that they brought the Ark into the house of Abinadab in the hill It is likely that Abinadab was a man of singular holinesse and perhaps as some hold a Levite too but yet the reason which the text implies why his house was chosen for the keeping of this sacred treasure is this that it was in the hill to wit first because high places were in these times in great request and judged fittest for holy employments and secondly because it might be a place of strength and so of safetie for the Ark to be kept in whence it was that the Ark was kept there till Davids time when it was fetched away from thence 1. Chron. 13.6 7. And David went up and all Israel to Baalah that is to Kirjath-jearim which belonged to Judah to bring up thence the Ark of God the Lord. And they carried the Ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab Indeed in 2. Sam. 6.3 it is said that the Ark was brought out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah but by Gibeah there is meant the hill as it is translated there in the margin of our Bibles
Hebrew word which is here translated for ever there is no more intended in many places then a continuance for a long time as here happely that so long as the kingdome of Judah should continue one of Solomons posterity should sit in the throne Secondly that this promise might be conditionall to wit that if his posterity should keep covenant with God then they should for ever sit in the throne of David And thirdly that the promise might be made good in the eternity of Christs kingdome in that Christ was that king of whom Solomon was a type though he was not lineally descended out of the loines of Solomon Vers 12. Onely the Lord give thee wisdome and understanding and give thee charge concerning Israel c. That is and the Lord instruct thee and direct thee how thou oughtest to govern his people Israel and in remembrance of this we see Solomon begged wisdome of God 1. Kings 3.9 Vers 14. Now behold in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the Lord c. That is I have prepared materials for the building of the house that when thou comest to the crown thou mayest the more readily set upon the work not according unto my desire nor according to that which the transcendent Majestie of God might require but according as I was able by reason of my continuall troubles Vers 18. And the land is subdued before the Lord and before his people c. The Lord is here joyned with Israel as the king with his people and that the rather because by the subduing of the land the people enjoyed their possessions and dwellings and the Lord his worship and service CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. SO when David was old and full of dayes he made Solomon his sonne king over Israel That is he declared his mind to his people and princes that after his death his will was that Solomon should be king and that because the Lord had so appointed as is more fully expressed chap. 28 1 6. where also it is evident that this was done before David was bedrid vers 2. Then David the king stood up upon his feet and said Hear me my brethren c. and consequently that Adonijahs attempt 1. Kings 1.5 was against the expresse command of David emboldened therein onely by Davids weaknesse and the encouragement of such princes of his faction as misliked Davids preferring Solomon before his elder sonnes and therefore we see that David caused Solomon to be actually anointed king 1. Kings 1.33.34 Vers 2. And he gathered together all the princes of Israel with the priests and the Levites To wit to make known unto them that Solomon by the Lords expresse appointment was to succeed him in the throne Secondly to perswade the princes to assist Solomon in the building of the Temple Thirdly to establish a settled order for the attendance and service of the priests and Levites in the Temple for the number of the Levites being exceedingly encreased and they being then to serve not in severall places as before some at the Tabernacle in Gibeon some before the ark in Davids tent chap. 16.37 c. but altogether in the Temple as the Lord was pleased to appoint an order for their service to prevent confusion so it was requisite the princes and people should be enformed of Gods will herein and that David did nothing herein without direction from the Lord chap. 28.11 12 13 19. Vers 3. Now the Levites were numbred from the age of thirty years and upward c. Davids numbring of the Levites from the age of thirty years was according to the directions that God gave to Moses when they were first numbred onely then they numbred not any above fifty years Numb 4.2 3. Take the summe of the sonnes of Kohath c. from thirty years old and upward even untill fifty years old but now it seems they numbred all from thirty years and upward not staying at those that were above fifty years and that because they were not now to carry the holy things as they did in Moses time and therefore even those above fifty years though weakened with age might serve in the Temple as well as those that were younger and for the same cause also it seems when he had distributed the thirty eight thousand that were numbred from thirty years old and upward to their severall imployments to wit foure and twenty thousand for the ordinary service of the Temple and six thousand for officers and Judges vers 4. foure thousand for porters and foure thousand for the quire vers 5. afterward he gave order that all their posterity from twenty years old and upward should in each rank be taken in vers 24. First because they were not any longer to carry the tabernacle and the vessels thereof and therefore such strength of body was not now necessarily requisite as before as is expressed vers 24 25. And secondly because now when they were to serve onely in their courses the service of the Temple would imploy them all even those from twenty years being taken in Vers 4. And six thousand were officers and Judges And these were dispersed in severall places of the land to judge of causes that were brought before them for having no other civill and judiciall lawes but those of Moses the Levites were alwayes joyned with the other elders of the people in this work and happely to train up the young Levites and other officers belonging thereto of which see what is further added in note chap. 26.29 Vers 5. Moreover foure thousand were porters So many were at this time set a part by David to this imployment yet of these it seems there were found at their return from Babylon onely two hundred and twelve chap. 9.22 And foure thousand praised the Lord with the instruments c. Whereof two hundred eighty eight were eminent men for cunning and happely teachers of the rest see the note chap. 25.7 Vers 6. And David divided them into courses c. To wit into twenty foure courses as were also the priests according to the command of the Lord by Gad and Nathan the prophets 2. Chron. 29.25 And he set Levites in the house of the Lord c. according to the commandment of David and of Gad the kings seer and Nathan the prophet for so was the commandment of the Lord. Vers 8. The sonnes of Laadan the chief was Jehiel c. That is the chief of the posterity of Laadan heads of families at this time when David divided them to their severall imployments and their severall courses were Jehiel and Zetham and Joel and so this word sonnes must be understood hereafter in this chapter Vers 9. The sonnes of Shimei Shelomith c. This is not Shimei the sonne of Gershon vers 7. for his posterity are spoken of afterward in the following verse but another that was it seems the head of a family amongst the sonnes of Laadan perhaps one of those mentioned also in the foregoing
there were so many of the people that were not sanctified but were unclean and consequently there were so many sacrifices to be offered for their purifying and cleansing that the priests alone could not do the work and therefore the Levites were imployed therein Vers 18. For a multitude of the people even many of Ephraim and Manasseh Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves c. That is though the Levites did help the priests as is before said yet very many of the Israelites did eat the Passeover being not purified from their uncleannesse Vers 20. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people That is he sanctified them by his spirit in an extraordinary way or he did not punish them but forgive them that their infirmity and accepted them as if they had been purified Vers 22. And Hezekiah spake comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord. That is he encouraged them in their work and gave them hope of Gods mercy to the people as concerning those that had eaten the Passeover and were not cleansed according to the Law Vers 24. And a great number of the priests sanctified themselves To wit that were not before sanctified see vers 3. and chap. 29.34 Vers 26. For since the time of Solomon the sonne of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem That is since the Israelites were divided from Judah and Benjamin Vers 27. Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people and their voice was heard c. That is the Lord heard their prayer and blessed them as was promised Numb 6.27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will blesse them CHAP. XXXI Vers 1. NOw when all this was finished all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah and brake the images in pieces c. See chap. 30.14 In Ephraim also and Manasseh untill they had utterly destroyed them all To wit in those cities of Ephraim and Manasseh that had been taken in the warres by the kings of Judah from the kings of Israel for all this was done by the authority and command of Hezekiah See 2. Kings 18.4 Vers 2. And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites c. to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord. That is in the Temple called the tents of the lord because there the priests and Levites who for their severall functions number and order are called an army or host Levit. 4.3 kept the watch of the Lord and there the people assembled together in troops as souldiers in the camp and that to pray unto the Lord which is the chief service of our spirituall warfare Vers 3. He appointed also the kings portion of his substance for the burnt-offerings to wit for the morning and evening burnt-offerings c. All the particular sacrifices here mentioned as is written in the law of the Lord that is which in the law were severally prescribed for every feast and for the daily sacrifice Num. 28. they were ordinarily provided by the people in generall as it was also afterward Nehem. 10.32 33. Also we made ordinances for us to charge our selves yearely with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God for the shew-bread and for the continuall meat-offering and for the continuall burnt-offerings of the Sabbaths and of the new moons c. but now it seems to ease the people in their poverty Hezekiah appointed a portion for and toward these services out of his own substance Vers 4. He commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord. That is that they might not be distracted with worldly cares of providing for themselves nor follow their callings heavily for want of maintenance but might chearfully bend themselves wholly to the service of the Lord. Vers 5. The children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of corn wine and oyle c. To wit those in and about Jerusalem where the commandment was first given for of the Israelites inhabiting the other cities of Judah the following verse speaks or else in this verse there is mention of the tithes and first-fruits of such as grew out of the earth and in the following verse of the tithes of cattell and such other things And concerning the children of Israel and Judah that dwelt in the cities of Judah they also brought in the tythes of oxen and sheep and the tithe of holy things that is all other tithes that were by the Law of God due which are here called the tithe of holy things because the tithes were to be set apart from the rest of their goods as things consecrated and holy to the Lord yet happely these words are specially intended of those second tithes which were not given for the maintenance of the Levites but separated for other holy uses for which see Deut. 14.22 and Levit. 27.30 Vers 7. In the third moneth they began to lay the foundation of the heaps and finished them in the seventh moneth For in the third moneth was their harvest and therefore the feast of Pentecost which was in that moneth was called the feast of harvest and in the seventh moneth they gathered all other fruits of the land and therefore the feast of Tabernacles which was in that moneth was called the feast of in gathering in the end of the yeare Exod. 23.16 Vers 9. Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps That is he demanded how it came to passe that they had spent no more of that provision that was brought in for them Vers 10. And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him c. There were still two chief priests of the two severall families of Eleazar and Ithamar that had the chief command in the Temple under the high priest of which it seems this Azariah was one who is therefore also called vers 13. the ruler of the house of God For the Lord hath blessed his people and that which is left is this great store That is since they brought in their first fruits and tithes God hath so abundantly blessed the people that their offerings have yielded us sufficient provision and this overplus which is left besides Vers 12. And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicate things faithfully over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler c. To wit to see the offerings and the tithes and the dedicate things safely stored up and carefully preserved in the severall garners or chambers appointed for them and to keep an account both of what was brought in and what was delivered forth according to the order established 1. Chron. 26.20 Vers 14. And Kore the sonne of Imnah the Levite the porter toward the east was over the
may be reconciled to the people that are called by his name if we use the means that he hath appointed namely if we believe and repent and forsake our sinnes and put away the strange wives that are amongst us and this too there is great hope the people will be wonne to do Vers 3. Let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are born of them c. This is the course which Shechaniah propounds to Ezra for the pacifying of Gods wrath namely that they should put away their strange wives and the children that were born of them and two particulars he addes concerning the manner of doing this that Ezra might the readily approve of it to wit first that it should be commended to the people by the advice of Ezra and those other godly Israelites that were now assembled to him which we have in those words according to the counsel of my Lord and those that tremble at the commandment of our God and thus he intimates too for Ezraes incouragement that those that were religiously affected were afraid of Gods judgements because of this sin would willingly joyn in promoting this work and secondly that they should mannage this great businesse according to the warrant direction of Gods Law and let it be done according to the Law and hereby I conceive it is evident that where the Law did forbid the Jews to marry any infidell remaining an infidell as Deut. 7.3 and Exod. 34.16 it did also by necessary consequence enjoyn those that had married such wives to put them away and in some sence their children also Indeed the judgement of Expositours is different conerning their way of doing this for some conceive that their wives were put away as no lawfull wives because their marrying them was not warrantable by Gods Law and again others think that they were put away by bills of divorce which they say was principally intended in that clause and let it be done according to the Law But now for their children born of such wives though some conceive that they also were cast off as illegitimate and born by unlawfull copulation and turned out of their families the rather that the sight of them might not by degrees winne them to receive back their mothers again yet this I can by no means approve for though it should be granted that such children were to be esteemed as bastards yet surely their fathers were to provide for them and therefore by putting away the children born of such wives nothing else is meant but that they were declared no true free-born members of the people of Israel which may be confirmed by this that in Nehemiahs reformation that place Deut. 23.3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the congregation of the Lord is alledged as the ground why they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude Neh. 13.1.3 concerning which see the notes there and questionlesse the parents of these children maintained and brought them up and took care that they might be instructed in the truth to the end that afterwards as Proselytes they might be joyned to the people of God but however that this at the most was but a part of Moses politie a Law not in force now many gather from that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 7.12 13. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not and she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away c. and again 1. Pet. 3.1 Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be wonne by the conversation of the wives Vers 6. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Johanan the sonne of Eliashib Eliashib was the sonne of Joiakim and grandchild of Jeshua the high priest Neh. 12.10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim and Joiakim begat Eliashib and Eliashib begat Joiada and was himself high priest in Nehemiahs time Neh. 3.1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests c. Johanan therefore his sonne was doubtlesse of chief account amongst the priests at this time and for this cause it seems Ezra went into his chamber that there with the princes he might consult how to effect that reformation to which the forementioned assembly had sworn to yield Vers 8. All his substance should be forfeited and himself separated from the congregation c. That is excommunicated from the number of Gods people and this was the punishment denounced against those that would not come to the assembly that Ezra had called Vers 9. Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together c. That is all that inhabited in the land of Judah and Benjamin for there were many of the ten tribes that were come from Babylon chap. 1.5 who doubtlesse came now to this meeting together with those of Judah and Benjamin It was the ninth moneth and the twentieth day of the moneth c. Which was about the beginning of our December a time usually of much cold and rain and thence is that which follows And all the people sate in the streets of the house of God that is in the place of the outer court which was it may be not yet walled in trembling because of this matter and for the great rain Vers 12. Then all tht congregation answered and said with a loud voice As thou hast said so must we do Yet within a few years they returned to this there vomit again Vers 14. Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand c. That is let the supreme rulers of all Israel to wit the Sanhedrim be appointed to sit dayly here in Jerusalem for the hearing of this businesse namely who they were that had married strange wives that had not embraced the faith of Israel or that were since their marriage relapsed to idolatry and let those that are found guiltie in every citie be brought hither in their turns to appear before them and with them the Elders and judges of every citie to testifie against them and to make affidavit that upon diligent search and enquiry made these and these onely have been found guilty and so let the businesse be dispatched first with the inhabitants of one citie and then with another untill at length all the strange wives be put away and so the fierce wrath of our God may be turned away from us Vers 15. Onely Jonathan the sonne of Asahel and Jahaziah the sonne of Tikvah were employed about this matter c. To wit besides those mentioned vers 14. the rulers of all the congregation which is in Jerusalem to sit in judgement and the Elders and judges in every citie who used after diligent search made to bring those they found faulty before them and the other rulers in Jerusalem these foure here mentioned were it seems chosen for this particular businesse in hand either to joyn with that
Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber TO THE Right worshipfull Mr. Augustine Philips Master Mr. Clement Cooley Mr. George Reinolds Mr. Thomas Stevenson and Mr. Edmond Clark Wardens Together with the rest of the Assistants of the Company of the CLOTH-WORKERS My very loving and much honoured friends Right worshipfull HAving but a very few years since published for the good of those that desire to reade the Scripture with understanding Certain short Notes of Exposition upon the five books of Moses and finding that they have been entertained by many with farre greater esteem and approbation then ever I expected or they deserved I have now adventured to send forth the rest after them which I had then lying by me to wit the like Notes upon the remaining historicall part of the old Testament and indeed I did then in a manner engage my self by promise that if those found welcome these ere long should follow after and having been often since pressed to make good that promise by the importunity of many Christian friends but especially those of my reverend brethren in the Ministery whose judgement I prized above mine own there lay an obligation upon me for the satisfying of their desires which I could not gainsay Now as the first part of these Annotations I did then dedicate to that particular congregation which the Lord hath been pleased to commit to my care so this second part I now make bold to present unto you who above twenty years since were also pleased to choose me to dispense the word of grace unto you at some set times of your solemn meetings and whom in many other respects I have great cause to love and honour It were indeed engagement enough if there were nothing else to endear my affections to this worthy Society that my dear father whose memory is precious with me and both his brothers were whilest they lived members of this Company and in their times too honoured with those places of credit and trust which since your selves have severally born But besides this it is well known how much I owe you and I willingly thus declare it that this may remain as a publick testimony of my thankfulnesse to you not onely for the great love and respect you have ever shown to me upon all occasions but also especially for the bounteous support which for divers years you have been pleased to afford to one of mine for my sake Adde therefore I beseech you to your former favours the gracious acceptance of this piece of my labours and the God of all grace improve it to you for your spirituall advantage Histories of former times have been ever acknowledged both most pleasant and most profitable if a faire prospect from a high hill be so pleasing to the eye how pleasant must it needs be to the mind of man to have the memorable passages of ancient times presented to our view in a fair prospect of History as if we had then lived to see those things done But above all it must needs be thus in the History of the Scripture both because this chiefly acquaints us with the dispensations of Gods providence towards his Church the dearly beloved of his soul in comparison of whom the rest of the world is not worth the regarding and likewise because this was written by the unerring pen of men inspired by the holy Ghost and that purposely too as the Apostle saith for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope But what need I commend to you the usefulnesse of any part of Gods word which I hope you esteem with David above thousands of Gold and silver If these Annotations shall afford any help for the understanding of such passages in these books as may seem at first somewhat intricate and obscure I have my desire My prayer shall ever be for this worthy Company that the word of Christ may dwell in you richly in all wisdome and that God would still raise up many amongst you that may be to others patterns of piety and zeal for Gods truth in this honourable City and so I rest Your Worships ever ready to do you any service I am able ARTHUR JACKSON The Preface to the READER Christian Reader WHat I prefixed by way of Preface before my Annotations upon the five books of Moses may serve also for these upon the remaining Historicall part of the old Testament these being carried on in the same manner and with respect unto the same ends as the other were Onely one thing I thought good to adde here which is this that there are some Expositions which as I went along I met with so often in so many severall places such as that where men desperately wicked are termed children of Belial and that where the Church is called the Lords portion and the Lords inheritance and some other of the like nature that I was at last wearied with referring the Reader so often to those places where I had formerly given the grounds of those expressions and so resolved to avoid the tedium of such reiterated references rather to leave every man by himself to consider where the like expression was formerly used which by the help of a Concordance at least may be easily found that so there he might seek for satisfaction herein Further then this I have not at present to advertise you concerning these Notes but am onely now to desire your favourable acceptance of what is here published Indeed when the late Annotations came forth upon the whole Bible composed by divers worthy Divines authorized thereto by command of Parliament I did at first question whether there would now be any need of these But considering with my self first that those for the most part are very brief as being at first intended onely for marginall notes secondly that there are very few Expositours that have written upon this part of the Bible and therefore a supply of further help herein could not be thought altogether uselesse and thirdly that I was in some sort already engaged by promise for these Annotations which I formerly made known were then collected I did at last in these regards determine to proceed in my former resolutions Whether I shall ever go on any further in this way the Lord onely knows the infirmities of age grow so fast upon me that I may well fear I shall not And besides there is little encouragement for any work of this nature in these contentious times There are some we see risen up amongst us that are not afraid to deny the Scriptures to be Gods word which must needs be the ruine of religion and open a doore to all profanenesse and Atheisme should it be suffered in the land But we trust the Magistrate whom God hath so highly honoured will be so zealous for the honour of God as ere long to stop the mouthes of such blasphemers and in the mean season none but those that are given up of God to believe lies will
their governour was dead he should now as his successour go before the people in his stead secondly to imply that as Moses in his magistracy was subordinate to Gods will and was onely to do all things according to his direction so must it be with Joshua too and thirdly that by speaking thus honourably of Moses Moses my servant Joshua might be encouraged faithfully to serve God in his place as Moses had done that he also might gain such favour and esteem with God as Moses had gained Vers 3. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given unto you c. That is every place in the land formerly promised them which is described and bounded in the following words first by the wildernesse that they had passed through which was their South bound secondly the mountain Lebanon and the great river the river Euphrates which was their North border and thirdly the great Sea that is the midland-sea which was their West border as for their Eastern border that is not here mentioned because the Israelites were now at the East side of the land and the drift of these words was onely to shew Joshua how farre the land he would give them should reach every where from the place where they now were Indeed that the Israelites did never extend the bounds of the land thus farre is evident for though in Davids and Solomons time all the nations as farre as Euphrates became tributaries to the crown of Israel 1. Kings 4.21 Solomon raigned over all kingdomes from the river that is the great river Euphrates unto the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt c. yet they never destroyed the inhabitants there and planted themselves in their countrey as they did in the land of Canaan and therefore in that place before cited ver 25. the land of Israel is said to reach onely from Dan to Beersheba as formerly But the reason of this was because the people of Israel failed in keeping covenant with God and it was onely upon condition of their obedience that God promised thus farre to inlarge their borders Vers 5. As I was with Moses so I will be with thee c. In these words the Lord doth not onely promise Joshua to assist him as he had assisted Moses but withall likewise by putting him in mind of the great things he had done for Moses he doth covertly encourage him against the fear of those mighty nations with whom he was to encounter Vers 6. Be strong and of a good courage c. We find this often pressed upon Joshua first by Moses Deut. 31.7 And Moses called unto Joshua and said unto him in the sight of all Israel Be strong and of a good courage c. for which he had a speciall command from God Deut. 1.38 and 3.28 Charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him c. secondly by the Lord himself Deut. 31.23 and so again three severall times in this chapter here and vers 7. and vers 9. and last of all by the people And why was this not because Joshua had discovered any faintheartednesse or cowardise but first because the work he was to undertake was so weighty and perillous and that not onely in regard of those many and mighty nations whom he was to destroy and plant the Israelites in their room but especially also in regard of the stubbornnesse of the people whom he was to govern of whose rebellion against Moses yea against God he had often been an eye-witnesse secondly because the Lord knew well that Joshua had humble and low thoughts of himself and feared much his insufficiency for so great a charge as indeed the wiser and the more able men are the more jealous they are of themselves in such cases and thirdly because even those that are best resolved do yet need to be quickned and stirred up and that principally lest they should shrink from doing exactly what God hath enjoyned them for fear of any difficulty that may lie in their way of which God gives Joshua speciall warning in the following verse Onely be thou strong and very couragious that thou mayest observe to do according to all the Law which Moses my servant commanded thee c. For unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land c. As if he had said this I have appointed to be thy honour and therefore be not afraid to undertake the charge And indeed this was the principall thing wherein Joshua was a type of Christ Moses did not carry the Israelites into the land of Canaan but Moses being dead Joshua did it so neither could the Law carry us into the heavenly Canaan for by the righteousnesse of the Law can no man be saved but Christ our Jesus our Saviour hath by his merits opened a way for us into the heavenly Canaan and is gone before to prepare a place for us John 14.2 3. I go to prepare a place for you And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also Vers 7. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest If we reade the words as it is in our Bibles then there is here a promise implyed That if Joshua did strictly observe Gods law not yielding any way to turn aside from that rule he should prosper in every thing that he undertook But if we reade the last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles that thou mayest do wisely whithersoever thou goest then the drift of these words must be either to give Joshua to understand that it would be his greatest wisdome to do in all things as God in his Law had enjoyned him whatever his own reason might suggest to the contrary which agrees with that of the Prophet Jer. 8.9 They have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdome is in them Or else to assure him that if he did sincerely observe to do all things according to Gods law then the Lord would more abundantly poure forth the spirit of wisdome upon him which agreeth with that of David Psal 25.12 What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse and that of our Saviour Matth. 13.12 Whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance Vers 8. This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth c. The book of the Law which Moses wrote was delivered to the Levites to be laid up by them in the side of the ark Deut. 31.25 26. it was therefore a copy of this law whereof the Lord here spake to Joshua This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth and the meaning of this is that by frequent and continuall reading and conference he should labour to be so expert in it that in all his
