Church and in the Minds and Hearts of men and enflames the Souls of Believers with Love to God and Zeal for his Glory 5 And the LORD will create s Will in a marvellous manner produce as it were by a new Work of Creation upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblies a * Exod. 13. 21. cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night t A Pillar of Cloud and Fire like that wherewith the Lord directed and protected and honoured the Israelites when they came out of Egyâ—…t Whereby he implies That God would be their Protector and their Glory for ‖ Or above upon all the glory u Upon all that Church and People which God will make so glorious not onely in his own Eyes but even in the Eyes of the World upon all holy Assemblies of sincere Christians shall be †Heb. a covering a defence 6 And there shall be a tabernacle x Or he i. e. the Lord shall be a tabâ—…rnacle or a tent to defend them from the violent Heat of the Sun and other Injuries of the Weather which was the Use and Benefit of Tents for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain CHAP. V. NOw will I sing a I will record it to be a Witness for God and against you as Moses did his Song Deut. 31. 19. 32. 1. to my welbeloved b To the Lord of the Vineyard as appears by the last Clause of the Verse to God or Christ whom I love and serve and for whose Glory eclipsed by you I am greatly concerned a song of my beloved c Not devised by me not the Effect of my Envy or Passion but inspired by God which therefore it behoveth you to lay to heart touching his vineyard d His Church oft and very fitly called a vineyard because of God's singular Respect to it and Care of it and his Delight in it and expectation of good Fruit from it c. My welbeloved hath * Psal. 80. 8. Oant. 8. 12. Jer. 2. 21. Mat. 21. 33. Mar. 12. 1. Luk. 20. 9. a vineyard in †Heb. the horn of the son of oyl a very fruitful hill e Hills being Places most commodious for Vines See Psal. 80. 10. Heb. in an horn which may signisie either 1. the Figure or Shape of the Land of Canaan which resembles an Horn or 2. the Heighth and Hilliness of that Land as Horns are the highest parts of Beasts or 3. the Goodliness and Excellency of it as an horn when it is ascribed to a man signifies his Glory and Dignity as Iob 16. 15. Psal. 89. 17 24 c. the son of oil which by a vulgar Hebraism notes an oily or a fat Soil 2 And he ‖ Or made a wall about it fenced f That neither Men nor Beasts might spoil it it and gathered out the stones thereof g Which otherwise would have marred the Land of which see 2 Kings 3. 19. The sence is He removed all Hinderances and gave them all the Means of Fruitfulness and planted it with the choicest vine and built a tower h For the Residence of the Keepers that they might be obliged and encouraged to watch over it with more diligence in the midst of it and also †Heb. hewed made a wine-press therein and he looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes 3 And now O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah judge I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard i I dare make you Judges in your own Cause it is so plain and reasonable 4 What †Heb. was there to do could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it k What Work is there belonging to the Office of a Master or Keeper of the Vineyard which I have neglected wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes l How unworthy and inexcusable a Crime is it that you have not onely been unfruitful in good Works but also filled with all the Fruits of Wickedness 5 And now go to I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard m He graciously warns them before-hand that they may have space and invitation to repent and so to prevent the threatned Miseries * Psal. 80. 12. I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be †Heb. for a treading trodden down n I will withdraw my Presence and Protection from them and give them up into the Hands of their Enemies 6 And I will lay it waste it shall not be pruned nor digged o Vine-dressers use to dig up and open the Earth about the Roots of the Vines for divers good purposes The meaning is I will remove my Ministers who used great care and diligence to make you fruitful but there shall come up briers and thorns p I will give you up to your own wicked Lusts. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it q I will deprive you of all my Blessings which are oft compared to rain c. 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah †Heb. plant of his pleasures his pleasant plant r In whom God formerly delighted to dwell and converse Compare Prov. 8. 31. Ier. 31. â—…0 and he looked for judgment but behold †Heb. a scab oppression for righteousness but behold a cry s From the Oppressed crying to Men for Help and to God for Vengeance 8 Wo unto them that join * Mic. â—… â—… house to house that lay field to field t That add new Purchases of Houses and Lands to their former Possessions Not that this was in it self unlawful but because they did this from an inordinate and insatiable desire of Riches and with the Injury of their Brethren as is manifest from the foregoing and following Words till there be no place that they may be placed alone u That they alone may be the Lords and Owners and all others onely their Tenants and Servants in the midst of the earth 9 ‖ Or this is in mine ears saith the LORD c. In mine ears said the LORD x I heard God speak what I am now about to utter Heb. In the ears of the Lord. Which may relate either 1. to the foregoing Words The Cry of your Sins and of the Oppressed is come into God's Ears he hears and sees it and will certainly punish it Or 2. to the following Clause which being of great importance he ushers in with an Oath I speak it in God's Ears as well as in yours I call God to witness the
clause unto thee and all they that despise thee shall * Rev. 3. 9. bow themselves down at the soles g This notes that great degree of Submission that eveâ—… despisers and enemies shall yield to the Church prostrating themselves as humble suppliants See Chap. 49. 23. or rather to Christ the head King and Husband of the Church of thy feet and they shall call thee The city h They shall give her that honourable title or acknowledge her to be so and so called both from the Love that God had for her and from the Temple of God that was in her of the LORD the Zion of the holy One of Israel 15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken i Both of God i. e. As to outward appearance and of her inhabitants being upon the matter depopulated and hated k Either slighted and neglected or suffering actual miseries and Slaughters thus was she dealt with Lam. 1. 2. so that no man went through thee l Thy streets were left desolate I will make thee an eternal excellency m The Abstract is put here for the Concrete whereby the Hebrews are wont to express the superlative degree and in this happy estate we find the Church Zech. 2. per toâ—… and 9. 9. c. Which refers to the coming of Christ and it is said to be Eternal i. e. For a great while it being an hyperbolical expression frequent with the Hebrews who express a long time by eternity a joy of many generations n The Churches happiness should be the rejoicing and comfort of succeeding generations she would be the matter of their great rejoicing a Metonymy of the Object 16 * Chap. 49. 23. 61. 6. Thou shalt also suck o A Metaphor taken from Children sucking nourishment from the breast the sense is that the Church should draw or drain the wealth of Nations and the riches and power of Kings and what ever is most excellent and that it should come freely and affectionately as milk flows from the breast of the Mother the same thing intended Chap. 49. 23. and in the foregoing verses the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breast of kings and thou shalt know p i. e. Experience it knowing is often put for an experimental knowing that * Chap. 43. 3. I the LORD am thy saviour and thy redeemer the mighty One of Jacob q Styled so either with reference to Iacob's Person he being the first that gave God this title Gen. 49. 24. or with reference to Iacobs posterity viz. the Jews These things will certainly be accomplished for he is the mighty God and so able and the God of Iacob so obliged by Covenant and Relation 17 For brass I will bring gold r Here is the effect of the former promise thy poverty shall be turned to riches all things shall be altered for the best an allusion to the days of Solomon when gold was as brass thus on the Contrary when they change for the worse in the state it useth to be expressed by the like Metapâ—…ors Ch. 1. 21 22 23. and for iron I will bring silver and for wood brass and for stones iron I will also make thy officers peace s i. e. Loving Meâ—…k and Peaceable the Abstract put for the Concrete as is usual whether you understand it of Under-officers they shall be Officers of peace or of Governours thou shalt have a peaceable Government as was made good to them under Ezra Nehemiah Zoroâ—…abel and such like and thine exactours righteousness t Most righteous as before peace for peaceable the Church is not freed from Taxes and paiments that is given by Christ and Peter unto Caesar but it shall be without oppression and grinding no more then is necessary and not exacted rigorously though all these were made good in their return out of Babylon yet doth it more properly relate to the meliorating of the Church under the Gospel wherein instead of carnal Ceremonies she had Spiritual Ordinances which is the scope of the Apostle Heb. 9. and larger measures of the holy Spirit and should have such Officers as would speak peace to the Consciences by discovering the compleat and perfect righteousness of him who fulfilled all righteousness 18 Violence u That this and what follows must necessarily be understood of the Church Triumphant though there only it will be compleat I see no necessity neither will I obtrude my Judgment but leave it to the judicious as being more proper in a Comment none to ofter violence to this quiet state thou shalt attain to either within thee to oppress by Injustice Rapine or Fraud or without thee by hostiâ—… invasions and this the Prophet mentions as the effect of good Officers in the former verse shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders x no havock made among thy people but thou shalt call * Chap. 26. 1. thy walls salvation y They shall be safe and able to defend thee thou shalt be as safe as salvation it self can make thee when a thing is said in Scripture to be called so it often signifies as much as to be so Ch. 26. 1. 47. 1. and 56. 7. and it intimates as much as that God will be salvation to his Church when they shall be without Gates and Walls he will be their safety and the matter of their praise see Isa. 26. 1. and God's care of his Church is the matter of that exhortation to praise him Psa. 147. and thy gates praise z A double Metonymy viz. of the Effect as salvation will cause praise and of the Adjunct as it is worthy of praise so that within or upon thy Gates and Walls thou shalt sing praises 19 * Rev 21 23. 22. 5. The sun shall be no more thy light a These shall not be at all esteemed in comparison of the Spiritual light of the Church and this is laid down as the 〈◊〉 of the Churches comfort as the former was for her safety so that God will not only be a shield but a Sun to her Psa. 84. 11. â—…ot â—…at they shall not have the Sun and Moon among them but that the light of the godly as such should principally consist in what is â—…tual by day neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light b Christ shall scatter all darkness and ignorance enlightning thee with the doctrines of the Gospel and graces of his Spirit and this shall be Everlasting not wax and wane and sufâ—…r â—…lipses and settings as the Sun and Moon do but it shall be conâ—…ant without shadow of change no night which will be undoubtedly truâ—… of the Church in Heaven whatever it will be or how near soever it will come to it here which I presume will bear its analogy and * Zech. 2. 5. thy God
beast they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them 17 * chap. 18. 9 Deut. 27. 23. And if a man shall take his sister his fathers daughter or his mothers daughter and see her nakedness x Seeing is here understood either 1. properly and so God would cut off the occasions of further filthiness Or rather 2. improperly for touching her or lying with her for 1. the sence of seeing is oâ—…t put for other sences as for hearing Ger 42. 1. compared with Act. 7. 12. Exod. 2â—… 18. Rev. 1. 12. and for touching as Ioh. 2â—… 25 29. 2. that act is expressed by words parallel to this of seeing as by 〈◊〉 or discovering and by knowing Gen. 4. 1. 3. so it is directly explained in the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncovered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which manifestly signifies lying with her â—… it is not probable that an equal punishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dest sight and to the highest act of filthiness 5. nor seems there to be any reason why this crime should be restrained to this rather than to any other relations when it was as great yea a greater crime in some other relations and she see his nakedness it is a wicked thing and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people y i. e. Publickly for the terrour and caution of others he hath uncovered his sisters nakedness he shall bear his iniquity 18 * chap. 18. 19. See ch 15. 24. And if a man shall lie with a woman z Wittingly and willingly See on Lev. 15. 24. and 18. 19. having her sickness a i. e. her monethly infirmity and shall uncover her nakedness he hath †Heb. made naked discovered her fountain b Or her issue Thus the fountain of blood in Mark 5. 29. is the issue of blood Luk. 8. 44. the fountain put for the stream the cause for the effect which is common and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood and both of them shall be cut off from among their people 19 * ch 18. 12 13. And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mothers sister nor of thy fathers sister for he uncovereth his near kin they shall bear their iniquity 20 * chap. 18. 14. And iâ—… a man shall lie with his uncles wife he hath uncovered his uncles nakedness they shall bear their sin they shall die childless c i. e. Either shall be speedily cut off ere they can have a child by that incestuous conjunction that the remembrance of the fact may be blotted out or if this seem a less crime than most of the former incestuous mixtures because the relation is more remote and therefore the Magistrate shall forbear to punish it with death yet they shall either have no children from such an unlawful bed or their children shall die before them Hos. 9. 11 12. or shall not be reputed their genuine children but bastards and therefore excluded from the congregation of the Lord Deut. 23. 2. 21 * chap. 18. 16. And if a man shall take his brothers wife d Except in the case allowed by God Deut. 25. 5. it is †Heb. a separation an unclean thing e An abominable thing like the uncleanness of a menstruous woman which is oft expressed by this word Heb a separation or removing i. e. a thing deserving separation or exclusion from society with others or a thing to be removed out of sight or out of the world he hath uncovered his brothers nakedness they shall be childless 22 Ye shall therefore keep all my †chap. 18. 26. statutes and all my judgments and do them that the land whither I bring you to dwell therein * chap. 18. 25. spue you not out 23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I cast out before you for they committed all these things and * Deut. 9. 5. therefore I abhorred them 24 But I have said unto you Ye shall inherit their land and I will give it unto you to possess it a land that floweth with milk and honey I am the LORD your God which have separated you from other people f By my special grace and favour vouchsafed to you above all people in glorious and miraculous works wrought for you and among you and in ordinances and other singular priviledges and blessings imparted to you all which calls for your special love and service 25 * chap. 11. 2. Deut. 14. 4. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean and between unclean fowls and clean and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast or by fowl or by any manner of living thing that ‖ Or moveth creepeth on the ground which I have separated from you as unclean g i. e. As things which by my sentence I have made unclean and which you must avoid as such 26 And ye shall be holy unto me * Verse 7. chap. 19. 2. Peâ—… 1. 1â—… 1 for I the LORD am holy and have severed you from other people that ye should be mine 27 * Deut. 1â—… 10 11. 1 Sam 28. 7 8. A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their blood shall be upon them CHAP. XXI 1 AND the LORD said unto Moses Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron and say unto them * Ezek. 44. 25. There shall none be defiled for the dead a To wit by touching of the dead body or abiding in the same house with it or assisting at his funerals or eating of the funeral feast The reason of this law is evident because by such pollution they were excluded from converse with men to whom by their function they were to be serviceable upon all occasions and from the handling of holy things Num. 6. 6. and 19. 11 14 16. Deut. 26. 14. Hos. 9. 4. And God would hereby teach them and in them all successive Ministers of holy things that they ought so entirely to give themselves to the service of God that they ought to renounce all expressions of natural affections and all worldly employments so far as they are impediments to the discharge of their holy services See Lev. 10. 3 7. Deut. 33. 9. Mat. 8. 22. Hereby also God would beget in the people a greater reverence to the Priestly function and oblige the Priests to a greater degree of strictness and purity than other men among his people 2 But for his kin that is near unto him b Under which general expression his wife seems to be comprehended though she be not expressed in the following instances because from the mention of others more remote it was easie to gather that so near a relation was not excluded And hence it is noted as a peculiar and extraordinary case that Ezekiel who was a
