so it will seem to have the best coherence with the words next following and the story ensuing of the Creation of the Heavens and Earth the second and third day light day Strictly and usually so taken otherwise called an Artificiall day consisting of about twelve houres John 119 As the natural day consists of 24. houres Both there are mentioned ch 7. 12 17. V. 5. And the evening c. The Evening which is the beginning of the Night and the Morning which is the beginning of the Day are called the first day largely taken the Day natural of 24 houres And here observe that as Darknesse was before Light v 2 3. so the Evening and Night is made and reckoned the beginning and first part of the natural day or large day of 24. houres And accordingly the large Day is called an Evening Morning Dan. 8. 14 26. And by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Night-Day 2 Cor. 11. 25. And as Moses doth here so God commanded it and the Jewes observed it to reckon the beginning of their large Day at the Evening Lev. 23. 32. From evening to evening you shall celebrate your Sabbath And so for eating unleavened bread at the Passeover Exod. 12 18 In the first moneth on the fourteenth day of the moneth at even ye shall eat unleavened bread untill the twenty one day of the moneth at even And ye we finde in the dayes of our Saviour the reckoning altered that they began their natural and large Day in the Morning as appeares in the Evangelists recording the History of our Saviours Resurrection Mat. 28. 1. Mar. 16. 1 2 9. ch 15. 42. Luke 24. 1 Joh. 20. 1 19. Which alteration might haply be occasioned by the accompt of the Romans and complyance with them who then had the sovereignty and dominion over them Now these two things well observed may haply serve to assoyle a doubt and clear a difficulty The case is this Our Saviour did eat the Passeover twenty foure houres before the Jewes did eat it And this is clear out of the Gospels Matth. 26. 17 18 19 20 47. Mark 15. 42. Luke 23. 54. Joh 18. 28. and 9. 14 31 42. That our Saviour did not anticipate the day by reason of his future Passion But kept the right day appointed in the Law we are not to doubt of it Considering the strictnesse of the Command for the day Exod. 13. 10. And Christs coming to fulfil all righteousnesse to keep the Law both Moral and Levitical And that he did so in this point and particular appears also Matth. 26. 17. Marke 14. 12. Neither do those words in Joh. 13. 1 2. disagree from it The words there mentioned before the feast of the Passeover appearing to be understood of two dayes before the Passeover Mat 26. 2. And being spoken on the Mount of Olives Mat. 24. 3. And the Supper there mentioned being to be understood of the Supper in the night of the Passeover which was kept in Jerusalem Mat. 26. 17. And those loavs of bread in the Gospel Matth. 16. 9 10. could make and multiply the waters of the Deluge to rise to such an height and that as little by miracle as the other way must needs imply Now the right day was the fourteenth day of the first moneth Abib or Nisan in the evening or betweene the two evenings Exod. 12. 6. i. e. betweene the two extremities of the evening-tide whereof the former belonged to the end of the declining day the ending which was the thirteenth day not the fourteenth as in the late learned and large Annotations on Matth. 26. 17 the latter belonged to the beginning of the night when the day following is said to begin Gen. 1. 5. which was the fourteenth day at the beginning and evening whereof the Passeover was to be eaten as appears verse 18. Now how it came to passe that the Jews kept the wrong day and why so is the question and difficulty remaining Some speak of a Jewish Tradition That after the returne from the Babylenian captivity They ordered and altered the time so as the day of eating the Passeover might not fall on the Munday Wednesday or Friday but then they put it off to the day following The truth of this Tradition I am ignorant of much more of any reason why they should dare to have such a Tradition and Order But finding in the Gospels The Accompt for the Beginning of the natural large day of twenty four hours altered from the Evening to the Morning as was formerly observed I rather conceive that both our Saviour and the Jewes may be said to eat the Passeover on the same day viz. both on the Friday and at the evening too so it be understood according to their own several mindes and meanings reckonings and accountings Our Saviour rightly beginning and ending the day from evening to evening and the Jews erroneously from morning to morning The issue so wil be this That on the thirteenth day consisting of twelve hours from morning to evening called an artificial day the Disciples prepared the Passeover for our Saviour which is therefore called the first day of the feast of unleavened bread Matth. 26. 17 18 19. And when the â—ven was come which was the true Beginning of the fourteenth day Jesus sate down with the twelve to eate the Passeover Matth. 26. 20. according to the Law The Morning after and so on till the Evening making an artificial day which indeed was the true later part of the fourteenth natural day our Saviour was examined condemned and at last suffered And that time is called the Jewes Preparation Luke 23. 54. John 19 31 42. the Preparation of their Passeover John 19. 14. the Preparation before the Sabbath Marke 15. 42. And the Evening following which was the later part of their fourteenth day in their account they did eat their Passeover And the day following which was the Sabbath is called the day after the Preparation Matth. 27. 62. And whereas to countenance that pretended Jewish Tradition for putting off the eating of the Paschal Lamb from the Friday to the Saturday which was their Sabbath-day those words of John are alledged for that Sabbath was an high day John 19. 31. I answer That it is called an high day because it was the Sabbath that fell within the compasse of that high and solemne Feast But all this I propound and submit to the judgement of the learned And again This Observation of the true Beginning of the day at the Evening Together with the Alteration of it from the Evening to the Morning in the dayes of our Saviour may help to quiet that controversie which of late hath troubled too many about the Beginning and Ending of the Christian Sabbath or Lords day rather For if we will begin it as the Jewes began their Sabbath by Gods own appointment and as the Beginning of the natural day of twenty four hours was reckoned from the Creation Then sure we
must begin it at the Evening But if we will begin it according to that alledged Alteration we finde in our Saviours time Then we must Begin it in the Morning which later is favoured the more by our Saviours Resurrection very early in the morning Matth. 28. 1 6. Marke 16. 2 6. Luke 24. 1 6. John 20. 1. To the memory and honour of whose Resurrection as the day of Rest was changed so it accords well and suitably seems to require the same change for the beginning of that day agreeing therin with the aforesaid Alteration However the Point Material is That it must comprehend twenty four hours V. 6. Firmament By Firmament here generaly by all is understood whatsoever is to be seene in that vast space above the earth from the surface of it to the uppermost visible Orbs As conceiving and that justly That the Aire or lowest region of it betwixt the Earth and the Clouds were alone too smal a thing for the whole work of the second day In the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters the waters which are under the firmament from the waters which are above the firmament Divers ancient and learned Fathers have conceived hereupon and upon the words of the Psalme 148. 4. That a great or the greatest part of those waters that covered the face of the 〈◊〉 verse 2. were lifted up and spread as an Orbe of waters above and about the highest part of the starry heavens and so there remaine And from those windowes of heaven opened some would fetch the greatest part of those waters in the Deluge that covered all the high hills that were under the whole heaven fifteene cubits upwards Yet all this seemes too weak a foundation whereon to build that Orbe of supercelestial waters For plaine it is that the lowest region of the aire is called heaven and the firmament of heaven even that wherein the winds clouds and fowles do flie verse 20. Jer. 51. 16. Dan. 7. 2 13. And indeed as every part of the water is truly called water so every part of the heaven and firmament may be and is called heaven as well as the whole or the highest parts of it the starry heaven and the third heaven chap 1. verse 14 15 16 17. Gen. 22. 17. 2. Cor. 12. 2. And if such a division were meant as they pretend to where then would be the division betweene the waters of the seas and the watery clouds without which division and the use of it the earth could not bring forth sustenance for Man or Beast And as for the windowes of heaven they are understood of the region of the aire as Psal. 78. 23. Mal. 3. 10. And the same God who rained down fire and brimstone on Sodâ—m and made or multiplyed the widowes oyle 2 Kings 4. 2. V. 8. the firmament heaven All above us so called And the Angels this day most likely were created considering the words of the Lord Job 38. 4 5 6 7. that all the sonnes of God shouted for joy when he laid the foundations of the earth Though Moses mentions not their creation as puposely intending to relate only the creation of things corporal and visible and that haply a having regard therein to the rudiments and weaknesse of that Infant-Church of the Jewes to whom immediately he wrote this History second day Without that approbation And God saw that it was good which yet is doubled on the third day haply because the separation of the waters begun this day was not perfected till the third day And it is once repeated on each of the other four dayes with the addition of very good in the end of all V. 20. and fowle Out of the waters and the ground also chap. 2. 19 V. 26. Let us Intimates a Plurality of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence And so pluraly chap. 3. 22. 11. 7. Esay 6. 8. V. 27. created he them Both this day chap. 5. 2. though the maner of her creation be more fully related chap. 2. v. 18 to 23. V. 29. to you it shall be for meat Living things are not here mentioned for meat till after the flood anno mundi 1657. and no more are corne bread drink and other things named which yet no doubt were in use before the flood Cain being a tiller of the ground And â—el being a keeper of sheep was not likely to leave their flesh to be devoured of wilde beasts or to rot either above or under ground And mans body being in a dying condition since the Fall stood in more need of nourishing meats then whiles he abode in Innocencie Neither were the herbs trees ground after the Curse of that vertue and vigour for his nourishment and sustenance as formely It is nothing likely then that man should want so needful a nourishment as flesh or fish for so long a time so many ages of the world because they were not haply so necessary for him in the time of Innocency or not expressed by name for food at the time of his Creation But after the Fall being killed for cloathing and offered in sacrifices to God even by Abel himself It is not to be imagined but that they did eate of the flesh of them as in sacrifices was ever usual And therefore also for those ends and uses the distinction of them into cleane and uncleane was made even before the flood And seven of the Cleane reserved for sacrifice and food whereas two sufficed as in the Uncleane for preservation of Seed Gen. 7. 2. And the words of our Saviour noting the old world for their eating and drinking before the flood came on Matth. 24. 38. implies rather an abuse in the excesse then an abstinence from the use of flesh and other delicacies V. 30. Every green herb for meat But after the Fall of man beasts and birds of prey and fishes eate and devour one another CHAP. II. Ver. 3. BEcause that in it This being alledged as the Reason of the Sabbath Exod. 20. 11. 31. 17. shews it to be here instituted before the Fall And then no doubt but Gods people had more need or the same Ordinance and Help in Religion ever since the Fall And the Rulers Narrative to Moses speech or question Exod. 16. 22 23. seems to me to imply the keeping of the Sabbath by the Jewes before the giving of Manna in the Wildernesse Exod. 16. 5. not appearing to be made known to the people till after the Rulers relation of sin And Gods direction to Moses And apparently it was kept before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai V. 4. the Lord God Here first the word Jehova is used And after often in this Chapter Gen. 15. 7. 22. 14. 26. 24. 27. 20. 28. 13. and in many places more And therefore Exod. 6. 3. But by my Name Jehova was I not known to them is spoken comparatively not known so fully in making good my promises by answerable effects as now
it in the magin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to him so observing a various reading And indeed they observe divers readings in sundry places of Scripture but about no one word so many as about this as may be seene Levit. XI 21. and Ch. XXV 30. 1 Sam. II. 3. 2 Kings VIII 10. 1 Chron. XI 20. Ezra IV. 2. Job XIII 15. Psal. C. 3. Esay IX 3. and XLIX 5. and LXIII 9. And in many of these both senses come to one reading the Negative by way of interrogation See the Annotations on Job 13. 15. From mine Altar The Tabernacle verse 14 and Temple and Altars there may seeme to pretend to some such Priviledge as the Cities of Refuge had Exod. XXI 14. 1 King 1. 50 51. and Ch. 11. 28. An Oath An oath is pnt to the Party suspected to accuse verse 11 or clear himself So v. 11. Somewhat like an Answer to a Bill in Chancery or to the oath called ex officio chapter XXII though haply in all things not correspondent Males Women among the Jewes as not Circumcised verse 17 so haply may seeme neither to be tied to eate the Passeover chapter XXIII Exod. XXIII 17. and Ch. XXXIV 23 24. Deut. XVI 16. Yet is this no ground to debar women from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper more then from the Sacrament of Baptisme the partition-wall being now broken down by Christ and male and female in him are all one Gal. III. 8. Thy bounds The bounds of the Land of Canaan were Larger Ge◠XV. 18. Exod. XXIII 31. Deut. I. 7. and Ch. 11. 24. Josh. I. 4. Narrower verse 31 Num. XXXIV 3. c. Num. XIII 21. 1 King VIII 65. 2 Chron. VII 8. Judg. XX. 1. The larger bounds were never possessed and inhabited by the Israelites at most made Tributary onely in the dayes of David and Solomon And the default might be no wise in God but in the Israelites sinning and breaking with God Deut. XIX 8 9. Yea the narrower bounds by reason of their sinnes were scarce at any time fully possessed In the Arke In the Arke were the two Tables of the Law and Covenant chapter XXV verse 16 See also Exod. XL. 20. And nothing else 1 Kings VIII 9. 2. Chron. V. 10. which Tables are called the Testimony Exod. XXV 16 21. and Ch. XXX 6. and Ch. XL. 20. And the Arke is called The Arke of the Testimony Exod. XXV 22. and Ch. XXVI 33. and Ch. XXX 6 26. And the Mercie-seate is said to be upon the Testimony Levit. XVI 13. By the Arke was laid and kept the Pot of Manna before the Testimony Exod. XVI 34. And Aarons Rod before the Testimony Num. XVII 10. And that Censer Levit. XVI 12. Heb. IX 4. And the Book of the Law in the side of the Arke or on the outside of it Deut. XXXI 26. Not onely those Pieces of it Exod. XVII 14. and Ch. XXIV 4. and Ch. XXXIV 27. and Deut. XXXI 9 22. But the whole Law and writings and inspired Books of Moses And this seemes to some to be the Book found in Josiah's time and to have been lost in the dayes of wicked Manasseh and Amon Though the matters of that Book when it was read to Josiah and to all the people seemed so strange unto them as if no Copie of it at all chapter XXV or wondrous rare had been extant among them Lamps to burn alwayes The Lamps may seeme to burn night and day chapter XXVII verse 20 because we read of no windows for light in the Tabernacle See also Exod. III. 7 8. Levit. XXIV 2 3. At least some of them in the day-time Tabernacle Moses his Tent is called the Tabernacle chapter XXXIII verse 7 8. And the Tabernacle is called by the name of the Temple 1 Sam. III. 3. And the Temple diverse times by the name of the Tabernacle and Sanctuary and Tents of the Lord 2 Chron. XXXI 2. Fourty dayes and fourty nights Moses twice fasted 40 dayes chapter XXXIV verse 28 and 40 nights Exod. XXXIV 28. Deut. IX 18. and Ch. X. 10. And some conceive thrice out of Deut. IX 25. Yet this is not likely Elias once and our Saviour once Of Fasting see the Annotations on Joel I. 14. Skin of his face shone By reflexive raies and beames of the Divine splendor verse 29 And had not hornes as the Trent Bible renders the word And Painters commonly picture him The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a substantive signifies an Horne but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Verbe signifies to shine And so Saint Paul interprets it 2 Cor. III. 7. Looking-glasses Looking-glasses made not of Glasses chapter XXXVIII verse 8 whereof we have no record in Scripture but rather of steele or of brasse which was much refined as Ezra VIII 27. and of much use and specially for armour inwarre as Virgil often mentions Talents verse 24 Shekels Shekel comes from Shakal to weigh And thence may our English word scale come A Shekel is 20. Gerahs Exod. XXX 13. Ezek. XLV 12. or two Bekahs Exod. XXXVIII 26. The Shekel is half an ounce in silver or 2 s. 6d And so the Gerah 1 d. ob and the Bekah 1 s. 3 d. The Talent is 3000 Shekels which appears thus in the Text The 603550 men are taxed at a Bekah a piece This makes 301775 Shekels Now reckoning 3000 Shekels to a Talent The 301775 Shekels make up 100 Talents and 1775 Shekels according to the summe there specified v. 25 27 28. And counting the Shekel at 2 s. 6d the Talent so comes to 375 l. starling The Shekel of gold was of the same weight with that of silver but of farre greater value of ten to one with the Jewes as may be gathered out of 1 Chron. XXII 14. And so their Shekel of gold comes to 1 l. 5 s. their Talent of Gold comes to 3750. l. But gold now in Christendome is at an higher rate By silverings as 2 Sam. XVIII 11 12. Matth. XXVI 15. usually Shekels are understood See the Annotations on Ezek. IV. 10. And on Esther III. 9. Vaile of the Covering That hanged before chapter XXXIX verse 34 and covered the Mercy-seate Lamps to be set in order Dressing them every morning verse 37 and lighting them at even Ch. XXX 7 8. if not at morning too there being no windows in the Tabernacle and so burning alwayes Ch. XXXVII 20. continually Levit. XXIV 2. Blessed them The offerers verse 43 and the work-men Of the Gongregation Where Priests chapter XL verse 2 Levites and People assembled according to the several degrees of their approaches Everlasting That their posterity should not need to be anointed again verse 15 Of Everlasting see the Observations on Deut. XV. 17. A Cloud Even that Cloud verse 34 Exod. XIII 21 22. miraculously removed hither Not able The maner therefore of the clouds abode verse 35 and the Lords glory appearing at this time was extraordinary Leviticus LEVITICUS takes up onely the time of one moneth viz the
