were come out of the land of Egypt saying 2 * Exod. 30. 12. Take ye the sum c This is not the same muster with that Exod. 38. 26. as plainly appears because that was before the building of the Tabernacle which was built and setup on the first day of the first moneth Exod. 40. 2. but this was after it to wit on the first day of the second moneth as is said ver 1. And they were for differing ends that was to tax them for the charges of the Tabernacle but this was for other ends partly that the great number of the people might be known to the praise of Gods faithfulness in making good his promises of multiplying them and to their own comfort and encouragement partly for the better ordering of their camp and march for they were now beginning their journey and partly that this account might be compared with the other in the close of the book where we read that not one of all this vast number except Caleb and Ioshua were left alive which was an evident discovery of the mischievous nature of sin by which so vast a company were destroyed and a fair warning to all future generations to take heed of rebelling against the Lord for which their ancestours had been so dreadfully plagued even to extirpation It is true the sums and numbers agree in this and that computation which is not strange because there was not much time between the two numbrings and no eminent sin among the people in that interval whereby God was provoked to diminish their numbers Some conceive that in that number Exod. 30. and 38. the Levites were included which are here excepted ver 47. and that in that interval of time there were grown up as many more men of those years as there were Levites of the same age of all the congregation of the children of Israel d So the strangers mixed with them were not numbred after their families by the house of their fathers e The people were divided into twelve Tribes the Tribes into great Families Num. 26. 5. these great Families into lesser Families called the houses of their fathers because they were distinguished one from another by their fathers with the number of their names every male by their poll 3 From twenty years old and upward †Heb. 〈◊〉 that goith 〈◊〉 all that are able to go forth to war in Israel thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies 4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe f To inspect the work that it might be faithfully and impartially done every one head of the house of his fathers 5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you g To wit with Moses and Aaron who were the chief managers of the work of the tribe of Reuben h The Tribes are here numbred according to the order or quality of their birth first the children of Leah then of Rachel and then of the handmaids Elizur the son of Shedeur 6 Of Simeon Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai 7 Of Judah Nahshon the son of Amminadab 8 Of Issachar Nethaneel the son of Zuar 9 Of Zebulun Eliab the son of Helon 10 Of the children of Joseph of Ephraim Elishama the son of Ammihud of Manasseh Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur 11 Of Benjamin Abidan the son of Gideoni 12 Of Dan Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai 13 Of Asher Pagiel the son of Ocran 14 Of Gad Eliasaph the son of Deuel i Called Reuel Numb 2. 14. the Hebrew letters Daleth and Resh being very like and oft changed 15 Of Naphtali Ahira the son of Enan 16 These were the renowned k Heb. the named or called to wit by Moses and by Gods appointment to manage this affair and others as there was occasion Compare Numb 16. 2. and 26. 9. of the congregation princes of the tribes of their fathers heads of thousands l See Exod. 18. 21. Numb 10. 4. in Israel 17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names 18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month and they declared their pedigrees after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward by their poll 19 As the LORD commanded Moses so he numbred them in the wilderness of Sinai 20 And the children of Reuben Israels eldest son by their generations m Heb. to wit their generations i. e. the persons begotten of Reubens immediate Children who are here subdivided into families and they into houses and they into particular persons after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names by their polls every male from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 21 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Reuben were fourty and six thousand and five hundred 22 Of the children of Simeon by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers those that were numbred of them according to the number of the names by their polls every male from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 23 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Simeon were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred 24 Of the children of Gad by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 25 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Gad were fourty and five thousand six hundred and fifty 26 Of the children of Judah by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 27 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Judah were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred n Far more than any other tribe in accomplishing of Iacobs prophecy Gen. 49. 28 Of the children of Issachar by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 29 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Issachar were fifty and four thousand and four hundred 30 Of the children of Zebulun by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 31 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Zebulun were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred 32 Of the children of Joseph namely of the children of Ephraim by their generations after their families by the
the sons of Uzziel Mishael and Elzaphan and Zithri 23 And Aaron took him Elisheâ—…a daughter * Ruth 4. 19 20. 1 Chro. 2. 10 of Aminadab m A Prince of the Tribe of 〈◊〉 Numb 1. 7. and â—… 3. Marriages were not yet confined to their own Tribes and when they were the Levites seem to have had this priviledge thâ—… they might marry a daughter of any other tribe because indeed the reason of that law did not concern them there being no danger of confusion or loss of inheritance on their part And especially there were many marriages made between the Tribes of Iudah and Levi to signifie that both were united in Christ who was to be both King and Priest It is observable that Moses is here silent in his own progeny but gives a particular account of his brothers not onely from his great humility and modesty which shines forth in many other passages but because it was of more concernment and the honour of Priesthood given to Aaron was to be hereditary and peculiar to his seed and therefore it was necessary they should be exactly known whereas Moses his honour and government was onely personal and did not pass to his children Sister of Naashon to wife and she bare him * Num. 3. 2. 26. 60. 1 Chron. 6. 3. and 24. 1. Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar 24 And the sons of Korah Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph these are the families of the Korhites 25 And Eleazar Aarons son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife and * Numb 25. 11. she bare him Phinehas these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families 26 These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies n i. e. According to their numerous families which were equal to great Armies and which went out of Egypt like several Armies in military order and with great power See Exod. 12. 41 51. and 13. 18. and 14. 8. 27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt These are that Aaron and Moses 28 And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt 29 That the LORD spake unto Moses saying I am the LORD speak thou unto Pharaoh King of Egypt all that I say unto thee 30 And Moses said before the LORD Behold I am of uncircumcised lips and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me CHAP. VII 1 AND the LORD said unto Moses See I have made thee a god to Pharaoh a To represent my person to act like God by requiring his obedience to thy commands and by punishing his disobedience with such punishments as none but God can inflict to which end thou shalt have my omnipotent assistance and Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet b i. e. Thy Interpreter or spokesman as chap. 4. 16. to deliver thy commands to Pharaoh 2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh that he send c Heb. and he will send or dismiss to wit at last being forced to it Success shall attend your endeavours the children out of his land 3 And I will harden Pharaohs heart and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that I may lay my hand upon Egypt and bring forth mine armies and my people the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt * chap. 6. â—… by great judgments 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them 6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them so did they d An emphatical repetition to shew their courage in attempting to say and do such things to so great a Monarch in his own dominions and their fidelity in the execution of all Gods commands 7 And Moses was fourscore years old and Aaron fourscore and three years old when they spoke unto Pharaoh e The ages of Moses and Aaron here as of Levi and Kohath chap. 6. 16 18. and before them of Iacob and Ioseph are so exactly set down that thence we may understand the accomplishment of Gods prediction Gen. 15. 13. and the time of Israels being in Egypt 8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you saying Shew a miracle for you then thou shalt say unto Aaron f By whose hands this and other miracles were to be done and not by Moses immediately partly to take off the suspition that these miracles were wrought by some magical artifice of Moses and partly for the greater honour of Moses that he might be what God had said ver 1. a God to Pharaoh who not onely could work wonders himself but also give power to others to do so * chap. 4. 