which is ordinarily found in other men for the defence of their countrey against an enemie CHAP. IV. Vers 2. TAke ye twelve men out of the people out of every tribe a man c. being passed over Jordan the Lord repeats the charge given them before chap. 1. vers 12. And indeed therefore was it there onely briefly touched because it was to be here again more largely expressed Vers 3. Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan out of the place where the Priests feet stood firm twelve stones c. In the seventh verse the reason is expressed why these twelve stones were to be taken up out of Jordan about the place where the Priests had stood with the ark and to be carried to the place where they were to lodge that night which was Gilgal vers 19. namely that they might there stand as a memoriall to succeeding generations of this miraculous work when the Lord was pleased to divide Jordan before the ark that the twelve tribes might passe over to take possession of the land which he had given them for an inheritance But may some say seeing the tribes of Reuben and Gad and one half of the tribe of Manasseh had already their inheritance assigned them without Jordan yea and were already in possession of it why were these tribes with the rest to testifie their thankfulnesse by setting up this memoriall of Gods miraculous dividing of Jordan before them Now for the answer of this it is not enough to say that about fourtie thousand of these tribes went over Jordan at this time with the rest of their brethren to assist them in their warres and that because these stones were set up in the name of the whole tribes and therefore the question still remains why these tribes were to come in for a share in erecting this monument of Gods praise that had for their particular no share in the mercie The truer answer therefore I conceive to be this That these tribes were to joyn with the rest herein first Because the whole people of Israel though consisting of twelve severall tribes were yet all one body and therefore no good could be done to any of the tribes but the whole body must needs have an interest in it and ought to be thankfull for it and secondly Because hereby they might shew that the land which was allotted them without Jordan was a part of that land of promise the possession whereof was thankfully acknowledged in those twelve stones which were now set up in Gilgal Vers 9. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan c. even this also no doubt the Lord had given in charge to Joshua though it be not expressed and that for the same end that the other were set in Gilgal For though they were hid under water yet the report of their being there set might be a memoriall of that great work and besides at a low ebbe they might happely be seen at least the dashing of the waters against them might be perceived And they are there unto this day This clause could not be written by Joshua and yet that proves not that Joshua wrote not this book since many such passages we find here and there even in the books of Moses Vers 10. For the Priests that bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan untill every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people according to all that Moses commanded Joshua This clause according to all that Moses commanded Joshua cannot be so understood as if Moses had particularly commanded Joshua that which was now done by the Priests and people in their passage over Jordan For Moses had never spoken of any such thing to Joshua but Joshua had received these directions immediately from God But the meaning of these words is onely this that all was done as God commanded Joshua which was according to what Moses had given Joshua in charge Moses had commanded Joshua to see that all things were done according to the word of the Lord and so it was in this particular of their passage over Jordan according to the charge he had received from Moses all things were done as the Lord commanded And the people hasted and passed over This haste which they made in passing over was not so much because a multitude of people were to passe over in a few houres and were afterwards to go as farre as Gilgal that day as from their fear and weaknesse of faith the sight of that mountain of waters which seemed ready to overwhelm them could not but scare them and hence it was that every man made all the speed he could out of that vale of the shadow of death Now this is the rather added in this place the more hereby to extoll the faith of the priests who stood still without moving in the midst of Jordan till the whole camp of Israel were gotten over into the land of Canaan and all other things were done concerning the stones set up in Gilgal and in the midst of Jordan as God had appointed Vers 13. About fourty thousand prepared for warre passed over c. To wit of Ruben Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh the rest being left in garrison for the defence of the land their wives children and cattell for at the last numbring of the people there was of the Reubenites fourty three thousand seven hundred and thirty and of the Gadites fourty thousand five hundred Numb 26.7 18. besides the half of Manassehs tribe who were in all fifty two thousand seven hundred Numb 26.34 Vers 19. And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first moneth Which was the very day whereon by the Law the lambe for the Passeover was to be set apart Exod. 12.3 And hereby it is clear that it was full fourty years within foure or five dayes from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt to their entrance into the land of promise for they came out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of the first moneth and now on the tenth day of the first moneth they entred the land of Canaan Vers 23. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you untill ye were passed over c. The Israelites are appointed thus to answer their children for many generations after when they should inquire concerning those stones that were set up in Gilgal even as if that miracle had been wrought for them in their own persons the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you c. and that because in that the Lord did this for their Ancestours he did it for them who were then in the loyns of their Ancestours and that in regard of the profession of the same faith they might look upon that which was done for their Ancestours as a pledge of his fatherly love to them also and his care of their welfare CHAP. V. Vers 2. AT that
Canaanites and touched not one of the Israelites Vers 12. Then spake Joshua unto the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites c. For the better understanding of this miraculous passage concerning Joshuas commanding the sunne to stand still we must know first That whereas it is said in the first place that Joshua spake to the Lord thereby is meant that he did first pray unto the Lord that this miracle might be wrought and that to the end they might have the more time to pursue and destroy the Amorites and then by the same speciall instinct of Gods spirit that moved him to desire this of God being fully assured that God had heard his prayer and that what he desired should be done he commanded the sunne to stand still c. secondly That whereas in the next clause it follows and he said in the sight of all Israel Sunne stand thou still c. this is added to shew the assurance of his faith because he was so undoubtedly perswaded that God would certainly do what he had prayed for and desired the people should take notice of it for their future encouragement openly in the presence of all the people he looked up to the heavens and speaking as it were to the sunne said Sunne stand thou still c. and happely with relation to the peoples gazing upon him when in so strange a manner they saw him look up to the sunne and command the sunne to stand still this phrase is used and he said not in the audience but in the sight of all Israel Sunne stand thou still c. thirdly That for the words themselves which Joshua spake Sunne stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon there is nothing can be certainly concluded but that he did as it were adjure the sunne and moon by the Almighty power of God to stand still just in the place wherein they were when he spake unto them that so the sunne might still give light till they had made an end of pursuing and destroying their enemies and that hereby must needs be intended the stay of the whole body of the moveable heaven together with the sunne and the moon for it cannot be meant of staying that peculiar motion of the Orbs of the sunne and moon whereby they move severally from the west to the east for the lengthening of the day could not depend upon that but it must be meant of the motion of the heaven whereby the sunne and moon together with all the other heavenly Orbs are carried about by the motion of the supreme Sphere in the space of foure and twenty houres from the east to the west Some indeed would conclude from these words that it was at noon day when Joshua commanded the sunne to stand still namely because it was when the sunne was right over Gibeon as the words they say implie Sunne stand thou still upon Gibeon and that therefore also it is said vers 13. so the sunne stood still in the midst of heaven and then they take the next clause to be added and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon by way of expressing the same thing in other words to wit that the moon also should stand still and not bring in night upon them Again others would inferre from these words that it was towards sunneset when Joshua commanded the sunne to stand still and that first Because it is most probable that the fear of want of daylight to pursue the enemie when he saw the sunne decline apace towards its setting was the occasion that moved Joshua to desire this miraculous stay of the sunne and secondly Because the words seem to implie that he saw the moon also when he said and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon as indeed about the new of the moon it is usually seen towards sunne-setting But I say neither of these can be gathered from the text The drift doubtlesse of Joshua was onely to expresse that the heavenly Orbs should stand still to the end the sunne might not set but continue still to give them light in those parts onely the more rhetorically to set forth the wonder of the miracle he mentions both sunne and moon the two great lights of heaven together with Gibeon and Ajalon two places not farre distant one from another Sunne stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou moon in the valley of Ajalon Vers 13. Is it not written in the book of Jasher That is in the book of the upright which seemeth to have been some historie or continued chronicle of the memorable acts of Gods worthies in those times which is now lost it is mentioned again 2. Sam. 1.18 So the sunne stood still in the midst of heaven and hasted not to go down a whole day So that this day was twice as long as it should otherwise have been Vers 14. And there was no day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkened to the voyce of a man c. For though in Hezekiahs time the day was miraculously lengthened by the sunnes going backward 2. Kings 20.11 And Isaiah the Prophet cried unto the Lord and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward by which it had gone down in the diall of Ahaz yet it was not lengthened so much by farre as this was to wit not above two houres and a half and besides that was not done upon the motion of a man desiring it and after prayer commanding as it were that it should be so as this was which is that which is here principally intended and therefore is it that the prophets do often allude to this where they speak of the great things which God had done or would do for his people Hab. 3.11 The sunne and moon stood still in their habitation at the light of thine arrows they went and at the shining of thy glittering spear and Isa 28.21 For the Lord shall rise up in mount Perazim he shall be wrath as in the valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to passe his act his strange act Vers 15. And Joshua returned and all Israel with him unto the camp at Gilgal It is evident that the severall passages related in the sequel of this chapter were done before they returned to the camp at Gilgal We must therefore know that here is set down beforehand the issue of this warre and then afterward the Authour proceeds to relate the particulars and then concludes with these very words again vers 43. And Joshua returned and all Israel with them unto the camp at Gilgal Vers 21. And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace The settled camp of the Israelites was in Gilgal as is evident by that which is said before vers 15. And Joshua returned and all Israel with him to the camp at Gilgal But because Joshua with the greatest part of the armie which he had brought out to raise the
is I told him truly what I thought of the land and of our going to possesse it nor did either for fear or favour of any man speak one word otherwise then as in my conscience I thought I did not say as the other spies said to please them nor did I on the other side encourage the people to enter upon the land thereby to currie favour either with Moses or the people but I did it sincerely because I did indeed verily believe that God would certainly deliver it into our hands Nor can this be counted any blemish to Caleb that he thus speaks in his own commendation That his brethren might not tax him either of injustice or ambition for that which he was now about to require of Joshua it was fit he should shew upon what just grounds it was at first promised him Vers 8. My brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt but I wholly followed the Lord my God To wit by perswading the people to enter the land which the Lord had brought them to even when the rest of the spies did so exceedingly discourage them which was a singular proof of the uprightnesse of Calebs heart towards God Vers 9. And Moses sware on that day saying Surely the land whereon thy feet have troden shall be thine inheritance c. Hereby it is evident that there was a particular promise made unto Caleb at Kadesh-Barnea that Hebron and the land adjoyning should be his when the Israelites came to possesse Canaan and that this place in the land was given him rather then any other because when the spies had seen those giants the Anakims and were stricken with fear when they saw them there Numb 13.22 And they ascended by the south and came unto Hebron where Ahiman Sheshai and Talmai the children of Anak were and yet Caleb afterward opposed these his fainthearted brethren and when they objected the invincible strength of the place and people he encouraged his people and assured them that they should easily vanquish them either therefore those places in Moses his story concerning Caleb must be understood of this particular gift though at first reading they would not seem to import so much Numb 14.24 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 possesse it And again Deut. 1.36 Save Caleb the sonne of Jephunneh he shall see it and to him will I give the land that he hath troden upon and to his children because he hath wholly followed the Lord or else there was some particular promise made to him concerning this inheritance together with that mentioned in those places forenamed though it be not expressed and that confirmed with an oath pronounced by Moses in the name of the Lord. For so we reade it Num. 14.21 23 24. But as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord c. Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it 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 possesse it Vers 10. And now behold the Lord hath kept me alive as he said these fourty and five years c. As if he should have said God hath you see even miraculously preserved my life and strength and so reserved me as it were to enjoy this portion of land which was then promised me Vers 11. As my strength was then even so is my strength now for warre both to go out and come in See the note upon Numb 27.17 Vers 12. Now therefore give me this mountain whereof the Lord spake in that day That is the mountainous countrey promised him by Moses wherein Hebron Debir and some other towns stood See chap. 11.21 For thou heardest in that day that the Anakims were there and that the cities were great and fenced This he may speak as intimating that seeing he himself would undertake the expelling of the giants that dwelt there though the most formidable in all the land of Canaan his desire was the more reasonable because he was to get with so much danger and difficulty the place that he desired of them But I rather conceive that this is added to clear it that this was the place promised him to wit because it was the place where the Anakims dwelt whose huge bodies and great fenced cities were formerly so dreadfull to the other spies that went with him If so be the Lord will be with me then I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said This he saith not as doubting Gods faithfulnesse and assistance but as thereby implying the difficulty of the work but that he reposed himself on the help and assistance of God see the note chap. 11.24 Vers 13. And Joshua blessed him and gave unto Caleb the sonne of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance That is he commended him approved his motion granted his request and desired God to blesse it both to him and his How this is said to be Calebs inheritance that was afterwards given to the Levites see chap. 21.11 Vers 15. And the land had rest from warre We have this clause before chap. 11.23 Here it is repeated again 1. to intimate That though the foregoing passage concerning Calebs desiring Hebron be here inserted yet it was done before Joshua had ended his warres and that however all the victories of Joshua be recorded in the tenth and eleventh chapters because he would joyn them altogether yet many of these things hereafter expressed were done before the warres were ended and secondly To make way hereby to the relation of that which was further done concerning the division of the land which was not till the land had rest CHAP. XV. Vers 1. THis then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families even to the border of Edom c. In this chapter the narration of the dividing the land within Jordan by lot is continued which was broken off in the foregoing chapter to shew how Caleb demanded that Hebron and the adjacent mountain might be reserved to him as his by an extraordinary promise which God had long since made to him That the lots were onely to decide in what part of the countrey each tribe should be planted and that afterwards the quantitie of the land which each tribe should have was set out by Joshua Eleazar and the heads of the tribes chosen to be the men that should divide the land is noted before upon the second verse of the foregoing chapter as likewise Num. 26.55 What manner of lottery they used in this businesse is no where expressed The common opinion of the Hebrew writers is that there were two pots or other vessels set before the Tabernacle the
Jordan was the utmost bounds of the land of promise and that therefore those without Jordan were no true Israelites nor had any thing to do with the worship of God in his Tabernacle Vers 31. This day we perceive that the Lord is among us because ye have not committed this trespasse against the Lord. This being the greatest and surest signe of Gods gratious presence amongst a people when he preserves them from falling into scandalous sinnes Now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord. Not by diverting any punishment which the Lord was ready to inflict but by avoiding that sinne which might have drawn some heavy judgement not onely upon themselves but upon the whole body of the people if they had fallen into it Vers 34. For it shall be a witnesse between us that the Lord is God This is the reason which the tribes without Jordan give why they called the altar they had set up Ed which signifieth a witnesse to wit because standing in the middest betwixt them within Jordan and them without it should be a witnesse that they without Jordan meant to acknowledge and worship no other God then he whom their brethren worshipped even the Lord Jehovah onely CHAP. XXIII Vers 2. ANd Joshua called for all Israel c. That is the representative body of all Israel to wit as it is explained in the following words the Elders of each tribe together with their Magistrates and Judges and Officers Vers 5. And the Lord your God He shall expell them from before you c. That is though I die and leave the work which is begun unfinished yet assure your selves if you continue stedfast to the Lord he who indeed hath done what hath been done will perfect the work begun and perform all that he hath promised he shall expell the rest of the nations that are not yet expelled before you Vers 7. That ye come not amongst these nations these that remain among you c. That is that ye no wayes familiarly converse with them and this is mentioned in the first place because they that yield familiarly to converse with Idolatours will by degrees be also drawn to the evils mentioned in the following words even to make marriages with them to swear by their gods and at last to bow down to them and worship them As for making mention of the names of their gods the next particular here forbidden see the note Exod. 23.13 Vers 8. But cleave unto the Lord your God as ye have done unto this day By cleaving to the Lord is meant that they should continue constant in yielding obedience to God and in resting and relying upon him yea upon him alone as their God alsufficient Nor need it seem strange unto us that he should say of a people that had been so prone to rebell against God Cleave unto the Lord as ye have done unto this day For first the Israelites though they were ever and anon murmuring against God and turning aside from the way of his commandments yet they had never for the generallity cast off the worship of the true God to go after the gods of the heathen And secondly this Joshua might speak with reference to the time of his government as ye have done to this day that is since the time you entred the land of Canaan or since the time you came to be under my government for indeed since that time we reade not of any notable rebellion of this people against God it is said that the people served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua Judg. 2.7 Vers 12. Else if you do in any wise go back and cleave unto the remnant of these nations c. Here Joshua begins to tell them how severely God would punish them in case they did go back that is revolt from that good way of their obedience to God wherein they had hitherto gone and cleave unto the remnant of those nations that is marry them and lie with them for so this phrase of cleaving to those nations is explained in the following words and shall make marriages with them and go in unto them and they to you Yet I know that this word cleave may be meant generally of any joyning themselves to those nations either in leagues or otherwise Vers 13. But they shall be snares and traps unto you and scourges in your sides and thornes in your eyes c. To wit because they will be continually by their allurements drawing you to idolatry and other sinnes and by their injuries vexing and disquieting you yet some hold that by being thorns in their eyes is meant that they should by degrees so farre blind them that they should not be able to discern the clear light of the truth See Numb 33.55 Vers 14. And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth c. That is I see my death approcheth now because I cannot hope long to continue amongst you to keep you constant in your covenant with God therefore I thought good to give you warning that after my departure ye depart not from the Lord and to tell you beforehand what will become of you if you transgresse the covenant of the Lord your God Vers 15. So shall the Lord bring upon you all evill things untill he have destroyed you from off this good land c. That is as the Lord hath hitherto made good all that he hath promised you so if you transgresse his covenant he will bring upon you all the evils threatned even at last the causing of you to be carried captive out of this good land and this last judgement of destroying them out of the land of Canaan he particularly insists upon because it must needs affect them to heare of losing so goodly a land when after so many years travels and difficulties they were now newly entred into it CHAP. XXIIII Vers 1. ANd Joshua gathered all the tribes to Shechem c. The assembly mentioned in the foregoing chapter vers 2. concerning which see the note there and the exhortation which Joshua used then to the people was when Joshua apprehended he had not long to live chap. 23.14 And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth yet it seems that after that fearing much what the people world do after his death he resolved again to call another assembly of the representative body of the kingdome that he might there again presse them to continue constant in their obedience to God after his death and to that purpose might cause them to renew their covenant with God which accordingly he did at Shechem as it is here said Many Expositours understand this of Shiloh where indeed the tabernacle was seated chap. 18.1 which they say is here called Shechem because it stood in the field of Shechem and that because it is said in this verse that the assembly presented themselves before God and because vers 26. there is mention of the Sanctuary
they began presently to provoke the Lord with their sinnes For it is evident that these cities were not long after this inhabited by the Philistines chap. 3.1 2 3. Now these are â—he nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them c. Namely five Lords of the Philistines c. and so again 1. Sam. 6.17 Now these are the golden Emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespasse-offering unto the Lord For Ashdod one for Gaza one for Askelon one for Gath one for Ekron one As for Ekron one of the cities here mentioned it was in Dans lot Josh 19.43 therefore it seems that the tribe of Judah joyned with those of Dan as well as with those of Simeon for the clearing of their coasts the rather because they could not hold those cities they had gotten from the Philistines if they had let them alone in this neighbouring citie Vers 19. And the Lord was with Judah and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain This clause and the Lord was with Judah is added to shew of what difficulty their attempts were if the Lord had not been with them and withall to condemne their cowardise that durst not proceed in their conquests against the inhabitants of the valleys having had such incouraging experience of Gods assistance But could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron Their own fears disabling them and God for their sinnes withdrawing himself from them Concerning these chariots of iron see the note Josh 17.16 Vers 21. And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem c. See Josh 15.63 Vers 26. And the man went into the land of the Hittites and built a city Whence it seems probable that the Israelites did not onely spare his life and the life of his family but also gave him a rich reward to wit for shewing them the way into Bethel as is before said Vers 27. Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean c. See the note Josh 17.12 Thus in the dayes after the death of Joshua when it seems they had no one set over them in chief but were onely governed by the joynt-authority of the Elders in each tribe they began to be remisse in endeavouring to drive out the remainder of the Canaanites that dwelt in the land but were content to make peace with them and this was the first step of their defection from God which did by degrees lead them into grosser sinnes and greatly provoked the Lord to displeasure against them Vers 35. Yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed so that they became tributaries That is though the Danites were sorely for a time oppressed by the Amorites as is expressed before vers 34. And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley yet afterward with the help of the sonnes of Joseph who bordered upon Dans portion and came up to aid them they prevailed against them so that they became tributaries Vers And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim from the rock and upward This is added to shew how the Israelites through their own sloth suffered themselves to be hemmed in with these accursed enemies CHAP. II. Vers 1. ANd an Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim It is very hard to determine whether this were an Angel indeed or some man either priest or prophet that by speciall commission was sent at this time from God unto the people to reprove them for their sinnes The word in the originall may well be translated either angell or messenger as it is in the margin of our bibles and the reasons are very considerable which have moved many to think that it was some man of God that was sent to them to wit first because it is said that he came up from Gilgal not that he came down from heaven and so appeared to them and secondly because he spake in a generall assembly as is evident vers 4. where it is said that he spake unto all the children of Israel whereas the apparitions of Angels have been usually onely to some particular men in private But yet the most of Expositours conceive that it was a true Angel and that having assumed for this present service the body of man the Scripture therefore speaks of him as a man that he came up from Gilgal to Bochim and this they hold 1. Because he speaks after the manner of Angels not thus saith the Lord as the prophets were wont to speak but as in the person of God I made you to go up out of Egypt and 2. Because the Authour of this book elsewhere speaks differently of the prophet and the Angel as chap. 6.8 The Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel which said unto them Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I brought you up from Egypt and brought you forth out of the house of bondage But then vers 12. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him that is to Gideon and said unto him The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour Yea some hold that it was the sonne of God the Angel of the covenant who was wont thus to appear to the fathers and that because he ascribes here to himself that which was the work of God as the bringing this people out of Egypt and the making of a covenant with them However most probable it is that this was done in the dayes of the Elders that outlived Joshua and that before they began to worship the Gods of the nations they dwelt amongst for else doubtlesse this Angel or messenger of the Lord would have reproved them for their idolatry as well as for making a league of peace with the land It seems therefore that finding themselves sorely annoyed by the Canaanites in severall parts of the land there was an assembly of the people called of all the tribes that they might consult what was fit to be done and so thereupon the Lord sent his Angel to them with a message and very likely it is that it was some place about Shiloh where the people were now met together which upon occasion of the peoples weeping here was called Bochim that is weepers For first thither the tribes used to assemble themselves especially at their three solemn feasts and some generall assembly of the people there was at this time as is before noted and secondly the people did offer sacrifices there vers 5. and that they might onely do where the altar and tabernacle was Vers 2. But ye have not obeyed my voice why have ye done this That is consider how great and inexcusable your sinne is for these words why have ye done this are as much in effect as if he had said that they had not the least colour for that they had done and that if they were challenged to give a reason