other Idolatrous Nations as appears from 1 King 11. 2. Ezra 9. 2. Neb. 13. 23. so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you and destroy thee suddenly 5 But thus shall ye deal with them ye shall * 〈◊〉 23. 24. destroy their altars and break down their †〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 images and cut down their groves d Which Idolaters planted about the Temples and Altars of their Gods Hereby God designed to take away whatsoever might bring their Idolatry to remembrance or occasion the reviving of it and burn their graven images with fire 6 * 〈◊〉 14. 2. 〈◊〉 19. For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God * Exod. 1â—… 5. 〈◊〉 3. 2. 〈◊〉 2. 9. the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all the people that are upon the face of the earth 7 The LORD did not set his love upon you nor choose you because ye were moe in number than any people for ye were the sewest of all people e To wit at that time when God first declared his love to you and choice of you for his 〈◊〉 people which was done to Abraham For 〈◊〉 had but one Son concerned in this choice and covenant to wit 〈◊〉 and that was in his hundredth year and 〈◊〉 was 60 years old ere he had a Child and then had onely two Children and though Jacob had 12 Sons yet it was a long time ere they made any considerable increase Nor do we read of any great multiplication of them till after 〈◊〉 death Exod. 1. 6 â—… 8 But because the LORD loved you f i. e. Because it pleased him to love you it was his free choice without any cause or motive on your part Compare Deut. 10. 15. 1 Sam. 12. 22. 〈◊〉 44. 3. and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt 9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God he is God the faithful God g True to his word and constant in performing all his promises * Exod. 20. 6. which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations 10 And repayeth them that hate him h Not onely those who hate him directly and properly for so did few or none of the 〈◊〉 to whom he here speaks but those who hate him by construction and consequence those who hate and oppose his People and Word and Image those who presumptuously and wilfully persist in the breach of Gods Commandements as appears from v. 9. where the love of God to which this hatred is opposite is described and expressed by the keeping of his commandements to their face i i. e. Openly and so as they shall see it and not be able to avoid it to destroy them he will not be slack k To wit so as some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slackness 2 Pet. 3. 9. so as to delay it beyond the fit time or season for vengeance yet withal he is long-suffering and slow to anger as that and other places inform us to him that hateth him he will repay him to his face 11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I command thee this day to do them 12 * Lev. 2â—… 3. chap. 28. 1. Wherefore it shall come to pass †Heb. because if ye hearken to these judgments and keep and do them that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy l i. e. The Covenant of Mercy or Grace which he out of his own meer grace made with them A figure called 〈◊〉 which he sware unto thy fathers 13 And he will love thee m He will continue to love thee and to manifest his love to thee he will not repent of his love to thee and bless thee and multiply thee he will also bless the fruit of thy womb and the fruit of thy land thy corn and thy wine and thine oyl the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee 14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people * Exod. 23. 26 c. there shall not be male or female barren among you or among your cattel 15 And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness and will put none of the * Exod. 9. 14 and 15. 26. evil diseases of Egypt n Such as the Aegyptians were infested with either commonly as that 〈◊〉 Deut. 28. 2â—… or miraculously and extraordinarily from the hand of the Lord as Exod. 9. 10 15. Compare Exod. 23. 25. Psal. 105. 37. which thou knowest upon thee but will lay them all upon them that hate thee 16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall deliver thee thine eye shall have no pity upon them neither shalt thou serve their Gods for that will be a * Exod. 23. 33. snare o 〈…〉 unto thee 17 If thou shalt say in thine heart These nation are more than I how can I dispossess them 18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them but shalt well remember p Heb. 〈◊〉 i. â—… remember it frequently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for thy encouragement for men are said to forget those things which they do not remember to good purpose what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh and unto all Egypt 19 * chap. 4. â—…4 and 29. 3. The great temptations q The Tryals and Exercises of thy Faith and Obedience to my call and commands which thine eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the stretched-out arm whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid r So as he did to 〈◊〉 and his people mentioned â—… 1â—… 20 * Exod. 23. 28. Josh. 24. 12. Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet s Of which see on Exod. 23. 28. among them until they that are lest and hide themselves from thee be destroyed 21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the LORD thy God is among you a mighty God and terrible 22 And the LORD thy God will †Heb. 〈◊〉 off put out those nations before thee by little and little thou mayest not consume them at once t Or Thou shalt not be able to confâ—…e them at once i. e. in an instant I will not assist thee with my omnipotency to crush them in a moment but will bless thee in the use of ordinary 〈◊〉 and destroy them successively by several battles lest the beast of the field increase upon thee 23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them †Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto thee and shall
station into which they came from the wilderness of Sinai Numb 10. 12. all this verse may belong to Gods appearance in mount Sinai where that glorious light which shone upon mount Sinai directly did in all probability scatter its beams into the adjacent parts such as Seir and Paran were and so this is onely a Poetical and Prophetical variation of the phrase and expression of the same thing in diverse words and Gods coming or rising or shining from or to or in Sinai and Seir and Paran note one and the same illustrious action of God appearing there with ten thousands of his Saints or holy Angels and there giving a fiery law to them as it here follows And this interpretation may receive some strength from Hab. 3. 3. where this glorious march of God before his people is remembred onely Teman which signifies the South is put for Seir which is here possibly to signify that that Seir which is here mentioned was to be understood of the Southern part of the country of Seir or Edom which was that part adjoyning to the Red Sea Others refer this of Seir to the brasen Serpent that eminent type of Christ which was erected in this place unto them he shined forth from mount Paran g A place where God eminently manifested his presence and goodness both in giving the people flesh which they desired and in appointing the 70 Elders and pouring forth his Spirit upon them Num 11. Though the exposition mentioned in the foregoing branch may seem more probable and he came with †Heb. holy myriads or ten thousands So Gr. See Jude v. 14. ten thousands of Saints h i. e. With a great company of holy Angels Psal. 68. 17. Daâ—… 7. 10. which attended upon him in this great and glorious work of giving the law as may be gathered from Act. 7. 53. Gal. 3. 19. Heb. 2. 2. and 12. 22. from his right hand i Which both wrote the law and gave it to men An allusion to men who ordinarily write and give gifts with their right and not with their left hand went †Heb. a fire of Law a fiery law k The law is called fiery partly because it is of a fiery nature purging and searching and inflaming for which reasons Gods word is compared to fire Ier. 23. 29. partly to signify that fiery wrath and curse which it inflicteth upon sinners for the violation of it 2 Cor. 3. 7 9. and principally because it was delivered out of the midst of the fire Exod. 19. 16 18. Deut. 4. 11. and 5. 22 23. for them 3 Yea he loved the people l i. e. The tribes of Israel which are called People Gen. 48. 19. Iudges 5. 14. Act. 4. 27. The sense is This Law though delivered with Fire and Smoke and Thunder which might seem to portend nothing but hatred and terrour yet in truth it was given to Israel in great love as being the great mean of their temporal and eternal Salvation And although God shews a general and common kindness to all men yet he loved this people in a singular and peculiar manner all his saints m All Gods Saints or holy ones i. e. his People as they are now called the people of Israel who are all called holy Exod. 19. 6. Num. 16. 3. Deut. 7. 6. Dan. 7. 25. and 8. 24. and 12. 7. because they all professed to be so and were obliged to be so and many of them were such Though some appropriate this to the true Saints in Israel are in thy hand n Or were in thy hand i. e. under Gods care to protect and direct and govern them as that phrase signifies Numb 4. 28 33. Ioh. 10. 28 29. These words are spoken to God and for the change of persons his and thy that is most frequent in the Hebrew tongue See Dan. 9. 4. This clause may further note Gods kindness to Israel in upholding and preserving them when the fiery law was delivered which was done with so much dread and terrour that not onely the people trembled and were ready to sink under it Exod. 20. 18 19. but even Moses himself did exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12. 21. But in this fright God sustained both Moses and the people in or by his hand whereby he in a manner hid and covered them that no harm might come to them by this terrible apparition and they sat down at thy feet o Like Scholars to receive instructions and counsels from thee He alludes either 1. To the manner of disciples among the Jews who used to sit at their masters feet Luk. 10. 39. Acts 22. 3. See also Gen. 49. 10. 2 King 4. 38. But it is doubtful whether this custom was so antient as Moses Or 2. To the place where the people waited when the Law was delivered which was at the foot of the mount every one shall receive of thy words p The people easily understood from the foregoing words did or will receive or submit to thy instructions and it commands This may respect either 1. The peoples promise when they heard the Law that they would hear and do all that was commanded Deut. 5. 27. Or 2. The peoples duty to do so 3. The peoples priviledge that they were admitted to receive so great a priviledge as the words and Laws of God were 4 Moses commanded us a law q Moses speaks this of himself in the third person which is very usual in the Hebrew language even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob r The Law is called their Inheritance partly because the obligation of it was hereditary passing from Parents to their Children and partly because this was the best part of all their inheritance and possessions the greatest of all those gifts and favours which God bestowed upon them 5 And he was * See Gen. 36. 31. chap. 32. 15. king s Moses was their King not in Title but in reality being under God their supream and uncontroulable Governour and Lawgiver Though the word oft signifies onely a prince or chief Ruler as Iudg. 19. 1. Ier. 19. 3. and 46. 25. in Jeshrun t i. e. In Israel so called Deut. 32. 15. when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together u When the Princes and People met together for the management of publick affairs Moses was owned by them as their King and Lawgiver and he directed and ruled them as their superiour This he saith to shew that the people approved of and consented to the Authority and Laws of Moses 6 Let Reuben live and not die and let not his men be few x Though Reuben deserve to be cut off or greatly diminished and obscured according to Iacobs prediction Gen. 49. 4. Yet God will spare them and give them a name and portion among the Tribes of Israel and bless them with increase of their numbers 7 And this is the blessing
blessing Or His Host or Army as the word is used Ezek. 37. 10. The Priests that attended upon Gods service in the Tabernacle or Temple are oft compared to an host or army in regard of their exquisite order and courses and constant watches there See Numb 4. 3. and accept the work of his hands m i. e. All his holy administrations which he fitly calls the works of his hands either more largely the hand one great instrument of action being put for all the rest Or because a great part of the service of the Levites and Priests was done by the labour of their hand and body whereas the service of Evangelical Ministers is more spiritual and heavenly smite through the loins of them that rise against him n He prayes thus earnestly for them partly because he foresaw they who were to teach and admonish and reprove and chastise others would have many enemies Ier. 15. 10. Amos 5. 10. and partly because they were under God the great preservers and upholders of Religion and their Enemies were the Enemies of Religion it self as is evident from the history of the Old Testament and of them that hate him that they rise not again 12 And of Benjamin he said The beloved of the LORD o i. e. This beloved Tribe so called partly in allusion to their Father Benjamin who was the beloved of his Father Iacob and partly because of the love and kindness of God towards this Tribe appeared both in this that they dwelt in the fattest and best part of the Land as Iosephus affirms and especially in the following priviledge shall dwell in safety by him p i. e. Shall have his lot nigh unto Gods Temple which was both a singular comfort and safeguard to him and the LORD q Who may well be understood here because he was expressed in the former member shall cover him all the day long r Shall protect that Tribe continually while they cleave to him and he shall dwell between his shoulders s The Lord shall dwell i. e. his Temple shall be placed between his shoulders i. e. in his portion or between his borders or sides as the word Shoulder is oft used as Exod. 28. 7. Numb 34. 11. Ios. 15. 8 10. Ezek. 47. 1 2. And this was truly the scituation of the Temple on both sides whereof was Benjamins portion and though mount Sion was in the Tribe of Iudah yet mount Moriah on which the Temple was built was in the Tribe of Benjamin 13 And of Joseph he said * Gen. 49 〈◊〉 Blessed of the LORD be his land t His portion shall be excellent and endowed with choice blessings from God as it here follows for the precious things of heaven u i. e. The pretious fruits of the Earth brought forth by the influences of Heaven the warmth of the Sun and the Rain which God will send from Heaven for the dew and for the deep that coucheth beneath x The sweet springs of water bubbling out of the Earth 14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun y Which opens and warms the Earth cherisheth and improveth and in due time ripeneth the seeds and fruits of the Earth and for the precious things †Heb. 〈◊〉 sorth put forth by the †Heb. 〈◊〉 moon z Which by its moisture refreshes and promotes them Heb. Of the Moons or moneths i. e. which it bringeth forth in the several Moneths or Seasons of the year 15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains and for the precious things of the lasting hills a i. e. The excellent fruits as Grapes Olives Figs c. which delight in Mountains growing upon or the pretious Minerals contained in their mountains and hills called antient and lasting i. e. such as have been from the beginning of the world and likely to continue to the end of it in opposition to those hills or mounts which have been cast up by the wit of man 16 And for the precious things of the earth b And in general for all the choice fruits which that Land produceth in all the parts of it whether Hills or Valleys and ness thereof c i. e. The Plants and Cattle and all Creatures that grow increase and flourish in it and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush d For all other effects of the good will and kindness of God who not long since did for a time dwell or appear in the bush to me in order to the relief of his people Exod. 3. 2. let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph e i. e. Of Iosephs posterity and upon the top of the head of him that * Gen. 49. 26. was separated from his brethren 17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock f In whose countenance there is a kind of awful Majesty and comely generosity as Tully Aelian c. observe This seems to note the Kingdom which Ephraim should obtain in Ieroboam and his Successours and his horns are like the horns of ‖ Or of a wild â—…ll Heb. Reech unicorns g His strength and power shall be very great with them he shall push the people h i. e. All that shall oppose him and particularly the Canaanites together to the ends of the earth and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manasseh k Though Manasseh be now more numerous yet Ephraim shall shortly outstrip him as was foretold Gen. 48. 29. i i. e. Of the Land of Canaan 18 And of Zebulun he said Rejoyce l Thou shalt prosper and have cause of rejoycing Zebulun in thy going out m Either 1. To war as this phrase is oft used as Gen. 14. 18. which was in part verified Iudg. 5. 18. or 2. To Sea in way of Traffick because their portion lay near the Sea Or both may be joyned and in both respects his course is opposite to that of Issachar who was a lover of peace and pasturage See Gen. 49. 14 15. and Issachar n Who is here joyned with Zebulun both because they brethren by Father and Mother too and because their possessions lay near together in thy tents o i. e. Thou shalt give thy self to the management of Land and Cattle living quietly in thy own possessions disliking the troubles of war and of merchandise So the phrase is used Genâ—… 27. Ios. 22. 4. Iudg. 5. 24. and 7. 8. 19 They p Either 1. Zebulun and Issachar Or rather 2. Zebulun onely as the following matter shews and it was Zebulun that Moses takes more special notice of ver 18. bringing in Issachar onely by the by in conjunction with him or in opposition to him And so having dispatched Issachar in two words he returns to Zebulun a more active Tribe shall call the people q i. e. The Gentiles either