2 17. Take thy rod g The same rod is called the rod of God and of Moses and of Aaron here and ver 12. because it was appointed and as it were consecrated by God and used both by Moses and Aaron in their great works And this rod Moses ordinarily held in his hand and delivered it to Aaron upon occasion for the execution of his commands and cast it before Pharaoh and it shall become a serpent h Heb. A dragon which is a great serpent Others a Crocodile to whose jaws he had exposed the Israelitish Infants 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh and they did so as the LORD had commanded and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants and it became a serpent 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wisemen * Under which general title he seems to comprehend all who were most eminent in any sort of wisdom either natural or civil or divine who were all called to give their opinion and advice in these matters and the sorcerers now the Magicians i The same now called sorcerers who acted by the power of the Devil whom by certain rites and ceremonies they engaged to their assistance Of these the two chief were Iannes and Iambres 2 Tim. 3. 8. of Egypt they also did in like manner k In shew and appearance which was not difficult for the devil to do either by altering the air and the spectatours sight and by causing their rods both to look and move like serpents or by a sudden and secret conveyance of real serpents thither and removing the rods Nor is it strange that God permitted those delusions partly because it was a just punishment upon the Egyptians for their horrid and manifold Idolatry and barbarous cruelty towards the Israelites and their other wickedness and partly because there was a sufficient difference made between their
or commandements to wit the ten commandements so called by way of eminency for these onely were written by God upon the stony tables as appears by Exod. 34. 28. the rest were written onely by Moses in a book above ver 4. which I have written that thou mayest teach them 13 And Moses rose up and his minister Joshua g Who did not go up with Moses to the top of the mount as is sufficiently implyed both here and above ver 1 2. but abode in some lower place waiting for Moses his return as appears from Exod. 32. 17. And there Ioshua abode 40 dayes not fasting all the while but having as the rest had Manna for his meat and for his drink water out of the brook that discended out of the mount as we read Deut. 9. 21. and Moses went up into the mount of God 14 And he said unto the elders Tarry ye here for us h i. e. For me and Ioshua and here i. e. in the camp where he was when he spake these words for it was where not onely Aaron and Hur but the people might come as it here follows and therefore not upon the mount untill we come again unto you and behold Aaron and Hur i Whom Moses had made joint-commissioners to determine hard causes which were brought to them from the Elders according to the order Exod. 18. 22. Some make Aaron the Ecclesiastical head and Hur the civil head But Aaron was not authorized for Ecclesiastical matters till chap. 28. are with you if any man have any matters to do let him come unto them 15 And Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered the mount 16 And * Num. 14. 10. the glory of the LORD k i. e. The tokens of his glorious presence in the fire ver 17. Deut. 4. 36. abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered l From the eyes of the people it six dayes and the seventh day m So long God made Moses wait either to exercise his humility devotion and dependance upon God Or to prepare him by degrees for so great a work Or because this was the Sabbath day called therefore the seventh with an emphatical article And God might chuse that day for the beginning of that glorious work to put the greater honour upon it and oblige the people to a stricter observance of it So it was upon a Lords Day that St. Iohn had his Revelation delivered to him Rev. 1. 10. he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud 17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like * Deut. 4. 36. devouring fire n He saith like it for it was not devouring fire as appears by Moses his long abode in it Note here whatsoever the Elders of Israel saw before the people saw no similitude of God as Moses observes Deut. 4. 15. on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel 18 And Moses went up into the midst of the cloud o The God that called him enabling him to enter and abide there whereas when he was left to himself he could not enter into the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 35. and gat him up into the mount and Moses was in the mount forty dayes and forty nights p In which he did neither eat nor drink Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 9. 9 18. whereby it seems most probable the six days mentioned ver 16. were a part of these 40 days because Moses being in perpetual expectation of Gods call seems not to have had leasure for eating and drinking nor provision neither Besides he is not said to be in the midst of the cloud so long but onely in the mount where he was those six days ver 15 16. CHAP. XXV 1 AND the LORD spake a Having delivered the Moral and Judicial Laws he now comes to the Ceremonial Law wherein he sets down all things very minutely and particularly whereas in the other Laws he was content to lay down general rules and leaveth many other things to be by analogy deduced from them The reason of the difference seems to be this That the light of reason implanted in all men gives him greater help in the discovery of Moral and Judicial things then in Ceremonial matters or in the external way and manner of Gods Worship which is a thing depending wholly upon Gods institution and not left to mans invention which is a very incompetent Judge of those things as appears from hence because the wittiest men destitute of Gods revelation have been guilty of most foolery in their devices of Gods Worship unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel that they †Heb. take for me bring me an ‖ Or. heave offering offering * chap. 35. 5. of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering 3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them gold and silver and brass 4 And blue b Or Skie-coloured But here you must not understand the meer colours which could not be offered but some materials proper for the work and of the colours here mentioned to wit Wool or Threds or some such like things as appears from Heb. 9. 19. and from the testimony of the Jews and purple and scarlet and fine †Or silk linnen c Which was of great esteem in antient times and used by Priests and great Officers of state See Gen. 41. 42. Rev. 19. 8 14. and goats hair d Heb. Goats But that their hair is understood is apparent from the nature of the thing and from the use of the word in that sense in other places 5 And rams skins died red and badgers skins and Shittim-wood e A kind of Wood growing in Egypt and the Deserts of Arabia very durable and pretious See Exod. 35. 24. Numb 33. 49. Esa. 41. 19. Ioel 3. 18. 6 * chap 27. 20. Oyl for the light f For the Lamps or Candlesticks ver 〈◊〉 * chap. 30. 23 Spices for anointing oyl g Wherewith the Priests and the Tabernacle and the 〈◊〉 thereof were to be anointed and for * chap. 30. 3â—… sweet incense h Heb. Incense of Spices or Sweet-odors So called to distinguish it from the incense of the fat of Sacrifices which was burnt upon the Altar 7 Onyx-stones i Or Sardonyx-stones Note that the signification of the Hebrew Names of the several stones are not agreed upon by the Jews at this day and much more may we safely be ignorant of them the religious use of them being now abolished and stones to be set k Stones of fulness or filling or perfecting stones so called either because they did perfect and adorn the Ephod or because they filled up the ouches or the hollow places which were left vacant for this purpose in the * chap. 28. 4. Ephod and in the * chap. 28. 15. breast-plate l
house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 33 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Ephraim were fourty thousand and five hundred o Above 8000 more than Manasseh towards the accomplishment of that promise Gen. 48. 20. which the Devil in vam attempted to defeat by stirring up the men of Gath against them i Chron. 7. 21 22. 34 Of the children of Manasseh by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 35 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Manasseh were thirty and two thousand and two hundred 36 Of the children of Benjamin by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 37 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Benjamin were thirty and five thousand and four hundred p The smallest number except one though Benjamin had more immediate children than any of his brethren Gen. 46. 21. whereas Dan had but one immediate son Gen. 46. 23. yet now his number is the biggest but one of all the Tribes and is almost double to that of Benjamin Such great and strange changes God easily can and frequently doth make in families 1 Sam 2. 5. And therefore let none boast or please themselves too much in their numerous off-spring 38 Of the children of Dan by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 39 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Dan were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred 40 Of the children of Asher by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 41 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Asher were forty and one thousand and five hundred 42 Of the children of Naphtali throughout their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 43 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Naphtali were fifty and three thousand and four hundred 44 These are those that were numbred which Moses and Aaron numbred and the princes of Israel being twelve men each one was for the house of his fathers 45 So were all those that were numbred of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war in Israel 46 Even all they that were numbred were * Exod. 38 26. See Exod. 12. 