why they had done it they could have nothing to say for themselves Vers 3. But they shall be as thorns in your sides See the note Numb 31.55 Vers 5. And they called the name of that place Bochim and they sacrificed there unto the Lord. Though by divine dispensation or at least Gods conniving at it the faithfull servants of God did sometimes sacrifice in other places then the Tabernacle for so did Samuel at Mizpeh 1. Sam. 7.6 and Gideon in Ophrah Judg. 6.24 yet there is no necessity that can force us to say it was so here For this Bochim might be in Shiloh or near about it where the Tabernacle was as is noted above vers 1. Vers 6. And when Joshua had let the people go the children of Israel went c. In the following part of this chapter is laid down in generall the summe of the whole book to wit Israels idolatrie and Gods dealing with them both in punishing them and delivering them again But the death of Joshua and the Elders which had seen the works of the Lord made way to this defection of Israel and therefore the story first begins with that and tells us how Joshua dismissed them from the camp where they had as yet continued together and sent them every tribe to their own portion which by lot in the late division of the land God had given them Vers 9. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres Josh 24.30 it is called Timnath-serah Vers 10. And there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord nor yet the works which he had done for Israel We need not inquire whether there were none now alive that knew the works of the Lord for there might be some that did as doubtlesse there were some likewise that did not fall away with the rest to the worship of idols and yet it might be said that there arose another generation that knew not the Lord c. namely because the greatest number was of that generation that had not seen the works of the Lord to wit those works which he did in Egypt yea many of them not those works which he did at their entrance into Canaan the dividing of Jordan c. and these they were that knew not the Lord that is effectually as the other generation had done who by the sight of Gods wondrous works were brought truly to fear the Lord. Vers 11. And the children of Israel did evill in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim That is the severall gods of the nations whom they called Baalim For Baal signifieth a Lord hence were those names so frequent amongst the great men of Carthage of Hannibal and Asdrubal and many others whereupon they called God by way of excellency Baal that is the Lord and when they came by degrees to fall to idolatry every man of renown that after his death was worshiped as a god was called Baal and by some of those eastern nations Bell Esa 46.1 Bell boweth down Nebo stoopeth yea and the severall planets which by the Chaldean Astrologers were said to rule in their severall houses in heaven were called Baalim that is Lords or rulers and so all the severall gods of the Chaldeans Syrians and Canaanites yea and severall idols and images of these gods were called Baalim Vers 13. And they forsook the Lord and served Baalim and Ashtaroth The goddesse of the Sidonians 1. Kings 11.5 And Solomon went after Ashtaroth the goddesse of the Sidonians 2. Kings 23.13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtaroth the abomination of the Sidonians and of the Philistines 1. Sam. 31.10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth yet it seems as Baalim was the common name of all their gods so was Ashtaroth the common name of all their goddesses Vers 10. And he delivered them into the hand of the spoilers that spoiled them he sold them into the hand of their enemies round about c. That is not onely suffered the enemies to enter upon the land carry away their goods whereby as with a gentler rod he did at first chastise them but at last he gave their persons also into the hands of those that made warre with them to be their bondslaves as a man should sell his child to be a servant or slave so did the Lord passe away the right which he had in them and put them under the power of the enemie who also sold them away here and there when they pleased Psal 44.12 Thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth by their price Vers 16. Neverthelesse God raised up judges that delivered them c. That is God stirred up men to undertake the avenging of them upon their enemies and to govern them according to the Laws of God and advanced them above others with the gifts of his Spirit that they might be fit for those great imployments Vers 17. And yet they would not hearken unto their Judges but they went a whoring after other gods c. That is for a while they hearkned unto them but not constantly within a while after they returned unto their evil wayes as it is more fully expressed vers 18 19. As for this phrase of going a whoring after other gods it is used frequently in the Scripture to imply mens unlawfull and base joyning of their souls to idols that were formerly entred into a covenant with God and therefore should have kept themselves solely to him as a wife to her husband and the rather doubtlesse is the blind mad and unreasonable zeal of idolaters compared to the violent and incorrigible lusts of whoremongers because as they that are once inflamed with those lusts are as men bewitched no counsell or perswasion doth any good upon them they care not what they spend what pains they take into what inconveniences they cast themselves so they may satisfie their lusts so it is with idolaters so bewitched they are that there is no disswading them no charge toil or danger can make them give over this abominable sinne Vers 18. For it repented the Lord because of their groanings c. See the note Gen. 6.6 Vers 19. And they returned and corrupted themselves more then their fathers Before it was said vers 19. that they returned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in which was meant of that generation which was immediately after those that in the dayes of Joshua and the godly Elders after him continued constant in the true Religion but this is now spoken of the children of those that in the following generation did apostatize from the true worship of God these their children though for a time during the life of their Judges they made a show of repentance and forsaking their idolatry yet when their Judges were dead they soon returned again
chap. 4.3 Twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel and thus when lighter corrections did no good the next were sorer and of longer continuance and because they abused Gods readinesse to repent and withdraw his hand when they cried unto him he continued the next judgements the longer upon them Vers 15. The Lord raised them up a deliverer Ehud the sonne of Gera a Benjamite a man left-handed Some conceive that this last particular of his being left-handed is purposely expressed to intimate by what weak means and dispised instruments God is wont many times to effect his greatest works but because it is generally held that no men are ordinarily more able and strong and fit for any service then left-handed men whence it is noted chap. 20.16 that amongst the children of Benjamin there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed every one could sling stones at an hairs breadth and not misse therefore I conceive that this is here noted of Ehud the second judge that God raised to the Israelites to imply rather the fitnesse of the instrument whom God chose for this service of killing Eglon to wit in that the stroke of such men is far the more harder either espied or guarded When Ehud began first to be judge of Israel it is not expressed Some conceive that Ehud was judge immediately after Othniels death and that he was their judge both in the time of their apostasie after Othniels death and likewise all the eighteen years that the Israelites were in bondage under Eglon king of Moab and whereas it is here said that when the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord the Lord raised them up a deliverer Ehud the sonne of Gera they take the meaning hereof to be onely this that God raised up the spirit of Ehud their judge to undertake the deliverance of the Israelites from their bondage and not that he was then first raised to be their judge But methinks according to the plain order of the words it should rather seem that upon the crying of the Israelites to the Lord when they had been eighteen years under the bondage of Eglon the Lord stirred him up to undertake their deliverance and thereupon afterwards he became their judge And by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon king of Moab Which Ehud embraced as a fit opportunity for the killing of Eglon because it would make him to be the lesse suspected Vers 16. But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges of a cubit length and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh Having resolved with himself to kill Eglon he provided him a dagger accordingly concerning which it is noted 1. That it had two edges that it might peirce the more readily and make the more deadly wound 2. That it was but of a cubit length to wit that it might be the better carried unseen under his garment and 3. That he did gird it upon his right thigh namely for the conveniency of drawing it forth with his left hand as for the same reason those that are right-handed use alwayes to wear their weapons on their left side Vers 17. And Eglon was a very fat man This is expressed to intimate that hereby Ehud had the better advantage to do what he intended for being such a corpulent and unwieldy man he was the lesse able to decline the stroke which Ehud gave him and besides the wound was like to be the more deadly Vers 18. And when he had made an end of offering the present he sent away the people that bare the present These words he sent away the people may imply the greatnesse of the present because there were so many to bear it to the king he sent them away before he would do the act he intended going himself along with them till he came to Gilgal and then returning again both that being alone he might the more conveniently accomplish his designe and also that they might be out of danger and himself not be incumbred with care for them when he was to slie for his life Vers 19. But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal and said I have a secret errand to thee O king The word translated quarries may also be traslated graven images as it is in the margine of our bibles and indeed it might well be that this Moabitish king had set up certain idols in Gilgal either to vex the Israelites therewith who happely esteemed Gilgal the more because there their forefathers had been circumcised and there the Tabernacle was for many years together or else that the Israelites might be wonne to worship them or else by way of honouring his idol-gods as it were testifying hereby that by their help he had entred successefully upon the land of Israel and then the mention that is here made of these images may be to intimate one reason amongst other wherewith God stirred the spirit of Ehud against Eglon namely because he had set up his idol-gods in the land of Israel But if we reade the word as it is in our bibles quarries that is pits out of which they cut hewed stones for their buildings then doubtlesse the drift of this clause is onely to shew how far Ehud went back with those that went with him before he returned again to the king of Moab As for those first words which he spake to Eglon when he came back to him I have a secret errand to thee O king it might be truly said in relation to that which he had to do an errand he had which was to be delivered to him in secret though not by word of mouth but by the stroke of his dagger and it was from God from whom he had his commission Yet surely Ehud intended that Eglon should understand him so as if in his return home he had been sent back with some message of great secresie which he was now come back to deliver Neither yet can we say that Ehud did evil in this his dissembling with Eglon and that because he had no doubt his call and warrant from God for what he did Who said Keep silence c. That is he bad Ehud forbear delivering his errand till his servants and attendants were gone out of the room Vers 20. And he was sitting in a summer parlour which he had for himself alone That is wherein Eglon used to be private by himself which is added that it may not seem strange that his servants waited so long without after Ehud was gone it was because it was a room wherein he used ordinarily to be alone by himself And Ehud said I have a message from God unto thee And he arose out of his seat Ehud had told the king before ver 19. that he had a secret errand unto him concerning which see the note there now he addes that the message he brought him was from God partly perhaps that being astonished with that word he might take the
Shamgar the sonne of Anath therefore it is commonly held that he was the next Judge after Ehud onely they say it was but for a very short time and thence it is that there is no mention of the lands resting under him and the story of Deborah in the following chapter begins as if she were the next after Ehud there being no mention made there of Shamgar at all vers 1. And the children of Israel did evill in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead However this miraculous deliverence which he wrought for the Israelites was certainly after Ehuds death for then it seems the people returned to their former sinnes and the Lord suffered the Philistines thereupon to invade the land but then he also delivered them miraculously by this worthy till finding that they would not be warned by these things he sold them into the hands of Jabin as it is expressed in the following chapter CHAP. IV. Vers 1. ANd the children of Israel again did evill in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead In none of the Judges dayes did the Israelites enjoy so long a peace as in the dayes of Ehud as is evident in that clause however we understand it chap. 3.30 Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel and the land had rest fourscore years and here we see what effect this long peace wrought amongst them and how ill they requited the Lord for so great a mercy even as standing waters are wont to putrifie so they were corrupted by their long peace and by degrees fell off from God as they had formerly done Vers 2. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan that reigned in Hazor See the note chap. 2.14 There was a Jabin that reigned in Hazor formerly who it is likely was called as this is here king of Canaan for Hazor is there said to be the head of all the neighbouring kingdomes Josh 11.10 the same who was the cheif in that confederacy against Joshua Joshua 11.1 but he was slain by Joshua and his city burnt with fire Josh 11.11 It seems therefore that this was some one of that stock who afterward recovered from the Israelites that part of the land and repaired the city Hazor and so reigned there again as his predecessours had done When this was done we cannot say but doubtlesse it was not in Joshuas time as some think for it is not to be thought that the Lord ever suffered the Canaanites to recover any part of the land which the Israelites had taken from them till they by their sinnes had provoked the Lord to anger against them But now at last not contented with his own kingdome it seems he made warre with the Israelites in generall brought them into bondage and no doubt oppressed them the more cruelly in revenge of that Joshua had done to Hazor and Jabin king thereof Josh 11.11 who perhaps was his father or grandfather And besides it must needs be most terrible to the Israelites to be oppressed by the Canaanites of all other nations because God had promised to cast them out before the Israelites so that their prevailing over them was in a speciall manner a signe that God had cast them off The Captain of whose host was Sisera which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles So called as it is probably thought because in the time of the Israelites prevailing against the severall nations of the Canaanites many of them fled thither as to a place of great strength and there fortified themselves unto this time or else for the reasons given in a like case Josh 12.23 Vers 3. For he had nine hundred chariots of iron and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel Concerning these chariots of iron see the note Josh 17.16 This clause and he mightily oppressed the children of Israel is no where else inserted where mention is made of the bondage of Israel under other kings and therefore it seems this king did farre more cruelly oppresse them then the rest had done which might be partly from the deadly hatred which the Canaanites above other nations did bear to the Israelites because the Israelites had taken their land from them and partly from the just vengeance of God upon the Israelites because God had afforded them so long a peace in the dayes of Ehud chap. 3.30 and they had made so ill an use of his long-suffering and goodnesse therein See the note also chap. 3.14 Vers 4. And Deborah a prophetesse c. A woman the weaker sex that the glory of the work might be given to God and not to the instrument he used Vers 6. And she sent and called Barak the sonne of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali c. That is Kedesh in the tribe of Naphtali to distinguish it from other towns of the same name in other tribes as Kedesh in Issachar 1. Chron. 6.72 Kedesh in Judah Josh 15.23 and others Now Deborah did thus send for Barak not of her own head chusing him as a man of eminency for the undertaking of the service but by speciall direction from God as the words she spake to Barak when he came to her do imply Hath not the Lord God of Israel commaded saying Go and draw toward mount Tabor c Deborah was a prophetesse and therefore no doubt God had revealed unto her that which now she imparted to Barak to wit either by secret instinct of his Spirit or perhaps by the ministry of an Angel for that some Angel did appear to her either before or after the battell which they fought with Sisera seems evident in that clause of Deborahs song chap. 5.26 Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof And take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun To wit first because they were nearest at hand secondly because Naphtali was likely to be the forwardest in this work because Barak was of that tribe and they were most oppressed Hazor and Harosheth being both in their tribe Vers 8. And Barak said unto her If thou wilt go with me then I will go c. Barak no doubt believed what Deborah had told him in the foregoing words as from the Lord namely that Sisera should be vanquished by him and therefore we see that he was willing to hazard his life and all that he had in rising against this mighty king that had brought the Israelites into bondage whence it is that Barak is commended for his faith by S. Paul and reckoned amongst those who through faith subdued kingdomes Heb. 11.32 33. But why then did he refuse to undertake the service enjoyned him unlesse Deborah would go along with him I answer partly because he considered that Deborah being a prophetesse he should have a great advantage in having her with him to pray for them to give them counsell and to advise them what to do upon every occasion but partly also no
of the Church and people of God and that she preferred their welfare before any thing that concerned her self CHAP. V. Vers 1. THen sang Deborah and Barak the sonne of Abinoam c. Deborah is first named here because she was a prophetesse and as upon this ground it is probably thought the composer of this song and in every respect the chief in this businesse as we see in the former chapter yet with her Barak is joyned too who as he was the chief Commander in the victory gotten so he was also one of the prime in singing Gods praises and he being of the tribe of Naphtali we have in this sweet song one instance of the accomplishment of that prophecy of Jacob concerning the tribe of Naphtali though it were not intended of this onely to wit that this tribe should give goodly words Gen. 49.21 Naphtali is a hind let loose he giveth goodly words Vers 2. Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel when the people willingly offered themselves Principally hereby are meant those of the tribe of Zebulun and Naphtali of whom Baraks army did chiefly consist though such of the other tribes as did put too their helping hand are not excluded and these are said to have offered themselves willingly because they did readily yield to follow Barak when he called them together though he had no authority to constrain them to take up arms God working their hearts thereto to whom therefore the praise is principally given Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel when the people willingly offered themselves Vers 3. Heare O ye kings give eare O ye princes c. Deborah undertaking in this song to ascribe to the Lord the glory of that victory which she and Barak had gotten over Sisera to shew what a glorious work God had therein done for his people in the first place in a poeticall strain she calls upon kings and princes to hearken to her Heare O ye kings give eare O ye princes thereby onely to imply that in the ecstasie of her joy she could be glad if all the kings and princes of the earth could heare what she had now to say concerning this great work which God had done for his Israel and she addresseth her speech particularly to kings and princes First because they are most ready to ascribe to themselves the glory which is due to the Lord onely and secondly because they are wont in their pride to oppresse others and to think they may do whatsoever they please and therefore she desired they might know what God had done to Jabin and Sisera and so beware of provoking God by oppressing others as these had done Vers 4. Lord when thou wentest out of Seir when thou marchest out of the field of Edom the earth trembled c. The most of Expositours understand this to be a poeticall expression of the terrours werewith the neighbouring nations were affrighted when the Lord carried the Israelites from the borders of Edom towards the land of Canaan to wit that there was then a trembling on every side so that not men onely but even the heavens and mountains and hills seemed to tremble and melt away and that even as Sinai trembled and shook at the Lords coming down upon it when the Law was given for to that end they conceive the melting or shaking of Sinai is mentioned vers 5. The mountains melted from before the Lord even that Sinai before the Lord God of Israel to wit by way of similitude so when the Lord in a pillar of fire marched before the Israelites against the Amorites the neighbouring nations were terribly amazed the Lord casting such a fear upon them as if the earth had trembled and great storms and tempests intermixt with thunder and lightnings had been showred down from the clouds yea as if the mountains had melted c. according to that Deut. 2.24 25. Rise ye up take your journey and passe over the river Arnon c. This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heavens who shall hear report of thee and shall tremble and be in anguish because of thee But I rather conceive that it is to be understood of those thunders lightnings earthquakes tempests and such other terrible expressions of Gods majestie wherein he manifested himself unto his people at the giving of the Law for then he is also said to come from Seir Deut. 33.2 And he said The Lord came down from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Paran and he came with ten thousand of saints from his right hand went a fiery Law for them and the shaking of Sinai we see is expressely mentioned vers 5. The mountains melted from before the Lord even that Sinai before the Lord God of Israel as it is also Psal 68.7 8. O God when thou wentest forth before thy people when thou didst march through the wildernesse Selah The earth shook the heavens also dropped at the presence of God even Sinai it self was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel and though there be no mention of the clouds dropping water at the giving of the Law yet there is of thunders and lightnings which are usually accompanied with violent showers But why should Deborah mention this here I answer first because Gods entring into covenant with them is the ground of all that he doth for his people and secondly because she would the better expresse how terrible God had been now to their adversaries by comparing the terrours of this day with those when the Law was given on mount Sinai and to intimate that God continued to do the same things still for his people that he had done for them from their first coming out of Egypt Vers 6. In the dayes of Shamgar the sonne of Anath in the dayes of Jael the high-wayes were unoccupied c. That is even from the death of Ehud whom Shamgar succeeded though he was a worthy champion and did miraculously avenge the Israelites upon the Philistines unto this present time wherein Jael lived though she were a woman of an heroicall spirit and one that grieved to see the poore people of God so miserably oppressed as was evident by that which she had now done for them the land was held in miserable desolation the people not daring to travell in the high-wayes nor to dwell in the villages but onely in the walled cities whither they all fled to secure themselves till God was pleased by me a poore woman to set on foot this work of their deliverance Vers 8. They chose new gods then was warre in the gates That is then was there warre in every city the Lord letting loose the neighbouring nations to make warre against the severall cities of Israel because they were corrupted with their idolatry Because a great part of the strength of their cities was in their gates therefore
something that concerned Baals sacrifice it was called the second bullock and that this bullock was chosen by the Lord rather then another because it was seven years old and hereby might signifie that the Midianites tyranny which had lasted seven years should now have an end together with the suppressing of Baals worship in the land And throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath and cut down the grove that is by it This is the second direction that is given here to Gideon to wit that he should throw down Baals altar and cut down the grove by it That all the inhabitants of Ophrah had an interest in this altar and grove we may see by their contestation with Gideons father about it vers 30. Then the men of the city said unto Joash Bring out thy sonne that he may die because he hath cast down the altar of Baal and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it It seems therefore that Joash Gideons father as being the chief magistrate of that place had built this altar at his own expence and upon his own ground though not for his use onely but for the publick use of all the inhabitants of Ophrah and that therefore the Lord calls it here his fathers altar However observable it is first that ere Gideon might go to fight against the Midianites the enemies of God and his people he was enjoyned to set on foot the reformation of Religion and the extirpation of superstition and idolatry which had provoked the Lord to displeasure against them thereby as it were to make way for a happy victory secondly that he was enjoyned to begin this work of reformation in the throwing down of his fathers altar c. Take thy fathers young bullock and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath the Lord thereby teaching him that he that would reform publick abuses must begin with his own family and friends and that in yielding obedience to God he might not fear to offend his father or any other that was dearest to him and that his affection to his father should make him most carefull to winne him from every way of false worship thirdly that before that charge is given him which followeth in the next verse concerning his building an altar to the Lord he is first here appointed to throw down Baals altar Gods altar and Baals the Ark and Dagon cannot stand together the true worship of God will not be accepted of God where Baals altars are not first thrown down Vers 26. And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock in the ordered place Or as it is in the margin in an orderly manner This is the third direction given to Gideon that when he had thrown down Baals altar and cut down the grove he must build an altar unto the Lord in that very place upon the top of the rock whereat the Angel first appearing to him the Lord had given him a signe by causing fire to come out of that rock to consume the provision that was laid thereon brought forth for the Angel Here therefore we have the command for the building of the altar the building whereof is related before and that place was no doubt purposely chosen for the building of this new altar to signifie that it was built to the honour of that God who had there appeared to him and that both by way of thankfullnesse for the mercy there promised and by way of imploring the accomplishing of that promise in the deliverance of his people from the oppression of the Midianites As for the last words if we reade them as they are in the margin in an orderly manner then the meaning may be either that he was to build the altar of earth and unhewen stones as was ordered in the Law of Moses Exod. 20.24 25. or else that he was to build it in such a manner that it might be convenient for the service that was to be done upon it the laying of the wood in order upon it and then the burning of the sacrifice thereon But if we reade it as it is in our text in the ordered place then thereby I conceive is onely meant that the altar was to be built in that very place of the rock which was before ordered to be the place whereon the provision was to be laid that Gideon had brought out for the Angel vers 20. and which was chosen as being plain and fit for this service And take the second bullock and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down It was not lawfull for any but the priest to offer sacrifice or to build any altar or to offer sacrifice any where but onely in the Tabernacle but here Gods speciall command was a sufficient warrant for Gideon Vers 27. Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had said unto him He took so many of his servants that it might be the more speedily dispatched because it was to be done before morning and observable it is that Gideon being a man that feared God even in those corrupt times had ten servants that were ready to joyn with him in suppressing the idolatry of Baal And so it was because he feared his fathers houshold c. That is because he feared them lest they should hinder him in that he had to do He was not affraid of any evil that they could do to him for he might well know that it would be known who had done it and this would prove as dangerous for him as if he had been taken in the doing of it but which he feared was lest he should be interrupted by them and kept from doing what God had charged him to do So that it is the wisdome and prudence of Gideon that is here commended that taking the advantage of the night and setting as many hands together at work as he could no body knew any thing of it to make head against him ere the work was done Vers 29. They said Gideon the sonne of Joash hath done this thing He might soon be suspected because he was known to be no friend of Baal but many other wayes also it might be discovered Vers 30. Then the men of the city said unto Joash Bring out thy sonne that he may die c. Herein was discovered the violent rage wherewith they were carried in their zeal for Baal Joash it seems was either their chief Magistrate or at least a man of chief note and esteem amongst them and well they might think that it would go much against him to deliver up his son to such an enraged multitude but so far were they transported with fury when they saw the altar of their idol-god thrown down that they regarded Joash no more now then another man nor will they stand to examine the cause nor to heare what Gideon can say for himself he had pulled down Baals altar and