is dead 19 But when David saw that his servants whispered David perceived that the child was dead therefore David said unto his servants Is the child dead And they said He is dead 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel and came into the house of the LORD n i. e. To the Tabernacle to confess his Sin before the Lord and to own his Justice in this stroke and the other threatnings and to deprecate his great and just displeasure and to acknowledge Gods rich mercy in sparing his own Life and to offer such Sacrifices as were proper and required in such cases Nor did David transgress that Law Numb 19. 14. in going thither before the Seven Days were expired For neither is there the same reason of a Tent and of a dwelling House where the several Rooms of the House are as distinct as several Tents nor is it here said that David was in the same Room or in the same House where the Child died and worshipped then he came to his own house and when he required they set bread before him and he did eat 21 Then said his servants unto him What thing is this that thou hast done thou didst fast and weep for the child while it was alive but when the child was dead thou didst rise and eat bread 22 And he said While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept * See Isa. 33. 1. Jon. 3. 9. for I said Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live o For God's threatning of the Child's Death might be conditional as that was of Ninevehs Destruction Ionah 3. 4. 23 But now he is dead wherefore should I fast p Seeing Fasting and Prayer cannot now prevail with God for his Life can I bring him back again I shall go to him q Into the state of the Dead in which he is and into Heaven where I doubt not I shall find him but he shall not return to me 24 And David comforted Bath sheba his wife r Who was now much dejected both for her former Sin which she truly Repented of as may be gathered from Prov. 31. 1 2 3 c. and for the loss of that Child which was very dear to her and which might seem to be the onely tie of David's Affection to her which being now dead she might think that David would utterly cast her off and leave her to that Shame and Punishment which she had deserved and went in unto her s To wit into her Chamber or Bed and lay with her and * Matt. 1. 6. she bare a son and * 1 Chron 〈◊〉 9. he called his name Solomon and the LORD loved him t i. e. The Lord declared to David that he loved his Son notwithstanding the just cause which David had given to God to alienate his Affections from him 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet and he called his name ‖ That is beloved of the Lord. Jedidiah because of the LORD u Either because of the Lord's love to him as the Name signifies or because the Lord commanded him to do so 26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon and took the royal city x i. e. That part of the City where was the Kings Palace where he ordinarily resided though now it seems he was retired to a strong Fort. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said I have fought against Rabbah and have taken the city of waters y The same Royal City so called because it either stood beside the River or was encompassed with Water both for defence and delight Although the Words are by some Learned Men rendred thus I have taken or intercepted or cut off water from the city Which well agrees both with the words eth being here put for meeth which is frequent as Gen. 4. 1. and 44. 4. Exod. 9. 29 c. and with the Relation of Iosephus the Iew who saith The Conduits of Water were cut off and so the City was taken And with a Relation of Polybius concerning the same Ciry which was taken afterwards by Antiochus in the same manner by cutting off Water from the City 28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it z For having taken one part of the City he concluded the remaining part of it could not long stand out lest I take the city and ‡ Heb. my name be called upon it it be called after my name a Lest I have the Honour of taking it Thus he seeks to engratiate himself with the King by pretending great care for his Honour and Interest 29 And David gathered all the people together b Either because Ioab needed more help for the Storming of the City or at least for the Prosecution of the Victory and Execution of Justice upon the whole Land or because he would have them all to partake of the spoil of the City which was there in great abundance v. 30. the rather because they were all exposed to the hazard of utter Ruine in case the Ammonites had prevailed against them and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it 30 * 1 Chron. 20. 2. And he took their kings crown from off his head the weight whereof was a talent of gold c Or rather the price whereof c. For as the Hebrew Shekel signifies both a Weight and a piece of Money of a certain price so also may mishkal as proceeding from the same Root And in general the same Words both in Hebrew Greek and Latine are promiscuously used to signifie either Weight or Price as is well known to the Learned And the addition of pretious stones which are never valued by the Weight of Gold makes this signification here most proper and probable Moreover the Weight might seem too great either for the King of Ammon or for David to wear it upon his Head Although if this were meant of the Weight it might be said that this was not a Crown to be worn ordinarily but meerly to be put on upon the King's Head at his Coronation or upon Solemn occasions as here where this was done in token of the Translation of this Kingdom to David and it may be it was held up or supported by two Officers of State that it might not be too burdensome to him and after a little while taken off with the precious stones and it was set on Davids head and he brought forth the spoil of the city ‡ Heb. very great â—… in great abundance 31 And he brought forth the people that were therein d The words are indefinite and therefore not necessarily to be understood of all the people for it had been Barbarous to use Women and Children thus but of the Men of War and especially of those who had been the
because Micaiah was purely Gods instrument in all his messages and whatsoever evil he threatned Ahab himself was the cause and procurer of it And Jehoshaphat said Let not the king say so m Do not presage evil to our enterprize let us neither hate his person nor despise his message but first hear it and then do as we see cause 9 Then the king of Israel called an ‖ Or Eunuch officer and said Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah 10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne having put on their robes n Their Royal Robes and Ensigns of Majesty in a ‡ Heb. floor void place o In the place of Judicature which was in or nigh the Gate of the City and in the front of some void place where either People stood to hear and see Justice Administred or Soldiers were placed for the defence of the City in time of War in the entrance of the gate of Samaria and all the prophets prophesied before them 11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron p Fit Emblems of the Power and Victory of these two Kings The Devil is Gods Ape and the false Prophets sometimes imitating the true who when they declared Gods mind by words did also oftentimes confirm it by sensible signs See Isa. 20. 2. Ier. 27. 2. and he said Thus saith the LORD q Heb. Iehovah whose Name he pretends to gain the more credit and countenance to his words See on v. 7. With these shalt thou push the Syrians until thou have consumed them 12 And all the prophets prophesied so saying Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper for the LORD shall deliver it into the kings hand 13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him saying Behold now the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth let thy word I pray thee be like the word of one of them and speak that which is good r This he designs not out of any Love to Micaiah whom he persuades to debauch his Conscience but meerly out of a desire to gratify his Kings humour 14 And Micaiah said As the LORD liveth what the LORD saith unto me s What answer God shall put into my mind and mouth which it seems was not yet done that will I speak 15 ¶ So he came to the king and the king said unto him Micaiah shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battel or shall we forbear And he answered him t Not seriously but ironically using the very words of the false Prophets in way of derision As appears First From his omission of that Solemn Preface Thus saith the Lord or this is the word of the Lord which the Prophets generally used and which himself useth when he comes to his serious answer v. 19. Secondly From Ahab's reply ver 16. which shews that he suspected Micaiah's sincerity in that answer and gathered by his gesture or manner of speaking that he spake onely mimically as representing and traducing the false Prophets for their answer See the like Ironical passages Gen. 3. 22. Iudg. 10. 14. 1 King 18. 27. Eccles. 11. 9. Ezek. 20. 39. Amos 4. 4 5. All which expressions are not used to lead Men into mistakes but to bring them to the sight of their sin and duty which may be done sometimes most efficaciously in this way So Micaiah's meaning is plainly this Because thou dost not seek to know the truth but onely to please thy self go to the Battel as all thy Prophets advise thee and expect the success which they promise thee and try the truth of their Prediction by thy own costly experience Go and prosper for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king 16 And the king said unto him How many times shall I adjure thee u I adjure thee again and again that thou give over this mockery and seriously tell me the mind of God in this matter that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the Name of the LORD 17 And he said I saw x In the Spirit or in a Vision all Israel * Matth. 9. 36. scattered upon the hills y Upon the Mountains of Gilead nigh Ramoth either where they lay encamped by Ahab's order or to which they fled from the Enemy esteeming that the safest place See Matth. 24. 16. as sheep that have not a shepherd z As People who have lost their King See Numb 27. 17. Isa. 40. 11. and 44. 28. Ezek. 34. 23. And the LORD said These have no master let them return every man to his house in peace a Discharged from the War which was fulfilled v. 26. 18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat Did I not tell thee that he would prophesie no good concerning me but evil b Now thou seest my words verified and this man shewing his hatred by this malignant and treasonable Prophecy and how little heed is to be given to his words Which crafty insinuation seems to have had too great an influence upon good Iehoshaphat otherwise he would never have gone to the Battel 19 And he said Hear thou therefore c Because thou givest credit to thy false Prophets and distrustest my words as if they were but the suggestions of my own fancy and hatred of thy Person I will give thee a distinct and true account of the whole matter in Gods Name and Presence the word of the LORD I saw d By the eyes of my mind for he could not see the Lord with bodily eyes the LORD sitting on his throne and * Job 1. 6. and 2. 1. Dan. 7. 10. Zech. 4. 10. Matth. 18. 10. Heb. 1. 7 14. all the host of heaven e i. e. The Angels who are oft called Gods host or hosts because of their great number excellent order and constant readiness to attend upon God and to execute his Commands See Gen. 2. 1. Psal. 103. 21. and 148. 2. These Angels were both good and bad the one possibly on his right the other on his left hand Nor is it strange that the Devils are called the host of heaven if you consider First That their original seat was in Heaven and men in Scripture are oft called by the name of the place from whence they came Secondly That the name of heaven is oft given to all that part of the World which is above the Earth and among the rest to the Air as Gen. 1. 20. and 7. 11. and 8. 2. and 27. 28. Deut. 4. 11. and 11. 11. where the Devils residence and dominion lies Eph. 2. 2. and that both Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels are said to be and to wage war in heaven Revel 12. 7. i. e. either the Air or the Church And this place is not to be understood as if Micaiah had seen with his bodily eyes the Lord
the Lots were promiscuously put together and out of which they were severally taken to Jehojaâ—…ib the second to Jedajah 8 The third to Harim the fourth to Seorim 9 The fifth to Malchijah the sixth to Mijamin 10 The seventh to Hakkoz the eighth to * Neh. 12. 4 17 Luke â—… 5. Abijah 11 The ninth to Jeshua the tenth to Shecaniah 12 The eleventh to Eliasâ—…ib the twelfth to Jakim 13 The thirteenth to Huppah the fourteenth to Jeshebeab 14 The fifteenth to Bilgah the sixteenth to Immer 15 The seventeenth to Hezir the eighteenth to Aphses 16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah the twentieth to Jehezekel 17 The one and twentieth to Jachin the two and twentieth to Gamul 18 The three and twentieth to Delajah the four and twentieth to Maaziah 19 These were the orderings of them in their service h In this Order and Method they were to come to perform the Offices of the Temple i. e. To come into the Temple every Sabbathday and to continue there all the Week long until the next Sabbath when they were relieved by others as the Manner was See 2 King 11. 5. 1 Chron. 9. 25. to come into the house of the LORD according to their manner i under Aaron their father k i. e. Under the Inspection and Direction of the High-priest whom he calls Aaron because he represented his Person and executed his Office and also came out of his Loyns and their father because of the Authority which by Gods Appointment he had over them and that Love Reverence and Obedience which they owed to him as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him 20 And the rest of the sons of Levi l Either such as were onely Levites and not Priests or rather such as were not named or numbred before in this or the former Chapter were these Of the sons of Amram * Ch. 23. 16 Shebâ—…el Shubael of the sons of Shubael Jehdejah m Who being as it seems an Eminent Person or having a very numerous Family was not reckoned with or under his Fathers Family but was accounted as a distinct Head of another Family 21 Concerning Rehabiah n The Son of Eliezer ch 23. 17. of the sons of Rehabiah the first o By Birth or Place was Jeshiah 22 Of the Izharite * Ch. 23. 18. Shelomith Shelomoth p Called also Shelomith ch 23. 18. of the sons of Shelomoth Jahath 23 And the sons of * Ch. 23. 19. 26. 31. Hebron Jeriah the first q Which word is fitly supplied both out of the rest of this verse the second third and fourth having a manifest reference to the first and out of 1 Chron. 23. 19. 26. 31. where it is expressed Amariah the second Jahaziel the third Jekameam the fourth 24 Of the sons of Uzziel Michah of the sons of Michah Shamir 25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah of the sons of Isshiah Zechariah 26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi the sons of Jaaziah r The Son either of Mahli or rather of Mushi last named for Mahli's Posterity comes v. 28. Beno 27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah Beno s Whose Name is here repeated with his Brethren because he was the First-born and Head of the rest who were all reckoned with and under his Family as if they had been Branches of it and Shoham and Zaccur and Ibri 28 Of Mahli came Eleazar * Ch 23. 22. who had no sons 29 Concerning Kish t Another of Mahli's Sons as appears from 1 Chron. 23. 21. the son of Kish was Jerahmeel 30 The sons also of Mushi Mahli and Eder and Jerimoth These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers 31 These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron u i. e. Answerable for Number and Order to those of the Priests so as there should be a several course of the Levites for each course of the Priests This is expressed concerning the Singers ch 25. and the like is implied concerning the Porters ch 26. and is here sufficiently intimated concerning those Levites which were employed in other Sacred Ministrations in the presence of David the king and Zadok and Ahimelech and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren x The Lots of the Elder and Younger Brethren were promiscuously put together and the order was settled as the Lots came forth without any regard to the Age or Dignity or Number of the Persons or Families the youngest Family having the first Course if they had the first Lot c. CHAP. XXV 1 MOreover David and the captains of the host a Both of the Civil and Sacred Host to wit all the Princes of Israel with the Priests and the Levites whom David gathered together ch 23. 2. for this very end that in their Presence and with their Approbation and Consent all these things might be established who are here fitly called the Captains of the Host for the Princes were under David the Chief Captains or Commanders of the Militia or Trained Bands of the Kingdom and as the Levites are called an Host and the Lords Host Numb 4. 23. and elsewhere because of their Number and Order in Holy Ministrations so these Priests and Levites were the Captains and Governours of the rest separated b i. e. Distributed them into their several Ranks and Orders Which though chiefly done by David as a Prophet and by Divine Direction as hath been oft observed yet is here imputed in part to the Captains of the Host because it was done with their Concurrence and Approbation to the service of the sons of * Ch. 6. 33 39. 2 Chr. 29. 30. Asaph and of * ver 5. Heman and of * 2 Chr 35. 15. Jeduthun c i. e. To the Service of God under the Conduct and Command of these Persons who should prophecy d i. e. Praise God by singing the Psalms of David of which see on ch 16. 7. and other sacred Songs made by themselves who were Prophets in some sort or by other Prophets or Holy Men of God Or this Action of theirs is called prophecying because it had been formerly performed by the Prophets and the Sons of the Prophets of which see 1 Sam. 10. 5. 19. 20. 2 King 3. 15. 1 Chron. 15. 19. with harps with psalteries and with cymbals and the number of the workmen e Of the Persons employed in this Sacred Work according to their service was 2 Of the sons of Asaph Zaccur and Joseph and Nethaniah and ‖ Otherwise called Iesharelah ver 14. Asarelah the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph f i. e. Under his Oversight and Direction which prophesied †Heb. by the hands of the king according to the order of the king g In such Manner and Order as David appointed 3 Of
