thou hast done hide it not from me 20 And Achan answered Joshua and said Indeed I have sinned t He seems to make a sincere and ingenuous Confession and loads his sin with all just Aggravations against the LORD u Against his express Command and just Rights and glorious Attributes God of Israel x The true God who hath chosen me and all Israel to be the people of his peculiar love and care and thus and thus have I done 21 When I saw y He accurately describes the progress of his sin which began at his eye which he permitted to gaze and fix upon them which inflames his desire and made him covet them and that desire put him upon Action and made him take them and having taken resolve to keep them and to that end hide them in his Tent. among the spoil a goodly Babylonish garment z Which were composed with great art of divers Colours and of great price as appears both from Scripture Ezek. 23. 15. and from divers Heathen Authors See my Latin Synopsis and two hundred shekels a To wit in Weight not in Coin for as yet they received and payed Money by weight of silver and a †wedge of gold of fifty ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 shekels weight then I coveted them and took them and behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent and the silver under it b i. e. Under the Babylonish Garment covered with it or wrapt up in it 22 So Joshua sent messengers c That the truth of his Confession might be evident and unquestionable which some peradventure might think was forced from him and they ran d Partly longing to free themselves and all the people from the Curse under which they lay and partly that none of Achans Relations or others might get thither before them and take away those things unto the tent and behold it e i. e. The parcel of things mentioned v. 21 and 24. was hid in his tent and the silver under it 23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent and brought them unto Joshua and unto all the children of Israel and laid them out before †Heb. poured the LORD f Where Ioshua and the Elders continued yet in their Assembly waiting for the issue of this business 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah and the silver and the garment and the wedg of gold and his sons and his daughters g But this seems hard and unjust and therefore forbidden by God himself Deut. 24. 16. Ans. 1. That Law was given to men not to God who certainly hath a more absolute Right and Sovereignty over men than one man hath over another 2. Their Death was a Debt they owed to nature and to their own sins which Debt God may require when he pleaseth and he could not take it in more honourable and excellent Circumstances than these That the death of a very few in the beginning of a new Empire and of their settlement in the land might be useful to prevent the death of many thousands who took warning by this dreadful Example whom if the fear of God did not yet the love of their own and of their dear Childrens lives would restrain from such dangerous and pernicious Practises 3. It is very probable they were conscious of the fact as the Iewish Doctors affirm If it be pretended that some of them were Infants the Text doth not say so but only calls them Sons and Daughters And considering that Achan was an old man as is most probable because he was the fifth person from Iudah of which see on v. 1. it seems most likely that the Children were grown up and so capable of knowing and concealing or discovering this Fact Nor doth it follow that they were not guilty because it is not said so for it is apparent that many Circumstances are omitted in divers historical Relations in Scripture which sometimes are supplied in other places and his oxen and his asses and his sheep h Which though not capable of sin nor of punishment properly so called yet as they were made for mans use so they are rightly destroyed for mans good and being daily killed for our bodily food it cannot seem strange to kill them for the Instruction of our minds that hereby we might learn the detestable and contagious nature of sin which involves innocent Creatures in its Plagues and how much sorer Punishments are reserved for man who having a Law given to him and that excellent gift of Reason and Will to restrain him from the Transgressions of it his guilt must needs be unspeakably greater and therefore his sufferings more severe and terrible Further by this enumeration it appears that he had no colour of necessity to induce him to this Fact but was wholly inexcusable and his tent and all that he had and they brought them unto the valley of Achor 25 And Joshua said Why hast thou troubled us the LORD shall trouble thee this day And all Israel stoned him with stones i And burned them with fire which is easily understood both out of the following words and from Gods Command to do so v. 15. which doubtless was here executed and burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones k Qu. How could both these Deaths be inflicted upon them Ans. It seems they were stoned to death which was the Punishment of such Offenders Lev. 24. 14. Numb 15. 35. and not burned to death and therefore the stoning only of Achan is mentioned here and not his burning and God would have their dead Carkasses burned to shew his utmost Detestation of such persons as break forth into sins of such a publick Scandal and Mischief And for the burning of Achan commanded v. 15. it seems not likely to be meant of his burning alive because that burning is common to him and all that he hath as is there expressed but of the burning of his dead Carcass and other lifeless things as the manner was with accursed things Deut. 13. 16. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones l As a Monument of the sin and Judgment here mentioned that others might be instructed and warned by the Example and as a Brand of Infamy as Iosh. 8. 29. 2 Sam. 18. 17 unto this day so the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger wherefore the name of that place was called * Isa. 65. 10. Hos. 2. 15. the valley of Achor m Or the valley of trouble from the double trouble expressed v. 25. unto this day †That is trouble CHAP. VIII AND the LORD said unto Joshua * Deut. 1. 2â—… 7. 18. Fear not neither be thou dismayed take all the people of war with thee a Partly to strengthen them against those fears which their late Defeat had wrought in them and partly that
for thy neighbour but he saith against both because such perjuries slanders c. are most commonly designed against them and because this is a great aggravation of the sin when a man not only speaks evil and fâ—…lshood but doth this from malice and ill will But under this kind are contained other sins of a like though less sinful nature as in the other commands d A mans neighbour here is not onely the Israelite as some would have it but any man as plainly appears 1. because that word is frequently used in that sence not only in the New as all agree but also in the Old Testament as Gen. 11. 3. Lev. 20. 10. Esth. 1. 19. Prov. 18. 17. 2. because it is so explained Luk. 10. 29 36. Rom. 13. 9. compared with Mat. 22. 39. 3. from the reason of the thing which is common to all unless a man will be so hardy to say that he may bear false witness against a stranger though not against an Israelite and in like manner that when God forbids a man to commit adultery with his neighbours wife Lev. 20. 10. he may do it with a strangers wife and that though a man be commanded to speak the truth to his neighbour Zech. 8. 16. he may tell lies to a stranger 4. because the great law of love and charity which is the life and soul of this and all the commands and binds us to all binds us and bound the Israelites to strangers as appears from Exod. 23. 4. and Lev. 19. 33 34. 17 * Acts 20. 33. Rom. 7. 7. Thou shalt not covet e The coveting here forbidden is either 1. the inward and deliberate purpose and desire of a deceitful or violent taking away of another mans goods But this is forbidden in the eighth commandment And it is hard to conceive that St. Paul should think that this command did not forbid such a practise Rom. 7. 7. which even the better sort of heathens esteemed a sin whose words are that they who are with-held from incest or whoredom or theft onely from a principle of fear are guilty of those crimes especially seeing the Old Testament Scriptures which doubtless he diligently studied do so plainly condemn evil purposes of the heart as Lev. 19. 17. Deut. 9. 4 5. and 15. 7 9. c. or 2. the greedy desire of that which is another mans though it be without injury to him Thus Ahab sinned in desiring Naboths vineyard though he offered him mony for it 1 King 21. 2. or rather 3. those inward motions of the heart which from the fountain of original corruption do spring up in the heart and tickle it with some secret delight though they do not obtain the deliberate consent of the will For seeing this law of God is spiritual and holy Rom. 7. 12 14. and reacheth the thoughts intents and all the actual motions of the heart as is apparent from the nature of God and of his law and seeing such motions are both the fruits of a sinful nature and the common causes of sinful actions and are not agreeable either to mans first and uncorrupted nature or to Gods law they must needs be a swerving from it and therefore sin And this is the reason why this command is added as distinct from all the rest thy neighbours house thou shalt not * Job 31. 9. covet thy neighbours wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant nor his oxe nor his ass nor any thing that is thy neighbours 18 And * Heb. 12. 18. all the people saw the thunderings f i. e. Heard them One sence is oft put for another as seâ—…ing Gen. 42. 1. for hearing Act. 7. 12. and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoaking and when the people saw it they removed g From the bottom of the mountain where it seems they stood and stood afar off 19 And they said unto Moses * Deut. 5. 24. 18. 16. Heb. 12. 19. Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die h This they speak from a sence of their own guilt and of the greatness and holiness of the Divine Majesty to whom they durst not approach but by a Mediatour See Deut. 5. 28. and 18. 16. Gal. 3. 19. 20 And Moses said unto the people Fear not for God is come to prove you i Or try or search you whether you are innocent and such as delight in my presence or conscious of your guilt and therefore afraid of my appearance whether you have such a righteousness as can abide the trial of a severe Judge or whether you are such as have cause to fear my wrath and to flee to my grace and mercy which of you are sincere and upright and which are hypocrites and ungodly persons or to try whether this terrible appearance will produce in you that reverence fear and obedience which I call for or to give you a law by which you will be proved whether you do indeed love and fear me as you pretend you do or whether you do not and that his fear may be before your faces k Gods fear is properly in mens hearts but here the sence seems to be this That his fear i. e. this dreadful manifestation of his Majesty and justice the act being here put for the object may be now and ever before your eyes and in your memories as an effectual preservative from sin that ye Sin not 21 And the people stood afar off and Moses drew near unto * chap. 19. 1â—… 1 King 8. 12. the thick darkness where God was 22 And the LORD said unto Moses Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel Ye have seen l i. e. Heard as ver 18. He may use the word seen here to intimate that this was all they could see of God to wit his voice and speech and that they saw no Image of him as is expressed in a parallel place and therefore should make no resemblances of him as it here follows that I have talked with you * Deut. 4. 36. from heaven m i. e. From the lower heaven to wit the air or the clouds which were over the top of mount Sinai Deut. 4. 36. Neh. 9. 13. and so the word heaven is oft understood as Gen. 1. 20. Iob 35. 11. Psal. 79. 2. And so this place may be reconciled with Heb. 12. 25. where this is said to be spoken upon earth 23 Ye shall not make * 1 Sam. 5. 4 â—… 2 King 17. 3â—… Ezek. 20. 39. 〈◊〉 43. 8. 2 Coâ—… 14 15 16. with me n i. e. To worship together with me I will allow no companion or to me as it follows unto you and ver 24. unto me and the particle eth is sometimes used for el or lamed as 1 Sam. 22. 14. 2 King 22. 14. or for me either to represent my person by comparing this with the parallel
7. 26. according to the sin of the people g In the same manner as any of the people do which implies that God expected more circumspection and care from him than from the people But the words may be rendred to the sin or guilt of the people which may be mentioned as a reason of the law and an aggravation of his sin that by it he commonly brings sin and guilt and punishment upon the people who are infected or scandalized by his example then let him bring for his sin which he hath sinned * chap. 9. 2. a young bullock h The same sacrifice which was offered for all the people to shew how much his sin was aggravated by his quality without blemish unto the LORD for a sin-offering i Heb. sin Which word is oft taken in that sence as Exod. 29. 14. 4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the LORD and shall lay his hand upon the bullocks head k To testify both his acknowledgment of his sin and his faith in Gods promise for the expiation of his sins through Christ whom that sacrifice typified and kill the bullock l To wit by one of the Priests whom he shall cause to do it for this Priest is distinguished from the anointed Priest ver 5. before the LORD 5 And the Priest that is anointed shall take of the bullocks bloud and bring it to the Tabernacle of the congregation n. m Into the tabernacle which was not required nor allowed in any other sacrifice possibly to shew the greatness of the Fligh-priests sin which needed more than ordinary diligence in him and favour from God to expiate it 6 And the Priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle of the blood seven times n before the LORD before the vail o To wit the second vail dividing between the Holy of holies which is generally called by the name here used as Exod. 26. 31 c. and 35. 12. and 40. 3 21. Numb 4. 5. of the sanctuary m A number much used in Scripture as a number of perfection and here prescribed either to shew that his sins needed more than ordinary purgation and more frequent and manifest exercises of his faith and repentance both which graces he was obliged to joyn with that ceremonial rite 7 And the Priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD which n Which altar for the altar of burnt-ofterings was without the Tabernacle is in the Tabernacle of the Congregation and shall pour all the blood o So also below ver 18 30 34. to wit all the rest as it is expressed Lev. 5. 9. for part was disposed elsewhere of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt-offering which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin-offering the fat that covereth the inwards and all the fat that is upon the inwards 9 And the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them which is by the flanks and the caul above the liver with the kidneys it shall he take away 10 * chap. 3. 3. As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace-offerings and the Priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt-offering 11 * Exod. 22. 14. Numb 19. 5. And the skin of the bullock and all his flesh with his head and with his legs and his inwards and his dung 12 Even the whole bullock p So no part of this was to be eaten by the Priests as it was in other sin-offerings Levit. 6. 26. The reason is plain because the offerer might not eat of his own sin-offering and the Priest was the offerer in this case as also in the sin-offering for the whole congregation below ver 21. of which the priest himself was a member shall he carry forth q Not himself which would have defiled him but by another whom he shall appoint for that work as may be gathered from Levit. 16. 27 28. †Heb. to without the camp without the camp r To signifie either 1. the horrible and abominable nature of sin especially in high and holy persons or when it overspreads a whole people or 2. the removing of the guilt and punishment of that sin from the people and their duty of keeping such wickedness out of the camp for time to come or 3. that Christ should suffer without the camp or gate as he did See Heb. 13. 11 12. unto a clean place where the ashes are poured out s For the ashes though at first they were thrown down near the Altar Levit. 1. 16. yet afterwards they together with the filth of the sacrifices were carried into a certain place without the camp See Lev. 6. 10 11. and burn him on the wood with fire †Heb. at the pouring out of the ashes where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt 13 And if the whole Congregation of Israel t sin through ignorance * chap. 5. 2 3 4. and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done and are guilty * The body of the people or the greater part of them their rulers concurring with them 14 When the sin which they have sinned against it †Against any one of the said commandments is known then the Congregation shall offer a young bullock u But if the sin of the congregation was onely the omission of some ceremonial duty a kid of the goats was to be offered Numb 15. 24. for the sin and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation 15 And the Elders of the Congregation x i. e. The Rulers of the people of whom see Exod. 3. 16. and 24. 1. who here acted in the name of all the people who could not possibly perform this act in their own persons shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD 16 And the Priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullocks blood to the Tabernacle of the congregation 17 And the Priest shall dip his finger in some of the bloud and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD even before the vail 18 And he shall put some of the bloud upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD y That is before the Holy of holies where the Lord was in a more special manner present namely the altar of incense as before ver 7. that is in the tabernacle of the congregation and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offering which is at the door of the tabernacle of the
they gave publick testimony that they heard this person speak such words and did in their own and in all the peoples names desire and demand justice to be executed upon him that by this sacrifice God might be appeased and his judgments turned away from the people upon whom they would certainly fall if he were unpunished and let all the congregation stone him d The same punishment which was before appointed for those who cursed their parents whereas it deserved a far more grievous death Thus God in this life mixeth mercy with judgment and punisheth men less than their iniquities deserve 15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying Whosoever curseth e i. e. Speaketh of him reproachfully and with contempt They therefore are greatly mistaken that understand this of the heathen Gods whom their worshippers are forbidden to reproach or curse But Moses is not here giving laws to Heathens but to the Israelites nor would he concern himself so much to vindicate the honour of Idols nor doth this agree either with the design of the holy Scriptures which is to beget a contempt and detestation of all Idols and Idolatry or with the practise of the holy Prophets who used oft to vilify them See 1 â—…ing 18. 27. Ier. 10. 11. his God shall bear his sin f i. e. The punishment of it shall not go unpunished Some say he was to be beaten with stripes other say with death which is described ver 16. 16 And †Or. â—…e that 〈◊〉 he that blasphemeth the Name of the LORD g This some make a distinct sin from 〈◊〉 his God mentioned ver 15. but the difference they make seems arbitrary and without evidence from reason or the use of the words And therefore this may be a repetition of the same sin in other words which is common And as this law is laid down in more general terms ver 15. so both the sin and the punishment are more particularly expressed ver 16. Or the first part of ver 16. may be an application of the former rule to the present case And as for him that blasphemeth c. or is blaspheming c. in the present tense which is fitly used concerning words just now uttered and scarce yet out of their ears he shall c. And so the following words as well the stranger c. may be a repetition and amplificatioâ—… of the former law he shall surely be put to death and all the congregation h To shew their zeal for God and to beget in them the greater dread and abhorrency of blasphemy shall certainly stone him as well the stranger as he that is born in the land when he †Or 〈◊〉 blasphemeth the name of the LORD shall be put to death 17 * Exod. 21. 12. Num. 35. 31. Deut. 10. 21. And he that †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 killeth any man i This law is repeated here either to justifie this sentence of putting blasphemers to death from the same severity executed for a less crime or to prevent the mischievous effects of mens striving or contending together which as here it caused blasphemy so it might in others lead to murder shall surely be put to death 18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good †Heb. sâ—…l for sâ—…l beast for beast 19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour as * Exod. 21. 24. Deut. 19. 21. Mat. 5. 38. he hath done so shall it be done unto him 20 Breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth as he hath caused a blemish in a man so shall it be done to him again 21 * Exod. 21. 33 34. And he that killeth a beast he shall restore it and he that killeth a man he shall be put to death 22 Ye shall have * Exod. 12. 49. one manner of law k To wit in matters of common right but not as to Church priviledges as well for the stranger as for one of your own countrey for I am the LORD your God 23 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp and stone him with stones and the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses CHAP. XXV 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai a i. e. Near mount Sinai So the Hebrew particle beth is sometimes used as Gen. 37. 13. Ios. 5. 13. Iudg. 8. 5. 2 Chron. 33. 20. compared with 2 King 21. 18. So there is no need to disturb the order of the Iâ—…story in this place saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When ye come into the land b So as to be settled in it for the time of the wars was not to be accounted nor the time before Ioshua's distribution of the land among them Ios. 14. 7 10. which I give you then shall the land †Heb. rest keep * Exod. 23. 11. See ch 26. 34. a sabbath c i. e. Enjoy rest and freedom from plowing tilling c. unto the LORD d i. e. In obedience and unto the honour of God This was instituted partly for the assertion of Gods soveraign right to the land in which the Israelites were but tenants at Gods will partly for the trial and exercise of their obedience partly for the demonstration of his providence aswell in the general towards men as more especially towards his own people of which see below ver 20 21 22. partly to wean them from inordinate love and pursuit of or trust to worldly advantages and to inure them to depend upon God alone and upon Gods blessing for their subsistence partly to put them in mind of that blessed and eternal rest provided for all good men wherein they should be perfectly freed from all worldly labours and troubles and wholly devoted to the service and enjoyment of God See on Exod. 23. 11. and lastly that by their own straits in that year they might learn more compassion to the poor who were under the same straits every year 3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard and gather in the fruit thereof 4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land a sabbath for the LORD thou shalt neither sow thy field nor prune thy vineyard 5 * â—… King 19. 29. That which groweth of its own accord e From the grains that fell out of the ears the last reaping time of thy harvest thou shalt not reap f i. e. As thy own peculiarly but onely so as others may reap it with thee for present food neither gather the grapes †Heb. of thy separation of thy vine undressed g Heb. the grapes of thy separation i. e. The Grapes which thou hast separated or set apart to the honour of God and to the ends and uses appointed by God
him and be regenerated and adopted by him into the number of his Children and of the Children of God Ioh. 1. 12. Heb. 2. 10 13 14. for he was cut off h To wit by a violent death And this may be added as a reason both of his exaltation and of the blessing of a numerous posterity conferred upon him because he was willing to be cut off for the transgression of his People and as it followeth v. 10. made his soul an offering for sin Christs death being elsewhere declared to be the only way and necessary means of obtaining both these ends Luk. 24. 26 46. Ioh 12. 24 32 33. Philip. 2. 8 9. But these words may be rendred although he was cut off to fignifie that his death should not hinder these glorious effects out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people †Heb. was the stroke upon him was he stricken i This is repeated again as it was fit it should be to prevent mens mistakes about and stumbling at the death of Christ and to assure them that Christ did not die for his own sins but only for the sins and salvation of his People â—… These words are understood either 1. Of Christs Humiliation or Suffering and then the words are to be thus rendred He was taken away to wit out of this Life as this word is used Psal. 31. 13. Prov. 1. 19. and elsewhere he was put to death by distress or violence or tyranny as this word is used with this Preposition before it Psal. 107. 39. and judgment by oppression and violence under a form and pretence of Justice Or rather 2. Of Christs Exaltation because of the following clause which is not unseasonably mentioned in the midst of his Sufferings to take off the scandal which might have arisen from Christs Sufferings if there had not been a prospect and assurance of his victoriousness over them and his Glory after them and so the words may be rendered He was taken up or taken away freed or delivered from prison i. e. from the Grave which being called an house Job 30. 23. and a pit in which men are shut up Psal. 69. 15. may fitly be called a prison or from distress or affliction or oppression from the power and malice of his Enemies and from the torments of his own Soul arising from the sense of Mens sins and Gods displeasure and from judgment i. e. from all the sufferings and punishments inflicted upon him either by the unrighteous judgment of men or by the just judgment of God punishing him for those sins which he had voluntarily taken upon himself or which is the same thing from the sentence of Condemnation and all the effects of it for in this sense judgment is very commonly taken both in Scripture and other Authors 9 And he made his grave with the wicked k And although he did not die for his own but only for his Peoples sins yet he was willing to die like a malefactor or like a sinner as all other men are and to be put into the grave as they used to be which was a farther degree of his Humiliation He saith he made his Grave because this was Christs own act and he willingly yielded up himself to death and burial And that which follows with the wicked doth not note the sameness of place as if he should be buried in the same Grave with other malefactors but the sameness of condition as when David prayeth Psal. 26. 9. Gather not my soul to wit by death with sinners he doth not mean it of the same Grave but of the same state of the dead and with the rich l This passage is thought by many to signifie that Christ should be buried in the Sepulchre of Ioseph who is said to be both rich Mat. 27. 57. and honourable Mark 15. 43. which they conceive to be intimated as a token of Favour and Honour shewed to him Which to me seems not probable partly because this disagrees with the former clause which confefsedly speaks of the dishonour which was done to him and partly because the burial of Christ whatsoever Circumstances it was attended with is ever mentioned in Scripture as a part of his Humiliation Act. 2. 24. 27. And it seems more reasonable and more agreeable to the usage of Holy Scripture that this clause should design the same thing with the former and that by rich he means the same persons whom he now called wicked not as if all rich men were or must needs be wicked but because for the most part they are so upon which ground riches and rich men do commonly pass under an ill name in Scripture of which see Psal. 37. 16. 49. 6. Luk. 6. 24. 18. 24. Iam. 1. 11. 5. 1. in his †Heb. deaths death m Heb. in or at or after as this particle is frequently taken as hath been already noted his deaths for Christs death might well be called deaths in the plural number because he underwent many kinds of death and many deadly dangers and pains which are frequently called by the name of death in Scripture of which instances have been formerly given and he might say with no less truth than Paul did 1 Cor. 15. 31. I die daily and 2 Cor. 11. 23. I was in deaths oft because he had done no violence neither was any * 1 Pet. 2. 22 1 Ioh. 3. 5. deceit in his mouth n This some suppose to be added as a reason of the last branch of the foregoing clause why God so over-ruled matters by his providence that Christ should not be buried in the same Grave or in the same ignominious manner as malefactors were but in a more honourable manner in Iosephs own Tomb. But the last part of the foregoing clause cannot without violence be pulled asunder from the former wherewith it is so closely joined not only by a Conjunction copulative and but also by being under the government of the same Verb And therefore this latter clause of the verse if thus rendred must be added as the reason of what is said to be done in the former And so the sense of the place may be thus conceived This was all the reward of the unspotted Innocency of all his words and actions to be thus ignominiously used But these words may well be and are otherwise reâ—…dred both by Jewish and Christian Interpreters either thus although he had done c. or rather thus not for as these two same particles placed in the very same order are rendred by our Translator and others Iob 16. 17. any violence or injury or iniquity which he had done nor for any deceit which was in his mouth not for his own sins but as hath been said before for his Peoples â—…ins In which Translation there is nothing supplied but what is most frequent in Scripture use 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him o But although