the stream of a river it seems they chose this word to discover them by upon their desire to passe over the foards of the river Jordan And there fell at that time of the Ephraimites fourty and two thousand This was done in the land of the half tribe of Manasseh without Jordan and because we reade of a place in their countrey that was called the wood of Ephraim 2. Sam. 18.6 we may well conceive that it was so called because of this notable slaughter of the Ephraimites there Vers 15. And was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim in the mouth of the Amalekites So called as it seems because the Amalekites had formerly 〈…〉 that mountain CHAP. XIII Vers 1. ANd the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord c. This Apostacie of the children of Israel was doubtlesse in the dayes of Ibzan the next Judge after Jephthah chap. 12. vers 8. as may appear by the computation of those fourtie years wherein the Philistines oppressed Israel mentioned in the following words And the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines fourtie years for the twenty years wherein Samson judged Israel must necessarily be accounted one half of these fourtie years of the Philistines oppression as is evident chap. 15. vers 20. And he judged Israel in the dayes of the Philistines twenty years and the other half to wit the other twenty years must needs begin before Samson was born to wit about the fifth yeare of Ibzans judging Israel for when the Angel appeared to Samsons mother the Philistines oppressed Israel whence he tells her for her comfort verse 5. that he should deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines And indeed Jephthahs slaying two and fourty thousand of the Ephraimites chap. 12. vers 6. must needs be a great weakning to the Israelites in those parts and was like enough to encourage the Philistines to invade their land within a short time after Jephthah was dead Vers 2. And there was a certain man of Zorah of the family of the Danites whose name was Manoah So that Samson the sonne of this Manoah was of the tribe of Dan This tribe bordering upon the land of the Philistines was most exposed to their incursions and therefore God was pleased now to raise up a Judge for the Israelites out of this tribe to wit Samson the sonne of this Manoah to whose exploits against the Philistines some conceive that Jacob had respect in that his prophecy concerning this tribe Gen. 49.16 17. Dan shall Judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel Dan shall be a serpent in the way an adder in the path that biteth the horse heels so that his rider shall fall backward Vers 3. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman and said unto her behold now thou art barren c. He first mentions her barrennesse that the following tydings concerning her conceiving with child might be the more joyfully received by her it is a great question among Expositours what this Angel of the Lord was that now appeared to Manoahs wife some conceiving that it was a created Angel and that because as they say he afterwards chargeth Manoah not to sacrifice to him but to the Lord vers 16. If thou wilt offer a burnt offering thou must offer it unto the Lord. And others again conceiving that it was the very sonne of God that great Angel of the covenant and that because vers 18. he saith his name was secret or wonderfull but especially because vers 22. Manoah saith they had seen God and vers 23. his wife calls him the Lord that is the Jehovah and indeed though these be not unanswerable proofes yet considering that it is unquestionably evident in other places that in these times the sonne of God did usually appear to other the servants of God I should judge it most probable that it was he that did now also appear in the shape of a man to the wife of Manoah Vers 4. Drink not wine nor strong drink and eat not unclean any thing Because her child was to be a Nazarite from the wombe as it follows vers 5. therefore she might not eat or drink those things that were unlawfull for the Nazarites to wit neither whilst she was with child nor whilst she gave suck in regard that all that time that which she did eat or drink was for the nourishment of her child too Indeed by the unclean meat forbidden her may be meant any meat forbidden in the Law Levit. 11. for it is no wonder though the Angel charges her to beware of such meats which were unlawfull for any Israelite to eat as well as Nazarites first because it is likely in these times so full of confusion and disorder both this and many other of Gods Laws were altogether disregarded by the people in generall secondly because though such meats were unlawfull for any Israelite yet much more for Nazarites But yet here I rather think such meats are meant as were unclean for the Nazarites though not for others such as were grapes moist or dryed yea any meats that were made of the vine tree from the kernel even to the husk Num. 6.3 4. He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink and shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink neither shall he eat any liquour of grapes nor eat moist grapes or dried All the dayes of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree from the kernel even to the husk Concerning which Law see the note there Vers 5. The child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb This is a commandment not a prediction as is also the other clause before no rasour shall come on his head for we see his hair was afterwards cut off chap. 16.19 And she made him sleep upon her knees and she called for a man and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head and she began to afflict him and his strength went from him And he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines It is said here that Samson should begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines first because the Israelites were many years oppressed by the Philistines and the Lord sent them no saviour till at length Samson when he came of age was stirred up by the spirit of God to undertake this work and so he was the first that did any thing towards the foiling of the Philistines secondly because though he did not wholy vanquish them for after Samsons death they did often infest annoy the Israelites yet did he so farre weaken them especially by the last blow that he gave them at his death when he slew all their Princes and many of the people that they scarse ever recovered their former strength and thirdly because the work of shaking off the yoke of the Philistines that was begun by
Judges that not long too after the death of Joshua and not according to the order of time as they are here inserted after the death of Samson Concerning which see the note upon vers 6. Vers 2. And he said unto his mother The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee about which thou cursedst c. To wit either by cursing those that had stolen it through the violence of her passion or by adjuring those she spake to under a curse to reveal what was become of it if they knew any thing of it Now the bitternesse of his mothers spirit in cursing thus was doubtlesse the greater because she had superstitiously devoted it to a religious use to wit the making of images for her sonne But yet Micah mentions it as being touched in conscience by way of aggravating his sinne implying the reason why he could no longer detain it In mine own hearing saith he thou didst curse those that had taken thy silver from thee or that did not discover where it was yet wretch as I am hitherto I have detained it but no longer dare I lie under a mothers curse and therefore am I now come to confesse my sinne and to restore again the money to you And his mother said Blessed be thou of the Lord my sonne That is free be thou from my curse my sonne and mayst thou be blessed of the Lord and not cursed because thou hast repented of this fact and so ingeniously dost offer to restore what unadvisedly before thou hadst taken away from me Vers 3. His mother said I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord c. Micahs mother here tells him that she had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord Jehovah as it is in the Hebrew and yet withall she addes that it was to make idols for him to make a graven image and a molten image whereby it is evident that in these times when many of the Israelites were become idolaters yet they pretended and intended the worship of the true God in their idol-service not esteeming those dumb and dead images gods but onely representations and remembrances of the true God Some question whether this which she spake of a graven image and a molten image was meant of two severall images that she intended should be made of her silver one graven and another molten or of one image which is called a graven and a molten image onely because they did melt their silver and cast it into the form of an image and then did afterwards polish and finish it with graving tools but that two severall images are here intended is evident in the following chapter vers 18. where it is plain that they are named severally And these went into Micahs house and fetched the carved image the ephod and the Teraphim and the molten image Vers 4. Yet he restored the money unto his mother Though she now gave it him freely yet he would not keep it as fearing the disquiet of his conscience if she would bestow it as she vowed she might but he would be sure to rid his hands of it And his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the founder who made thereof a graven image and a molten image c. The other nine hundred shekels were therefore it seems laid out in providing an ephod and other ornaments for the priest in providing their teraphim and whatsoever else was requisite for the idolatrous worship oâ— theâ— false gods Vers 5. And the man Micah had an house of gods c. That is a chappel consecrated to these superstitious devotions and made an ephod under which are comprehended all other garments for the priests and teraphim now these teraphim were a speciall sort of images distinguished by that name from all other sorts of images 2. Kings 23.24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits and the wizards and the images the teraphim it is in the originall and the idols and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem did Josiah put away It seems they had the shape of men 1. Sam. 19.13 And Michael took an image and laid in the bed for there also Michaels image is in the originall called teraphim and that they made use of them as oracles and received from them answers what to do in doubtfull cases Ezek. 21.21 The king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two wayes to use divination he made his arrows bright he consulted with images or teraphim Zach. 10.2 The idols or teraphim have spoken vanity and the diviners have seen a lie and have told false dreams and it may well be that this made the Danites enquire at Micahs house concerning the successe of their journey Vers 6. In those dayes there was no king in Israel c. That is in those dayes when Micah did this before related But when was this The time is not expressely set down some conceive this was done after Samsons death and that therefore it is next related in the course of the history but the most probable opinion is that both this and all that followeth to the end of this book were done long before Samsons death and are here onely related apart by themselves that the story of the Judges the main thing intended in the former part of the book might not be interrupted first because it is not probable that the Danites being a populous â—â—be and straitened in their dwelling by reason of the Amorites so long before Judg. 1.34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain for they would not let them come into the valley would stay so many years ere they would look out to enlarge their borders which how they did and how they stole away Micahs gods is related in the following chapter But especially because in the warre of Israel against Benjamin which is largely related in the three last chapters of this book Phinehas ministred before the Lord chap. 20.28 And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron stood before it in those dayes saying Shall I yet again go out to battel against the children of Benjamin my brother who killed Zimri and Cozbi Numb 25.7 above three hundred years before Samsons death It seems therefore either this was done immediately after the death of Joshua and those elders who all their time kept the people from revolting from God Judg. 2.7 And the people served the Lord all the dayes of Joshua and and all the dayes of the elders that outlived Joshua who had seen all the great works of the Lord which he did for Israel and then the meaning of the words may be there was no King in Israel that there was no ordinary supreme magistrate neither King nor Judge to restrain the people from these wicked courses or else that it was done in the time of some of the Judges that followed next after Joshua and then the meaning of
answered c. and her father his father in law in severall places Why Bethlehem from whence this Levite had his concubine is called Bethlehem-Judah See in the note chap. 17.7 Vers 2. And his concubine plaid the whore against him went away from him unto her fathers house c. It seems upon some discoverie of her whoredome or at least some suspition the Levite had of it there arose some quarrell betwixt him and his concubine and thereupon she left him and went home again to her fathers house who was too ready to entertain her The sad effects that followed upon this Levites taking a concubine makes it manifest that even in those times though it were an ordinary thing amongst all sorts of men even amongst the Levites to have concubines yet God was not pleased with it from the beginning it was not so saith our Saviour Matth. 19.8 Vers 3. And her husband arose and went after her to speak friendly unto her and to bring her again having his servant with him and a couple of asses To wit to carrie their provision and happely that both himself and his concubine if she would return with him might sometimes ease themselves by riding as occasion served Vers 11. Come I pray thee and let us turn in unto this citie of the Jebusites and lodge in it For though the children of Judah had taken from the Jebusites that part of Jebus that is Jerusalem which was in their tribe chap. 1.8 The children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem and had taken it and had smitten it with the edge of the sword yet out of that part which belonged to Benjamin on which side the Levite was now travelling the Jebusites were not wholly expelled chap. 1.21 The children of Benjamin did not drive out the inhabitants of Jerusalem but the Jebusites dwell in Jerusalem with the children of Benjamin unto this day Vers 14. And the sunne went down upon them when they were by Gibeah which belongeth to Benjamin There was a Gibeah in the tribe of Judah Josh 15.57 to distinguish this from that it is here called Gibeah which belongeth to Benjamin and else where Gibeah of Saul 1. Sam. 11.4 it is thought to be the same which Josh 21.17 is called Gebah which was a citie given to tho Priests the sonnes of Aaron Against which it makes nothing that here it is said vers 16. the men of the place were Benjamites for the priests did not dwell alone in such cities though they were the lords and owners of them Vers 15. And they turned aside thither to go in and to lodge in Gibeah Though it were a pious resolution in the Levite rather to chose to lodge in Gibeah then in Jebus and that because Jebus was a citie wherein the idolatrous and uncircumcised Jebusites dwelt yet this proved fatall both to him and his as the best counsell may have the worst successe and that because there is a secret over-ruling hand of God that may by this means bring about what he hath determined for the punishment of some other sinnes which we mind not Vers 16. And behold there came an old man from his work out of the field at even which was also of mount Ephraim Though he were an old man yet he followed his work in the field and that untill the even which is doubtlesse noted to his praise As for that last clause that he was also of mount Ephraim that no doubt is expressed to intimate that this amongst other things made the old man the readier to entertain the Levite when he heard him say vers 18. that he was of mount Ephraim too Vers 18. But I am now going to the house of the Lord. The Tabernacle at this time was in Shiloh Josh 18.1 and Shiloh was in the tribe of Ephraim either therefore there the Levites dwelling was or else he meant first to go to the house of the Lord to do his service there and then afterwards to passe forward on his journey homeward However it is probable that he mentions his going to the house of the Lord that he might know him to be a Levite Vers 22. Behold the men of the city certain sonnes of Belial beset the house round about c. A like fact to this we have formerly related concerning the Sodomites of which see the note Gen. 19.4 as for this term Sonnes of Belial see Deut. 13.13 Vers 24. Behold here is my daughter a mayden and his concubine them I will bring out now c. See the note Gen. 19.8 Vers 25. So the man took his concubine and brought her forth unto them and they knew her c. In the foregoing words it is said that when the old man the Levites host proffered these varlets his daughter a virgin and the Levites concubine thereby to take them off from that unnaturall uncleannesse wherewith they meant to satisfie their lust upon the Levite himself the men would not hearken to him yet when immediately by the Levites means his concubine was indeed brought out unto them and left amongst them they fell upon her and defiled her and that in such an outrageous barbarous manner that she died of it which was doubtlesse because having once an object for their lust in their power they could not forbear and so forgetting their former resolutions they laid hold on her and abused her in a most inhumane and execrable manner Vers 26. Then came the woman in the dawning of the day and fell down at the doore of the mans house c. That is she fell down dead at the doore of the mans house and there lay till break of day when her husband going forth to see what was become of her found her dead and thus though her husband had pardoned her whoredome yet God punished it and that too with her own sinne adulterie was her sinne and adulterie was her death she had dealt treacherously against her husband one would not satisfie her but she exposed her self to the lust of a stranger and now she was abused to death by the lusts of so many barbarous wretches whom she knew not that by so abusing her they murdered her Vers 27. And her hands were upon the threshold This is added to implie the reason of that which follows why the Levite spake to her to rise vers 28. And he said unto her Vp let us be going to wit because she lay in such a manner her hands laid upon the threshold under her head as if she had been asleep Vers 29. He took a knife and laid hold on his concubine and divided her together with her bones into twelve pieces and sent her into all the coasts of Israel That is to each of the twelve tribes a piece for to the tribe of Levi that was dispersed through all the land there was none sent and this was done that the fight of her dead limbs might affect them the more and stirre them up to be the more zealous for the punishment
former verse it is said they went up though in after times the Ark was a long while out of the Tabernacle yet in those dayes it was there in the house of God in Shiloh Vers 28. And Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron stood before it in those dayes That is ministred before the Lord in the priests office Deut. 10.8 The Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the Ark of the covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord and to minister unto him and enquired of the Lord by Urim and Thummim before the Ark in the behalf of the people And hereby it appears that this story of Israels warre with Benjamin did not fall out after Samsons death according as it is here set down in order of the Historie but long before for had Phinehas lived after Samson he had been well nigh foure hundred years old whereas in this time it was a rare thing to live till fourescore years Psal 90.10 The dayes of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourescore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soon cut off and we flie away Vers 29. And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah c. Though the last time the Israelites enquired of the Lord what they should do God had assured them that they should prevail against the Benjamites Go up for to morrow I will deliver them into thy hand yet were they never a whit lesse carefull to trie if by policie they could get any advantage against them and as may be gathered by severall passages in the following part of the chapter though the relation be somewhat intricate the course which they took seems to be this they divided their army into three parts one part was laid in ambush in the meadows of Gibeah vers 33. the other part was sent against Gibeah who were presently to flie before the Benjamites that they might draw them farre off from the citie vers 30 31. and the third was to stay in Baaltamar and to renew the battel when the Benjamites came thither pursuing the Israelites that fled before them Vers 30. And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin c. That is that part of their army that was to make an assault upon the Benjamites and then presently to give back and flie See the foregoing note Vers 31. In the high wayes in which one goeth up to the house of God and the other in Gibeah in the field This surely was another Gibeah called Gibeah in the field to distinguish it from that Gibeah against which the Israelites now warred which stood on a hill happely it is the same which is called Gaba Josh 18.24 Vers 33. And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar That is the main body of the army which stayed in that place to receive the Benjamites when they should follow on in the pursuit of the flying Israelites See the note vers 19. Vers 34. And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel c. These ten thousand were I conceive the liers in wait mentioned vers 33. but yet that which follows and the battel was sore but they knew not that evil was near them must be meant of the battel betwixt the Israelites that set themselves in array in Baal-tamar vers 33. and the Benjamites that were fallen upon them as they came pursuing the Israelites who did purposely flie before them for these Benjamites they were that knew not that evil was near them but fought courageously till afterward they saw the smoke of the citie arise and then they fled before the Israelites as it is afterward more particularly described vers 38 c. Vers 35. And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel Though they used now a stratagem which they used not before yet it was not thence that they prevailed but because the Lord was at peace with them and gave them the victorie And the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men To wit eighteen thousand in the fight vers 44. And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men and five thousand which they gleaned in the high-wayes as they found them in the pursuit scattered here and there vers 45. and two thousand which they slew at Gidom vers 45. and the odde hundred which is not expressed in the particulars was slain it seems some in one place and some in another Vers 41. And when the men of Israel turned again the men of Benjamin were amazed This is added to clear that which was said vers 40. to wit how the Benjamites came to look back and see the flame of the citie the reason was that they were amazed to see the flying Israelites on a sudden turn head and renew the battel with such courage and violence and thereupon looking behind them saw their citie was taken and set on fire Vers 46. So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand c. There fell that day twenty five thousand one hundred See vers 35. And the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men but here the great number is onely expressed Vers 48. And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin c. That is having slain all the Benjamites that were in arms for the defence of Gibeah together with all the inhabitants of the citie they then addressed themselves to take vengeance on the rest of the tribe of Benjamin because they also had a hand in the sending out men for the defence of Gibeah and herein proceeded with such fury and rage that they utterly destroyed both in town and citie where ever they came all that came to hand both man and beast that is they spared neither women nor children nor any living thing that came in their way and this they did either as judging that they were bound to deal with them as with those that were anathematized or devoted to destruction according to the direction which was given by the Lord concerning any citie that should set up idolatrie amongst them Deut. 13.15 16. Then thou shalt enquire and make search and ask diligently and behold if it be true and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought among you thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword destroy it utterly and all that is therein and the cattel thereof with the edge of the sword or rather onely out of the fury and rage wherewith they were transported partly because it was such a horribe villanie which the Benjamites had undertaken to defend and partly because so many thousands of their own tribes had perished in this warre against the Benjamites concerning which see what is further noted in the
not bound thereto by the Law And the two sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phinehas the Priests of the Lord were there This Eli was at this time Judge of Israel the next after Samson chap. 4.18 He had judged Israel fourtie years and withall as it is generally thought by all Expositours he was high Priest too Indeed how he should come to be high Priest we cannot say For Aaron leaving two sonnes behind him Eleazar and Ithamar the high Priesthood was to have descended successively to the posteritie of Eleazar Aarons eldest sonne and accordingly we reade that Eleazar was high Priest after Aaron died Deut. 10.6 and after Eleazar died Phinehas Judg. 20.28 Now it is evident that Eli was of the posteritie of Ithamar Aarons second sonne because it appears that Abiathar who was deposed from being high Priest by Solomon was of the posteritie of Eli 1. Kings 2.27 and of Ahimelech who was the sonne of Abiathar it is expressely said 1. Chron. 24.3 that he was of the sonnes of Ithamar and how therefore the high Priesthood came to be transferred from the posteritie of Eleazar to Eli that was of the house of Ithamar cannot be cleared by any place of Scripture onely because it is said chap. 2.30 that God had promised Eli that his house and the house of his father should walk before him for ever thence some conclude that it was not without Gods appointment that the high Priesthood was removed to the house of Ithamar and that because the high Priests of Eleazars familie had some way provoked God by their evil wayes in the dayes of the former Judges As for Elies two sonnes Hophni and Phinenas it is expressely inserted here that they were then in Shiloh when Elkanah used yearly to go up thither to sacrifice to intimate thereby the wisdome and pietie of Elkanah who would not neglect his dutie in going up thither with his sacrifices according to the rule of Gods Law because of the horrible wickednesse of these wretches who were of chief sway amongst the Priests that attended the service of the Tabernacle no though others stumbled so at their lewdnesse that chap. 2.17 they abhorred the offering of the Lord yet Elkanah would not do so but went up yearly at the appointed feasts to the house of God though Hophni and Phinehas were there Vers 4. He gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sonnes and daughters portions That is portions of the peace offerings which he offered to the Lord the fat onely of the peace-offerings was burnt upon the altar the right shoulder and the breast was given to the Priest and the remainder of the sacrifices were for the offerer to eat and those that belonged to him of this therefore Elkanah gave portions to Peninnah and her children according to the ancient manner of feasts of which see Gen. 43.34 Vers 5. But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion for he loved Hannah c. Peninnah had a great share as having many children for she and her sonnes and her daughters had each of them severall portions whereas Hannah being but one was to have but a single portion But her husband therefore because he loved her dearly as being a gracious woman and withall of a meek and quiet melting disposition that she might not be discouraged took care that her one portion should be the larger and better a double portion as some read it and happely of the choice and best of the sacrifices Vers 6. And her adversary also provoked her sore c. This her adversary was Peninnah as indeed where one man contrary to the Ordinance of God hath two wives they must needs be adversaries as being corrivalls in his love and live in continuall variance one with the other and she provoked her sore to make her to fret because the Lord had shut up her wombe That is she provoked her purposely to make her vex and disquiet her self and that by upbraiding her with her barrennesse as an effect of the Lords displeasure Now this is added here as a second reason why Elkanah gave Hannah such a worthy portion It was not onely because of the singular love he bare to her but also because he saw that Peninnah vexed her and so he was the more carefull to comfort her and chear her up Vers 7. And as he did so yeare by yeare when she went up to the house of the Lord so she provoked her c. That is whereas Elkanah did this yearly to chear Hannah Peninnah was hereby rendred the more ready to vex her Now this petulancy of Peninnah in provoking Hannah by upbraiding her with her barrennes is hereby much aggravated that she did not forbear at those times when they went up to pray and offer sacrifices to the Lord. See Mat. 5. And withall it implies that she upbraided her with the fruitlessenes of her seeking to God so earnestly at those times for a child Vers 9. So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh and after they had drunk That is after Elkanah and his family had eaten and drunk together with whom Hannah sat It may be indeed that Hannah upon her husbands words vers 8. did eat a little yet it is most probable that she did neither eat nor drink for besides what she said afterward to Eli vers 15. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink it seems to have been against the expresse letter of the Law for any body to partake of these holy feasts whilst they were in sadnesse and heavinesse of spirit Deut. 12.7 And there you shall eat before the Lord your God and ye shall rejoyce in all that ye put your hand unto ye and your housholds Levit. 10.19 And Aaron said unto Moses Behold this day have they offered their sinne offerings and their burnt offerings before the Lord and such things have befallen me and if I had eaten the sinne offering to day should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord Now Eli the Priest sat upon a seat by a post of the Temple of the Lord. That is of the Tabernacle for as Solomons Temple is sometimes called a Tabernacle Jer. 10.20 My Tabernacle is spoyled and all my cords are broken so the Tabernacle is here called the Temple of the Lord. But yet it seems too that the Tabernacle was at this time within some house built for that purpose in Shiloh and hence there is mention here of a seat by a post where Eli sat and afterwards of doores chap. 3.15 And Samuel lay untill the morning and opened the doores of the house of the Lord whereas the Tabernacle had neither gates nor posts nor seats before it but onely a vail that was hung up at the entring into it Exod. 26.36 Vers 11. And she vowed a vow and said c. To wit as it followeth afterwards that if the Lord would give her a man-child she would give him unto the Lord all the dayes of his life and that he should be
