Gods presence there an abundant recompence for all their charge and labour Vers 8. Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes That is here we live loose and at liberty for the duties of the ceremoniall Law to which you must be strictly tyed when you come to be at rest in Canaan many sacrifices and rites and feasts by reason of your unsettled estate cannot here be precisely observed and so every man doth in a manner what he lists but when you come to be settled in the land of Canaan you must not think to do thus c. See vers 9. 10. Vers 12. And ye shall rejoyce before the Lord your God ye and your sonnes and your daughters c. Hereby it appears that though the males onely were bound three times a year to appear before the Lord Exod. 23. 17. yet at those times the masters of families were wont also of their own accord to carry their wives daughters and maidservants with them as Elkanah we see did 1. Sam. 1. 4. Vers 15. Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates whatsoever thy soul lustâ—th afâ—er according to the blessing of the Lord c. This is added to explain yet more fully what difference they were to make between the flesh they might eat of those beasts which they offered to the Lord and that which they did eat at other times to wit that they might eat the flesh even of those cattel which they used to sacrifice no lesse then the roe-buck and the hart that is no lesse then those that were not appointed for sacrifice and that in all places where they dwelt both clean and unclean persons might eat of them according to the blessing of the Lord that is according as through Gods blâ—ssiâ—g they could provide for themselves so allowing a libâ—rall use of the creatures to the rich but restraining all profuse riot and keeping men within the limits of their abilitie but yet â—hat which they offered as a holy sacrifice or offering to the Lord that they might eat no where but in the place which the Lord should choose Vers 16. Onely ye shall not eat the bloud c. See the note upon Gen. 9. 4. Vers 17. Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn or of thy â—ine or of thy oyl or the firstlings of thy herds c. Concerning these tithes see the note upon vers 6. The greatest difficultie in these words is concerning the firstlings here mentioned to wit how they can be here reckoned amongst those things which the people must onely eat before the Lord in the place which he shoâ—ld choose since it is evident that the firstlings of their herds and stocks were holy to the Loâ—d and so that which remained of them after the bloud was sprinkled and the fat burnt upon the altar belonged solely to the priests Numb 18. 17 18. But to this an answer may be given which may fully satisfie to wit that the firstlings here spoken of are not those firsâ—lings elsewhere intended which as holy things â—onsecrated to God were allotted for the priests portion but the firstlings here mentioned were either the female firstlings for they were onely the male firstlings which the Lord challenged as his due Exod 13. 12. or the first-born after those first which were given to the Lord which were indeed the first that were the owners or the chief and best of their lambes and kids and calves called here the firstlings onely by way of excellencie Vers 21. If the place which the Lord â—hy God hath chosen to put his name there be too farre from thee c. The meaning of this passage is not that if the place chosen of God for sacrificing were near hand they must not eat of their herd or flock in their own houses but alwayes carry them to the tabernacle or temple for who can think that the Jews dwelling near to Jerusalem did never eat of their hâ—rds and flocks in their own dwellings either therefore this clause hath refereâ—â—e to that which follows vers 26. and the meaning then is onely this That though the place which God had chosen c. were very farre from some of their dâ—ellings and they might therefore think it too hard a task to carry their sacrifices so farre yet so it must be though they might kill and eat for their own reâ—â—eshing whatsoever thâ—y desired at home as is granted again in these first words yet their sacrifices they must carry to that holy place though never so farre from them or else the meaning is that when they had a purpose to offer peace-offerings and by way of thankfulnesse for some mercy to rejoyce together if the holy place were too farre from them they might having withall perhaps sent the price of redemption thither feast tâ—gether with their cattel kild for food onely they must be then sure not to eat them as holy things but even as they would eat of the roe-buck or the hart But the first resolution of this doubt I take to be the best Vers 27. And the bloud of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the Lord thy God and thou shalt eat the flesh That is the flesh of thy peace-ofâ—erings for onely the flesh of those sacrifices was eaten by the owners Lev. 7. 15. CHAP. XIII Vers 1. IF there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams Having in the former chapter given the people warning to take heed of being seduced to idolatrie by strangers of other nations here he gives them the like warning to take heed of being seduced by those that were their own brethren If saith he there arise a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams that is one that is or pretends himself to be such an one that saith he is a Prophet and that God hath appeared to him in a vision or in a dream and that among your own brethren fâ—r these words among you are added to imply that they must regard him never a whit the more because he was an Israelite since amongst them many false Prophets might and did arise 2. Pet. 2. 