he was perfectly innocent it pleased God for other just and wise Reasons to punish him he hath put him to grief p God was the principal cause of all his sorrows and sufferings although mens sins were the deserving cause ‖ Or when his soul shall make an offering †If thou shalt make his soul sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 24. when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin q When thou O God shalt make or have made thy Son a Sacrifice by giving him up to death for the attonement of mens sins His Soul is here put for his Life or for himself or his whole humane nature which was sacrificed his Soul being tormented with the sense of Gods Wrath and his Body crucified and Soul and Body separated by Death Or the words may be rendred When his soul shall make or have made itself an offering for sin whereby it may be implied that he did not lay down his Life by force but willingly he shall see his seed r His death shall be glorious to himself and highly beneficial to others for he shall have a numerous issue of Believers reconciled to God and saved by his death he shall prolong his days s He shall be raised to immortal Life and shall live and reign with God for ever he shall die no more Rom. 6. 9. and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Luk. 1. 33. and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand t Gods gracious decree for the redemption and Salvation of Mankind shall be effectually carried on by his Ministry and Mediation 11 He shall see u He shall receive or enjoy as this word commonly signifies of the travel of his soul x The comfortable and blessed fruit of all his hard labours and grievous sufferings and shall be satisfied y He shall esteem his own and his Fathers Glory and the Salvation of his People an abundant recompence for all his Sufferings by his knowledg z Either 1. Actively by that knowledg of Gods Will and of the way of Salvation which is in him in its highest perfection and which by him is revealed unto men and by his Spirit is imprinted in the Minds and Hearts of his People so as to produce Faith and Obedience in them Or 2. Passively by the knowledg of him as my fear and thy fear are put for the fear of me and of thee Psal. 5. 7. Ier. 32. 40. Knowledg being here as it is most frequently in Scripture taken practically for that kind of Knowledge which worketh Faith and Love and Obedience to him So the sense is the same in both cases shall * Ch. 42. 1. 49. 3. my righteous servant a Which title is here given to Christ partly to vindicate him from those false imputations of wickedness which were fastened upon him by his Adversaries and which found the more belief because of his most grievous and unexampled Sufferings both from God and Men and partly to shew his fitness for this great work of justifying sinners because he was exactly holy and harmless and undefiled Heb. 7. 26. and fulfilled all righteousness according to his duty Mat. 3. 15. and therefore his person and performance must needs be acceptable to God and effectual for the justification of his People which was the great design of his coming into the World justifie b Acquit them from the guilt of their sins and all the dreadful consequences thereof For Iustification is here opposed to condemnation as appears from the following clause and from many other passages in this Chapter and as it is used in all places of Scripture one or two at most excepted where it is mentioned And Christ is said to justifie sinners meritoriously because he purchaseth and procureth it for us as God the Father is commonly said to do it authoritatively because he accepted the price paid by Christ for it and the pronunciation of the sentence of Absolution is referred to him in the Gospel Dispensation many c Which word is seasonably added partly by way of Restriction to shew that Christ will not justifie all but only such as believe in him and obey him and partly by way of Amplification to declare that this blessed priviledge shall not now be as hitherto it had in a manner been confined to Iudoea and the Jews but shall be conferred upon an innumerable company of all the Nations of the World for he shall bear their iniquities d For he shall satisfie the Justice and Law of God for them by bearing the punishments due to their sins and therefore by the principles of Reason and Justice they must be justified or acquitted otherwise the same debt should be twice required and paid 12 Therefore will I e God the Father the spectator and Judge of the Action or Combat divide him f Give him his share Or impart or give to him for this word is oft used without respect to any distribution or division as Deut. 4. 19. 29. 26. and elsewhere a portion g Which is very commodiously supplied out of the next clause where a word which answers to it the spoil is expressed with the great h Or among the great such as the great and mighty Potentates of the World use to have after a sharp Combat and a glorious Victory Though he be a very mean and obscure person as to his extraction and outward condition in the World yet he shall attain to as great a pitch of the Glory as the greatest Monarchs enjoy and he shall divide the spoil with the strong i The same thing is repeated in other words after the manner of prophetical Writers The sense of both clauses is That God will give him and he shall receive great and happy success in his glorious undertaking he shall conquer all his Enemies and lead Captivity Captive as is said Eph. 4. 8. and set up his universal and everlasting Kingdom in the World because he hath poured out his soul unto death k Because he willingly laid down his Life in Obedience to Gods Command Ioh. 10. 17 18. and in order to the Redemption of Mankind Death is here called a pouring out of the Soul or Life either because the Soul or Life which in living men is contained in the body is turned out of the Body by Death or to signifie the manner of Christs Death that it should be with the shedding of his Blood in which the Life of Man consists Levit. 17. 11 14. and he * Mar. 15. 28. Luk. 22. 37. was numbred with the transgressors l He was willing for Gods Glory and for Mans Good to be reproached and punished like a Malefactor in the same manner and place and betwixt two of them as is noted with reference to this place Mark 15. 27 28. and he bare the sin of many m Which was said v. 11.
of Ur of the Caldees to give thee this land to inherit it 8 And he said Lord GOD whereby shall I know p He asks a sign not out of distrust of God's promise for he was strong in faith Rom. 4. 20. but for further assurance and confirmation of it And such an asking of a sign was not an unusual practise with good men as Iud. 6. 37. 2 King 20. 8. nor are they reproved for it but on the contrary Ahaz was commanded to ask a sign and reproved for not asking it Isa. 7. that I shall inherit it 9 And he said unto him Take me ‖ Take and offer at my command and for my service an heifer of three years old q At which time it is perfect in stature and strength and therefore fittest for God's service and a shee-goat of three years old and a ram of three years old and a turtle-dove and a young pigeon r This and the other Creatures here following and sacrifices are the same which afterwards were prescribed in the Levitical Law 10 And he s i. e. Abram who by divine instinct and precept did all this which here follows took unto him all these and divided them in the midst t Into two equal parts This was done for two reasons 1. To represent the torn and distracted condition in which his seed was to ly for a season 2. To ratifie God's covenant with Abram and his seed for this was a rite used in making covenants as appears both from Scripture Ier. 34. 18. and other Authors and laid each piece one against another u Partly to encourage hope that God would in his time put those parts together and unite those dry bones to which the Israelites are compared Ezek. 37. and cloth them with flesh and partly that the persons entring into covenant might pass between those parts and so testifie their union and conjunction in one and the same sacrifice Either because there were two Birds and the one was laid against the other which answered to the division of the larger Creatures or because they belonged not to the Ceremony of the Covenant but were for the use of sacrifice wherein they were to be offered whole as afterwards was prescribed Levit. 1. 15 17. but the birds divided he not x. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses y To devour them whereby he signifies either 1. The disturbance and distraction which good men are exposed to in the service of God from evil Spirits and men or rather 2. The great peril of Abrams posterity who were not only torn in pieces like these sacrifices but even the remainder of them were likely to be devoured by the Egyptians whose King is compared to an Eagle the chief of the Birds of prey Ezek. 17. Abram drove them away z By the blast of his mouth as the Hebrew word signifies representing Abrams conquest over all his Enemies by Faith and Prayer whereby he engaged God to be the preserver and deliverer of his people 12 And when the Sun was going down a deep sleep fell upon Abram a Partly natural from his labour in killing and sacrificing those creatures and partly sent upon him from God to make way for the following representation and lo an horror of great darkness fell upon him b i. e. He seemed to be covered with a dreadful darkness which was either 1. A Token of God's special presence compare 1 King 8. 12. Or 2. A signification of the distressed and doleful condition of Abram's seed for darkness in Scripture is frequently mentioned as an emblem or sign of great misery as Psal. 88. 6. and 107. 14 c. 13. And he said unto Abram Know of a surety * Act. 7. 6. that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs c i. e. In Canaan and Egypt for though Canaan was theirs by promise to be fulfilled in after times yet it was not theirs by actual donation and possession but they were strangers in it Gen 17. 8. Psal. 105. 11 12. and shall serve them and * Exo. 1. 11. they shall afflict them four hundred years d Exactly 405 years but a small sum is commonly neglected in a great number both in sacred and prophane writers There were 430 years between the first promise or between the renewing and confirming of the promise by the gift of Isaac and Israels going out of Egypt or God's giving of the Law Exod. 12. 40. Gal. 3. 17. but part of this time Abraham with his Son Isaac lived in much honour and comfort but after Isaac grew up the affliction here mentioned began with Isaac in Canaan and continued to him and his posterity in Egypt till this time was expired 14. And also that nation whom they shall serve e i. e. Egypt the principal seat of their servitude and the instrument of their sorest bondage will I judge f i. e. Punish as that word is used Psal. 51. 6. Obad. v. 21. and elsewhere and afterward * Exo. 12. 36. Psal. 105. 37. shall they come out with great substance g The accomplishment whereof see Exod. 3. 22. and 11. 2. and 12. 35 37. 15. And thou shalt go to thy Fathers h i. e. Either 1. Into Heaven where thy godly progenitors are gone Or 2. Into the state of the dead where all thy Fathers are gone before thee This may seem more probable at least in this place partly because this or the like phrase is indifferently used concerning good and bad men See Gen. 25. 8. Psal. 49. 19. partly because this phrase is so expounded Act. 13. 36. He i. e. David was laid to his Fathers and for that is saw corruption partly because some of Abram's Fathers and particularly Nahor his grand-father who lived and dyed an Idolater cannot with any warrant from Scripture be presumed to be gone to the place of blessedness in their Souls in peace * Free from those afflictions which shall come upon thy posterity after thy decease thou shalt be buried in a good old age 16 But in the fourth generation i In the end of the 400 years mentioned v. 13. a generation being at that time reckoned at one hundred years or thereabouts Or in the fourth generation numbred from their going into Egypt or from their leaving Canaan which may possibly be implyed by these words they shall come hither So Caleb was the fourth from Iudah and Moses the fourth from Levi and so doubtless many others they shall come hither again for the iniquity of the Amorite k i. e. Of the people inhabiting Canaan And the Amorites one of those people v. 21. are here put for all the rest as Gen. 48. 22. 1 King 21. 26. 2 King 21. 2. Amos 2. 10. either because they were the greatest and stoutest of all Amos 2. 9. or because Abram dwelt among that people Gen. 13. 18.
about it We cannot to wit rightly or we may not as that word is used Gen 34 14. and 43. 32. and 44. 26. untill all the flocks be gathered together and till they roll the stone from the wells mouth then we water the sheep 9 And while he yet spake with them Rachel came with her fathers sheep for she kept them i Having probably other Shepherds under her who did the meaner Offices whom she was to oversee 10 And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mothers brother and the sheep of Laban his mothers brother that Jacob went near and * Exod. 2. 17. rolled the stone from the wells mouth k Either with the assistance of others or by himself he being then strong and lusty and putting forth all his might before Rachel and watered the flock of Laban his mothers brother 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel l As the custom of friends then was both at their first meeting as ver 13. and Gen. 33. 4. Exod. 4. 27. and 18. 7. and at their departure as Ruth 1. 14. 1 Sam. 20. 41. 1 King 19. 20. and lifted up his voice and wept m Tears of joy like those Gen. 33. 4. at the gracious Providence of God to him which had brought him safe to his desired place and so happily and strangely conducted him to that Person and Family which was so desirable and dear to him 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her fathers brother * His near Kinsman as that word is frequently used as Gen. 13. 8. and 24. 27. and that he was Rebekah's son and she ran and told her father 13 And it came to pass when Laban heard the †Heb. hearing tidings of Jacob n The report of his Fathers Family of the cause of his coming in so mean circumstances of the occurrences in his journy and of his providential meeting with Rachel at the well his sisters son that he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house and he told Laban all these things 14 And Laban said surely thou art my bone and my flesh o Of the same bone and flesh with my self by our common Grandfather Terah and therefore art justly dear to me and with me thou shalt be in safety See the same or like expression Gen. 2. 23. Iudg. 9. 2. 2 Sam. 19. 12 13. and he abode with him the †Heb. a month of days space of a month 15 And Laban said unto Jacob Because thou art my brother shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought tell me what shall thy wages be 16 And Laban had two daughters the name of the elder was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel 17 Leah was tender eyed ‖ Her eyes were soft and moist and therefore unsightly but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured 18 And Jacob loved Rachel and said I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter p It being then the custom for men to buy their Wives See Gen. 34. 12. Exod. 22. 17. 1 Sam. 18. 25. 2 Sam. 3. 14. Hos. 3. 2. 19 And Laban said It is better that I give her to thee then that I should give her to another man q An ambiguous and crafty answer wherein he doth not directly grant his desire but onely insmuates it in such terms as might hide his design which the event shewed abide with me 20 And Jacob * Hos. 12. 12. served seven years for Rachel and they seemed unto him but a few days r He speaks not of the time which in such cases seems long Prov. 13. 12. but of the service of that time which seemed but little and far below the worth of Rachel for the love he had to her 21 And Jacob said unto Laban Give me my wife s So she was by Promise and Contract Persons Betrothed or Espoused being oft called Wives in Scripture as Matth. 1. 18 19. Luke 2. 5. for my days are fulfilled t The seven years of service agreed upon ver 18. that I may go in unto her 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place u Kindred and Neighbours according to the custom See Iudg. 14. 10 11. Iohn 2. 1 2 c. He gathered a great number together both that the Marriage might be more solemn and publick and that Iacob might be overawed by their presence and Authority and not dare to disanul the Marriage and reject Leah afterwards which otherwise he might have done and made a feast 23 And it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him and he went in unto her x The occasion of the deceit was the custom of those times which was to bring the Bride to her Husband in the dark and with a veil upon her face See Gen. 24. 65. And Leah being instructed by her Father and confederate with him in the deceit was doubtless careful not to discover her self by speech or any other way to him 24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid 25 And it came to pass that in the morning behold it was Leah and he said unto Laban What is this thou hast done unto me did not I serve with thee for Rachel wherefore then hast thou beguiled me y Though Laban could not solidly answer the question yet Iacob could do it and had just cause to reflect upon his own former action of beguiling his Father for which God had now punished him in the same kind 26 And Laban said It must not be so done in our †Heb place countrey z This seems to be a false pretence but if it had been true custom is to give place to justice by which he was obliged to perform his contract with him to give the younger before the first-born 27 Fulfill her week a The seven days usually devoted to the feast and solemnity of Marriage as Iudg. 14. 12 15 17. And this he desired that a weeks cohabitation with Leah might either knit his affections to her or at lest confirm the Contract and Marriage with her and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years 28 And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also b It was not so strange that Laban should give as that Iacob should take not onely two Wives but two Sisters to Wife which seems to be against the law of Nature and was expresly forbidden by God afterward Levit. 18. 18. Though it be also true that God might dispense with his own institution or permit such things in the Patriarchs upon special reasons which are not to be drawn into example 29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid 30 And he went in
a murderer but to secure himself from so dangerous a person probably supposing that this was the man foretold to be the scourge of Egypt and the deliverer of Israel But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian and he sate down by a well 16 Now the ‖ Or Prince Priest t Not of Idols for then Moses would not have married into his family but of the true God for some such were in those antient times here and there as appears by Melchisedeck though his manner of worshipping God might be superstitious and corrupt Or the Hebrew Cohen may here signify a Prince or a Potentâ—…te as Gen. 41. 45. Nor doth the employment of his daughters contradict that translation both because principalities were then many of them very small and mean and because this employment then was esteemed noble and worthy of great mens daughters as appears from Gen. 24. 15. and 29. 6. c. of Midian had seven daughters and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their fathers flock 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away u That they might enjoy the fruit of their labours and make use of the water which they had drawn for their own cattle but Moses stood up and helped them x Either by perswading them with fair words or by force for Moses was strong and full of courage and resolution wherewith the Shepherds were easily daunted and watered their flock 18 And when they came to Reuel their father x Either 1. Strictly and then he is the same who elsewhere is called Iethro Exod. 3. 1. and 18. oft-times and as some think Hobab Iudg. 4. 11. Or 2. largely i. e. their grandfather for such are oft called fathers as Gen. 31. 43. 2 King 14. 3. c. and 16. 2. and 18. 3. so he was the father of Iethro or Hobab Numb 10. 29. he said How is it that you are come so soon to day 19 And they said An Egyptian y So they guessed him to be by his habit and speech or he told them that he came from thence delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and also drew water enough z Heb. in drawing drâ—…w which notes that he drew it very diligently and readily which caused their quick return for us and watered the flock 20 And he said unto his daughters And where is he why is it that ye have left a Heb. have left thus or now at this time of the day when it is so late and he a stranger and traveller the man Call him that he may eat bread 21 And Moses was content b Or consented to his desire or offer And so his present and temporary repose there is turned into a settled habitation to dwell with the man and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter c Whom Moses married not instantly but after some years of acquaintance with the family as may probably be gathered from the youngness and uncircumcisedness of one of his sons 40 years after this Exod. 4. 25. In which time as Moses would not fail to instruct them in the knowledge of the true God which he was able excellently to do so it is likely he had succeeded therein in some measure and therefore married Zipporah 22 And she bare him a son and he called his name * chap. 18. 3. Gershom for he said I have been * Heb. 11. 13 14. a stranger in a strange land 23 And it came to pass in process of time d Heb. in those many days viz. in which he lived or abode there i. e. after them In is put for after here as it is Numb 28. 26. Isa. 20. 1. Mark 13. 24. compared with Mat. 24. 29. Luk. 9. 36. After 40 years as appears by comparing Exod. 7. 7. with Act. 7. 30. that the King of Egypt e And after him one or two more of his sons or Successors and the rest who sought for Moses his life Exod. 4. 19. died and the children of Israel * Num. 20. 16. sighed †Because though their great oppressor was dead yet they found no relief as they hoped to do by reason of the bondage and they cryed and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage 24 And God heard their groaning and God remembred his * Gen. 15. 14. and 46. 4. Covenant with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel and God †Heb. knew * chap. 3. 7. had respect unto them f Heb. knew them so as to pity and help them as words of knowledge are oft used as Psal. 1. 6. and 31. 7. he who seemeâ—… to have rejected them now owned them for his people and came for their rescue CHAP. III. 1 NOW Moses kept the flock of Jethro a Either the same with Reuel or his son who upon his fathers death succeeded into his office See Exod. 2. 18. his father in law the Priest of Midian and he led the flock to the back-side of the desert b To its innermost parts which were behind Iethro's habitation and the former pastures whither he went for fresh pastures and came to the mountain of God c So called either as an high or eminent mountain or from the vision of God here following See Act. 7. 30. or by anticipation from Gods glorious appearance there and giving the law from thence Exod. 18. 5. and 19. 3. See also 1 King 19. 8. even to Horeb d Called also Sinai Exod. 19. 1. Act. 7. 30. Or Horeb was the name of the whole tract or row of mountains and Sinai the name of that particular mountain where this vision hapned and the law was delivered Or Horeb and Sinai were two several tops of the same mountain 2 And the Angel of the LORD e Not a created Angel but the Angel of the covenant Christ Jesus who then and ever was God and was to be man and to be sent into the world in our Flesh as a messenger from God And these temporary apparitions of his were presages or fore-runners of his more solemn mission and coming and therefore he is fitly called an Angel That this Angel was no creature plainly appears by the whole context and specially by his saying I am the Lord c. The Angels never speak that language in Scripture but I am sent from God and I am thy fellow-servant c. And it is a vain pretence to say that the Angel as Gods Ambassadour speaks in Gods name and person For what Ambassadour of any King in the world did ever speak thus I am the King c. Ministers are Gods Ambassadours but if any of them should say I am the Lord they would be guilty of blasphemy and so would any created Angel be too for the same reason appeared unto him in a * Deut. 33. 16. flame of
â—… 12. Isa. 43. 1. Jer. 10. 16. Mal. 3. 17. Tâ—… 2. 14. ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me h Highly prized and loved and carefully kept by me as mens treasures generally are above all people for * Deut. 10. 1â—… Psal. 24. 1. all the earth is mine i For all people upon earth are mine by creation and dominion and I can dispose of them all as I please and either chuse or refuse any of them as I think â—…t and therefore though I might refuse you as well as any others yet it is my pleasure to single you out of all the world upon whom to confer my chiefest and peculiar blessings Or though all the earth be 〈◊〉 by general right yet you onely are mine by special title 〈◊〉 priviledge 6 And ye shall be unto me a * 1 Pet. 2. 9. Rev. 1. 6. â—… 10. 20. 6. kingdom of Priests k So they are called in regard 1. of their exemption and separation from all the people of the world as Priests are taken out of the multitude of men 2. of their consecration to the worship and service of God every subject of this Kingdom being in some sort a Priest to offer up some kind of sacrifices to God 3. of their priviledges because God conferred upon them singular honour safety and immunity and liberty of coming near to him as Priests among all nations have been esteemed priviledged persons and an holy nation l Purged from the Idolatry and other abominations of the heathen world and separated from them by a wall of partition allied to me by an holy covenant and consecrated to my use and service These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel 7 And Moses came and called for the Elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him 8 And * chap. 24. 3â—… Deut. 5. 27. and 26. 17. all the people answered together and said All that the LORD hath spoken we will do And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD m Not for Gods information but for the peoples greater obligation and to learn what answer he should return from God to them 9 And the LORD said unto Moses â—…o I come unto thee n As to the mediatour between me and them and the interpreter of my mind to them in a thick cloud o See ver 16. and compare 1 King 8. 12. 2 Chron. 6. 1. that the people may hear when I speak with thee and * chap. 14. 3â—… believe thee for ever and Moses told the words of the people p Those mentioned ver 8. This is here repeated because Gods answer to them now follows unto the LORD 10 And the LORD said unto Moses Go unto the people and Sanctifie them q i. e. Command them to sanctifie and cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to prepare their hearts for the right receiving of my laws and solemn entring into covenant with me Compare Lev. 11. 45. Ios. 3. 5. and 7. 13. to day and to morrow and let them * Gen. 35. 2. wash their cloaths r By which external washing which was agreeable to that state of the Church they were taught to cleanse their inward man 11 And be ready against the third day for the third day s From this time and the fiftieth day from the Passeover as was noted before the LORD * chap. 34. 5. Deut. 33. 2. will come down t In a visible and glorious manifestation of his presence in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai 12 And thou shalt set bounds to the people round about saying Take heed to your selves that ye go not up into the mount or touch the border of it * Heb. 12. 22. whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death u By this symbolical injunction God designed 1. to restrain mens curious and bold enquiries into the things of God 2. to possess the Israelites then present and all succeeding generations with the dread and reverence of the Divine Majesty and of his holy law 3. to prepare and inure the people to the obedience of Gods commands even when they discern not the reasons of them 4. to make them sensible of their own impurity and infirmity and of their absolute need of a Mediatour through whom they might have access to God See Gal. 3. 19. 13 There shall not a hand touch it x i. e. The mountain But 1. This seems to be a gross tautology for it was twice forbidden in the words next foregoing 2. So the word hand would seem to be ascribed both to man and beast Others therefore render it touch him i. e. they shall look upon such an impudent transgressor of my express command as an abominable person whom they cannot touch without defilement and therefore he shall be put to death in such a manner as may be performed without touching him but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast y For though the beasts are not capable of a law yet they might be threatned for mans caution and punished for the fault of their owners in not keeping them at a distance from the mount or man it shall not live when the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 trumpet soundeth long z i. e. With one continued equal and gentle sound as is usual in the end of the Musick-song which is opposed to a rough and loud and unequal sound There was no real trumpet here but an Angel made a sound like that of a trumpet they shall come up to the mount a Obj. This was forbidden to them ver 12. Ans. 1. They were forbidden to come up to the mount whilest God was delivering his laws but allowed it afterwards when that action ceased which was signified by the long sound of the trumpet 2. They might not come into the mount or towards the top of it but they might come to the bottom or lower parts of it where the bounds were set or at lest towards or near it as the Hebrew preposition beth is sometimes used So the mount may be understood more strictly ver 12. for an eminent part or top of it where the thick cloud appeared and where Moses was and here more largely for the whole mountain 14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people and sanctified the people b By commanding them to sanctify themselves and directing them how to do it and they washed their cloaths 15 And he said unto the people Be ready against the third day * 1 Sam. 21. 4 5. Zech. 7. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 5. come not at your wives c Abstain from the use of the marriage-bed partly because your wives may haply have their uncleanness upon them though unknown to themselves at lest to you whereby you may be legally defiled See Lev.