which see the Notes on Deut. 17. 8. between law and commandment statutes and judgments x When any Debates or Differences shall arise about the meaning of any of Gods Laws one party possibly putting this and the other a quite differing sence upon the same place or one alledging one place and the other another place which may seem to clash with it ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD y Ye shall not onely give a Righteous Sentence for what is past but ye shall admonish the Offender and others to take better heed to themselves and their ways for the future and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren this do and ye shall not trespass z So you shall not bring Guilt and Wrath upon your selves and others which otherwise you will certainly do 11 And behold Amariah the chief priest is over you a Shall be your President to direct and assist you in all matters of the LORD b In spiritual or Ecclesiastical Matters and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael the ruler of the house of Judah c Either 1. the Prince or chief Ruler under the King of the Tribe of Judah which is called the house of Iudah 2 Sam. 2. 4 7 10. 1 King 12. 21 23. â—… Chron. 28. 4. Jer. 13. 11. Ezek. 4 6. Or 2. The Ruler of the Kings House which also seems to be called the house of Iudah 2 Chron. 22. 10. and more fully the Kings House of Iudah Jer. 22. 6. And who so fit to manage the Kings Matters as the Ruler of the Kingshouse for all the kings matters d For Civil Causes or Controversies which might arise either between the King and his People or between Subject and Subject which may be called the Kings Matters because it was a principal part of his Office to see them justly decided also the Levites shall be officers before you e They shall be at your command to see your just Sentences executed which work was fitly committed to the Levites as persons who might add their Instructions to the Corrections and might work the Guilty to an acknowledgment of their Fault and a submission to their Punishment And so this is an Argument to encourage the Judges to proceed couragiously and vigorously in their Work because they had the Levites to stand by them and assist them †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deal couragiously and the LORD shall be with the good f i. e. Shall protect and bless good Judges in their doing of Good and Just Things CHAP. XX. 1 Iâ—… came to pass after this also that the children of 〈◊〉 and the childrâ—…n of Ammon and with them †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 othâ—…r beside the Ammonites a To wit the people that dwelt in Mount Seir who were now Confederate with them as appears from v. 10 22 23. Or This is the Name of a Peculiar People called either Mehumin of whom you read 2 Câ—…ron 26. 7. and so there is onely a Transposition of two Letters in the Hebrew word which is not unusual in that Language or 〈◊〉 as the LXX Interpreters render this Word or 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 as it is in the Hebrew the two first Letters being not Prefixes as they are commonly made but part of the Word or proper Name of that People who as it may seem now dwelt in Mount Seir being either of the Old Stock of the Edomites or another Nation since come in their stead or mixed with them Others render the Place thus for as the Hebrew vau is oft taken with them i. e. with the Moabites were the Ammoâ—… or children of Ammon Which may be distinctly noted either to shew the largeness of the Confederacy in which not onely the Moabites were ingaged who dwelt nearer Jehoshaphats Kingdom but the Ammonites also who lived at a greater distance from him Or to intimate that the Ammonites being possibly instigated by the Syrians their next Neighbours were the first Beginners and chief Promoters of the War and engaged both the Moabites and the Inhabitants of Mount Seir in their Quarrel â—…ame against Jehoshaphat to battel 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat saying There cometh a great multitude against theâ—… from beyond the sea b To wit the Dead Sea beyond which Mount Seir lay on this side Syria c Or and from Syria largely so called and so it includes the Moabites and Ammonites And it may be thus expressed to intimate that they came by the Instigation of the Syrians who thought by this means to revenge themselves of Jehoshaphat for joyning with Ahab against them and behold they be in Hazâ—…zon-tamar which is Engedi 3 And Jehoshaphat â—…eared d Partly from Humane Frailty and partly from the Remembrance of his own Guilt and the Wrath of God denounced against him for it ch 19. 2. and set †〈…〉 himself to seek the LORD e The Phrase notes his settled Resolution Seriousness and Earnestness in it and the preparing and fixing his Heart for it and proclaimed a fast f Partly in token of his Humiliation and Penitence for his Sins and partly to make himself and his People more Fervent in their Prayers throughout all Judah 4 And Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the LORD even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD 5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD g Largely so called i. e. in one of the Courts of the Temple even in the Court of the People and upon that Braâ—…en Scaffold which Solomon had erected for such a Purpose 2 Chron. 6. 13. before the new court h i. e. Besides and before the Priests Court for there were but two Courts belonging to the Temple as is noted 2 King 21. 5. 23. 12. And Jehoshaphat stood in the one which must be that of the People and before the other which therefore can be no other than that of the Priests which is called the New Court because it â—…ad been lately renewed when the Altar was renewed ch 15. 8. as the Command of Love is called a new Command Joh. 13. 34. 〈◊〉 Ioh. 2. 8. because it was so solemnly renewed and revived and reinforced by Christ. 6 And said O LORD God of our fathers art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms oâ—… the heathen and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee 7 Art not thou our God †〈…〉 who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel and gavest it to the â—…eed of Abraham * 〈◊〉 â—… 23. thy friend for ever i i. e. To whom thou hast engaged thy self by Covenant to be his Friend and the Friend of his Seed for ever and therefore we trust thou wilst not forsake us his Posterity 8
well be called Israel being moâ—…e truly and properly Gods Israel than their Apostate Brethren who were no longer worthy of that Name Or 3. Because all his Subjects were Israelites and therefore he was King of Israel though not of all Israel Or 4. With some reflection upon his Memory for making so strict an Alliance and Friendship with the King of Israel whosâ—… Cause he defended with his own and his Kingdoms great Hazard as if he had been the King not so much of Judah as of Israel And this may be the rather noted here because here speedily follows a sad Effect of that wicked and cursed Match Some say Israel was â—…oisted into some Copies by the Transcriber instead of Iudah 〈◊〉 it was first written 3 And their father gave them great giâ—…ts oâ—… silver and of gold and of precious things with â—…enced cities in Judah but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram because he was the first-born c Whom he conceived that he ought to prefer by vertue of that Law of God Deut. 21. 15. though otherwise he would not have done it having probably ere this time perceived his perveâ—…se and wicked Inclinations and how much he was swayed by his Idolatrous Wiâ—…e Now he saw his Errour when it was too late 4 Now * 〈◊〉 16 〈◊〉 when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father he strengthened himself d He took Courage and hardned his heart as that word sometimes signifies and slew all his brethren with the sword e Partly because they either did or he knew that they would oppose him in his Wicked Designs and partly for his own Security lest his People who as he believed would be highly exasperated with the Execution of his Counsels should advance any of them to the Throne and depose him and divers also of the princes of Israel f Either 1. of Judah here called Israel of which see the Notes on v. 2. Or. 2. The Princes or Chief Men of Israel properly so called not the Princes of all Israel or of the several Tribes thereof but the Chief of those Israelites who out of Love to God and to the True Religion had forsaken their Eâ—…tates and worldly Advantages in the Kingdom of Israel and were now incorporated with the Kingdom of Judah These he especially struck at either 1. Because his Wife instigated him thereunto both to punish them for their Revolt from her Father and to deter others from following their Example Or 2. Because he justly and truly thought these would be most firm and constant to and zealous for that Religion which he was resolved to oppose being both by their Conscience and Interest obliged to it 5 Jehoram was thirty and two years old g Of this and v. 6 7 8 9 10. see the Notes on 2 King 8. 17 c when he began to reign and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem 6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel like as did the house of Ahab for he had the daughter of * 〈◊〉 â—… Ahab to wife and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD 7 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David because of the covenant that he had made with David h For which in 2 King 8. 19. it is for David his servants sake â—… i. e. Not for Davids Merits but for Gods free Promise and Covenant as it is here explained and as he promised to give a †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… light to him and to his * 〈◊〉 â—… 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 36. 〈◊〉 â—… 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11 〈◊〉 sons for ever 8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dominion of Judah and made themselves a king 9 Then Jehoram * 〈◊〉 8. 21. went forth with his princes and all his chariots with him and he rose up by night and smote the Edomites which compasâ—…ed him in and the captains of the chariots 10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers i To wit publicâ—…ly and avowedly setting him at Defiance as the next Verse shews And this is mentioned either 1. As the Reason why the Priests whose City Libnah was forsook him because he had forsaken God Or rather 2. as the reason why God raised up so many Enemies against him both from abroad and at home 11 Moreover he made high places k Not to the Lord whose sworn Enemy he was but to Baals or False Gods in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jeâ—…usalem to commit fornication l Not onely by his Couâ—…sel and Example but as it follows by Force by Threats and Penaltieâ—… and compelled Judah thereto 12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet m Qu. How could this be when Elijah was wrapt up to Heaven in Jehoshaphats time 2 King 2. 3. 11. Ans. Either 1. This was Elisha or some other Prophet called Elijah because he acted in the Spirit and Power of Elijah for which cause John the Baptist also is so called Or rather 2. This was really written by Elijah who by the Spirit did clearly foresee and foretel the Reign and Acts of Jehoram as others did of Jo iah 1 King 13. 2. and Isaiah of Cyrus ch 45. 3. long before they were born and in consideration thereof leâ—…t this Prophecy with Elisha to be delivered in due time by him or some other person in his Name and as from his Mouth saying Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father n Whose Name he mentions either to upbraid him with his degeneration from so worthy a Parent Or to take off his Presumption and Confidence which was grounded upon his being the Son and Successor of David in whose Posterity the Crown was settled for ever by Gods special Appointment and by the Approbation of the People Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father o Whose wise Counsel and good Example thou hast despised noâ—… in the ways of Asa king of Judah 13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring like to the whoredâ—…ms of the house of Ahab and also hast slain thy brethren of thy fathers house which were better than thy self p More Innocent and Righteous and Pious 14 Behold with †Heb. a great stroke a great plague will the LORD smite thy people q Qu. Why the People for his Sin Ans. 1. Because the generality of them sinned in complying with his Wicked and Idolatrous Commands through Fear v. 11. 2. Because he suffered in his Peoples Destruction For as the Honour and Safety and Strength of a King lies in the Multitude and Prosperity of his People Prov. 14. 28. so
house of the LORD a Which Ahaz his Father had shut up ch 28. 24. and repaired them 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the east-street b Which was before the Eastern Gate of the Temple 5 And said unto them Hear me ye Levites sanctifie now your selves and sanctifie the house of the LORD God of your fathers and carry forth the filthiness c That filthy Altar which Ahaz had put in the Place of Gods Altar 2 King 16. 11 c. and the Idols or other abominable or polluting things which were there out of the holy place d The Temple or the Priests Court which also is called an holy Place Levit. 6. 16. 10. 13. Numb 28. 7. 6 For our fathers have trespassed and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. habitation of the LORD and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned their backs e Either 1. Metaphorically they have wilfully and obstinately and contumeliously forsaken me and my House and Worship that posture being a signification of Contempt Or 2. Literally and properly For Ahaz having removed the Altar of God into a By-place 2 King 14. and directing his Worship towards the East after the manner of the Heathens whom he designed to follow and not to the West as the Israelites did by Gods Command in which Quarter the Ark was he must needs consequently turn his Back upon the Altar and House and Ark of God 7 Also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have shut up the doors of the porch and put out the lamps and have not burnt incense nor offered burnt-offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel 8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem and he hath delivered them to †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble to astonishment and to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 25. Kin. 9. 8. hissing f i. e. To such Calamities as all that see and hear of shall be astonished at and hiss at those who by their own Sin and Folly have brought such Miseries upon themselves See on 1 King 9. 8. as ye see with your eyes 9 For lo our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons and our daughters and our wives are g Or were though they were presently released ch 28. 5 14 15. in captivity for this 10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turn away from us 11 My sons h So he calls them indifferently though many of them were elder than himself because he was by his tender Love and Affection as he was by his Office obliged to be a Nursing Father to them See Isa. 49. 23. ‖ 〈◊〉 noâ—… 〈◊〉 be not now negligent i In sanctifying your selves and the Temple v. 5. and in quickning and preparing your selves and the People to Gods Service for the LORD hath * 〈◊〉 â—… 14. 〈◊〉 2 6. chosen you to stand before him to serve him and that ye should minister unto him and ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burn incense 12 Then the Levites arose Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of Merari Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel and of the Gershonites Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah 13 And of the sons of Elizaphan Shimri and Jehiel and of the sons of Asaph Zechariah and Mattaniah 14 And of the sons of Heman Jehiel and Shimei and of the sons of Jeduthun Shemajah and Uzziel 15 And they gathered their brethren and sanctified themselves and came according to the commandment of the king ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the words of the LORD to cleanse the house of the LORD 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD k Not the Holy of Holies into which onely the Highpriest might enter and that but once in a year but the Holy Place to cleanse it and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court l To wit the Priests Court called here the Court by way of Eminency of the house of the LORD And the Levites took it to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron 17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctifie and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end m In 16 Days purging the House and Porch and Courts and all the Chambers belonging to the Temple This is noted to imply partly the Universal Abuse and Defilement of all the Parts of it by Ahaz which required so much time to remove and partly the Diligence of the Priests in this Work 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king and said We have cleansed all the house of the LORD and the altar of burnt-offering with all the vessels thereof and the shew bread table with all the vessels thereof 19 Moreover all the vessels which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression have we prepared and sanctified and behold they are before the altar of the LORD 20 Then Hezekiah the king arose early and gathered the rulers of the city and went up to the house of the LORD 21 And they brought seven bullocks and seven rams and seven lambs and seven he-goats n The Number of seven is famous and customary in Sacred matters and is here used in regard of the vast Numbers and various Kinds of Sins the Guilt whereof yet lay upon the Kingdom which was now to be expiated Indeed in case of one particular Sin of Ignorance done by the People there was but one Bullock to be offered Levit. 4. 13 14. but here the Sins were many and presumptuous c. for a * Lev. 4. 3 14. sin offering for the kingdom o To make Atonement for the Sins of the King and the Royal Family and the Court. and for the sanctuary p For all the Idolatry and Uncleanness wherewith the Temple had been polluted which as it had been cleansed naturally by the Priests Hands so now was to be purged morally by Sacrifices and for Judah q For the Sins of all the People of Judah and he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD 22 So they killed the bullocks and the priests received the blood and * Lev. 8. 14 15. Heb. 9. 21. sprinkled it on the altar likewise when they had killed the rams they sprinkled the blood upon the altar they killed also the lambs and they sprinkled the blood upon the