37. chap. 26. â—…1 six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty 47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbred among them 48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses saying 49 Onely thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi q Because they were not generally to go out to war which was the thing principally eyed in this muster ver 3 20 45. but were to attend upon the service of the Tabernacle and therefore are reserved to another distinct muster Numb 3. 15. and 4. 2. c. And least this should be thought to be designed and done through Moses his ambition to give his own Tribe the preeminence he assures them it was done by Gods express command neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel 50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony r So called here and Exod. 38. 21. because it was made chiefly for the sake of the Ark of the Testimony 2 Sam. 7. 2. which is oft called the Testimony as hath been observed before and over all the vessels thereof and over all things that belong to it they shall bear the tabernacle and all the vessels thereof and they shall minister unto it and shall encamp round about the tabernacle 51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward the Levites shall take it down and when the tabernacle is to be pitched the Levites shall set it up and the stranger s The stranger elsewhere is one of another Nation here one of another Tribe one no Levite that cometh nigh t So as to do the offices mentioned ver 50. shall be put to death 52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents every man by his own camp and every man by his own standard throughout their hosts 53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony that there be no wrath u To wit from God who is very tender of his worship and will not suffer the profaners of it to go unpunished whose wrath is called simply Wrath by way of eminency as the most terrible kind of wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel and the Levites shall keep the charge x i. e. Shall suffer no stranger to approach through curiosity or any other motive of the tabernacle of testimony 54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses so did they CHAP. II. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard a Or ensign by that to which he is allotted by the following order It is manifest that there were four great Standards or Ensigns which here follow distinguished by their colours or figures or otherwise also that there were other particular Ensigns belonging to each of their Fathers Houses or Families as is here said with the ensign of their fathers house †Heb. over against far off b Partly out of reverence to God and his Worship and the portion allotted to it and partly for caution least their vicinity to it might tempt them to make too near approaches to it It is supposed they were at 2000 cubits distance from it which was the space between the people and the Ark Ios. 3. 4. and it is not improbable because the Levites encamped round about it between them and the Tabernacle about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch 3 And on the east-side toward the rising of the Sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah 4 And his host and those that were numbred of them were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred 5 And those that do pitch
they have imagined to do 7. Go to let us m i. e. The blessed Trinity See Gen. 1. 26. go down and there confound their Language n By making them forget their former Language and by putting into their minds several Languages not a distinct Language into each person but into each Family or rather into each Nation that they may not †Heb. hear understand one anothers speech o And thereby be disenabled from that mutual commerce which was altogether necessary for the carrying on of that work 8. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the Earth p Thus they brought upon themselves the very thing they seared and that more speedily and more mischievously to themselves For now they were not only divided in place but in Language too and so were unfitted for those Consederacies and Correspondencies which they mainly designed and for the mutual Comfort and Help of one another which otherwise they might in good measure have enjoyed And they left off to build the City 9. Therefore is the Name of it called ‖ That is confusion Babel because the LORD did there confound the Language of all the Earth and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the Earth 10. * Chap. 10. 32. 1 Chron. 1. 17. These are the Generations of Shem q Not all of them as appears both from the next verse and from the former Chapter but of those who were the seminary of the Church and the Progenitors of Christ. Shem was an hundred years old and begat Arphaxad two years after the Flood 11. And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years r So that he lived almost all the time of Abraham which was a singular blessing both to himself who hereby saw his Children of the tenth Generation and to the Church of God which by this means enjoyed the Counsel and Conduct of so great a Patriarch and begat Sons and Daughters 12. And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years and begat Salah 13. And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years and begat Sons and Daughters 14. And Salah lived thirty years and begat Eber. 15. And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years and begat Sons and Daughters 16. * 1 Chro. 1. 19. And Eber lived four and thirty years and begat * called Luk. 3. 35. Phalec Peleg 17. And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years s So that he was the longest liv'd of all the Patriarchs which were born after the Flood and begat Sons and Daughters 18. And Peleg lived thirty years and begat Reu. 19. And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years and begat Sons and Daughters 20. And Reu lived two and thirty years and begat * Luk 3. 35. Saruch Serug 21. And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years and begat Sons and Daughters 22. And Serug lived thirty years and begat Nahor 23. And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years and begat Sons and Daughters 24. And Nahor t The first Patriarch who fell to Idolatry lived nine and twenty years and begat * Luk. 3. 34. Thara Terah 25. And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years and begat Sons and Daughters 26. And Terah lived seventy years and * Josh. 24. 2. 1 Chro. 1. 26. begat u i. e. Began to beget as Gen. 5. 32 Abram x Who is first named in order of Dignity for which cause Shem is put before Ham and Iapheth and Moses before Aaron not in order of time which seems to be this Haran probably was the eldest because Nahor married his Daughters Nahor the second and Abram certainly was the youngest because Terah Abrams Father lived two hundred and five years ver 32. and Abram after his Fathers Death Acts 7. 4. went out of Haran when he was seventy five years old Gen. 12. 4 5. therefore he was not begotten in Terahs seventieth year when Terah began to beget his Sons as here is said but in his one hundred and thirtieth year and so there remains seventy five years precisely to Abrams departure And Sarai Harans Daughter was but ten years younger than Abram Gen. 17. 17. and therefore Haran was Abrams Elder Brother Nahor and Haran 27. Now these are the Generations of Terah Terah begat Abram Nahor and Haran And Haran begat Lot 28. And Haran died before his Father Terah y i. e. In the presence and during the Life of his Father in the Land of his Nativity in Ur of the Caldees 29. And Abram and Nahor took them Wives The Name of Abrams Wife was Sarai and the Name of Nahors Wife Milcah the Daughter of Haran z Such Marriages of Uncles and Nieces being permitted then Exod. 6. 20. as in the beginning of the World the Marriages of Brethren and Sisters were though afterwards the Church being very much enlarged they were severely forbidden Levit 18. 12 14. the Father of Milcah and the Father of Iscah a Who is either Sarai as the Jews and many others think or rather another person For 1. Why should Moses express Sarai thus darkly and doubtfully Had he meant her he would have added after Iscah this is Sarai according to his manner in like cases Gen. 14. 2 7. and 35. 6. He elsewhere calleth her the Daughter not of his Brother as he should have done had she been Iscah but of his Father by another Mother 30. But Sarai was barren she had no child b See Gen. 16. 1 2. and 18. 11 12. 31. And Terah took Abram his Son c See Ios. 24. 2. Nehem. 9. 7. 1 Chron. 1. 26. Being informed by his Son of the command of God he did not despise it because it came to him by the hands of his inferiour but chearfully obeyeth it and therefore he is so honourably mentioned as the Head and Governour of the Action and Lot the Son of Haran his sons son and Sarai his daughter in law his Son Abrams wife and they went forth with them †i. e. Terab and Abram went with Lot and Sarâ—…i as their Heads and Guides from * Neh. 9. 7. Act. 7. 4. Ur of the Caldees to go into the Land of Canaan and they came unto Haran d Called Charran Act. 7. 4. and by the Romans Carrae a place in Mesopotamia strictly so called in the way to Canaan and near to it well known by Crassus his defeat there See Gen. 24. 10. and 28. 10. and 29. 4. and dwelt e Or rested or abode being detained there for a season peradventure by Terab's disease which begun there for the next verse tells us of his death there 32. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years and Terah died in Haran CHAP. XII 1.