1. and if he giveth thee a signe or a wonder that is if to make good the truth of what he saith God hath by vision or dream revealed to him he foretells some wonderfull and supernaturall work that shall come to passe such as was the cleaving of Jeroboams altar which the Prophet told them of beforehand 1. Kings 13. 3. as a sure sigue that God had sent him and withall happely acompanieth his prediction with some outward significant action or gesture as when that false prophet Zedekiah 1. Kin. 22. 11. made horns of iron and said Thus saith the Lord With these shalt thou push the Syrians untill thou have consumed them though this signe or wonder come to passe yet if withall he shall perswade thee to
Egypt Gen. 12. 10. so Aram-Naharaim is in Greek called Mesopotamia because it lay between the rivers Vnto the citie of Nahor That is the city where Nahor dwelt so that is called Christs city wherein he dwelt Mat. 9. 1. And he entred into a shippe passed over and came into his own citie And this city here spoke of was Haran whereby it is evident that if Nahor came not to Haran with Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees as it seems he did not Gen. 11. 31. Terah took Abraham his sonne and Lot the sonne of Haran and Sarah his daughter in law his sonne Abrams wife and they went forth with them from Vr of the Chaldees c. and they came unto Haran and dwelt there yet afterwards he removed thither Vers 11. And he made his camels to kneel down That is it being now evening he caused them to lie down to rest themselves This phrase of kneeling down is used because after this manner camels use to lie down first to fall down on their knees and then to cast their bodies on the ground to rest themselves Vers 12. And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham c. It is said this was but a speaking in his heart vers 45. As for that which he now desired of God to wit that the damsel who should when he desired drink of her answer him Drink and I will give thy camels drink also might be the maid whom God had appointed to be Isaacs wife no doubt it came into his mind to desire this by the speciall instinct of Gods spirit yet he chooseth such a token as might be withall a probable signe of an ingenuous disposition in her that did it Vers 17. And the servant ran to meet her He was at the well before Rebekah came thither vers 13. Behold I stand here by the well c. but having stood a little aloof off the well till she had filled her pitcher and was going away he then ranne to meet her c. Vers 28. And the damsel ranne and told them of her mothers house these things It seems that it was the custome of those times and places for the women to dwell apart by themselves vers 67. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarahs tent Vers 29. And Laban ranne out unto the man to the well By the appointment happely both of his father Bethuel and his mother Vers 48. To take my masters brothers daughter unto his sonne For Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel the sonne of Nahor Abrahams brother and it is usuall in the Scriptures to call grandchildren sonnes and daughters Vers 49. Tell me that I may turn to the right hand or to the left That is that I may somewhere else look out for a wife for my masters sonne And thus he opposeth the right hand and the left to that right way mentioned in the former verse wherein the Lord had led him to take his masters brothers daughter unto his sonne Vers 50. Then Laban and Bethuel answered The sonne is set before the father because as it seems he spake in the name of them all his father being old and therefore it may well be not so able to return the answer We cannot speak unto thee bad or good That is we cannot speak any thing at all against it he speaks good against any thing propounded that contradicts it upon good ground he evil that speaks against an apparent good motion out of some evil affection Laban therefore in this proverbiall speech acknowledgeth that good could not be said against this motion and evil he would not speak Vers 51. Let her be thy masters sonnes wife as the Lord hath spoken That is we perceive plainly by the whole carriage of this businesse that this match is made in heaven God hath decreed that she shall be his wife and therefore God forbid that we should oppose it Let it be as the Lord hath spoken The same phrase David useth speaking of Gods decree 2. Sam. 16. 10. The Lord hath said unto him Curse David Vers 59. They sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse Whose name was Deborah Gen. 35. 8. But Deborah Rebekahs nurse died c. Vers 60. Let thy seed possesse the gate of those that hate them See the notes upon Gen. 22. 17. Thy seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies Vers 65. Therefore she took a veil and covered her face A sâ—gne of modestie as also of subjection 1. Cor. 11. 5 6 10. But every woman that prayeth or prophâ—sieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head for that is even all one as if she were shaven for if the woman be not covered let her also be shorn but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven let her be covered For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head c. Vers 67. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarahs tent and took Rebekah That is having conducted her into the tent of Sarah his deceased mother which it seems had been reserved ever since Sarahs death for Isaacs wife within some convenient time after he took her that is he was in a solemn manner after the rites of those times married to her and so she became his wife CHAP. XXV Vers 1. THen again Abraham took a wifâ— and her name was Keturah That is after Sarah was dead and that weighty businesse of his sonnes marriage dispatcht But how then doth the Apostle say that Abrahams body was dead in the hundredth year of his age for matter of begetting children if now by another he have so many children fourty years after I answer 1. By the deadnesse of his body is meant his unlikelyhood to have children in regard of great age not that it was absolutely impossible by the ordinary course of nature 2. That grace of God that strengthened him for the generation of Isaac did continue unto him this vigour of nature for many years after for farther procreation of children Indeed considering 1. that there is no mention neither of Keturah nor of her children in all the foregoing story 2. that Sarah caused Hagar and Ishmael to be cast out and therefore much lesse would have endured another 3. that when Isaac was to be sacrificed he is called Abrahams onely sâ—nne I see not how we can hold that Abraham married Keturah in Sarahs life-time Vers 6. But unto the sonnes of the concubines which Abraham had Abraham gave gifts c. That is unto the sonnes of Hagar and Kâ—turah The Hebrew word signifieth a half-wife or a divided and secondary wife and it seems by this place that not onely they were called concubines who as Hagar were taken after a man was married to be as it were partner-wives for the right of the bed though not for honour and government of the family but also second wives married after the first was dead because their children also had no right of inheritance And sent them away from
after they had bought them Lev. 25. 40 41. but otherwise they were to serve them six years as here is expressed Many learned Expositours indeed the most conceive that the seventh year wherein the Hebrew servants were to be set free was the Sabbaticall year or the year of release which was every seventh year at which time they were to set free their servants how lately soever they had bought them And if we thus understand this place then the meaning of these words is this If thou buy an Hebrew servant six years he shall serve that is six years is the utmost he shall at any time serve thee and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing that is when the seventh year the Sabbaticall year comes then however he shall go out free for nothing But 1. because where the Scripture speaks of this Sabbaticall year or year of release as in the 25. chapter of Leviticus and in the fifteenth chapter of Deuteronomie we find no expresse Law given for the setting free of servants and 2. because according to this exposition of this Law their servants could never serve them six years unlesse they were sold to be servants immediately after the end of the Sabbaticall year and it seems manifest that this clause six years he shall serve is more generall then so therefore I rather think that the setting free servants before they had served six years was the peculiar priviledge of the year of Jubile which was every fiftieth year and that the seventh year in this Law intended when they were to be set free was alwayes counted from the year when they were first sold to be servants Now the reason why the Lord would not have the Israelites serve any longer is expressed elsewhere Lev. 25. 55. to wit because they were Gods servants and so the Lord would teach them to put a difference betwixt his people and others that were not his people And though there is mention made here onely of servants bought with money yet if they became any other way servants to their brethren as by being taken in the warre when there came to be any civill warre amongst them it is probable that by the rule of Analogy this law was extended even to them also Vers 3. If he were married then his wife shall go out with him And so also by the rules of Analogy we may gather that if he brought children with him those children should also go out with him Vers 4. If his Master have given him a wife c. Here is an exception added to the former law concerning the setting free of the wife together with the husband to wit that if his Master have given him a wife in the time of his service namely one of his maidservants either an Hebrew woman or stranger both the manservant and maidservant consenting thereto and she have born him sonnes or daughters in this case the man was to be set free alone by himself and his wife and children were to continue still servants to his Master Nor yet can we hence inferre That God approved any mans forsaking his wife for doubtlesse that Law stood firm which God had established from the beginning that a man must leave all and cleave to his wife Gen. 2. 