for they could never have done their work with one hand and the next verse tells us the sword was not in their hands but by their sides but figuratively this being a proverbial speech such as is frequent amongst the Latines as when they say of a man pretending kindness with evil design He carries bread in one hand and a stone in another 18 For the builders every one had his sword girded †Heb. 〈◊〉 loyns by his side and so built and he that sounded the trumpet h To call the people together when and where it was fit and necessary was by me 19 And I said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people The work is great and large and we are separated upon the wall one far from another 20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet resort ye thither unto us our God shall fight for us 21 So we laboured in the work and half of them held the Spears from the rising of the morning till the stars †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appeared i Working very early and very late 22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people Let every one with his servant lodg within Jerusalem k Noâ—… in the Suburbs or adjoining Villages as probably many of them did returning thence to their work in the morning that in the night they may be a guard to us and labour on the day 23 So neither I nor my brethren nor my servants nor the men of the guard which followed me none of us put off our clothâ—… l Neither by day not by night as the manner is when we go to Bed they constantly kept themselves in a readiness for fighting ‖ 〈…〉 saving that every one put them off for washing m When they were to waâ—…h and cleanse themselves from some natural or moral impurity which might befal them or their Garments CHAP. V. 1 ANd there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews a To wit the great and rich ones who had oppressed their Brethren 2 For there were that said We our sons and our daughters are many b Which is in itself a Blessing but to us is turned into a curse therefore we take up corn for them c i. e. We are forced by our and their necessities to take up corn to wit upon their own unreasonable terms as is here implied and plainly expressed in the following Relation Others Let us take up c. i. e seeing we do the publick work let provision be made for us and our Children out of the publick stock But this is no Petition but a complaint as will appear that we may eat and live 3 Some also there were that said We have morgaged our lands vineyards and houses that we might buy corn because of the dearth d Which might easily happen both from the multitude of the People now â—…n near Ierusalem and from their building work which wholly took them up and kept them from taking care of their own Families and from the expectation and dread of their Enemies Invasion which hindred them from going abroad to fetch in Provision and the People round about from bringing it in to them or from divers other causes 4 There were also that said We have borrowed money for the kings tribute e Which was laid upon them all See Ezra 4. 13. 7. 24. and that upon our lands and vineyards 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren f We are of the same Nature and Nation and Religion with them although they treat us as if we were Beasts or Heathens forgetting both Humanity and Gods Law Deut. 15. 7. our children as their children and lo we bring into bondage g We are compelled to â—…ell them for our subsistence our sons and our daughters h Which was an evidence of their great necessity because their daughters were more tender and weak and unfit for bond service and more exposed to injuries than their sons to be servants and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our daughters are brought into bondage 〈◊〉 neither is it in our power to redeem them i Which we are allowed to do Exod. 21. 7. but have not wherewith to do it for other men have our lands and vineyards 6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words 7 Then †〈…〉 I consulted with my self and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers and said unto them Ye exact usury every one of his brother k Which was against the plain and positive Law of God Deut. 23. 19 20. especially in this time of publick Calamity and Dearth And I set a great assembly against them l I called a publick Congregation both of the Rulers and People the greatest part whereof were free from this guilt and therefore more impartial Judges of the matter aud represented it to them that the offenders might be convinced and reform this abuse if not for Fear of God or Love of their Brethren yet at least for the publick shame and the cries of the poor 8 And I said unto them We after our ability have * Lev. 25. 48. redeemed our brethren the Jews which were â—…old unto the heathen m I and my Brethren and predecessors have used our utmost Interest and Power both with the Kings of Persia that our Brethren might be redeemed from that bondage into which God had sold them for their â—…ins and with particular persons in Babylon and Persia and the adjacent parts whose Bond-slaves the Jews were and who would not part with them without a price which we paid for them and will ye even â—…ell your brethren or shall they be sold unto us n Do you expect that we should pay you a price for them as we did to the Babylonians Or must we use as much importunity to solicite you for their Redemption as we did to their Enemies Then held they their peace and found nothing to answer 9 Also I said It is not good o i. e. It is a very bad and wicked thing as this same Phrase is used Pro. 16. 29. 17. 26. 18. 5 19. 2. A common Figure called Meiosis where more is understood than is expressed that ye do ought ye not to walk * Lev. 25. 3â—… in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies p Who are round about you and observe all your Actions and will loath and reproach both you for such barbarous usage of your Brethren and Religion for your sakes Which if you have any Love or Respect either to God or to your selves you will prevent 10 I likewise and my brethren q To wit in Office those who are employed with me in the Government of this People and my servants r In my name and for my use
to all generations 12. * Psal 65. 4. c. 94. 14. 144. 15. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance u Seeing the Lord is so great and glorious in Wisdom and Power and Goodness as hath been hitherto said as they must needs be very miserable who are Strangers or Enemies to him so thrice Happy is that people of Israel who though they be despised by the Gentiles are chosen by this Almighty God to be his peculiar Portion and Friends and Servants 13. * 2 Chr. 16. 9. Job 28. 24. Psal. 11. 4. The LORD looketh from heaven he beholdeth all the sons of men x Although he hath a special Relation to Israel yet he hath a general Care and Inspection over all Mankind all whose Hearts and Ways he discerns and observes 14. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth 15. He fashioneth y Or fashioned or made Or formeth For this may relate Either 1. To the work of Creation So he proves what he said v. 13 14. that God beheld all men because he made them yea even their Hearts the most secret piece of them Or 2. To the works of his Providence Having said that God sees and observes all Men he now addes that he Rules and Governs them yea even their Hearts which are most Masterless and unmanageable and yet he frameth and disposeth and inclineth them this way or that according to the Counsel of his Will See Exod. 34. 24. Psal. 105. 25. their hearts alike z Or equally one as well as another Whether they be Iews or Gentiles Bond or Free Princes or Peasants all are alike subject to his Jurisdiction he considereth all their works a Both outward and inward all the workings of their Minds and Affections and all their Indeavours and Actions 16. There is no king b He instanceth in these as the most potent and uncontroll able persons in the World and most Confident of themselves and least sensible of their Dependence upon God By which he strongly proves his general Proposition of God's powerful Providence over all Men. saved by the multitude of an host c But only by God's Providence who disposeth of Victory and Success as he pleaseth and that frequently to the weakest and most foolish side Eccles. 9. 11. a mighty man is not delivered by much strength 17. * Psal. 147. 10. Prov. â—…1 31. An horse d Though he be strong Iob 39. 19. c. and fit for Battel Prov. 21. 31. Or for flight if need requires And so this is put for all Warlike provisions of which Horses were and are a very Considerable part is †Heb. a Lye a vain thing e Heb. a Lye because it promiseth that help and safety which it cannot give for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength 18. * Job 36. â—… Psal. 34. 15 1 pet 3. 12. Behold the eye of the LORD f Whosoever therefore would have Safety and Deliverance must seek and expect it only from the watchful Eye and Almighty hand and mercy of God is upon them that fear him g These are the chief Object of his Care and Favour upon them that hope in his mercy h That place their Hope and Trust and Happiness not in any Creature but only in God and in his Mercy and Blessings The Conjunction and Order of these two qualifications of the Person whom God careth for is observable here they must be such as fear God and so make Conscience of keeping his Commands Eccles. 12. 13. and then they may and must hope in Or relye upon his Mercy for their Safety and Happiness 19. To deliver their soul i i. e. Their Life when he sees it to be expedient for them sometimes it is better for them to dye than to Live as both good and bad Men have declared and when it is so it is known to God but not to us And therefore the constant Accomplishment of this and the like promises in a literal Sence is not to be expected nor simply desired but with Submission to God's wise and gracious Will from death and to keep them alive * Job 5. â—… Psa. 37. 19. in famin 20. Our soul waiteth for the LORD he is our help k The help of us Israelites to whom he hath made many Promises and glorious Discoveries of his Goodness and our shield 21. For l Or Therefore for this seems to be an Inference Either from the foregoing or from the following Sentence our heart shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his holy name 22. Let thy mercy O LORD be upon us according as we hope in thee PSAL. XXXIV A Psalm of David when he changed a A Psalm made upon that occasion though not at that time his behaviour b Or his Habit or Posture or his Reason as this word is taken 1 Sam. 25. 33. Psal. 119. 66. Prov. 11. 22. When he Counterfeited madness Wherein whether he sinned or not is matter of Dispute but this is undoubted that God's Favour and his Deliverance at that time was very Remarkable and deserved this Solemn acknowledgment before ‖ Or Achish 1 Sam. 21. 11 13. Abimelech c Called Achish 1 Sam. 21. 10. But Abimelech seems to have been the common Name of the Kings of the Philistins Gen. 20. 2. and 26. 1. as Pharao was of the Egyptians and Caesar of the Romans who drove him away and he departed 1. I Will bless the LORD at all times d I will never forget to bless God for this miraculous Deliverance his praise shall continually be in my mouth 2. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD e Shall glory in this that I have so powerful and so gracious a Lord and Master the humble f Or the Meek i. e. The Godly oft called in Scripture by that Title and particularly my Friends and Favourers in Israel whom he thus calls in Opposition to his proud and furious Adversaries in Saul's Court and Camp shall hear thereof and be glad g Both for their Love to me and to the publick good of Israel which they know that I design and seek above all things and for the Comfort and Benefit of my example to them in like Straits and Difficulties 3. O magnifie the LORD with me h Joyn your Praises with mine O all ye humble Ones and let us exalt his name together i Not in place for David was now banished from the place of God's publick Worship but in Affection and Work Let our Souls meet and let our Praises meet in the Ears of the all-hearing God Or alike i. e. With equal Zeal and Fervency let none be willing to be out stripped by another 4. I sought the LORD and he heard me and delivered me
or Persons or rather Bodies as it is explained in the next Clause and as the soul is oft taken by a Synecdoche as Numb 11. 6. Psal. 16. 10 and 106. 15. c. is bowed down to the dust t Either to the ground where we lye prostrate at our Enemies feet Or to the Grave our belly cleaveth unto the earth u We are not onely thrown down to the Earth but we lye there like dead Carkasses fixed to it without any Ability or Hope of rising again 26. Arise †Heb. a Hâ—…lp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our help and redeem us for thy mercies sake x We mentioned our sincerity and Constancy in thy Worship onely as an Argument to move thee to Pity and not as a ground of our Trust and Confidence or as if we merited Deliverance by it but that we expect and implore onely upon the account of thine own free and Rich Mercy PSAL. LXV THE ARGUMENT The subject matter of this Psalm is by the Consent both of Iewish and Christian Amient and Modern Interpreters agreed to be the Messias and his Marriage with the Church of God Of which it Treats Either 1. Remotely under the Type of Solomon and his Marriage with Pharaoh's Daughter of which it is to be Primarily and Literally understood and then mediately and ultimately of Christ Or rather 2. Immediately and directly although the Words be so ordered that they carry a manifest Allusion either to that or some other royal Marriage Which seems more then probable from the following Arguments 1. From the great Congruity of the Matter and Style of this Psalm with that of the Book of Canticles whereof this seems to be a kind of Abridgement 2. From the Magnificent preface v. 1. which seems too sublime and spiritual for such Carnal and Earthly Matters 3. And especially from the Matter of the Psalm For here are many things which do not agree to Solomon such as the Warlike posture and exploits v. 3 4 5. and the Title of God v. 6. which is appropriated to Christ and affirmed to be incommunicable to any meer Creature Heb. 1. 8. Compare with v. 5. and that numerous Posterity and the Amplitude of their Dominion v. 16. and divers other Passages as we shall see in the Progress To the chief musician upon Shoshannim a Which Title is also prefixed to Psal. 69. and with some small Addition Psal. 8. and with a little Variation Psal. 60. It seems to be the Name of a Song or Tune or Instrument of Musick It properly signifies Lillies or Roses which some apply to the subject of the Psalm because those Flowers were used in Garlands or otherwise in nuptial Solemnities and because Christ calls himself the Lilly and the Rose Cant. 2. 1. for the sons of Korah ‖ Oâ—… of 〈◊〉 Maschil A song of loves b To wit of Christ and his Church Or of the beloved Ones to wit the Virgins who waited upon the Bride as some men did upon the Bridegroom who thence were called his Friends Ioâ—… 3. 29. In whose Name and Person this Psalm may seem to be uttered 1. MY heart c I am about to utter not vain or rash or foolish or false Words but such as proceed from my very Heart and most serious Thoughts and cordial Affections †Heb. Bâ—…yleth 〈◊〉 Babbleth up Or will speak is enditing d Heb. Boyleth or bubbleth up like water in a Pot over the Fire This Phrase notes that the workings of his Heart in this Maâ—…ter were frequent and abundant Fervent and Vehement free and Chearâ—…ul and withal kindled by Gods grace and by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost a good matter e Either 1 Pleasant or Delightful and fit for the Nuptial solemnity here expressed As a Feast-day is sometimes called a Good day Or 2. Excellent as this Word is oft used as Numb 24. 5. Deut. 8. 12. Or Holy and Spiritual as it is most commonly used This is no Vain or Carnal or wanton Love-Song but Sublime and Heavenly and full of Majesty as is manifest from the Body of this Psalm I speak of the things which I have made f Which I by divine Inspiration have Composed touching the king g Or rather to the King for to him he addresseth his Speech in the following Verses and this Hebrew prefix Lâ—…d generally signifies to though sometimes it be rendred oâ—… or Concâ—…rning my tongue is the pen h Or as the Pâ—…n Whereby he intimates that he was onelâ—… the Pen or Instrument in uttering this Song and that it had another and an higher Original to wit the Spirit of God by whose hand this Pen was guided and managed of a ready writer i Whereby he understands Either 1. Gods Spirit who writ or spoke this by the Pen or mouth of the Psalmist Or 2. Himself whom he so calls not out of vain Ostentation or Self-Commendation but to teach us that this Song was not the effect of his own deep and serious study but did freely flow into him by divine Inspiration and did as freely and readily flow from him 2. Thou art fairer k Or more Beautiful i. e. Lovely and amiable He speaks not here so much of his outward Beauty which though it be an Ornament both to a Bridegroom and to a King yet is not very Considerable in Either nor is much admiâ—…ed or applauded by Wise men as of the inward and glorious Endowments of his Mind or Soul such as Wisdom and Righteousness and Meekness c. as the particulars of this Beauty are declared v. 4. 7. than the children of men l Than all other Men. Which is most true of Christ but not of Solomon whom many have excelled if not in Wisdom yet in Holiness and Righteousness which is thâ—… chief part of this Beauty and most celebrated in this Psalm grace is poured into thy lips m God hath plentifully poured into thy Mind and Tongue the gift of speaking with admirable Grace i. e. Most wisely and Eloquently and therefore most acceptably so as to find Grace with and work Grace in thy Hearers This was in the same sort true of Solomon but far more Eminently and Effectually in Christ of which see Isa. 50. 4. Luk. 4 22. Ioh. 7. 46. The former Clause noted his inward Perfections and this signifies his Ability and Readiness to Communicate them to others therefore n Which notes not the Meriâ—…orious cause for that Beauty and Grace now mentioned are declared to be the â—…ree gifts of God and were the Effects and not the Causes of Gods blessing him but rather the final Cause or the end for which God endowed him with those excellent Qualifications and so the Sense of the place is because God hath so Eminently adorned and qualified thee for Rule therefore he hath trusted and Blessed thee with an everlasting Kingdom Or because as this Particle is used Gen. 38. 26. Psal. 42. 6. and elsewhere