of the north Psal. 4â—… 2. and more specially to wit on mount Calvary which was on the North and West side of Ierusalem before the LORD and the Priests Aarons sons shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the Altar 12 And he shall cut it into his pieces with his head and his fat and the Priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar 13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water and the Priest shall bring iâ—… all and burn it upon the altar it is a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 14 And if the burnt-sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowles then he shall bring his offering of * chap. 5. â—… turtle doves or of young pigeons z These birds were appointed for the relief of the poor who could not bring better And these birds are preferred before others partly because they were easily gotten and partly because they are fit representations of Christs chastity and meekness or gentleness for which these birds are remarkable The pigeons must be young because then they are best but the turtle-doveâ—… are better when they are more grown up and therefore theâ—… are not confined to that age 15 And the Priest shall bring it unto the altar and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 off the head with the 〈◊〉 wring off a To wit from the rest of the body as sufficiently appears because this was to be burnt by it self as it here follows and the body afterwards ver 17. And whereas it is said Levit. 5. 8. he shall â—…ing his 〈◊〉 from his neck but shall not divide it 〈◊〉 that is spoken not of the burnt-offering as here out of the sin-offering in which there might be a differing 〈◊〉 his head and burn it on the altar and the blood thereof shall be wrung out †Heb. 〈◊〉 wâ—…ll at the side of the altar 16 And he shall pluck away his crop with ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his feathers b Or with its dung or filth to wit contained in the crop and in the guts and cast it beside the altar on the East-part c To wit of the Tabernacle Here the filth was cast because this was the remotest place from the Holy of Holies which was in the West-end to teach us that impure things and persons should not presume to approach to God and that they should be banished from his presence by the place of the ashes d The place where the ashes fell down and lay whence they were afterwards removed without the camp See Levit. 4. 12. and 6. 10 11. and 8. 17. 17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof but shall not divide it asunder e Shall cleave the bird thorough the whole length yet so as not to separate the one side from the other and so as there may be a wing left on each side See Gen. 15. 10. and the Priest shall burn it upon the altar upon the wood that is upon the fire it is a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD CHAP. II. 1 AND when †Heb. 〈◊〉 any will offer a meat-offering a This was of two kinds the one joyned with other offerings Numb 15. 4 7 10. which was prescribed together with the measure of proportion of it the other of whâ—…h this plaâ—… speaks was a distinct and separate offering and â—…as 〈◊〉 â—…o the offerers good will both for the thing and for the 〈◊〉 And the matter of this offering waâ—… 〈◊〉 without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corn cakes c. Now this sort of sacrifices were appointed 1. because these are things of greatest necessity and benefit to man and therefore it is meet that God should be served with them and owned and praised as the giver of them 2. in condescension to the poor that they might not want an offering for God and to shew that God would accept even the meanest services when offered to him with a sincere mind 3. these were necessary provisions for the feast which was here to be represented to God and for the use of the Priests who were to attend upon these holy ministrations unto the LORD his offering shall be of fine flour b Searched or sifted and purged from all bran it being fit that the best things should be offered to the best being and he shall pour oyl upon it c Which may note the graces of the Holy Ghost which are compared to oyl and anointing with it Psal. 45. 7. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. and which are necessary to make any offering acceptable to God and put frankincense thereon d Which manifestly designed Christs satisfaction and intercession which is compared to a sweet odour Eph. 5. 2. and to incense Rev. 8. 3. 2 And he shall bring it to Aarons sons the Priests and he e i. e. That Priest to whom he brought it and who is appointed to offer it shall take thereout his handfull of the flour thereof and of the oyl thereof with all the frankincense thereof * chap. 5. 12. 6. 15. and the Priest shall burn the memorial of it f That part thus selected and offered which is called a memorial either 1. to the offerer who by offering this part is minded that the whole of that he brought and of all which he hath of that kind is Gods to whom this part was paid as a quit-rent or acknowledgment Or 2. to God whom to speak after the manner of men this did put in mind of his gracious covenant and promises of favour and acceptance of the offerer and his offering See Exod. 30. 16. Levit. 6. 15. Numb 5. 26. upon the altar to be an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 3 And * chap. 7. 6. Eccl. 7. â—…1 the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aarons and his sons ‖ To be eaten by them Levit. 6. 16. it is a * Num. 18. 9. thing most holy g i. e. Most holy or such as were to be eaten onely by the Priests and that onely in the holy place near the Altar See Levit. 6. 26. and 7. 6 9. and 21. 22. of the offerings of the LORD made by fire 4 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the oven h Made in the Sanctuary for that use as may seem from 1 Chron. 23. 28 29. Ezek. 46. 20. it shall be an unleavened cake of fine flour mingled with oyl or unleavened wafers anointed with oyl 5 And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken ‖ Or on a flat plate or slice in a pan it shall be of fine flour unleavened mingled with oyl 6 Thou shalt part it in pieces i Because part of it was offered to God and part given to the Priest and pour oyl thereon it is a meat-offering 7 And if thy oblation
which the LORD commanded that ye should do and the glory of the LORD h The glorious manifestation of Gods powerful and gracious presence ver 24. Compare Exod. 24. 16 17. â—…nd 40. 34 35. Ezek. 43. 2. shall appear unto you 7 And Moses said unto Aaron Go unto the altar and * Heb. 5. 3. offer i Moses had hitherto sacrificed but now he resigneth his work to Aaron and actually gives him that commission which from God he had received for him thy sin offering and thy burnt-offering and make an atonement for thy self and for the people k The order is very observable first for thy self otherwise thou art unfit to do it for the people Hereby God would teach us both the deficiency of this Priesthood and the absolute necessity of an higher and better Priest Heb. 7. 26 27. and how important and needful it is that Gods Ministers should be in the grace and favour of God themselves that their ministrations may be acceptable to God and profitable to the people and offer the offering of the people and make an atonement for them as the LORD commanded 8 Aaron therefore went unto the altar and slew the calf of the sin offering which was for himself 9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him and he dipt his finger in the blood and put it upon the horns of the altar l To wit of burnt-offerings of which alone he speaks both in the foregoing and following words and the blood was poured out at the bottom of this altar onely not of the altar of incense as appears from Lev. 4. 7. where indeed there is mention of putting some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense in this case of the Priests sacrificing for his own sins But there seems to be a double difference 1. that sacrifice was offered for some particular sin this for his sins indefinitely 2. there he is supposed to be compleat in his office and here he is but entring into his office and therefore must prepare and sanctify himself by this offering upon the brazen Altar in the court before he can be admitted into the holy place where the Altar of incense was And the like is to be said for the difference between the sin-offering for the people here and Lev. 4. 17 18. and poureâ—… out the blood at the bottom of the altar 10 But the fat and the kidneys and the cawle above the liver of the sin offering he burnt m Either 1. disposed it for the burning i. e. laid it upon the altar where it was to be burnt by the heavenly fire ver 24. Thus Interpreters generally understand the word here as also ver 13 17 20. by an anticipation or the consequent is put for the antecedent of which there are examples in Scripture Or 2. properly burnt by ordinary fire which was used and allowed until the fire came down from heaven ver 24. though afterwards it was forbidden And if it had not been allowed otherwise yet this being done by Aaron at the command of Moses and consequently with Gods approbation it was unquestionably lawful And therefore there seems to be no necessity of departing from the proper sence of the word Adde to this that there is nothing said to be consumed by that heavenly fire but the burnt-offering with the fat belonging to it namely that burnt-offering mentioned ver 16. which therefore is not there said to be burnt as it is said of the other burnt-offering ver 13. and of the rest of the sacrifices in their places upon the altar * chap. 4. 8. as the LORD commanded Moses 11 And * chap. 4. 