24. and that the bond of marriage should be kept alwayes inviolable What God hath joyned together let no man put asunder But for the resolving of this doubt we must consider first that in some cases this might be onely a parting with mutuall consent for a time because if his wife were a daughter of Israel bought with money she also was to be set free at the end of her six years service if the year of Jubile did not happen before Deut. 15. 12. If thy brother an Hebrew man or an Hebrew woman be sold unto thee and serve thee six years then in the seventh year thou shalt let them go free from thee and then might she return unto her husband Secondly that no man was by this law forced to leave his wife by continuing in his former service he might still enjoy her onely God takes order that when himself is set free he must not think under that pretence to deprive his Master of her that was his lawfull servant but should rather endure the inlarging of his own bondage that he might enjoy her Thirdly that this liberty given to a servant set free to go away and leave his wife behind him was not an approbation of his forsaking the wife he had taken at the most it was but a part or branch of that scope wherein this people were left to themselves for the hardnesse of their hearts as Christ saith in another case Matth. 19. 8. and fourthly That if the wife given him in the time of his service was a stranger of another nation and happely of another religion these marriages were never pleasing to God and it was his fault that he would yield to marry such a one Vers 6. Then his Master shall bring him to the judges he shall also bring him to the doore c. To wit that his Master might prove it fairly and openly that it was his servants free and voluntary act to continue with him His Master shall bore his eare through with an aul and he shall serve him for ever That is all his life time to wit unlesse the yeare of Jubile fall in the mean time for then indeed all Hebrew servants were absolutely set free together with their children Levit. 25. 40 41. Now for the boring of his eare to the doore or to the doore-post of his Masters house it was happely partly to shadow forth how blame-worthy they are that preferre not the liberty of the Gospel before the bondage of the law but doubtlesse the main reason was that his bored eare might be an evidence concerning such a servant that he had voluntarily disclaimed the priviledge that God had granted him of being set free at the end of six years service it was not so much a punishment inflicted as a mark set upon him to witnesse his consent to perpetuall service and the misery thereof And indeed a fit signe it was to signifie this The eare is the embleme of obedience because they that are obedient are willingly ready to hearken to the commands of their superiours that so they may do what is enjoyned The boring therefore of his eare was to signifie that he was now tyed to his Masters house and that as a servant he would be ready alwayes to hearken to his voice in all he should give him in charge whence is that phrase concerning the obedience of Christ Psal 40. 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine eares hast thou opened or bored through as the word in the originall signifies Vers 7. If a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant she shall not go out as the menservants do That is she shall not alwayes be tyed to six years service as the
menservants are as is made evident by some particular exceptions which are added in the following verses This course of parents selling their children is by many reckoned amongst those things which God did not approve but tolerate in this people because of the hardnesse of their hearts However Lord did here provide that in case parents constrained perhaps by extreme necessity should sell their children if it were a daughter which they sold she should not go out as the menservants do and the meaning I say is onely this that the Law concerning the setting free of such a maidservant should not be in all respects alike with that of menservants as namely because though ordinarily maidservants were to be set free also at six years end Deut. 15. 12 c. yet sometimes they were to be freed before their six years service was ended which menservants never were as appears by those cases propounded in the following verses Vers 8. If she please not her Master who hath betrothed her to himself c. That is if her Master after he hath bought heâ— betroth her to himself and afterwards dislike her and so repenting of what he hath done will not take her to be his wife which was likewise one of those things which God did tolerate in this people but not approve he must let her be redeemed that is he must not think to keep her still to be a servant or sell her to be a servant to others at least he must procure her to be redeemed either by her self or by her kindred or by some other that would take her to be his wife In which case doubtlesse order was taken by the Judges that it should be done at a very reasonable price for though the next clause may seem to imply that he was onely restrained from selling her to one that was not an Israelite To sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power yet since they might not do that to any Israelite servant whatsoever therefore by a strange nation here is meant as Calvin takes it any of another family though an Hebrew or else his selling her to a strange nation is onely expressely forbidden because the Hebrews would not buy her knowing it to be contrary to Gods law And indeed the like favour is granted to a servant whom her Master had marryed though she were not an Israelite for concerning such a one the law was Deut. 21. 