that Occasion to break forth into Prayer which also he continues in the following Verses Onely as he prays there for justification or Pardon of sin so here he prays for Renovation or Sanctification So his meaning is this Therefore as the Particle and is oft used as hath been shewed in the hidden Part do thou make me to know Wisdom Or thus thoâ—… wouldest have me know for Futures are oft taken Potentially as Psal. 118. 6. and Mat. 12. 25. Compared with Mark 3. 24. and elsewhere And Verbs which signifie making or causing are sometimes understood onely of the Will or Command as Ieroboam is said to make Israel to sin 1 Kings 14. 16. because he Commanded them to do so Hos. 5. 11. This I propose with Submission but if this Sence be admitted the last Clause of the Verse answers very well to the former as it doth in the foregoing and following Verses and every where in these Books For this thou wouldest have me know Answers to that thou willest or desirest and in the hidden part Answers to that in the inward Parts and Wisdom is the same thing for Substance with Truth onely called by another Name wisdom y i. e. True Piety and Integrity which is called Wisdom Iob 28. 28. Psal. 111. 10. and in many other Texts as sin on the contrary is commonly called as it really is Polly And to know Wisdom is here meant of knowing it Practically and Experimentally so as to approve and Love and Practise it as Words oâ—… knowledge are most frequently taken in Scripture and in other Authors 7. * Lev. 14. 6. Numb 19. 18. Purge me with hyssop z Or as with Hyssop the note of similitude being frequently understood As Lepers and other unclean Persons are by the appointment purified by thy use of Hyssop and other things Levit. 14. 6. Numb 19. 6. so do thou cleanse me a most Leprous and polluted Creature by thy Grace and by the Vertue of that Blood of Christ which is signified by those Ceremonial usages and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be * Isa. 1. 18. whiter than snow 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness a Send me glad Tidings of thy Reconciliation to me and by thy Spirit seal the Pardon of my sins to my Conscience which will fill me with joy that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce b That mine Heart which hath been sorely Wounded and Terrified by thy dreadful Message sent by Nathan and by the dismal Sentence of thy Law denounced against such Sinners as I am now by this Occasion brought home to my Conscience may be revived and Comforted by the Manifestation of thy Favour to my Soul 9. Hide thy face from my sins c Do not look upon them with an Eye of indignation and Revenge but forget and forgive them and blot out d See v. 1. all mine iniquities 10. Create in me a clean heart e Seeing I have not onely defiled my self by these actual sins but also have a most filthy Heart corrupted even from my Birth v. 5. which nothing but God's Almighty and Creating Power can purifie do thou Effectually work in me an Holy frame of Heart whereby both my inward filth may be Purged away and I may be prevented from falling into such actual and scandalous sins O God and renew f That good Temper which before this Apostacy I had in some measure be pleased graciously to restore it to me with Advantage ‖ Or a constant Spirit a right g Heb. Firm or Constant or Stedfast that I may not be so easily shaken and cast down by Temptation as I have been but that my Resolution may be more fixed and unmoveable spirit h Temper or Disposition of Soul or Spirit as the Word Spirit is very frequently used in Scripture within me i Heb. In my inward Parts He wisely strikes at the Root and Cause of all sinâ—…ul Actions 11. Cast me not away from thy presence k i. e. From thy Favour and Care and gracious Communion with thee and take not thy holy spirit l Thy sanctifying Spirit by which alone I can have Acquaintance and fellowship with thee from me 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation m The Comfortable Sence of thy saving Grace and Help promised and vouchsafed to me both for my present and everlasting Salvation and ‖ Or lâ—…t 〈◊〉 free Or â—…ly Spirit uphold me uphold me n A weak and frail Creature never able to stand against Corruption and Temptation without thy powerful and gracious Succours with thy free o Or ingenuous or Liberal or Princely Which he seems to oppose to his own base and Illiberal and Dis-ingenuous and servile Spirit which he had discovered in his wicked and unworthy Practises and Desires a better Spirit even the Spirit of God which may free him from the Bondage of sin and inable and inâ—…line him freely and Cheerfully and constantly to run the way of Gods precepts See Exod. 35. 21. Psal. 110. 3. Rom. 8. 15 16. 2 Cor. 3. 17. spirit 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways p Either 1. Thy Will and their Duty and the way to their eternal Happiness Or rather 2. The manner of thy dealing with Sinners whom thou dost so severely Chastise for their sins and yet so graciously receive to Mercy upon their Repentances Both which I will shew them in my own Example which I will declare unto them although I shall therewith publish my own shame which I shall most willingly bear that I may in some measure repair the Injury which I have done to thee and others by my publick and scandalous Crimes and sinners shall be converted unto thee q And I perswade my self that my Indeavours shall not want Success and that either thy Justice and severity or thy Goodness and Clemency will bring them to Repentance 14. Deliver me from †Heb. Bloods blood-guiltiness r Heb. from Bloods because he had been the Cause of the Death not onely of uriah but of others of the Lords people with him 2 Sam. 11. 17. O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness s Either 1. Thy Faithfulness in making good thy Promises Or rather 2. Thy Clemency and Goodness as that Word is frequently used 15. O LORD open thou my lips t Which are shut with shame and Grief and Horror Restore unto me the Opportunity and Ability and Liberty which formerly I had of speaking to thee with Freedom and Boldness and Familiarity as this Phrase signifies Ezek. 3. 27. and 24. 27. Eph. 6. 19 20. and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise 16. For * 〈◊〉 50. 8. 〈◊〉 1. 11. â—…er â—… 22. Hos. 6. 6. thou desirest not sacrifice u Which is not to be understood absolutely and Universally as appears from v. 19. but
who hast done great things O God who is like unto thee 20 Thou which hast shewed me great and sore trouble shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the * Psal. 63. 9. 88. 6. depths of the earth y i. e. From the Grave for I was like one Dead and buried and past all hope of Deliverance without thy Almighty assistance 21 Thou shalt encrease my greatness z I am assured that thou wilst not onely restore that Royal Majesty which my Son hath invaded to me but also increase my Honour and Power and comfort me on every side 22. I will also praise thee †Heb. with the â—…nstrument of Psaltery with the psaltery even thy truth O my God unto thee will I sing with the harp O thou holy one of Israel 23 My lips shall greatly rejoyce when I sing unto thee and my soul which thou hast redeemed 24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long for they are confounded for they are brought unto Shame that seek my hurt PSAL. LXXII A Psalm ‖ Or of for Solomon That this Psalm was made by David is Evident from v. 20. and that it was made with Respect to Solomon is no less certain from the very Title of it And that David or at least the Holy Ghost which dictated this Psalm did look beyond Solomon and unto the Messiah of whom Solomon was an Illustrious and unquestionable Type seems as manifest from divers Passages of this Psalm which do not agree to Solomon nor to any other King but the Messiah and from the Confession of the Jewish Doctors themselves who so understand it It must therefore be acknowledged that as many others are So this Psalm is also a mixt Psalm belonging to Solomon in part and obscurely and imperfectly but unto Christ more clearly and fully divers Expressions being designedly so ordered that the Reader might be led by them to the Contemplation of Christ and of his Kingdom upon this occasion Which was the more necessary for the support and Comfort of God's true Israel because the Spirit of God foresaw Solomon's dreadful Apostacy and the great Miscarriages and Calamities of his Successors and of the Kingdom under their hands and therefore was pleased to fortifie their Hearts with that glorious Condition which they should certainly enjoy under the Messiah who should certainly come 1 GIve the king a Solomon who was now anointed King his Father yet Living 1 Kings 1. â—…9 And this Psalm may seem to be made for that great and solemn Occasion thy judgments b i. e. Either 1. Thy Statutes and Precepts which are oft called God's Iudgments which as thou hast given already in thy Book so give them to him a second and a better way by writing them upon his Heart or by giving him a solid knowledge of them and an hearty Love and Obedience to them Or rather 2. Thy manner of Government or Administration â—…which is oft called Iudgment as Psal. 94. 15. Isa. 28. 6. c. that he may follow thy Example in governing thy People as thou governest them to wit in Righteousness as it follows He saith Iudgments in the plural Number because though the Office of judging and ruling was but one yet there were divers parts and Branches and Acts of it as to acquit the Innocent to Condemn the Guilty c. in all which he begs that Solomon may be directed to do as God doth or would have him to do in such Cases O God and thy righteousness c That Grace of Righteousness which is a part of thine Image and is absolutely necessary for good Government unto the kings son 2 He shall judge d To wit if thou givest him what I have desired And by this prediction he doth â—…acitly admonish him of and oblige him to the performance of his Duty herein Or Let him Iudge the Future being put for the Imperative as hath been oft observed So it is a Prayer thy people e For they are thine more than his and therefore he must not govern them according to his own Will and Pleasure but according to the Rules of thy Word and for thy Service and Glory with righteousness and thy poor f Or thy aflicted or oppressed ones for such are thine in a special manner thou art their Judge and Patron Psal. 68. 5. and hast Commanded all thy People and especially Kings and Magistrates to take a singular Care of them because they have few or no Friends with judgment 3 * See ver 16. Jer. 3. 23. The mountains g He mentioneth the Mountains and Hills as bringing forth this blessed Fruit Either because such places are usually Barren and therefore this was an Evidence of extraordinary Fruitfulness and a special blessing of God Or because they are dangerous to Passengers in Regard of the Robbers and Wild beasts which commonly abide there Whereby it is implyed that other places should do so to and that it should be common and universal shall bring peace h All manner of Prosperity and Felicity which the Hebrews frequently express by that word to the people and the little hills by righteousness 4 He shall judge i i. e. Vindicate them from their Potent oppressours as judging is used Psal. 43. 1. and oft elsewhere the poor of the people he shall save the children of the needy k Whom the Rich peradventure did seize upon for Bond-men upon some Pretence or other and shall break in pieces the oppressour 5 They shall fear l Or Reverence or Worship as this Word is used Isa. 29. 13. Compared with Mat. 15. 9. and elsewere thee m Either 1. Thee O King to whom he suddenly turneth his Speech And so this is Hyperbolically true of Solomon but truly and litterally of Christ. Or rather 2. Thee O God of whom he had spoken before and that in the second Person v. 1 2. as it is here whereas he never speaks of the King in the whole Psalm in the second Person but constantly in the third And â—…o the Sence is This shall be another blessed Fruit of this righteous Government that together with Peace true Religion shall be established and that throughout all Generations as it here follows Which was begun in Solomon's days and continued though not without Interruption in the time of his Successors the Kings of Iudah and afterwards until Christ in and by whom this Prediction and Promise was most fully accomplished Heb. With the Sun and before the Moon i. e. Whilst they continue in the Heavens Others expound it thus both Day and Night as the twelve Tribes are said to serve God Act. 26. 7. But the former Interpretation seems more probable by Comparing this Verse with v. 17. as long as the sun and moon endure * Psal. 89. 36 37. throughout all generations 6 * Hos. 6. 3. He shall come down n To wit
demean my self in all the varieties of my condition and in all my affairs and actions so as is most agreeable to thy precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous works a Even the wonders of the Law mentioned before v. 18. 28 My soul †Heb. droppeth melteth b Like wax before the fire it hath no strength nor consistency left in it but consumeth or pineth away for heaviness c Through grief partly for my extreme danger and misery and principally for my sins and thy wrath and terrors following upon them strengthen thou me d That so I may bear my burdens patiently and cheerfully and vanquish all my temptations according unto thy word 29 Remove from me the way of lying e Or of falshood either 1. the practice of lying and dissembling and cheating which is so rise in Sauls Court and in the Courts of most Princes but Lord let it not be so in my Court or rather 2. every false way of doctrine or worship for to this way he opposeth Gods Law in the next clause And he justly prayeth to God to keep him from Apostasie Heresie Idolatry and Superstition because his own corrupt nature of it self and without Gods grace was prone to these errours and not onely Heathens but many Israelites did frequently fall into them and grant me thy law graciously f Vouchsafe unto me an accurate knowledge and firm belief of thy Word and that I may constantly attend and adhere to it and govern my self by it in all things 30 I have chosen the way of truth g To wit thy Word or Law for my portion and the rule of my worship and whole life thy judgments have I laid before me h Or set before me as the Phrase is fully expressed Psal. 16. 8. as a delightful object or as a mark to aim at or as a rule to direct me 31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies i I have resolutely persisted in the practice of thy precepts in spight of all temptations reproaches persecutions and discouragements to which I was exposed in and for so doing O LORD put me not to shame k Either 1. by giving me over to Apostasie or transgression which will bring shame Or rather 2. by the disappointment of my hopes and confidence in those promises of the blessings of this life as well as of the next which thou hast made to the obedient of which I have made my boast 32 I will run the way of thy commandments l I will obey thy precepts with all readiness fervency and diligence when thou shalt enlarge my heart m Either 1. when thou shalt bring me out of my present straits or distresses This indeed is called enlarging as Psal. 4. 2. 18. 36. but never to my remembrance the enlarging of the heart Or rather 2. when thou shalt replenish my heart with more wisdom and love to and delight in thee and thy Law for this enlargement of heart in Scripture is ascribed to wisdom 1 Kings 4. 29. and love 2 Cor. 6. 11. and joy Isa. 60. 5. When thou shalt knock off those fetters of remaining corruption and give me a more noble and generous disposition towards thee and stablish me with thy free Spirit as it is expressed Psal. 51. 12. Thus David both ownes his duty and asserts the absolute necessity of Gods grace to the performance of it HE. 33 Teach me O LORD the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end n Or that I may keep it c. That I may persevere for Apostasie proceeds from the want of a good understanding 34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart 35 Make me to go o By directing my mind into the right way by inclining my will and strengthening my resolution in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight p Forsake not him who delighteth in thee and in thy service and as thou hast wrought in me to will work in me also to do 36 * Psal. 141. 4. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies q To the love and practice of them and not to covetousness r Not to the inordinate love and desire of riches Which particular lust he mentions partly because this lust is most spreading and universal and there is scarce any man who doth not desire riches either for the love of riches or upon pretence of necessity or for the service of pride or luxury or some other lust partly because this lust is most opposite to Gods testimonies and doth most commonly hinder men from receiving Gods word and from profiting by it See Mat. 13. 22. Luke 16. 14. and partly because this lust is most pernicious as being the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 20. and is most mischievous in Princes and Governors such as David was and therefore in a special manner forbidden to them Exod. 18. 21. 37 †Heb. make to pass Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity s The vain things and lusts of this present evil world such as riches honours pleasures from beholding them to wit with admiration and inordinate affection for such a sight of the eyes doth usually affect the heart and stir up mens lusts and passions Of which see Numb 15. 39. Iob 31. 1. Prov. 4. 25. 23. 5 6. Mat. 5. 28. and quicken thou me in thy * Ver. 27. way t As I desire that I may be dull and dead in affections to worldly vanities so Lord make me lively and vigorous and servent in thy work and service 38 Stablish thy word u Confirm and perform thy promises as concerning the Kingdom so also for the giving of gracious assistances directions and comforts to those that fear thee of which number I am one unto thy servant who is devoted to thy fear 39 Turn away my reproach x Either 1. for the shameful disappointment of my hopes and confident boastings concerning the truth and certainty of thy promises or 2. for my manifold failings and particularly for that shameful matter about Uriah and Bathsheba or 3. for my instability in or Apostasie from thy ways which in respect of mine own weakness and folly I have great cause to fear which I fear for thy judgments are good y This may be a reason either 1. why he prayed and hoped that God would turn away reproach from him because Gods word and statutes were good and therefore it was not fit for any to suffer reproach in and for his diligent observation of them or 2. why he feared reproach because he had and feared he might hereafter transgress those judgments or statutes of God which were and he very well knew to be good i. e. just and holy and excellent and therefore it was a shameful thing to violate them 40 Behold I have longed after thy precepts z After a