have brought thee out of the land of Egypt e And so by right of redemption thou art mine * chap. 13. 3. out of the house f i. e. The place for so the word house is sometimes used as Iudg. 16. 21. of †Heb. servants bondage 3 Thou shalt have no other Gods g Heb. There shall not be to thee another God or other Gods to wit Idols which others have esteem and worship as Gods and therefore Scripture so calls them by way of supposition Deut. 32. 21. 1 Sam. 12. 21. 1 Cor. 8. 4 5. but thou shalt not have them in any sueh reputation or veneration but shalt forsake and abhor them and cleave unto me alone before me h i. e. In my presence in my House or Church which you are where I am especially present and therefore for you to worship any other God is most impudent Idolatry even as when a Woman commits Adultery before her husbands face He may also intimate that all the Idolatry which any of them shall hereafter commit though never so cunningly and secretly managed is manifest to his eyes Psal. 44. 20 21. Others Translate it with me or besides me as it is rendred Matth. 12. 30. He forbids the worship of all others not onely in opposition to him but also in conjunction with him or subordination to him See 2 King 17. 33. Exod. 32. Act. 7. 41. Revel 19. 10. and 22. 8 9. 4 * Lev. 26. 1. Psal. 97. 7. Thou shalt not make i Either in thy mind or with thy hand Act. 17. 29. or by thy command unto thee k i. e. For thy use or for thee to worship for otherwise they were not absolutely forbidden to make any images but onely to make them for worship as may appear by comparing this place with Levit. 19 4. Deut. 4. 15. and Amos 5. 26. with Acts 7. 43. and from Levit. 26. 1. where the setting up of a pillar or stone is as absolutely forbidden as the making of an Image And therefore as the former is not forbidden to be done simply and universally as appears from Ios. 24. 20. 1 Sam. 7. 12. but onely to be done in order to worship so also is the latteâ—… Moreover there were Cherubims and other images in the Temple and afterwards the brasen Serpent which because they were not made to be worshipped neither were indeed nor were ever esteemed to be any contradictions to this Law any graven image l Or molten or any other image as is most evident from the nature and reason of the precept Nor is any thing more common then such synecdochical expressions wherein under one kind named all other things of the like nature are contained But for more abundant cautioâ—… and to put all out of doubt he adds a more general word nor any likeness or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven m As of God Deut. 4. 15. Esa. 44. 9 20. Angels Sun Moon or Starrs which the Heathens worshipped Deut. 4. 19. and 17. 3. above or that is in the earth n As of Men and Beasts and creeping things which the Egyptians and other Gentiles worshipped as Gods See Deut. 4. 16 17. Isa. 44. 13. Ezek. 23. 14. beneath or that is in the water o As of Fishes such as Dagon was or Serpents Crocodiles and such other Egyptian Deities under the earth p This is emphatically added to note the singular care of Divine Providence in bringing the waters under the earth which naturally are lighter and higher than it and therefore might easily overwhelm it Compare Psal. 104. 6. 5 Thou shalt not bowe down thy self q Not onely inward reverence is forbidden but also all outward gestures that naturally or customarily express reverence whether bowing down the body as here or bending the knee as 1 King 19. 18. or kissing the Idol or ones hand towards it as Iob 31. 27. Hos. 13. 2. one gesture being by a Synecdoche named for all to them r Nor before them for to bow to them and to bow before them are expressions in Scripture of the same extent and use as appears by comparing this place with Levit. 26. 1. 2 Chron. 25. 14. and 2 Sam. 7. 22. with 1 Chron. 17. 25. and Matth. 4. 9. with Luke 4. 7. nor serve them s Or Worship him either inwardly in thy mind or outwardly by any sensible mean or sign of worship given to them as incense or sacrifice vowing to them or swearing by them or the like for I the LORD thy God am a * chap. 34. 14. Deut. 6. 15. Josh. 24. 19. Nah. 1. 2. jealous t i. e. Impatient of any partner in thy love and worship and full of wrath against them that give my glory to images Isa. 42. 8. as jealousie is the rage of a man Prov. 6. 34. against the defiler of his marriage bed God is pleased to call and account himself the husband of his Church and people Ier. 2. 2. Hos. 2. 19. and therefore Idolatry is called Adultery Deut. 31. 16. Ier. 3. 3 10. and Gods anger against Idolaters Iealousie God u The word el properly signifies the strong God and shews Gods ability to avenge himself as the word jealous notes his readiness and resolution to do it * chap. 34. 7. Num. 14. 18. 1 King 21. 29. Job 5. 4. and 21. 19. Isa. 14 20 21. and 65. 6 7. Jer. 2. 9. and 32. 18. visiting x i. e. remembring enquiring into or punishing as that word is commonly used as hath been noted before the iniquity of the fathers upon the children y Quest. How can this be just Answ. 1. All are born sinners and are children of wrath and therefore justly punishable for their own sins Answ. 2. He speaks not here of eternal damnation but of temporal punishments in which there is no shadow of injustice as appears 1. because the sins of parents are oft punished in their children even in humane Courts as is manifest in Traitors which practise being acknowledged to be just it cannot with any sense be accounted unjust in God 2. Because such external punishments have more good than evil in them and are in many and may be so in others if thâ—…selves do not hinder it instruments of the greatest good exercises of their vertues and graces and means of their eternal happiness 3. Because children are a part and the possession of their Parents and therefore it is not unjust if they suffer with them and for them Answ. 3. This is to be understood with an exception of Repentance and penitent children as appears from Ezek. 18. And if any such be temporally punished for their fathers sins God will abundantly recompence it to them some other way But if children tread in their fathers sinful steps it is but just that they should partake of their plagues unto the third and fourth generation z And further too as appears
in the Ten Tribes and afterwards in the two Tribes upon whom the iniquity of their Fathers hath been visited now for many generations But he mentions them in particular partly because a parent may live so long and see the dreadful effects of his sin in his childrens children partly because so far the memory of a father may extend and be matter of imitation to his children and partly to shew the difference between his exercise of justice and mercy as appears by comparing the next verse of them that hate me a This word is opposed to the conceit that Idolaters at lest many of them have of themselves that they love God more then others do because they love and honour and worship the Creatures for his sake and for those excellencies that he hath wrought in them But this will no more excuse their Idolatry than it will excuse him that commits Adultery with his friends wife that he did it for his friends sake and from the love he had to his friend and for his Relations 6 And * Deut. 7. 9. Psal. 89. 34. shewing mercy unto thousands b To wit of their generations i. e. for ever whereas his punishment extended onely to three or four of them So far is Gods mercy exalted above his justice Compare Psal. 103. 17. of them that love me and keep my commandements c This conjunction is very observable both against those that falsly and foolishly pretend or insinuate that the inward affection of love to God is not absolutely and always necessary to Salvation and also against them who pretending inward love to God live in the customary breach of Gods known commands 7 * Lev. 19. 12. Deut. 5. 11. Math. â—… 33. Thou shalt not take ‖ Or not carry or not take or lift up to wit in or into thy mouth as the phrase is more fully expressed Iob 4. 2. Psal. 16. 4. and 50. 16. So men are said to take up a proverb or a lamentation Isa. 14. 4. Ezek. 26. 17. the name of the LORD d Not onely the proper name of the Lord but any of his Attributes Ordinances and Works by which God hath made himself known thy God in vain e Or unto vanity or vainly Either 1. Falsly or in a false Oath thou shalt not swear falsly by the name of the Lord or not lift up the name of God into thy mouth in an Oath to the confirmation of a lie Or. 2. In vain as we render it and as the word Schave is frequently used as Iob 7. 3. and 15. 31. Psal. 60. 11. and 89. 47. Isa. 1. 13. and You shall not use the name of God either in Oaths or in common discourse lightly rashly irreverently or unnecessarily or without weighty or sufficient cause Which being a duty enjoyned not onely in many places of Sacred Scripture but also in the Apocryphal Ecclesiasticus 23. 15 16 17. and even by Heathen authours as Plato in his book of Laws and it being evident by the light of nature to mans reason it were strange if it were not here understood especially considering that it is most reasonable to take these short Laws in the most comprehensive sense such as this not the former is for the prohibition of using it vainly and rashly doth certainly include that of swearing by it falsely but this latter doth not include the former Besides the former exposition restrains the words to swearing whereas the wâ—…s are now general and speak of any taking Gods name into their mouths either by Oaths or any other way And it becomes not us to set limits to Gods words where God hath set none It is also here to be observed as well as in the other commands that when this sin is forbidden the contrary duty is commanded to wit to use the name of God both in swearing and otherwise holily cautiously and reverently for the LORD will not hold him guiltless f Or Innocent i. e. free from guilt and the punishment of it the meaning is the Lord will look upon him as a guilty person and will severely punish him And so this or the like phrase is used 1 King 2. 9. And it is a common figure called Mâ—…iosis where more is understood than is expressed as 1 Sam. 12. 21. Psal. 25. 3. Prov. 10. 2. And this reason is here added because sinners of this sort are usually held innocent by men either because they cannot discover their fault when they forswear themselves or because they take no care to punish the abusers of Gods name by vain and customary Oaths Curses or Blasphemies q. d. Though men spare them I will assuredly punish them that taketh his name in vain 8 Reâ—…ber g This word is here very emphatical and 1. It re-minds us of a former delivery of the substance of this command to wit Gen. 2. 3. 2. It insinuates the great necessity of consideration and preparation of the Sabbath before it comes 3. It shews the singular importance of this command which is therefore placed in the heart and center of the rest to shew that the religious observation of this is the best way to secure our obedience to all the rest and that the neglect of this will bring in the violation of all the other as common experience shews the Sabbath day to keep it holy †i. e. To use it holily by a careful abstinence from servile works or wordly business and by a diligent employing of the day holy in thoughts words and exercises in the worship of God in publick and private and the celebration of his works and the furthering of our own and others sanctification and Salvation See Isa. 58. 13. 9 * chap. 23. 12. and 31. 14. Levit. 23. 3. Ezek. 20. 12. Luk. 13. 14. Six dayes shalt thou labour h This may be either 1. A command to employ those days in our worldly occasions yet so as God and Religion be not neglected on those dayes as many Scriptures teach us Or. 2. A permission to do so which I prefer 1. Because so it is a proper argument to enforce the observation of the Sabbath q. d. Grudge not me one day when I allow you six for it 2. Because the command of diligence in our callings would seem improperly placed here as being of a quite differing nature and belonging to the second table and being provided for in a distinct command as we shall see and do all thy work 10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD i Or To the Lord i. e. Consecrated to his use honour and service Hence God calls them my Sabhaths Levit. 26. 2. Isa. 56. 4. because they are commended by his example and enjoyned by his command thy God in it thou shalt not do any work k i. e. Any servile laborious common or worldly work tending to thy own profit or pleasure See Exod. 34. 21. Levit. 23. 7. Numb 28. 18. Isa. 58.
here as well as in the case of divorces dispense with his own laws and institutions especially in this case where he might design this for a punishment to the man for marrying a stranger which was not pleasing to God as appears from Deut. 21. 11. Ezra 10. 2. Neh. 13. 23. And that this woman was a stranger and not an Hebrewess is manifest because then she also must have gone out free ver 7 8 9. and Deut. 15. 12. 5 And if the servant †Heb. saying shall say shall plainly say I love my master my wife and my children I will not go out free 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the Judges g Partly that it may appear he chuseth this freely and is not overawed nor over-reached by his master and partly that the agreement being so publickly and solemnly confirmed might be irrevocable he shall also bring him to the door h To wit of his masters house as it is expressed Deut. 15. 17. A token that he was fixed there and never to go a freeman out of these doors or unto the door-post and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl i As a note of a servant as it continued to be long after this in Syria and Arabia as Iuvenal and Petronius Arbiter affirm And it did fitly represent his settled and perpetual obligation to abide in that house and there to hear and obey his masters commands See Psal. 40. 6. and he shall serve him for ever k i. e. Not onely for six years more but without any limitation of time as long as he lives untill the Iubilee which is an exception made by God to this law Lev. 25. 40. Deut. 15. 17. The Hebrew word olam here used oft signifies not eternity but onely a long time See Exod. 12. 14. 7 And if a man l i. e. An Hebrew as appears by the opposition of one of a strange nation ver 8. sell his daughter to be a maid-servant m Which was allowed in case of extreme necessity because of the hardness of their hearts she shall not go out as the men-servants do n But upon better terms as being one of the weaker and more helpless Sex Quest. How doth this agree with Deut. 15. 17. also unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise Answ. 1. Distinguish persons She Deut. 15. was sold by her self and that to meer servitude this here was sold by her father not onely for service but in order to her marriage as the following verses sufficiently imply 2. Distinguish things The likeness between men-servants and maidservants was onely in the rites used in case she consented to perpetual servitude the difference here is in case they both were made free in which case she had some priviledges which here follow 8 If she †Heb. be evil in the eyes of c. please not her master who hath betrothed her to himself o For a conâ—…ubine or secondary wife Not that masters did always take maid-servants upon these terms as some conceive but that some did so and of them this place speaks Though here is a differing reading and as the margent hath lo the pronoun signifying to him so the text hath lo the adverb signifying not and so the text may be translated thus so that he doth not betroth her to wit to himself or to his son as he gave her hopes he intended Either reading or sence is proper and probable then shall he let her be redeemed p Either by her self or friends or any other person that will redeem her Quest. How could he part with her and sell her when she was betrothed to him Ans. 1. This might be one of those many indulgences given to them for the hardness of their hearts and there is no doubt God could dispense with his own positive laws 2. The latter reading avoids this difficulty to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power q This was in general prohibited for all Hebrew servants but it is particularly mentioned here because there was special reason for it both because there was more danger of her corruption in chastity and religion in regard of her Sex and because the master in that case was under a greater temptation of selling her to a forreigner because no Israelite would buy her or give so much mony for her as an heathen would who would and might keep her for a perpetual servant which the Israelites might not do feeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her r viz. In breaking his promise of marriage made to her or blasting the hopes he encouraged her to have of it The Hebrew words are exactly rendred thus in dealing deceitfully or falsly with her or against her and they may be added as an aggravation of that sin of selling her to a strange nation wherein there was a double false-dealing the one towards God who by his law forbad this the other towards her whom he hired upon other terms and not with a power to dispose of her contrary to the law and manner of the Israelites 9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters s i. e. Give her a convenient portion as he doth to his own daughters chap. 22. 16. 10 If he take him another wife her food heâ—…aiment and her duty of marriage t Called due benevolence 1 Cor. 7. 3. Or her dwelling as the word is oft used So here are the three great conveniencies of fife food and raiment and habitation all which he is to provide for her or her cohabitation or her time the convenient and appointed times for conjugal converse with her for some times were disallowed for it Lev. 15. and when there were plurality of wives they had their vicissitudes Gen. 30. 15 16. shall he not diminish u Or rather not withdraw or deny it as the word signifies and as the LXX Chaldee Samaritan Vulgar and others render it 11 And if he do not these three unto her then shall she go out free x And with gifts also by vertue of the law Deut. 15. 14. The summe is this The master was either 1. willing to part with her and then he was to let her be redeemed by her self or any of her friends but not by an heathen ver 8. or 2. willing to keep her and then as he had betrothed her he was to perform all the duties of an husband to her although he had another wife besides her ver 10. if he would keep her and yet deny those duties to her then as his fault was aggravated so was his punishment for now he cannot sell her but must let her go freely in this verse without money 12 * Gen. 9. 6. Lev. 24. 17. He that smiteth a man y Knowingly and wilfully as appears by the next verse so that he die shall be surely put to death
eye when he either did know of it or with common care and diligence might have been known and prevented and this argues gross neglect in him And this is one reason why this man is bound to make restitution when the other ver 7. is not another reason of the difference is because those things verse 7. were onely or principally dead things and such things as required no great care or if they did for in that case also were included Oxen Asses c. v. 9. yet he with whom they were left received no recompence for them and therefore was not obliged to any singular care about them but here the things were such as needed great care and diligence which also this man was obliged to perform by the hire which he received upon that account which was Iacobs case Gen. 31. 39. he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof 13 If it be torn in pieces then let him bring it for witness z It i. e. Some part of the torn Creature which the wild Beast haply had lest Amos 3. 11 12. Quest. What if the whole creature were carried away as a sheep or Lamb is sometimes by the wolf Answ. 1. I suppose this was not frequent and that those ravenous creatures did speedily fall to their meal and that something was left not far from the place which the Shepherd might easily procure 2. The words may be otherwise rendred he shall bring a witness as the Chaldee and Samar render it or a Testimony i. e. Some evidence whereby the judge might be satisfied as for instance that some Wolf or Lion c. was seen in those parts c. or some witness of his diligence and faithfulness in all other things which therefore might well be presumed in this and he shall not make good that which was torn 14 And if a man borrow ought a i. e. Any living thing which may be hurt or die as it follows of his neighbour and it be hurt or die the owner thereof being not with it he shall surely make it good b This may seem hard but all things considered is reasonable because in doubtful cases wherein it is not evident whether the borrower was faulty or not as it is here it ought to be interpreted in favour of the lender rather than of the borrower partly to oblige the borrower to the greater fidelity and care in such things which being not his own men are commonly more careless about partly because the benefit being wholly the borrowers the loss also in all reason ought to be his and the lender ought not to suffeâ—… 〈◊〉 kindness lest he should be discouraged from such 〈◊〉 the future 15 But if the owner thereof be with it c In which case the Law reasonably presumes both that the borrower would not abuse it in the â—…ight of its owner and that the lender might and would take due care about it he shall not make it good d Except there be some manifest fault in the 〈◊〉 as if he should kill or wound the beast in the leaders presence 〈◊〉 exception is easily to be understood from divers other Laws of God if it be an hired thing it came for his hire e i. e. The benefit was the lenders and not the borrowers and therefore the former reason ceaseth and whether the master were present or absent he that receives the gain or hire shall bear the loss except when it came through the borrowers gross and willful default 16 And * Deut. 〈◊〉 if a man entice a maid f By perswasions promise of Marriage allurements or rewards that is not betrothed g But if she were betrothed it was punished with death Deut. 22. 23. and lie with her he shall surely endow her to be his wife 17 If her father utterly refuse h Which shews the necessity of Parents consent in Marriage to give her unto him he shall †Heb. 〈◊〉 pay money according to the dowry of Virgins i i. e. In such proportion as the Virgins quality requires for there was no certain and equal dowry appointed for all Women See 1 Sam. 18. 25. Quest. Why is there no punishment for the Woman Answ. 1. She had no distinct estate being yet in her Fathers house 2. The loss of her Virginity was a sufficient punishment especially in Israel where it was a great reproach and prejudice 3. She was not so culpable as the man both because she was of the weaker sex and because she was drawn to the sin by the mans perswasion 18 * Lev. 19. 〈◊〉 31. Thou shalt not suffer a witch k i. e. Any person that is in league with the Devil and by his help either doth any mischief or discover and practises things above the reach of other men or women â—…f which see Exod. 7. 11. Levit. 20. 27. Deut. 18. 10. 1 Sam. 28. 9. The word is of the feminine gender partly because Women are most prone to these Devilish arts and most frequently guilty of them and partly to intimate that no pity should be shewed to such offenders though they were of the weaker sex to live 19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death 20 * Deut. 13. 〈◊〉 14 15. 1 Mac. 2. 〈◊〉 He that sacrificeth l Or otherwise worshippeth as appears from Deut. 17. 2 3 4 5. and many other places One act of worship put for all by a very familiar Synecdoche unto any God save unto the LORD onely he shall be utterly destroyed m Heb. anathematized i. e. esteemed execrable and as such destroyed without mercy See Deut. 13. 15. c. and 18. 20. 21 * chap. 23. 9. Lev. 19. 33. and 25. 35. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppress him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt 22 * Deut. 10. 18. and 24. 17. and 27. 19. Isa. 1. 17. Zech. 7. 10. Jam. 1. 27. Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child 23 If thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry 24 And my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless 25 * Lev. 25. 37. Deut. 23. 19. Psal. 15. 5. Neh. 5. 7. Ezek. 18. 8 17. If thou lend money to any of my people n i. e. Any Israelite for it was permitted to take usury of the Gentiles Deut. 23. 20. that is poor o This seems to be added not by way of apposition as if Gods people and the poor were all one because such are commonly poor but by way of restriction for God had promised greatly to bless and enrich the generality of his people if they by their wickedness did not hinder it and that there should be few poor among them yet some such there should be for the tryal and exercise of their charity See Lev.