11. the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp 12 And he slew the burnt-offering and Aarons sons presented unto him the blood which he sprinkled round about upon the altar 13 And they presented the burnt-offering unto him with the pieces thereof and the head and he burnt them upon the altar 14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs and burnt them upon the burnt-offering on the altar 15 And he brought the peoples offering n Which was to be offered for the people as the former was for himself ver 7. and took the goat which was the sin offering for the people and slew it and offered it for sin as the first o To wit in like manner as he did that for the Priest ver 8. and consequently burnt this as he did the other ver 11. for which Moses reproves him Lev. 10. 17. 16 And he brought the burnt-offering p Which also was offered for the people as the last mentioned sin-offering was and offered it * chap. 1. 3 10. according to the ‖ Or ordinance manner 17 And he brought the * chap. 2. 1 2. meat-offering q Which was always to be added to the burnt-offering See Levit. 6. and †Heb. filled his band out of it took an handful thereof and burnt it upon the altar * Exod. 29. 38. besides the burnt-sacrifice of the morning r Which was to be first offered every morning for God will not have his ordinary and stated service swallowed up by extraordinary 18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for * chap. 3. 1. a sacrifice of peace-offerings which was for the people and Aarons sons presented unto him the blood which he sprinkled upon the altar round about 19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram the rump and that which covereth the inwards s The fat which covereth the inwards or the guts Which words are here understood as appears by comparing this place with Levit. 3. 3 9. and 4. 8. and 7. 3. where they are expressed and the kidneys and the caul above the liver 20 And they put the fat upon the breasts t Which were reserved for the Priest out of the peace-offerings which were offered for the people See Levit. 7. 30 31 34. and he burnt the fat upon the altar 21 And the brests and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a * Exod. 29 24 28. wave-offering before the LORD as Moses commanded 22 And Aaron lift up his hand u His right hand which the Iews say was lifted up highest or his hands according to the other reading which was the usual rite of blessing See Luk. 24. 50. By this posture he signified both whence he expected the blessing and his hearty desire of it for them towards the people and blessed them x In some such manner as is related Numb 6. 24 c. though not in the same form as some suppose for it is not probable that he used it before God delivered it And this blessing was an act of his Priestly office no less than sacrificing See Gen. 14. 18 19. Numb 6. 23. Deut. 10. 8. and 21. 5. Luk. 24. 50. and came down y To wit from the altar whence he
the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai and they had no children and Eleazar and Ithamar ministred in the priests office in the sight of Aaron d In the time of Aarons life as this phrase is taken Nâ—…ab â—… 4. See also Psal. 72. 5 17. and under their fathers inspection and direction and as their fathers servants or ministers in the Priests-office for servants are oft described by this phrase of being or standing or 〈◊〉 in the sight or 〈◊〉 of their master their father 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 6 Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them e Offer them to the Lord for his special service This was promised to them before and now actually conferred upon them before Aaron the priest that they may minister unto him 7 And they shall keep his charge f i. e. Aarons charge or those things which are committed principally to Aarons care and oversight and under him and his direction to the Levites and the charge of the whole congregation g i. e. Of all the sacrifices and services which were due to the Lord from all the people and because all the people could not and might not perform them or at least diverse of them in their own persons therefore they were to be performed by some particular persons in their name and stead formerly by the first-born Numb 8. 16. and now by the Levites See Numb 1. 53. and 16. 9. before the tabernacle h Emphatically not within the Tabernacle for the care of these things within the holy place was appropriated to the Priests as the care of the most holy place was peculiar to the High-priest of the congregation to do the service of the tabernacle 8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation and the charge of the children of Israel i Those things which all the children of Israel are in their several places and stations obliged to take care of though not in their persons yet by others in their stead to do the service of the tabernacle 9 And * chap. 8. 19. thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons they are †Heb. 〈◊〉 giveâ—… wholly given unto him k To attend upon him and observe his orders and case him of part of his burden in things hereafter mentioned out of the children of Israel 10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons and they shall wait on their priests office l In their own persons not by the Levites and the stranger m i. e. Every one who is of another family than Aarons yea though he be a Levite See Numb 1. 53. and 16. 40. that cometh nigh n To wit to execute any part of the Priest office shall be put to death 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 12 And I behold * chap. 8. 16 and 18. 6. I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born n Who were Gods propriety by right of Redemption Exod. 13. 12. and to whom the administration of holy things was formerly committed which now was taken away from them either because they had forfeited this priviledge by joyning with the rest of their brethren in the idolatrous worship of the calf or because they were to be mainly concerned in the distribution and management of the inheritances which now they were going to possess and therefore could not be at leisure to attend upon the service of the Sanctuaâ—…y Which made it fit that this work should be committed to other hands And God would not commit it to some other persons in each Tribe which might be an occasion of Idolatry confusion division and contempt of sacred things but to one distinct Tribe which might be intirely devoted to that service and particularly to the Tribe of Levi partly out of his respect to Moses and Aaron branches of this Tribe partly as a recompence of their zeal for God and against Idolaters See Exod. 32. 25 29. Deut. 33. 9. and partly because it was the smallest of the Tribes and therefore most likely to find both employment in and maintenance for the work that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel therefore the Levites shall be mine 13 Because * Exod. 13. 2. Lev. 27. 26. chap. 8. 16. Luk. 2. 23. all the first-born are mine * Exod. 13. 12 15. for on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the first-born in Israel both man and beast mine they shall be I am the LORD o Who may appoint whom I please for my service 14 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai saying 15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers by their families every male from a month old p Because at that time the first-born in whose stead the Levites came Numb 8. 16. were offered to God Luk. 2. 22. and to be redeemed Numb 18. 16. And from that time the Levites were consecrated to God and were as soon as they were capable to be instructed in their work Elsewhere they are numbred from twenty five years old when they were entred as novices to part of their work Numb 8. 24. and from thirty years old when they were compleatly admitted to their whole office and upward shalt thou number them 16 And Moses numbred them according to the †Heb. mouth word of the LORD as he was commanded 17 * Gen. 46. 11. Exod. 6. 16. chap. 26. 57. 1 Chron. 6. 1 2. and 23. 6. And these were the sons of Levi by their names Gershon and Kohath and Merari 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families Libni and Shimei 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families Amram and Izhar Hebron and Uzziel 20 And the sons of Merari by their families Mahli and Mushi these are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers 21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnite and the family of the Shimite these are the families of the Gershonite 22 Those that were numbred of them according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward even those that were numbred of them were seven thousand and five hundred 23 The families of the Gershonite shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward 24 And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonite shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael 25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the * Exod. 25. 9. tabernacle q Not the boards which belonged to Merari ver 36. but the ten curtains mentioned Exod. 26. 1. and the * Exod. 26. 1. tent r To wit the curtains of goats hair * Exod. 26. 7. 14. the covering thereof s i. e. The coverings of