it expedient but assuredly in the next life of the righteous 20 * Ch. 19. 7. The poor is hated c i. e. Despised and abandoned as hateful Persons and Things are even of his own neighbour d Strictly so called who is nearest to him either by habitation or by relation and therefore most obliged to love and help him but †Heb. many are the lovers of the Rich. the rich hath many friends 21 He that despiset his neighbour c That doth not pity and relieve the poor as this is explained in the next Clause the word Neighbour being here generally taken for any Man as it is most commonly used in Scripture which not relieving him proceeds from a contempt of his Person sinneth d And therefore shall be punished for his inhumanity which is opposed to his being happy in the next Clause * Ps. 112. 9. but he that hath mercy e That sheweth his compassion by his bounty and relief on the poor happy is he f He doth a worthy action and shall be blessed in his deed 22 Do they not err g They do certainly err from the right way and mistake their mark and shall miss of that advantage and felicity which they promise to themselves by such practices that devised h That do not onely commit it but make it their design and study and business that are Artists or Masters in it as the word signifies evil i Either 1. mischief to men Or 2. any kind of wickedness against God or men for the expression is general and this seems best to agree to the following Clause but mercy and truth k Either 1. from men Men shall deal truly and kindly with them partly because such men by their carriage oblige them to do so and partly because God inclineth their hearts to it Or 2. from God to whom these two properties are jointly ascribed in divers places of Scripture shall be to them that devise good l That designedly and industriously apply themselves to the doing of all good offices to God and men 23 In all labour there is profit but the talk of the lips tendeth onely to penury m Diligem labour is the ready way to riches but idle talking wherein too many spend most of their pretious time will bring a Man to poverty 24 The crown of the wise is their riches n They are a singular advantage and ornament to them partly as they make their Wisdom more regarded when the poor Man's wisdom is despised Eccles. 9. 16. and partly as they give a Man great opportunity to discover and exercise his Wisdom or Vertue by laying out his Riches to the honour and service of God and to the great and manifold good of the World which also highly tends to his own glory and happiness but the foolishness of fools is folly o But as for rich fools for to them the general word is to be restrained from the opposite Clause their folly is not cured but made worse and more manifest by their riches Their Riches find them Fools and leave them Fools they are not a Crown but a reproach to them and an occasion of their greater contempt For the Phrase we have the like in the Hebrew Text 1 Sam. 1. 24. The Child Samuel was a Child It is an elegant Figure called Antanaclasis used in all Authors 25 * Vers. 5. A true witness delivereth Souls p i. e Persons to wit such as are innocent from the mischief of false Accusations by declaring the truth which is sufficient for their Vindication but a deceitful witness speaketh lies q To the injury and destruction of the Innocent which is easily understood out of the former Clause and from the practice of false Witnesses 26. In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence r A sure ground of confidence or a strong refuge as the next Clause explains it and his children s Either 1. God's Children Or 2. the Children of them that fear God who are sufficiently understood out of the former Clause shall have a place of refuge 27 * Ch. 13. 12. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death t To preserve men from deadly and destructive courses 28. In the multitude of people is the kings honour u Because it is an evidence of his wise and good government Under honour he here comprehends also strength and safety as appears from the opposite Clause which depend much upon a Princes reputation And honour may be here put for strength as strength is put for honour or glory Psal. 8. 2. 29. 1. 96. 7. but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince 29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding x Sheweth great and true wisdom in conquering his sinful and shameful passions but he that is †Heb. short of Spirit hasty of spirit exalteth y Heb. lifteth up like a Banner makes it known and visible to all men folly 30 A sound heart z Free from envy and such like inordinate passions which are commonly called the Diseases of the Soul not onely in Sacred but even in Heathen Writers Or as others render it An healing Heart mild and merciful and kind to others which is opposed to envy is the lise of the flesh a Procureth and maintaineth the health and vigor of the whole Body but envy the rottenness of the bones b It wasteth the Spirits and consumeth even the strongest and most inward parts of the Body 31 * Ch. 17. 5. Mat. 25. 40 45. He that oppresseth the poor c That useth him hardly as the Syriack renders it that with-holdeth from him that which is his due either by the rules of strict justice or by the great Law of Charity of which see Prov. 3. 27. and so it is opposed to having Mercy in the next Clause reproacheth his maker d Whose Image the poor Man bears which might challenge respect Iob 31. 15. by whose counsel and providence he is made poor 1 Sam. 2. 7. Prov. 22. 2. and who hath declared himself to be their protector and avenger but he that honoureth him e His Image and Works and Laws hath mercy on the poor f Doth not onely forbear oppressing or injuring of him but affords him his pity and help 32 The wicked is driven away g To wit in his Death as is gathered from the opposite Clause driven away from God's favour and presence and from the Society of the Just and from all his hopes of Happiness both in this life and in the next This expression notes that this is done suddenly violently and irresistibly as the smoke or chaff are driven away by a strong Wind. in his wickedness h Or for his wickedness Heb. in his evil which may be understood of the
gone before thee the Prophets and Apostles and after and in subordination to them and to their Writings others whom I shall raise from time to time to feed my People with Wisdom and Understanding 9 I have compared thee s Heb. I have made thee like which may be understood either 1. Verbally by comparing Or 2. Really by making a real resemblance in Quality or Condition * Ch. 2. 2 10 1â—… 4. 1 7. â—… 2. 6. 4. Joh. 14. 15. O my love to a company of Horses in Pharaohs chariots t Either 1. For comeliness for an Horse is a very stately and beautiful Creature and the Egyptian Horses were preferred before others 1 King 10. 28. Isa. 31. 1. and Pharaohs own Charet Horses were doubtless the best of their kind Or 2. For excellent order and usefulness as those Horses did equally and orderly draw the Chariot and carried Pharaoh with ease and speed whither he designed to go Or rather 3. For strength and courage to overcome all thine Enemies For Horses are famous for that property Iob 39. 21 c. And the strength of the Battle was then thought to consist very much in Horses Prov. 21. 31. and Chariots and especially in a company or multitude of them And the Chureh in this Book is represented not only as fair and beautiful but also as terrible to her enemies Cant. 6. 10. Compare Rev. 19. 11 14. 10 * Ezek. 16. 11 12 13. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels u Which being fastened to the Heads of Brides used to hang down upon and to adorn their Cheeks according to the manner in those times He mentions the Cheeks as the chief seat of Beauty and he intimates that the Churches Beauty is not natural nor from her self but from the jewels wherewith Christ adorns her thy neck x Which is mentioned as another visible part and seat of Beauty Hos. 10. 11. But to accommodate every part and ornament named in this Book to some particular thing in the Church seems to have more of curiosity and Artifice than of solidity and use with chains of gold y Whereby as well as by the rows of Jewels he may seem to design all those persons and things wherewith the Church is made beautiful in the Eyes of God and of men such as excellent Ministers and Saints righteous Laws holy Ordinances and the Gifts and Graces of Gods spirit all which are given by God to the Church and are her best ornaments 11 We z I thy Bridegroom with the cooperation of my Father and of the holy Spirit Such plural Expressions are somtimes used in Scripture concerning one God to note the plurality of Persons in one Divine Essence as hath been noted upon Gen. 1. 26. and elsewhere will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver a Beautiful and honourable Ornaments such as those v. 10. Variety of Expressions are used to signifie the various kinds and Improvements of the Gifts and Graces which are bestowed by Christ upon the Church The Phrase here used may be compared with that of Apples of Gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25. 11. 12 While the king b My Royal Husband sitteth at his table c Either 1. With the spirits of just men and blessed Angels in heavenly Glory to which Christ was advanced after his sufferings and from which he poureth down his Spirit upon his People Or rather 2. With me in his Gospel and Ordinances in which Christ entertaineth his People and is in a special and gracious and glorious manner present with them Mat. 18. 20. 28. 20. which also is oft represented in Scripture under the notion of a Feast or Banquet of which see Prov. 9. 1 2 3 5. Isa. 25. 6. Mat. 8. 11. 22. 12. 1 Cor. 10. 21. my spikenard d The Graces of his Spirit conferred upon me and drawn forth by his powerful presence which is here compared to those sweet Ointments which the Master of the Feast caused to be poured out upon the Heads of the Guests of which see Mark 14. 3. Luk 7. 38. in which Ointments Spikenard was a chief ingredient Ioh. 12. 2 3. sendeth forth the smell thereof e Which notes the exercise and manifestation of her Graces which is a sweet smelling favour in the nostrils of her Husband and of her Companions 13 A bundle of mirrh f Or A bag of mirrhe in which there was a considerable quantity of the Gum which droppeth from the Mirrhe Tree Mirrhe is bitter to the taste but sweet to the smell and therefore was ever reckoned amongst the best perfumes See Exod. 30. 23. Psal. 45 8. Ioh. 19. 39. is my beloved unto me g He is most precious and comfortable to me and the Author of my sweet smell last mentioned he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts h In the place where bundles or bags of Mirrhe or other persumes hung down being fastened about their Necks which yet were taken away and laid aside by night But the Church intimates that she will not part with Christ neither day nor night Or this Phrase may note the Churches intimate Union with and hearty Affection unto Christ. 14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of ‖ Or cypress camphire i Or Cypress as others render it It was an odoriferous plant growing in Vineyards and some think that it was a most pleasant kind of Vine like that which bears Muscatella Grapes yea some very learned men understand it of that Plant which dropped balm which grew in or near the place here specified as is affirmed not only by the Jews but also by Pagan Writers as Diodorus and Tâ—…ogus Nor are we concerned to know which or what it was it being confessed and evident that it was some pleasant and grateful Plant and that it sets forth that great delight which the Church hath in the enjoyment of Christ. in the vineyards of En-gedi k A pleasant and well watered place in the Tribe of Iudah Ios. 15. 62. Ezek. 47. 10. where there were many pleasant Plants whence it was called Hazazon Tamar 2 Chron. 20. 2. 15 * Ch. 4. 1. â—… 12. Behold thou art fair ‖ Or 〈◊〉 compaâ—…ion my love behold thou art fair l This is the Speech of Christ. The words are doubled partly to note the certainty of the thing notwithstanding her mean and modest opinion of her self and partly to manifest his high esteem and fervent affection for her and to assure her that notwithstanding all her infirmities he was very well pleased with her thou hast doves eyes m Which are 1. Comely and pleasant 2. Modest and humble not lofty as the looks of some other Creatures are 3. Mild and harmless not fierce and fiery not looking and watching for prey as the Eyes of revenous Birds are 4. Chast and faithful looking only to their Mates so that if any
12. 32. 2 Cor. 5. 14. The Motto or Device of Christs Banner was not like those of other great Generals a Lion or Leopard or Eagle but Love by which alone Christ made all his Conquests 5 Stay me l Or Support me keep me from sinking or â—…ainting The Spouse speaks this to her Bride-maids the daughters of Ierusalem as it is expressed v. 7. or to the servants or Friends of the Bridegroom there waiting and to the Bridegroom himself as a person ready to faint cries to any or all that are near to him or her for help with flagons m With Wine which is a good cordial Ps. 104. 15. Pro. 31. 6 7. and which was there present v. 4. Flagons are here and 1 Chr. 16. 3. put for Flagons of Wine as it is fully expressed Hos. 3. 1. or for the Wine contained in them as the Cup is put for Wine Luk. 22. 20. by a common Metonymy †〈…〉 comfort me with apples n With odoriferous Apples such as Pomgranates or the like the smell whereof was grateful and useful to persons ready to faint By these Metaphors understand the application of the Promises and the comfortable and quickening influences of the Spirit for I am sick of love o Either 1. With transports of joy which somtimes causes a fainting of the Spirits as Gen. 45. 26. 1 Kin. 10. 5. Or 2. With grief for his departure from her of which we read Ch. 3. 1 2. or for fear of it Or rather 3. With ardent desire of a stricter Union and clearer discoveries of his Love and perfect and uninterrupted Communion with him in Glory That sickness is somtimes the effect of Love hath been oft observed by Physicians 6 * Ch. 8. 3. His left hand ‖ Or was is under my head p As a pillow for me to rest upon No sooner did I cry out for help but he was at hand to succour me and did manifest his tender Care and dear Love to me and his right hand ‖ Or did doth embrace me 7 †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ch. 3. 5. 8. 4. I charge you q This verse is spoken either 1. By the Bridegroom who having reposed the sick Church in his Arms chargeth them not to disturb her till she please as the last clause in this case must be rendred Or rather 2. By the Bride as may be gathered 1. From the connexion because both the foregoing and following words are hers 2. Because it was more decent for the Bride than for the Bridegroom to give this charge to the Bride-maids the daughters of Ierusalem and therefore in all places in this Book where they are mentioned the person speaking to them is the Bride and not the Bridegroom and particularly Ch. 3. 5. 8. 4. where this verse is repeated and is consessedly and evidently spoken by the Spouse O ye daughters of Ierusalem r My Bride-maids Friends and Members over whom I have Authority by the roes and by the hinds s Either 1. By the kindness you have to those pretty and amiable Creatures as you would not injure nor disturb them nor drive them away but please your selves with the sight of them as Shepherds and Country-Damosels commonly do Or 2. By the Example of those Creatures which are pleasant and loving in their carriage towards one another of the field t Which have their usual abode in the fields that ye stir not up nor awake u That you do not disturb nor offend him by your miscarriages but permit him and me to enjoy a quiet repose Do nothing to grieve him or molest me my love x My dearly beloved called Love Emphatically to express her great passion for him So Love is used Cant. 7. 6. and in other Authors till he please y i. e. Never as this word until in such like Phrases is commonly used as Gen. 28. 15. 2 Sam. 6. 23. Isa. 22. 14. For neither can sin ever please him nor can the Church bear it that Christ should ever be offended or that her sweet Fellowship with him should be interrupted 8 The voice of my beloved z Methinks I hear his voice The Spouse being now refreshed and revived with Christs presence awakes out of sleep and breaks forth into this joyful Exclamation Christs voice is nothing else but the word of Grace revealed outwardly in the Gospel or the Evangelical passages of the old Testament and inwardly to the heart of the Spouse by the Spirit of God behold he cometh a Either 1. He is coming or will shortly come into the World which Solomon and the rest of the Old-Testament Prophets and Saints did earnestly desire and confidently expect Or 2. He is coming to me for my support and comfort leaping upon the mountains skipping upon the hills b He saith leaping and skipping to note that Christ came readily and swiftly with great desire and pleasure and he adds upon the Mountains and Hills either with respect to Mount Zion or Ierusalem in and from which Christ first discovered himself or to signifie Christs fixed resolution to come in spight of all discouragements and difficulties which stood in his way or to shew that his coming was manifest and visible to the Eye of her Faith Or in this Phrase he may have a respect to the Roes and Harts here following 9 * Ver. 7. My beloved is like a roe or a ‖ Or 〈◊〉 young hart c Either 1. In loveliness Or rather 2. In swiftness by comparing this verse with the former The swiftness of roes is noted 2 Sam. 2. 18. 1 Chr. 12. 8. He is coming to me with all speed and will not tarry a moment beyond the appointed and proper season behold he standeth behind our walk d And whilest he doth for wise and just reasons forbear to come he is not far from us Though he be not yet come into the door of our House yet he stands behind the wall of our House and is always at hand to give me that succour and comfort which I do or may need and desire Both this and the following Phrases seem to note the obscure and imperâ—…ct manner and degree of Christs manifesting himself to his People either 1. Under the Law in comparison of his discoverâ—…es in the Gospel Or 2. In this Life in comparison of what he will do in the future Life he looketh forth e From his high and heavenly palace towards me to watch over me and refresh me with the prospect of his favour at the window f This Phrase and that through the lattess intimate that the Church doth indeed see Christ but as through a glass darkly as is said even of Gospel-Revelations 1 Cor. 13. 12. and was much more true of legal Administrations †Heb. 〈◊〉 shewing himself through the lattess 10 My beloved spake g Invited and called me outwardly by his Word and