Whether thou wilt or no when thou shalt in vaine call to rocks to hide thee into judgement If not in this life yet at thy death thy doomesday and at the judgement of the great day Jude 6. called The terror of the Lord 2 Cor. V. 10. Acts XVII 30. See Esay XXVIII 17. Therefore remove sorrow Sinne verse 10 which is the true cause of sorrow as the end will prove Prov. XIV 13. and the true cause of Gods indignation Or particularly this sinne of thy indignation and all inordinate passions thy swelling and storming at the will and wayes of God or at any serious advice given thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember 1. Chron. XXVIII 9. Prov. XXIII 17. thy Creator Heb. chapter XII verse 1 Creators Father Sonne and Holy Ghost So God my Makers Job XXXV 10. The Makers of Israel Psal. CXLIX 1. thy Makers is thy husbands Esay LIV. 5. Gods created Gen. I. 1. youth Youth is slippery prone to lusts and sensual pleasures apt to put off the evil day farre from them to look on death and judgement as at a great distance as evil men use to do Ezek. XII 27. Amos VI. 3. 2 Pet. III. 3 4. Solomon here calls on them to remember themselves better to minde God in the Spring of their age to present the first-fruits to God as young Samuel Jeremy and Timothy did and not to leave and reserve the dregs and snuffs to God while the evil dayes Old age is very unfit to begin so great a work in Old age will bring evils enough of its own besides While the Sunne Before the sight of thine eyes grow dimme Or verse 2 before thy most delightful and pleasant things begin to grow unwelcome unpleasant to thee The darknesse of lights about them as of the Sun candles torches c. Whence we need Spectacles Returning of the clouds after the raine alludes to the winterly state of old age In summer after raine the clouds break up and fair weather comes Not so in winter So in youth Not so in old age nor the clouds return One grief comes upon the neck of another as the billows of the sea wallow and tumble upon the back one of another A proverbial speech as Psal. XLII 7. the Keepers of the house The hands and armes verse 3 Some here take in the head and ribs and outward senses and inward faculties but not so properly strong men Thighs and legs Here some take in the feet Grinders The teeth They come not with us into the world And they commonly leave old men before they go out of the world look out of the windows The eyes out of the eye-lids darkened A further degree of dimnesse then that ver 2. And the doores Old men shall shut the street-dooers shall stay within doores because the weaknesse of their appetite and digestion when the sound of the grinding with the teeth was low and doth cause them to eat little and so weakens their bodies to stir abroad Others by streets here understand those Pipes and passages which are for the meat to go down to the stomach and for the breath and aire to go down to the lungs which passages have doores and covers which open and shut And these being weakened in old age breed weaknesse of the body and difficulty of swallowing and of speaking Those which stretch the words to the Hearing or to the eye-lids or to all the senses seeme to misse most of the true meaning doores Lips When for want of teeth the meat is rolled and ravelled in the mouth and hath need of shut lips to keep it from falling out of the mouth at the voice of the bird Shall wake out of sleep at every little noise through the badnesse of sleeping and wearines to lie long in bed by reason of little ease and much paine and akings daughters of musik That we can neither sing our selves nor be delighted with the musik of others 2 Sam. XIX 34 35. afraid of that which is high To go up it verse 5 being weak and short-winded And fear stumbling at every little stone in the way Both heights and hollows in the way annoy their goings almond-tree The gray-hairs which some call the white flowers of the Church-yard grashoppers Every light thing shall be a burthen to them who are now already become a burthen to themselves and desire shall faile The lust of the flesh libido As also the lust of the eye and the pride of life In decrepit age all these desires die though they reigned and raged in him before long home The grave his own house and long home Nox est perpetua Vna dormienda Esay XIV 18. never to returne hither again Job VII 10. But long to abide there till the Resurrection-day mourners Jer. IX 17. verse 6 and XXII 18. Amos V. 16. See Job III. 8. silver cord The marrow of the back-bone be loosed or lessened and contracted whence old men grow crooked and bending in the back Some take this for the sinewes which are the ligaments of all the members and are loosened by cold humours and palsie-distempers golden bowle The heart the blood of it or the pericardion or the brain pan pia-mater and pericranion Some understand this of the cista fellis the gaul and choler which easily breaks out in old men Some of the skull parted in the sâ—tures and seams of it diseases grow round as a bowle-golden for the colour and precious use of it in preserving the brains or the pitcher be broken at the fountain By fountain we may understand those principal parts as the Heart Head Liver from whence the vital supplies of spirit heat blood sense and motion are drawn into the body By Cisterne the same aforesaid or those places of the body whereinto those vital supplies are drawn and conveyed By the pitcher and wheele the veins arteries and sinewes which as subservient instruments do conveigh those supplies into the several parts of the body Some understand by the pitcher the bladder and by the cisterne the belly that neither duly performe their office by the fountaine or spring the issuing forth of the water the retentive faculty of the muskle at the neck of the bladder being broken so that water the urine issueth from him insensibly without stay the wheele broken at the cisterne The Lungs broken off from their motion of inspiration and respiration by phlegme from the stomach stopping and stifling the Lungs The Lungs are as the wheele transmitting the aire in and out up and down and when this free course is stopped then follows ratling in the throat and death after The stomach is the cisterne from all the body And the spirit shall returne Gen. II. 7. Joh XXXIV 14 15. verse 7 And even the wisest Heathen have avouched the immortality of the soul and a life of joy or paine after this life ended according to our carriage here So Socrates Plato Cicero Plutarch Epicharmus Euripides Lucretius Heraclitus Virgil and others
I will be in my bringing of them out of Egypt notwithstanding all Pharaohs obstinacie V. 7. breathed To shew that mans spirit is not of the earth as his body but of nothing by the insufflation of God and so differing from the spirit of beasts Job 33. 4. Eccles 3. 21. It hath iâ—s immediate original from the Father of spirits who did by creating infuse it or by infusion create it V. 8. planted On the third day chap. 1 11 12. Eastward From Moses in the wildernesse where he wrote this History in Eden A part of Mesopotamia V. 9. tree of life Because naturaly much but sacramentaly more it conduced thereunto tree of knowledge From the event in respect of our first parents V. 10. went out of Eden Flowing into it from above V. 11. Pison A part of Tygris Paâ—itygris or Pisotygris Havilah From Havilah the sonne of Cush Gen 10. 7. 25. 18 1 Sam. 15. 7. V. 13. Gihon The lower part of Euphrates Ethiopia Cush i. e. the Westerne Ethiopia adjacent to the Desert Arabia V. 14. Hiddekel The upper part of Tygris Euphrates Called the river the great river Deut. 1. 7. 11 24. Rev. 9. 14. V. 17. Thou shalt not eate of it The thing in it selfe indifferent but made unlawful to him by Gods command both sheâ— the Lords absolute dominion over him and his sin to be the greater and more notorious if he disobeyed it surely die Be subject to mortality misery death and to him which hath the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2. 14. A man sentenced to death we count him a dead man dead in Law though he and his execution be reprieved for a time If he had not sinned he had continued in a safe and blessed condition free from death and all maner of evil V. 19. and brought them unto Adam Gen. 7. v. 8. 9. V. 20. And Adam gave names Not that the names must needs be given according to their natures V. 21. ribs With the flesh v 23. The want of which rib God could and easily did sufficiently supply by closing up the flesh instead thereof V. 22. made he a woman 1 Cor. 11. 8. brought her to the man As to her husband Thus the married estate honourable in the state of Innocency Matth 19. 4 5 6. V. 23. This is now bone c. He knew it partly of himself but more by divine revelation V. 24. Therefore shall a man leave c. These seeme to be rather the words of God Matth. 19. 4. 5. then of Adam or of Moses And are spoken both simply Gen. 24. 58 59. and comparatively rather leave the duty of children to parents then of husband to wife when any such case of necessity shall fall out And they Explained by twaine Matth. 19. 5 6. by two 1 Cor. 6. 16. Against Polygamy and unlawful divorces and carnal copulation out of marriage V. 25. both naked c. That shameful through sin since the Fall Rom. 6. 21. which was not so before not shall be after the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 43. CHAP. III. â—â—rs 1. SErpent Divers sorts are of them Some specious and beautiful to the eye subtil Prudent Matth. 10. 16. crafty 2. Cor. 11. 3. and so the fitter instrument for Satan he said Many Angels fell Mar. 5. 9 12. 2 4. Pet. 2. Jude v. 6. having one for Principal Matth. 25. 41. And they fell from the beginning 1 John 3. 8. Now they are called Devils or Daemons of their knowledge and cunning still remaining One of them if not the Principal opened here the Serpents mouth and caused it to speak with mans voice 2 Cor. 11. 3. as the Lord did with Balaâ—ms Asse And the Devil did this speedily after mans creation Whence he is called a Murtherer from the beginning Joh. 8. 44. and that old Serpent which deceiveth the whole world Rev. 12. 9. yea hath God This would be an abrupt beginning But it seemes to presuppose a Precedent parley in a more cunning and winning way V. 2. And the woman said She wonders not at the Serpents speaking and speaking so or it may be she did at the first for a while at least though it be not here expressed yet haply conceiving that her knowledge in some things was to increase by experience as our blessed Saviour did Luke 2. 52. He came to finde fruit on the fig-tree when the time of figs was not yet Mar. 11. 13. And she being not apt bâ— able to suspect any evil or sinne as not knowing the fall of the Angels or any evil to be in the world she might the rather entertaine this conference V. 3. Neither shall ye touchit lest ye die These words may be uttered with a good intention and receive a good interpretation in answer to the Serpents question she hereby heightening Prohibition to the utmost to put the greater â—ie upon her obediente and averring and ascertaining the danger and death which otherwise would ensue as Matth. 15. 32. compared with Marke 8. 3. V. 4. ye shall not surely die Thus the Devil is a liar and the father of it John 8. 44. V. 5. as Gods Satan might be pretend to meane it of the Angels But the woman conceived it of the true God in plurality of persons as appears v. 22. Knowing Satan abuseth the name of the treeâ— to a wrong sense pretending all good but intending all wofull knowledge of sinne and misery by it experimentally V. 6. And when the woman saw c. Here was the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 John 2. 16. And thus through his eating by one man sinne and death entered into the world In Adam all his posterity sinned being then in his â—oines Rom. 5. 12 19. And in Adam all die 1 Cor 15. 22. Rom 5. 15 16 17 18. and he did eate Yet it is said Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression â— Tim. 2. 14. She first and deepest in the transgression and she not the Devil immediately the meanes to induce her husband to sinne she giving the forbidden fruit to him with words to perswade him v. 17. though she did not purposely deceive him as the Devil did purposely deceive hee V. 7. And the eyes of them both Small distance then betweene the time of both their eating naked In body before without shame while without sin chap. 2. 25. But now experimentally they know that they were naked both in body and soule with shame as Exod. 32. 25. through guilt of sinne and sting of conscience they sewed A silly shift And therefore notwithstanding this they seek to hide themselves v. 8. But for their souls they did not nor indeed could make any shift at all aprons To cover especially those parts of all most uncomely now which serve for generation By which sinne hath its derivation to all mankinde V. 8. voice of the Lord God walking Either in an humane shape or otherwise without that
be sprinkled seven times before the Lord before the vaile of the Sanctuary And then some of it to be put upon the hornes of the Altar of sweet incense before the Lord and the rest of the blood to be poured out at the bottome of the Altar of the burnt-offering as in the sin-offering of the Holy Priest Levit 4. v. 5 6 7. And of the whole Congregation ch 4. v. 16 17 18. Sometimes it was to be put upon the tip of the right eare and upon the thumb of the right hand and upon the great toe of the right foot and some of the blood upon the Altar was to be sprinkled upon the garments as Moses did at the consecration of Aaron and his sonnes Levit. 8. 23 24 30. all which was typical and ceremonial In summe it was given upon the Altar to make an atonement for soules for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soule Lev. 17. 11. and almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission Heb. 9. 22. But with them blood was never at any time or upon any occasion to be eaten Lev. 7. 26 27. 1 Sam. 14. 32 33 34. And the Apostles make a decree for the forbearance of eating things strangled and blood Acts 15. 20. yet now the ceremonial Law being expired and the restraint in this text not so clear and full or not reaching to all people in all ages out of the case of scandal which occasioned the Apostles necessary 1 Cor. 8. 13. though temporary decree I see no necessity enforcing the contrary but that Christians may use their Christian liberty knowing that to the pure all things are pure that meat commends us not to God that whatsoever is sold in the shambles that we may eat asking no question for conscience sake V. 5. And surely your blood of your lives Your life-blood The reason of the former prohibition Of every beast Exod. 21. 28. mans brother All men are brethren Act. 17. 26. V. 6. Whoso sheddeth Wittingly and wilfully Numb 35. 31. else Cities of Refuge weee appointed as may be seen Numb 35. 11 15 22 23. Deut. 29. 3 6. by man Magistrate Revenger of blood Numb 35. 19 21 27. for in the image This reason sheweth death to be due for murther before the flood and from the beginning though God extraordinarily suffered Cain to live a life likely worse then death as a spectacle of his wrath all his age To deny the legal and military use of the sword to Christians is an Anabaptistical faucie V. 10. And with every living creature For mans sake for whom they were made and in the flood for his sin destroyed V. 11. All flesh No universal deluge though particular countreys may be drowned by the waters of a flood Yet in the end by fire 2 Pet. 3. 7 10. the earth As ch 6. 11. V. 13. My bowe Wittily say some bended upwards and withoâ—t any arrow in it This was in the clouds before naturally But now significatively instituted to this use to be a token of this Covenant for the assurance of the truth and performance of it and Gods oath annexed to it Esay 54. 9. V. 14. When I bring a cloud At sometimes V. 18. And Ham is the father of Canaan So againe v. 22. To imply the reason why Canaan is cursed v. 25 26 27. And that the Israelites who in Moses time and after were commanded to root them out might know that they were of an accursed race and off-spring V. 20. Began In the new world a new beginner yet some yeares after the flood V. 21. Uncovered Likely wearing long and loose garments without breeches As likely David did when Michal mocked him 2 Sam. 6. 20. To prevent which linnen breeches were commanded to Priests Exod. 28. 42. Ezech. 44. 19. and Gods Altar was to be builded without steps Exod. 20. 26. V. 22. And told He should have concealed it from his brethren and covered it himself V. 24. And knew Upon enquiry or otherways by relation or revelation V. 25. Said Prophetically both in his cursing and blessing by warrant of Gods Spirit V. 25. Cursed be Canaan Not naming Cham. But shewing thereby the curse to be entailed on him and on Canaan his fourth sonne ch 10. 6. then borne and haply a Partner in his fathers sinne and on his posterity after him Prov. 30. 17. a servant of servants Thus fore-doom'd to a most servile slavish estate and condition This most seen long after in the Gibeouites Josh. 9. 21. and in the Canaanites As the blessing on Japhet was long after fulfilled when the Gentiles became Christians V. 26. Blessed be the Lord God of Shem Shem blessed because God is called his God Psal. 144. 15. He named before Japheth his elder brother in covering his fathers nakednesse v. 23. and Canaan shall be his servant So to Chadorâ—aomeâ—â— of Shems progeny being King of Elam ch 14. 1 4 c. and ch 10. 22. so in the times of Joshuah Judges and Kings of Judah and Israel V. 27. In the tents of Shem In the Church become Converts and Christians Eph. 2. 13 14 19. 3. 6. even when Shems posterity the natural branches was much out off Rom. 11. 11. and Canaan shall be his servant Alexander the Great and the Romanes subdued them V. 29. And he died living almost to the birth of Abram CHAP. X. Verse 1. JAphet He is renowned in the ancient Greek Writers called Iupetos V. 2. Madai Of him the Medes Javan Of him the countrey Ionia the Grecians V. 5. Isles Properly or improperly such countreys whereto the Jewes from their land could not passe but by shipping the Province of Europe here meant every one after his tongue As it fell out after that division of tongues ch 11. 9. V. 6 Cush Cushians or the Ethiopians near the Arabian sea Mizraim Egyptians Mizraim in the Old Testament is alwayes called Egypt in the New Testament V. 7. Seba Whence came the West-African-Ethiopians and likely the Queen of Shebah 1 King 10. 1. called the Queen of the South coming from the uttermost parts of the earth Matth. 12. 42. And the Eâ—nuch of Candacâ— Acts 8. 27. Havilah In Arabiah V. 8. And Cush begat Nimrod Reserved here to the last place because Moses meant to speak most of him a mighty one Usurped by violence a more imperious Power and Government then formerly was used and enlarged his dominions V. 9. A mighty Hunter Hunter of men Tyrants and Oppressors are called Hunters Jer. 16. 16. before the Lord Openly without feare of God V. 10. Babel ch 11. 9. Semiramis then the wife of Ninus sonne to this Nimrod or Belus as profane Authors have it founded not this City but repaired it After Nimrods time it seems the seat of that Monarchy being the first was translared to Nineveb in Assyria Micah 5. 6. And after many ages Babylon rebuilt by Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 30. Shinar Comprehending Mesopotamia situate