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
ye shall break it 34 Of all meat which may be eaten that on which such water cometh e The meaning is that flesh or herbs or other food which is dressed in water to wit in a vessel so polluted shall be unclean not so if it be food which is eaten dry as bread fruits c. the reason of which difference seems to be this that the water did sooner receive the pollution in it self and convey it to the food so dressed shall be unclean And all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean 35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcass falleth shall be unclean whether it be oven or ranges for pots they shall be broken down for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you 36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit †Heb. a gathering together of 〈◊〉 wherein there is plenty of water f Of which no solid reason can be given whilest such unclean things remained in them but onely the will of the lawgiver and his merciful condescension to mens necessities water being scarce in those countries and for the same reason God would have the ceremonial law of sacrifices to be offered to God give place to the moral law of mercy towards men shall be clean but ‖ Or â—…e that 〈◊〉 that which toucheth their carcass shall be unclean 37 And if any part of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown g Partly because this was necessary provision for man and partly because such seed would not be used for mans food till it had received many alterations in the earth whereby such pollution was taken away See Ioh. 12. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 36. it shall be clean 38 But if any water be put upon the seed h The reason of the difference is partly because wet seed doth sooner receive and longer retain any pollution and partly because such seed was not fit to be sown presently and therefore that necessity which justified the use of the dry seed which was speedily to be sown could not be pretended in this case and any part of their carcass fall thereof it shall be unclean unto you 39 And if any beast of which ye may eat die i Either of it self or being killed by some wild beast in which cases the blood was not poured forth as it was when they were killed by men either for food or sacrifice he that toucheth the carcass thereof shall be unclean until the even 40 And * chap. 1â—… 1â—… 22. 8. Ezek. 4. 14. 44. 31. he that eateth of the carcass of it k To wit unwittingly for if he did it knowingly it was a presumptuous sin against an express law Deut. 14. 21. and therefore punished with cutting off Numb 15. 30. shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even he also that beareth the carcass of it shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even 41 And every creeping thing l Except those before expresly excepted above ver 29 30. that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination it shall not be eaten 42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly m As worms and snakes and whatsoever goeth upon all four n As â—…oads and divers serpents or whatsoever †Heb. doth â—…tiply feet hath more feet o To wit more than four as caterpillars c. among all creeping things that creep upon the earth them ye shall not eat for they are an abomination 43 * chap. 20. 〈◊〉 Ye shall not make your †Heb. souiâ—… selves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth neither shall ye make your selves unclean with them that ye should be defiled thereby 44 For I am the LORD your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and * chap. 19. 2. and 20. 7. 〈◊〉 1. 15 16. ye shall be holy p By which he gives them to understand that all these cautions and prohibitions about the eating or touching of these creatures was not for any real uncleanness in them all being Gods good creatures but onely that by the diligent observation of these rules they might learn with greater care to avoid all moral pollutions and to keep themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and particularly from all familiar and intimate converse with notorious sinners for I am holy neither shall ye defile your selves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth 45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God ye shall therefore be holy for I am holy 46 This is the law of the beasts and of the fowl and of every living creature that †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moveth in the waters and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth 47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten CHAP. XII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel saying If a * chap. 15. 〈◊〉 woman have †Heb. 〈◊〉 conceived seed and born a man-child then * Luk. 2. 〈◊〉 she shall be unclean a Not for any filthiness which was either in the conception or in bringing forth but to signifie the universal and deep pollution of mans nature even from the birth and from the conception seven dayes b For so long or thereabouts nature is employed in the purgation of most women according to the dayes of the separation for her infirmity c i. e. For her monethly infirmity And it may note an agreement therewith not onely in the time Levit. 15. 19. but in the degree of uncleanness which was such that she defiled every thing she touched c. shall she be unclean From uncleanness contracted by the touching or eating of external things he now comes to that uncleanness which ariseth from our selves 3 And in the * Gen. 17. 12. Luk. 1. 59. and 2. 21. Joh. 7. 22. eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised d Which law is here repeated because the womans uncleanness lasting for 7 days was one though not the onely reason why the childs circumcision was put off till the eighth day 4 And she shall then continue e Heb. sit i. e. abide as that word is oft used as Gen. 22. 5. and 34. 10. or tarry at home not go into the Sanctuary in the blood of her purifying f In her polluted and separated estate for the word blood or bloods signifies both guilt as Gen. 4. 10. and uncleanness as here and elsewhere See Ezek. 16. 6. And it is called the blood of her purifying because by the expulsion or purgation of that blood which is done by degrees she is purified three and thirty dayes she shall touch no hallowed thing g She shall not eat any part of the
peace-offerings which she or her husband offered which otherwise she might have done and if she be a Priests wife she shall not eat any of the â—…ithes or first-fruits or part of the hallowed meats which at other times she together with her husband might eat nor come into the sanctuary until the dayes of her purifying be fulfilled 5 But if she bear a maid-child then she shall be unclean two weeks as in her separation and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six dayes h The time in both particulars is double to the former not so much from natural causes because the purifications in female births are longer and flower which if it were true yet doth not extend to any such time as here is mentioned as for moral reasons either to be as a blot upon that sex for being the first in mans transgression 1 Tim. 2. 14. or to put an honour upon the Sacrament of Circumcision which being administred to the Males did put an end to that pollution sooner than otherwise had been or to shew the priviledge of the man above the woman and that the women were to be purified sanctified and saved by one of the other sex even by the man Christ Jesus without whom they should have still continued in their impurity 6 And when the dayes of his purifying are fulfilled for a son or for a daughter i For the birth of a son or of a daughter but the purification was for her self as appears from the following verses she shall bring a lamb of the †Heb. son of his year first year for a burnt-offering and a young pigeon or a turtle-dove for a sin offering k Either because of her ceremonial uncleanness which required a ceremonial expiation or for those particular sins relating to the time and state of child-bearing of which she is justly presumed to be guilty which might be many ways unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation unto the Priest 7 Who shall offer it before the LORD and make an atonement for her and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood This is the Law for her that hath born a male or a female l For though there was a difference in the time of her uncleanness for the one and for the other yet both were to be purified one and the same way to note that though all sins and sinners were not equal yet all were to be cleansed by the same means to wit by Christ and by faith See 1 Cor. 7. 14. Gal. 3. 28. 8 * Luk. 2. 24. And if †Heb. her hand find not sufficiency of she be not able to bring a lamb then she shall bring two turtles or two young pigeons the one for the burnt-offering and the other for a sin offering and the priest shall make an atonement for her and she shall be clean CHAP. XIII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron saying 2 When a man shall have in the skin a For there was the seat of the Leprosy of his flesh a ‖ Or swilling rising a scab or bright spot b Shining like the sâ—…ale of â—… fish as it is in the beginning of a Leprosy and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy c A distemper most frequent in Egypt and Syria c. known also among the Greeks who note that it was not so properly a disease aâ—… a defilement or distemper in the skin whence Christ is not said to heal but to clearse the Lepers that came to him And this distemper is here provided against not because it was worse than others but because it was externally and visibly filthy and because of its infectious nature that hereby we might be instructed to avoid converse with such vitious persons who were likely to infect us * Deut. 17. 8. and 24. 8. then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest d Not to the Physitian because as was now said it needed not so much healing as cleansing and was rather a ceremonial pollution than a disease and because it belonged to the Priest to cleanse him and therefore to search and discover whether he was defiled and needed cleansing The Priest also was â—…o admit to or exclude from the Sanctuary and therefore to examine who were to be excluded And the discovery of this distemper was not so difficult that it required the Physitians art but the Priest by experience and the observation of those rules might easily make it or unto one of his sons the priests 3 And the priest shall look on the plague e i. e. The sign or appearance of the plague of leprosy And it is observable that the same signs of it are given by Moses here and by the learned Physitians in their works in the skin of the flesh and when the hair in the plague is turned white f And when the Leprosy came to its height not the hair onely but also the skin was turned white as Exod. 4. 6. Numb 12. 10. And this change of colour was an evidence both of the abundance of excrementitious humours and of the weakness of nature as we see in old and sick persons and the plague in sight is deeper than the skin of his flesh g For the Leprosy did consume both the skin and the flesh as appears from 2 King 5. 14. it is a plague of leprosy and the priest shall look on him and †Heb. polluâ—… him pronounce him unclean h Heb. make him unclean i. e. ministerially and declaratively in which sense ministers are said to remit siâ—…s Mat. 16. 19. and to destroy nations Ier. 1. 10. 4 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh and in sight be not deeper than the skin and the hair thereof be not turned white then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague i For greater assurance to teach Ministers not to be rash nor hasty in their judgments and censures but diligently to search and examine all things before-hand The plague is here put for the man that hath the plague as pride is put for a proud man Ier. 50. 31. and dreamers Ier. 27. 9. seven dayes 5 And the priest shall look on him the seventh day and behold if the plague in his sight be at a stay k This translation is justified by the following clause which is added to explain it Otherwise the words are and may be rendred thus stand or abide in its own colour the Hebrew word being used for colour as well as for sight and the plague spread not in the skin then the priest shall shut him up seven dayes more 6 And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day and behold if the plague be somewhat dark l Which is opposed to the white colour of the leprosy But the word may be rendred have contracted it self
been stopped in great measure either by the grossness of the humour or by some obstruction in parts that it cannot run freely as it did but onely droppeth it is his uncleanness 4 Every bed whereon he lieth that hath the issue is unclean and every †Heb. vessel thing c Heb. vessel by which the Hebrews understand all sorts of houshold-stuffe whereon he sitteth shall be unclean 5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sate that hath the issue shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 7 And he that toucheth the flesh d That is any part of his body the word flesh being taken otherwise here than v. 2. As the same word is frequently used in Scripture in differing significations in the same chapter and sometimes in the same verse as Matth. 8. 22. of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 8 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean then he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 9 And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean 10 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue and hath not rinsed his hands in water e This may be understood either 1. Of the person touching if he that hath an issue toucheth another with unwashen hands Thus most take it But why then should it be limited to his hands for if he had touched him by any other part as suppose by kissing him he had defiled him though his hands had been washed Or rather 2. Of the person touched to whom the washing of his hands is prescribed as an easier way of cleansing himself if speedily used but if that was neglected or delayed a more laborious course was enjoyned him And thus the Syriack interpreter understands it he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 12 And the * chap. 6. 28. and 11. 32 33. vessel of earth that he toucheth which hath the issue shall be broken and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water 13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue f When his issue is not onely stopped in part or for a season but hath wholly ceased then * chap. 14. 10. he shall number to himself seven dayes for his cleansing g To wit for the use of the ceremonies prescribed in such cases See Numb 19. 11 12. and wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in running water and shall be clean h i. e. Admitted to converse with men and with God in publick ordinances 14 And on the eighth day he shall take to him * chap. 14. 2â—… two turtle doves or two young pigeons and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and give them unto the priest 15 And the priest shall offer them the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt-offering and the priests shall make an atonement for him i Not as if this was in it self a sin but onely a punishment of sin though oft-times it was sinful as being a fruit of a mans intemperance and immoderate lust See Levit. 14. 12. before the LORD for his issue 16 And if * Deut. 23. 〈◊〉 any mans seed of copulation go out from him k Not through weakness of the parts as that ver 3. but in his sleep which is called nightly pollution which though involuntary might arise from some lustful dream or imagination But if it was voluntary and by a mans own procurement when awake it was esteemed abhominable and a degree of murder See Gen. 38. 9. then he shall wash all his flesh in water and be unclean until the even 17 And every garment and every skin whereon is the seed of copulation shall be washed with water and be unclean until the even 18 The woman also with whom man l Or The man to wit that had such an issue which is plainly to be understood out of the whole context For though in some special cases relating to the Worship of God men were to forbear the use of the marriage-bed as Exod. 19. 15. and 1 Sam. 21. 4. yet to affirm that the use of it in other cases did generally defile the persons and made them unclean till even is contrary to the whole current of Scripture which affirm the marriage-bed to be undefiled Heb. 13. 4. to the practise of the Jews which is a good comment upon their own laws and to the light of nature and reason shall lie with seed of copulation they shall both bathe themselves in water and be unclean until the even 19 And * chap. 12. â—… if a woman have an issue and her issue in her flesh be blood m Heb. And a woman when she shall have an issue of blood and because that might be at her nose or other parts he addes and her issue shall be in her flesh i. e. in her secret parts as the word flesh is taken ver 2. So it notes her monethly disease she shall be †Heb. in her separation put apart n Not out of the camp as the lepers and some others but from converse with her husband and others and from access to the house of God seven dayes o For sometimes it continues so long and it was but decent to allow some time for purification after the ceasing of her issue and whosoever p To wit of grown persons For the infant to whom in that case she might give suck was exempted from this pollution by the greater law of necessity and by that antecedent law which required women to give suck to their own children toucheth her shall be unclean until the even 20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean 21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sate upon shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 23 And if it be on her bed or on any thing whereon she sitteth when he toucheth it he shall be unclean until the even 24 And if any man lie with her at all and her flowers be upon him he shall be unclean seven dayes q If he did this unwittingly but if the Man and Woman did
immoralities and such as the precepts of Noah reached to and such as the laws of nature and nations obliged them to And therefore the toleration of such actions was not onely against reason of state and the interest of the commonwealth of Israel and dangerous to the infection and destruction of the Israelites by the imitation of such examples but also against the light of nature and laws of humanity that sojourn in Israel that giveth any of his seed unto Molech c Or to any other Idol for the reason of the law equally concerns all See Levit. 18. 21. he shall surely be put to death the people of the land shall stone him with stones 3 And I will set my face against that man d i. e. Deal with him as an enemy and make him a monument of my justice either by punishing him immediately and eminently when the Magistrate cannot or will not do it or by adding to his corporal punishments my curse upon his soul and name See Lev. 17. 10. and will cut him off from among his people e From the number of his people of what nation or kindred soever he was or from the land of the living because he hath given of his seed unto Molech to defile my sanctuary f Which was done by this wickedness either because such persons did for the cover of their Idolatry come into Gods Sanctuary as the rest did See Lev. 15. 31. or because the Sanctuary was and was said to be defiled by gross abominations committed in that city or land where Gods Sanctuary was or because by these actions they did pronounce and declare to all men that they esteemed the sanctuary and service of God abominable and vile by preferring such odious and pernicious Idolatry before it and to prophane my holy Name g Partly by despising it themselves and partly by disgracing it to others and giving them occasion to blaspheme it and to abhor the true religion because they saw it deserted and condemned by those that best knew it and once embraced it 4 And if the people of the land do any wayes hide their eyes from the man h i. e. Wink at his fault and forbear to accuse and punish him Compare Act. 17. 30. when he giveth of his seed unto Molech and kill him not 〈◊〉 5 Then I will set my face against that man and * Exod. 20. 5. against his family i i. e. Either 1. his posterity whom God threatned to punish for their fathers Idolatry Exod. 20. Or 2. his people as that word is used Ier. 8. 3. Mic. 2. 3. to wit the people of that land who by their connivance make themselves guilty of his sin ver 4. Or 3. his disciples and followers who are oft called the sons or children of their masters And so it may be seem to be explained in the following words all that go a whoring after him as the first clause which concerns the head or chief person himself I will set my face against that man is explained by these words I will cut him off and will cut him off and all that go a whoring after him to commit whoredom with Molech from among their people 6 And * chap. 19. 31. the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them k To seek knowledge or counsel or help from them I will even set my face against that soul and will cut him off from among his people 7 * chap. 11. 44. 19. 2. 1 Pet 1. 16. Sanctifie your selves therefore and be ye holy for I am LORD your God 8 And ye shall keep my statutes and do them I am the LORD which sanctifie you l i. e. Who separated you from all nations and from their impurities and Idolatries to be a peculiar people to my self and therefore I will not suffer you to follow their examples Or who really sanctify you and give you my grace to do what I require i. e. to keep my statutes Or the argument is this Those idols and Idolatries will defile you and make you worse but I onely and my service will sanctify you and make you better 9 * Exod. 21. 1â—… Deut. 2â—… 16. Prov. 20. 20. Mat. 15. 4 For m Or surely as that praticle chi is oft used as Iob 8. 6. and 20. 20. So there needs no dispute about the connexion or what this is a reason of every one that curseth n Which is not meant of every perverse expression but of bitter reproaches or imprecations his father or o Heb. and put for or as hath been noted before his mother shall be surely put to death he hath cursed his father or his mother his blood shall be upon him p He is guilty of his own death he deserves to die for so unnatural a crime 10 And * Deut. 22. 22. Joh. 8. 4 5. the man that committeth adultery with another mans wife even he that committeth adultery with his neighbours wife the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death 11 * chap. 18. 8. And the man that lieth with his fathers wife hath uncovered his fathers nakedness both of them shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them 12 * chap. 18. 15. Deut. 27. 23. And if a man lie with his daughter in law both of them shall surely be put to death they have wrought confusion q By perverting the order which God hath appointed and mixing the blood which God would have separated and making the same off-spring both his own immediate child and his grandchild their blood shall be upon them 13 * chap. 18. 22. If a man lie also with mankind as he lieth with a woman both of them have committed an abomination they shall surely be put to death r Except the one party was forced by the other See Deut. 22. 25. their blood shall be upon them 14 And * chap. 18. 17 if a man take a wife and her mother it is wickedness s i. e. Abominable and extraordinary wickedness as the singularity of the punishment sheweth they shall be burnt with fire both he and they t Either or both or all of them if they consented to it that there be no wickedness among you 15 * chap. 18. 23. Deut. 27. 21. And if a man lie with a beast he shall surely be put to death and ye shall slay the beast u Partly for the prevention of monstrous Births partly to blot out the memory of so loathsome a crime and partly that by so severe a punishment of that creature which was onely a passive instrument to mans sin men might be assured that a more dreadful punishment than corporal death was reserved for them if they repented not 16 And if a woman approach unto any beast and lie down thereto thou shalt kill the woman and the