that whereas when one man wrongs another the Judge or umpire chosen between may compose the difference and reconcile them together it is otherwise when a man wittingly maliciously and presumptuously sinnes against God for there all hope of pardon is denied there remains no more sacrifice for sinne that is for such a mans sinne Heb. 10.26 neither should such an one be prayed for 1. John 5.16 If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sinne not unto death There is a sinne unto death I do not say he shall pray for it But this Exposition agreeth not with Eli his aim which was doubtlesse to winne his sonnes to true repentance and besides why should sinning against the Lord be here restrained to sinning against him maliciciously and with a high hand I rather therefore think that the drift of these words is onely to shew them what a grievous and dangerous thing sinne is especially such sinnes whereby God is immediately wronged and provoked that so he might scarre them from their evil courses to wit either because if God by his Judges punish offences against man he must needs be more severe when men rise against him or else because no mediation nor satisfaction by man can here take up the quarrell as may be done when the difference is between one man and another If one man saith he sinne against another the Judge shall judge him that is an Umpire may come and take up the controversie the partie may be adjudged to make satisfaction and there will be an end of the quarrell but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreat for him that is no mediation nor satisfaction of man can here make a mans peace no reconciliation can be here hoped for unlesse the sinner repenting of his sinnes do by faith in Christ turn to God So that herein also is implied the desperate danger of their condition who by kicking against the sacrifices did in a manner despise this onely means of their reconciliation with God Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father because the Lord would slay them That is because the Lord had determined to destroy them and so consequently not to give them grace to repent but to leave them to the stubbornesse of their own wicked hearts for though it be true that God wills not the death of a sinner Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live that is he desires not that sinners should perish but would rather that they should repent c. yet it doth not hence follow but that God may determine in a way of justice not to give any effectuall grace to such and such men as have grievously provoked him by their sinnes but rather to deliver them up to hardnesse of heart and so it was here for their sinnes God determined to destroy them and consequently to leave them to themselves and therefore it was no wonder though they minded not the reproofs and counsell of their father Vers 26. And the child Samuel grew on and was in favour both with the Lord and also with men This is here inserted first for the greater praise of Samuel who grew in grace even in these declining times and secondly especially to shew how God remembred mercie in the midst of judgement by raising up such a glorious instrument to be a stay to his poore people in those dismall times that were now coming upon them Vers 27. Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father when they were in Egypt in Pharaohs house to wit by choosing Aaron of whom Eli was descended to joyn himself with Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites when they were in bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt Vers 29. Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering which I have commanded in my habitation and honourest thy sonnes above me c. In this clause first Eli and his sonnes are reproved for kicking against Gods sacrifices and offerings and they are said to kick at his sacrifices c. 1. because they seemed not pleased that God had so much and they so little of the sacrifices and offerings and therefore in a proud and scornfull manner took from the sacrifices for their own use what they pleased themselves and 2. because by their doing what they listed about Gods sacrifices and by carrying themselves as if they thought any thing that they were pleased to leave after they had served themselves good enough for Gods altar and generally by their profane and carelesse carriage of themselves in the sacred service whereto they could not have addressed themselves with too much reverence and fear they discovered what a sleight and base esteem they had of Gods sacrifices which was all one in effect as if they had trampled them under their feet and 3. because by their insolent and wilfull disobeying the law of the sacrifices which God had given them in charge they did as it were kick and spurn against God in his Ordinances And though Eli did not this but his sonnes onely yet because he did not restrain them from these evil practises and punish them for their wickednesse herein it is charged upon him as well as upon them Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice c. and secondly Eli is reproved for honouring his sonnes above God and that because he was more carefull to please his children then to please God to keep them in their places then to vindicate Gods sacrifices from being polluted Vers 30. I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever c. Because the taking away the high Priests place from Eli and his familie is not the onely punishment here threatned though the chief for the cutting off many of his posteritie from the inferiour priesthood is also included in the evil denounced against him in this place vers 31. Behold the dayes come that I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house that there shall not be an old man in thine house therefore this which is here said of a conditionall promise formerly made which should now be reversed because the condition was not performed cannot be referred to any particular promise made to Eli or any decree of Gods concerning Eli that the high Priesthood should be continued in his line but to that promise made to Aaron and his seed in generall Exod. 29.9 Thou shalt qird them with girdles Aaron and his sonnes and put the bonnets on them and the Priests office shall be theirs for a perpetuall statute which is now reversed as concerning Eli his familie whom the Lord threatens to cut off in a great part from the priesthood given at first to Aaron and his seed Vers 31. Behold the dayes come that I will cut off
of Canaan is ascribed to Moses and Aaron First because they led the people from Egypt through the wildernesse and brought them unto the land which God had promised them and secondly because Moses put them in possession of that part of the land which was without Jordan and substituted Joshua in his place who afterward gave them the possession of the rest of the land But the chief thing intended is to put them in mind of Gods mercy in giving them that land without whom neither Moses nor Aaron nor Joshua could have done it Vers 9. And when they forgat the Lord their God he sold them into the hand of Sisera c. Samuel here calls the rebellion of the Israelites against God a forgetting of the Lord because if men did indeed think upon God as they ought to do they would not dare so to transgresse his commandments and thence it is also that David saith of wicked men that God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 Vers 11. And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel c. Some conceive that Jair is here called Bedan and that to distinguish him from that former Jair of whom Moses speaks Numb 32.41 and indeed there is one Bedan a Manassite mentioned 1. Chron. 7.17 Others again think that this Bedan was some Judge of Israel that is not mentioned in the book of Judges But the more common and I think the more probable exposition is that Samson is here meant and that he is called Bedan because he was of the tribe of Dan for Bedan signifieth in Dan or of Dan and Bendan signifieth the sonne of Dan. As for Samuels speaking of himself as of a third person it is usuall in the Scripture as we see Gen. 4.23 And Lamech said unto his wives Adah and Zillah Hear my voice ye wives of Lamech hearken unto my speech for I have slain a man to my wounding and a young man to my hurt He particularly puts them in mind of Gods delivering them by him because the deliverance which God had given them by him was best known to them and best served to condemn them for rejecting in his dayes that government which God had settled among them and that in part for fear of their enemies Vers 14. Then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God That is God will not destroy you but you shall still continue a peculiar people to the Lord shrouded under his conduct and protection Vers 17. Is it not wheat-harvest to-day I will call unto the Lord and he shall send thunder and rain In Palestina thunder and rain in wheat-harvest was most unusuall whence is that of Solomon Prov. 26.1 As snow in summer and as rain in harvest so honour is not seemly for a fool and that Amos 4.7 And also I have with-holden the rain from you when there were yet three moneths to the harvest and I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city Now the rather did the Lord convince them of their sinne by this miracle because hereby they might see their folly both in rejecting the Lord such a mighty protectour who was able by thunder to destroy their enemies as they had seen formerly chap. 7.10 and likewise in rejecting Samuel who could by his prayers fetch down thunder and rain from heaven Vers 18. And the Lord sent thunder and rain that day To wit in some very extraordinary manner in so much that the people were not onely fully convinced hereby that they had sinned in desiring a king but were also afraid that by this terrible tempest they should have been destroyed whence is that in the following verse Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not Vers 20. And Samuel said unto the people Fear not That is despair not of Gods goodnesse and mercy Vers 21. And turn ye not aside for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver Idols may be the vain things here principally meant as Deut. 32.21 They have moved me to jealousie with that which is not God they have provoked me to anger with their vanities and Jer. 2.5 Thus saith the Lord What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone farre from me and have walked after vanitie and are become vain but withall we may well understand it of every thing else wherein they should seek for help and happinesse having turned aside from following the Lord. Vers 22. For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake That is because Gods name is called upon you and so it would not be for his glory to forsake you and indeed all the good which God doth for his Church and people is more for his own glory then for any good he sees in them Vers 23. Moreover as for me God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you They had desired him to pray for them vers 19. but the injury they had done him might make them fear he would not regard them the rather because the thunder he had prayed for might argue some displeasure conceived in him against them and therefore he assures them that he would not cease neither to pray for them nor to instruct them but saith he I will teach you the good and the right way Vers 24. Onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth c. As though he should say else my praying for you will do you no good CHAP. XIII Vers 1. SAul reigned one yeare and when he had reigned two years over Israel The first clause Saul reigned one yeare hath reference to the time when those things were done mentioned in the two former chapters when Saul by occasion of his victory over the Ammonites and his raising the siege of Jabesh-gilead was at Gilgal confirmed and solemnly inaugurated king of Israel then he had reigned one yeare to wit from the time that he was chosen and publickly declared king at Mizpeh chap. 10.24 and then the second clause And when he had reigned two years over Israel hath relation to that which is here related in this chapter to wit that a full yeare after his solemne inauguration at Gilgal when he had in all reigned two years then he began to raise an army of three thousand men as intending now to drive the Philistines out of those forts which they held in the land of Israel and to save the people from the cruell oppression of those their insulting enemies Vers 2. And the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent Having appointed the people to assemble themselves as at other times out of them he chose three thousand to be in arms with him and his sonne Jonathan and the rest he dismissed Vers 3. And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba That is in Gibeah of Benjamin One main
would not lie nor repent as being almighty and therefore able to do whatever he pleased in despite of all that Saul should do against David the kingdome should be taken from him and given to David And thirdly It might be to answer an objection that might arise in Sauls mind Saul might think that surely the Lord would not indeed take away the kingdome from him because the Lord himself had said that he should save Israel out of the hands of the Philistines chap. 9.16 To beat him from this refuge Samuel puts him in mind that God was the strength of his people and so could save and deliver them and yet make good his word in removing him from being king Vers 30. Then he said I have sinned See the note vers 24. Vers 31. So Samuel turned again after Saul c. Though he had formerly refused to go with Saul to wit at that time and that upon this ground that he might not seem to allow of Sauls sinne yet now upon another ground he yields to go to wit that the people might not take any occasion of not yielding to Saul that honour which was yet due to him as the anointed of the Lord the rather because he intended to take away the offence of seeming to allow Sauls sinne by executing Gods sentence upon Agag whom Saul had spared Vers 32. And Agag came unto him delicately That is in the attire and with the gesture and gate of a king as one that thought not of death but onely took care that both his apparell and every thing else about him yea his deportment and carriage of himself should be Prince-like and such as beseemed the dignity of his person though now a captive Because he was brought not to Saul the king that had taken him prisoner but to Samuel an aged prophet this it may be made him so confident that now the danger of death was over now thinks he with himself Surely the bitternesse of death is past Vers 33. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal Whether Samuel did this by himself or by others he did it doubtlesse by the speciall instinct of Gods spirit Vers 35. And Samuel came to see Saul no more untill the day of his death That is he never went after this to visit him as formerly to give him instruction and direction in his affairs For that Samuel did before his death see Saul after this is evident chap. 19.24 And he stript off his clothes also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner c. CHAP. XVI Vers 1. ANd the Lord said unto Samuel How long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel That it was a sinne in Samuel to mourn for Saul when God had rejected him from being king we cannot say for it is a work of charity well-pleasing to God to mourn for wicked men that lie under Gods wrath and yet mourn not for themselves especially in Gods Prophets and Messengers whose duty it is to interpose themselves when God is angry with his people by their prayers and tears to sue for mercy for them And therefore we see the Lord complains of these prophets Ezek. 13.5 that had not gone up into the gaps neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battell in the day of the Lord. And besides Samuel might well fear that if Saul were cut off a great deal of trouble and confusion might happen amongst the people In which case he had just cause to mourn in their behalf And why then did the Lord expostulate with Samuel How long wilt thou mourn for Saul c. Surely to make known to Samuel that all his mourning for Saul was in vain partly because he continued still obstinate and impenitent and partly because God had absolutely rejected him from being king In which case though Samuel might bewail Sauls condition for all mourning for that which we know God hath decreed is not unlawfull when we loose deare friends we know it is Gods will and yet may mourn for their death yet he might not bewail it so as might imply an unwillingnesse to submit to the will of God and therefore we see it is not for his mourning but for his mourning so long that God expostulates with him How long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him from being king Fill thine horn with oyl and go I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have provided me a king among his sonnes Though the Lord intended not that Saul should be presently deposed from being king and therefore David after he was anointed did alwayes acknowledge Saul to be his Lord and Sovereigne chap. 24.6 The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the anointed of the Lord yet he would have him anointed before-hand that was to succeed Saul 1. For the comfort of Samuel and others that knew the Lord had forsaken and cast off Saul who by this might be assured that for all this God intended not to cast off the care of his people 2. That David being anointed when he was in the eye of reason so unlikely to come to the Crown it might be the more evident when it came to passe that it was of God 3. That hereby David might be supported in his many following troubles And 4. That the same hand that had anointed Saul might testifie Gods rejecting Sauls posterity by anointing one of another family to succeed him in the throne for Samuel drawing now to his end had therefore this businesse now imposed upon him and was sent to Jesse the Bethlehemite who was the sonne of Obed and grandchild of Boaz and Ruth the Lord making known to him that one of his sonnes was to be anointed king The expression the Lord useth in making this known to Samuel is very observable because it implies that the king that was now to be anointed was in a peculiar manner the Lords king for saith he I have provided me a king among his sonnes Saul was chosen by the Lord to be the king of Israel but it was upon the importunity of the people who would needs have it so and could not be beaten off from it so that Saul was the peoples king rather then Gods given them because of the peoples preposterous and unruly desires and therefore his government being abortive continued not nor thrived well for the best things whilest it did continue but how when David was anointed king there was no such matter but he was merely chosen of God there was no body desired or spake the least word for the erecting of his government yea even Samuel himself by his desire after Saul and mourning for him did unwittingly what he could to oppose the advancing of David onely God did then of his own freewill when no body thought any thing of it send Samuel
enemies before me as the breach of waters which hath reference either to the dispersion of the enemie who were scattered as water in an earthen vessell will runne about when the vessell is broken or to Gods power in driving away the enemie as when waters break through the banks and sweep away all before them and thence this place was called Baal-perazim or the plain of breaches and to this the Prophet doth allude Isa 28.21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon that he may do his work his strange work and bring to passe his act his strange act Vers 21. And there they left their images and David and his men burnt them That is the souldiers burnt them at Davids command for so it is expressed 1. Chron. 14.12 And when they had left their gods there David gave a commandment and they were burnt with fire and this was according to the Law Deut. 7.5 Thus shall you deal with them Ye shall destroy their altars and break down their images and cut down their groves and burn their graven images with fire Now the leaving of their gods there is a signe of the terrour wherewith they were stricken Vers 23. Thou shalt not go up but fetch a compasse behind them and come upon them over against the mulberry trees That is thou shalt not go up directly against them but fetching a compasse about shalt set upon them over against the mulberry trees to wit that setting suddenly upon them where they looked not for him the assault might strike them with the greater terrour Vers 24. And let it be when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees that then thou shalt bestirre thy self c. When David heard the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees not a noise of the shaking of the tops of the trees with a wind but a sound as if some body were going upon the tops of the trees then he was to break forth suddenly upon the Philistines whether this sound of going were as if an army of men horsemen and chariots had been marching over the tops of the trees as some conceive we cannot say but doubtlesse it was appointed as a signe of Gods going forth with his holy angels to destroy the Philistines before them wherewith David being encouraged was presently to break forth and set upon them and therefore it was upon the tops of the trees not on the ground to signifie forces that were sent from on high from heaven and such as needed not the ground to support them but could march through the aire to come in to the help of his people CHAP. VI. Vers 1. AGain David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel thirty thousand The ark the especiall signe of Gods presence amongst his people and from whence he had promised to answer them concerning all things he would give them in charge had been in the private house of Abinadab in Kirjath-jearim about seven and fourtie years ever since the Philistines sent it back to the land of Judah 1. Sam. 7.1 now because being there in a private house the people began by degrees to neglect it as if they had forgot what a treasure it was so soon as David was established in the kingdome and had driven the Jebusites out of Jerusalem he thought presently of fetching up the ark from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem first as judging it most for the honour of God and of his ark that it should not lie hid in a private family but be settled in the chief citie of the kingdome in a place purposely appointed for it and secondly that being in the heart of the kingdome and in Jerusalem the royall citie the people might the more conveniently resort unto it to consult with God and to perform the duties of his worship and service In the 1. Chron. 13.1 2 c. it is said that first David called together all the captains and elders and heads of the people and imparted to them what he thought and then consulted with them whether it would not be best to gather together all the chosen men of Israel that they might in a solemn manner fetch up the ark of God unto Jerusalem and that when they had approved of this his purpose then he gathered together this great assembly of the people even thirty thousand as is here related and indeed the reason why the relation of the fetching up the ark is in that first book of Chronicles set before the relation of the two victories which he obtained over the Philistines whereas here the story of those two victories is set down first in the latter end of the former chapter may well be this because that consultation with the captains and elders was before the invasion of the Philistines but the assembling of the people to fetch up the ark was after it as here it is set down Vers 2. And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah c. That is being come with all those chosen men of Israel whom he had gathered together to Baale of Judah that is to Kirjath-jearim 1. Chron. 13.6 which was also called Kirjath-baal Josh 15.9 and Baalah or Baaleh of Judah where the ark had been so long a time saving onely when it was upon extraordinary occasions brought into the camp as there 1. Sam. 14.18 David arose and went thence to carry the ark unto Jerusalem Vers 3. And they set the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah That is a hill or high place so called in Kirjath-jearim of which see the note 1. Sam. 7.1 doubtlesse because it was a long way to carry the ark from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem therefore they put it in a cart encouraged thereto by the example of the Philistines and thence it was that they put it into a new cart as they also did 1. Sam. 6.7 8. Now therefore make a new cart and take two milch kine and take the ark of the Lord and lay it upon the cart c. But herein they manifestly transgressed the law of God which expressely appointed that the Levites should carry it upon their shoulders Num. 4.15 and 7.9 and so this was the first occasion of Gods displeasure and of that dismall accident that followed in the death of Uzzah vers 6. for so much David himself acknowledged when he came up the second time with the Israelites to fetch away the ark 1. Chron. 15.12 13. Sanctifie your selves saith he to the Levites both ye and your brethren that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it for because ye did it not at first the Lord our God made a breach upon us for that we sought him not after the due order It is indeed very strange that when
Nathan said to the king Go do all that is in thine heart c. Yet afterwards by expresse direction from God he was appointed to crosse this which now he said whereby is manifest that the Prophets had not alwayes the spirit of prophecy upon them but spake sometimes as private men as Samuel did 1. Sam. 16.6 And it came to passe when they were come that he looked on Eliab and said Surely the Lords anointed is before him and 2. Kings 4.27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill she caught him by the feet but Gehazi came near to thrust her away And the man of God said Let her alone for her soul is vexed within her and the Lord hath hid it from me and hath not told me But before Nathan came to David with that message this present approbation had encouraged him to bind his resolution with a solemne vow to wit that which we reade of Psal 132.1 2 3 4 5. Lord remember David and all his afflictions How he sware unto the Lord and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house nor go up into my bed I will not give sleep to mine eies or slumber to mine eye-lids Untill I find out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. Vers 5 Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in That is thou shalt not The Lord purposed to have a house built which should be the peculiar place of his worship and service and had made known so much long since to his people Deut. 12.11 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 c. But David was not the man he had appointed for this work and therefore though the Lord commended David for this holy intention as is evident 1. Kings 8.18 And the Lord said unto David my father Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my Name thou diddest well that it was in thine heart and made many gracious promises unto him at this time ver 10 11 12 c. to testifie how well he took it that he had such a purpose in his mind yet withall he made known to him that he meant not that it should be done by him but by his sonne and shewed him also the reasons why he might not do it though they be not here expressed to wit First because he should still be so encumbred with warres that he should not have leasure or opportunity to effect so qreat a work 1. Kings 5.3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the Name of the Lord his God for the warres that were about him on every side untill the Lord put them under the soles of his feet Secondly because he had been a man of warre and had shed bloud 1. Chron. 22 7 8. And David said to Solomon My sonne as for me it was in my mind to build an house unto the Name of the Lord my God But the word of the Lord came to me saying Thou hast shed bloud abundantly and hast made great warres thou shalt not build an house unto my Name because thou hast shed much bloud upon the earth in my sight and it must be a peaceable king that was to build the Temple that he might be a type of Christ the Prince of peace Isa 9.6 Vers 6. Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt c. Though Davids intent was generally in it self good insomuch that the Lord himself commended him for it as is manifest in that place before cited 1. Kings 8.18 yet it was not without some mixture of errour for herein he failed because he undertook to do it without any particular direction or warrant from God led hereto onely by the judgement of his own reason that it was not fit God should dwell within curtains when he dwelt in an house of cedar and therefore though the Lord told him that his purpose was in the generall commendable yet withall he rejected his purpose and discovered thereby that he should have waited his leasure and direction and disproved his reason shewing that till he required a Temple to be built the ark was altogether as well in a tabernacle as in a Temple which was evident because he had never charged any of the Judges with this fault Why build ye not me an house of cedar See the note upon 1. Chron. 17.6 Vers 8. Thus saith the Lord of hosts I took the from the sheep-cote from following the sheep c. That David might not be discouraged and fear that this inhibition that he should not go forward in the work intended did proceed from the Lords disregarding of him or from any displeasure the Lord had conceived against him as a loving wife will grieve if her husband refuse any service she proffers to do him in these following words he shews how well he esteemed of him both by recounting what he had done for him by promising what he would do more But yet withall in these words I took thee from the sheep-cote c. to be ruler over my people the Lord implies that in doing this for which he had exalted him in ruling his people he might sufficiently approve his thankfulnesse to God and leave the care of building a Temple to whom God should choose Vers 10. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them c. This passage included in our Bibles in a Parenthesis is very intricate and obscure According to our translation the meaning I conceive is this Because the glory and happines of a king depends much upon the proâ—perous and flourishing estate of his people therefore the Lord doth promise David that the Israelites should be now settled peaceably and quietly in the land of Canaan and should not be molested and oppressed as they had formerly been in the dayes of the Judges I will appoint a place saith the Lord and will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more that is I will now settle them so in the land of Canaan that they shall quietly enjoy it as their own lawfull inheritance and not be dispossessed and tossed up and down as formerly they have been neither shall the children of wickednesse afflict them any more as before time that is neither shall they be molested and vexed continually by their oppressing neighbours as in former times they have been and observable it is that speaking of those that had afflicted and distressed the poore people of God he terms them in that respect children of wickednesse and as since the time that I commanded Judges to be over my people Israel and have caused thee to rest