Begat Abram c. Began to beget as Gen. 5. 32. For Abram was borne in the one hundred and thirtieth yeare of his father Terah Terah dying at the age of two hundred and five in Haran ch 11. 31 32. and Abram being then seventy five years old as appears ch 12. 4. Acts 7. 4. Likely Haran was the eldest Nahor the second and Abram the youngest as the eldest likewise is named last ch 5. 32. V. 28. In Ur Nehem. 9. 7. Acts 7. 4. Ur signifieth fire which likely was worshipped by the idolatrous Chaldeans and some place or city received denomination from that idol Heathen Writers call it Orchoe it is the Easterne part of Mesopotamia when Mesopotamia is taken in a large sense comprehending â—haldea in it of the chaldees Given much to Astrology whence such are called Chaldeans Dan. 2. 2 4 5. Ur of the Chaldees Called Mesopotamia Acts 7. 2. V. 29. Milcah the daughter of Haran Not another Haran but Abrams eldest brother as appears by the next words He was elder then Abram sixty yeares the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah This Milcab was Grand-mother to Rebecca Isaacs wife Geâ— 22. 2â— 22 23. great Grandmother to Rachel and Leah Gen. 29. 10 12 13 16. This Ischa is Sarai the daughter i. e. the Grandchilde of Abrahams father but not the daughter i. e. the Grandchilde of his mother Terah having Haran her father by another wife then he had Abraham Gen. 20. 12. Nahor and Abraham marry their Neeces their brother Harans daughters and so Amran takes Jochebed his father Kohaths sister to wife Exod. 6. 20. Such marriages are forbidden Lev. 18. 12 14. however here by divine dispensation tolerated or not condemned V. 31. And Terah took Abram Abram first motioned this remove God having appeared to him in Ur of the Chaldees Acts 7. 2. Gen. 15. 7. And here begin the foure hundred and thirtie yeares at the end whereof the Israelite came out of Egypt Exod. 12. 41. Gal. 3. 17. Nahor came too though not mentioned here For he setled in Haran whence it is called Nahors City ch 24. 10. 29. 4. 28. 2 10. to Haran A City of Mesopotamia but not taking Mesopotamia in a strict sense as it is taken Act. 7. 2 3. Gen. 24 10. 28. 2 7 10. and dwelt there Likely through Terahs old age and sicknesse so long till they got substance and soules there ch 12. 5. See Judeth 5. 8 9. even five yeares as may be gathered out of the thirty yeares between Abrams calling out of Ur and the birth of Isaac See Annot. on ch 15. v. 13. CHAP. XII Ver. 1. HAd said For this seemes not to be a second Call But the Narration of the first Call out of Ur and the cause of their going forth of Ur ch 11. 31. and thy kindred If they had rather stay behinde thee then remove with thee will shew thee As he raised this righteous man from the East so he called him to his foot to follow him and his direction Esay 41. 2. Likely God bade him go to Canaan but told him not that that was the land intended for him till he came thither Heb. 11 8 Gen. 12. 7. And this was for the greater trial of his faith V. 2. A great Nation Yet Sarah now at sixty five was barren And under this is also a spiritual seed promised Rom. 4. 11 12. Gal. 3. 7. blesse thee Spiritually also Gal. 3. 14. thou shalt be Or be thou a blessing God will command a blessing as Ps. 42. 8. 44. 4. and so 133. 3. V. 3. And I will blesse Like to this is that of Isaac to Jacob Gen. 27. 29. and that of Balaâ—m to Israel Numb 24. 9. in thee In thy seed Christ Gen. 18. 18. 22. 18. Acts 3. 25 26. Gal. 3. 8 14. Thus the Gospel was preached unto Abraham Gal. 3. 8. From this Promise and Covenant made in Ur of the Chaldees to the giving of the Law which could not disannul it were foure hundred and thirty yeares Gal. 3. 17 18. V. 4. Departed Went out by faith not knowing whither he went Heb. 11. 8. and Lot went with him Terahs family and Nahor stayed here See Annotations on ch 11. 3â— Here they left following God and fell again to idolatry ch 31. 30 53. Josh. 24 2. Seventy five He lived one hundred yeares after ch 25. 7. And Isaac his sonne then seventy five yeares old being borne in the one hundredth yeare of Abrahams age ch 21. 5. is left heire of Canaan V. 5. Soules Likely divers were converted Proselytes considering his care of his family ch 18. 19. and their ready obedience to him ch 14. 14. and to Gods Ordinance of Circumcision ch 17. 23. Canaan Deut. 8. 7 8 9. This was the type of an Heavenly which Abraham looked for Heb. 11. 9 10. And in Salem a City of Canaan Melchisedech dwelled and reigned a Priest of the most High God V. 6. Sichem Where after the City Sichem was chap. 33. 18. about the midst of the countrey called Sichar in our Saviours time Joh. 4. 5 unto the Plaine Set with a grove of oakes Deut. 11. 30. the Canaanite When God promiseth the cleansing of his Church he saith the Canaanite shall be there no more Zach. 14. 21. V. 7. Unto thy seed Here he tells him this is the land intended for him and now doth promise it whereupon it is called the Land of Promise Heb. 11. 9. the Lords Land Hos. 9. 3. the Holy Land Zach. 2. 12. the Land of Immanuel Esay 8. 8. thy seed When as yet he had no childe Acts 7. 5. an Altar As Gen. 8. 20. V. 8. Bethel After so called at this time Luz ch 28. 19. Moses calls many places by the names which were afterwards given to them sitting his speech to the men of that age wherein himself lived West Sea is here put for the West as Desert for the South Ps. 75. 6. V. 9. South Next Egypt V. 10. Into Egypt Ps. 105. 13. V. 11. Faire Very faire v. 14. in her self but more comparing her with the Egyptian women though now she was sixty five yeares old V. 13. My sister Neece she being his brothers daughter his fathers Grand-childe persons so near of kin are usually called brothers and sisters sons and daughters Gen. 31. 28. Exod. 2. 18. which makes him say to Abimelech ch 20. 12. Indeed she is my sister But Abram praying her to conceale part of the truth and purposely that the Egyptians might not conceive her to be his wife bewrayeth weaknesse of faith and humane frailty fearing perhaps that if he should die without issue Gods Promise should not have taken place and therefore he exposeth her to danger to save himself though withal he might have some hope that God would prevent that mischief V. 15. The Princes Courtiers Pharaoh The common name of the Egyptian Kings as Abimelech of the Philistines and Caesar of the Roman Emperours They had other
we see at large Heb. 7. and David did so before him Psal. 110. 4. Now who this Melchisedech should be whether Shem who being borne before the flood lived seventy five yeares after Abrams coming into Canaan and about sixty five after the time of history of his meeting Abram who though his Parents Birth and Death be known to us yet not as here brought in under the name of Melchisedech or whether it were some neighbouring King of Canaan of another Kindred from that of Abraham Heb. 7. 6. extraordinarily raised up and sanctified by God to this purpose though haply it may be probably yet it cannot certainly be defined Melchisedech King of Salem Heb. 7. 2. Thus righteousnesse and peace do kisse each other Psal. 85. 10. Esay 32. 17. Salem Not Salim mentioned John 3. 23. But Salem Ps. 76. 2. Jerusalem brought forth Not for sacrifice but to refresh Abram and his army as 2 Sam. 17. 27 28 29 The neglect whereof was punished in the Moabites and Ammonites Deut. 23. 3 4. and he was the Priest King and Priest both offices concurring in one Person It was an ancient manner among Heathen Nations Rex Anius Rex idem hominum PhoebÃque sacerdos And how much short was it with the Patriarchs and first-borne in Israel before the Levites supplied their place V. 19. And he blessed him A part of the Priests office Numb 6 23 27. 1 Chron. 23 13. Heb. 7. 6 7. The lesse is blessed of the greater V. 20. Blessed be God Thanked and praised and he gave him tithes of all Abram gave Melchizedech Heb. 7. 2 4. 9 10 11. And Levi in Abrâ—ms loines Tythes are due as an homage to God as tribute is to Kings They are called holy an heave-offering to the Lord Lev. 27. 30 Numb 18. 24. As here Abram so Jacob also paid them to the Lord before the Levitical Law Gen. 28. 22. In the Law of Moses they are strictly enjoyned Numb 18. 20 21. yea if redeemed a fifth part must be added to it if changed both it and the change thereof shall be holy Lev. 27. 31 33. yea Heathen paid tithes both Greek and Latine And here being paid to Melchizedech a type of Christ they are not abolished by the Gospel of all Of all the spoiles of Sodoms too and of all the vanquished So of the Midianites Numb 31. 28 29 30. 37 38 39 40 41. V. 22. I have lifted up my hand He had sworne or vowed when he went forth to this war and implored Gods aide Deut 32. 40. Dan 12. 7. Rev. 10. 5 6. V. 23. Lest thou shouldest say Thou or any man should say that covetousnesse of the prey drew me to this warre or that this victory or any thing else enriched me but Gods extraordinary blessing Esther 9. 15 16. CHAP. XV. Ver. 1. AFter these things Spoken by Abram to the King of Sodom in a vision Of the night v. 5. Numb 22. 19. 20 There are nightly visions by dreams in sleep ch 31. 11. 46. 2. 1 Kings 3. 5. And so God came to Abimelech in a dream by night Gen. 20. 3. and secret revelations came to Eliphaz Joh 4. 12 13. whereupon the false Prophets counterseited false dreams and visions in them Deut. 13. 1. Jer. 23. 25 28 32. And there are also visions to men waking as Ezech. 1. 1. Dan. 8. 2. 10. 4 7. 2 Cor. 12. 2. Acts 2. 17. Both wayes God made himselfe known to his Prophets Numb 12. 6. whence Prophets were called Seers and Prophecie is named a vision Esay 1. 1. Here is meant an open apparition which Abram a Prophet ch 20. 7. beheld waking with the eyes of his body For v. 9 10. shewes he was waking and a deep sleep is said to fall upon him after this vision v. 12. In what manner and how glorious this vision was is not set down particularly feare not The Prophets were sometimes terrified with visions at the visible appearance of the Majesty of God So Dan. 10. 7 c. feare not For the presence of my glory for thine enemies for any discomfort whatsoever I am thy shield Against thine enemies those vanquished Kings and all else reward Beyond all merit and measure I go Am going on going away mine age going on towards mine end V. 2. Childlesse Yet he rejects not the Promises of God concerning his seed but as perplexed between feare and hope he bemoanes his sad state and condition intimates and commends his desire to God that he would at length remember his Promise made to him concerning his seed and the steward He most likely mentioned ch 24. 2. He now is the guide and stay of my family Here Abram complaines not of his steward but commends him rather of Damascus By his Ancestors though he borne in Abrams house v. 3. V. 3. Is mine heire Likeliest for the present in my thoughts if I go on and die childlesse my Nephew Lot having no sonnes but daughters and Eleezer having all under his charge V. 5. And tell the stars This rherefore was in the night if thou be able to number them Now at this view though haply it were possible for Astronomers by much Art to attain to the number of the visible stars God speaks as often according to common account Jer. 3â— 22. so shall thy seed be Innumerable Deut. 1. 10. specially counting his spiritual seed children by faith according to the Promise Rom. 4. 11 12 13. Rom. 9. 8 Gal. 3. 7 29. innumerable as the dust of the earth ch 18. 16. as the sand on the sea-shore ch 22. 17. V. 6. And he believed in the Lord For the innumerablenesse of his seed and principally for the promised seed wherein all the Nations of the earth should be blessed Believed Here is belief or faith first named in the Old Testament whence Abram is called the Father of all Believers Rom. 4. 11 16 17. And this before either Circumcision was ordained or the Law given Rom. 4. 9 10 Gal. 3. 17. Now the word belief or faith signifies a lively motion of the heart and spirit firmely resting in the things spoken For which this belief or faith in Abram is much commended Rom. 4. 18 to 22. Counted Imputed thought esteemed for righteousnesse Ps. 106. 31. Rom. 4. 3 9. Now of this the Apostle inferreth justification by faith without works both to Abram Rom. 4. 4 5. as having been an idolater Josh. 24. 2. and still without glory of works before God Rom. 4. 2. and also to all believers Rom. 4. 23 24. V. 8. Whereby shall I know This he asked to be strengthened against humane infirmity and to know somewhat more particularly of the manner of performance and likely it was by a special motion of Gods Spirit as that also of Gideon Judg. 6. 17 37. and of Hezekiah 2 Kings 20. 8. And others like by divine instinct Gen. 24. 13 14. 1 Sam. 14. 9 10. without which such qaestions are not so lawful Luke 1. 18. V. 9. Take me an
feast of the Passeover Exod. 12. 15 19. or forbear to keep that feast Numb 9. 13. or that eate fat Lev. 7. 25. or blood Lev 7. 27. 17. 10 14. or that eate of the flesh of the peace-offering on the third day Lev. 19. 8. or that eat of the flesh of sacrifice having their uncleannesse on them or being uncleane do not purifie themselves Numb 19. 13 20. or having touched any unclean thing Lev 7. 20 21. 22. 3. or that bring not their sacrifice to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to be killed there and not elsewhere Lev 17. 4 9. or that shall not afflict his soule on the fast-day the tenth day of the seventh moneth Lev. 23. 29. or doth any work in that same day or that defileth the Sabbath to do any work therein Exod. 31. 14. or that lieth with a woman in her sicknesse Lev. 20. 18. or with a sister Lev. 20. 17. or an idolater Ezech. 4. 8. or that gives of his seed to Molech Lev. 20. 2 3 4 or that turneth after wizards and such as have familiar spirits â—ev 20. 6. or that doth ought presumptuously Numb 15. 30 31. All these are expressely threatened with and sentenced to this punishment And the meaning of the phrase is most usually taken to signifie a cutting off by death and it is so expressed Exod. 31. 14. Lev 17. 4 20. 2 3 4. 5. And must needs be so understood when it is used against grievous sins and crimes as against idolatry witchcraft incest and sins done presumptuously despising the Word of the Lord and reproaching him This penalty is to be inflicted by the Magistrates power no doubt And in case of his faile God himself threatens and undertakes to do it Lev. 17. 10 20. 2 3 4. 5 6. 23. 30. And for the lesser offences mentioned they being wittingly and wilfully done in Gods Worship and service and against his plaine and peremptory command I see not how they come short of sins of presumption Numb 15. 30. which are doomed to death in the judgement of the learned upon that place I conceive therefore that they fall short that by this penalty here will understand no more but that such an offender is to be cast off and held for no Jew but as an Heathen man And they also that would apply this phrase here and in other places of the Old Testament for the maintenance of Ecclesiastical Excommunication among the Jewes The doubtfulnesse of the meaning of the phrase hath made me the more inquisitive into it I confesse if not too tedious in it However I leave all to better judgements And for my part like not in things dubious to be too definitive V. 15. Sarah Yet in the New Testament it is written Sara without the h the Greek tongue having no h at the end of words V. 16. Nations 1 Pet. 3. 6. Jerusalem which is above her answerable type is the mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. V. 17. Laughed For joy and wonder Rom. 4. 17 18 19 20 21. as over-joyed and amazed at the promise which he believed Heb. 11. 12. rejoycing even at the promised seed Joh. 8. 56. an hundred yeares old Rom. 4. 19 20. he did hope against hope If Abraham married Keturah thirty seven years after this time and had six children by her then surely God shewed his power in renewing Abrahams vigour and strength of body as the Eagles Psal. 103. 5. or it may rather seem that Abraham took Keturah in Sarabs life-time within those thirty seven yeares between the birth of Isaac and her death seeing Keturah is called his Concubine 1 Chron. 1. 32. V. 18. Oh that Ishmael Ch. 16. 10. V. 19. Isaac Laughter Chap. 21. 6. V. 21. My Covenant Thirteen times named in this chapter Luke 1. 72 73 74. with Isaac Ch. 21. 12. Rom. 9. 7 8. Gal. 3. 29. at this set time Ch 18. 10. This was just a yeare before Isaacs birth V. 22. Went up Ascending vanished out of his sight so from Jacob ch 35. 13. so from Manoah and his wife Judg. 13. 20. V. 23. In the self-same day Of the command not eight dayes after V. 24. When he was circumcised By whom Abraham was circumcised is not set down But he is said to circumcise the rest v. 23. some say that now the Jewes use Chirurgions in this service CHAP. XVIII Verse 1. PLaines O. Oak-grove of Mamre Ch. 13. 18. 14. 13. 23. 19. V. 2. Three men So in his thought and in appearance But thus he entertained Angels at unawares Heb. 13. 2. But one of them is called Jehova 13 14 17 20 22. And after Abraham so acknowledgeth him v. 25 27. The other two were created Angels Ch 19. 1. V. 3. Lord Speakes to one of them in shew the chief V. 6. Three measures Jewes write that their measure which they call Seah the Greeks Saton containes as much as one hundred fourty foure Hens egges about two gallons and 1 2 of our measure three of these measures make an Ephah containing about seven gallons and 1 2 V. 8. And they did eate Ch. 19. 3. They had true bodies for the time and did truly eate Though a Spirit hath not flesh and bones Luke 24. 39. yet Spirits may and by Gods dispensation sometimes do assume humane bodies V. 9. Where is Sarah thy wife Thus they begin to manifest themselves to be more then men V. 10. He said Jehova v. 13. returne Not by apparition again but by performance of promise ch 21. 1. according to the time of life From this time according as the time of life is between conception and birth so many moneths as a woman goes with childe Rom. 9. 9. This Promise argued more then men V. 11. After the manner of women Rom 4. 19. Heb. 11. 11. V. 12. Laughed Not as Abraham ch 17. 17. but through weaknesse of saith and therefore it is reproved v. 13. yet commended Heb. 11. 11. after sure she did better recollect her self Luk. 1 45. after she laughed for joy ch 21. 6. within her self Not outwardly and openly which haply made her the more readily deny it V. 13. And the Lord said Jehova said Christ so v. 17. He knew her thoughts themselves fâ—ying shall I c She used if not the very same words yet to the same sense V. 15. Denied for she was afraid Weaknesses and failings in Saints V. 16. Toward Sodom As going thither the two Angels did so ch 19. 1. V. 17. Shall I hide Amos 3. 7. Joh. 15. 15. Abraham a Prophet ch 20 7. and a friend 2 Chron. 20. 7. V. 19. He will command Duty of Parents and Masters of families and example to them Gen. 28. 1. Deut 6. 7. 11. 10. 32. 46. Job 1. 5. Prov. 6. 20. V. 20. Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim Deut. 29. 23. Hos. 11. 8. V. 21. I will go down and see God speaks after the manner of men as ch 11. 5 7. V. 22. And the men Two of the three
ch 19. 1. stood yet before the Lord Jehovah This Abraham now knew V. 23. Drew near A signe and fruit of saith in prayer Heb. 7. 19. 10. 22. V. 24. Within the City Implying the like for the other three Cities V. 25. That be far from thee That the righteous should be as the wicked taken away in justice wrath and vengeance as the wicked Sodomites here were though in publick calamities they are sometimes taken away as the wheat is thrashed with the chaffe yet it is in mercy to them V. 32. Ten Jer. 5. 1. God offers mercy if there were but one Esay 65. 8. sometimes again he forbids his Prophets to pray for such Jer 15. 1. Ezech. 14. 14. CHAP. XIX Verse 1. TWo Angels Two of the three chap. 18. 2 22. in the gate As Abraham in the tent door ch 18. 1. Both entertain Angels at unawares Heb. 13. 2. V. 2. Behold now Now that the night is come on Nay To try his affection and haply they would have done so otherwise to see the behaviour of the people and their carriage ch 18. 21. V. 3. They turned in Upon his pressing of them A sleight invitation may be seriously refused and yet that which is pressing be accepted afterwards so Luke 24. 28 29. and this without Popish equivocation or mental reservation unleavened For haste And so unleavened is to be understood ch 18. 6. See Exod. 12. 39. V. 4. But before they lay down Likely the rare beauty of the two men Angels being soon noted and spread abroad occasioned this all the people So vile were they all V. 5. called unto Lot Esay 3. 9. proclaim their sin impudence know them Hence that sin is called Sodomy or Sodometry as from Simon is the name Simony Acts 8. 18. Jude v. 7. Rom. 1. 23 to 27. V. 7. Brethren In nature Act. 17. 26. Esay 58 7 Gen. 29. 4. 1 Sam. 30. 22 23. And in neighbourhood V. 8. Two daughters Virgins yet betrothed v. 14. This sinful in Lot Rom. 3. 8. Neither had he such power over his daughters nor ought they to have yielded to him herein Haply he might think and hope by this strange offer to take off their mindes qualifie their present heat by some delayes and alter them from their whole purpose by degrees As Reuben sought by his strange offer Gen. 42. 37. to alter his fathers minde and so indeed brought him at last to let Benjamin go with them chap. 43. 9 10. V. 9 Stand further Spoken in disdain as Esay 65. 5. needs be a Judge Now and heretofore 2 Pet. 7. 8. pressed sore To impudence they joyne violence as Judg. 19. 22. 20. 5. Their other sins are mentioned elsewhere as Ezech. 16. 49. V. 11. With blindnesse Such as they could not see the door though likely the house and the way to their owne houses so dazled such a blindnesse likely as that of those Aramites 2 Kings 6. 18. which could see to follow the Prophet though they could not distinctly discern who he was nor the way they went nor the City whereto they came v. 20. Mar. 8. 24. Luke 24. 16. wearied themselves Infinite impudence in sin V. 14. Which married Shortly should being about to marry them and already betrothed Deut. 22. v. 23 24. Mat. 1. 18 20 23 24 25. V. 15. Which are here Possibly he had other daughters which were married and were dead or else refused and perished with their husbands But this not so likely V. 16. Laid hold John 6. 44. V. 17. That he said Jehovah most likely by the passages in the ensuing verses He had now left Abraham met them and made himself known to Lot Look not Thou or any in thy company v. 26. Luke 17. 22. See Luke 9. 62. Mat. 24. 16 17 18. Phil. 3. 13 14. V. 19. I cannot escape to the mountain In so hasty a flight make so long a journey lest ere I get thither the judgement poured out should overtake me His infirmity of faith and fearfulnesse out of which he left Zoar also v. 30. V. 22. I cannot Mar. 6. 5. Exod. 32. 10. Deut. 9. 14. Gen. 32. 26. Zoar Little before Bela ch 14. 2. V. 23. The Sun was risen Hasty flight from break of day v. 15. to Sun-rising and speedy execution of justice V. 24. Then the Lord Jehovah from Jehovah Suites well with a plurality of persons in the unity of the Deity brimstone and fire Luke 17. 28 29 30. Fit judgement for their stinking burning lusts and fire unnaturally descending to punish their unnatural lusts And this but a forerunner of their everlasting punishment in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Rev. 21. 8. Jude v 7. V 25. Overthrew these Cities Deut. 29. 23 Esay 13 19. Jer. 50. 40. Amos 4. 11. V. 26. From behinde him Either Lot going before and she following behinde him looked back or Lot coming hindmost to haste them forward she looked back behinde and beyond him a pillar of salt A statue of salt not such salt as will melt with raine and turne into water but a kinde of rockie mineral salt which will endure all weathers and serve for a lasting monument Numb 18. 19 2 Chron 13. 5. This place of this Plaine is called the salt sea ch 14. 3. Salt to season us with better wisdome Luke 17. 32. 9. 62. V. 27. Stood Ch. 18. 22. V. 28. The smoak Before it was as the Garden of the Lord ch 13. 10. but now fearfully destroyed Psal. 107. 34. V. 29. Remembred Abraham Ch. 12. 1. 14. 14. 16. 18. 23 c. yet this excludes not a regard had to the righteousnesse of Lot 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. V. 30. In the mountain Whare the Lord appointed him first v. 17. so now he findes it had been best to have followed Gods Will at the first feared to dwell in Zoar and he dwelt in a cave Weaknesse of faith and other causes might occasion this feare two daughters Maidens v. 8. V. 31. In the earth She knew there were people in Zoar and saw the judgement to be particular not universal over the earth or Canaan and that Abraham and his family were not far off But she complaines as for the present mured up in a cave and in this solitary life without society of any but themselves like to be deprived of all hope of marriage and this feare and passion blinding her drives her to this desperate damnable course V. 32. Wine Which they had brought from Zoâ—r conceiving that unlesse drunk he would never sin so foully perceived not Drunkennesse drownes all understanding sense and conscience He did prostitute their chastity v. 8. They overthrow his This just as from God though evil in them He righteous in Sodom and almost Sodomitical here seed of our father They seem to be greedy of having children of their own kin and not of the faithlesse and cursed Nations And by giving the names of Moah and Ben-ammi v. 37 38. even to boast of