oâ—…n fancies before my commands and to live onely by present sight or sence and not at all by faith in my promises 40 That ye may remember and do all my commandments and be holy unto your God 41 I am the LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God I am the LORD your God m Though I am justly displeased with you for your frequent and horrid rebellions for which also I will keep you 40 years in the wilderness yet I will not utterly cast you off but will continue to be your God to preserve and provide for you there and after that time to bring you into Canaan CHAP. XVI 1 NOW * chap. 27. 3. Jude 11. Korah a The first and chief authour of this rebellion ver 21. Iude ver 11. the son of Izhar b Amrams brother Exod. 6. 18. therefore Moses and he were cousen germans Moreover Izhar was the second son of Kohath whereas Elizaphan whom Moses had preferred before him and made prince or ruler of the Kohathites Numb 3. 30. was the son of Uzziel the fourth son of Kohath This the Iewish writers say made him malecontent which at last broke forth into sedition the son of Kohath the son of Levi and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab and On the son of Peleth sons of Reuben c These are drawn into confederacy with Korah partly because they were his next neighbours both being encamped on the south-side and therefore could easily communicate counsels partly in hopes to recover their rights of primogeniture in which the Priesthood was comprehended which was given away from their father took men d To wit those 250 mentioned ver 2. In the Hebrew there is nothing but took and the Hebrew words are placed and may well be rendred thus Now Korah took both Dathan and Abiram c. or took Dathan c. the particle Vau being here superfluous as it is Gen. 8. 6. and elsewhere 2 And they e i. e. Korah Dathan and Abiram last mentioned rose up f i. e. Conspired together and put their seditious design in execution before Moses g Not privily and obscurely but openly and boldly not fearing nor regarding the presence of Moses who was an eye-witness of their conspiracy with certain of the children of Israel two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly * chap. 26. 9. Ruth 4. 11. 14. famous h For place and birth in the congregation men of renown 3 And * Psal. 106. 16. they i i. e. Either Korah and the 250 Princes which may seem probable by comparing this with ver 12 25 27. where we find Dathan and Abiram in another place even in their tents whither it is likely they were gone by consent to form and strengthen their party there while Korah and the rest went to Moses Or Korah Dathan and Abiram and the rest who were all together when Moses spake those words ver 5 6 7. but after that Dathan and Abiram retired to their tents and then Moses sent for Korah and the Levites who had more special and more colourable pretences to the Priesthood and treats with them apart and speaks what is mentioned ver 8 9 10 11. and then having dispatched them he sends for Dathan and Abiram ver 12. that he might reason the case with them also apart gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron k Against Aaron to whom the Priesthood was confined and against Moses both because this was done by his order and because before Aarons consecration Moses appropriated it to himself For whatever they intended they seem not now directly to strike at Moses for his supreme civil government but onely for his interest and influence in the disposal of the Priesthood as may appear by the whole context and particularly by ver 5 10 15 c. and said unto them †Heb. it is much for you ye take too much upon you l By perpetuating the Priesthood in your selves and family with the exclusion of all others from it seeing all the congregation are holy m A kingdom of Priests an holy nation as they are called Exod. 19. 6. a people separated to the service of God and therefore no less fit to present themselves before God and to offer sacrifice and incense for themselves than you are every one of them and the LORD is among them n By his Tabernacle and cloud the tokens of his special and gracious presence and therefore ready to receive all their sacrifices and services from their own hands wherefore then lift ye up your selves o Thou Moses by prescribing what laws thou pleasest about the Priesthood and confining it to thy brother and thou Aaron by usurping it as thy peculiar priviledge above the congregation of the LORD 4 And when Moses heard it he fell upon his 〈◊〉 p Humbly begging that God would direct him and defend and vindicate him from this false and odious imputation See Numb 14. 5. Accordingly God answers his prayers and inspires him with this following answer to Korah and strengthens him with new courage and confidence of good success 5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company saying Even to morrow q Heb. In the morning the time appointed by men for administring justice Psal. 101. 8. Ier. 21. 12. and chosen by God for that work Psal. 73. 14. Isa. 47. 11. Zeph. 3. 5. Some time is allowed partly that Korah and his company might prepare themselves and their censers and partly to give them space for consideration and repentance the LORD will shew who are his and who is holy and will cause him r Or and whom he will cause to come near unto him s i. e. To serve him in the Priesthood even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him t i. e. He will by some evident and miraculous token declare his approbation of him and his ministery 6 This do take ye censers u Since ye will be Priests take your censers and act as Priests at your peril Korah and all his company 7 And put fire therein and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose x i. e. Declare his choice and appointment of them for that work he shall be holy ye take too much upon you ye sons of Levi. 8 And Moses said unto Korah Hear I pray you ye sons of Levi y Consider what I say before it be too late and repent of your great wickedness 9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you near to himself z Nearer than the other Tribes though not so near as the Priests to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before
Sacred Treasures for future Occasions there being mention of the great treasures left by David even in other Authors But some Learned Men make these Talents far less than those in Moses his Time and they conceive that as there were two sorts of Shekels both of Gold and Silver the common and the sacred Shekel whereof the latter is commonly thought to be double to the former so also there were Talents of divers kinds and values For the Hebrew word kikkar which is rendred a Talent properly signifies onely a Mass or a Piece as it is used Exod. 29. 23. 1 Sam. 2. 36. Zech. 5. 7. So it may indifferently denote either a greater or a lesser Piece And this is certain and observed by two Ancient and most Learned Writers 〈◊〉 and Pollux and by others that a Talent among the Greeks and Romans sometimes notes but a small quantity and that a Talent of Gold contains onely six Drams And Homer in his Ileads amongst other things of no great value which are propounded as Rewards to the Conqueror at a solemn and publick Exercise a Bondwoman an Horse and a Pot mentions two Talents of Gold which plainly shews that in his Time which was after the building of this Temple Talents of Gold were very far Inferiour in quantity and price to what they had been in former Ages And Iosephus a Iew and therefore the more Competent Judge of these things speaking of this very thing for 100000 Talents of Gold here mentioned he puts 10000 and for 1000000 Talents of Silver he puts 100000 either because the Talents in Moses his time were of ten times more Bulk and Price than in Davids and Solomons time and therefore these Talents reduced to them amounted to no greater Sum or because he read so in his Copy of the Hebrew Bible And certainly it is infinitely more tolerable and reasonable to suppose that there is a mistake here in the generality of the present Copies of the Hebrew Bible through the Errour of the Scribe which being onely in a numeral and historical Passage might happen without Impeachment to the Care of Gods Providence which hath so miraculously preserved all the most Important and Substantial parts of Scripture as hath been formerly said than upon such Pretences to deny the Truth and Divine Original and Authority of the Holy Scriptures Add to this that all the Gold then used was not of equal worth and purity as appears both by the special Commendation given to some sorts of Gold in divers parts of Scripture and particularly by the Difference observed in this very History between the Gold and Gold which David gave for this use whereof one little part being distinctively called pure Gold and refined Gold 1 Chron. 28. 17 18. it is sufficiently implied that all the rest of the Gold was not refined nor pure which might greatly diminish the Worth of it for in what degree it was impure or allayed with other things in those Times and Places we cannot know at this Distance And therefore we cannot make a true Estimate what those Talents of Gold did amount to in our Value and a thousand thousand talents of silver p Just as much in Silver as in Gold for this is known and agreed that the Proportion of Gold to Silver is Ten to One. and of brass and iron without * As 〈◊〉 3. weight for it is in abundance timber also and stone have I prepared and thou mayest add thereto 15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance hewers and ‖ That is ma sons and carpenters workers of stone and timber and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work 16 Of the gold the silver and the brass and the iron there is no number Arise therefore and be doing q To wit when thou shalt come to the Throne in my stead and the LORD be with thee 17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son saying 18 Is not the LORD your God with you and hath he not given you rest on every side for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand and the land is subdued before the LORD and before his people r Either 1. It is brought under the Command of God and of you his People all the Enemies of God and of Israel in it or near it being now perfectly subdued Or 2. It is really subdued whereof both God and your own Eyes are Witnesses 19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God arise therefore and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD CHAP. XXIII 1 SO when David was old and full of days he made * 1 Kin. 1. 33. 39. Ch. 28. 5. Solomon his son king over Israel a Not that he did resign the Kingdom to him but that he declared his Mind concerning his Succession into the Throne after his death As David himself is called King 1 Sam. 16. 1. because he was appointed and anointed to be King after Sauls death though till then he was onely a Subiect 2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel with the priests and the Levites b Partly to declare Gods Mind and his own Will that Solomon should be his Successor and so to cut off the Claims and Pretences which others of his Sons might make to the Crown and partly to acquaint them with those Directions which he had received from God by the Spirit as appears from ch 28. 11 c. concerning the Establishment of a new Order and Method in the Ministration of the Priests and Levites in the Temple 3 Now the Levites were numbred from the age of * Numb 4. 3. thirty years and upward c Not onely till fifty as it was appointed Num. 4. 2 3. but even till their Death For that was but a Temporary Law grounded upon a special Reason because the Levites were employed in carrying the Tabernacle and Sacred Vessels from place to place and therefore God would have them freed from those Burdens when they came to feel the Infirmities of Age Which Reason wholly ceasing upon the Building of the Temple and their Work being far easier than it had been and their Service being more a Priviledge than a Burden their time of Service is justly and fitly prolonged and their numbers by their polls man by man was thirty and eight thousand 4 Of which twenty and four thousand were ‖ Or or to oversee to set forward the work of the house of the LORD d i. e. To take care that all the Work of the Temple about Sacrifices and other Parts or Means of Gods Service should be punctually and diligently performed either by themselves or others Which they were not to do all at once but by Courses 1000 at a