holes in the Vineyards and so spoiling the Roots by eating the Grapes and other ways for our vines have tender grapes f Which give us hopes of a good Vintage and which are easily spoiled if great care be not used to prevent it 16 * Ch 6. 3. 7. 1â—… My beloved is mine and I am his g These are the words of the Bride who having come to him upon his gracious Invitation now maketh her boast of him and of that intimate Union and Communion which was between them he feedeth among the lillies h Either 1. He feedeth his flock in sweet and lovely Pastures where there is not only Herbage to feed them but Lillies to delight them Or rather 2. He feedeth himself i. e. he abideth and refresheth himself amongst his faithful People which are compared to Lillies above v. 2. and Hos. 14. 5. as Christ also is here v. 1. 17 * 〈◊〉 â—… 6. Until the day †〈…〉 break and the shadows flee away i Until the morning of that great and blessed day of the general Resurrection and Judgment when all the shadows not only of Ignorance and Sin and Calamity but even of all Ordinances and outward Administrations shall cease and make way for the immediate enjoyment of my Beloved And this clause may be joined either 1. With the foregoing words and so the sense is Christ doth and will abide with his Church as long as this Life and World lasts which agrees with Christs Promise of being with his Church to the end of the World Mat. 28. 20. But neither that nor this place imply that Christ will then forsake his People but only secures Gods People against that which was the chief if not only matter of their fear to wit lest Christ should leave them and cast them off in this Life which if he did not they were assured that hereafter they should be ever with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 17. For it is well known and hath been oft observed already that the word until doth not always exclude the time to come Or 2. With the following words Turn thou my Bâ—…ved until the day break c. turn k Return to me For although Christ had come to her and she had gladly received and embraced him yet he was gone again as is here implied and evidently appears from the next following verse Which sudden change is very agreeable both to the nature and method of such dramatical Writings amatorious Transactions and to the state of Gods People in this world where they are subject to frequent changes and vicissitudes of Christs withdrawing from them and returning to them again my beloved and be thou * Ch. â—… 〈◊〉 like a roe or a young hart l In swiftness make hast to help me for I am ready to faint upon the mountains ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Bether m A place in the Land of Promise possibly the same called Bithron 2 Sam. 2. 29. where it seems those Creatures were in great abundance or where they were commonly hunted and so being pursued they made all possible haste to escape CHAP. III. 1 BY night on my bed a Either 1. In a time of Tribulation which is commonly signified by the Night and somtimes by a Bed as Revel 2. 22 Or 2. When I expected to find him for the Husband who by his occasions is oft forced to be absent from his Wife in the day time but at night returns to her and beds with her Or 3. When others compose themselves to rest and sleep my Thoughts were troubled and my Affections were working towards him and I was very desirous to enjoy him I sought him b I sought for Christs gracious and powerful Presence in and by the Word and Prayer and Meditation whom my soul loveth I sought him c This repetition notes her perseverance and unweariedness in seeking him but I found him not d For he had withdrawn himself and the manifestations of his Love from me either because I had not sought him diligently or because I had abused his favour or to try and exercise my Faith and Patience and Love and other Graces 2 I will rise now e I will immediately apply my self to seek him without whom my bed can give me no rest nor comfort and go about the city f The City of God the Church in which Christ resides in the streets and in the broad ways g Not finding him in private Prayer and Meditation I sought him in the places of publick Assemblies and Ordinances for the People frequently met together in the streets not only for civil but for religious ends 2 Chron. 32. 6. Neh. 8. 1 3 16. Prov. 1. 20. 21. Luk. 13. 26. I will seek him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not h He saw fit still to delay the discoveries of his Grace partly to chastise my former folly partly to try my sincerity and constancy and partly that he might be more welcome when he came to me 3 * Ch. 5. 7. The watch-men i The Ministers of Christ and Rulers of the Church who are oft called Watchmen as Isa. 62. 6. Ezek. 3. 17. and elsewhere that go about the city k To prevent disorders and dangers by night found me l Whilest they walked round about the City according to their duty to whom I said m Without either fear or shame as being transported and wholly swallowed up with Love Saw ye him whom my soul loveth n She doth not name him because she thought it needless as supposing that a Person of such transcendent excellency could not be unknown to men in that publick capacity Their answer is not mentioned either because they gave her no answer at least no satisfactory answer or because by their silence she gathered that they were unable or unwilling to inform her and being eager in the pursuit of her beloved she would not lose time in impertinent discourses with them 4 It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him o Christ met me and manifested his Love to me according to his Promise made to those that seek him constantly and diligently Prov. 8. 17. Mat. 7. 7. c. whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go p Being taught by my late experience how doleful a thing it was to lose him and how hard it was to find and recover him when he was lost until I had brought him into my mothers house q That there I might entertain and embrace him and gain my Mothers consent and so proceed to the consummation of the Marriage She saith her Mothers rather than her Fathers House because the Men and the Women had several and separated apartments in the House For the mystical meaning which is the principal sense intended in this Book as the Spouse here and in many other places
g To the place to which I invite thee to go which from those high Mountains thou maist easily behold the sight of which will certainly enflame thee with desire to go thither He alludes to Moses his beholding the promised Land from mount Pisgah from the top of Amana h Not that Amana which divided Syria from Cilicia which was too remote from these parts but another of that name not far from Lebanon from the top of Shenir * Deut. 3. 9. and Hermon i Which may be the names of two tops of the same Mountain as Horeb Sinai seem to have been Or Shenir or the copulative and being put disjunctively for or as it is in many places which have been observed before Hermon for this Mountain is called both Shenir and Hermon Deut. 3. 9. and the latter name Hermon may be added to the former as being better known to the Israelites from the lions dens from the mountains of the leopards k From these or other such like Mountains which are inhabited by Lions and Leopards Which seems to be added as an Argument to move the Spouse to go with him because the places where now she was were not only barren but also dangerous as being the Habitations of Tyrants and Persecutors and wild or salvage People who are oft described by the names of wild Beasts whose natures they have and whose practices they imitate 9 Thou hast ‖ Or taken aâ—… way my 〈◊〉 ravished my heart l I am overcome with thy beauty and therefore am so desirous of thy company my sister m So he calls her partly because both he and she had one and the same Father to wit God yea and Mother too being both at this time born in and of the Commonwealth and Church of Israel and partly to shew the greatness of his Love to her which is such as cannot be sufficiently expressed by any one Relation but must borrow the Perfections and Affections of all to describe it my spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes n With one glance of one of thine Eyes By which Phrase he intimates the Modesty and Humility of the Church which was ashamed or afraid to look fully and directly upon the Bridegroom with both her Eyes and withal alludes to the ancient custom of Virgins who used to cover their Faces with a veil and to look out only with one of their Eyes for the direction of their steps By this one Eye he seems to mean that fundamental Grace of Faith by which Christians look upon Christ and discern his beauty and which is precious in the sight of God and of Christ. with one chain of thy neck o With one of those other Graces and Perfections wherewith thou art adorned How then should I be ravished if thou didst discover both thine Eyes and thy whole Countenance and all thine excellent Gifts and Graces 10 How fair p How amiable and acceptable to me is thy love q I do not disdain thy love as I might do but take it kindly and prise it highly my sister my spouse * 〈◊〉 1. 2. how much better is thy love than wine r Of which see on ch 1. 2 4. and the smell of thine ointments s Of the Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit wherewith thou art anointed Compare Isa. 61. 1. 1 Ioh. 2. 20 27. than all spices 11 Thy lips O my spouse drop as the honey-comb t Thy Speeches both to me in Prayer and Praises and to men for their Edification are highly acceptable to me honey and milk u Words more sweet and comfortable than Honey or Milk are under thy tongue x By which Phrase he may possibly intimate that her words were not uttered in Hypocrisie or with evil design as many fair and smooth Speeches are but proceed from her very Heart which is under her Tongue as mischief is said to be under his Tongue Psal. 10. 7. who devised it in his Heart and the smell of thy garments y Of that Righteousness wherewith I have cloathed and adorned thee Christ and the Graces of the Spirit are oft compared to Garments as Rom. 13. 14. Eph. 4. 24. 1 Pet. 5. 5. is like the smell of Lebanon z Which is also mentioned and commended Hos. 14. 6. which must needs be very sweet and grateful in regard of the great numbers of sweet-smelling Spices and Trees which grew in that Mountain 12 A garden a For Order and Beauty for pleasant Walks and Flowers and Fruits †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inclosed b Either 1. Defended by the care of my Providence Or 2. Reserved for my proper use She will not admit of other Lovers either false Teachers or worldly Lusts but keeps herself close for me She is chast and pure and modest as Virgins are or should be is my sister my spouse a spring c Either 1. For others sending forth the wholsom streams of saving Doctrine for the refreshing and healing and cleansing of those who receive it Or 2. Within her self being well watered i. e. replenished with spiritual Graces and Blessings which are frequently compared to waters both in the Old and New Testament as Isa. 44. 3. Ioh. 4. 10. 7. 38. for which the Church is compared to a watered Garden or Spring of water Isa. 58. 11. shut up d Either 1. To preserve it from all pollution or injury Or 2. To reserve it for the use and service of its owner for which reason Springs were shut up in those Countries where water was scarce and precious as Gen. 29. 3. a sountain sealed e The same thing is here repeated in other words 13 Thy plants f The plants of thy Garden Believers which are planted in thee are an orchard g Are like the plants or fruits of an Orchard which are pleasant to the Eye and delicious to the taste or smell such as are here mentioned in the following words Whereby he signifies the variety and excellency of Gifts and Graces in the several members of the Church of pomgranates with other pleasant fruits ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 camphire with spikenard h Which he mentions both here with camphire or cypress and in the next verse with saffron because it is mixed with both these and being so mixed yieldeth the more grateful smell 14 Spikenard and saffron calamus and cinnamon with all trees of frankincense i Such Trees as produce Frankincense Or as others both ancient and modern render it Trees of Lebanon such sweet smelling Trees and Plants as grew in Lebanon of which see above on v. 11. myrrhe and aloes with all the chief spices 15 A fountain of gardens a well of living waters k These are the words either 1. Of the Bride who returns this Answer to the Bridegroom Thou callest me a Fountain but in truth thou only art that Fountain from whence I
and in stead of well-set hair baldness and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth and burning p By the heat of the Sun to which they are now commonly exposed from which they used formerly to guard themselves with great care in stead of beauty 25 Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy †Heb. might mighty in the war 26 And her gates q The Gates of Zion or Ierusalem which by a Figure very usual in Sacred Scripture and all Authors are said to lament to imply the great Desolation of the Place that there should be no People to go out and come in by the Gates or to meet together in the Gates as they used to do shall lament and mourn and she being ‖ Or emptied †Heb. cleansed desolate shall sit upon the ground r Like a mournful Woman bewailing the loss of her Husband and Children CHAP. IV. AND in that day a Of which he hath hitherto been speaking Chap. 2. 3. and still continueth to speak In that calamitous time seven b Many A certain number for an uncertain women shall take hold c Shall sue to him and even lay hands upon him contrary to their Custom and their natural Modesty of one man d Because few Men shall survive that dreadful Stroke They who before were not contented with their own Husbands are now glad of a Seventh part of an Husband saying We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel e We will ease thee of that Charge which otherwise would fall upon thee by Gods Law Exod. 21. 10. onely †Heb. let thy name be called upon us let us be called by thy name f Own us for thy Wives ‖ Or take thou away to take away our * Luk. 1. 25. reproach g Virginity was esteemed a Reproach especially among that People because it was a Token of Contempt from Men and of the Curse of God Children the usual Fruit of Marriage being both an Honour to their Parents before Men and a great Blessing of God especially to that People from some of whose Loins the Messâ—…ah was to spring 2 In that day h About and after that time when the Lord shall have washed away as this time is particularly expressed v. 4. the filth of Zion by those dreadful Judgments now described shall the Branch of the LORD i Either 1. the Church and People of Israel oft called Gods vine or vineyard as we saw before and the Branch of Gods planting Isa. 60. 21. or 2. the Messiah who is commonly defined in Scripture by this Title the Branch Isa. 11. 1. Ier. 23. 5. 33. 15. Zech. 3. 8. whose name is expresly said to be the Branch Zech. 6. 12. of whom not onely Christians but even the Hebrew Doctors understand it For after the foregoing Miseries were brought upon the Iews by the Remainders of the Grecian Empire of which Daniel prophecies so exactly and particularly and afterwards by the Roman Empire the Messiah was born and after that utter Destruction brought upon the Jewish City and Temple and Nation by Titus the Kingdom of the Messiah became beautiful and glorious as it here follows be †Heb. beauty and glory beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent k The Land which for the Sins of the People was made barren upon their Repentance and return to Christ shall recover its former Fertility Under this one Mercy he seems to understand all temporal Blessings which together with spiritual and eternal God shall confer upon them and withal to intimate the Fruitfulness of the People the earth or land being oft put for its Inhabitants in Knowledge and Grace and all good works and comely †Heb. for the escaping of Israel for them that are escaped l That shall survive all the forementioned Calamities of Israel 3 And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy m i. e. Shall be really holy as is said Chap. 60. 21. To be called is oft put for to be as Gen. 21. 12. Isa. 1. 26. 44. 5. even every one that is written ‖ Or to life So Gr. among the living n So this is a Restriction of the foregoing indefinite Proposition Not all that are left but a great number of them shall be holy even all that are written c. i. e. all the Elect who are frequently described by this Character that they are written in Gods or the Lambs book or in the book of life or of the living Psal. 69. 28. Dan. 12. 1. Phil. 4. 3. Rev. 3. 5. 13. 8. 17 8. c. But this last Clause of the Verse is by some Learned Interpreters rendred thus all that are in Ierusalem i. e. a very great number of them as such general Expressions are frequently used or the generality of them shall be written unto life i. e. shall be such as are elected unto Salvation through Sanctification Which may deserve consideration So he notes the singular Priviledge of this People at this time above the former Ages in which many were called but few were chosen in Jerusalem o Of the People living in or belonging to Ierusalem 4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion p This shall be accomplished when God hath thorowly cleansed the Iewish Nation from their Sins and shall have purged the blood q The Blood-guiltiness and especially that of killing the Lord of Life their own Messiah of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by * Chap. 32. 15 16. the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning r This is opposed to the former Legal way of Purification which was by Water By the spirit he seems to understand the Holy Spirit of God to which this washing and purging Work is commonly ascribed as 1 Cor. 6. 11. and elsewhere which Spirit did accompany the Preaching of the Gospel and did this Work in part in some of the Iews and will do it more fully in the Body of the Nation And this Spirit may well be called a spirit of judgment because it executes Judgment in the Church and in the Consciences of Men separating the precious from the vile convincing men of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment Ioh. 16. 8 9. manifesting the Secrets of mens Hearts in the Preaching of the Word 1 Cor. 14. 25. accusing and terrifying and punishing some witnessing for and with others and filling them with Peace and Joy in believing hardning some and softning and subduing others to God as this Spirit is particularly promised to do the Iews Zech. 12. 10. And the same Spirit may be fitly called the spirit of burning as he is compared to fire Mat. 3. 11. because he doth burn up and consume the Dross which is in the