50. Rom. 16 1. 1 Cor. 7. 15. Jam. 2 15. But untrue in their intent V. 8. Looked out As David saw Bathsheba 2 Sam. 11. 2. sporting Deut. 24. 5. Prov 5. 18 19. V. 9. Of a surety she is thy wife So holy and unblameable was Isaacs life that worse then this Abimelech never suspected V. 10. What is this By this passionate expostulation he sheweth how greatly adultery if not dissimulation too were condemned by heathen morality ch 20. 9. guiltinesse Both sin and punishment Lev. 5. 5 6. V. 11. Toucheth So v. 29. ch 20. 6. Josh 9. 19. Ruth 2. 9. Ps. 105. 15. Prov. 6. 29. Zech. 2. 8. V. 12. An hundred fold Mat. 3 8 23. V. 14. Envied him Eccl. 4 4. Psâ—â— 2 10 Job 5. 2. V. 15. The Philistines had stopped Contrary to Covenant and Oath ch 21. 30 31. V. 17. Valley of Gerar V. 6. V. 18. After the names by which his father Renewing the ancient good names and altering idolatrous names Numb 32. 38. The names of idols are not to be heard out of our mouthes Ex. 23. 13. Ps. 16. 4. Deut. 12. 3. Hos. 2. 17. V. 21. Sitnah Hatred or spight Hence Satan hath his name V. 23. To Beersheba The famine being ended he returned to the place whence the famine had driven him the place of his fathers dwelling See Annot. on v. 1. and on ch 21. 31. V. 24. And the Lord appeared As it seems to comfort him against the envious dealings of the Philistines So ch 15. 1. the God of Abraham Therefore Abraham lives in soul Mat. 22. 32. V. 25. An Altar Ch. 12. 7 8. 13. 4 18. V. 26 Then Abimelech As ch 21. v. 22. c. These may be those same men This history is to be compared with that Ahuzzath More then in ch 21. v. 22. V. 27. Seeing ye hate me Prov. 16 7. V. 28. And they said See Annotat. on chap. 21. 22 23. an oath And execration as ch 24. 41. V. 29. That thou wilt With a curse if thou shalt so ch 21. 23. in the margin the blessed Ch. 24. 31. This is spoken to further the Peace and Covenant desired V. 30 Feast Used at Covenants ch 31 54. V. 32. Concerning the Well V. 25. V. 33 Sâ—ebah Oath Beersheba Ch. 21. 31 Here the name of the City This Well was formerly so called by Abraham ch 21. 31. But having been stopped by the Philistines and now opened again by Isaacs servants the old name is again imposed upon the same occasion V. 34. Fourty years old He married thirty six yeares before Jacob. At fourty years old also Isaac married chap. 25. 20. Judith Esaus wives and their fathers had several names Gen. 36. 2. Both Hittites the worst sort of Canaanites Ezech. 16. 3. contrary to the cares and commands of his father mother and grandfather ch 24. 3. and v. 35. of this chapter and ch 27 46. and ch 28. 1 6 8. CHAP. XXVII Verse 1. ISaac was old One hundred thirty six or one hundred thirty seven yeares old As is rightly gathered and proved in the great late Annotat. upon this place For Isaac was sixty yeares old when Jacob was borne ch 25. v. 26. And Jacob was at this time seventy five or seventy six yeares old when he got the blessing and fled to Laban See the Annotat. on ch 29. 21. and his eyes were dimme So Jacobs ch 48. 10. so Elies 1 Sam. 3. 2 4 15. Isaac lived blinde fourty foure yeares at least ch 35 28. V 4 That my soule He would by that feasting chear up his spirit against dulnesse or any distemper that he might be the more fit instrument of the Spirit of God so Elisha calls for a minstrel to allay his passion against Jehoram prepare his minde compose his spirit and fit it for a divine motion of Gods Spirit by Prophecie 2 Kings 3. 15. may blesse thee In faith before the Lord by the Spirit of the Lord Hebr. 1â— 20. some blesse men by praying to God to blesse them So Luke 6. 28. Some by pronouncing a blessing upon them by vertue of their calling and warrant of Gods Word So the Priests blessed the people Numb 6. 23 to the end Some by the Spirit of Prophecie foretelling the blessings should come upon them so Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh ch 48. 9 15 16 20. and the twelve tribes ch 49. 28. and so did Moses likewise Deut. 33. 1. And so Isaac intends to blesse Esau here And doth blesse Jacob and Esau v. 27 28 29 39 40. and Jacob again ch 28. 3 4. Thee Esau. Isaac being left in this point to his owne spirit out of his carnal judgement and affection he intends the blessing to Esau to transmit the inheritance of the blessings and promises made to his father unto Esau as his first-borne either not mindful of the divine Oracle ch 25. 23. Or understanding it not of their persons but of their posterity But Gods Providence serving it self upon the better faith and illumination of Rebekah and by her meanes doth disappoint Isaacs purpose and he by his free grace and singular favour transfers the blessing upon Jacob. V. 6. And Rebekah spake Being soundly grounded that the blessing belonged to Jacob and seeing now her husband going about to give it to Esau she labours to disappoint his errour though by wayes not so warrantable unlesse she were moved by some secret instinct of Gods Spirit V. 7. Before the Lord before my death In his presence and by his power and authority who will ratifie this my last Will and Testament Heb 11. 20 V. 12. I shall bring a curse For my deceiving Deut. 27. 18. Jer. 48. 10. Mal. 14. V. 13. Upon me be thy curse She was over-confident using such ill meanes though in a good cause and trusting to the Oracle V. 15. Goodly raiment Perfumed or kept sweet v. 27. not likely to be holy robes received from their Ancestors and kept for the first-borne to minister in Which were with her Not with Esaus wives V. 16. Skins upon his hands His face by a beard and haire might be much like Esaus V. 19. I am Esau It is in vaine to labour to excuse Jacob here and hereafter from divers lies deceipts and dissemblings V. 20. Brought it to me Ch. 24. 12. one lie drawes on another V. 27. The smell of his raiment Aromatick odours and spices for perfume abounded in those countreys V. 27. As the smell of a field With flowers fruits and vines Cant. 2. 13. 4. 14. 7. 13. V. 28. God give thee A Prayer and Prophecie And these promises of earthly blessings were types of spiritual blessings extending to all that was included in the Promises and Covenant made to and with Abraham Deut. 33. 28. 8. 8. V. 29. Let people serve thee From Jacob came Judah 1 Chron. 5. 2. Gen. 49. 10. David subdued many Nations be Lord over thy brethren Hereby he confirmes to him the right of the first-borne thy brethren and let thy
mothers sonnes Cursed Ch. 12. 3. Numb 24 9. The efficacy of the blessing here did not depend upon the intention of Isaac And no more doth the truth and efficacy of the Sacrament depend upon the intention of the Minister V. 33. Trembled As one perplexed astonished between wonder and feare lest he had done amisse Yea and he shall be blessed By that trembling as by a bit and bridle God restraines him from revoking the blessing And recollecting himself he doth now by faith re-establish it Heb. 11. 20. And after more advisedly chap. 28. 3 4. V. 34. Exceeding bitter cry Yet found no place of repentance no way to change his fathers minde to recal what he had done though he sought it carefully with tears Hebr. 12. 17. Prov. 1. 24 28. V. 35. Thy blessing Which I intended thee and by birth-right pertained to thee V. 36. And he said These words shew no true repentance in Esau. he took away Nay Esau sold it and despised it ch 25. 33 34. my blessing Not his then when the birth-right was none of his V. 37. Thy Lord V. 29. and what shall I do As if he should say comparatively all other blessings are nothing V. 39. The fatnesse of the earth Not unlike that v. 28. Mount Seir was such a place Josh. 24. 4. By faith Isaac blessed Esau concerning things to come Hebr. 11. 20. yet Canaan far surpassed Idumea Besides that Canaan was a type of the heavenly Canaan V. 40. And by this sword shalt thou live With warres and troubles defend thy state and countrey Mat. 10. 34. And not enjoy peace as Jacob Deut. 33. 27 28. Esay 2. 4. and shalt serve thy brother In thy posterity Deut. 33. 29. Gen. 25. 23. 2 Sam. 8. 14. 1 Kings 22. 47. Obad. v. 18 19 21. when thou shalt have the dominion Because of Israels sins as in the days of Jehoram 2 Kings 8. 20. 22. 2. break his yoke Of thy servitude 2 Chron. 21. 8. under which thou wast from Davids dayes till then above one hundred yeares Esay 9. 4. 10. 27. Jer. 27. 8 11. Herod was an Idumean V. 41. Hated Spitefully This shewes no true repentance in him 1 John 3. 12 15. This hatred continued in his posterity Obad v. 10 11 12 13 14 18 19 21. said in his heart Afterwards uttered it in words v. 42. are at hand In his wish and opinion Isaac being now blinde and yet he lived fourty foure yeares after V. 42. Comfort himself To receive his birth-right by killing of thee Revenge is sweet to the enraged wicked man yea the very purpose of it And thus they harden their heart in evil against Gods known Will so did Saul against David 1 Sam. 18. 28. God useth a like speech of himself in an holy sense Ezech. 5. 13. V. 44. A few dayes It proved to be above twenty yeares ch 31. 38. Doubtful whether ever Rebekah saw him again She sent not for Jacob because she saw Esaus rage and malice continue ch 32. 6. V. 45. Both in one day By fighting they might kill each other or if Esau lived they should and would then count him as dead and no better And the Law was such chap. 9. 6. V. 46. Of the daughters of Heth Esaus wives ch 26. 35 34. A wise godly and crafty counsel she conceales from Isaac the hatred of Esau and dangerous discord between his sons CHAP. XXVIII Ver. 1. ANd blessed him Isaac was constant to his first blessing notwithstanding Jacobs craft in getting it Jacob had need of this second blessing to confirme his faith against his future troubles and trials Isaac therefore by his fatherly authority now wittingly and willingly settles it on him again V. 2. Arise go Isaac was not but his fathers servant ch 24. 3 4. 5 6. And he with ten camels c. Jacob here with his staffe in his hand ch 32. 10. and to serve for a wife Hos. 12. 12. thy motheâ—s brother Cousin-germans marry V. 3. A multitude of people Chapter 35. 11. 48. 4. V. 4. The blessing of Abraham His Grandfather who had the Original grant of the blessings both temporal and spiritual earthly and heavenly made over to him and his seed and the blessing chiefly of the promised seed art a stranger Ch. 17. 8. This is to prevent the weakening of his faith by being but a stranger in it still as also his father and Grandfather were unto Abraham By Promise ch 12. 7. and often repeated V. 5. Of Bâ— thuel the Aramite Syrian So Luke translateth the word Luke 4. 27. V. 9. To Ishmael The Ishmaelites for he was dead ch 25. 17. Mahalath Called also Basemath ch 36. 3. sister By the same mother at least if not father Nebaioth Ishmaels eldest sonne ch 25. 13. From him Esau had his sister to wife Ishmael being now dead Esau and she were Cousin-germans two brothers children This Esau did to please his father and strengthen himself by the Ishmaelites against Jacob. And now he hath three wives assoon likely as Jacob had any V. 10. From Beersheba Ch. 26. 23. toward Haran Charran Acts 7. 2. a long journey seven dayes journey in Labans pursuit to Mount Gilead ch 31. 22 23. which Mount stretched through the two tribes and 1 2 beyond Jordan Eastward And now was Jacob seventy five or seventy six yeares old See Annot. on ch 29. 21. V. 11. And he lighted By Gods Providence chap. 32. 10. because the Sun was set And so or for wearinesse he did not reach Luz after called Bethel Though it were hard by v. 19. It is conceived to be near fifty English miles distant from Beer-sheba and from Jerusalem eight miles Northward for his pillowes Hard distresse He went so meanly from his parents or haply stole away in a sort lest Esau should lie in wait for him by the way as he did at his returne ch 32. 6. Abrahams servant went with great state so that Rebekah calls him Lord ch 24. 18. But Jacob with his staffe in his hand ch 32. 10. V. 12. Dreamed A divine dream See Annot. on ch 15. 1. and on ch 20. 3. Ladder Signifying Christ John 1. 51. In his two natures personally united Heaven and earth are as it were joyned together And by him the only Mediatour is man reconciled to God Colos. 1. 20. by him the Angels for our service and the Holy Ghost and his gifts descend down to us and we and our prayers have accesse and ascend unto God And secondarily hereby is signified the Providence of God in governing the world Psal. 113. 5 6. and particularly his provident care over Jacob in his journey going and returning v. 13 15. and 32. 1 2. And both these specially by the Ministery of Angels Psal. 91. 11 12. Heb. 1. 13 14. earth Denoting Christs humanity and his conversing with men Joh. 16. 28. Heaven Denoting his Deity and Mediation or negotiation for men with God Heb. 8. 1. 9. 24. John 14. 6. ascending Coming and going looking
24. 3. V. 52. To thee For harme V. 53. The God of Nahor the God of their father Terah both idolaters Josh. 24. 2. The idolater sweares by his gods his idols V. 54. Offered sacrifice Killed beasts for a feast not sacrifice Feasts used at the making of Covenants ch 26. 30. Numb 22. 40. 1 Kings 1. 9. 19 21. 1 Sam. 28. 44. V. 55. Blessed them Thus God over-rules the wicked so ch 33. 4. so he turned Balaams curse into a blessing Numb 23. 11. Deut. 23. 5. so the mindes of the Barbarians towards Paul Acts 28. 4 5 6. CHAP. XXXII Verse 1. ANgelis of God To comfort and confirm him against the future fear and danger by Esau Psal 91. 11. met him In a visible Apparition when he was awake V. 2. Gods Host Camp Army Heavenly souldiers Luke 2. 13. Horses and charets of fire 2 Kings 6. 17. fighting for Gods people against their enemies Dan. 10. 13 20. 2 Kings 19. 35. Psal. 34. 7. Hoste For their Numbers Order Power Employment Angel the Guardian of Jacob but two Hosts Heb. 1. 14. No Angel is restrained from a particular ministration to any of the Elect nor any of the Elect so allotted to the custody of any Angel that he may not expect the protection of many Mahanaim Two armies the word is of the Dual number Cant. 6. 13. on either hand of him or before and behinde Ps. 34. 7. 91. 11. Here is not one peculiar Angel It seems not so likely that by the two Armies should be meant the one of the Angels the other of Jacobs family Hence likely is the name of that City Josh. 21. 38. in the tribe of Gal assigned to the Levites the children of Merari V. 3. Land of Seir Ch. 14. 6. Deut. 2. 22. The Horims dwelt there afore called Seir not from Esau but from Seir a Chorite or Horite ch 36. 20 21. ch 14 6. Thither was Esau gone ch 36. 6 7 8. And that lay in Jacobs way which he must passe V. 4. My Lord Esau. Thy servant Jacob V. 18. 33. 8. Not here by prejudicing or renouncing the birth-right or blessing ch 27. 29. Though yielding for a time as David after he was anointed did to Saul so Jacob here to pacifie Esaus old malice and present rage v. 5. Prov. 15. 1. waiting by faith for the Promise which was to be accomplished in future times I have sojourned with Laban As an exile as it were so long and rendering to him an accompt of his time spent V. 5. And I have oxen And so will not be burdensom to him or to his fathers house not gape after his fathers riches nor be a reproach to their family by his poverty nor seek Esaus favour for his own profit sake to tell my lord q. d. I would not passe by thee without acquainting thee with it V. 6. Foure hundred men Most likely with a bloody intent how grievous soever it might be to his aged father v. 8. These were too many for ostentation sake V. 7. Greatly afraid The infirmity of the flesh appears the Angels being gone he divided V. 8. Another division ch 33. 1 2. Good and godly policy so v. 16 17 18. and ch 14. 15. 30. 38. V. 9. O God He falls to prayer as his only safe-guard And prayers not to the Angels that appeared for their mediation But labours to strengthen himself and his faith in God and his Promises and Word throughout his Prayer of my father To whom thou hast made such promises He prayes not to Abraham which saidst unto me Return Ch. 31. 13. Be now as good as thyword to me obeying it V. 10. I am not worthy of the least Nor of this I now beg so ch 18. 27. 2 Sam. 9 7 8. Luke 17. 10. Though he justly pleaded his merit to Laban ch 31. 38. the truth In performing thy gracious Promises and Predictions this Jordan Now in sight being in Mount Gilead or nearer two bands V. 7. V. 11. And the mother with the children Or upon them as Hos. 10. 14. Deut 22. 6. V 12. And thou saidest Ch. 28. 14 15. 31. 3. V. 13. Which came to his hand The night and his haste to prevent his brother would not suffer him to stand upon choice 1 Sam 25. 8. a Present Rich of five hundred and eighty head of cattel a stock for breed As Jacob prayeth and trusteth in God and his Promises so yet he useth means Prov. 17. 8. 18. 16. V. 16. A space betwixt V. 20. To mitigate his displeasure by degrees ch 33. 8 9. and that if he fell in hostile manner upon the first the other might seek the better to escape V. 20. Jacob is behinde us Lest Esau might surmise that he sent these only that he in the mean season might escape some other way V. 21. That night Not that v. 13. but the night following having spent the day before in sending away the droves and Presents by his servants V. 22. Two women-servants So are Bilhah and Zilpah called here eleven sonnes Dinah his daughter not mentioned And Benjamin not yet borne Jabbâ—ak Deut. 2. 37. 3. 16. Numb 21. 24. Josh. 12. 2. Judg. 11. 13. the border of the children of Ammon If Jacob now had not been well setled in the confidence of Gods Protection he would not likely have passed over this river as having better meanes to escape on the other side Or rather he being last stayed yet on the other side of the river V. 23 Sent them ever He remaining behinde left alone on the other side v. 24. And there without knowledge of any wrestled with the Angel that night v. 24. 26 31. V. 24. Wrestled Jacob wrestling both spiritually and corporally He deignes this who afterwards deigned to be borne in a stable to die on a Crosse for us Esay 55. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 27 28. a man God in the shape of a man even Christ v. 26 28 30. Called God and an Angel Hos. 12. 3 4. that Angel Gen. 48. 16 Mal. 3. 1. that Arch-Angel Michael Jude v. 9. After he had stayed behinde alone purposely to pray as he did Hos. 12. 4. with weeping at the last the Lord appeared and set on him with wrâ—stling until the breaking of the day A private wrastling without Spectators v. 26. nor then did Jacob fully know with whom he wrastled V. 25. And when he saw This is spoken after the manner of men God knowes all with one pure and perfect act that he prevailed not With that measure of strength which God in that assumed body was then pleased to take and use Gen. 19. 22. Mar. 6. 5. Mat. 15. 22. 24. 27 28. Exod. 32 10. Luke 24. 29. To confirme him hereby that he should prevail with Esau. out of joynt The huckle-bone where the Sciatica is to humble him that he should not be exalted out of measure but know by whose indulgence he did prevaile and this halting to remain as a monument of it and of this Apparition V.