14. that her Master should let her go whither she would but should not sell her and make merchandise of her because he had humbled her Vers 9. And if he have betrothed her unto his sonne he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters That is both in the matter of dowry and in all other things he shall deal with her as if she had been a freewoman Vers 10. If he take him another wife her food her rayment and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish Now another case is propounded What shall be done if a man having betrothed his servant to himself or to his sonne for both may be here understood do not in dislike cast her off but take him another wife This we must not think God approves of onely he tolerates it for the hardnesse of their hearts but in this case he provides that the true wife be not wronged Her food her raiment and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish which last clause may be meant of dowry and all other things due by marriage covenant but doubtlesse that which S t Paul calls due benevolence 1. Cor. 7. 3. is included and indeed principally if not onely intended Vers 13. If a man lie not in wait but God deliver him into his hand then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall fly To wit the altar whilest they were in the desert in Canaan both the altar and the cities of refuge also Vers 16. And he that stealeth a man and selleth him or if he be found in his hand c. This law is again repeated by Moses though in tearms somewhat different Deut. 24. 7. If a man be found stealing any of his brethren the children of Israel and maketh merchandise of him or selleth him then that thief shall dâ—e so that by comparing them together we may see first That though this place speaks generally of stealing a man yet it is meant onely of stealing those that were their brethren of Israel There was doubtlesse some punishment inflicted on those that stole servants that were strangers of another nation to wit according to the punishment of other thefts for their servants were their money but it was onely the stealing of Israelites whether men or women that was punished with death secondly That whereas it is said here He that stealeth a man and selleth him or if he be found in his hand he shall surely be put to death the meaning is not that though the manstealer had not yet sold his brother whom he had stollen but had him still in his own possession he should notwithstanding be put to death no lesse then if he had sold him for the law in Deuteronomiâ— doth plainly enough intimate that the man-stealer was onely to be put to death in case that he had sold and made merchandise of his brother whom he had stollen and indeed when the party stollen might be restored and had not yet endured the misery of being sold for a slave it is not probable that the thief was in this case to be put to death but the meaning is this that though it could not be proved against the manstealer that he had sold him yet if it could be proved that he had been in his â—and it should be taken for granted that he had sold him and he should be put to death and thirdly That the reason why this theft alone was punished with death amongst the Israâ—lites we may well conceive to have been this to wit because it was such a debasing of man made after Gods image and much more of Gods people redeemed from bondage by his outstretched arm to be sold as beasts and because the miseries which such poore wretches endured in bondage were indeed worse then death especially when they were sold to heathens of which this law was meant for they could not hope to conceal their theft if they sold them in the land of Israel where no mercy could be expected and where besides their souls were exposed to manifest peril By all which we may likewise gather what a grievous sinne it is to bring men into the worse bondage of sinne and Satan or of subjecting the conscience of Gods people to be in thraldome to men of which the Apostle speaks 1. Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Vers 17. And he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death By cursing here is not meant onely expresse imprecations when a child should wish any mischief might
it from the false exposition of the Jews who thence took unto themselves liberty for private revenge which Christ condemnes and rather enjoyns his discipiles to bear patiently any wrong done them then to be Judges and revengers in their own cause Vers 26. He shall let him go free for his eyes sake And so also for the losse of any other member the chiefest the eye and the meanest the tooth being onely expressed Vers 28. If an ox gore a man or a woman that they die then the ox shall be surely stoned c. One kind of beast most usuall amongst the Hebrews is here put for all Vers 31. Whether he have gored a sonne or have gored a daughter c. The same punishment that was allotted in the former verses for the punishment of him whose ox had killed any man or woman of grown years is here also allotted though it be onely a mans child whether sonne or daughter that is killed by such an ox Vers 32. If an ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant he shall give unto their Master thirty shekâ—ls The price at which Christ was valued who became a servant for our sakes is here appointed to be paid in liew of a servant killed Vers 33. And if a man shall open a pit c. Some conceive that this must onely be meant of pits madâ— in open and publick wayes not of those which men digged in their own private grounds And whereas there is no punishment appointed in case a child or any man or woman in the dark should fall into such a pit it is probable that this was left to the judges to be determined proportionably to that which is determined in this and the former law vers 28. 