from all thine enemies that is and as they have been oppressed ever since that I appointed Judges to govern and defend them even unto this time that I have now given thee peace and rest from thine enemies round about This I conceive must needs be the meaning of this passage according to our translation for though it may be questioned why the Lord should say I will appoint a place for my people Israel that they may dwell in a place of their own Since God had done this long since he had long since appointed the land of Canaan to be theirs and had driven out the inhabitants that had dwelt in it before had put them into possession of it and they had enjoyed it as their own for many years together yet for answer to this we must know that because hitherto the Philistines and other of the old inhabitants of Canaan had still kept some good part of the land from them and by them and other neighbouring nations they had been hitherto ever and anon molested they being still ready upon all advantages to challenge their land and to seek to wrest it from them therefore the Lord speaks of the peaceable possession of the land as a thing that was not yet made good to them but should be now in the dayes of David and Solomon And whereas again it may be objected that much seems here to be promised which was never made good to the Israelites as that the Lord would so plant them in a place of their own that they should thence move no more and that the children of wickednesse should not afflict them any more as before time c. whereas we see that after Solomons dayes both the kingdome of Israel and Judah were often invaded and wasted by many of the neighbouring nations and that the Israelites were at last carried captive to Assyria and Babylon and other countries to this the answer must be that either this must be restrained to the time of David and Solomon his sonne in whose time the Israelites did at last peaceably enjoy their land as their own without any molestation from the neighbouring nations or else it must be understood as a conditionall promise God reserving liberty to himself to deal otherwise with them if they should rebell against him and indeed accordingly we see how marvelously they flourished till in the end of Solomons reigne they fell again to idolatry or else we must expect the full accomplishment hereof when this people shall come in to Christ and so shall be planted again in their own land never to be removed thence any more nor ever more to be afflicted by the children of wickednesse Vers 11. Also the Lord telletb thee that he will make thee an house That is that he will rear up of thy posterity on whom the kingdome shall be established after thee from one generation to another till it comes at last to be established in Christ see the note Exod. 1.21 Vers 13. He shall build an house for my name That is a house for my worship and service of which see the note Deut. 12.4 and it is meant of Solomons building the Temple for though David in his life time prepared great store of materialls for this great work 1. Chron. 22.14 and did also give unto Solomon the pattern of the house and the services thereof which he had received from the Lord 1. Chron. 28.11 Then David gave to Solomon his sonne the pattern of the porch c. and again vers 19. All this said David the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the works of this pattern yet David laid not so much as the foundation of the building but Solomon began and finished the work 1. Kings 5.1 c. But withall it is meant likewise of Christ the sonne of David by whom onely the Church is built that house of God of which the Temple was a type 1. Pet. 3.5 Ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Vers 14. I will be his father and he shall be my sonne c. This clause is also meant both of Solomon and Christ That it is meant of Solomon is clear 1. Chron. 28.6 where this prophesie is repeated Solomon thy sonne he shall build my house and my courts for I have chosen him to be my sonne and I will be his father and that it is also meant of Christ is as evident Heb. 1.5 where the Apostle proves by this place that Christ was farre above the angels For unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee and Again I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a sonne Indeed the following clause cannot be meant of Christ If he commit iniquity I will chasten him c. for though sinne was imputed to Christ Isaiah 53.6 The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all yet it cannot be therefore said of Christ that he did commit iniquity The rule therefore for understanding these propheticall passages is this That onely those passages are to be applyed to Christ wherein Solomon was a type of Christ the first therefore is meant both of Solomon and Christ I will be his father and he shall be my sonne but in a different respect God was a father to Solomon by adoption and grace to Christ by naturall generation but then the second is meant onely of Solomon If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men and thereby some understand that men should be the rods wherewith Solomon should be chastised and so indeed it was with Solomon when he fell to idolatry in his latter dayes God corrected him for this by the rebellions of Hadad and Rezon and Jeroboam against him 1 Kings 11.14 c. but rather I conceive the meaning is either generally that as men use to correct their sonnes whom they love most dearly so God would correct Solomon though he would not cast him off as he cast off Saul yet he would make him smart for it if he sinned against him or else that God would correct him with moderation and gentlenesse for indeed gentle correction may well be termed the rod of men and the stripes of the children of men both because such correction is fitted to the weaknesse of men and because men are wont so to correct their children with a light and gentle hand or else in opposition to the strokes of Gods revenging justice for as the heavinesse of Gods judgements upon Babylon is implyed in that expression Isa 47.3 I will take vengeance and I will not meet thee as a man so on the contrary Gods gentlenesse may be well intended by this expression I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men If
inspiration of the holy Ghost is clear not onely by the testimony of the Church of the Jews who did alwayes acknowledge them as a part of the sacred Canon of the Old Testament but also by the testimony of the Apostle Paul who in his Epistle to the Romanes cites a passage from hence to wit that in the 1. Kings 19.14 as a part of the holy Scripture as we may see Rom. 11.2 3 c. Wot ye not saith he what the Scripture saith of Elias how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying Lord they have killed thy Prophets c. But now who were the holy Ghosts pen-men in writing these books we cannot determine onely that which some hold seems the most probable namely that they were written piece-meals by severall Prophets successively in their severall ages and then afterward collected compacted into one continued history by some holy man of God who was guided therein by the spirit of God and that First because it is manifest that many passages in these books were formerly recorded by Nathan Ahijah and Iddo 2. Chron. 9.29 Secondly because it is also evident that the greatest part of the 18 19 and 20. chapters of the second book of the Kings was taken out of the prophecy of Isaiah as we may see Isa 36.1 c. And thirdly because the story of Zedekiah which we have in the latter end of the second book of the kings seems to have been taken almost word for word out of the latter end of the prophecie of Jeremiah As for the dependance of this history upon that which went before in the end of the second book of Samuel though the last thing there recorded be the staying of the pestilence sent for Davids sinne in numbring the people by his rearing of an altar in the threshing floore of Araunah and offering sacrifices thereon as God had commanded yet we must know that Adonijahs insurrection which is the next thing here recorded did not follow immediately upon that but many other things intervened between which are recorded in the eight last chapters of the first book of Chronicles for after the Lord had at that time it seems revealed to him that the Temple should be built by his sonne Solomon in that very place where now he had reared an altar in the threshing floore of Araunah 1. He made great preparations of all materialls requisite for that work and set workmen at work about them to make them ready for the building 2. He set in order the courses of the Priests and Levites for their attendance upon their severall services in the Temple 3. He made known in a publick assembly of the Princes and Rulers of the people what the Lords pleasure was for Solomons succeeding him in the throne and encouraged Solomon to build the Temple and perswaded the Princes and people to assist him therein giving Solomon withall a pattern in writing how all things were to be made according as God had revealed it to him And 4. in another assembly he perswaded the people to contribute willingly to the building of the Temple which accordingly they did It is evident I say that all these things recorded in the eight last chapters of the first of Chronicles were done whilest David was able to go abroad for it is said 1. Chron. 28.2 that he stood up upon his feet in the assembly of the Princes and Rulers and spake unto them and therefore they were done before this usurpation of Adonijah when David lay bedrid and not able to stirre as it is said here and that to shew that hereupon Adonijah took the advantage of making himself king King David was old and stricken in years yea so weak he was that lying bedrid they covered him with clothes but he gat no heat and so thereupon vers 5 Adonijah the sonne of Haggith exalted himself saying I will be king It is much indeed that David should be so farre spent with age before his death for though this were a little before his death he lived in all but threescore and ten years 2. Sam. 5.4 David was thirty years old when he began to reigne and he reigned fourty years and we see in these dayes that many at these years are farre from this weaknesse but yet considering his many labours warres troubles sicknesses and sorrows which do usually much empair the strength of man A broken spirit saith Solomon drieth the bones Prov. 17.22 it is no wonder though David in his old age sunk apace and was sooner decrepite and bed-rid then other men Vers 2. Wherefore his servants said unto him Let there be sought for my Lord the king a young virgin c. David had at this time many wives concubines but these were all it seems well in years and therefore his servants the Physitians advised that some well-complexioned young virgin should be sought out for him to stand before him to cherish him and to lie in his bosome as judging the heat of youth fittest to cause heat in his cold body especially where it had not been empaired by breeding and bearing of children which made them advise that she should not onely be young but a virgin too Now though there be no mention here made of Davids taking such an one to be his wife or concubine but onely of his taking her to lie in his bosome in a medicinall way yet that this was supposed and intended severall reasons may induce us to think 1. Because it is no way probable that David would have yielded to such a way of curing the coldnesse of his body had she not been taken under the name of a wife or concubine which was generally esteemed lawfull in those dayes the other way would have been so ridiculous and scandalous that it cannot be thought that David would ever have given his consent to it 2. Because it is noted ver 4. as an evidence of the great decay of his body that though she lay in his bosome yet he knew her not which doth clearly enough imply that she was taken in such a conjugall way that he might lawfully have known her had he not been disabled by that extreme weaknesse which lay now upon him and thirdly because had not Abishag been taken as Davids wife or concubine Solomon would never have suspected as he did chap. 2.22 that Adonijah in seeking to take Abishag to wife after his fathers death had a plot thereby to get away the kingdome from him to have married the wife of the deceased king might have advanced his purpose some way amongst the people but had Abishag been taken onely to attend on the king in his weaknesse or to lie in his bosome onely in a physicall way there would have been no colour to think that when he should again lay claim to the crown his marriage with such an one would have added the least strength to his title and therefore it was surely the meaning of Davids Physicians that a young wife or
the porch where was the court of the priests there could be no chambers built and because these chambers were built up close to the house on the outside of the walls so that the beams of the upper floores of these Chambers were laid on that side towards the Temple upon the very wall of the Temple therefore it may be well said that these Chambers were built against the wall of the house that is close adjoyning thereto or as it is in the margin upon the wall of the house there were of these Chambers three stories or rows each above the other and each of them five Cubits high verse 10. and they were doubtlesse provided for the lodging of the priests for the laying up of the holy things of the Temple and such other uses for of these partly is that spoken 1 Chro. 28.11 12. Then David gave to Solomon his sonne the pattern of the porch and of the houses thereof and of the treasuries thereof and of the upper Chambers thereof and of the inner parlours thereof and of the place of the mercy seat And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit of the Courts of the house of the Lord c. Vers 6. For without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about c. This is added to shew how it came to passe that the middle Chambers were broader than the undermost and the third loft broader by a Cubit than the middle ones the reason was because to the end that the beams might not be fastened in the wall of the Temple but might be only laid upon the outlets of the wall and so if occasion were might be removed without any dammage to the wall at every five Cubits high for that was the height of the Chambers verse 10. he narrowed the Temple walls a cubit in breadth as suppose the wall was at the ground six cubits broad according to that Ezek. 41.5 He measured the wall of the house six cubits when they had built it five cubits high there they narrowed the wall a cubit in breadth and built it up five cubits broad and on that outlet of the wall was the beams of the first floore laid and by that means the Chambers there were a cubit broader than those beneath and so likewise it was againe at the third floore there they left a cubit space for the beams of the third floore to rest upon and built up the wall but foure Cubits broad and so those Chambers were seven Cubits broad Vers 7. There was neither hammer nor axe nor any toole of Iron heard in the house while it was in building To wit because all the stones and timber were hewed and fitted for the building before they were brought to the the place where the Temple was built and this was done partly out of a reverent respect to the ends for which the house was built and partly to signifie first that in the Church the house of God all should be carried on in a peaceable way without any of those jarres and tumults that are in the world secondly to signifie the everlasting peace of the Church in heaven whereof the Temple was especially a type here the best are sometimes at variance but there they shall live in perfect peace here they are hewed and squared and fitted for the Temple of God in heaven partly by the word I have hewed them by the Prophets saith the Lord Hos 6.5 and partly by afflictions which is for paring away their corruptions but when they come to be joyned to the Church triumphant in heaven there will be no need of any such thing Vers 8. The doore for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house c. That is in the south side for that in the Scripture is called the right side of the world as is evident Psalm 89.12 where that which is translated the North and the South thou hast created them is in the Originall the North and the right side thou hast created them and the right side of the Temple to wit as they came out of the Temple with their faces eastward It seemes therefore that in the side of the Temples wall either in the holy place or else rather in the porch there was a doore whereby they turned into the lowest floore of the chambers built on the outside of the house from whence they went up with winding staires which were happely in the thicknesse of the Temples wall into the middle chamber that is the middle story which was divided doubtlesse into severall chambers and so out of the middle into the third now if there were no other doore with staires to goe up but this on the south it must needs be yielded that from hence they went to the furthest chambers on the North side and that by some void place after the manner of a cloyster below and galleries above that went round about the house between the chambers and the wall of the Temple but indeed the most that have written concerning the fabrick of the Temple hold that there was another doore also with winding staires going up on the North side though it be not here expressed which they would also prove by the description of the doores that led to these chambers Ezek. 41.11 Vers 9. So he built the house and finished it c. To wit the bulk and body of the house for it was not yet cieled and boarded c. Vers 10. And they rested on the house with timber of Cedar That is the side chambers See the note above verse 6. Vers 12. Concerning this house which thou art in building if thou wilt walke in my Statutes c. When Solomon had only yet set up the frame or body of the house the Lord spake to him either by some revelation or by the ministery of some Prophet thereby to encourage him the better to goe on in the work and assured him that he would performe the word which he spake unto David to wit in making that house his settled dwelling place and in settling him and his posteritie to sit on the throne of Israel onely withall he added this condition If thou wilt walk in my Statutes and execute my judgements and keep all my commandments thereby giving him to understand that however glorious the work was which he had in hand for the service of God yet it would be of no avail to him except he were carefull to live holily and righteously in all other respects Vers 15. And he built the walls of the house within with boards of Cedar both the floore of the house and the walls c. That is the whole wall from the floore to the cieling as it is in the margin or else the meaning is that both floore and roof and all was on the outside cedar for though it is manifest that the holy place was cieled with boards of firre 2. Chron. 3.5 And the greater house he cieled with firre
or else they were not seen without that is the staves were drawn out so little that in the most holy place they might be discerned or happely at the very doore where they went out of the most holy place into the Temple but further out in the Temple they could not be discerned Vers 9. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone For though the pot of Manna Exod. 16.34 and Aarons rod Numb 17.10 and the book of the Law Deut. 31.26 were laid up before the ark yet they were not put into the ark as were the two tables of stone and accordingly we must understand that place Heb. 9.3 4. And after the second vail the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all Which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold wherein was the golden pot that had Manna and Aarons rod that budded and the tables of the covenant Vers 10. And it came to passe when the priests were come out of the holy place that the cloud filled the house of the Lord. When the priests had set the ark in his place and were come out immediately there were an hundred and twenty priests with trumpets and the Levite-singers standing at the east end of the altar with their Cymballs Psalteries and Harps appointed to sound forth the praises of God and whilest they were thus employed suddenly the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud so that the priests were not able to minister no not in the court where the brasen altar stood for thus it is expressed 2. Chron. 5.11 c. Vers 12. Then spake Solomon The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darknesse Solomon standing where he saw how on a sudden the house was filled with a cloud to wit upon the brasen scaffold that was built for him in the outward court which was therefore it seems right before the door of the priests court through which he might look 2 Chron. 6.13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold of five cubits long and five cubits broad and three cubits high and had set it in the midst of the court and upon it he stood c. apprehending rightly that it was sent of God as a signe of his presence in that rapture of his joy he brake forth into these following words the Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darknesse c. that is the Lord hath said he would appear in a cloud Levit. 16.2 I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat and by a cloud he hath usually testified his presence amongst his people as in the leading of the Israelites by a cloud Exod 13.21 in the thick cloud that was upon mount Sinai at the giving of the law Exod. 19 16. in the cloud that covered and filled the tabernacle so soon as it was reared up by Moses Exod. 40.34 and therefore saith Solomon doubtlesse by this cloud the Lord doth shew us that he hath favourably accepted our service in building this house and that he hath taken it to be the settled place wherein he will abide for ever Vers 14. And the king turned his face about and blessed all the congregation of Israel For hitherto he had stood with his face toward the altar observing what was done at the carrying in of the ark Vers 16. Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house c. See this more fully expressed 2. Chron. 6.5 6. Vers 18. Thou didst well that it was in thine heart See the notes 2 Sam. 7.5 6. Vers 22. And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord c. That is having turned himself from the people he stood upon the brasen scaffold with his face toward the altar and then kneeling down upon his knees as is expressed vers 54. and 2. Chron. 6.13 he lift up his hands towards heaven and so prayed unto the Lord. Vers 25. Therefore now Lord God of Israel keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him That is seeing thou hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him in raising me his son up to build a Temple for thee therefore now also keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him saying There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel c. Vers 27. Behold the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee See the note Deut. 10.14 Vers 30. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant and of thy people Israel when they shall pray towards this place Or in this place as it is in the margin even herein as in other things was this Temple a type of Christ As the prayers of Gods people were the more accepted of God when they prayed in the Temple or but with their faces towards the Temple so are now the prayers of Gods righteous servants accepted of God because they are put up in Christs name with an eye of faith fixt upon him as their Mediatour Joh. 14.13 14. Whatsoever ye ask in my name that I will do c. And when thou hearest forgive This clause is added first because pardon of sin is the chief thing to be begged of God in all our prayers for hereby a way is made for the obtaining of other blessings and besides there is no true comfort in obtaining any blessing if our sins should still remain unforgiven and secondly because the best are subject to so many failings in prayer that should not the Lord pardon the sin of their prayers there would be no hope that any prayer of theirs should do them good Vers 31. If any man trespasse against his neighbour and an oath be laid upon him c. That is if a man be charged that he hath trespassed against his neighbour and be brought before the altar to clear himself by oath as in case where sufficient proof and witnesse was wanting they used to do Exod. 22.8.11 Numb 5.12.19 do thou accordingly deal with the man that takes the oath punishing him if he be faulty and acquitting him if he be innocent Vers 33. When thy people Israel be smitten and shall turn again to thee and confesse thy name c. To wit thy Justice by laying all the blame upon themselves acknowledging that they have deservedly suffered and thy mercy and power by seeking to thee for pardon and succour Vers 34. And bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers This may be meant either of those that were taken prisoners in battel to wit that upon the prayers of their brethren in the Temple or their own prayers towards the Temple the Lord would be pleased to bring them again into the land or else of those that by the enemy should be driven out of their dwelling places yet not out of the land of Canaan to
and times wherein he lived and could not be suffered to go to Jerusalem without the losse of his life God was pleased to dispence with the omission of that legall ceremoniall service or at least to beare with his children that did truly feare him and daily serve him in spirit and truth though they did not hazard both libertie and lives for the legall ceremonies the like may be said of those other faithfull servants of God that lived at this time in the kingdome of Israel chap. 19.18 Vers 4 Obadiah took an hundred prophets and hid them by fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water By this may be meant any necessary food but indeed in this time of famine it was much to provide them even bread and water Vers 5. Peradventure we may find grasse to save the horses c. Hereby it is evident that their chiefest want was of pastures and water for their cattell some small pittance of food for themselves the neighbouring countreys might afford for money but grasse for the cattell could not be had but in their own land Vers 10. There is no nation or kingdome whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee c. Some Expositours by the severall nations and kingdomes whither Ahab had sent to search for Elijah understand the severall tribes of Israel that were under his government of which say they he speaks as of divers kingdomes and nations because of old that land was the seat of divers kings and people But rather I conceive it to be an hyperbolicall speech as when we use to tell those whom with great diligence we have sought for in many severall places that we have looked for them all the world over and that the drift of this expression was to imply that Ahab had sought for him not onely in the land of Israel but also in all the neighbouring countreys and amongst all the nations that were in league with him for though it follows that upon deniall that they knew not where he was he took an oath of the kingdome and nation that they found thee not the meaning of that may be that he pressed them so farre that he rested not till by an oath they confirmed it that they knew nothing of him his own people he might constrain to swear others that were not his subjects he could not yet by importuning them to deale truly with him he might draw them to it and therefore speaking of both joyntly together he useth the same phrase of both he took an oath c. and indeed for the neighbouring nations where there was no rain that might make them as earnest against Elijah as Ahab was how he could be concealed in Zarephath when so strict a course was taken we need not question considering that being informed of his danger the widow might use many wayes to hide him Vers 12. The spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not That is some Angel or wind from the Lord shall take thee up and carry thee to some other place and then the king will slay me either because I did not apprehend thee when I saw thee or because I shall seem to have deluded him by telling him that which he shall not find to be true usually it seems in those times Elijah was thus miraculously caught up and so perhaps other prophets too and carried from one place to an other whence it was that when Elijah was at last taken up into heaven the young prophets would needs send out to seek him 2. Kings 2.16 and the like we read also concerning Philip when he had baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch Act. 8.39 Now this is still said to have been done by the spirit of the Lord either because it was done by the ministery of the Angels or by some mighty extraordinary wind as indeed concerning Elijahs last rapture it is said 2. King 2.11 That Elijah went up by a whirle-wind into heaven or rather because what was done by any secret supernaturall working of God they used to say it was done by the spirit of the Lord. Vers 15. As the Lord of hosts liveth before whom I stand c. See the note chap. 17.1 Vers 17. Art thou he that troubles Israel This Ahab said to Elijah partly because he had alwayes opposed that way of religion and worship which he had established in the land and disswaded the people from submitting to it but principally because by his meanes he conceived the drought and famine was sent which had sorely distressed the land Vers 19. Now therefore send and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel and the prophets of Baal c. There is no likelyhood that Elijah immediately upon that reproofe in the former verse enjoyned Ahab to gather the prophets of Baal together never acquainting him to what end and purpose they should be assembled and that the king without any more words did presently what Elijah required and therefore doubtlesse though it be not here expressed because it may be easily gathered from the following relation of that which was afterward done after some vehement concertations betwixt the prophet and the king concerning the idolatry of Baal the king defending what he had done Elijah did now propound to him that way of tryall to find out the truth which afterward again he propounded to the people vers 22 23 24. which the king approving accepted the challenge and assembled both the prophets of Baal and the people also that is the heads of the people to see what was done as Elijah had required The foure hundred and fifty prophets of Baal here mentioned were it seems such as were dispersed over the villages and towns of Israel the foure hundred distinguished from the other by this title the prophets of the groves were such as attended the court and performed their idolatrous service in the groves planted by Ahab near Baals temple in Samaria chap. 16.32 33. and are therefore said to have been such as did eat at Jezebels table why Carmel was chose to be the place where this great triall was to be made we cannot say onely it is like he purposely declined Samaria that Jezebel might not hinder the work for as for that conceit of the papists that in Carmel Elijah used to live a retired monasticall life whence an order of their Friers are called Carmelites it is a mere phancie and groundlesse conceit Vers 20. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together c. We need not wonder that Ahab should herein do as Elijah had required if we consider first That doubtlesse Elijah had desired that triall might be made whether the sacrifice of the Baalites or his sacrifice should be consumed with fire from heaven to discover thereby whether Baal were a god or no and to see this tried by such a miraculous work the very naturall desire that is in men to see strange things might winne him beside the confidence he