from Proselytes from whom less might seem to be expected and in whom God might bear with some things which he would not bear with in his own people Yet even from those such should not be accepted much less from the Israelites shall ye offer the bread d i. e. The sacrifices See on Levit. 21. 8. of your God of any of these e i. e. So corrupted or defective Which clause limits the sense and kinds of offerings and cuts off another more general interpretation received by many to wit that he forbids the receiving of any offering whether blemished or perfect from the hands of a stranger remaining in Heathenism because their corruption is in them f i. e. They are corrupt vitious and unlawful sacrifices and blemishes be in them they shall not be accepted for you g Or from you O Priest to whom it belongs to offer You shall bear the blame of it for the strangers might do so through ignorance of Gods Law 26 And the LORD said unto Moses saying 27 * Exod. 34. 26. Deut. 14. 21. When a bullock or a sheep or a goat is brought forth then it shall be seven dayes under the dam and from the eighth day h See on Exod. 22. 30. and 23. 19. and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD 28 And whether it be cow or ‖ Or she-goat ewe ye shall not kill it * Deut. 12. 6. and her young both in one day i Because it savoured of cruelty See on Deut. 22. 6. 29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD offer it at your own will k i. e. What and when you please so the rules be observed Or for your acceptance as Levit. 1. 3. i. e. in such manner that God may accept it i. e. regularly chearfully c. 30 On the same day it shall be eaten up ye shall leave * chap. 7. 15. none of it until the morrow I am the LORD 31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments and do them I am the LORD 32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name l Either by despising me and my commands your selves or by giving others occasion to profane it but * chap. 10. 3. I will be hallowed m Or sanctified either by you in keeping my holy commands or upon you in executing my holy and righteous judgments Levit. 10. 3. Isa. 26. 15. I will manifest my self to be an holy God that will not bear the transgression of my laws among the children of Israel I am the LORD which hallow you n By separating you from all the world unto my self and service by giving you holy laws and my holy spirit to enable and inâ—…line â—…ou to keep them and therefore you have the more reason to hallow me and keep my commands and are the more inexcusable if you transgress them 33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God I am the LORD CHAP. XXIII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them concerning the feasts of the LORD which ye shall proclaim a i. e. Cause to be proclaimed by the Priests See Numb 10. 8 9 10. to be holy convocations b Days for your assembling together to my worship and service in a special manner even these are my feasts c Which I have appointed and the right observation whereof I will accept 3 * Exod. 20. 9. and 23. 12. and 31. 13. and 34. 21. chap. 19. 3. Deut. 5. 13. Luk. 13. 14. Six dayes shall work be done but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest an holy convocation ye shall do no work d So it runs in the general for the sabbath day and for the day of expiation ver 28. excluding all works about earthly occasions or employments whether of profit or of pleasure but upon other feast dayes he forbids onely servile works as ver 7 21 36. for surely this manifest difference in the expressions used by the wise God must needs imply a difference in the things therein it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings e This is added to distinguish the sabbath from other feasts which were to be kept before the Lord in Ierusalem onely whither all the males were to come for that end but the Sabbath was to be kept in all places where they were both in Synagogues which were erected for that end and in their private houses 4 These are the feasts of the LORD even holy convocations which ye shall proclaim in their seasons f In their appointed and proper times as the word is used Gen. 1. 14. Psal. 104. 19. 5 * Exod. 12. 18. and 13. 3. and 23. 15. and 34. 18. Numb 9. 2. and 28. 16. Deut. 16. 1. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORDS passeover 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same moneth is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD seven dayes ye must eat unleavened bread 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven dayes g The matter and manner whereof see Numb 28. 18 c. in the seventh day is an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 9 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 10 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them * Exod. 23. 16. Num. 28. 26. When ye be come into the land h Therefore this obliged them not in the desert where they reaped no harvest c. which I give unto you and shall reap i i. e. begin to reap as it is expounded Deut. 16. 9. So he begâ—…t i. e. began to beget Gen. 5. 32. and 11. 26. and he built 1 King 6. 1. i. e. he began to build as it is explained 2 Chroâ—… 3. 1. the harvest thereof k To wit barly harvest which was before wheat harvest See Exod. 9. 31 32. and 34. 22. Ruth 2. 23. then ye shall bring a ‖ Or handful †Heb. an Omer sheaf l Heb. An omer which is the tenth part of an Ephah It seems here to note the measure of corn which was to be oâ—…ered For it is to be considered that they did not offer this Corn in the ear or by a sheaf or handful but as Iosephus 3. 10. affirms and may be gathered from Levit. 2. 14 15 16. purged from the chaff and dryed and beaten out and some adde ground into meal and sifted into fine flour though this may be doubted of because the meat-offering attending upon this was of fine flour ver 13. and because this offering is said to be of green ears of Corâ—… dried c. Levit. 2. 14. of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest
inordinate both in the desire and use of them because there they buried the people that lusted 35 And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth t Of which place see on Numb 33. 17. and Deut. 1. 1. and †Heb. they were in c. abode at Hazeroth CHAP. XII 1 AND Miriam and Aaron a Whom God permitted to murmur against their brother partly to exercise and discover the admirable meekness and patience for the instruction of after ages and partly that by this shaking Moses his authority might take the deeper root and the people might be deterred from all sedition and rebellion against him by this example Miriam seems to be first named because she was the chief instigatour or first mover of the sedition wherefore she also is more eminently punished spake against Moses because of the ‖ Or Cushite Ethiopian woman b Which was either 1. Zipporah who is here called an Ethiopian in the Hebrew a Cushite because she was a Midianite the word Cush being generally used in scripture not for Ethiopia properly so called below Egypt but for Arabia as some late learned men have evidently proved from 2 King 19. 9. 2 Chron. 21. 16. Ezek. 29. 10. and 30. 8 9. Hab. 3. 7. and other places If she be meant as it is commonly conceived I suppose they did not quarrel with him for marrying her because that was done long since but for indulging her too much and being swayed by her and her relations by whom they might think he was perswaded to make this innovation and to chuse seventy Rulers as he had been formerly Exod. 18. by which copartnership in government they thought their authority and reputation much diminished especially when no notice was taken nor use made of them in the choice but all was done by the direction of Moses and for his assistance in the government And because they durst not accuse God who was the chief agent in it they charge Moses his instrument as the manner of men is or 2. some other woman though not named in Scripture whom he married either whilest Zipporah lived or rather because she was now dead though that as many other things be not recorded For as the quarrel seems to be about his marrying a stranger so it is probable it was a late and fresh occasion about which they contended and not a thing done 40 years agoe And it was lawful for him aswell as any other to marry an Ethiopian or Arabian woman provided she were as doubtless this woman was a sincere proselyte which were by the law of God admitted to the same priviledges with the Israelites Exod. 12. 48. so there might be many reasons why Moses might chuse to marry such a person rather than an Israelite or why God so ordered it by his providence either because she was a person of eminent worth and vertue or because God intended that the government should not be continued in the hands of Moses his children and therefore would have some political blemish to be upon the family as being strangers by one parent And this they here urge as a blemish to Moses also whom he had married for * Exod. 2. 21. he had †Heb. taken married an Ethiopian woman 2 And they said Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses * Mic. 6. 4. hath he not spoken also by us c Are not we Prophets as well as he so Aaron was made Exod. 4. 15 16. and so Miriam is called Exod. 15. 20. See also Mic. 6. 4. And Moses hath debased and mixed the holy seed which we have not done Why then should he take all power to himself and rule and make rulers as he pleaseth without consulting us in the case And the LORD heard it d i. e. Observed their words and carriage to Moses 3 Now the man Moses was very meek e This is added as the reason why Moses took no notice of their reproach but was as one that heard it not and why God did so speedily and severely plead Moses his cause because he did not avenge himself Quest. 1. Did it become Moses thus to commend himself Answ. 1. The holy pen-men of Scripture are not to be measured or censured by other profane Writers because they are guided by special instinct in every thing they write and as they oft-times publish their own and their near relations greatest faults where it may be useful to the honour of God and the edification of the Church in after ages so it is not strange if for the same reasons sometimes they commend themselves especially when they are forced to it by the insolence and contempt of their adversaries which was Moses his case here in which case St. Paul also commends himself 2 Cor. 11. 5 c. and 12. 11 12. Which they might the better do because all their writings and carriage made it evident to all men that they did not this out of vain glory and that they were exalted above the affectation of mens praises and the dread of mens reproaches 2. This might be added as some other clauses were by some succeeding Prophet which was no disparagement to the authority of the holy Scriptures seeing it is all written by one hand though â—…ers pens be used by it Quest. 2. How was Moses so meek when we oft-times read of his anger as Exod. 11. 8. and 16. 20. and 32. 19. Levit. 10. 16. Numb 16. 15. and 20. 10 11. compared with Psal. 106. 32 33. Answ. 1. The meekest men upon earth are provoked sometimes yea oftner then Moses was 2. True meekness doth not exclude all anger but onely such as is unjust or immoderate or implacable Moses was and ought to be angry where God was offended and dishonoured as he was in almost all the places alledged above all the men which were upon the face of the earth 4 And the LORD spake suddenly f Partly to shew his great respect unto Moses and unto the grace of meekness and partly to stifle the beginings of the sedition that this example might not spread amongst the people who had too much of that leaven among them unto Moses and unto Aaron and unto Miriam Come out g To wit out of your private dwellings and from amongst the people both that you may not infect them by such scandalous words and partly that you may know my pleasure and your own doom ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation and they three came out 5 And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle h Where they stood wit hout not being admitted into the Tabernacle as Aaron used to be which is noted as a sign of Gods displeasure and called Aaron and Miriam and they both came forth 6 And he said Hear now my words if there be a prophet among you i If you be Prophets as you pretend yet know there
especially the Blood of Christ from which this water and all other Rites had their purifying vertue heifer without spot wherein is no blemish d A fit Type of Christ who was such Heb. 7. 26. 1 Pâ—…t 1. 19. and upon which never came yoke e Whereby may be signified either that Christ in himself was free from all the yoke or obligation of Gods Command till for our sakes he took up our yoke and put himself under the Law or that Christ was not drawn or forced to undertake our burden and cross but that he did voluntarily chuse it See Iohn 1â—… 17 18. 3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest f Who was the second Priest and in some cases the Vicegerent or Deputy of the High-priest To him not to 〈◊〉 because this service made him unclean for a season vâ—…r 7. and consequently unfit for 〈◊〉 Ministrations whereas the High-priest was as far as 〈◊〉 he could to be preserved from all sorts of defilement and constantly fit for his high and holy work that he may bring her * Heb. 13. 1â—… forth without the camp g Partly because it was repâ—…ted an unclean and accursed thing being ceremoniously laden with the sins of all the people and partly to signifie that Christ should suffer without the Camp as he did Heb. 13. 12. in the place where malefactours suffered Levit. 24. 14 and one h A person appointed by Eleazar for this work shall slay her before his face 4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his singer and * Heb. 9. 13. sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle i Or Towards or over against the Tabernacle either 1. Near to it and so we must suppose that he took some of the blood in a basin and carried it from without the camp to the Tabernacle and then returned to this place again Which might be done though it be not here expressed And this seems to agree best with other places where this sprinkling seven times was performed in or near the Tabernacle as Lev. 4. 17. Or 2. Standing at a good distance from it even without the camp yet turning and looking towards it For here is no intimation that he went into the camp before this work was done but rather the contrary is implyed ver 7. And because being defiled by this work he could not come near to the Tabernacle it was sufficient for him to turn and look towards it Either way this posture signified his presenting of this blood before the Lord by way of atonement and satisfaction for his and the peoples sins and his expectation 〈◊〉 acceptance and pardon onely from God and from his mercy-seat in the Tabernacle of the congregation seven times 5 And one shall burn the heifer k To signifie the sharp and grievous sufferings of Christ for our sins in his sight * Exod. 29. 14. Lev. 4. 11 12. her skin and her flesh and her blood l All of it but what was spent in sprinkling with her dung shall he burn 7 And the priest shall take cedar-wood and hyssop and scarlet m All which are here burnt and as it were offered to God that they might be sanctified to this holy use for the future for of these kinds of things was the sprinkle made wherewith the unclean were sprinkled Levit. 14. 4. and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes and he shall bathe his flesh in water and afterward he shall come into the camp and the priest shall be unclean until the even n Partly to teach us the imperfection of the Levitical Priesthood in which the Priest himself was defiled by some parts of his work and the absolute necessity of a better and hosier Priesthood and partly to shew that Christ himself though he had no sin of his own yet was reputed by men and iudged by God as an unclean and sinful person by reason of our sins which were laid upon him 〈◊〉 53. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 21. 8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his flesh in water and shall be unclean until the even 9 And a man that is clean shall gather up * Heb. 9. 13. the ashes of the heifer and lay them up without the camp in a clean place and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel o i. e. For their use and therefore in a fit place or places whence any of them might easily procure it for a water p Or To the water i. e. to be put to the water or mixed with it of separation q i. e. Appointed for the cleansing of them that are in a state of separation who for their uncleanness are separated from the congregation it r Either the Heifer this managed or the water thus made and sprinkled is a purification for sin s Heb. A sin i. e. a kind of an offering for sin or rather a mean for the expiation or cleansing of sin The name of sin is sometimes given to the punishment of sin and sometimes to sacrifice or offering for sin 10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even and it shall be unto the children of Israel and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them t To wit a Proselyte not any stranger as some understand it For since it is confessed all the other ceremonial Laws do not oblige them and that where the name of stranger is put as here it is it generally speaks of a Proselyte it is more reasonable to take it so here than without any reason or evidence to make this a particular exception from the general rule for a statute for ever 11 * Lev. 21. 1. chap. 5. 2. Lam. 4. 14. Hag. 2. 13. He that toucheth the dead body of any †Heb. soul. man shall be unclean seven dayes u Whereas the touch of a dead beast made a man unclean onely till even Levit. 11. 24. 12 * chap. 31. 19. He shall purifie himself with it x i. e. With the water of separation on the third day y To Typifie Christs resurrection on that day by which we are cleansed or sanctified and on the seventh day he shall be clean z To teach us that our purification in this life is gradual and not perfect till we come to that eternal Sabbath which the seventh day respected but if he purifie not himself the third day then the seventh day he shall not be clean a But was first to purifie himself and four dayes after that to be clean 13 Whosoever toucheth b To wit if this transgression be done presumptuously for if it was done ignorantly he was onely to offer sacrifice Levit. 5. 3 6 17. the dead body of any man that
figurative significations that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest who shall ask counsel for him z When he requires him to do so and in important and difficult matters See Ios. 9. 14. Iudg. 1. 1. and 20. 18. 1 Sam. 23. 9. * Exod. 28. 30. after the judgment ‖ Or by or from the judgment i. e. by seeking and receiving and communicating to him the judgment or sentence thereby given or by the judgment is here put defectively for by the breast-plate of judgment as it is called Exod. 28. 30. as the testimony is oft put for the ark of the testimony Or concerning the judgment or sentence i. e. what the mind and will of God is in the matter Or after the manner or rite for so the Hebrew word mishpat here used oft signifies of Urim †Understand and of Thummim for these two generally go together onely here as also 1 Sam. 28. 6. Urim is synecdochically put for both Urim and Thummim For the manner of this enquiry and answer see on Exod. 28. 30. before the LORD * Ordinarily in the Tabernacle near the second vail setting his face to the Ark or otherwise presenting himself as in Gods presence as Abiathar did by Davids direction 1 Sam. 23. 9. when they were both banished from the Ark. at his word ‖ i. e. The word of the Lord last mentioned delivered to him by the High-priest shall they go out and at his word they shall come in both he and all the children of Israel with him even all the congregation 22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation 23 And he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses CHAP. XXVIII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Command the children of Israel a God here repeats some of the former laws about sacrifices not without great reason partly because they had been generally discontinued for 38 years together partly because the generation to which the former laws had been given about these things was wholly dead and it was fit the new generation should be instructed about them as their parents were partly to renew the testimonies of Gods grace and mercy notwithstanding their frequent forfeitures thereof by their horrid Apostacies and Rebellions and principally because they were now ready to enter into that land in which they were obliged to put these things in practise Deut. 12. 8. c. and say unto them My offering and * my bread â—…ev 5. 11. 〈◊〉 6 8. for my sacrifices made by fire b According to this translation the sence is My offering i. e. my offerings or sacrifices and my bread i. e. either my shewbread or rather my meat-offering made of bread or meal for my sacrifices made by fire i. e. which is to accompany my burnt-offerings Or thus My offering to wit my bread i. e. my meat-offering which was made of bread or meal which is oft expressed by this very name of Korban or offering as Levit. 2. 1. and 6. 20. but because korban signifies not onely a meat-offering but other offerings also as Lev. 7. 37 38. therefore he limits that general word by adding my bread with so the Hebrew Lamed is oft used as Gen. 46. 26. Ezra 1. 5. and 2. 63. c. my sacrifices made by fire which may be understood either 1. generally for all the sacrifices as that phrase is sometimes taken as 1 Sam. 2. 28. where it must needs be so meant because the burnt-offerings properly so called were not given to the Priest but reserved to God himself and the Priests portion lay in the other sacrifices onely or 2. specially and properly for burnt-offerings and so under them as the most eminent kind are contained in all other sacrifices as under the meat-offering here is contained the drink-offering And according to this translation and explication these words contain a full and general rule comprehending all the particulars following in this chapter as in reason they ought to do and which otherwise they do not for a †sweet 〈◊〉 1. â—… 12. 〈◊〉 a savor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 savour unto me shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season 3 And thou shalt say unto them * This is the 〈◊〉 29. 38. offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD two lambs of the first year without spot †Heb. in a day day by day for a continual burnt-offering 4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning and the other lamb shalt thou offer †Heb. betwene the two evenings at even 5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a * Lev. 2. 4. meat-offering c Which was an appendix or accessory to the principal sacrifice See on Lev. 2. 1. and Numb 15. 4. mingled with the fourth part of an * Exod. 29. 40 hin of beaten oyl 6 It is a continual burnt-offering which was ordained d Or prescribed instituted by God Or made i. e. offered at that place though since omitted for 38 years in mount Sinai for a sweet savour a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD 7 And the drink-offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb in the holy place e i. e. Upon the altar of burnt-offerings which was in the court of the Priests nigh the entrance into the Sanctuary See Exod. 29. 42. 2 Chron. 29. 7. shalt thou cause the †Heb. Shâ—…kar Gr. Sicera See Luk. 1. 15. strong wine f Heb. Shecar which though it signifie in the general all kinds of strong drink yet is here put for the most famous of that kind to wit for wine which alone was used in offerings as appears below ver 18. Exod. 29. 40. to be poured unto the LORD for a drink-offering 8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even as the meat-offering of the morning and as the drink-offering thereof thou shalt offer it g Or thou shalt offer with it Or with the meat-offering of the morning and with the drink-offering thereof thou shalt offer it the letter caph being put for beth which are alike in Hebrew and the words are said to be read with beth in some copies a sacrifice made by fire of a sweet favour unto the LORD 9 And on the sabbath-day two lambs h Besides that for the daily sacrifice ver 10. of the first year without spot and two tenth-deals of flour for a meat-offering mingled with oyl and the drink-offering thereof 10 This is the burnt-offering of every sabbath beside the continual burnt-offering and his drink-offering 11 And * chap. 10. 10. 1 Sam. 20. 5. in the beginnings of your months i Which though not reckoned among the solemn
The chief Rulers of each Tribe who were to communicate it to the rest concerning the children of Israel saying This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded 2 If a man b Which notes both the Sex as appears by v. 3. and the Age that he be grown up for none can be so weak as to think the vow of a young Child would bind it vow a vow c i. e. A simple vow to do something possible and lawful unto the LORD d To the Honour and Service of God or swear an oath e Confirm his Vow by an Oath to bind his Soul with a bond f To restrain himself from something otherwise lawful as suppose from such a sort of Meat or Drink or to oblige himself to the performance of something otherwise not necessary as to observe a private day of fasting he shall not †Heb. profanâ—… break his word g Heb. not pollute or prophane his word as the same phrase is used Psal. 55. 20. and 89. 34. i. e. not render his word and consequently himself prophane or vile and contemptible in the eyes of others he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his own mouth h And that without delay Deut. 23. 21. Eccles. 5. 4. provided the thing be not unlawful and forbidden by God Act. 23. 14. for it is an idle conceit that a man can give away Gods right or that he can make void Gods commands by his own vows which was the dotage of the Pharisees Mark 6. 23 26. 3 If a woman i Or a man in the same circumstances a son or a servant as plainly appears from hence because the reason of this Law is perfectly the same in both Sexes which is that such persons have given away what was not their own but anothers even their superiours right which is against the Rule and Law of Natural Reason and against the Word of God which binds all persons to give to every one their due He instanceth only in the Woman because that Sex is both by Creation and Sin put into a state of subjection but under the chief and most unquestionable kind all other Subjects in like circumstances are comprehended as is very usual also vow a vow unto the LORD and bind her self by a bond being in her fathers house k i e. Under his Care Power and Government which she is whilest she continues in her Fathers House being a Virgin as appears by the opposition of a married Woman v. 6. and of a Widow and Divorced Woman v 9. and by this Phrase of being in her Fathers house for when she marries she is removed into her Husbands house Ruth 1. 9. Or being in or of her Fathers Family the word House being commonly used for Family for when she marries she is translated and removed into another Family in her youth l When not onely her Sex but her Age disenables her for vowing and this clause is added not by way of restriction as if Virgins in their riper yearâ—… were freed from their Parents jurisdiction and at their own disposal which undoubtedly they are not but by way of addition or amplification q. d. especially which particle is here to be understood such defects of particles being frequent in the Hebrew Tongue in her youth which is commonly reckoned about her Twelfth or Thirteenth year 4 And her father m Under which Title seem to be comprehended as in other places of Scripture Masters Magistrates and all other superiours in such cases wherein their right is given away by the inferiour vow as for instance when a Servant vows to go a long journey for his Friend and his Master will not permit him to do so but not in other cases as if a Servant vows to do something for another in that time which his Master alloweth to his own use and disposal in this case his vow binds him but not in the former hear her vow and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul and her father shall hold his peace at her n His silence being an interpretative consent and much more if he declares his approbation of it then all her vows shall stand and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand o i. e. Be established or confirmed or be in force 5 But if her Father disallow her in the day that he heareth p i. e. Speedily or without delay allowing onely necessary and convenient time for deliberation And it is hereby intimated that the day or time he had for disallowing her vow was not to be reckoned from her vowing but from his hearing or knowledge of her vow not any of her vows or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand and the LORD shall forgive her q Or will forgive either her rashness of making such vows or rather her not performing of it But this is to be understood only of such vows which could not be performed without invading the Fathers or Superiours right for if one should vow to forbear such or such a sin and all unnecessary occasions or means leading to it and to perform such or such duties when he had opportunity no Father nor Superiour can discharge him from such vows because her Father disallowed her 6 And if she had at all an husband r To whose Will and Authority she was thereby made subject when †Heb. Her vows were upon her she vowed s To wit when she was in her Fathers house as is evident by comparing v. 10. and this clause seems to be added by way of exception to that which was said v. 3 4. to signifie that though she were in her Fathers house yet if she were married her Husband onely and not her Father could disoblige her from her vow or uttered ought out of her lips t Either 1. By way of vow and so this clause explains and determines the former i. e. if she express her vow in words Or 2. By way of Oath concerning which this same phrase is used Levit. 5. 4. and so this clause is distinct from the former which the disjunctive particle or implies wherewith she bound her soul 7 And her husband heard it and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it then her vows shall stand and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand 8 But if her husband disallow her on the day that he heard it then he shall make her vow which she vowed and that which she uttered with her lips wherewith she bound her soul of none effect and the LORD shall forgive her 9 But every vow of a widow and of her that is divorced u Though she be in her Fathers house whether such persons oft returned which limitation may be gathered both from the opposition of her being in her Husbands house v. 10. and from hence that this was the onely doubtful case for if such a