Thou hast made it and thou shalt beare the name of it As these twins so Jacob and Esau may be said to strive for the birth-right in the wombe Pharez Ruth 4. 12. Mat. 1. 3. V. 30. Zarah Signifies risen or sprung up as the Sun is said to rise In the birth of these two brethren the state of the two Churches of Jewes and Gentiles may be considered as in a figure the Jew drawing back his hand by unbelief Rom. 10. 3. and after the fulnesse of the Gentiles is broken forth and come in then he coming forth last of all Rom. 11. 11 12 24 25 26. CHAP. XXXIX Verse 1. TO Egypt For their preservation chap. 45. 5 7. V. 2. And the Lord was with Joseph V. 3 21. Acts 7. 9 10 Psal. 91. 15. in the house of his Master Gods blessing went along with him His Master employed him at home in the house and not in more servile businesses abroad No doubt he soon got skill in the Egyptian language to enable him to it V. 3. His Master saw By the effects Thus the Heathen acknowledge a divine Providence ch 30. 27. V. 4. Found grace in his sight V. 21. though none in his brethren Nehem. 2. 4 5. Overseer Steward Prov. 27. 18. 14. 35. 17. 2. all that he had So fully trusted him his worth and fidelity V. 5. For Josephs sake The benefit of a religious servant Psal. 1. 3. V. 6. Save the bread which he did eate A proverbial speech noting his ease and security and his trust reposed in â—oseph v. 23. ch 43. 32. the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrewes as being shepherds a goodly person Here beauty and grace do meet So in David 1 Sam. 16. 12. V. 7. Cast her eyes Beauty a dangerous object to a wanton eye eyes full of adultery 2 Pet. 2. 14. lustful looks condemned Mat. 5. 28. Job makes a Covenant with his eyes Job 31. 1. lie with me Impudency though haply she spake not so broad at first Prov. 7. 13 18. 6. 26. V. 9. How then can I The godly cannot consent to sin 1 John 3. 9. the wicked cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2. 14. great wickednesse Adultery a great wickednesse The suspition of it raiseth jealousie and rage Prov 6. 34 35. It is a kinde of sacriledge in a godly person 1 Cor. 6. 19. against God It had been great ungratefulnes to his kinde Master Yet the feare of God was the chiefest reason to withhold him V. 10. Day by day Importunity joyned with impudency he hearkened not Perseverance in the resistance of sinne or to he with her Appearances and occasions of sin are to be shunned 1 Thes. 5. 22. 1 Tim. 5. 14. Prov. 1. 15. 5. 8. V. 12. Caught him by the garment So unâ—uly a thing is lawlesse lust makes such a woman impudently offer to commit a rape upon a man he left his garment Stayes not to parley with her got him out v. 15 Eccl 7. â—6 V. 14. The men of her house V. 11. Those few that were about the house See Shewing the garment an Hebrew She so names him in contempt chap. 43. 32. to mock us To cause us to be mocked by his dishonest attempt to cause us to be disgraced Or she will seem to speak modestly in a pretended attempt of ravishment And thus raging lust turnes to raging hatred yea though satisfied as in Amnon 2 Sam. 13. 15. to lie with me A loud lie Thus sin is seconded with sin and the guilty charge the innocent Thus the blasphemous Jewes charge Christ with blasphemy Papists call us Hereticks 1 Kings 18. 17. V. 16. Her Lord The soveraignty of husbands and subjection of wives V. 17. Which thou hast brought She layeth the fault upon him that to quit himself to her he may lay more rigour upon Joseph V. 20. Into prison Dungeon ch 40. 15. 41. 14. Psal. 105. 18 19. without examining the matter or hearing Joseph or at least not believing him and his true pleading for himself and not willing to have the blame and shame lie upon his wife and so upon him V. 21. And gave him favour After a time Psal. 105. 18 19. of the Keeper of the prison Chief Goaler perhaps under Potiphar ch 40. 4. Captain of the Guard Likely Joseph might declare the matter and cleare his innocency to him which he might not be suffered to do to his Master And Potiphar by his officers relation might begin to be better perswaded of Joseph and to shew him favour V. 22. He was the doer of it Not as a drudge to do every ones work but as a Ruler that all things there were done by him or his direction Thus though many Archers had shot at Joseph yet his bowe abode in strength and the armes of his hands were made firme by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob ch 49. 23 24. CHAP. XL. Verse 1. BUtler V. 13. Nehem. 1. 11. V. 2. Officers Hebr. Eunuches See Annot on ch 37. 36. V. 3. Put them in ward The fickle state of Favourites and Courtiers in the house of the Captain of the guard Likely the same Potiphar ch 37. 36. 39. 1 20. into the prison Tower or round prison dungeon v. 15. ch 39. 20. 41. 14. V 4. Charged Joseph with them Potiphar if he be this Captain now thinks better of Joseph and intrusts him likely upon that relation of his chief officer chap. 39. 21 22 23. V. 5. And they dreamed See Annotations on chap. 20. 3. according to the interpretation No vain dreams as the interpretation shewed v. 12 18 21 22. 41. 11 12. V. 6. Sad So dreams sent of God use much to affect men ch 41. 4. Dan. v. 1 3. Mat. 27. 19. V. 8. We have dreamed a dream Each his own dream not both one no Interpreter Being prisoners we cannot go to the Sooth-sayers ch 41. 8. Dan. 4. 7. beâ—ong to God Not to your wizards ch 41. 16. Dan. 2. 27 28 18 19 23 47. tell me He findes by the instinct of Gods Spirit that he should be able to interpret their dreames through an extraordinary gift given him Though Joseph was bound yet Gods Word and gift to him was not bound 2 Tim. 2. 9. Before he was a dreamer ch 37. 5 9 19. Now an Interpreter V. 12. They are They signifie ch 41. 26. So Mat. 26. 26 28. V. 13. Within three dayes V. 20. The three branches might as well have signified three weeks moneths or years but for Gods revelation to Joseph lift up thine head Summe up and reckon thee as Exod 30. 12. Numb 1. 2. 26. 2. and promote thee to thy former place of office and honour as Jer. 52. 31. This shall Pharaah do when he shall take survey of his family and officers V. 14. Think on me Therefore Joseph knew not the time meanes and manner of his own deliverance God in his wisdom did not reveal that unto him So 1 Kings 13. the man of God knew not his own
1. WIth him his two sonnes To receive the blessing of their venerable Grandfather at his farewel from the world V. 2. And sate upon the bed Ch. 47. 31. V. 3. At Luz Or Bethel and that twice ch 28. 13 19. and ch 35. 6. V. 4. A multitude Thirteen populous tribes for an everlasting possession Literally if his seed keepe Covenant with God spiritually to his spiritual seed he will give the heavenly Canaan for an everlasting possession V. 5. Epâ—raim and Manasseh Jacob still prefers Ephraim v. 19. are mine My sons by adoption and shall have the priviledge of my sonnes have either a twelfth share and be heads of tribes as Reuben and Simeon Thus Joseph had the double portion that right of the first-borne 1 Chron. 5. 1. A Law for this to the first-borne after Deut. 21. 17. So the Sabbath Circumcision raising up seed to the brother and many such more before Moses Law V. 6. begettest after them Therfore he had no more at this time the name of their brethren Therefore he had more children after which were sorted and counted to the stock and tribe of Ephraim or Manasse as if they were their sons not their brethren as all Jacobs other Grand-children likewise were V. 7. Rachel died Thy mother and my dear and only true wife if I had been fairly dealt withal and so thou hadst been my right first-borne and therefore in thy sonnes I give thee a double portion yet she was soon taken from me in the way of Ephrata Even there rather then to bury her among idolaters in Bethlehem ch 23. 9. V. 8. Who are these Named them before yet knew not that they were present or did not well discerne them for the dimnesse of his sight v. 10. V. 9. I will blesse them Not by a meere apprecation of prosperity for so the lesse may blesse the greater but in the Name and Authority of God guided with an especial energy or operation of Gods Spirit and so ratified by God as ordinary blessings were not so ch 27. 33. See Annot. on ch 27. 4. Gen. 49. 26. V. 10. Dimme Ch. 27. 1. V. 11. I had not thought Gods blessings are beyond our expectations and imaginations V. 12. From between Jacobs knees rather then Josephs for Jacob embraced and kissed them v 10. he bowed In reverence and thankfulnesse for the former Adoption V. 13. Ephraim in his right hand In a fit posture as he thought to receive the Patriarchal blessing which it seems was usually done with Imposition of hands And in this punctual order as fearing haply Jacob might mistake their age and persons naming Ephraim first v. 5. towards Israels right hand The right hand hath the preheminence of the left 1 Kings 2. 19. Mat. 25. 33. Ps. 20. 6. 110. 1. 118. 16. Esay 62. 8. Eph 1. 20. in strength and honour To which the Scripture hath reference in speech also of God V. 14. And laid it upon Ephraims head Here is the first expresse mention of Imposition of hands used after in benediction Mat. 19. 13. Mar. 10. 16. at secrifices Lev. 1. 4. as witnessing Lev. 24. 14. in extraordinary giving of graces Acts 8. 17. in miraculous cures Mar. 6. 5. in ordination of Ministers Numb 8. 10. Acts 6. 6. 1 Tim 4. 14. so now Moses laid his hands upon Joshuah Deut. 34. 9. in prayer Acts 13. 3. Ephraims head Of him came Joshuah and the Kings of the ten tribes And the tribe of Ephraim is called the tribe of Joseph Numb 1. 32 34. Apoc. 7. 6. 7. 8. The name of Ephraim is taken for the whole Kingdome of Israel Esay 7. 2. They both had a double lot Josh. 17. 14. wittingly And therefore crossed his armes to that purpose as a signe not of Christs Crosse but of that which afterwards he foretold by the special revelation of the Spirit of God he being so dim of sight that he could not thereby so well distinguish between them V. 16. the Angel which Christ. See Annot. on ch 31. 11. Exod. 14. 19. 13. 21. my name be named on them As v. 5. no invocation of Saints departed they shall be in the same state and degree as my other sons my adopted children so Gods Name is said to be called on us Deut. 28. 10. 2 Chron. 7. 24. Jer. 14. 9. that is we are called the sons of God and the husbands name is called upon the wife Esay 4. 1. And the Lords Name upon the City Jerusalem Dan. 9. 19. and upon the Temple 1 Kings 8. 43. Jer. 7. 10 11. grow into a multitude Spawn like fishes There were eighty five thousand two hundred men of war of these two in Moses time Numb 26. 28 34 37. Thus Moses blesseth them Deut 33. 17. Josh. 17. 17. V. 17. it displeased him Thinking his father was mistaken he seeks to mend the error and likely before that blessing v. 15 16. was uttered greater then he In number of issue and power though the birth-right remain with Manasseh Josh. 17. 1. So Numb 1. eight thousand three hundred men more of Ephraim then of Manasseh and Deut. 33. 17. See Annot. on v. 14. Num. 2. 18 20. yet sometimes Ephraim was at a losse 1 Chron. 7. 20 21 22. lesse in number then Manasseh Numb 26. 28. V. 20. In thee Joseph using thy name and for thy sake or taking thee for an example as Ruth 4. 11. and so for cursing Jer. 29. 22. Israel My posterity I have given Thus Prophetically bequeathing as by Will and Testament to the posterity one portion That bought ch 33. 19. nigh unto Sechem after called Sychar John 4. 5. Not all the City Sechem and all its territories as some would have it out of Josh. 17. 7. This portion though little was all he had by purchase and so he designes him as it were his heire Sechem was the inheritance of the Ephraimites Josh. 16. 1. 20. 7. John 4. 5. And thither were Josephs bones carried and buried Josh. 24. 1 25 32. have taken Shall take So Esay 9. 6. Thus Jacob in faith disposeth of it as already taken Heb. 11. 21. or rather have taken it out of the hands of those neighbouring people that seised upon it among the rest after the slaughter of the Sichemites and would not restore it till Jacob by force of armes took and recovered it Though this be not elsewhere mentioned in Scripture my sword Of my children Josh. 17. 14 to 18. CHAP. XLIX Verse 1. GAther your selves Repeated v. 2. Some present were to call and gather the absent By this joynt injunction he intimates the union that should be amongst them Psal. 133. 2 3. 33. 3. that I may tell you By the Spirit of prophecie Men on their death-beds should give their last and best counsels to their children and family and friends you Altogether what I have to say to every one particularly that so every one may reap benefit also of what shall be said concerning his brethren in the last dayes In long
like is implied concerning the rest of the sons of the handmaids V. 17. Dan shall be a serpent More by cunning then by force shall they prevaile so did the Danites with Laish Judges 18. 27. And Sampson used craft as well as strength Judges 15. and 16. Moses compares him to a Lions whelp Deut. 33. 22. haply for the suddennesse of his leap when he seeth the advantage of his prey Dan is omitted in the sealing of the tribes Apoc. 7. And so is Simeon omitted in Moses his benediction Deut. 33. Likely Simeon for his cruelty against the Sichemites And Dan for his notorious idolatry Judg. 18. 20. 1 Kings 12. 29. Not because Antichrist should come of the tribe of Dan. V. 18. I have waited Psal 130. 5. Esay 26. 8. Motions of the Spirit and ejaculations of a dying man are not tied to rules of method and yet may have good coherence with silent and smothered thoughts whence their expressions burst out for thy salvation Foreseeing the troubles of his posterity and of the tribe of Dan in special Judg. 1. 34. he breakes out into this passionate expression of longing after their deliverance and salvation by Shiloh specially Luke 2. 30. V. 19. Gad a troop Ch. 30. 11 An Allusion as v. 16. See the Annotations upon it Gad was situate beyond Jordan Eastward and so the more subject to incursions of the bordering enemies Judg. 10. 7 8. Jer 49. 1. He comforts him against his dangers by sudden inroads of troopes that at last he shall overcome them Deut. 33. 20. Fulfilled 1 Chron. 5. 18 19 20 21 22. Judg. ch 10. and 11. V. 20. Asher his bread shall be fat Rich soile for corne and wheat specially and for oile Deut. 33. 24 25. and royal dainties and minerals Josh. 19. 24 c. Fat signifies the best of any thing chapter 4. 4. 27. 28. V. 21. Naphtali is an Hinde let loose Deut. 33. 23. with scope and liberty in choice of pastures in plenty and peace And also of cunning and active nimblenesse in dealing with their enemies and light-footed to pursue them and to escape danger Psal. 18. 34. Judg. 4. 10 15 16. Josh. 19. 32 to 39. Judah a Lion Issachar an Asse Dan a Serpent Naphtali an Hinde All these were absurd in a literal sense And so the words in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in a literal sense he giveth goodly words Faire and courteous prevailing by that means and words also of praises and blessings Judg. 5. V. 22. Joseph is a fruitful bough In his two branches Ephraim and Manasseh which multiplied exceedingly and became two tribes by a well Moisture is a meanes of fruitfulnesse Psal. 1. 3. Ezech. 19. 10. whose branches Hebr. Whose daughters As bough was called by the name of sonne and whatsoever cometh of or from another is called in Hebrew a sonne as the young of birds beasts c. arrowes are called the sons of the bowe ch 18. 7. Job 41. 28. runne over the wall Abundantly increase Josh. 17. 17. V. 23. The archers His brethren that sold him his Mystris that accused him his Master that imprisoned him and haply the Magistrates of Egypt and the Courtiers of Pharaoh V. 24. But his bowe His innocency patience faith chastity Psal. 18. 34. by the hands of the mighty Joseph ascribes his strength to God Psal. 44. 6 7 8. from thence From the mighty God of Jacob from his Power and Providence it was that Joseph became the shepherd the stone of Israel to feed them in famine and to be a rock of refuge stay and strength unto them And herein Joseph may be as a type of Christ the true shepherd and corner-stone Act. 4. 11. Esay 28. 16. V. 25. With blessings of Heaven Influences of the startes raine and dew Deut. 33. 14. Ezechiel 34. 26. blessings of the deep Springs and rivers if not minerals too ch 7. 11. Deut. 33. 13. of the beasts Ten thousands of Ephraim and thousands of Manasseh Deut. 33. 17. A contrary curse is that Hos. 9. 14. V. 26. The blessings of thy father Wherewith I do blesse thee and thy brethren have prevailed Or do prevaile are stronger of greater efficacy and excellency above the blessings of my Progenitors Abraham and Isaac I have blessed thee in thy two sonnes more then my father or grand-father blessed their two sonnes Abraham gave way that Ishmael should be cast out And Isaac gave the blessing to me from my brother Esau. But I blesse thy two sonnes and make them two tribes and keep them within the Church Or I have more expressely and with more tendernesse of affection blessed thee then my Progenitors blessed their children I do strive to out-blesse my fore-fathers in multiplication of blessings upon thy head Or referring the words to all Jacobs children he preferres his blessing above that of his Progenitors as being more particularly explained and applied and should be more suddenly clearly fully and effectually accomplished in them by their multiplication in Egypt c. And by including them all in the Covenant of grace making them all heires of the Promise not one of them being excluded unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hilles Deut. 33. 13 15. This sets forth the riches of that portion of land in Canaan which should by lot fall to Ephraim and Manasseh Or the blessings on Joseph shall be eminent and excellent in extent and in quality and quantity and perpetual in duration as the everlasting hills intimating so spiritual blessings Psal. 54. 10. on the head of Joseph Poured as oile wherewith Princes are anointed on his head separated By his selling away from them and being by God so advanced in Egypt V. 27. Benjamin shall ravine Be strong fierce warlike going forth mornings and evenings to take his prey vanquishing and spoiling his enemies So did Saul the King of this tribe 1 Sam. 11. 6 7 11. 14. 13. 15. 47 48. Paul was of Benjamin Warlike they were as appears in those bloody battels Judges 20. 15 16 17. Ehud was of Benjamin Judg. 3. 15. Mordecai and Esther were of Benjamin Esther 8. 7. c and ch 9. 5. devoure the prey 2 Sam 2. 26. V. 28. Twelve tribes Distinguished into twelve tribes afterward And in them rather then in the persons of his twelve sonnes we are to look for the meaning and the accomplishing of these prophetical blessings They were thirteen counting in Levi and Ephraim and Manasseh in stead of Joseph But Levi had no portion in dividing the land Deut. 10. 9. And so they were still called the twelve tribes For their order they are reckoned sometimes accordiâ—g to their birth chap. 29. and 30. Exod. 28. 10. sometimes with reference to their mothers as chap. 35. sometimes with relation to their dignity so is Judah first Numb 2. 3. Apoc. 7. 5. sometimes to their lot in dividing the land of Canaan And so is Zebulun placed before Issachar here sometimes withoot regard had of any order as here and
one certain time and these two Evenings in the larger or stricter signification to be contiguous or continued rather to be that Communis terminus which couples the end of the day and the beginning of the night together or the two extremities of our Evening-tide whereof the former belongs to the end and shutting up of the natural day preceding and the later to the beginning of the night which leades on and ushers in the natural or civil day following as the first part of it So that this time is a participle of both or a Borderer betwixt both as the large Annotations fitly expresse it Two side-posts In this first Passeover each Head of a family served as a Priest verse 7 divers Rites were enjoyned which were not observed or required afterwards And the second moneth also allowed for it Num. IX 11 And other seven dayes 2 Chron. XXX 23. No maner of work On divers Feast-dayes of the Jewes it was not lawful for them to do any servile work verse 16 On others any kinde or maner of work save that which every man must eate But on the Sabbath day and so likely on the day of expiation that it self was unlawful or to kindle a fire on it Exod. XII 16. and Ch. XVI 5 23. and Ch. XXXV 2 3. And much more to do any maner of work upon it Neh. XIII v. 15 22. Jer. XVII 21 22. though for the making of the Tabernacle it self Exod. XXXI 11 12 13. or at any time in earing-time or harvest Exod. XXXIV 21. And that upon paine of death Exod. XXXV 2. For ever Many Legal Ceremonies verse 17 or Ordinances are enjoyned the Jewes to be observed throughout their generations for ever all which yet ended at the coming of Christ in the flesh And some such enjoyned in like termes yet ended in the year of Jubile Exod. XXI 6. Levit. XXV 40. Of this see more in the Observations on Deut. XV. 17. 430 years These do commence from the first Promise made to Abram verse 40 in Ur of the Chaldees whence 30 of the years are made up thus viz 5. in Haran 11 in Canaan when Ishmael was borne Gen XVI 3. And 14 years of Ishmaels age when Isaac was borne Gen. XVII 25. and Ch. XVIII 10. and XVI 16. and XXI 5. And the 400. begin from Isaacs birth as was shewed on Gen. XV. 13. By day in a Pillar of a cloud The Pillar of a cloud by day and of fire by night chapter XIII verse 21 may seem to be two Pillars Exod. XIII 21. 22. Nehem. IX 12 19. Num. XIV 14. Or rather seeme to be one Pillar Exod. XIV 19 20 24. Spread as a cloud by day to cover them from heat and gathered up into a Pillar of fire by night to guide them Out of which God spake unto them Psal. XCIX 7. Num. XII 5 10. Deut. XXXI 15. See the Annotations on Esay IV. 5. Migdol A strong City or Fort chapter XIV verse 2 situate in the territory of Bethshemesh in Egypt not farre from the Red-sea Num. XXXIII 7 8. Jer XLIV 1. Before the Testimony This command for Aaron to lay up the Pot of Manna before the Lord chapter XVI verse 34 was performed by him in laying it not before the Testimony not at this time of the Command here but after the Ark and two Tables of the Covenant were made Exod. XXXIII 29. and Ch. XXXVII 1 c. An Omer The Omer and Ephah here seeme quite altered in that Visionary New State of Israel chapter XVI verse 36 Ezek. XLV 11. Unlesse Gnomer and Chomer be two several measures which I rather incline unto and conceive the truth to be this That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. XVI 36. is the tenth part of an Ephah as is there set down whereunto accords that ver 16. it being the measure of the eating of Manna sufficient for a man by the day But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. XLV containes ten Ephahs or Baths both being of the same measure v. 11. and 14. And hereunto accords that Esay V. 10. where one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the word is there written as it is in Ezek. XLV yeelds but one Ephah i. e. the tenth part of the seed it being a judgement of famine there denounced See also Levit. XXVII 16. And this may serve for the better explication of my Annotations upon that place of Ezekiel contained in the second Edition of the great Annotations printed 1651. Rock Rocks twice smitten chapter XVII verse 6 this Rock Exod. XVII 6. And that water going likely into the Red Sea and so failing them in the 32. Station at Ezion-gaber Upon their new murmuring another Rock was smitten 39 years after Num. 20. 1 13. And both called the waters of Meribah Went up Moses nine or ten times goes up to the Lord on Mount Sinai chapter XIX verse 3 See Exod. XIX 3 7 8 10 14 20 21 25. and Ch. XX. 21. and Ch. XXIV 3 12 13 15 18. and Ch. XXXII 7 15 30. and Ch. XXXIII 6 7 21. and Ch. XXXIV 2 29 34. Moses spake This speech verse 19 not mentioned what it was But seems to be that recorded Heb. XII 21. Priests So verse 22 v. 24. These Priests probably seeme to be the fathers of the families The young men Exod. XXIV 5. might possibly be of those Primogeniti or First-borne which God first challenged to himself within one quarter of a year before Exod. XIII 2. and Ch. XXII 29. And for them the Levites were taken in afterwards Num. III. 12 13 40 41 45. and Ch. VIII 18. Or else such as Moses pleased to imploy in slaying and dressing at least of these Sacrifices Called young men likely as those servants of the King of Assyria are called in the Original young men 2 King XIX 6. An Altar These Altars mentioned in this verse chapter XX verse 24 and v. 25 26. were allowed and appointed for the time much differing from those by appointment made when the Tabernacle and Temple were erected and builded Exod. XXVII 1 c. 2 Chron. IV. 1. Of Altars see more on Levit. XVII 3. In the seventh In the Seventh and Sabbatical year chapter XXI verse 2 beginning in September as the Iubile did The Book of the Law was to be read publikely and solemnly in the beginning of that year The Land was to rest from Culture Lendings vouchsafed to poor Hebrews and then due were to be released and intermitted if not clean remitted Luke VI. 35. Hebrew servants both men and women though bought if not redeemed before were to go out free if themselves would and that liberally furnished Exod. XXI 2 7. and XXIII 11 16. Levit. XXV 4 5 6 7 20 21 22. Deut. XV. 1 18. Jer. XXXIV 14. Who hath betrothed her to himself The Hebrew Text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying Not chapter XXI verse 8 and so runs thus Who hath not betroathed her But the Hebrew Criticks commonly called Masorets put for