29 30. CHAP. XXII Vers 1. IF a man shall steal an ox or a sheep and kill it or sell it c. For the understanding of this law we must know first that what is here said concerning the stealing of ox or sheep must also by the rule of proportion be understood concerning any other cattel the ox and sheep being onely mentioned because they were the chief and therefore vers 4. the asse is also mentioned secondly that upon the thief that stole cattel a greater fine was set then upon him that stole other things for those that stole other things were onely allotted to pay double vers 7. but those that stole cattel were to restore fourefold or fivefold and the reason was because mens cattel being left abroad were most in danger and therefore such theft was to be restrained with the greater severity thirdly that the reason why fourefold or fivefold restitution was enjoyned in case the cattel stollen were killed or fold whereas if they were found in the hands of him that stole them he was onely to restore double vers 4. was because in him that had the cattel still with him there might seem to be some remorse or simplicity but in him that killed or sold it there seemed to be more cunning and boldnesse and besides the owner was put to the greater charge or trouble in finding it out and therefore his penalty was the greater and fourthly that the thief was to restore five oxen for an ox and but foure sheep for a sheep because the losse of an ox was the greater losse and besides the owner lost the labour of his ox and therefore was this theft to be restrained with somewhat the greater severity Vers 4. He shall restore double That is in case he hath not made away the ox or sheep c. he shall restore that which was stollen and another as good or the full value of it And indeed double restitution was the ordinary penalty of theft unlesse in the case before mentioned when they stole cattel and afterwards killed or sold them for so it is expressely said concerning those that stole other things in the seventh verse of this chapter If the thief be found let him pay double And though it be said Prov. 6. 30 31. Men do not despise a thief if he steal to satisfie his soul when he is hungry But if he be found he shall restore sevenfold yet I do not thence conclude that in the dayes of Solomon theft was more severely punished then God by his law had appointed but rather conceive that by those words he shall restore sevenfold is onely meant that he should abundantly satisfie him as the phrase is elsewhere used not for a set quantity but for the abundant doing of any thing as Psal 79. 12. Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosome their reproch wherewith they have reproched thee O Lord. Vers 5. If a man shall cause a field or a vineyard to be eaten and shall put in his beast c. Under this particular expressed all kind of hurting another mans ground is here forbidden as with trampling of cattel c. yet it is not punished as theft because it might be doâ—e unwillingly Vers 7. If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff and it be stollen c. To wit of trust and for no reward but of friendship Vers 8. If the thief be not found then the Master of the house shall be brought unto the Judges c. To wit to have it cleared either by witnesses or the oath of the party as ver 11. whose oath it was fit should be taken since the owner had trusted him with his goods whether the goods left with him were indeed as he pretended stollen from him or whether he had himself made them away Vers 9. For all manner of trespasse whether it be for ox for asse for sheep for raiment c. This is a generall law inserted concerning the power of the magistrate in deciding controversies of this kind that so it might not be repeated in every severall law As he had before ordered concerning dead things as money or stuff committed to the trust of any man if any difference did grow betwixt the owner and the party entrusted the magistrate must decide it so here he shews that in the same manner in other trespasses as if cattel were committed to a friends trust and were lost or if any thing lost by the owner were denyed by the party that found it or in any other trespasse the magistrate must still award how it shall be So that this Law doth not as the former and following Laws shew how the Judge should determine in what cases he should condemne men to pay double and in what cases he should absolve them but onely takes order that the Judge should determine such differences and as he did absolve or condemne any man to pay double so it should be he shall pay double unto his neighbour that is the party accused if found guilty and happely the party falsely accusing by virtue of that Law Deut. 19. 16 19. If a false witnesse rise up against any man to testifie against him that which is wrong Then shall ye do unto him as