my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel and * chap. 27. 1. Josh. 17. 3. my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother b i. e. Our kinsman one of our Tribe Ios. 17. 2 3. unto his daughters 3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the other Tribes of the children of Israel then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and shall be put to the inheritance of the Tribe †Heb. unto whom they shall be whereunto they are received c For their inheritance will pass to their children who will be of another Tribe by their fathers side which alone is considered â—…n this place so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance 4 And when the * Lev. 2â—… 10. jubile of the children of Israel shall be d Which God appointed principally for this end to preserve the inheritances in the hands of the Tribes and Families to which they were first given then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the Tribe whereunto they are received so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers 5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the LORD saying The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well e Their plea is just and reasonable God did not take particular care about every occurrence that happened or might happen but left divers things to be found out by humane prudence which being his own gift it was meet there should be opportunities left for the exercise of it and God thought fit to approve and ratifie the prudent and profitable inventions of men by his own law or sanction as in the case of Iethro Exod 18. of Zelophehads Daughters Num. 27. and here of their brethren But it is observable that God allowed this onely in civil affairs but never in the matters of his worship where he utterly forbids it 6 This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad saying Let them †Heb. 〈◊〉 marry to whom they think best only to the family of the tribe of their father f They seem hereby to be confined not only to the same Tribe but also to the family of their Tribe as appears from the reason of the Law for God would have the inheritance of Families as well as Tribes kept intire and unmixed and this was one reason of that Law of marrying the Brothers wife Deut. 25. And although the next verse may seem to thwart this interpretation the reason of this Law being there given that inheritances might not go from Tribe to Tribe yet ver 8. confirms it where the very same phrase is repeated and that more emphatically that such shall marry one of the family of the Tribe of her Father and this further reason and restriction is added that they may enjoy every man the inheritance not onely of his Tribe but of his Fathers to wit belonging to his fathers family shall they marry 7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe for every one of the children of Israel shall †Heb 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers 8 And every daughter that possesseth an inheritance g By which clause it seems this Law was not general to forbid every woman to marry into another Tribe as may be reasonably concluded from the practise of so many Patriarchs Kings Priests and other holy men who have married women of other Tribes yea sometimes of other Nations which it is not likely they would have done if this had been a transgression of Gods Law but restrained to heiresses or such as were likely to be so See 1 Chron. 23. 22. But if they had brethren it is probable they were free to marry into any Tribe yet so that if their brethren dyed their punishment was that the inheritance went from them to the next a kin of their fathers Tribe and Family And the principal reason why God was solicitous to preserve tribes and families unmixed was that the Tribe and Family too out of which the Messiah was to come and by which he should be known might be evident and unquestionable in any tribe of the children of Israel shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers 9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance 10 Even as the LORD commanded Moses so did the daughters of Zelophehad 11 * chap. 〈◊〉 For Mahlah Tirzah and Hoglah and Milcah and Noah the daughters of Zelophehad were married unto their fathers brothers sons h It is uncertain whether brothers or sons be taken strictly and properly or more large as those words are oâ—…t used in Scripture 12 And they were married †Heb. to 〈◊〉 that were families into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father 13 These are the commandments and the judgments which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho ANNOTATIONS ON DEUTERONOMIE The ARGUMENT MOses in the two last Months of his life rehearseth what God had done for them and their frequent murmurings rebellions and constant ingratitude he begs to enter into the Land but is permitted onely to see it he forbiddeth any communion with the Nations for several reasons Chap. 7. He gives a short repetition of those sundry Laws Moral Ceremonial Iudicial and Military which he had given them from whence this Book is called Deuteronomy Then after many Exhortations he prophecieth of Christ afterwards he shews how matters of War are to be managed and giving many other particular directions with reference to Duties Conditions and Persons of both Sexes he pronounceth blessings on the obedient and Curses on the Disobedient he then gives a charge for the laying up and reading of the Law at certain times and every seven years to be solemnly read before all the people he composeth a Song for common use comprizing the wonderful things here mentioned he prophecieth of Christs coming and the calling of the Gentiles seeth the Land and dyeth leaving Josnua after he had consecrated him to succeed CHAP. I. 1 THese be the words which Moses spake a These are the Laws Counsels and Admonitions delivered by Moses from God to Israel which are here repeated for the instruction and obligation of those who by reason of their tender years were uncapable either of understanding them or of entring into Covenant with
e Which was to be examined and determined by the consideration of all the circumstances and lie with her then the man onely that lay with her shall die 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death for as when a man riseth against his neighbour and slayeth him even so is this matter f Not an act of choice but of force and constraint 27 For he found her in the field and the betrothed damsel cried g Which is in that case to be presumed charity obliging us to believe the best till the contrary be manifest and there was none to save her 28 * Exod. 22. 16. If a man h i. e. An unmarried man as appears 1. From his obligation to marry the person he abused which it is not probable would have been imposed upon him 2. Because if the man had been married this had been adultery and so had been punished with death find a damsel that is a virgin which is not betrothed and lay hold on her i Which notes some kind of force or artifice whereby she was overpowred whereas Exod. 22. 16. she was enticed which implies consent and therefore the man doth here receive a greater punishment because he used hostile violence towards her which was the greater sin and lie with her and they be found 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsels father fifty shekels of silver k Besides the dowry as Philo the Learned Iew notes which is here omitted because that was common and customary and because it might easily be gathered out of Exod. 22. 16. it being sufficient here to mention what was peculiar to this case and she shall be his wife l To wit if her Father consent to it which is to be supposed out of Exod. 22. 16. it being not likely that the Father should lose his paternal right of disposing his Child when she was in some sort forced rather than when she was inticed because he hath humbled her he may not put her away all his dayes m Which others were suffered to do Deut. 24. 1. and he who inticed the maid Exod. 22. 16. was not prohibited to do 30 * Lev. 18. 8. A man shall not take n To Wife So this respects the state and the next branch speaks of the act onely his fathers wife o His Mother in law See Levit. 18. 8. and 20. 11. 1 Cor. 5. 1. nor discover his fathers skirt p i. e. The skirt of the Mothers Garment i. e. the nakedness which is here called his fathers skirt because his Father and Mother were one flesh or because his Father alone had the right to uncover it The phrase is taken from the ancient custome or ceremonie of the Bridegrooms spreading the skirt of his Garment over the bride to signifie his right to her and authority over her and his obligation to the marriage duty See Ruth 3. 9. Ezek. 16. 8. CHAP. XXIII 1 HE that is wounded in the stones a Heb. wounded by compression or attrition or contusion to wit of the stones which was the course the Gentiles took with Infants to make them Eunuchs And these Eunuchs and Bastards v. 2. seem to be not onely those of other Nations as some understand it without any foundation for such restriction but also of the Israelites the reason of this law being the same in all to wit that God would bring into disgrace those heathenish practices of making Eunuchs and getting Bastards which doubtless he would especially do among his own people or hath his privy members out off shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD b Which phrase cannot be understood so that they might not come into the Church or Holy Assemblies to worship God to pray or hear c. because Proselytes of any Nation were admitted to common Church-priviledges no less than the Jews as is evident from Exod. 12. 48. Levit. 22. 18. Numb 9. 14. and 15. 14. It were absurd to think that any of the Israelites for such a natural or involuntary defect should be shut out from all Gods ordinances nor so that they were to be put out of the muster-roll of Gods people or to lose the Priviledges common to all Israelites to wit the benefit of the year of release or Jubile which it is not probable the Israelites were to forfeit meerly for this unculpable imperfection but either 1. That they should not be incorporated into the Body of Israel by marriage for so this phrase may seem to have been understood by the whole Congregation of Israel Nehem. 13. 1 2 3 23 24 25. Although at that time the Government was in part in the hands of such persons as are here mentioned v. 3. or of their children seeing it is apparent from Ezra 10. that many Priests and Levites and other Officers and Rulers of Israel were married to strange Women whose issue are by this Law excluded from all share in the Government and for that among other reasons Nehemiah separated them from Israel by vertue of the Law here following Or 2. That they should not be admitted to Honours and Offices either in the Church or Common-wealth of Israel and so the congregation of the Lord doth not here signifie as commonly it doth the body of the people but the society of the Elders or Rulers of the people who as they represent the whole Congregation and act in their name and for their service and good so they are sometimes called by the name of the Congregation as Numb 35. 12 24 25. Ios. 20. 6 9. 1 King 8. 5. compared with v. 1 2 3. and 1 Chron. 13 1 2 4. and 29. 1 10 20. compared with 1 Chron. 28. 1. and 29. 6. and of the congregation of God as it is in the Hebrew of Psal. 82. 1. Howsoever seeing they are oft called the congregation they may very well be called in a special manner the congregation of the Lord because they were appointed by God and act in his name and stead and for his work and service and did also oft assemble near the Tabernacle where God was eminently present Add to this that this Hebrew word Kahal generally signifies a Congregation or Company of men met together and therefore this cannot so conveniently be meant of all the body of the people which could never meet in one place but of the chief Rulers which frequently did so Nor is it strange that Ennucâ—…s are excluded from government partly because such persons are commonly observed to want that courage which is necessary for a Governour Exod. 18. 21. and partly because as such persons ordinarily were despicable so the Office and Authority in their hands was likely to be exposed to the same contempt 2 A bastard c So the word is commonly rendred and so it notes a person base-born or born in Fornication or Adultery or by
thine enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing o Then especially take heed because that is a time and state of confusion and licentiousness when as one said the Laws of God and Man cannot be heard for the noise of arms and because the success of thy arms and enterprizes depends upon Gods blessing which wicked men have no reason to expect and because thou dost then carry thy life in thy hand and therefore hast need to be well prepared for Death and Judgment 10 If there be among you any man that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night p Of which see Levit. 25. 4 16 17. or by uncleanness of any like kind one kind being here as oft put for all then shall he go abroad out of the camp q Qu. Why doth this uncleanness oblige a man to go out of the Camp when it did not oblige him to such a removal Levit. 15 Aâ—… 1. It is not unreasonable if they were obliged to greater strictness and purity when they were undertaking so difficult and dangerous a work 2. There is a manifest reason of the difference because in their houses they had private Chambers where they could in such cases keep themselves from converse with others whereas in the Camp their conveniencies were so small and their occasions of action so many that it was very hard for his fellow-Souldiers that continued with him in the same Tent or part of the Camp to avoid the touching of him which yet was infectious Levit. 15. 7 22. he shall not come within the camp 11 But it shall be when evening †Heb. turneth â—…ward cometh on he shall wash himself with water and when the sun is down he shall come into the camp again 12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp whither thou shalt go forth abroad q To wit to ease thy self as it follows v. 13. 13 And thou shalt have a paddle r The nature of which may be known from the use which here follows upon thy weapon and it shall be when thou †Heb. fittest 〈◊〉 wilt ease thy self abroad thou shalt dig therewith and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee s Partly to prevent the annoyance of our selves or others partly to preserve and exercise Modesty and Natural honesty and principally that by such outward rites they might be inured to the greater reverence of the Divine Majesty and the greater caution to avoid all real and moral uncleanness especially now when it was most necessary so to do 14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp t Either because the Ark was commonly present with them or at least some of the Holy Instruments which were pledges of Gods presence or because God had promised to go forth with them when they ingaged in a just and necessary war to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy camp be holy that he see no †Heb. nakedâ—…s of anything unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee 15 * Sam. 30 15. Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee u This is not to be understood universally as if all servants that flee from their masters though without any sufficient cause or colour of justice might be detained from them by any person to whom they fled for refuge for this is apparently contrary to all the Laws of Religion and Justice and Charity and would open a door to infinite disorders and mischiefs but it is to be understood 1. Of the Servants of Strangers because it follows v. 16. he shall dwell with thee even among you which shews that he had dwelt with and belonged to another people 2. Of such as belonged to the Canaanites or other neighbouring Nations because if he had lived in remote Countries it is not probable that he would flee so far to avoid his Master or that his Master would follow him so far to recover him And for the Canaanites this sentence was most just because both they and theirs were all forfeited to God and to Israel and whatsoever they enjoyed was by special indulgence And for the other Neighbours it may seem just also partly because some of them were within the larger limits of the land belonging to Israel by Gods grant or deed of gift Gen. 15. 18. Ios. 1. 4. partly because by their hostile carriages they had given Israel a right to much more of theirs than a few Servants that might possibly run away from their Masters and especially because both Masters and Servants of these and other Nations are unquestionably at the dispose of the Lord their Maker and Soveraign Ruler 3. Of such as upon enquiry appear to have been unjustly oppressed by their Masters as is implyed by that phrase of his making an escape which supposeth a deliverance from danger or vexation Now it is not strange nor unjust if the great God who hates all Tyranny and stiles himself the refuge of the Oppressed doth interpose his authority and help to rescue such persons from their cruel Masters who otherwise would be too strong for them 4. Of such as came to them out of a desire to embrace the true Religion which possibly his Master perceiving indeavoured by force to restrain him from as it may be probably thought from his chusing and liking to live among the Israelites expressed v. 16. Now if this great and supreme Master to whom all other Masters are but Servants and they and theirs are absolutely in his power shall receive and protect one that gives up himself to his service against the will of the under-Master who in this case rebels against his Soveraign Lord what shadow is there of injustice in the case 16 He shall dwell with you even among you in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates where it †Heb. is good for him liketh him best thou shalt not oppress him e Taking advantage from his low and afflicted condition to be unreasonable or injurious to him 17 There shall be no ‖ or Sodomitess whore f No common prostitute such as were tolerated and encouraged by the Gentiles and used even in their Religious worship of the daughters of Israel g Not that such practises were allowed to the strangers among them as is evident from many Scriptures and reasons but that it was in a peculiar manner and upon special reasons forbidden to them as being much more odious in them than in strangers Though the words may be rendred among the Daughters and so in the following clause among the sons for the Hebrew Mem is sometimes used in that sence as Numb 32. 22. Psal. 31. 12. and so it notes that none of that sort should be permitted among them whether Jews or Strangers nor a Sodomite h Or buggerer who defileth
or suffereth himself to be defiled with mankind See Gen. 19. 5. Levit. 18. 12. 1 King 14. 24. and 22. 47. Rom. 1. 27. of the sons of Israel 18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore g This is opposed to the practise of the Gentiles who allowed both such persons and their oblations they made out of their wicked and infamous gains and some of them kept lewd Women who prostituted themselves in the Temples and to the honour of their false Gods and offered part of their profit to them See Mich. 1. 7. Baruch 6. 43. Herod in the end of his first book and Strabo in his eighth book or the price of a dog h Either 1. Properly the dog being a vile and contemptible creature in those Eastern parts 1 Sam. 17. 43. and 24. 15. and 2 Sam. 3. 8. Eccles. 9. 4. and unclean by Gods designation which yet should have been redeemed by virtue of that law Numb 18. 15. had it not been for this prohibition And this may be here prohibited either 1. That by this one instance put for all others of the like kind they might be taught not to offer to God what cost them nothing or was worth nothing Or 2. To bring contempt upon that Creature which divers of the Gentiles offered up to their Gods and the Egyptians worshipped as Gods Or 3. That by comparing Whores and Dogs together and equalling the prices of them he might expose Whores to the highest disgrace and infamy Or 2. Metaphorically as that word is oft used in Scripture as 1 Sam. 24. 14. Psal. 22. 16 20. Isa. 56. 10 11. Mat. 7. 6. Phil. 3. 2. and particularly it is used for unclean or filthy persons 2 Pet. 2. 22. Revel 22. 15. as Horace also calls Whores Bitches Which name doth most properly agree to them in respect of that impudence and filthiness and insatiableness for which both of them are branded And this sence may seem most proper in this place because it agrees with all the other expressions and as the hire of a whore answers to the whore v. 17. so the price of a dog may seem to answer to the Sodomite v. 17. and so all concern the same thing whereas the price of a dog properly so called may seem to be quite incongruous and forreign to the place It is true which is objected that Law-givers use to deliver their Laws in proper and not in metaphorical terms to prevent mistake and ambiguity But there seems to be no great danger of mistake here where the metaphor is so clearly explained and determined by so many words joyned with it into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow i And much less in other sacrifices which being of an higher Nature and prescribed by God must needs require more exactness than those which depended much upon a mans Will and choice as vows and free-will-offerings did for even both these k i. e. The Whore and the Dog and therefore the price of either of them cannot be acceptable And this may seem to favour the latter opinion that the Dog is here taken metaphorically rather than properly because there is no mention in the Law save in this place which is in question of any abhominableness of a Dog unto God more than of an Ass or any other unclean creature but how abhominable Sodomites are to God is sufficiently evident from other Scriptures and from undeniable reasons are abomination unto the LORD thy God 19 * Exod. 22. 25. Lev. 25. 36. Psal. 15. 5. Thou shalt not lend upon usury l i. e. So as to receive thy principal mony or thing lent with such increase or improvement of it as was usual and allowed among the Gentiles But whether all usury be unlawful to Christians is too great a question to be determined in a work of this nature See Exod. 22. 25. Deut. 15. 3. Psal. 15. 5. Nehem. 5. 2. Luke 6. 34. to thy brother usury of money usury of victuals usury of any thing that is lent upon usury 20 Unto a stranger m i. e. To a person of any other nation for so that word is generally used and therefore they who restrain it to the cursed Canaanitish Nations seem to do so without any solid or sufficient grounds And though the word brother is ofttimes used in a general sense for every man yet I think I may affirm that wheresoever the words brother and stranger are opposed in the Jewish Law the Brother signifies the Israelite onely and the stranger signifies any person of what nation or Religion soever whether proselyted to the Jewish Religion or not and so it seems to be meant here And the reason why usury is permitted to a stranger not to an Israelite may seem to be this because the Israelites generally imployed themselves in the management of Land and Cattle and therefore could not make any advantage of borrowed money to ballance the use they should pay for it and consequently it may be presumed that they would not borrow mony upon use but for want and poverty and in that case and principally for that reason usury seems to be forbidden to them as may be thought from Levit. 25. 35 36. But the strangers made use of their money in way of Trade and Traffick with the Israelites which was more gainful and could much better bear the burden of usury and reap advantage from mony so borrowed and these strangers here spoken of are supposed to be competently rich and not poor as may plainly appear by comparing this place with Levit. 25. 35 36. where they are no less forbidden to take usury of a stranger than of a brother in case of poverty thou mayest lend upon usury but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon Usury that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it 21 * Eccles. 5. 4. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God thou shalt not slack to pay it n To wit if the matter of it be lawful and in thy own power See Numb 30. 2. Not slack or delay because delays may make thee both unable to pay it and unwilling too the sense of ones obligation growing every day weaker than other c. for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee and it would be sin in thee o i. e. It would be laid to thy charge as a sin and bring judgment upon thee 22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow it shall be no sin in thee 23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform even a free-will offering p Which though thou didst freely make yet being made thou art no longer free but obliged to perform it according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God which thou hast promised with thy mouth 24 When thou comest into thy neighbours vineyard then thou