there 2 Sam. VI. 12 17. whereupon Zion is called the City of God Gods holy Hill The Northerne and lower part belonging to Benjamin wherein the Temple stood on Mount Moriah 2 Chon III. 1. Honourable things are spoken of this City Psal. LXXXVII 2 3. This City is called the City of God of the Lord of Hoasts of the great King the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most High Psal. XLVI 4. and XLVIII 8. The Throne of the Lord Jer. III. 17. Jehovah-Shammah in that visionarie Description Ezek. XLVIII 35. It is called the City of Solemnities Esay XXXIII 20. a City of Righteousnesse Esay V. 26. a City of Truth Zech. VIII 3. a Faithful City Esay I. 26. a City sought out and not forsaken Esay LXII 12. The walls thereof are called Salvation and her gates Praise and they are ever in Gods sight Esay XLIX 16. and LX. 18. Hoham These other four Kings were all South of Jerusalem chapter X verse 3 And all five did after belong to the Tribe of Judah Lachish Of this City see the Annotations on Micah I. 13. The Lord said The Lord spake to Joshua verse 8 sometimes immediately by himself sometimes being consulted with by Urim and Thummim Hailestones God 's two Miracles in this battel verse 11 I. By wondrous Hailestones like those in Egypt Exod. IX 18 25. which killed more Amorites then were slaine by the sword braining likely the body of their hoast as they fled where they were thickest and those that were formost in the flight and not hurting the Pursuers who were intermingled yet likely mostwhat in the Reare of the enemy II. By the miraculous standing still upon Joshua's Prayer first privately made and granted after publikely pronounced in the sight of Israel of the Sunne and of the Moone and with them of the whole frame of Heaven about a whole day till the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Jasher The Book of Jasher records the Miracle verse 13 No Heathen History being so ancient This Book seemes to be carried on and enlarged still with the story of things acted in after-ages For there is mention of it in Davids time 2 Sam. I. 18. And this Book being no part of Canonical inspired Scripture but a Civil Chronicle or Annals among the Jewes is since perished as divers others of like nature Among which are those books of Chronicles not Canonical but Civil so often cited in our two books of the Kings No day That day in Hezekiah's time verse 14 was in some things like this 2 King XX. 11. But that not till many ages after And this book first written Returned If Joshua here resolved to return to Gilgal verse 15 Yet many other victories in the Southern parts even from Kadesh-barnea unto Gaza in a short time intervened ver 16 42. before he actually returned thither ver 43. Ioshua And c. XI verse 36 31. Ioshua took Hebron or Kiriath-Arba and Debir or Kiriath-Sepher and cut off the Anakims Yet under the conduct of Caleb this was perfected Ioshua assigning him out of his army the Tribe of Iudah for his assistance therein Ch. XIV 6 15. and Ch. XV. 13 19. which thing seems to be repeated Iudg. I. 10 15. rather then a new Conquest made again after the death of Ioshua Goshen And Ch. XI verse 41 16. and Ch. XV. 51. This Goshen in Canaan differing from that in Egypt Sand Hyperbolees much used in Scripture chapter XI verse 4 So Gen. XXII 17. and XLI 49. Iudg. VII 12. and Ch. XX. 16. 1 Sam. XIII 5. 2 Sam. I. 23. 1 King I. 40. and IV. 20 29. 2 King XIX 24. 1 Chron. XII 8. and XVI 33. 2 Chron. I. 9. and XXVIII 9. Job XX. 6. and XXII 24. and XL. 23. Psal. VI. 6. Esay XXXIV 3 5 7 9. and XLVIII 19. Jer. IV. 24. and XV. 8. Ioel. III. 18. Amos II. 9. and IX 13. Iohn XXI 25. A long time After the battel at the waters of Merom verse 18 Ioshua did make warre a long time with all those Northern Kings in Canaan about sixe years as is gathered out of Ch. XIV 6 15. Arnon Arnon the River chapter XII verse 1 ariseth not farre from the head-spring of the River Iabbok and both from rocky Mountains that lie in the East part of the Tribe of Gad. It runneth Southward and falls into the North-East corner of the Dead Sea It is the border between Sihon or Reuben on the West and Ammon on the East and between Sihon or Reuben on the North and Moab on the South Iabbok Iabbok the River verse 2 ariseth as Arnon but runneth North a little and after turneth his streame West and falleth into Iordan a little below the Sea of Galilee It divided the Land of Gilead between Sihon and Og and afterwards between Gad on the South and halfe Manasseh on the North. Remaineth yet The Land both Conquered chapter XIII verse 1 and Unconquered was to be divided by Lot among the nine Tribes and a half so Iosh. XXIII 4 5. Begun at Gilgal Ch. XIV 6. and Ch. XV. and Ch. XVI and Ch. XVII Resumed and Perfected at Shiloh Ch. XVIII and XIX But we never read That they did Conquer the whole Land and all their several Shares and Lots through their own default and breach of Covenant with God by Disobedience Chapt. XXIII 13. Aroer The City Aroer was neere the Rise of the River Arnon verse 16 and in the confines between the Reubenites and Gadites as also Heshbon Dibon and Ataroth which being bordering Cities are said to belong to them both sometimes to the one sometimes to the other To Reuben Iosh. XIII 16 17. Num. XXXII 37. To Gad Iosh. XXI 39. Num. XXXII 34. 1 Chron. VI. 81. Distributed The whole Countrey chapter XIV verse 1 seemes to be divided into so many parts as there were Tribes to possesse them Yet so as that the Bounds of every part or Province were not so precisely limited before the Tribe had drawn the Lot but that afterwards they might be enlarged or lessened according to the greatnesse or smalnesse of the number that belonged to it Num. XXVI 53 56. and Chap. XXXIII 54. which last point of division was left to the wisdome of the High Priest Ioshua and the Elders whom God had appointed to divide it ver 1. and Ch. XVII 14 18. By lot Lots fell out providentialy to the twelve Tribes chapter XIV verse 2 in the Division of the Land in relations partly to their Birth partly to the Prophetical Blessings of them by Jacob Gen. XLIX and Moses Deut. XXXIII And so in the Cities of the Levites the Lot cast the thirteen Cities of the Priests in the Tribes of Judah Benjamin and Simeon which were nearest the Temple Josh. XXI 9 10 17. when it was builded Old Calebs age verse 7 when he was sent among the Spies from Kadesh-barnea was fourty At this Division of the Land eighty five So that fourty five years intervened viz. 38. in the
called Harosheth of the Gentiles Judg. IV. 2. as lying in that Tribe of Naphtali Thirteen Thirteen Cities with their Suburbs in title and dominion given to the Priests Josh. chapter XXI verse 19 XXI 4. See the Annotations on 1 Chron. VI. 59. Though one of them at that time was too much for their present use and habitation we reading but of three of them in number about fifty years before this time Called The two Tribes and a half dismist chapter XXII verse 1 likely at the end of sixe or seven years before the Division of the Land and stayed not fourteen yeers till after the Division which Division might yet possibly be made sooner then so Josh. XX. 11. Divide This Dividing the spoile with their brethren verse 8 those that stayed at home beyond Jordan seemes to relate to that Num. XXXI 27. And David seemes hereupon to revive and enact that Law of like Division 1 Saem XXX 24 25. Mention of the name The not naming of Idols is mentioned chapter XXIII verse 7 as here so Exod. XXIII 13. Deut. XII 3. Psal. XVI 4. And a like Ephes. V. 3. Yet the thing in it self is not simply and absolutely unlawful Shechem Shechem was a City in Mount Ephraim chapter XXIV verse 1 Josh. XX. 7. North-North-East from Shiloh and Bethel and close by Mount Gerizim and Ebal Judg. IX 7. Here Abraham and Jacob had sojourned And Jacobs two sonnes Simeon and Levi young men upon Dinah's ravishment murthered the Citizens Gen. XXXIV Here after Gideons death the Citizens worshipped Baal-Berith and rebelled with Abimelech and were after punished and spoyled by him Judg. IX This City in Ioshua's time was made a City of Refuge and given to the Kohathite-Levites Iosh. XXI 21. And here Ioshua made a Covenant with all the people to serve the Lord Chap. XXIV ver 25. The Mount Ephraim whereon the City stood was famous for Burials Here they buried Iosephs bones in Shechem in a parcel of ground which Iacob bought of the children of Hamor or Emor Josh. XXIV 32. Acts VII 16. Gen. XXXIII 19. Here was great Ioshua himself an Ephraimite buried in his inheritance in Timnath-Scrah or Here 's which is in Mount Ephraim on the North-side of the hill Goash Josh. XXIV 30. Judg. II. 9. And here was the High-Priest Eleazar buried in an Hill that pertained to Phineas his son which was given him in Mount Ephraim Josh. XXIV 33. Here Deborah dwelt Judg. IV. 5. And Tola the Judge ch X. 1. Hither came Rehoboam to be made King But Jeroboam was there made King in his stead who built or fortified the City and dwelt there 1 King XII 1 20 25. Judges THE Book of JUDGES contains an History not of four hundred and ten years but of two hundred ninty and nine years So Counting the years of the VI. Oppressors within the years and times of the Judges as I have shewed they necessarily must upon Rahabs marriage with Prince Salmon Josh. II. And so Expounding the Texts following according to the truth of the times thus That the Land had Rest by Othniel in the fourtieth year after it was first settled in Rest by Ioshua at his Death Judg. III. 11. not after the Death of Moses And again had Rest by Ehud in the eightieth year after the former Rest by Othniel Ch. III. 30. And again had Rest by Deborah in the fourtieth year after the former Rest by Ehud Ch. V. 31. And again had Rest by Gideon in the fourtieth year after the former Rest by Deborah Ch. VIII 28. These make up two hundred years And then follow three of Abimelech twenty three of Tolah twenty two of Jair sixe of Jephthah seven of Ibzan ten of Elon eight of Abdon twenty of Sampson which make np the other ninty nine years in all two hunded ninty nine The text Judg. IV. 3 4. seemes to accord with rhis reckoning and to accompt Jabins Oppression within the years of Deborah But yet counting beside these the times of the VI. Oppressors distinctly over and above which amount to one hundred and eleven years and is according to the seeming letter of the texts And then fourty years of Eli being added thereunto the summe ariseth to those 450. years mentioned by Paul Acts XIII 20. But reading the words of Saint Paul as in order they stand there in the Original and after these things about four hundred and fifty years he gave them Judges untill Samuel the Prophet we may rather conceive the four hundred and fifty years to comprehend all the time from the choosing of the Fathers till the Division of the Land by Joshua it being four hundred fifty two from the Birth of Isaac and four hundred fourty seven from the Rejection of Ishmael both wayes about four hundred and fifty wherein those things mentioned ver 18 19 20. were done and accomplished And after that time he gave them Judges until Samuel the Prophet And after that time He gave them Kings And thus the most learned Primate of all Ireland hath it in his learned Annals This Book seemes written of and concerning the Judges as the Book of Ruth concerning Ruth And long after their times As may seeme to be gathered by those phrases remaine unto this day and the like Ch. I. 21 26. and VI. 24. and X. 4. and XV. 19. And Ch. XVIII 30. must needs have relation at soonest to the captivity of the Arke in the dayes of Samuel 1 Sam. IV. 17. Psal. LXXVIII 60 61. Asked They asked the Lord chapter I verse 1 by Phineas the High Priest who by Urim and Thummim makes answer Num. XXVII 21. Both which were on or in the Breastplate and the Breastplate was annexed to the Ephod Exod. XXVIII 28 30. and XXXIX 21. which made David call for the Ephod and High Priest thereby to enquire of the Lord 1 Sam. XXIII 9 10 11 12. and Ch. XXVIII 6. So Ezra II. 63. See more on 1 Sam. XXIII 9. Bezek Bezek a City in the tribe of Iudah verse 4 not farre from Ierusalem lying from it South-West and midway between 〈◊〉 and Bethlehem Adoni-Bezek verse 5 Of him see on Iosh. X. 1. Said verse 7 seventy Kings His seventy Kings subdued and mangled by him must needs be very pettie Kings of Provinces or Cities if not such Princes as are now in Germany where all the brethren of a Prince are called Princes likewise And these seventy were such as in the time of all his reigne and tyranny Adoni-bezek had subdued He was brought from Bezek to Ierusalem to be made a publike example there Ierusalem Iudah had taken Ierusalem verse 8 slaine the inhabitants and burnt the City i. e. that part of it which belonged to Iudah Iosh. XV. 8. yet so as the Jebusite still dwelt therein with the children of Iudah ver 63. even till Davids time 2 Sam. V. 6 7 8. And Benjamin did the like and no more with their part of Ierusalem Judg. I. 21. yet both had little hold in it
Exod. XXXII 4 5. 2 Chron. XXXIII 17. Hos. II. 16. The other nine hundred Shekels it is like she bestowed on house vestments and other necessaries for that Idolatrous service An house of gods So great was the Idolatry of the Jewes at this time And their zeale great in their Idolatry Ch. XVIII 24. Ephod This Ephod mentioned againe verse 5 Ch. XVIII 14. As likewise that of Gideon Ch. VIII 27. were not like those Linnen Ephods Exod. XXVIII 40. 1 Sam. II. 18. and Ch. XXII 18. But like Aarons rich and glorious Ephod Exod. XXVIII 6 34. See the Annotations on Hos. III. 4. and the Observations on 1 Sam. XXIII 9. Teraphim Or Theraphim a word of the plural number and still so used in Scripture signifies Images or Idols Hos. III. 4. 1 Sam. XV. 23. But of what kinde or fashion it is uncertaine some conceive them to be made like men because Michal put one of them in Davids bed thereby to deceive her father Sauls messengers 1 Sam. XIX 13. Some take them to be houshold-gods and as such in Labans house and family Gen. XXXI 19 34. Some to be such as they used to consult with as Oracles as in the case of the Danites here and Ch. XVIII 14 17 18 20. and of Nebuchadnezzar Ezek. XXI 21. and in Zecharies time Zech. X. 2. Answers likely being given by the subtilty of the Devil or forgery of their Priests And to workers with familiar spirits and Wizards They are joyned in Josiah's Reformation 2 King XXIII 24. See the Annotations on Hos. III. 4. Consecrated And ver 12. The grosse abuse of Consecration As in Jeroboams time 1 King XIII 33. No King King here is taken verse 6 not properly for a King but for a Judge such as the thirteen Judges in this Book for King properly there was none till Sauls reigne A Levite A Levite borne or verse 7 bred in Bethlehem Judah or sojourning there as a stranger Where I may finde a place The necessitous state of the Levites verse 9 in those Idolatrous times ver 10 11. Danites sought Their inheritance by lot is set down chapter XVIII verse 1 Josh. XIX 40. But they got it not all through their own sinne and default Iudg. I. 34. And their tribe being numerous they sought out larger bounds and more commodious habitations Iosh. XIX 47. And this though mentioned in that text of Ishua yet fell out after his death and the death of those Elders that out-lived him likely soone after but surely before the dayes of Sampson Mount Ephraim See the Observations on Josh. 2. XXIV 1. Ask counsel These Danites verse 5 being superstitious Idolaters ascribe thus much to this Levite and to his Idolatrous Ephod and Teraphim and graven and molten Images ver 14 17. Laish Laish very farre off from the body of the Tribe of Dan verse 7 that lying next to Simeon and Judah in the South-parts of the Land of Canaan and this under Mount Libanon by Asher and Naphtali in the North-bounds This Citie first burnt and after rebuilt by these Danites they then called Dan which is taken as the North-bound of the Land of Canaan as Ch. XX. 1. 1 Sam. III. 20. 2 Sam. III. 10. and elsewhere And here Jeroboam did set up one of his golden Calves 1 King XII 29. Jonathan A Levite the great grandchilde of Moses verse 30 though borne in Bethlehem-Judah and so as of the family of Judah Ch. XVII 7. And though a Levite yet taken and used as a Priest and consecrated thereunto by Micah an Ephraimitie ver 1 12. Who likewise had consecrated one of his owne sons to become his Priest ver 5. And this Jonathan forced to seeke and shift for his maintenance and livelihood and to accept of one so poore and base ver 10. All this bespeaks the sad and lamentable condition and coufusion of those times wherein they lived Captivity of the Land This Idolatry of the Danites in this Citie Dan continued untill the day of the Captivity of the Land that is as it is explained ver 31. all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh till the Philistines took the Arke 1 Sam. IV. Psalme LXXVIII 60 61. which was at the death of Eli. A Concubine Or a wife a Concubine chapter XIX The word for Concubine in Hebrew is etymologized wittily by some from two other words of that language which put together verse 1 signifie that which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some old Latine Inscriptions Viro-conjux an half-wife or secondarie wife We read in Scripture of Concubines and Wives variously Of many wives to one man in the Old Testament And this not onely in prophane and evill men as in Lamech Gen. IV. and Esau and other but also in good and godly men as in Iacob David and others And among these many wives we sometimes finde a kinde of distinction of them into two sorts One sort the First and principal and absolutely lawful wife and Mistris The other sort but in a secondary and inferiour degree And such as had no Dowries nor solemne Rites of reception nor Rule in the family nor their children had any Inheritance but Gifts and Portions For that of Iacobs sons by Bilhah and Zilpah was a case extraordinary And thus we finde with Abraham Sarah of the first sort and Hagar and Keturah of the second with Iacob Rachel and Leah of the first Bilhah and Zilpah of the second And those of the second sort are sometimes called wives and sometimes Concubines as we see in Keturah Gen. XXV 1 6. 1 Chron. I. 32. And in Bilhah Gen. XXX 4. and XXXV 22. and Ch. XXXVII 2. And Davids ten Concubines 2 Sam. XV. 16. and Ch. XVI 22. and Ch. XX. 3. are called his wives 2 Sam. XII 11. And thus Concubines are of two sorts some are wives or half-wives others plaine Whores and Harlots But this Concubine of the Levite was his wife and he her Lord as appears ver 3 4 5 7 9 26 27. and Ch. XX. 4. Gibeah Distinct from Gibeah in the tribe of Iudah chapter XIX verse 12 Iosh. XV. 57. And from Gibeon in the Tribe of Benjamin Iosh. XVIII 25. This was either that which afterwards was called Gibeah of Saul in the Tribe of Benjamin 1 Sam. XI 4. or else very near it in the same Tribe and not farre from Ierusalem and Ramah ver 13 14 16. House of the Lord In Shilo verse 18 And so Ch. XX. 18. This was near Mount Ephraim where he sojourned And thither the whole Campe came Ch. XXI 12. Know him So Gen. verse 22 XIX 5. monstrous impudent wickednesse a modest intimation of a most immodest meaning My brethren Men in nature verse 23 though worse then beasts in their lusts Behold my daughter Sinful this verse 24 to use unlawful means though to a good end We may not do evill that good may come thereof Rom. III. 8. Not hearken Yet did in the next words verse 25 And she sinning