it to wit that the king of Moab having the king of Edoms eldest sonne in his power whether left with him as an hostage formerly or now taken lately in that salley which he had made upon the king of Edoms quarters he took him and sacrificed him upon the walls of the city whereupon the Edomites being enraged against the king of Israel because by his pressing the continuance of this siege so lamentable a mischief was fallen upon their king and his sonne they brake up and went in a fury away from the camp and so the siege was raised But I rather conceive it was the king of Moabs own sonne whom he sacrificed First because the king of Edom was but a vice-roy chosen and set over them by Jehoshaphat for in his time they had no king of their own 2. Chron. 21.8 and therefore he could not have a sonne that should have succeeded him in his throne Secondly because this barbarous fact would rather have enraged both the king of Edom himself and the other kings to have pressed the siege the more vehemently that they might come to be revenged on him better therefore do most of Expositours understand this of the king of Moabs sonne to wit first that finding himself in extremity of distresse he fled to this last refuge of sacrificing his own sonne and heir to his idol-gods that with so pretious a sacrifice he might prevail with them for help and secondly that this he did on the wall both to let his enemies see how resolved he was still to hold out and that they might be afraid of the event of such a sacrifice and thirdly that the great indignation against Israel here spoken of was either that the Edomites moved with this lamentable spectacle were offended with the Israelites for it and so broke up their quarters and went away or rather that after this prodigious act of blind devotion both the king of Moab and the inhabitants of the city were more bitterly enraged against the Israelites then ever and were resolved to fight it out to the last man which the Israelites perceiving and withall perhaps moved with some compassion upon that lamentable spectacle they raised the siege and went away home As for that place whereby some would prove it was the king of Edoms sonne that was slain Amos 2.1 Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Moab and for foure I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he burnt the bones of the king of Edom into lime that speaks of burning the king of Edom not the kings sonne how ever it may be meant of any other salvage act of cruelty in the Moabites against the king of Edom. CHAP. IIII. Vers 1. THy servant my husband is dead and thou knowest that thy servant did feare the Lord. This she adds first to cleare her husband from the suspition of wasting what he had by any evill courses secondly to move him the rather to pity her because her husband was one as Elisha knew well that did truly and unfainedly feare the Lord and indeed observable it is how respectively she speaks of her husband though he had left her in so great poverty and distresse And the creditour is come to take unto him my two sonnes to be bondmen See the notes Exod 21.2 and Levit. 25.39 Vers 2. Tell me what hast thou in thine house As if Elisha should have said come let me see what thou hast of any value in thy house that may go toward the payment of thy debts and thus whilest the prophet made shew as if he desired to know how farre she was able to discharge her husbands debts that so he might try if he could compose the difference betwixt her and the creditour he brought her to speak of the pot of oyle she had to wit that being the onely thing of any value she had for we cannot think she was so poore that she had nothing at all else left in her house intending to take that occasion to give order for that whereby she was to be miraculously supplyed Vers 4. Thou shalt shut the doore upon thee c. This was enjoyned first as an act or signe approving or testifying her faith that being left to her self hopelesse of all help and succour from man she did yet expect from the Lord that miraculous help which the prophet had promised her secondly as a circumstance implying that it was fit they should pray unto God when they undertook this work whereto privacy was required thirdly that they might not be disturbed by others when they were imployed in this businesse they had in hand but fourthly and principally for the clearer manifestation of the intended miracle that there might be no suspicion that the oyle was by any body secretly conveyed into the house to them Vers 6. She said unto her sonne Bring me yet a vessell That is to one of her sonnes for that she had two sonnes is evident vers 1. Vers 8. Elisha passed to Shunem A city in the tribe of Issachar not farre from mount Carmel Josh 19.17 18. the very same from whence Abishag was fetched to David 1 Kings 1.3 Vers 9. I perceive that this is an holy man of God Not onely a prophet but a man of eminent holinesse Vers 10. Let us make a little chamber I pray thee on the wall Not that she had not room in her house to lodge him but because she considered that the tumult of a large family might be some disturbance to the devotions study and meditations of a prophet and therefore thought it convenient to provide a place for him where he might be more retired Vers 12. Call this Shunamite And when he had called her she stood before him Vers 15. it is againe said that Elisha bad Gehazi call her so that though it be here expressed that she came and stood before Elisha yet that which follows must be conceived to have been done before her coming the order of the cariage of the businesse it seems was this Elisha sent Gehazi to call her to him and withall willed him to acquaint her with the businesse namely that in recompence of her kindnesse if she had any suit to the king or captain of the host he would be her mediatour she answering Gehazi that she dwelt among her own people and Gehazi carrying back this answer to his master he consulted with Gehazi what then might be done for her and Gehazi putting him in mind that she had no child Elisha bade him again call her Vers 13. And he said unto him Say now unto her Behold now thou hast been carefull for us c. This was the message which Elisha bade Gehazi carry her when he was first sent to call her wherein he makes a thankfull acknowledgement of her great care of them and then tenders to speak for her if she had any occasion either to the king or the captain of the host whereby it appears also that the succour which
house of the Lord and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the kings house That is the gate of the kings house where the guard usually stood CHAP. XII Vers 3. BUt the high places were not taken away c. So long had the people been inured to this erroneous worship of God that it seems even Jehoiada himself durst not advice the king to proceed to the reformation of this evil also for fear of causing some tumult amongst them Vers 4. And Jehoash said to the priests all the the money of the dedicated things c. The Temple was at this time sallen into great decay through the wickednesse of former kings but especially of Athaliah For the sonnes of Athaliah that wicked woman 2. Chron. 24.7 had broken up the house of God and also all the dedicate things of the house of the Lord did the bestow upon Baalim the first act therefore that Jehoash took in hand when he began to rule without a protectour was the reparation of that holy place as indeed most requisite it was that he should be carefull to uphold the Temple that had been the nursery of his infancy and the best means to secure his life and to uphold his just title to the crown of Judah and to this end he enjoyned the priests carefully to gather all the money of the dedicated things that is all the money dedicated to the service and repair of the Temple and then the particulars are expressed purposely I conceive to distinguish this money from that which was brought in for the use of the priests themselves as the money for the redemption of the first born and such like namely first the money of every one that passeth the account that is the half shekel that they were to pay when they were numbred from twenty years old and upward Exod. 30.12 13. which is therefore called 2. Chron. 24.6 the collection of Moses the servant of the Lord and of the congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witnesse and vers 9. the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wildernesse concerning which see the notes Exod. 30.12 13. secondly the money that every man is set at that is the money which any man shall by the priest be appointed to pay for his redemption when he hath vowed himself to God according to that law Levit. 27.2 c. of which see the note there and thirdly all the money that cometh into any mans heart to bring into the house of the Lord that is which any man shall voluntarily give for the reparation of the house Vers 5. Let the priests take it to them every man of his acquaintance In 2. Chron. 24.5 it is said that Joash appointed them to go out unto the cities of Judah and gather this money from yeare to yeare this receiving it therefore every man of his acquaintance is meant of their gathering it in the severall cities where they dwelt for the Levites were dispersed in severall cities of Judah where they were acquainted and well known amongst the people Vers 7. Now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance but deliver it in for the breaches of the house That is he enjoyned them to meddle no more with the receiving of the money but to pay in that which they had already received when the king first set on foot this work as he appointed them to collect the moneyes above mentioned for the repairing of the temple so also he charged them to hasten the work 2. Chron. 24.5 Go out unto the cities of Judah and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from yeare to yeare and see that ye hasten the matter when therefore in the twenty third yeare of his reigne he saw that yet nothing was done he took it for granted that either they had been negligent in collecting the money or that they did not faithfully pay in what they received or at least that the people suspecting their diverting of it to their own private uses did not pay it so willingly as otherwise they would and therefore he took the work out of their hands and appointed another way for the gathering of the money as is afterward expressed Vers 9. But Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in the lid of it c. To wit by the command of the king 2. Chron. 24.8 to prevent all suspicion for the time to come of any corruption in this businesse first they made this chest whereinto the money should be put and wherein it should be kept and then they made a proclamation throughout the kingdome that every man should bring in the appointed contribution which accordingly was done with much alacrity and willingnesse 2. Chron. 24.9 10. Vers 10. The kings Scribe and the high priest came up and they put it up in baggs c. In 2. Chron. 24.11 it is the kings Scribe and the high priests officers came up and emptied the chest c. Vers 13. Howbeit there were not made for the house of the Lord bowls of silver snuffers c. That is not till the temple was fully repaired but when that work was finished the money that was left was imployed in making these vessels for the house 2. Chron. 24.14 Vers 16. The trespasse-money and sinne-money was not brought into the house of the Lord it was the priests That is the money which by the law those men were to pay by way of satisfaction according to the estimation of the priests that had any way wronged the Lord in his holy things Levit. 5.15 whether it were done ignorantly or wittingly in both the cases satisfaction was to be made and the one of these is called trespasse-money and the other sinne-money Vers 17. Then Hazael king of Syria went up Notwithstanding this fair beginning of Jehoash his reigne no sooner was Jehoiada dead but by his flattering princes he was drawn away to the worship of idols and so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespasse 2. Chron. 24.17 18. namely by Gods letting loose Hazael king of Syria upon them as is here said from whom they were fain to purchase their peace by a great summe of money as is expressed vers 18. Vers 20. And his servants arose and made a conspiracie and slew Joash c. Some other passages are recorded in the Chronicles not here expressed as first when sundry prophets had in vain laboured to reclaim both king and people from their idolatry at length Zachariah the sonne of Jehoiada the priest was by the Spirit of the Lord stirred up to admonish them of their wickednesse who did it accordingly with great courage assuring them that this was the cause of Hazaels prevailing against them whereupon a conspiracie was made against him and by the kings commandment who forgat what his father Jehoiada had done for him he was stoned to death secondly that according to the prayer of this
of those which Solomon did at first set up therefore they were still called the high places which Solomon built Vers 15. Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el c. See the notes above upon vers 4. Vers 16. And sent and took the bones out of the Sepulchres and burnt them upon the altar c. That is the bones of the priests that were there buried out of a superstitious respect to the holinesse of the place 2. Chron. 34.5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altar above three hundred years it was now since a Prophet sent from God had foretold that the bones of the priests should be burnt upon Jeroboams altar 1. Kings 13.1 2. which was now accordingly accomplished Vers 17. Then he said What title is that that I see Because the man of God sent to prophecy against Jeroboams altar had foretold that the bones of the priests should be burnt upon the altar the old prophet that seduced him both buried him in the sepulchre provided for himself and gave order to his sonnes to bury him there also and withall took order to erect a statue or pillar in the sepulchre whereon was engraven that there the man of God was buried that had prophecyed against the altar and was afterwards torn with a lion that so when the time came of which the man of God had prophecyed his sepulchre might hereby be known from the rest and so his bones with the bones of that man of God might lie at rest this was the title or inscription which Josiah now espied and being satisfied what it was he accordingly gave order to let their bones alone and so the old prophet had his desire See 1. Kings 13.31 32. Vers 18. So they let his bones alone with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria See the note 1 Kings 13.11 Vers 19. And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria c. See the note above vers 4. Vers 20. And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars c. Though upon the priests the sonnes of Aaron that had worshipped the true God in a false manner in the high places he laid no other punishment but this that they should be for ever disabled from coming up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem vers 8 9. yet these he slew as not being the Lords priests but made priests after the order and institution of Jeroboam 1 Kings 12.31 and such as sacrificed to false gods and perhaps obstinately opposed Josiah in this reformation yea he slew them upon the altars and therein fulfilled what was long since prophecyed of him 1. Kings 13.1 2. and hereby it appears that even after the ten tribes were carried away captive into Assyria yet there were some both of the priests and people that either were left behind or returned again into the land of Samaria Vers 22. Surely there was not holden such a Passeover from the dayes of the Judges c. In 2. Chron. 35.18 it is from the dayes of Samuel the prophet c. doubtlesse there could not be so great a concourse of the people to eat the Passeover now when ten of the twelve tribes were carried captive into Assyria as there had been in former ages when all the tribes of Israel lived under the government of Saul and David and Solomon successively but this is spoken with respect to the multitude of sacrifices that were offered at this passeover given bountifully by the king and princes to the people but especially with respect to the exceeding joy of the good people because religion was restored again in its purity amongst them and the solemnity of all the service that was then performed in the house of God Josiah gave then to the people for the passeover offering thirty thousand lambs and kids and three thousand bullocks and his princes and the chief of the Levites gave proportionably many thousands more as is largely set down 2. Chron. 35.7 8 9. and all the service of the feast was performed with very great solemnity Vers 25. And like unto him was there no king before him c. See the note chap. 18.5 Vers 26. His anger was kindled against Judah because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withall So it is said Jer. 15.4 And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdomes of the earth because of Manasseh It is evident that Manasseh repented him of his sinnes 2. Chron. 33.12 19. and therefore as sure it is that the Lord did fully pardon him all his sinnes Isa 1.16 17 18. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well relieve the oppressed judge the fatherlesse plead for the widow come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as scarlet they shall be made as white as snow yet here the wrath of God against Judah is ascribed to the sinnes of Manasseh which is because the Lord doth many times correct his servants for their sinnes though he hath fully perdoned them and that not onely in their own persons but in their posterity too Secondly because those sinnes of Manasseh were still secretly harboured amongst the people though they yielded to Josiahs reformation for fear yet in their hearts and many of them secretly in their practises too they did still uphold Manassehs wicked wayes as was indeed most remarkably evident in that so soon as ever Josiah was dead even all his children with the people did soon return to Manassehs idolatry again whence it was that the Lord complained of Judah Jer. 3.10 that they had not turned to him with their whole hearts but fainedly and it was in the dayes of Josiah the king vers 6. Vers 29. In his dayes Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria c. To wit in the last yeare of Josiahs reigne which was thirteen years after he kept that solemn passeover and perfectly suppressed idolatry both in Judah and in a great part of Samaria it is hard to say who this king of Assyria was against whom the king of Egypt went up Some conceive it was Esar-haddon the son of Sennacherib and that it was the revolt of the Medes and the Babylonians from him that invited the king of Egypt at this time to invade his countrey but others farre more probably hold that it was Nebulasser the sonne of Ben-meradach king of Babylon for the Babylonians had now gotten the empire from the Assyrians and therefore it is no wonder that he should be here called the king of Assyria And king Josiah went against him To wit to hinder him from passing thorough his countrey Pharoah sent Embassadours to him to desire him that he might quietly passe thorough his countrey protesting that he directed himself against the Assyrians onely without any harmfull purpose
severall courses for the severall services of the Temple and so by their turnes they attended in their severall places the work of Gods house Vers 23. So they and their children had the over sight of the gates of the house of the Lord namely the house of the Tabernacle by wards Some at one gate and some at an other Vers 25. And their brethren which were in their villages were to come after seven dayes from time to time with them That is the brethren of the foure chief porters mentioned vers 17. served by turns and every week one company went out and another company came in Vers 31. And Mattithiah one of the Levites who was the first born of Shallum the Korahite had the set office over the things that were made in the pans That is to look to the provision of flowre and such things as were kept in the treasuries and store-chambers requisite for these uses and to deliver them at times convenient to the priests by whom they were made ready and offered to the Lord. Vers 33. And these are the singers chief of the fathers of the Levites who remaining in the chambers were free That is the Levites they were also the singers in the Temple who were freed from all other imployments because they were continually imployed in that work Vers 35. And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon c. The stock of Saul is here again repeated to make way to the story of the kings which is begun with the death of Saul in the following chapter Vers 37. And Gedor and Ahio and Zechariah Called Zacher chap. 8.31 Vers 39. And Ner begat Kish and Kish begat Saul c. See the note chap. 8.33 CHAP. X. Vers 2. ANd the Philistines slew Jonathan c. See the note 1. Sam. 31.2 in which chapter many other passages of this chapter are explained Vers 6. So Saul died and his three sonnes and all his house died together That is all his servants and attendants that accompanied him in this warre 1. Sam. 31. 6. Vers 10. And they put his armour in the house of their gods c. That is in the house of Ashtaroth See 1. Sam. 31.10 Vers 12. And buried their bones under the oak c. Having first burnt their bodies See 1. Sam. 31.12 13. Vers 13. So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord c. To wit both in not staying Samuels coming as he was appointed seven dayes when he warred against the Philistines and also in sparing Agag and the best of the spoil contrary to the Lords command in his warre against Amalek Vers 14. And enquired not of the Lord. See 1. Sam. 28.6 CHAP. XI Vers 1. THen all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron c. To wit Ishbosheth being slain when David had already reigned seven years in Hebron for betwixt the death of Saul and this anointing of David by all the tribes of Israel many things are recorded in the foure first chapters of the second of Samuel which are here omitted now what needs explanation in these three first verses see in the notes upon 2. Sam. 5 1 2 3. Vers 4. And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem c. To wit to take the strong hold of Zion a part of Jerusalem which was still in the Jebusites possession see 2. Sam. 5.6 Vers 5. And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David Thou shalt not come hither Adding withall by way of derision except thou take away the blind and the lame of which see 2. Sam. 5.6 Vers 6. So Joab the sonne of Zeruiah went first up and was chief Joab was before one of Davids chief captains 2. Sam. 3.22 23. but not the Generall over all his forces or if he were it was not over all the forces of Israel but onely over the forces of Judah for till now the other tribes had not taken them for their king that honour was now conferred upon him for this service of his in taking the fort of Zion Vers 8. And he built the city round about even from Millo round about c. See 2. Sam. 5.9 Vers 10. These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had c See 2. Sam. 23.8 Vers 11. Jashobeam an Hachmonite the chief of the captains he lift up his spear against three hundred c. Called also Adino the Eznite and the Tachmonite 2. Sam. 23.8 9. Vers 12. And after him was Eleazar the sonne of Dodo the Ahohite who was one of the three mighties c. The second of the first three see 2. Sam. 23.9 the third was Shammah 2. Sam. 23.11 whose name is not here expressed concerning whom and the brave exploit here mentioned of this Eleazar and Shammah see 2. Sam. 23.11 Eleazar when he had done slaying them was not able to take his hand from his sword Vers 15. Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David c. See 2 Sam. 23.13 Vers 17. And David longed and said Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem c. See the notes concerning this passage 2. Sâ—â— 23.15 16. Vees 19. These things did these three mightiest That is Davids three chief worthies yet some conceive that it is meant of the second three whereof Abishai was the chief 1. Because the words immediately following vers 20. And Abishai the brother of Joab he was chief of the three c. seem to have respect to that which went before 2. Because this is onely expressed thus 2. Sam. 13.17 These things did these three mighty men whence they inferre that they are here called the mightiest onely with respect to the thirty of whom or in regard of whom they were the mightiest not that they were the three chief of his worthies but the first exposition I conceive most probable see 2. Sam. 23.13 Vers 20. And Abishai the brother of Joab he was cheif of the three See 2. Sam. 23.18 Vers 22. Benaiah the sonne of Jehoiada the sonne of a valiant man of Kabzeel c. See 2. Sam. 23.20 Also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowie day This may be added to intimate how the lion came to be shut up in a pit to wit the pits mouth being covered with snow as he was going over it he fell into it Vers 24. These things did Benaiah the sonne of Jehoiada and had the name among the three mightie See 2. Sam. 23.22 Vers 27. Shammoth the Harorite 2. Sam. 23.25 he is called Shammah the Harodite So also are many other of the following names much different from those in Samuel as may be observed by comparing both places together Vers 34. The sonnes of Hashem the Gizonite Jonathan the sonne of Shage the Hararite And Shammah the other sonne of Hashem or Jashen as is expressed 2. Sam. 23.32 33. though here omitted Vers 41. Uriah the Hittite Zabad the
was the base which being the most gracefull part of musick is therefore said to excell Vers 23. And Berechiah and Elkanah were doore-keepers for the ark That is they were appointed to keep the doore of the tent where the ark was afterwards kept and accordingly were imployed now in observing that no body should presse in upon the ark the like is again said vers 24. of Obed-Edom and Jehiah and happely two went before the ark and two came after it Vers 26. And it came to passe when God helped the Levites that bare the ark c. That is so soon as they perceived that God was with them in the businesse and did not strike them with death as Uzza was by way of thankfulnesse they offered up sacrifices and this was so soon as they had gone six paces 2. Sam. 6.13 yet others very probably understand this place thus that when the Levites that had carried the ark did by the Lords appointment set it down that so others might take it up and they might be eased at every such resting place they offered seven bullocks and seven rammes Vers 27. David also had upon him an ephod of linnen See 2. Sam. 6.14 CHAP. XVI Vers 1. SO they brought the ark of God and set it in the middest of the tent c. See 2. Sam. 6.17 Vers 5. Asaph the chief c. Heman is named in the first place as chief of the three principall singers chap. 6.33 but Asaph it seems was the chief of those that were deputed to this service in the house of David where the ark was now placed the rest being imployed at present in the Tabernacle at Gibeon vers 39 40. And Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord which he commanded Israel Vers 7. Then on that day David delivered first this Psalme to thank the Lord c. That is this was the first Psalme he delivered them to sing the severall parts whereof were afterward much enlarged by David and reduced into severall Psalmes as we may see Psal 105. and Psal 96. Vers 8. Give thanks unto the Lord c. From hence to the end of the two and twentieth verse is the beginning of the hundred and fifth Psalme and the summe of it is to praise God for the publick benefits afforded to his Church and people the children of Israel in regard whereof in times of any great joy Gods people used to sing this Psalme as may be probably gathered from that which we reade Isa 12.4 And in that day shall ye say Praise the Lord call upon his name c. Vers 11. Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face continually That is seek to know and to assure unto your selves the Lord and his strength by which you can onely hope to be strengthened defended and delivered in times of trouble and his favourable presence and that by resorting to the ark which is the outward signe of his presence amongst you to counsell and instruct you and therefore from thence he used to give his oracles Exod. 25.22 and to be your strong fortresse and defence in regard whereof the ark is elsewhere called the strength of God Psal 78.61 And he delivered his strength into captivity and the ark of his strength Psal 132.8 Arise O Lord into thy rest thou and the ark of thy strength yea and this must be done with perseverance and therefore is the word continually added seek his face continually Vers 12. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done his wonders and the judgements of his mouth That is his law and statutes given on mount Sinai or rather the judgements which he executed upon the adversaries of his people called the judgements of his mouth because they came by his decree and appointment and because of many of them he spake beforehand to Moses and Moses as Gods herald threatened Pharaoh and his people Exod. 7.1 Vers 13. O ye seed of Israel his servant c. Psalm 105.6 it is O ye seed of Abraham and then O ye children of Jacob his chosen ones that is his adopted and peculiar people and that merely of Gods free grace and election Vers 15. Be ye mindfull alwayes of his covenant Psal 105.8 it is He hath remembred his covenant for ever The word which he commanded to a thousand generations That is the conditions of the covenant which on Israels part was the law of faith and obedience on Gods part the promises which for the greater certainty may be also said to be commanded Psal 133.3 There the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Vers 19. When ye were but few even a few c. Psal 105.12 it is when they were but few this is expressed first to imply the freedome of Gods grace in choosing them to be his people Deut. 7.7 secondly to magnifie the more the Lords protecting them Vers 20. And when they went from nation to nation c. To wit when they went up and down in the land of Canaan where were seven mighty nations Deut. 7.1 and sometimes removed thence to other kingdomes as to Egypt Gen. 12.10 and Gerar Gen. 20.1 for under this clause all the travels of the Patriarchies are comprehended Vers 21. Yea he reproved kings for their sakes As Pharaoh Gen. 12.17 and Abimelech Gen. 20.3 Vers 22. Saying Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm That is wrong not those whom I have consecrated to my self by the anointing of my holy spirit my Christians according to that 1. John 2.20 But ye have an unction from the holy one c. and vers 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you c. to whom therefore I do familiarly reveal my will that they may teach instruct others Gen. 20.7 Restore therefore to the man his wife for he is a prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt live c. and thus the Prophet implies that the Lord did thus defend them not onely because they were poore helplesse miserable men unjustly oppressed but also because by speciall covenant God had taken them into his protection Vers 23. Sing unto the Lord all the earth c. From hence to the 34. verse is the ninety sixth Psalme and the chief drift of it is to stirre up all nations to praise the Lord and consequently it includes a prophesie of Christ and of the gathering of all nations into the Church by the preaching of the Gospel and therefore Psal 96.1 to expresse the strange and unlooked for change that should be then in the Church these words a new song are added and sing unto the Lord a new song Vers 27. Glory honour are in his presence strength