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
Israel to put his Name there and his mothers name was Naamah an Ammonitess 14 And he did evil because he ‖ Or fixed 1 Sam. 7. 3. prepared not k Or directed nâ—…t or settled not c. i. e. Although he humbled himself and seemed penitent for a season and professed the True Religion and Worship of God yet he quickly relapsed into his former Sins because he was not sincere nor serious in his Actions and his Heart was not right with God his heart to seek the LORD 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam first and last are they not written in the †Heb. words book of Shemajah the prophet and of Iddo the seer concerning genea logies l In an Historical Account written by him of the Genealogies and Actions of the Kings of Judah And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam conâ—…inually 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David and Abijah his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XIII 1 NOw * 1 Kiâ—… 〈◊〉 c. in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem his mothers name also was Micajah the daughter of Uriel a Called Maachah the Daughter of Absalom 1 King 15. 2. She might be Daughter to one and Grand-daughter to the other or the proper and natural Daughter of the one and the others by Adoption of which there are Instances in Scripture or the same Person might be called Uriel and Absalom See 1 King 15. 2. of Gibeah and there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam 3 And Abijah †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set the battel in aray c Against Jeroboam We need not scrupulously enquire into the Lawfulness of this War for this Abijah though here he makes a fair Flourish and maintained the better Cause yet was indeed an Ungodly Man 1 King 15. 3. and therefore minded not the satisfaction of his Conscience but onely the Recovery of his Parents Ancient Dominions with an army of valiant men of war even four hundred thousand chosen men Jeroboam also set the battel in aray against him with eight hundred thousand men being mighty men of valour 4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim d Some commodious Place whence his Voice might be heard by Jeroboam and some of his Host who possibly were pitched in the Valley Or the two Armies being pitched near to one another Abijah might desire a Parly before they fought whereupon Jeroboam and some of his Commanders and Souldiers might draw near to him and stand below him at the bottom of the Hill where they might hear his Speech which Jeroboam was the more willing to do that in the mean time he might cause an Ambushment to come behind Abijah and his Army as he did v. 13. whilest he was quietly standing before them and seemed to hearken to any Terms of Accommodation which might be offered which is in mount Ephraim and said Hear me thou Jeroboam and all Israel 5 Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt e i. e. By a perpetual Covenant which thy â—…surpation cannot disanul For the Phrase see on Numb 18. 19. 6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of Solomon the son of David is risen up and hath * 1 〈◊〉 rebelled against his lord 7 And there are gathered unto him vain men the children of Belial f Such as have cast off the Yoke and Obedience which they owed both to God and to their King and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young g Not in Age for he was then 41 years old but in his Kingdom which he had but newly obtained and in Experience in Politick and especially in Military Affairs to which he was wholly a Stranger as having been born and bred up in a time of great Peace and Security and tender-hearted h i. e. Cowardly and fearful who durst not adventure to chastise the Rebels as he should have done But herein Abijah forgets his Duty both to his Father whom he falsely traduceth and to God by whose Express Command Rehoboam was restrained from the War against Israel which otherwise he had both Courage and Resolution to prosecute as appears from the History 1 King 12. 21. and could not withstand them 8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David i That Kingdom which was not set up by Vain Men in pursuance of their own Ambition and Discontent as yours was but ordained and established by God himself in the House of David and ye be a great multitude k Or because that Hebrew Particle being oft so used ye be c. This he mentions partly as the ground of their Confidence that they had more Triâ—…es and a greater Host and partly as a Presâ—…ge of their Downfal which trusting â—…o the Arm of Flesh is and there are with you golden calâ—…es l Or but there are c. There is that among you which may damp your Courage and Confidence You worship those Images which God aâ—…hors and severely forbids which Jeroboam * 1 Kiâ—… 〈◊〉 made you for gods m Or for God as that plural word is most commonly used i. e. instead of God to give them the Name of God as Exod. 32. 4. and that worship which is peculiar to him 9 * 〈◊〉 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD the sons of Aaron and the Levites and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands so that whosoeveâ—… cometh †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consecrate himself n i. e. To make himself a Priest See on Levit. 7. 37. with a young bullock and seven rams the same may be a priest of them that are no gods o That have nothing of the Nature or Power though you give them the Name of gods 10 But as for us the LORD p Heb. Iehovah the onely true and great God is our God and we have not forsaken him q We maintain his Honour and Worship which you have ungratefully rejected and the priests which minister unto the LORD are the sons of Aaron and the Levites wait upon their business 11 * 〈◊〉 And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew-bread also set they in order upon the pure table r So called because it was made of pure Gold Exod. 25. 23 24. and the candlestick of gold s He saith Table and Candlestick though there were ten of each 〈◊〉 4. 7 8. either 1. because Shishak had carried away all but onâ—… Or 2. the singular number is put for the plural as 1 King 7. 48. and oft
that time when multitudes were made Christs willing people by the preaching of the Apostles as we read Acts 2. 3. 4. 5 c. And for the second clause it is to be understood thus thou hast or as it is in the Hebrew to thee is the dew of thy youth or of thy childhood for the word jeled from which this is derived signifies sometimes a young man and sometimes a child or infant By youth or childhood he here seems to understand those young men or children which shall be born to the Messias who are called his children Heb. 2. 13. and his seed Isa. 53. 10. wherein possibly there might be an allusion to this dew Thus the abstract is here put for the concrete which is very frequent in the Hebrew Tongue as Circumcision and Uncircumcision are put for the circumcised and the uncircumcised c. And even in the Latine Tongue this very word youth is oft used for a young man or for a company of young men By the dew of youth he means youth or young men like dew the note of similitude being oft understood And this progeny of Christ is compared to the dew partly because of their great multitude being like drops of dew innumerable and covering the whole face of the earth see 2 Sam. 17. 12. and partly because of the strange manner of their generation which like that of the dew is done suddenly and secretly and not perceived till it be accomplished and to the admiration of those that behold it of which see Isa. 49. 21. Or 2. joyntly as one entire sentence The dew of thy youth i. e. Thy posterity which is like the dew as was noted and explained before is as the dew which may very well be understood out of the foregoing clause as the word feet is understood in like manner Psal. 18. 33. He maketh my feet like hinds feet of or from the womb of the morning it is like the morning dew as it is called both in Scripture as Hos. 6. 4. and in other Authors Not is it strange that a womb is ascribed to the morning seeing we read of the womb of the Sea and of the womb of the â—…oe and frost Job 38. 8 28 29. 4 The LORD hath sworn t Which he did not in the Aaronical Priesthood Heb. 7. 21. but did it here partly because the thing was new and strange and might seem incredible because God had already erected another and that an everlasting Priesthood Numb 25. 13. and given it to Aaron and his posterity for ever and therefore this needed all possible assurance and partly that this Priesthood might be established upon better promises as is said Heb. 8. 6. and made sure and irrevocable and such that God neither could nor would repent of it as it follows and therefore will not repent * Heb. 5. 6. 7. 