This Reformation and Covenant made verse 8 and Passeover kept chap. XXXV 19. And yet from this or rather from the twelfth year above mentioned begins that reckoning of the sinne of Iudah Ezek. IV. 6. For under so good a King yet the people continued obstinately wicked as appears in Ieremie who began to prophesie in the thirteenth year of Iosiah's reigne Ier. I. 2. and XXV 3. and ch III. 6. And Iosiah only caused and made them outwardly to obey 2 Chron. XXXIV 32 33. the Houses The Houses of the Priests which adjoyned to the Temple and of the Levites which adjoyned to the Courts Levites Scribes 1 Chron. verse 13 XXIV 6. Ezra VII 6. 21. Neh. VIII 9. and chap. XII 26. and XIII 13. See the Annotation on 1 Kings IV. 3. More fully thus we read in the Old Testament of severall persons that were Scribes some Scribes of Kings or their Secretaries So David had one And Solomon two Ioash one 2 Kings XII 10. Iosiah one 2 Kings XXII 3. Of Ionathan Davids Uncle that he was a Counseller a wise man and a Scribe 1 Chron. XXVII 32. And of Baruch that he was Ieremies Scribe And of families of Scribes that dwelt at Jabez in the tribe of Iudah and were of the posterity of Iethro 1 Chron. II. 55. But why so called or what their Office was whether as Publike Notaries Scriveners or Transcribers of the Law or what else it appears not Here in Iosiah's time we finde that in his businesse of repairing the house of the Lord there were appointed of the Levites Scribes And in Nehemiah's time he made Treasurers over the Treasuries in the Lords House Shelemiah the Priest and Zadok the Scribe And in his time also was that famous Ezra a Priest sonne of the High Priest Serajah slaine by Nebuchadnezzar and the same a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses a Scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven of the words of the Commandments of the Lord and of his Statutes to Israel and the same a publick Reader and Teacher of the Law In the New Testament we finde them much more mentioned and to be of more esteeme and themselves affected Preheminence and precedencies Mark XII 38 39. Here they are often joyned with the Chief Priests and Elders and often with the Pharisees They pretended to extraordinary holinesse as the Pharisees did whence is that Matth. V. 20. and Acts XXIII 9. They were of the Pharisees part against the Sadduces Yea he that is called a Scribe Marke XII 28. the same is called a Pharisee and a Lawyer Matth. XXII 34 35. We read not that they were of the Sect of the Sadduces or Essenes But we finde them to joyne with all the rest to question to pose and oppose our Saviour to entangle and insnare him by Questions to charge his miracles to be done by Belzebub Himself with Blasphemy to apprehend and binde him to condemne him in the Councel to deliver him to Pilate to accuse him before Herod to prosecute him to death to mock him upon the Crosse. And we finde that these Scribes sate in Moses-chair Matth. XXIII 2. and were Preachers and Teachers of the people Mat. VII 29. and XIII 52. And likely were all of the tribe of Levi. rent his clothes See the Annotations on 2 Kings XXII 8. verse 19 Huldah the Prophetesse See the Observations on Zeph. verse 22 III. 4. The High Priest Hilkiah is here sent to her she being an extraordinary Prophetesse so near at hand Put the holy Ark It might be put out of his place chapter XXXV verse 3 in the dayes of his wicked father if not of his grandfather Passeover-Offerings So ver verse 8 9. in the Feast of Unleavened bread for the seven dayes After all this Thirteen years after the foresaid Passeover verse 20 that being in the eighteenth and this in the thirty one and last year of his reigne by Euphrates Heb. Phrat or Prat or Perath the fourth river in Eden Gen. II. 14. usually called the River and the great River made one of the Boundaries of the Promised Land Gen XV. 18. Deut. 1. 7 and chap. XI 24. Iosh. I. 4. 2. Chron. IX 26. Cut by Cyrus into severall Channels when he lay in siege before Babylon which stood upon it and so by him much dreyned and dried Ier. L. 38. See 1 Chron. XVIII 3. Ier. XIII 4. and chap. LI. 63. Apoc. IX 14. and Chap. XVI 12. See on Dan. IV. 30. Megiddo See the Annotations on Zech. verse 22 XII 11. to carrie him But he died by the way chapter XXXVI verse 6 Jer. XXII 18 19. Eight years old when he He was eighteen when himself began to reigne verse 9 2 Kings XXIV 8. And but eight then when his father began to reigne The like relative sense may that speech admit 2 Kings XVI 2. no remedy Desperate sinners procure implacable wrath verse 16 irrevocable exterminating judgements Kingdome of Persia See the Observations on the beginning of the Book of Ezra verse 20 threescore and ten years For the beginning of these verse 21 see the Annotations on Dan. IX 2. rather then those on Zech. VII 3. yet many learned are of the later opinion Ezra THE Book of Ezra contains an History of seventy years viz. from the first of Cyrus or his Proclamation chap. I. 1. to the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus upon this Accompt viz. Cyrus seven Cambyses seven Smerdis one Darius Hystaspis thirty six Xerxes twelve of Artaxerxes Longimanus seven where Ezra end Or premising two of Darius Medus before Cyrus it comes to seventy two The four last Chapters containe the History but of that one year concerning Ezra which was in that seventh year of Artaxerxes See chap. VII 7 9. and chap. VIII 15 21 31 32 33. and chap. X. 8 9 16 17. But the six first Chapters are extended by some otherwise learned men yet upon lesse probable grounds to a farre larger scope of time even to one hundered thirty eight or one hundred fourty five years And they end the Book with the nineteenth year of Artaxerxes Mnemon which seemes cleane contrary to the Text chap. VII 7 8. For the clearer knowledge of divers things in this Book as likewise in Nehemy and Esther A Catalogue of the Persian Monarchs and of the years of their Reignes is very useful which out of the best Authors with very little variation may be as followeth  years Darius Medus 2 Cyrus 7 Cambyses 7 Smerdis 1 Darius Hystaspis 36 Xerxes 12 Artaxerxes Longimanus 48 Xerxes 1 Sogdianus 1 Darius Ochus seu Nothus 19 Artazerxes Mnemon 43 Darius Ochus 23 Arsen 3 Darius Codomannus 5 And so the Persian Monarchy continued two hundred and eight years or there about In this Book of Ezra there is mention made of six Persian Monarchs first of Cyrus chap. I. 1. secondly of Darius ch IV. 5. thirdly of Ahasuerus chap. IV. 6. fourthly of Artaxerxes chap. IV. 7. fifthly of another Darius chap. IV. 24. and
and other qualities which he hath bestowed upon them in some whereof they farre excel men In all which particulars Iobs weaknesse and insufficiency doth more then sufficiently appear And will Iob then contend and debate his quarrel with God this God reprove him or think to apprehend or comprehend the invisible reasons of his proceedings Moreover Here the Lord calls upon Iob to answer chapter XL verse 1 turnes him over to his own desire chap. 13. 22. Then Iob Jobs Submission verse 3 Once His sinne is already too great in speaking presumptuously against Gods proceedings verse 5 He will do so no more Then Here the Lord proceeds yet further to presse Job verse 6 and convince him and humble him Where after his Preface in this verse and challenge in the next He reproves him thus Wilt thou disanul my judgement wilt thou condemne me that thou mayest be righteous ver 8. Wilt thou be like God ver 9. Then do as he doth ver 9 13. And so God will confesse it ver 14. Behold now Behemeth The Lord bids Job consider of the Elephant verse 15 and of Gods power in making such a creature which he describes and sets forth ver 15 24. Canst thou The Lord doth further argue by an instance in Leviathan chapter XLI the Whale verse 1 in this whole Chapter And shewes Jobs weaknesse to encounter and grapple with him by strength ver 1 10. And applies it thus Who then is able to stand before me ver 10 11. I will not Here followes a magnifical description of the Whale verse 12 of the particular parts and members of his body and of his qualifications and actions All to the end aforesaid ver 10 11. Yet Whales seeme now-a-dayes to be by Art more easily caught and conquered then they were in Jobs dayes Then Job Here Job makes a more full profession of his Repentance chapter XLII verse 1 ver 1 6. have I uttered More then was fitting verse 3 in things so farre above my capacity And it was so Gods sentence upon Jobs three friends ver 7 8 9. verse 7 seven bullocks A great sacrifice for sinne verse 8 a burnt offering There is in Leviticus a difference between Burnt-Offerings and Sinne and Trespasse-Offerings yet likely not known in Jobs time the Lord turned The restitution and restauration of Job after all his misery verse 10 ver 10 17. After this lived His age shewes probably that he lived about that time of the Israelites being in Egypt verse 16 Psalmes PSALMES Luke XXIV 44. Or Book of Psalmes Luke XX. 42. Acts I. 20. is divided by the Hebrewes into these five Parts The first part ending with Psal. XLI The second part with Psal. LXXII The third with Psalme LXXXIX The fourth with Psalm CVI. The fifth with Psalme CL. The Division of them from the Subject-matters of them is very various There are Psalmes Laudatorie of Praises Gratulatorie of Thanksgiving Psalmes of Supplications of Deprecations of Consolations of Comminations of Imprecations There are Penetential Psalmes Psalmes to teach to give instruction Psalmes to bring to Remembrance things past Psalmes Prophetical of things to come And many Psalmes are mixt of many or most of these matters So as out of them as out of a store-house every man may richly fit and furnish himself for all and every particular occasion either publike or else private according to his several conditions in prosperity or adversity in all his devotions and addresses to God still finding his own estate in some one Psalme or other These Psalmes containing the very Anatomy of the soul the characters and representations of the thoughts meditations affections and workings of it towards God towards man towards herself throughout all the changes of her pilgrimage in this world The number of them is one hundred and fifty The LXX and vulgar Latin do divide the ninth Psalme into two And so their reckoning of the number doth constantly go on to exceed ours by one unto the CXLVII Psalm which Psalm doth contain their CXLVI and CXLVII And so in the conclusion all agree in the same number of CL. Of these eighty two bear Davids title Whereof these are upon several special occasions as appears in their Inscriptions viz. the III. VII XXX LI. LII LIV. LIX LX. LXIII And at Gath before Achish or Abimelech XXXIV LVI And when he was in the Cave Psalm LVII and CXLII His Psalms of Prayer are Psalm 17. and 86. Some are his Psalmes and yet without his name in the Title as Psal. II. Acts IV. 25. And Psal. XCV Hebr. IV. 7. See also Psal. XCVI and CV and CVI. See 1 Chron. XVI 7. and LXXII 20. Other Psalmes without Davids name which have special Titles are Psalmes XLV LXXII And of or for Asaph Psalmes L. LXXIII to LXXXIII See 2 Chron. XXIX 30. Of or for the sonnes of Korah LXXXIV LXXXV LXXXVII Of Heman for the sonnes of Korah LXXXVIII Of Ethan LXXXIX Of Moses XC For the Sabbath XCII A Prayer of or for the Afflicted CII Psalmes of Degrees CXX to CXXXIV Having Titles are 125. The rest being XXV the sixth part of the whole number are without any Title or Inscription at all In the Titles we have the persons by whom they were written or for whom they were written or to whom they were committed And these last are either generaly described by their skill in Musick or more particularly named to be of the Quire or Posterity of Jeduthun of Korah or of Asaph In some we have also the Times when they were made or when to be used In some also their Quality and Excellencie In some their Matter Subject as of Prayer of Deprecation as Destroy not of obtestation of Gratulation or Thanksgiving of Praise of Instruction and Doctrine of Commemoration or for Remembrance of nuptial love The Musick either by voice or instrument mentioned in some Titles is but little known in our dayes yet for the voice some Psalmes may seeme to point to the Base some to the Tenor some to the Counter-tenor And again in some mens opinions some Psalmes do intimate that the voice should leade and the instrument follow as in those Titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some that the instruments should leade and the voice follow as in those Titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the truth is That howsoever Selah in the Text used some seventy times in this Book and three times in that prayer of Habakkuk chap. III. sometimes in the middle of a verse but mostwhat in the end may seeme to be a Musical Note And Neginoth to be an hand or stringed instrument Shoshannim of six strings from Shesh six as Shalishim of three strings 1 Sam. XVIII 6. Sheminith of eight strings Nehiloth a wind-instrument Mahalath likewise And so other guesses may be made of other words mentioned in sundry Titles of sundry Psalms as Shoshannim Eduth Shushan Eduth Mahaloth Leannoth Muthlabben Altaskith Gittith Alamoth Hammagneloth Aijgeleth Shahar Jonath-Elem-rehochim As also of Higgajon Michtam
and was made a Sacrifice for sinne for us 2 Cor. V. 21. Esay LIII 6. Yet this may have a right understanding of Christs spiritual children who are subject to the lapses and infirmities of sinne 1 John I. 8. Rom. VII 15. sworne Of Oaths verse 35 see the Observations on Hos. IV. 15. as the Moone Which although it sometime waxeth verse 37 and sometime waineth and sometime seemes to be gone a fit resemblance of the state of Christs Church yet is continualy renewed and so stable Witnesse See Jer. XXXIII 20 21. And Christ is so called Apoc. I. 5. Esay LV. 4. But thou The Psalmist complaineth of the miseries of the Church verse 38 whereby all the former Promises seeme to be frustrated youth hast thou shortned Wherein by thy promises he should have flourished verse 45 and grown up as a youth how short How vaine verse 47 momentanie and uncertaine yet am I thy creature the footsteps of thine Anointed verse 51 This may be referred to Christ and his Offices and Works in us and for us or to Christians which follow his footsteps Blessed The voice of faith verse 52 and joy as finding an issue out of the temptation and rejoycing in the midst of tribulation This is the end of the third Book of Psalmes See the Observations on Psal. XLI ult and on LXXII ult of Moses This seemes inspired and penned by Moses for the use of the people chapter XC when upon the returne of the Spies they had murmured against God and he had sentenced to death all above twenty years old Num. XIV 22 23 29 34. Returne The body to the earth verse 3 the soul to God that gave it watch The night divided into four Watches verse 4 the evening midnight cock-crowing dawning threescore years and ten So for the most part verse 10 And so in David And none of the Kings of Judah or Israel after him attained to those years Or seventy here in regard of that judgement denounced Num. XIV 29. even according to thy fear verse 11 so is thy wrath Thy wrath is as thy feare teacheth it to be which teacheth us to fear thee for thy wrath But who knoweth the power of it to number They might number the utmost extent of them verse 12 upon that judgement Num. XIV But not how much sooner they might die establish Esay XXVI 12. verse 17 he shall deliver thee Having practised in the second verse what he taught in the first chapter XCI verse 3 Here he teacheth others to do the like applies his example to them not be afraid Esay XLIII 2. verse 5 emphatical expressions and rhetorical amplifications allowed in all humane Authors Not yet implying that we are actualy deliveâ—ed in all such dangers but that at least they shall work for our good if we be not delivered out of them Rom. VIII 28. his Angels charge over thee Alledged by the Devil to Christ verse 11 Mat. IV. 6. in all thy wayes Of holinesse and righteousnesse These words the Devil omits as making against his temptation which was against the minde of the text tread upon the lion Esay XI 6 9. verse 13 Hos. II. 18. without harme or damage Not as the Pope applied it to his treading upon the neck of the Emperour on high Safely above all perils and dangers verse 14 with long life If God shall see it good and fit for him verse 16 Otherwise a good man may be cut off by Plague or warre for the Sabbath day For the Rest on this day chapter XCII see the Observations on Exod. XII 16. For Hallowing it That was by an holy convocation by offering of Sacrifices singing Psalmes reading and expounding and hearing Scriptures Praying Disputing and Conferring by meditating on Gods word and works and doing works of mercy Exod. XX. 10. Esay LVIII 13. Jer. XVII 21 22. Levit. XXIII 3. Num XXVIII 9 10. Acts XIII 15. and XV. 21. and XVI 13. and XVII 2. and XVIII 4. Matth. XII 2 7 8 11 12. as the Palme tree The LXX read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 12 which signifies indeed a tree As the Hebrew word here doth And the meaning of the whole verse imports Yet hence many learned men taking it up one from another have raised that fable of a wondrous bird called a Phoenix which yet never was seene or known in the world holinesse becometh thy house In the services chapter XCIII verse 5 and servants of it and all professors of so holy a God The Lord knoweth Cited chapter XCIV verse 11 1 Cor. III. 20. But judgement shall returne unto righteousnesse Though they might seeme awhile parted verse 15 yet they shall returne and meet and the wicked shall be punished and the godly rewarded O come Davids Psalme chapter XCV verse 1 though without his Title as appears Heb. III. 7. and IV. 7. to day This extends to the whole time wherein Christ speaketh by his Gospel verse 7 Heb. III. 7. 13 15. and IV. 7 8. So 2 Cor. VI. 2. Provocation Meribah verse 8 in the Hebrew temptation Massah in the Hebrew See Exod. XVII 1 7. Num. XX. 1 3 13. Deut. VI. 16. tempted me Tempted Christ verse 9 1 Cor. X. 9. my work Works Heb. III. 9. of miraculous mercies and judgements I sware At Kadesh-barneah verse 11 Num. XIV 21 c. Heb. III. 17 19. my rest Canaan a Type of a better Rest Heb. IV. 3 8 9 11. O sing This Psalme chapter XCVI verse 1 and Psalme CV 1 15. with small alterations make up that Psalme composed by David upon the bringing of the Ark from Obed-Edoms house into the Citie of David 1 Chron. XVI 8 36. a new song See the Observations on Psal. XXXIII 3. beauty of holinesse In the glorious holy Sanctuary searoare In token of joy verse 9 the trees Humane affections ascribed to insensible creatures verse 11 thereby to set out mans duty verse 12 for the cometh Or when he cometh Which may relate to Christs coming into the world verse 13 Matth. XII 20. Acts X. 42. and ch XVII 31. Psal. XCVIII 9. and CX 6. Esay II. 4. and XI 3 4. and XVI 5. 2 Tim. IV. 1. Apoc. XIX 11. The Lord reighneth Here seemes the Kingdome chapter XCVII verse 1 both of God and of Christ to be majesticaly described a new song See the Observations on Psal. chapter XCVIII verse 1 XXXIII 3. made known Esay LII 10. Let the sea roare Psal. verse 2 XCVI 11. let the people tremble And so chapter XCIX verse 7 the earth be moved that is with a reverend fear at his Presence and appearance verse 1 Or though they be stirred up with anger Apoc. XI 17 18. Acts XVII 13. The Kings strength God mixeth his power with justice verse 4 Job XXXVI 5. Moses and Aaron among his Priests Moses did many things of the Priestly office verse 6 And the word Cohen here used doth signifie also a Prince and principal officer as 2 Sam. VIII 18. and in many other places
solemn assemblies for his worship and service in the beauties of holinesse Or in the comely honours of the Sanctuarie meaning either the comely or honourable places of holinesse the Sanctuary or Church or rather in the beautiful ornaments of holinesse that is holy graces and vertues which with admirable varietie adorne the faithful and their inner man from the womb The second propertie or condition of the subjects of Christs Kingdome to be very numerous as willing so numerous as the dew from the womb of the morning 2 Sam. XVII 12. by a sudden unusual and wonderful increase and multiplication Esay LIV. 1. Micah V. 7. Esay LXVI 9. so numerous shall his youth be his new-borne people Iohn I. 13. and III. 3. Gal IV. 19. Heb. II. 14. 1 Pet. II. 2. See Esay LIII 10. So that these words are not to be understood of the temporal Nativity of Christ from the Virgin or his eternal generation from the Father as some do but of his active spiritual generation of his children the subjects of his Kingdome The Lord hath sworne The Vocation of Christ to his Office of verse 4 Priesthood Jehovah is the Author of it hath sworne Jehovah swears to confirme matters of greatest moment when and where his wisdome pleaseth And upon this point here of Christs eternal Priesthood mans salvation dependeth He swears by himself though that is not here expressed because he hath no greater to swear by Heb. VI. 13 16. Gen. XXII 16. And so by his life Esay XLIX 18. by his soul Jer. LI. 24. by his right-hand and the arme of his strength Esay LXII 8. The result of all which is the same with himself And implying thereby thus much Let me not be accounted what I am namely God the living God the omnipotent God if that which I speak be not true or my promises or threatnings do faile of performance Of Oaths See the Observations on Jer. LI. 14. and my Annotations on Hos. IV. 15. and will not repent Will not change or retract what he hath sworne Num. XXIII 19. James I. 17. Repenting is sometimes ascribed to God as Gen. VI. 6 7. Psal. CVI. 45. 1 Sam. XV. 11. 35. Not that there is any change of minde of will in God as there is in mans repenting But the change is in the work God eternally and unchangably decreeing both as to do the thing so again to change it upon mans repentance or disobedience Jer. XXVI 3 13 19. Of this see more in the Observations on Jer. XV. 6. In all this God condescends to mans weaknesse Heb. VI. 17 18. Shewes the greatnesse and excellency of the thing here avowed that the Lord Christ was lawfully Called and Ordained to be an eternal Priest for us and our salvation for our greater confirmation and consolation herein Thou art The Lord Christ well knew this and could not doubt of the will of the Father herein What then needed this Oath to be made unto him Answ. It was made to him for the use of his Church that his Church might know and be assured of it As that John XI 42. art God saying is as much as doing a Preist So Gen. XIV 18. Heb. VII 1. Melchizedec in type Christ in truth the Antitype The Priests office was to Teach Pray and Sacrifice The High Priest among the Jewes once a year entred into the most Holy place Yet he in all things was not an absolute and sufficient Type of our High Priest Christ the Lord. For he is an eternal High Priest and both King and Priest and his Sacrifice of another nature and himself of another Tribe for ever Not so the Priests after the order of Aaron Heb. VII 23. 34 and chap. IX 12. after the order Or similitude Heb. V. 6. and chap. VII 15. of Melchizedec Much question who this Melchizedec was He was not the Sonne of God himself our Lord and Christ. Very many take him to be Sem the Sonne of Noah who saw both worlds before and after the Flood and lived to the one hundred and fiftieth year of the age of Abraham Yet because Sems genealogie is exactly set down in Scripture and that the Levitical Priests themselves came from him after sundry descents and the Land of Canaan seems not to be Sems habitation which took its name from his younger brother Cham or from Chams sonne Canaan Neither would Abraham so long have forborne his due respects and visitation of Sem in Canaan if Sem had lived there Therefore divers learned men take this Melchizedec to be rather some eminent man in Canaan raised up by God in those corrupt times both good and godly both King and Priest living in Salem after called Jerusalem whose King in Joshuahs time was called Adoni-Zedeck that is Lord of righteousnesse Josh. X. 1. As this man here is called Melchizedec that is King of righteousnesse By which place or near to it Abraham in his returne from this warre and victory was to passe Of this Melchizedec and his Priesthood and the difference of it from Aarons Priesthood the Apostle to the Hebrews chap VII entreateth at large and observeth divers things his Name and Title his greatnesse in that he blessed Abraham and received Tythes of Abraham his being mentioned in Scripture without any Pedegree without father without mother without descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life All these he had as our Saviour himself had them but none of them recorded or registred in the Scripture that he might so become a Type of the eternity of Christs Person and Priesthood verse 3. The Apostle further observeth his Offices that he was both King and Priest and that our Saviour was made such with an oath of God the Father and a Priest of a better Priesthood Covenant and Commandment and that he was made not after the Law of a carnal commandement having carnal successors in his Priesthood but after the power of an endlesse life consecrated for evermore having an eternal Priesthood and unchangeable continuing ever and living ever to make intercession and by his one offering up himself once for all saving them to the uttermost that come to God by him In all which there are manifold resemblances between Christ and Melchizedec and manifold differences between theirs and the Aaronical Priesthood As for those fond and forced dreams of the Papist That Melchizedec offered up to God the sacrifice of bread and wine And therein was a Type and Figure of their sacrifice of the Masse And that thereupon Christ our Lord is said to be a Priest after the order of Melchizedec These may well befal to them who for want of the love of the truth are given up to beleeve lies but are too weak poor and silly for us to trouble our selves withal The Lord at thy right hand The prophesie of Christ the Lord his administration of his Kingly Office verse 5 in this and the next verse The Lord God the Father who will make thine enemies thy footstoole