station into which they came from the wilderness of Sinai Numb 10. 12. all this verse may belong to Gods appearance in mount Sinai where that glorious light which shone upon mount Sinai directly did in all probability scatter its beams into the adjacent parts such as Seir and Paran were and so this is onely a Poetical and Prophetical variation of the phrase and expression of the same thing in diverse words and Gods coming or rising or shining from or to or in Sinai and Seir and Paran note one and the same illustrious action of God appearing there with ten thousands of his Saints or holy Angels and there giving a fiery law to them as it here follows And this interpretation may receive some strength from Hab. 3. 3. where this glorious march of God before his people is remembred onely Teman which signifies the South is put for Seir which is here possibly to signify that that Seir which is here mentioned was to be understood of the Southern part of the country of Seir or Edom which was that part adjoyning to the Red Sea Others refer this of Seir to the brasen Serpent that eminent type of Christ which was erected in this place unto them he shined forth from mount Paran g A place where God eminently manifested his presence and goodness both in giving the people flesh which they desired and in appointing the 70 Elders and pouring forth his Spirit upon them Num 11. Though the exposition mentioned in the foregoing branch may seem more probable and he came with †Heb. holy myriads or ten thousands So Gr. See Jude v. 14. ten thousands of Saints h i. e. With a great company of holy Angels Psal. 68. 17. Daâ—… 7. 10. which attended upon him in this great and glorious work of giving the law as may be gathered from Act. 7. 53. Gal. 3. 19. Heb. 2. 2. and 12. 22. from his right hand i Which both wrote the law and gave it to men An allusion to men who ordinarily write and give gifts with their right and not with their left hand went †Heb. a fire of Law a fiery law k The law is called fiery partly because it is of a fiery nature purging and searching and inflaming for which reasons Gods word is compared to fire Ier. 23. 29. partly to signify that fiery wrath and curse which it inflicteth upon sinners for the violation of it 2 Cor. 3. 7 9. and principally because it was delivered out of the midst of the fire Exod. 19. 16 18. Deut. 4. 11. and 5. 22 23. for them 3 Yea he loved the people l i. e. The tribes of Israel which are called People Gen. 48. 19. Iudges 5. 14. Act. 4. 27. The sense is This Law though delivered with Fire and Smoke and Thunder which might seem to portend nothing but hatred and terrour yet in truth it was given to Israel in great love as being the great mean of their temporal and eternal Salvation And although God shews a general and common kindness to all men yet he loved this people in a singular and peculiar manner all his saints m All Gods Saints or holy ones i. e. his People as they are now called the people of Israel who are all called holy Exod. 19. 6. Num. 16. 3. Deut. 7. 6. Dan. 7. 25. and 8. 24. and 12. 7. because they all professed to be so and were obliged to be so and many of them were such Though some appropriate this to the true Saints in Israel are in thy hand n Or were in thy hand i. e. under Gods care to protect and direct and govern them as that phrase signifies Numb 4. 28 33. Ioh. 10. 28 29. These words are spoken to God and for the change of persons his and thy that is most frequent in the Hebrew tongue See Dan. 9. 4. This clause may further note Gods kindness to Israel in upholding and preserving them when the fiery law was delivered which was done with so much dread and terrour that not onely the people trembled and were ready to sink under it Exod. 20. 18 19. but even Moses himself did exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12. 21. But in this fright God sustained both Moses and the people in or by his hand whereby he in a manner hid and covered them that no harm might come to them by this terrible apparition and they sat down at thy feet o Like Scholars to receive instructions and counsels from thee He alludes either 1. To the manner of disciples among the Jews who used to sit at their masters feet Luk. 10. 39. Acts 22. 3. See also Gen. 49. 10. 2 King 4. 38. But it is doubtful whether this custom was so antient as Moses Or 2. To the place where the people waited when the Law was delivered which was at the foot of the mount every one shall receive of thy words p The people easily understood from the foregoing words did or will receive or submit to thy instructions and it commands This may respect either 1. The peoples promise when they heard the Law that they would hear and do all that was commanded Deut. 5. 27. Or 2. The peoples duty to do so 3. The peoples priviledge that they were admitted to receive so great a priviledge as the words and Laws of God were 4 Moses commanded us a law q Moses speaks this of himself in the third person which is very usual in the Hebrew language even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob r The Law is called their Inheritance partly because the obligation of it was hereditary passing from Parents to their Children and partly because this was the best part of all their inheritance and possessions the greatest of all those gifts and favours which God bestowed upon them 5 And he was * See Gen. 36. 31. chap. 32. 15. king s Moses was their King not in Title but in reality being under God their supream and uncontroulable Governour and Lawgiver Though the word oft signifies onely a prince or chief Ruler as Iudg. 19. 1. Ier. 19. 3. and 46. 25. in Jeshrun t i. e. In Israel so called Deut. 32. 15. when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together u When the Princes and People met together for the management of publick affairs Moses was owned by them as their King and Lawgiver and he directed and ruled them as their superiour This he saith to shew that the people approved of and consented to the Authority and Laws of Moses 6 Let Reuben live and not die and let not his men be few x Though Reuben deserve to be cut off or greatly diminished and obscured according to Iacobs prediction Gen. 49. 4. Yet God will spare them and give them a name and portion among the Tribes of Israel and bless them with increase of their numbers 7 And this is the blessing
same of him and all that he did in Egypt m They cunningly mention those things only which were done some time since and say nothing of the dividing of Iordan nor of the destruction of Iericho and Ai as if they lived so far off that the same of those things had not yet reached them 10 And * Numb 〈◊〉 24 33. all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond Jordan to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan which was at Ashtaroth 11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us saying Take victuals * Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand with you for the journey and go to meet them and say unto them We are your servants therefore now make ye a league with us 12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you but now behold it is dry and it is mouldy 13 And these bottles of wine which we filled were new and behold they be rent and these our garments and our shooes are become old by reason of the very long journey 14 And * Or 〈◊〉 â—…ceived 〈◊〉 men by 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 al 's the men n i. e. The Princes as before v. 7. took of their victuals o Not from their want or any desire they could have to such unpleasant and unwholsome food nor as a Ceremony usual in making Leagues for that was not now done but in the next verse but that they might examine the truth of what they said and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD p As they ought to have done upon all such weighty and doubtful occasions So they are accused of rashness and neglect of their Duty For though it is probable if God had been consulted he would have consented to the sparing of the Gibeonites yet it should have been done with more caution and an obligation left upon them to embrace the true Religion which here was omitted 15 And Joshua made peace with them and made a league with them to let them live q i. e. That they would not destroy them Some question whether this League was lawful and obliging because it is contrary to a positive and precedent law of God by which they were enjoined to make no peace with them but utterly to destroy them Exod. 23. 32. and 34. 12. c. But this law seems to admit of some exception and favourable interpretation and that taken from the reason and soul of that Law which was this that the Israelites might not be tainted with their Idolatry and other Abominations by cohabitation with them and therefore when that reason ceased i. e. if they were willing to relinquish their Possessions and Idolatry and other wickedness and to embrace the true Religion they might be spared And tho this Law was delivered in general terms because God foresaw that the Israelites would be most prone to err on that hand by sparing those whom they should destroy yet that it was to be understood with an exception of Penitents and true Converts might easily be gathered both from the example of Rahab and from the Tenor of Divine Threatnings which though absolutely deliverâ—…d allow of this exception as appears from Ier. 18. 7 8. Ionah 3. 4. and from the great kindness and favour which God hath manifested unto all true Penitents in delivering them from evils threatned to them and inflicted upon others which kindness of God we also are obliged to imitate by vertue of that natural and moral Law of God implanted in us and revealed to us to which such positive Commands as this of killing the Canaanites must give place And that this League was lawful and obliging may seem probable 1. Because Ioshua and all the Princes upon the review concluded it so to be and spared them accordingly v. 19 20 22 23. 2. Because God punished the violation of it long after 2 Sam. 21. 1. 3. Because God is said to have hardened the hearts of all other Cities not to seek Peace with Israel that so he might utterly destroy them Ios. 11. 19 20. which seems to imply that their utter Destruction did not necessarily come upon them by vertue of any absolute and peremptory Command of God to destroy them but by their own obstinate hardness whereby they neglected and refused to make Peace with the Israelites Obj. This League was grounded upon a Deceit and Errour of the persons which also they had entred a caution against v. 7. Ans. Their supposition that they were Canaanites was indeed a part of the foregoing Discourse v. 7. and the Israelites rested satisfied with their Answer and believed they were not and so entred into the League but that League was absolute not suspended upon that or any other condition and the error was not about the persons but about the Country and People to which they belonged which was not material to this Contract no more than it is to a Contract of Marriage that the one person believed the other to be of another Country or Family than indeed they were and the princes of the congregation sware unto them 16 ¶ And it came to pass at the end of three days r i. e. At the last of them or upon the third day as it is said v. 17. and so this Phrase is elsewhere used as Deut. 14. 28. and 31. 10. Or it may be properly understood that after three days they heard this and on the day after they heard this they came to their Cities as is said v. 17. after they had made a league with them that they heard that they were their neighbours and that they dwelt among them 17 And the children of Israel journeyed and came unto their cities on the third day now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kirjath jearim s Which Cities were subject to Gibeon which was the Royal City Ios. 10. 2. 18 And the children of Israel smote them not because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel and all the congregation murmured against the Princes t Partly from that proneness which is in people to censure the actions of their Rulers partly because they might think the Princes by their rashness had brought them into a Snare that they could neither Kill them for fear of the Oath nor Spare them for fear of Gods Command to the contrary and partly from their desire of the Possession and Spoil of these Cities of which they thought themselves hereby deprived 19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation We have sworn unto them by the LORD u They plead not the lawfulness nor the prudence of the action but only the Obligation of an Oath of which though it was procured by Fraud they perceived the People sufficiently sensible God of Israel now therefore we may not touch them
us in a most Bloody War you have delivered us from the evils we feared He that prevents an unexpected or approaching Disease or Mischief doth as truly deliver a man from it as he that cures or removes it after it hath been inflicted 32 ¶ And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest and the princes returned from the children of Reuben and from the children of Gad out of the land of Gilead unto the land of Canaan to the children of Israel and brought them word again 33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel and the children of Israel blessed God and did not intend to go up against them in battel to destroy the land p As they were by the Law of God obliged to do if they had been guilty and persisted therein as afterwards they did the Tribe of Benjamin for the same reason wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt 34 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar ‖ That is a Witness So chap. 24. 27. Ed for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God CHAP. XXIII AND it came to pass a long time a About 14 years after it after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about that Joshua waxed old and ‡ Heb. come into days stricken in age 2 And Joshua called b Either to his own City or rather to Shiloh the usual place of such Assemblies where his words being uttered before the Lord were likely to have the more effect upon them for all Israel c Not all the people in their own persons who could not either come thither or hear him there but in their Representatives by their Elders Heads Iudges and Officers which are here added for the restriction and explication of that general expression and for d Or even for c. their elders and for their heads and for their judges and for their officers and said unto them I am old and stricken in age 3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these Nations because of you e For your sake and good that you might gain by their losses for the * Exod. 14. 14. LORD your God is he that hath fought for you 4 Behold I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain f Not yet Conquered to be an inheritance for your tribes g You shall certainly subdue them and inherit their Land as you have done the rest if you be not wanting to your selves from Jordan with all the Nations that I have cut off h i. e. With the Land of those Nations the People put for their Land as we have seen before and as sometimes on the contrary the Land is put for the People even unto the great sea ‡ Heb. at the sun-set westward i Where the Philistines your most formidable Adversaries yet survive but them also and their Land I have given to you and you shall undoubtedly destroy them if you will proceed vigorously in your work 5 And the LORD your God he shall expel them from before you and drive them from out of your sight and ye shall possess their land as the LORD your God hath promised unto you 6 Be ye therefore very couragious k For it will require great Courage and Resolution to execute all the Commands of Moses and particularly that of expelling and destroying the residue of the Canaanites to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses * Deut. 5. 32. and 28. 14. that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left l i. e. In one kind or other by adding to the Law or diminishing from it as Moses speaks 7 That ye come not among these nations m i. e. Avoid all familiar converse and contracts but especially Marriages with them as it is explained v. 12. and as the Hebrew Verb intimates being oft used of coming or going in to a Woman these that remain amongst you neither * Psal. 16. 4. Jer. 5. 7. Zeph. 1. 5. make mention of the name of their gods n To wit unnecessarily and familiarly lest the mention of them breed discourse about them and so by degrees bring a man to the approbation and worship of them Compare Exod. 23. 13. Deut. 12. 3. Psal. 16. 4. Eph. 5. 3. nor cause to swear by them o Nor require or compel the Gentiles to swear by them as they used to do especially in Leagues and Contracts which therefore the Israelites are here implicitely forbidden to make with them neither serve them nor bow your selves unto them p Neither give them any inward reverence or outward adoration Here is an observable gradation whereby he shews what notable Progress Sin usually makes and what need there is to look to the beginnings of it forasmuch as a civil and common conversation with their persons was likely to bring them and indeed did actually bring them by insensible steps to the Worship of their gods So it is no wonder if some things not simply and in themselves evil be forbidden by God as here the naming of their gods is because they are occasions and introductions to evil 8 ‖ Or for if 〈◊〉 will cleave c. But * Deut. 11. 〈◊〉 cleave unto the LORD q By firm Affiance constant Obedience intire Affection faithful Service and Worship of him alone your God as ye have done unto this day r To wit since you came into Canaan since which time the body of the people for of them he speaks not of every particular person had behaved themselves much better than they did in the Wilderness and had not been guilty of any gross and general Apostacy from God or Rebellion against him 9 ‖ Or then the LORD 〈◊〉 drive For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong but as for you no man s To wit whom you have invaded otherwise some of those people did yet remain unconquered hath been able to stand before you unto this day 10 * Lev. 26. â—… Deut. 32. 〈◊〉 One man of you shall chase a thousand for the LORD your God he it is that fighteth for you t Impute not this therefore to your own valour as you will be apt to do but to Gods gracious and powerful assistance * Exod. 1â—… 1â—… and 23. 2â—… as he hath promised you 11 Take good heed therefore unto your ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 selves u Now it requires more watchfulness and diligence than it did in the Wilderness because your Temptations are now more and stronger partly from the examples and insinuations of your bad Neighbours the remainders of this wicked people and partly from your own Peace and Prosperity and the Pride Security Forgetfulness of God and Luxury which usually attend
‡ Heb. a son of valour valiant for me and fight the LORDS battels for Saul said Let not mine hand be upon him but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him z He thought so great an offer would oblige him who was of himself Valiant enough to give proofs of more than common Valour and to venture upon the most dangerous enterprizes 18 And David said unto Saul Who am I and what is my life a i. e. My manner of living How obscure is that condition in which I was born and have been bred Or rather thus How little is my life worth that by the exposing of that to some hazard which Saul required of him I should purchase a King 's Daugther In these expressions David theweth not onely his Humility but also his Wisdom in discovering so deep a sense of his own meanness that Saul might see how far he was from aspiring at the Kingdom and might have no occasion to suspect that he was already Anointed thereto or my fathers family in Israel that I should be son in law to the king 19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Sauls daughter should have been given to David b When the Marriage was even ready to be Solemnized that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite c The Son of Barzillai as he is called 2 Sam. 21. 8. This was an act of great Injustice and Perfidiousness and accordingly this Marriage was accursed by God and the Children begotten in it were by Gods appointment cut off 2 Sam. 21. to wife 20 And Michal Sauls daughter loved David d Not for any respect he had to David but for his own malicious and wicked ends that he might make use of her Love to David to ensnare and ruin him which he thought might be done many ways whereof one is here expressed and they told Saul and the thing ‡ Heb. was right in his eyes pleased him d Not for any respect he had to David but for his own malicious and wicked ends that he might make use of her Love to David to ensnare and ruin him which he thought might be done many ways whereof one is here expressed 21 And Saul said I will give him her that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him Wherefore Saul said to David Thou shalt * Verse 26. this day e i. e. Suddenly within a time which probably Saul prefixed be my Son in law in the one of the twain f Whereas I have onely two Daughters and thou wast disapointed of thy expectation in the one by an unexpected accident thou shalt certainly have the other which is the same thing Heb. in the twain Thus the Cities of Gilead is put for one of them Iudg. 12. 7. And the sides of the Ship for one of the sides Ionah 1. 5. Or he saith in the twain or in both because he was in effect Betrothed to the one and should be Married to the other and so was his Son in law upon a double account 22 ¶ And Saul commanded his servants saying Commune with David g Whom having so lately and grosly deceived he found backward to imbrace his motion and therefore sets others on work to persuade him secretly and say Behold the king hath delight in thee and all his servants love thee now therefore be the kings son in law 23 And Sauls servants spake those words in the ears of David and David said Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a kings son in law â—…eeng that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed h And therefore neither have Estate nor Credit to give according to the manner Gen. 34. 12. Exod. 22. 16. 17. a Dowry suitable to her Quality 24 And the servants of Saul told him saying ‡ Heb. â—…ing to 〈◊〉 worâ—… On this manner spake David 25 And Saul said Thus shall ye say to David The king desireth not any dowry but an hundred fore-skins i These he desires rather than their heads partly for the greater convenience of bringing them and presenting them before him partly to cover his malice against David with a pretence of Zeal for God and for his People and for the Covenant of Circumcision and partly that the Philistines might be the more enraged against David for this reproachful and Barbarous usage of them and might therefore watch all opportunities to destroy him of the Philistines to be avenged of the kings enemies But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines 26 And when his servants told David these words it pleased David well to be the kings son in law k As for other reasons so especially because this opened the Door to the Kingdom which God had promised him and the days l i. e. The time allowed by Saul to David for the execution of this exploit were not ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 expired 27 Wherefore David arose he and his men and slew of the Philistines two hundred men and David brought their fore-skins and they gave them in full tale to the king m He doubled the number required partly to oblige Saul the more to the performance of his promise and partly to shew his great Respect and Affection to Saul's Daughter that he might be the kings son in law and Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife 28 ¶ And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David and that Michal Sauls daughter loved him 29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David n Because he both lost his design against David's life and had now Paved a way for him to the Throne and Saul became Davids enemy continually 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth o To wit to War against the Israelites being provoked both by their former losses and especially by that act of David's related above v. 27. and it came to pass after they went forth that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul so that his name was much ‡ Heb. â—…ous set by CHAP. XIX AND Saul spake to Jonathan his son a Whom though lately engaged in a League of Friendship with David he thought to oblige to it by sense of his own Interest as being the next Heir of the Crown and likely to suffer most by David's advancement and to all his servants b What before he secretly designed now he openly and impudently avowed that they should kill David 2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David and Jonathan told David saying Saul my father seeketh to kill thee now therefore I pray thee take heed to thy self until the morning c Lest he kill thee before I discourse with him and endeavour to reconcile him to thee which I think not fit to attempt as yet whilst he is in the fit of Rage against thee but I intend to