thickets Vers 14. Even to the entring in of the fish-gate c. So called because there they used to sell fish Vers 15. And he took away the strange gods and the idols out of the house of the Lord. That idol mentioned vers 7. Vers 20. And they buried him in his own house To wit in the garden of his house called the garden of Vzza 2. Kings 21.18 CHAP. XXXIIII Vers 2. ANd he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord c. See many severall notes for this chapter 2. Kings 22.2 c. and 23.1 c. Vers 11. And to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed That is the chambers of the priests and Levites which joyned to the Temple Vers 12. And the overseers of them were Jahath c and other of the Levites all that could skill of instruments of musick Those being purposely it seems chosen to oversee the work that might also at set times praise the Lord whilest the work went forward with instruments of musick CHAP. XXXV Vers 3. ANd said unto the Levites that taught all Israel which were holy unto the Lord Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the sonne of David king of Israel did build It seems that in his father Ammons reigne either the ark had been put out of the most holy place that some idol might be set up in the place thereof and so was set aside in some other place of the Temple or perhaps quite removed out of the Temple or else it had been purposely carried out by the priests that it might not stand there amongst those heathenish idols that were brought into the Temple and therefore now Josiah calls upon the Levites to restore the ark to its own place again in the Temple where formerly it stood Indeed the Levites might not enter the holy place but they might bring it to the entrance of the Temple and there the priests might receive it of them and perhaps by the Levites here are meant all the tribe of Levi both priests and Levites It shall not be a burden upon your shoulders That is the ark the testimony of Gods presence must abide in the Temple his dwelling place and must not be carried from one place to another upon your shoulder as it was before the Temple was built Vers 5. And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people c. It seems the severall families of the Levites were severally appointed to attend upon the sacrifices and offerings of the severall families of each tribe some to be employed in that holy service for such and such families and other for others and hence it is that they are here appointed to stand in the holy place that is to attend the service that was to be done according to the divisions of the families of the people and after the division of their own families Vers 11. And they killed the passeover and the priests sprinkled the bloud c. See chap. 30.17 Vers 12. And they removed the burnt offerings that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people c. That is of those cattell that were given both for sacrifices of all kinds and for the passeover they set apart such cattell as should be for burnt offerings which were wholly to be offered upon the altar that so then of the rest they might give unto the people partly for paschall lambs partly for peace offerings whereof both priests and people had their share or else it may be meant of removing from the peace offerings the fat the kidnies c. that were to be burnt upon the altars Vers 13. But the other holy offerings sod they in pots c. To wit so much of the peace offerings as was to be prepared for the offerers to eat before the Lord. Vers 18. And there was no passeover like to that c. See 2. Kings 23.22 where are also many other notes for the following part of this chapter Vers 25. And all the singing-men and the singing-women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day and made them an ordinance in Israel c. The meaning of this may be that it grew to a custome which they observed as a law or else that it was indeed established for an ordinance that in all the mournfull ditties which were sung upon occasion of any publick calamitie they should still mention the mourning that was at the death of Josiah which accordingly the singing-men and the singing-women did upon all such occasions constantly observe As for that following clause And behold they are written in the Lamentations thereby may be meant some volume of mournefull ditties extant in those times wherein it was evident how this was practised amongst the people or else it may be referred to Jeremiahs Lamentations for the death of Josiah CHAP. XXXVI Vers 5. THen the people of the land took Jehoohaz the sonne of Josiah and made him king c. See 2. Kings 23.30 2. And he reigned three moneths in Jerusalem In which time he set up Idolatry again and did evil according to all that his fathers had done See 2. Kings 23.32 Vers 3. And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem That is he deposed him from being king at or in Jerusalem to wit that he should no more reigne as king in that citie but at Riblah this was done for thither the king of Egypt sent for him and there he deposed him and put him in bands or else it may be that he was deposed at Jerusalem and put in bands at Riblah as is expressed 2. Kings 23.33 concerning which see the note there And condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold which accordingly Eliakim exacted of the people and then paid it to Pharaoh 2. Kings 23.35 Vers 4. And turned his name to Jehoiakim As a memoriall that he was his vassall and that he had made him king And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him to Egypt Where he died 2. Kings 23.34 Vers 5. Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reigne c. See 2. Kings 23.36.37 Vers 6. Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and bound him in fetters c. See 2 Kings 24.1 2. Vers 8. His abominations which he did and that which was found in him c. To wit his rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar and other things which he did 2. Kings 24.1 2 c Vers 9. Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reigne c. See 2. Kings 24.8 9. Vers 10. When the yeare was expired king Nebuchadnezzar sent c. That is when the new yeare came in Nebuchadnezzar sent his servants as is related 2. Kings 24.10 who besieged Jerusalem whereupon Jehoiachin by the advice of Jeremiah yielded up himself and his into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar who carried him to
in this verse undertaking to set down the copy of the letters the penman of this story doth again repeat the time when and the king to whom it was written onely here he calls him by his Persian name which it seems was used in the letter to wit Artaxerxes And the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue and interpreted in the Syrian tongue That is in the Syrian tongue and with Syrian characters Vers 8. Rehum the Chancellour and Shimshai the Scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem c. That is the letter was composed by Rehum the Chancellour and written by Shimshai the scribe though it was written in the name of those mentioned vers 7. and others the Governours in Samaria and from this to vers 19. chap 6. the story is written in the Chaldee tongue Vers 9. The Dinaites the Apharsathchites c. These were severall people that were placed by the Assyrians in Samaria who joyned now in writing these letters to Artaxerxes Vers 10. And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over c. The most of Expositours think that it is Esarhaddon mentioned before vers 2. the sonne of Sennacherib who brought over a colony of these nations into Samaria that is here called the great and noble Asnappar yet it may be meant of some great commander or chief officer of Esarhaddon imployed by him in bringing over this colony And the rest that are on this side the river That is Euphrates that divided the Jews from the Babylonians Vers 12. And have set up the walls thereof and joyned the foundations Because there is no mention any where made that they had at this time meddled with building of the walls but on the contrary we reade that long after this complaint was made to Nehemiah Nehem. 1.3 that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire that is that they continued in that condition as Nebuchadnezzar had long ago left them therefore it is most likely that this was a mere falshood which the Samaritanes charged upon the Jews onely thereby to stirre up jealousies in the king of Persia against them and indeed it is not probable that they would undertake the building of the city walls when they were not well able to go through with that work which they had first set upon and were so zealously intended to finish it to wit the building of the Temple Vers 15. That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers Because this Artaxerxes was a Persian and the rebellion of the Jewes which is here objected was not against the Persians but against the Assyrians and Babylonians to what end should search be made in the records of Artaxerxes his father I answer First that the Persians did usually aid the Assyrians and Babylonians against the Jews and because of this there might be mention made of the rebellion of the Jews against the Syrians in the records of the Persian kings see Isaiah 22.6 Secondly that by his fathers here may be meant the Babylonian kings onely because the Persians succeded them in their Empire or perhaps because they pretended some title of succession as conquerours to establish themselves the better are usually wont to do Vers 24. So it ceased unto the second yeare of the reigne of Darius king of Persia That is of Darius Hystaspes yet some think it was Darius Nothus the bastard sonne of Artaxerxes Longimanus CHAP. V. Vers 1. THen the prophets Haggai the prophet and Zachariah the sonne of Iddo prophesied unto the Jews c. The building of the Temple having a long time ceased Darius at length being chosen king of Persia the prophet Haggai was sent from God to the Jews in the second yeare of Darius in the sixth moneth Haggai 1.1 and then two moneths after him Zachariah the sonne of Iddo that is the grandchild of Iddo for he was the sonne of Barachiah the sonne of Iddo Zach. 1.1 In the eighth moneth in the second yeare of Darius came the word of the Lord unto Zachariah the sonne of Barachiah the sonne of Iddo the prophet c. and was afterwards slain by the Jews Matth. 23.35 and so both these prophets did joyntly together reprove the Jews for neglecting this work and did perswade them to set upon it again shewing them that the famine that had been of late amongst them was a punishment of God upon them for neglecting of this work It is true indeed they had been commanded by the king of Persia to desist from building the citie chap. 4.12.21 but there was no one word in that letter to forbid the building of the Temple and besides there being now a new king in Persia and of another family why did they not afresh return to their work these prophets therefore did sharply reprove their sloth and incite them to set forward the work Vers 2. And with them were the prophets of God helping them To wit by exhorting and stirring up the people to buckle themselves closely and couragiously to the work and happely also by doing what they could do to help the work forward for the peoples greater encouragement Vers 3. At the same time came to them Tatnai governour on this side the river c. The Jews had been hitherto busie enough in building for themselves goodly and fair houses Haggai 1.4 Is it time for you O ye to dwell in your cieled houses and this house lie waste and these men then hindred them not but no sooner do they set upon the building of the Temple but again they bandied together against them Vers 4. Then said we unto them after this manner What are the names of the men that make this building It is evident that these adversaries of the Jewes inquired concerning the names of those that were principall agents in this businesse as we see vers 10. We asked their names also to certifie thee that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them and therefore Expositours understand this as spoken in their person we said that is we Tatnai Shether-Boznai and the rest said unto the Jewes What are the names of the men c. Neither do we see how it can be otherwise taken if it be read with an interrogation as our translatours have rendred it Vers 5. But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jewes that they could not cause them to cease till the matter came to Darius That is the Jews being a poore unsettled friendlesse people might well have been feared by the threatning of these their powerfull adversaries but by the providence of God over them they were so encouraged and their enemies so farre restrained that nothing was done to hinder them but they were content to let them go on till the matter was brought to Darius his knowledge who afterward gave them liberty and encouragement to go on in their work Vers 16. And
good part of the wall adjoyning even to the tower of Meah they sanctified it unto the tower of Hananeel where by the tower of Meah is meant a tower not farre from the sheep-gate so called as is thought because it had an hundred pinacles or was an hundred cubits high or some such like reason for Meah signifies an hundred and by the tower of Hananeel a tower further northward mentioned again Zach. 14.10 Vers 3. But the fish gate did the sonnes of Hassenaah build This was doubtlesse on the northwest of Jerusalem in the citie of David towards the sea as appears also by that which is said of Manasseh 2. Chron. 33.14 He built a wall without the citie of David on the west side of Gihon in the valley even to the entring in of the fish gate c. It was called the fish gate because they brought in their fish from the sea coasts of Tyre and Sydon at that gate according to that chap. 13.16 There dwelt men of Tyre therein which also brought fish c. and had happely their market for the selling of their fish not farre from it it is mentioned again Zeph. 1.10 There shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate Vers 5. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired c. That is some of the inhabitants of Tekoa for other of them also repaired in another place as it is expressed afterward vers 27. but yet it was onely the common people amongst them that did what was done for concerning their nobles there is a clause of exception added but the nobles put not their necks to the work of the Lord that is the nobles would not do any service herein to their Lord the God of Israel because their arrogancie in regard of their greatnesse was the cause of their refusing their help in this work as pretending they would not be taxed nor have any such burthen imposed upon them their folly is noted herein that they refused to put their necks to his work who is the nobles Lord as well as the common peoples Vers 6. Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada So called happely because it was the oldest of all the gates in Jerusalem and this was also as is generally held on the north-side of Jerusalem Vers 7. And next unto them repaired Melatiah c. unto the throne of the governour on this side the river It seems there was formerly in this part of the wall a palace or place of judicature where those that were appointed governours under the Babylonian and Persian kings over all the countrey on this side Euphrates did use to sit in judgement unto which place these men of Gibeah and Mizpah and others here mentioned did repair the wall and that palace where had been the throne of the governour some Expositours conceive was repaired by Nehemiah and his servants he being now governour of Judea whence are those expressions chap. 4.16 The half of my servants wrought in the work and the other half of them held both the spears the shields c. and 5.16 I continued in the work of this wall c. Vers 8. And they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall That is they repaired the wall unto that place where the wall was made much broader then in other places and therefore called the broad wall and so having brought the work so farre there they left off building because here it was not ruined and therefore needed no repairing in which sence it may be read according to the translation noted in the margin They left Jerusalem unto the broad wall Vers 9. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the sonne of Hur the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem For Jerusalem being part in Judah and part in Benjamin had accordingly two severall rulers and this Rephaiah was ruler of one of them and Shallum vers 12. was ruler of the other Vers 11. And Hashub the sonne of Pahath-moab repaired the other piece and the tower of the furnaces That is the next portion of the wall set out to be repaired wherein also was the tower of the furnaces so called happely because either in the tower it self or in the street adjoyning there were many furnaces Vers 12. Shallum the sonne of Haloesh the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem See above vers 9. Vers 13. The valley gate repaired Hanun c. See chap. 2.13 Vers 14. But the dung-gate repaired Malchiah the sonne of Rechab That is of the famous familie of the Rechabites Vers 15. But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun See chap. 2.14 Unto the stairs that go down from the citie of David That is from mount Sion which was called the citie of David into the lower part of Jerusalem Vers 16. After him repaired Nehemiah c. Here begins the repairing of the wall about mount Zion wherein stood the Temple and the palace of the kings of Judah and the first part of this wall was repaired by one Nehemiah the sonne of Azbuck the ruler of the half part of Bethzur and so as farre as to the pool that was made and unto the house of the mighty and by the pool that was made is meant a pool not naturall but made by art to wit by Hezekiah 2. Kings 20.20 yet this was not the pool of Siloah mentioned in the former verse for that was happely a naturall pool and was in the lower part of Jerusalem but another in mount Zion called therefore the upper pool 2. Kings 18.17 and by the house of the mighty is meant some house built for Davids worthies or some house where the garrison souldiers for the citie lay or where youths were taught to handle their arms Vers 17. After him repaired the Levites It may be because the wall here was over against the Temple Vers 19. The ruler of Mizpah another piece over against the going up to the armory at the turning of the wall To wit the citie armoury to which that place of Solomons seemeth to allude Cant. 4.4 Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury it is evident that the house of the forrest of Lebanon which Solomon built was for many generations a magazine of arms for the kings of Judah for thence is that Isa 22.8 Thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forrest and therefore it may be it was that house that is here meant or if not so it may be they had severall arsenalls or armouries one for the citie armoury and another for the kings magazine or that this was some place where anciently there had been an armoury before the house of Lebanon was built Vers 22. And after him repaired the priests the men of the plain To wit the men that inhabited the plain countrey about Jerusalem 2. Sam. 2.28 chap. 12.28 Vers 24. Binnui the sonne of Henadad another piece from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall This is thought to be the turning of the
this order prescribed here by Joshua for the peoples marching about the citie was formerly given him in charge by the Lord though it be not there expressed However very observable is the peoples readinesse in obeying his command which makes it to me most probable that Joshua had told them what the Lord had imparted to him concerning the falling of the citie wall which they believing the rather because of the miracle they had so lately seen of the dividing of Jordan were the readier to do what Joshua enjoyned them and thence is that which the Apostle saith Heb. 11.30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven dayes It is questioned by some why those Israelites were armed that went before the ark seeing the wall was to fall of it self But this scruple is altogether causelesse for it was fit they should be armed for their own defence and the defence of the ark in case the inhabitants should sally out upon them and besides they were to go up upon the citie to destroy the inhabitants so soon as ever the wall was fallen and their going armed beforehand did testifie that they believed what God had said herein and were ready to execute the Lords command The greatest difficulty in these words is who are here meant by the rereward that came after the ark Some hold that this is meant of the tribes of Dan Asher and Naphtali and that because Numb 10.25 their camp is called the rereward and used alwayes as the Israelites travelled through the wildernesse to march in the rere which order they conceive was here observed for the greater pomp and state But yet because the words seem so plainly to imply that all the people that were armed went before the ark Let him that is armed passe on before the ark of the Lord vers 7. and here again the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets therefore it may seem more probable which others say that by rereward here is meant the remainder of the people that were not armed Vers 16. Joshua said unto the people Shout c. The following reason for the Lord hath given you the citie shows the ground why this shouting was enjoyned them to wit first to strike the hearts of the men of Jericho with fear secondly to testifie their faith in Gods promise and their joyfull assurance that now the citie should be delivered up unto them and thirdly to encourage one another in the following assault Vers 17. And the city shall be accursed even it and all that are therein to the Lord. This Joshua received in charge from the Lord though it were not formerly expressed as is evident 1. Kings 16.34 In his dayes did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho he laid the foundation in Abiram his first-born and set up the gates thereof in his youngest sonne Segub according to the word of the Lord which he spake by Joshua the sonne of Nun. And by Joshua no doubt this charge was given to the people before the time when they were to shout but here it is inserted vvhen it vvas to be put in execution to make vvay to the follovving story of Achans transgression chap. 7. Why this citie vvas thus destroyed rather then the other cities vve need not enquire since it is enough that it pleased God so to appoint But probably tvvo reasons may be given first that hereby the other inhabitants might be vvarned not to stand out against God or if they did to render them the more inexcusable and secondly that it might be offered to the divine justice as a kind of first-fruits as the words implie the citie shall be accursed to the Lord thereby acknowledging that the whole land was his but that he was pleased to give it them As concerning things accursed or devoted see the notes upon Levit. 27.28 Vers 19. But all the silver and gold and vessels of brasse and iron are consecrated unto the Lord. Under these we may probably conceive that all other metalls are comprehended and happely they were made to passe through the fire ere they were brought into the Lords treasurie as those were Num. 31.22 23. Onely the gold the silver the brasse the iron the tinne and the lead Every thing that may abide the fire ye shall make it go through the fire and it shall be clean concerning their images of gold and silver there is no question to be made but that either they were melted and so brought into the treasurie or else utterly wafted with the things in the citie according to that law Deut. 7.25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them nor take it unto thee lest thou be snared therein for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God Vers 20. The wall fell down flat so that the people went up into the citie c. Thus God without the help of the Israelites beat down the walls of Jericho wherein the Israelites were to have no part of the spoil See the former note upon vers 5. Vers 23. And they brought out all her kindred and left them without the camp of Israel That is having fetched Rahab her kindred and all she had out of her house they carried them to some place without their camp and there they left them And thus both the Israelites testified what an esteem they had of the holinesse of their camp where God was pleased to dwell amongst them and withall Rahab and her kindred were hereby taught to acknowledge bewail and forsake the impuritie of their gentile condition and were kept as aliens from the common-wealth of Israel till they had made profession of their desire to imbrace the religion and faith of Israel and were cleansed from their former pollutions according to the Law Numb 31.19 And do ye abide without the camp seven dayes whosoever hath killed any person and whosoever hath touched any slain purifie both your selves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day Vers 24. And they burnt the citie with fire and all that was therein It might well in reason have been very grievous to the people to destroy such goodly houses wherein they might so conveniently have seated themselves and the whole prey and spoil of so fair a citie which might so greatly have enriched them But herein is noted their observable obedience at present to the Lords command not a man of them offering to meddle with one jot of the spoil save onely Achan of whose sacriledge we have the relation in the following chapter Vers 26. Cursed be the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this citie Jericho God would have the ruines of this town remain as a perpetuall monument of the power of God shewed both in his severitie against this idolatrous citie and his mercie to his people and therefore Joshua is by the Lord appointed to curse him that should
by building this citie again as it were blot out the memoriall of this miraculous work For that Joshua pronounced this curse by Gods command is evident 1. Kings 16.34 In his dayes did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born and set up the gates thereof in his youngest sonne Segub according to the word of the Lord which he spake by Joshua the sonne of Nun. He shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born and in his youngest sonne shall he set up the gates of it That is let it cost him the losse of all his children the first when he begins it the other as he goeth forward with the work and the last when he finisheth it For the hanging up the gates is counted as it were the finishing of a citie How this curse fell upon Hiel the Bethelite who in Ahabs reigne built this citie again is noted in the place before cited 1. Kings 16.34 CHAP. VII Vers 1. BVt the children of Israel committed a trespasse in the accursed thing That is one of the Israelites The people being considered conjunctim as one entire body that which was done by one of the members is here ascribed to the whole body of Israel For Achan the sonne of Carmi the sonne of Zabdi the sonne of Zerah of the tribe of Judah took of the accursed thing This Achan is also called Achar 1. Chron. 2.7 which signifieth a troubler whence he is called there Achar the troubler of Israel as likewise the place where he was stoned is called the valley of Achar that is of trouble vers 26. of this chapter Partly the better to evidence the certain truth of the historie and partly to implie the stain he brought upon his ancestours his genealogie is here set down to wit that Carmi was his father and so Zabdi who is also called Zimri 1. Chron. 2.6 his grandfather and Zerah or Zarah who was the sonne of Judah Gen. 38.30 was his great grandfather Indeed considering that Zerah was at least fourteen years old when he went with his father Judah and his grandfather Jacob into Egypt about the yeare of the world 2298. as by computation of years gathered from the historie of Moses may be made evident and that from their going down into Egypt unto the destruction of Jericho are usually reckoned at the least two hundred fiftie and six years it may well seem strange that in all this time there should be but foure generations Zerah the sonne of Judah being but the great grandfather of Achan But this doubt may well be satisfied by yielding that each of these that are mentioned were born in their fathers latter dayes For if Zerah begat Zabdi when he was seventie and one years old fiftie seven years after his going into Egypt in the yeare of the world 2355. and Zabdi begat Carmi at seventie years old in the yeare of the world 2425. and Carmi begat Achan also at seventie years old in the yeare of the world 2495. then was Achan at their coming out of Egypt nineteen years old and at the sacking of Jericho about fiftie nine or threescore And the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel To wit because Israel had sinned as it is said before And indeed as in the bodie we use to beat the back for any offence committed by the tongue so in bodies politick civill societies it is no wonder that God should lay upon any of the members temporall punishments for a sinne committed by another of that body especially if we consider that God may have alwayes just cause to punish any of his people for sinne in themselves though for the present he take occasion to strike for the sinne of another that men may learn to hate sinne the more which brings ruine upon more many times then the sinner himself and be the more studious to bring others to fear God as themselves do Vers 2. And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai which is besides Beth-aven on the east side of Beth-el c. This Ai in Gen. 12.8 is written Hai and Nehem. 11.31 Aijah It is said here to have been near both to Beth-el and Beth-aven Beth-el therefore was not farre from Beth-aven which signifieth the house of vanity or of a lie and in regard whereof it was that when Jeroboam had set up his idols in Beth-el by signification the house of God the prophets were wont to call it in contempt and scorn by the name of this neighbour town Beth-aven the house of vanity Hos 4.15 Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend and come not ye unto Gilgal neither go ye up to Beth-aven nor swear The Lord liveth 10.5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven Now to this Ai Joshua sent spies as before to Jericho yet these men were not to go into Ai as before into Jericho but into the countrey about â—t where they might view the passages and observe afarre off the strength and fortifications of the city Go up saith he view the countrey Vers 3. And they returned to Joshua and said unto him Let not all the people go up c. And thus by the confidence and resolution of these men and by their slighting of Ai as a place of no strength that might easily be taken by a few of the Israelites the Lord did secretly make way to that which he had purposed to do in the chastising of the Israelites for the sinne of Achan Doubtlesse the spies spake what they thought to wit that it was needlesse to carry up the whole host of Israel against so small a city as Ai was Let about two or three thousand go up say they and smite Ai and make not all the people to labour thither for they are but few But God had a further end in this which they knew not of namely that the Israelites might be smitten by the men of Ai whereas had all the armie of Israel gone up the inhabitants of Ai would not have dared to have sallied out and withall that this might be done but to a small company of the Israelites to speak of that the losse and dishonour might be the lesse And hence it was too that Joshua and the rest did so presently approve of this advice of the spies whenas otherwise much might have been said against it Vers 4. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men and they fled before the men of Ai. Notwithstanding the men of Ai were doubtlesse as the rest of the inhabitants of Canaan greatly dejected with fear of the Israelites and the Israelites on the other side much imboldned with the late wonders God had wrought for them and particularly with the overthrow and destruction of Jericho and though they went not rashly against this city for he had sent spies beforehand to search out the passages and advantages of the countrey and whereas the