the words a Nation meting out and treading down arrogating so much to themselves and acting accordingly the rivers have spoiled The forces of the King of Assyria say some thus should spoile the land of the Ethiopians The others understanding here the land of the Assyrians conceive it here to be thus described by the rivers and the abundance and violence of them and their streams in it All ye inhabitants Esay calls all the world to observe verse 3 how remarkable and conspicuous Gods judgements and the execution of them by the Assyrians should be upon the Ethiopians say some Gods judgements upon and against the Assyrians say others And accordingly they apply what is set down in the 4 5 and 6. verses following the one for the Assyrian executing the judgement upon the Ethiopian the other for God executing his judgement upon the Assyrian asserting to himself the defence and security of his owne people In that time A prophecie of the Conversion of the Ethiopians to Christ verse 7 in the dayes of the Messias Acts VIII 27 39. As most hold shall the present be brought By the Ethiopians a present of their spiritual services Others expound it a present of the prey of Sennacheribs armie chap. XXXIII 23. consecrated to Gods service and in way of Thanksgiving to him Jer. LI. 44. of Egypt Of Egypt see the Observations on Gen. chapter XIX verse 1 XII 10. Of this burden of Egypt see likewise Jer. XLIII 10. and XLIV 30. and XLVI 2 13. Ezek. XXIX and XXX and XXXI 2 18. and XXXII swift cloud Swiftnesse for expedition cloud in an extraordinary manner for clouds are not ordinarily seen in Egypt Psal. CIV 3. a cruel Lord and a fierce King Which some understand of Sennacherib verse 4 some of Nebuchadnezzar some rather of one of their own Kings as namely Psammetichus who had beene a pettie King of one of the two Provinces into which Egypt had beene divided after the death of Sethon who had beene King of the whole Countrey before But this Psammetichus at last overpowering the rest made himselfe Lord of all Egypt and was the father of Nechoh who slew the good King Josias 2 Kings XXIII 29. See Herodotus lib. 2. Diodor. lib. 1. And the waters shall faile from the Sea This may imply the impeaching of their trade and traffick by Sea verse 5 and the river shall be wasted Nilus upon which the wealth and felicitie of Egypt did depend The miseries which should ensue upon the wasting and drying up of it are set downe in the five verses following of Zoan See Num. verse 11 XIII 22. Psal. LXXVIII 12. Land of Judah shall be a terror Judah's overthrow shall fright Egypt verse 17 left the like befall them and their own turne come next In that day five Cities A gracious prediction of the conversion of Egypt to God verse 18 and his service which principaly hath reference to the dayes of the Messias So againe Jer. XLVI 26. see the like comfortable closes chap. VI. 13. and XVII 7. and XVIII 7. and XXIII 17 18. one shall be called the Citie of destruction Or of Heres Or of the Sunne See the Observations on Josh. XIX 38. at the border thereof Alluding to that verse 19 Josh. XXII 10 24 25 27. a Saviour and a Great one Principaly the Lord Jesus verse 20 Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians Both serve the Lord. verse 23 And Israel be the third All three serve the Lord ver 24 25. In the yeare chapter XX The time when this Prophecie was delivered chapter I that Tartan One of the three that Sennacherib sent to Ezekiah 2 Kings XVIII 17. came to Ashdod Of Ashdod see the Annotations on Amos III. 9. When Sargon Of him see the Observations on 2 Kings XV. 19. and took it Some say in the twelfth year of Ezekiah some in the fourteenth some in the fourth But most likely about the eight or ninth year of Ezekiah after Shalmanezers decease And the Egyptians and Ethiopians coming to the relief of Ashdod were by the Assyrians defeated and carried captives in such scornful and despiteful manner as is described ver 4. the sackcloth Not here a mourning weed verse 2 but such an upper garment made of course and hairy stuff as the Prophets ordinarily were wont to weare 2 King I. 8. Zech. XIII 4. Mat. III 4. naked Not stark naked But stript of his Prophetical mantle As 1 Sam. XIX 24. Joh. XXI 7. Mic. I. 8. Act. XIX 16. As captives are wont to be led three yeares And well might the siege of Ashdod continue three yeares verse 3 as well as that of Samariah most likely the Prophet went so three dayes so fourty dayes for fourty years Num. XIV 33 34. Ezek IV. 4 5 6. upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia Judgements denounced upon them before severally upon Ethiopia Chap. XVIII upon Egypt Chap. XIX Here now upon them joyntly so shall The explication of the signe verse 4 It shall be so at the end of three yeares from the beginning of the siege of Ashdod And they shall be afraid both the Ashdodites verse 5 and Jews that relied so much upon their aid Isle See the Observations on Gen. X. 6. verse 6 of the desert of the sea chapter XXI verse 1 Another Sermon and prophecie against Babylon And so there are many Sermons against the Assyrians and also against the Egyptians by this Prophet Babylon and Caldea is here called the desert of the sea a desert because a large desert or wide Wildernesse lay between Caldea and Media or it self should be made so by the judgements ensuing Or the word here used signifieth a Plaine and in a plaine Babylon was built Gen. XI 2. And called a sea because of the great river Euphrates on the banks whereof Babylon was built and because of the vast lakes made out of the river And hence is Babylon said to sit upon many waters Jer. LI. 13. and ver 36. I will dry up the sea As whirlwindes such shall the violent irruptions be of the Medes and Persians breaking into Chaldea The treacherous dealer hath now his match verse 2 is now paid in his own coine Or the treacherous dealer dealing treacherously which some apply to the Chaldeans some to the Medes and Persians and the spoyler spoyleth Some apply only these words to the Medes and Persians O Elam The Persian all the sighing Wherewith Babylon made my people sigh Therefore loines Spoken in the person of the Babylonians verse 3 The night of my pleasure Even in their sestival night was Babylon taken by Cyrus Dan. verse 4 5. 1 30. hath he turned Though it were done about 170. years after This is an usual Prophetick phrase Prepare the table Most likely K. Belshazzars words verse 5 for the Feast and for the Watch. arise ye Princes Cyrus and Darius set a watchman Gods word to the Prophet verse 6 And that as if God willed him to stand as on a watch-tower to see what he
Idols or to any other which he foreknew that this stiff obdurate people would be too prone to do ver 5. new things Yet further to convince thee of thy wilful obstinacie I acquaint thee again verse 6 with other of my secret counsels which shall also in their due time be fulfilled very treacherously In ascribing them verse 8 and the foreknowledge of them to thine Idols or Southsayers For my Names sake No merit of thine My mercy and might verse 9 my grace and glory but not with silver Not so fully as silver verse 10 till all the drosse be exactly wrought out But chastised them with moderation regarding their infirmities my glorie unto another He is charie and jealous of a corrival verse 11. 14. 17. loved him Cyrus hath sent me Me the Prophet Esay This added to give the greater assurance of the truth and certainty of it Go ye forth from Babylon Ezra I. 1. verse 20 Esay having prophesied much of the Returne of the Jewes from the Babylonish captivity chapter XLIX from the fourtieth Chapter hitherto doth now mainly insist upon the instauration of the Church by Christ And plaies the Evangelist as it were to the end of this Book and Prophecie Listen O Isles Christ calls for audience verse 1 declaring his Calling to his Office by the Lord to be the Saviour both of Jew and Gentile from the womb Yet designed thereto from eternity 1 Pet. I. 20. my mouth like a sharp sword God furnisheth him with abilities to this great office and work of mans Redemption verse 2 Thou art my servant verse 3 O Israel c. Or rather thus Israel it is in whom I will be glorified by thee the true Israel of God And indeed to the Jewes in general he was first sent as the minister of Circumcision whom man despiseth Christ in the dayes of his flesh and humiliation verse 7 Kings shall Chap. XLV 23. and LII 15. Psal. LXXII 10 11. Ephes. I. 21 Phil. II. 10. In an acceptable time God the Father speaking unto Christ. verse 8 to establish the earth Of Judea to restore and settle the State of it againe after their returne from the Captivity A Type of the other prisoners Go forth From Babels bonds verse 9 corporaly from Satans bonds spiritualy They shall feed in the wayes In their returne from Babylon to Judea God will provide them of all necessaries in the way and make it even and easie to them Sinim Or verse 12 Sini the Sinites that lived in the desert of Sin or about mount Sinai Or from Sin a chief Citie in Egypt Ezek. XXX 15 16. And all this a Type of those that out of all quarters of the world should be converted unto Christ and come in to him But Zion said Her objection verse 14. 15. 18. Can a woman Gods answer full of a tender affection to her gather themselves together A Type of those numberlesse numbers that should be brought home to the Church of God under Christ by the Ministery of the Gospel to the Gentiles Their Conversion should make up this numberlesse number verse 22 And Kings shall be thy nursing fathers As Persian Emperours first verse 23 and much more Christian Emperours afterwards and lick up An expression of the lowest submission that may be even the captives of the mighty Notwithstanding their pretended might and right verse 25 God would yet deliver his people from them And I will feed them And thus destroy their enemies verse 26 This chapter L and the next Chapter seeme to make one Sermon Where is the Bill A conviction of the Jewish people verse 1 as authors of their own forlorn condition together with a justification of God and his Ministers against them verse 1 9. divorcement Either none at all or not for sleight causes as they used to give Bills of divorcement but for great disloyalty yet God ever had his reserved remnant in all times among them Rom. XI 1 5. none to answer Their wilful obstinacie verse 2 and rebellious refractory courses This retarded their delivery and kept them in this deplorable plight this desolate and disconsolate condition is my hand shortned No want of power in God to deliver them tongue of the learned The Prophet Esay maintains his own Ministery verse 4 and his faithful discharge of it So to justifie God that there was nothing wanting on his part to reclaime and reduce them It is true that divers understand all this as spoken in the person of Christ. And indeed there are divers passages that very fitly agree to him and whereof concerning Esay there is no mention in the holy Story And it is true that the same may be said of sundry particulars in Psal. XXII and XL. and LXIX applied expressely unto our Saviour Christ in the New Testament Matth. XXVII 34 35 43 46. Heb. X. 5 10. And yet none make doubt but that those Psalmes as they were by David composed so in his own person they concerned him and that in all likelihood in some particulars which yet are not found expressely recorded in the story of him The like may be here my back to the smiters Matth. XXVI 27. verse 6 and XXVII 26. John XVIII 22. He is neere that justifieth me Saint Paul alludes to this verse 8 Rom. VIII 33 34. The Apostles maner is to enlarge the promises of God made to some particular persons as to Jacob Joshuah David and others Gen. XXVIII 15. Josh. I. 5. Psal. XXIII 1. extending them to all the faithful in general as having a joynt interest therein with them Heb. XIII 5 6. And the Apostles argument borrowed hence stands firme and good in general Who is among you An exhortation to the godly party among them verse 10 to rest and rely upon God in these calamitous times with a sad commination to those that trusted to ought else notwithstanding all their shifts and fetches for which Esay derides them Hearken Esay returnes to Comfort the godly party again chapter LI verse 1 endeavouring to keep them from being dismaid either by the consideration of their own fewnesse and feeblenesse or by the apprehension of the supposed might malice and multitude of the adverse party alone and blessed him and increased him And so I will deale with you shall comfort Zion God can do verse 3 and will do as much for his Church as he sometime did for Abraham a Law As a Law verse 4 at mount Sinai so a second Law even the Gospel my salvation is gone forth Aiming at Cyrus his Proclamation verse 5 Ezra I. 1 2. the Isles shall wait upon me The Gentiles at the law of the Gospel Awake verse 9 awake Spoken either in the person of Gods people or by the Prophet himself moving in their behalf Rahab Egypt Dragon Pharaoh returne From the Babylonish captivity verse 11 Gods answer to the former supplication and where is the fury The Babylonians are perished verse 13 and their fury is gone thy mouth The mouth of Esay
by Jeremiah And was after executed in the reigne of Zedekeih when the Messengers of those neighbouring Kings verse 3. came to Zedekiah to congratulate him in the Beginning of his reigne or to sollicit him to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of his reigne chap. XXVIII 1 10. Or otherwise Jehojakim in chap. XXVII v. 1. must by errour of the Scribe be crept in for Zedekiah mentioned againe v. 12. which thing in all Copies may not be admitted He shall be called The Lord our Righteousness chap. XXIII 6. She shall be called The Lord our Righteousnesse chap. XXXIII 16. The Lord is our Righteousnesse Iehojakim is made King by Pharaoh Necho and paies to him the tribute imposed 2 Kings XXIII 31 32 34 35. slaies Uriah the Prophet Ier. XXVI 20 23. And in the third or fourth year of his reigne and first of Nebuchadnezzar he was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar as Jeremie foretold chap. XXV 1 11. And he served him three years 2 Kings XXIV 1. In which time he burnes the Book written by Baruc from the mouth of Jeremie chap. XXXVI After rebels against Nebuchadnezzar And at last after that 2 Kings XXIV 2. he is taken by him and bound in fetters to be carried to Babylon 2 Chron. XXXVI 6. But dying by the way his dead body is cast out and he buried with the burial of an Asse as Jeremie foretold chap. XXII 18 19. and XXXVI 30. And so he slept with his fathers 2 Kings XXIV 6. Zedekiah saw with his eyes the eyes of the King of Babylon But not Babylon it self where yet he should die in captivity Having his eyes put out by Nebuchadnezzar at Ribla Jer. XXXII 4 5. and LII 10 11. Ezek. XII v. 13. and XVII 16. In the first year of Zedekiahs captivity and nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzaradan came in the fifth moneth seventh day unto Jerusalem and after two dayes preparation and taking order about it on the tenth day burnt the Temple Kings house and all the great mens houses Or began to burne them on the seventh day which fire continued burning and came to its height or end on the tenth day Jer. LII 12. 2 Kings XXV 8. Jewes carried capives into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in his I. Year and third or fourth moneth of Jehojakim Daniel and his three Companions and others And part of the Vessels of the Temple Jer. XXV 1. Dan. I. 1 6. VII Year and eleventh and last of Jehojacin 3023. Persons And it seemes more Vessels of the Temple Jer. LII 28. 2 Chron. XXXVI 7. VIII Year with Jehojakim men of might and apt for warre 10000. out of all Jerusalem and 1000. Smyths and more Vessels of the Temple and cut them in pieces 2 Kings XXIV 13 14 16. 2 Chron. XXXVI 10. And at that time Mordecai Ester II. 5 6. And Ezekiel who calls it his Deportation Ezek XXXIII 21. and XL. 1. XVIII and XIX years and last of Zedekiah He carried away Zedekiah and 832. persons And all the rest of the Vessels of the Temple great and small And by Nebuzaradan the Captaine of the Guard burnt the Citie of Ierusalem and the Temple brake down the Walls slew Serajah the High Priest and the second Priest and twelve other principal men and sixty others brought to him to Ribla by Nebuzaradan Ier. LII 11 29. 2 Kings XXV 8 21. 2 Chron. XXXVI 17 18 19. XXIII Year and fifth of Zedekiah's captivity by the aforesaid Nebuzaradan 745. Ier. LII 30. This was after the murder of Gedaliah Their number at their Returne out of the Captivity was farre greater Ezra II. 64 65. Neh. VII 66 67. Leopard Or rather an Ounse chapter XIII verse 23 or Cat-a-mountaine I am weary with repenting God repents chapter XV verse 6 see Gen. VI. 6 7. and in many other places But this is not properly Repentance such as is in man Man Repents with trouble of minde and conscience for some fault or out of ficklenesse or through some oversight or impotence In which respects God cannot Repent Num. XXIII 19. 1 Sam. XV. 29. Mal. III. 6. Iames I. 17. But he is said to Repent improperly And so this and other Humane Passions in some semblance are ascribed to him improperly for our better apprehension And thus God is said to Repent when he doth as men use to do when they Repent 1 Sam. XXV 33 34. When he undoeth what he had done before revoketh a doome that he had passed before stayeth the execution of a Sentence that formerly he had denounced withholdeth the punishment denounced against sinne when the Persons repent of the evil of sinne So Iudg. X 13. 15 16. 1 Kings XXI 21 27 29. Ionah Iâ—I 10. Ier. XVIII 8 10. and XLII 10. Psal. CVI. 45. The end being thus accomplished for which the doome was denounced Without which Repentance in man God will not Repent of his purposed punishment Esay XIV 24 27. Ier. IV. 28. Zech. VIII 14. Thus Repentance in man produceth this kinde of Repentance in God Man Repenting changeth his minde will and act But God Repenting willing this change in man altereth the act His minde and purpose abiding still the same Ier. XX. 16. Shallum This seemes to be the same with Jehoachaz chapter XXII verse 11 and Johanan 2 Kings XXIII 30. 1 Chron. III. 15. And that Shallum named 1 Chron. III. 15. seemes to be another from this Shallum as being reckoned distinctly the fourth sonne of Iosiah and haply dying before his father Iosiah See the Observations on 2 Kings XXIII 31. Branch Is taken for the Messias And so chapter XXIII verse 5 chap. XXXIII 15. and Zech. III. 8. and VI. 12. Esay IV. 2. XI 1. Yet that King Esay XXXII 12. and XXXIII 17. seemes properly and immediately to be understood of Ezekiah of Christ only Typicaly And that Esay VIII 18. and XLIX 1. and chap. LXI 1. of Esay partly but of Christ principaly As likewise that Esay XLIX 1. And that Esay VIII 8. Of Esay literaly of Christ figuratively Heb. II. 14. And againe Esay XLII 1. of Christ principaly of Cyrus Typicaly That Esay XLI 2. of Cyrus only Many speeches of the Prophets concerning themselves and others who were Types of Christ are in the New Testament applied to Christ being one way and in one maner verified of them and another way and in another maner also many times fulfilled in him And so those words 2 Sam. VII 14. compared with 1 Chron. XXII 10. and Heb. I. 5. And those Heb. II. 13. Yea in diverse Prophecies some Particulars agree to the Type and not to the Truth as Psal. XXII 6. and XL. 12. Some to the Truth and not to the Type as Psal. XVI 10. with Acts II. 29. and XIII 36 37. Or to the Type in one sense to the Truth in another so in those Psalmes wherein David is a Type of Christ as Psal. II. and XVI and XXII and those in which Solomon as Psal. XLV and LXXII Christ is called the Branch because springing up