17 21. Thou art u To wit by my order and constitution thou shalt be so and I do hereby make thee so a priest x As well as a King Those Offices which were divided before between two families are both united and invested in thee both being absolutely necessary for the discharge of thine Office and for the establishment of thy Kingdom which is of another kind than the Kingdoms of the World spiritual and heavenly and therefore needs such a King as is also a Minister of holy things This word plainly discovers that this Psalm cannot be understood of David as some of the Jews would have it but onely of the Messias And although this word Cohen be sometimes used of a Prince or great Person in the State as the Jews object yet it cannot be so understood here partly because it signifies a Priest in Gen. 14. 18. from whence this expression is borrowed partly because that word is never used of a Soveraign Prince or King such as the Jews confess the Messias to be but onely of inferiour Princes or Ministers of State as Gen. 41. 45. 2 Sam. 8. ult partly because such an inconsiderable assertion would never have been ushered in by so solemn an oath especially after far greater things had been said of him in the same kind v. 1 2 3. and partly because the Messias is called a Priest Zach. 6. 13. compare Ier. 20. 21. 35. 15 18. for ever y Not to be interrupted or translated to another person as the Priesthood of Aaron was upon the death of the Priest but to be continued to thee for ever after the order of Melchizedek z Or after the manner c. so as he was a Priest and also a King and both without any successor and without end in the sence intended Heb. 7. 3. 5 The Lord a Either 1. God the Father whose words and oath he last mentioned v. 4. So this is an Apostrophe of the Psalmist to Christ Thy God and Father is at thy right hand to wit to defend and assist thee as that phrase is used Psal. 16. 8. 109. 31. and elsewhere See the Notes on v. 1. And he to wit God the Father shall strike c. as it follows Although this latter clause may belong to the Messias and as in the former he spake to him so in this he speaketh of him such changes of persons being very frequent in this Book Or 2. God the Son or the Lord who is at thy right hand as was said before v. 1. shall strike c. So this is an Apostrophe to God the Father concerning his Son This seems best to agree with the following verses for it is evident that it is the same person who strikes thorow Kings and judgeth among the heathen and filleth c. And so this whole verse and those which follow speak of one person which seems most probable at thy right hand shall strike thorow kings b Shall mortally wound and destroy all those Kings and Potentates who are obstinate enemies to him and to his Church in the day of his wrath c In the day of battel when he shall contend with them and pour forth the flouds of his wrath upon them 6 He shall judge d Either 1. conquer and govern them or rather 2. condemn and punish them as it is explained in the following clauses and as this word is used Gen. 15. 14. Rom. 2. 1 2. 1 Pet. 4. 6. and elsewhere among the heathen he shall fill the places d Or the place of battel which is necessarily supposed in the fight and therefore may very well be understood with the dead bodies e Of his enemies slain by his hand and lying in the field in great numbers and heaps and that unburied to their greater infamy he shall wound the heads f Heb. the head Which may be understood either 1. of some one person and eminent adversary of Christ and of his Kingdom either the Devil by comparing this with Gen. 3. 15. Heb. 2. 14. who was indeed the Head or
of humane policy in the conduct of Personal and Domestical and Publick Affairs this sore travel i This difficult and toilsom work of searching out these things hath God given to the sons of man k God hath inflicted this as a just punishment upon Man for his eating of the Tree of Knowledge that instead of that sweet and perfect knowledge which God had freely infused into Man at his first Creation he should now grope after some small parcels or fragments of it and those too not to be gotteâ—… without the sweat of his brows and brains ‖ Or to afflict thâ—…n to be exercised therewith l To employ themselves in the painful study of these things which now is both their duty and their punishment Or as it is rendred in the margent and by many others to afflict them in or by it to chastise their former curiosity and to give them matter of continual humiliation and vexation And therefore knowledge is so far from making men happy that it exposeth them to trouble and infelicity 14 I have seen m i. e. Diligently observed and in great measure understood all the works that are done under the sun and behold n For it was a great surprise to me and therefore may seem strange to you all is vanity and vexation of spirit o And not only unsatisfying but also troublesom and an affliction or breaking to a mans spirit or mind Or as others both ancient and modern Translators render it a feeding upon wind as these very words save only that there is the verb from which this noun seems most probably deduced are rendred Hos. 12. 1. where also it signifies a fruitless or lost labour and a disappointment of their hopes and desires of satisfaction And so this is arepetition of the same thing in other words according to the manner of these Books 15 * 〈◊〉 13. That which is crooked cannot be made streight p All our knowledg serves only to discover our diseases and miseries but is oâ—…t it self utterly insufficient to heal or remove them it cannot rectify those confusions and disorders which are either in our own Hearts and Lives or in the men and things of the world and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is wanting q To wit in our knowledg and in order to mans compleat satisfaction and felicity cannot be numbred r We know little of what we should or might know or did know in the state of Innocency or shall know in the future Life 16 I communed with mine own heart s I considered within my self in what condition I was and what degrees of knowledg I had gained and whether it was not my ignorance that made me unable to rectifie those errours and supply those wants and wiser Men could do it though I could not saying Lo I am come to great estate t Heb. I am grown great to wit in Wisdom Or I have magnified or greatly enlarged and have gotten u Heb. have added As I had a large stock of Wisdom insused into me by God 1 King 3. 12. 4. 29. so I have greatly improved it by Conversation and Study and Experience * 〈◊〉 4. 30. 〈◊〉 7 23. more wisdom than all they that have been before me x Whether Governours or Priests or private Persons Which was no vain boast but a known and confessed truth and profession hereof was necessary to demonstrate his assertion in Jerusalem y Which was then the most eminent place in the World for Wisdom and Knowledg yea my heart †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had great experience z Heb. had seen much which intimates that his Knowledg was clear and certain and experimental as that is which we have from our own eye-sight of wisdom and knowledg a Two words signifying the same thing as may be gathered from v. 18. and from the promiscuous use of them in this Book and in the Proverbs and elsewhere and implying all manner of knowledge divine or humane speculative or practical political or philosophical 17 * 〈◊〉 2. 12. 〈◊〉 23. 25. And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly b That I might throughly understand the nature and difference of Truth and Errour of Virtue and Vice all things being best understood by contraries and might discern if there were any opinion or practice amongst Men which would give him full satisfaction I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit c Or feeding upon wind as v. 14. 18 For in much wisdom is much ‖ Or indignation grief d Or indignation or displeasure within himself and against his present condition and he that encreaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow e Which he doth many ways partly because he gets his knowledg with hard and wearisom labour both of Mind and Body with the consumption of his Spirits and shortning and imbitterment of his Life partly because he is oft deceived with knowledg falsly so called and oft mistakes Errours for Truths and is perplexed with manifold doubts from which ignorant Men are wholly free partly because he foresees and consequently feels the terrour of many miseries which are or are likely to come to pass which are unobserved by less knowing persons and which possibly never happen partly because he hath the clearer prospect into and quicker sense of his own Ignorance and Infirmities and Disorders and withal how vain and ineffectual all his knowledg is for the prevention or removal of them and partly because his Knowledg is very imperfect and unsatisfying yet increasing his thirst after more Knowledg and consequently after more dissatisfaction because instead of that just Honour and Delight and Advantage which he expects from it he meets with nothing but Envy and Opposition and contempt because his Knowledg quickly fades and dies with him and then leaves him in no better and possibly in a much worse condition than the meanest and most unlearned man in the World CHAP. II. 1 I Said in mine heart a Being disappointed of my hopes from Knowledg I resolved in my own Mind to try another course Go to now I will prove thee b O my Soul I will try whether I cannot make thee happy with mirth c By allowing to my self the free enjoyment of the present and sensible Delights of humane Life therefore enjoy pleasure d Take thy fill of pleasure and expect satisfaction thence and behold this also is vanity e Is vain and unable to make men happy because sensible pleasures are mean and unsutable to the noble and heaven-born Soul of Man and if excessively used apter to cloy and glut men than to satisfie them and are frequently mixed with and most commonly end in bitterness as being the great instruments and occasions of sin and of all its fatal consequences 2 I said of laughter f Of excessive Mirth which