7000 Chariots in all whereof 700 were chosen ones according to the distinction made Exod. 14. 7. of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen f For which in 1 Chron. 19. 18. is forty thousand footmen Which may be reconciled divers ways 1. Both these may be true that he slew 40000 Horsemen which being the most considerable part and strength of the Army it might seem sufficient to name them and every one could easily understand that the Footmen in that case were certainly cut off and that he slew also 40000 Footmen as is said 1 Chron. where he mentions them onely because they were omitted in 2. Sam. and the Horsemen being expressed here it was needless to repeat them in 1 Chron. 2. The Horsemen may be here called footmen in opposition to those that Fought in Chariots because they sometimes Fought on Horseback and sometimes came down from their Horses and Fought on Foot when the place of the Battel was more commodious for Footmen than for Horsemen which it is not improbable was their Case here for David being a Soldier of great Prudence and Experience and understanding the great Numbers of the Syrian Horsemen whereas the Israelites had but very few Deut. 17. 16. would doubtless endeavour to chuse a place as inconvenient for their Horsemen as he could 3. Peradventure the Syrians designed to bring the War into David's Country and therefore hastned their March and for that end put their Footmen on Horseback as hath been frequently done in like Cases who when they came to the place of the Battel came down from their Horses and Fought on Foot So there is no need of acknowledging an error of the Scribe in the Sacred Text which yet if it were granted in such Historical Passages of no moment to the Doctrine of Faith and good Life it would not shake the Foundation of our Faith in matters of great Importance which it might reasonably be presumed the Providence of God would more watchfully preserve from all depravation or Corruption and smote Shobach the captain of their host who died there 19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer f To wit for that time or in that Expedition to which â—…e hired them saw that they were smitten before Israel they made peace with Israel and served them So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more CHAP XI AND it came to pass that ‡ Heb. at the return of the year after the year was expired at the time when kings go forth b Which is when the ground is fit for the March of Soldiers and brings forth Provision for Man and Beast to battel c These words are to be understood here as Gen. 10. 11. and 14. 8. that * 1 Chron. 20. 1. David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah d The Chief and Royal City of the Ammonites Deut. 3. 11. but David tarried still at Jerusalem a When that year ended and the next begun which was in the Spring-time Exod. 12. 2. 2 ¶ And it came to pass in an evening-tide that David arose from off his bed e Where he had lain and slept for sometime being possibly disposed to sleep after Dinner by reason of some Excels committed in Eating or Drinking and indulging himself in his Lazy Humour which may seem very improper for so great a Prince and Captain who had so many and great Burdens upon his Shoulders especially in a time of War and therefore such Practises have been condemned by Heathens and Homer will not allow a General and great Counseller to sleep all the Night much less to take any part of the Day for it And therefore this is thought to be David's first Error and the occasion of his following Fall and walked upon the roof f Which was plain after the manner Deut. 22. 8. of the kings house and from the roof he saw a woman washing her self g To wit in a Bath which possibly was in her Garden or in some room near to the King's Palace where she might wash her self divers ways and for different ends either for health or coolness or to cleanse her self from some kind of legal Impurity where also the Windows being open and she careless David might espie her and the woman was very beautiful to look upon 3 And David sent and enquired after the woman h Instead of suppressing that Lust which the sight of his Eyes had kindled he seeks rather to feed it and first enquires who she was that if she were unmarried he might make her either his Wife or his Concubine and one said Is not this Bath-sheba i Called also Bathshua 1 Chron. 3. 5. where also Fliam is called Ammiel the daughter of Eliam the wife of Uriah the Hittâ—…te k So called either 1. By his Original being born either of that Race but become a zealous Proselyte or at least among that People Or 2. By his Habitation among them Or 3. For some notable Exploit of his against that People See 1 Sam. 26. 6. and the notes on 2 Sam. 8. 18. 4 And David sent messengers and took her l From her own House into his Palace not by force but by perswasion as desiring to speak with her and she came in unto him m Into his Palace and Chamber as he desired and he * Psal. 51. title lay with her ‡ Heb. and she was purifying her self from her uncleanness So Gr. for she was purified from her uncleanness n To wit from her menstruous Pollution according to the Law Levit. 18. 19. Which is here noted as the reason either why David pursued his Lustful desire or why she so easily yielded to it because she was not under that Pollution which might alienate her from it or rather why she so readily conceived that time being observed by Aristotle and others to be the most likely time for Conception and she returned unto her house * Lev. 15. 19. and 18. 19. 5 And the woman conceived and sent and told David and said I am with child o Consider therefore what to do for thy own honour and for my safety whom thou hast brought into a most shameful and dangerous condition 6 And David sent to Joab saying Send me Uriah the Hittite And Joab sent Uriah to David 7 And when Uriah was come unto him David demanded of him ‡ Heb. of the peace of c. how Joab did and how the people did and how the war prospered p Frivolous Questions which any common Messenger could have answered which probably made Uriah suspect that there was some other secret cause why he was sent for And he might understand something either by David's Messengers v. 4. or by some of his own Family concerning her being sent for to the Court which together with other Circumstances might
is dead 19 But when David saw that his servants whispered David perceived that the child was dead therefore David said unto his servants Is the child dead And they said He is dead 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel and came into the house of the LORD n i. e. To the Tabernacle to confess his Sin before the Lord and to own his Justice in this stroke and the other threatnings and to deprecate his great and just displeasure and to acknowledge Gods rich mercy in sparing his own Life and to offer such Sacrifices as were proper and required in such cases Nor did David transgress that Law Numb 19. 14. in going thither before the Seven Days were expired For neither is there the same reason of a Tent and of a dwelling House where the several Rooms of the House are as distinct as several Tents nor is it here said that David was in the same Room or in the same House where the Child died and worshipped then he came to his own house and when he required they set bread before him and he did eat 21 Then said his servants unto him What thing is this that thou hast done thou didst fast and weep for the child while it was alive but when the child was dead thou didst rise and eat bread 22 And he said While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept * See Isa. 33. 1. Jon. 3. 9. for I said Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live o For God's threatning of the Child's Death might be conditional as that was of Ninevehs Destruction Ionah 3. 4. 23 But now he is dead wherefore should I fast p Seeing Fasting and Prayer cannot now prevail with God for his Life can I bring him back again I shall go to him q Into the state of the Dead in which he is and into Heaven where I doubt not I shall find him but he shall not return to me 24 And David comforted Bath sheba his wife r Who was now much dejected both for her former Sin which she truly Repented of as may be gathered from Prov. 31. 1 2 3 c. and for the loss of that Child which was very dear to her and which might seem to be the onely tie of David's Affection to her which being now dead she might think that David would utterly cast her off and leave her to that Shame and Punishment which she had deserved and went in unto her s To wit into her Chamber or Bed and lay with her and * Matt. 1. 6. she bare a son and * 1 Chron 〈◊〉 9. he called his name Solomon and the LORD loved him t i. e. The Lord declared to David that he loved his Son notwithstanding the just cause which David had given to God to alienate his Affections from him 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet and he called his name ‖ That is beloved of the Lord. Jedidiah because of the LORD u Either because of the Lord's love to him as the Name signifies or because the Lord commanded him to do so 26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon and took the royal city x i. e. That part of the City where was the Kings Palace where he ordinarily resided though now it seems he was retired to a strong Fort. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said I have fought against Rabbah and have taken the city of waters y The same Royal City so called because it either stood beside the River or was encompassed with Water both for defence and delight Although the Words are by some Learned Men rendred thus I have taken or intercepted or cut off water from the city Which well agrees both with the words eth being here put for meeth which is frequent as Gen. 4. 1. and 44. 4. Exod. 9. 29 c. and with the Relation of Iosephus the Iew who saith The Conduits of Water were cut off and so the City was taken And with a Relation of Polybius concerning the same Ciry which was taken afterwards by Antiochus in the same manner by cutting off Water from the City 28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it z For having taken one part of the City he concluded the remaining part of it could not long stand out lest I take the city and ‡ Heb. my name be called upon it it be called after my name a Lest I have the Honour of taking it Thus he seeks to engratiate himself with the King by pretending great care for his Honour and Interest 29 And David gathered all the people together b Either because Ioab needed more help for the Storming of the City or at least for the Prosecution of the Victory and Execution of Justice upon the whole Land or because he would have them all to partake of the spoil of the City which was there in great abundance v. 30. the rather because they were all exposed to the hazard of utter Ruine in case the Ammonites had prevailed against them and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it 30 * 1 Chron. 20. 2. And he took their kings crown from off his head the weight whereof was a talent of gold c Or rather the price whereof c. For as the Hebrew Shekel signifies both a Weight and a piece of Money of a certain price so also may mishkal as proceeding from the same Root And in general the same Words both in Hebrew Greek and Latine are promiscuously used to signifie either Weight or Price as is well known to the Learned And the addition of pretious stones which are never valued by the Weight of Gold makes this signification here most proper and probable Moreover the Weight might seem too great either for the King of Ammon or for David to wear it upon his Head Although if this were meant of the Weight it might be said that this was not a Crown to be worn ordinarily but meerly to be put on upon the King's Head at his Coronation or upon Solemn occasions as here where this was done in token of the Translation of this Kingdom to David and it may be it was held up or supported by two Officers of State that it might not be too burdensome to him and after a little while taken off with the precious stones and it was set on Davids head and he brought forth the spoil of the city ‡ Heb. very great â—… in great abundance 31 And he brought forth the people that were therein d The words are indefinite and therefore not necessarily to be understood of all the people for it had been Barbarous to use Women and Children thus but of the Men of War and especially of those who had been the
the king took the two sons of Rispah r Saul's Concubine v. 11. and chap. 3. 7. the daughter of Aiah whom she bare unto Saul Armoni and Mephibosheth and the five sons of ‖ Or Michal's sister v. 19. Michal s Or of Michal's sister to wit Merob for Michal had no Children 2 Sam. 6. 23. nor was she Married to this Adriel but to Phalti or Phaltiel the son of Laish 1 Sam. 25. 44. and 2 Sam. 3. 15. and Merob her sister was Married to this very Adriel the Meholathite 1 Sam. 18. 19. And it must be remembred that the Hebrew Language is very short and full of Elipses or defects of words which yet may be easily understood from the sense Particularly relative words are oft lacking and to be supplied as Goliah is put for Goliah's brother here v. 19. and Uncle for Uncle's son Jer. 32. 7 12. Or the Sons of Merob are called the sons of Michal to wit by adoption or the near Kindred and next Heirs of Michal and brought up by her For upon that and such like accounts the title of Son is oft given in Scripture as Gen. 48. 5. Exod. 2. 10. Deut. 25. 5 6. Ruth 1. 11 12. and 4. 17. Quest. But why then are not these called the sons of Merob Ans. Because they were better known by their Relation to Michal who was David's Wife and it may be alive at this time and having no Children of her own took these and bred them up as her own when Merob was now a more obscure person and possibly dead many Years before this the daughter of Saul whom she ‡ Heb. bare to Adriel brought up t For so this Hebrew Verb which primarily and properly signifies to bear is sometimes used as Gen. 50. 23. Ruth 4. 17. because the Education of Children is a kind of bearing of them as requiring frequently no less care and pains than the hearing doth whence it is that Nurses are reputed as Mothers and sometimes go under that name both in Sacred and Prophane Writers See Ruth 4. 16 17. and compare Gen. 16. 2. and 30. 3. Numb 11. 12. Gal. 4. 19. for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite u Of Abel-meholah in the Tribe of Benjamin Iudg. 7. 22. So he is here called by way of distinction from Barzillai the Gileadite chap. 19. 31. 9 And he delivered them into the hand of the Gibeonites x Quest. How could David do this when he had Sworn that he would not cut off Saul's seed 1 Sam. 24. 21 22. Ans. Because he had special warrant and direction from God about it who as all confess can dispence with mens Oaths and with his own Laws when he sees it fit And that he did so here is manifest because God was pleased with it and removed the Judgment upon it whereas otherwise David had been guilty of the same sin with Saul to wit of the breach of his Oath and Covenant for which this Famine was inflicted See the note on 1 Sam. 24. 22. and they * Josh 10. 26. hanged them in the hill y Or in an hill in or near Gibeah in a conspicuous place for their greater infamy and for the caution and terror of others who should make any attempt upon the Gibeonites for the future before the LORD z As a Sacrifice offered up to God to appease his wrath or unto the Lord as was said v. 6. and they fell a i. e. Died for so the word to fall is oft used as Exod. 19. 21. 1 Chro. 21. 14. Psal. 91. 7. Ier. 39. last Hos. 5. 5. or were executed all seven together and were put to death in the days of harvest in the first days in the beginning of barley harvest b Which was before the Wheat-harvest 10 ¶ And * Chap. 3â—… Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for her c As a Tent to dwell in being informed that their Bodies were not to be taken away speedily as the course of the Law was in other and ordinary cases Deut. 21. 23. but were to continue there until God was intreated and did remove the present Judgment And God was herein pleased to dispence with his own Law that it might plainly appear that these were not put to death by David for politick reasons as that he and his Sons might be freed from competitors which doubtless David's Enemies were ready to suggest but by Gods special command who was pleased to execute this Judgment upon them as partly and principally for the punishment of Saul's sin so secondarily for the stablishing of David's Throne to himself and to his seed for ever as he had promised upon the rock d from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven e i. e. Until they were taken down which was not to be done till God had given Rain as a sign of his favor and a mean to remove the Famine which was caused by the want of it and ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 not suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day f i. e. On their Carkasses nor the beasts of the field g From which she might preserve her self and them by divers methods by night 11 And it was told David h Who heard it with so much approbation that he thought â—…it to imitate her Piety being by her example provoked to do what hitherto he had neglected to bestow an honourable Interment upon the remains of Saul and Ionathan and with them upon those that were now put to death that the honour done to them herein might be some comfort to this dejected and disconsolate Widow what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah the concubine of Saul had done 12 ¶ And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-Gilead which had stollen them from the street of Beth-shan where the * 1 Sam. 31 〈◊〉 Philistines had hanged them when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa 13 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son and they gathered the bones i Having first burnt off the flesh which remained upon them when they were taken down Compare 1 Sam. 31. 10 c. of them that were hanged 14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the countrey of Benjamin in Zelah k A place in Benjamin mentioned Ios. 18. 28. in the sepulchre of Kish his father and they performed all that the king commanded and after that l After those things were done which were before related i. e. after they were hanged up for by that God was pacified and not by their burial So the relative belongs to the remoter antecedent Or if this relate to what was last mentioned the meaning is that God was pleased to restore the Blessing of plenty to the Land God was intreated for
Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead 49 And when Shaul was dead Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead 50 And when Baal-hanan was dead ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Gen. 36. 〈◊〉 Hadad reigned in his stead and the name of his city was ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Gen. â—…6 〈◊〉 Paâ—… and his wives name was Mehetabel the daughter of Matred the daughter of Mezahab 51 Hadad died also And the * 〈…〉 Dukes of Edom were Duke Timna Duke Aliah Duke Jetheth 52 Duke Aholibamah Duke Elah Duke Pinon 53 Duke Kenaz Duke Teman Duke Mibzar 54 Duke Magdiel Duke Iram These are the Dukes of Edom. CHAP. II. 1 THese are the sons of ‖ 〈…〉 Israel * 〈…〉 Reuben Simeon Levi and Judah Issachar and Zebulun 2 Dan Joseph and Benjamin Naphtali Gad and Asher 3 The sons of * 〈…〉 Judah a Whom he puts first because the best part of the Right of the First-born to wit the Dominion was conferred upon him Gen. 49. 8. and because the Messiah was to come out of his Loyns Er and Onan and Shelah which three were born unto him of the daughter of * 〈…〉 Shua the Canaanitess And Er the first-born of Judah was evil in the sight of the LORD and he slew him 4 And * 〈…〉 Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and Zerah All the sons of Judah were five 5 The Sons of * 〈…〉 Pharez Hezron and Hamul 6 And the Sons of Zerah ‖ 〈…〉 Zimri * 〈…〉 and Ethan and Heman and Calcol and ‖ 〈…〉 Dara b If these be the same who are mentioned as the Sons of Machol 1 King â—…4 31. Either the same Man had two Names Zerah and Machol as was usual among the Hebrews Or one of these was their immediate Father and the other their Grandfather five of them in all 7 And the sons of Carmi c Who is here mentioned because he was the Son of Zimri who is also called Zabdi Ios. 7. 1. ‖ 〈…〉 Achar d Called Achan Ios. 7. 1. and here Achar with a little variation for greater significancy For Achar signifies a Troubler the troubler of Israel who transgressed in the thing * 〈…〉 accursed 8 And the sons of Ethan Azariah 9 The sons also of Hezron that were born unto him Jerahmeel and ‖ 〈…〉 Ram and ‖ 〈…〉 Chelubai 10 And Ram * 〈…〉 begat Amminadab and Amminadab begat Nahshon prince of the children of Judah 11 And Nahshon begat Salma and Salma begat Boaz 12 And Boaz begat Obed and Obed begat Jesse 13 * 〈…〉 And Jesse begat his first-born Eliab e Called also Elihu 1 Chron. 27. 18. unless that was another person and the word Brother be taken more largely for a Kinsman as it is frequently used and Abinadab the second and ‖ 〈…〉 Shimma the third 14 Nethaneel the fourth Raddai the fifth 15 Ozem the sixth David the seventh f For though he had eight Sons 1 Sam. 16. 10. one of them either died presently after that time or is neglected for some reason now unknown as others are See the Notes on Mat. 1. 8 9. 16 Whose sisters were Zerujah and Abigail And * 〈…〉 the sons of Zerujah Abishai and Joab and Asahel three 17 And Abigail bare Amasa and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite g By Birth or Habitation but by Profession an Israelite 2 Sam. 17. 25. where see my Notes 18 And Caleb the son of Hezron h Not that Caleb Numb 13. 6. for he was the Son of Iephunâ—… of whom he speaks Ch. 4. 15. but another Caleb †begat children Heb. gâ—…t wâ—…th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Azubah his wife and of Jerioth her sons i i. e. The Sons either 1. of Ierioth she being last mentioned Or rather 2. of Azubah who is by way of distinction called his Wife when 〈◊〉 probably was onely his Concubine and as it may seem 〈◊〉 And therefore upon Azubah's death he married another Wife v. 19. And those other Sons of this Caleb mentioned below v. â—…2 are his Sons by some other Wife distinct from all these are these Jesher and Shobab and Ardon 19 And when Azubah was dead Caleb took unto him Ephrath which bare him Hur. 20 And Hur begat Uri and Uri begat * Exod. 31. â—… Bezaleel 21 And afterward Hezron went in k i. e. Lay with her as that Phrase is commonly used as Gen. 4. 〈◊〉 6. 4. to the daughter of * 〈…〉 Machir the father of Gilead l Of a Man so called Or if Gilead be the Name of that known Country Father is put for Head or Governour as it is used 1 Sam. 24. 11. 2 King 5. 13. 16. 7. Isa. 22. 21. Or for Protectour or Curatour as Father is used Iob 29. 16. Ier. 2. 2â—… 〈◊〉 â—… 3. This Man being a Man of noted Valour and the Great Champion in those Parts whom he †married m Heb. And he took her to wit to Wife Or After he had taken her For so the Particle vau is used as hath been formerly noted when he was n Heb. And he was to wit when he went in unto her Or when he married her threescore years old and she bare him Segub 22 And Segub begat Jair who had three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead o Which he had though he was of the Tribe of Iudah as 〈◊〉 we see because he married a Daughter of Manasseh Num. â—…6 29. whence he is called a Son of Manasseh Numb 32. 41. Deut. â—… 14. And because being a Man of great Courage he joyned himself 〈◊〉 that half Tribe in subduing Gilead wherein he acted so Valâ—…ntly and Successfully that he had 23 Cities or great Towns given to him to possess or dispose off or rather to Rule over them 〈◊〉 have some Advantage from them As a King is said to have his Kingdom although he hath not the propriety of all the Lands and Houses in it 23 * 〈…〉 And he took p Or For he had taken So this is the Reason why he had so great a Territory and Jurisdiction given to him Geshur and Aram q Two Cities or great Towns so called with the towns of Jair r i. e. With those 23. Cities which he is 〈◊〉 to have v. 22. from them s i. e. From the former Inhabitants which is easily understood with Kenath t Which was taken by Nobah one of Iairs Commanders sent by him to take it as may be gathered from 〈◊〉 32. 41 42. and the towns thereof even threescore cities all these belonged to the sons of Machir u Partly to his own Sons and partly to his son-in-Son-in-law Iair who by reason of that dear Affection which was 〈◊〉 them and his forsaking his own Tribe and Kindred to 〈◊〉 for them and to dwell with them is here reckoned as his own Son the
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
out all unclean or forbidden Persons who might sometimes presumptuously attempt to enter into the Temple as Uzziah did and to prevent or suppress any Tumults or Disorders which might happen in the Temple or in its Courts and to keep the Treasures of the Temple v. 20 22 24 26. and to be officers and judges over Israel v. 29. and to manage every matter pertaining to God and the affairs of the King â—… 32. 7 The sons of Shemajah Othni and Rephael and Obed Elzabad whose brethren were †Heb. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 strong men Elihu and Semachiah 8 All these of the sons of Obed-edom they and their sons and their brethren able men for strength for the service were thrâ—…escore and two of Obed-edom 9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren strong men eighteen 10 Also * Ch. 16. 38 Hosah of the children of Merari had sons Simri the chief for though he was not the first-born yet his father made him the chief e Taking away the Birth-right from the First-born either absolutely for some gross Miscarriage as Gen. 49. 4. or onely in this â—…espect because he wanted either Strength or Valour or some other Qualification necessary for his Office 11 Hilkiah the second Tebaliah the third Zechariah the fourth all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen 12 Among these were the divisions of the porters even among the chief men having wards one against another f Heb. having wards against or answerably to their Brethren to wit the other Levites who were divided into 24 Courses as the Priests also were and so it seems were the Porters to minister in the house of the LORD 13 And they cast lots ‖ Or as well for the small as for the great as well the small as the great g Determining the Times and Places of their Service not by Age or Dignity but meerly by Lot according to the house of their fathers h A several Lot being allowed for each several House for every gate i That it might be known to whom the Care of each Gate was more especially committed 14 And the lot eastward fell to ‖ Called Meshelenâ—…ah ver 1. Shelemiah then for Zechariah his son a wise counsellor k Which is noted as an excellent and useful Accomplishment for his Office in which there was need of Wisdom as well as Courage as may appear by the description of their Work v. 20 c. See the Note on v. 6. they cast lots and his lot came out northward 15 To Obed-edom southward and to his sons the house of †Heb. gatherings Asuppim l A Place so called or of gatherings so named either from the Assembly of the Elders who met there to consult about the Affairs of the Temple or from the People who were there gathered together to hear the Discourses and Debates of the Teacher of the Law or because the Gifts of the People towards the House and Worship of God were kept there See 2 King 22. 4. 2 Chr. 25. â—…4 16 To Shuppim and Hosah m Who for some reason were joyned together in the Custody of that Gate the lot came forth westward with ‖ Or near or at the gate Shallecheth n A Gate of the Court so called as some think because the Ashes and filth of the Temple were cast out on that side which was the most convenient Gate for that purpose because that was a private Quarter the great Ways to the Temple lying on the other sides by the causey of the going ‖ See 1 Kin. 10. 5. 2 Chr. 9. 4. up o By which Causey they went up towards the Temple ward against ward p Which may respect either 1. the time of their Watching that when one Guard went off another came on Or rather 2. the place of their Guard and so this may be understood either 1. of this Western Quarter where there was a double Guard either because there were two Gates there as some think or for some other cause now unknown Or rather 2. of all the Quarters compared together of all which having spoken he adds this That as one Gate was oâ—…er against another the West against the East and the North against the South so one Ward was over against another 17 East-ward were six Levites q For that being the Chief Gate of the Temple required a better Guard north-ward four a day southward four a day and toward Asuppim r i. e. The house of Asuppim as it is called v. 15. where also it is said to be on the South-side on which there seems to have been a double Guard both belonging to Obed-edom v. 15. one at the South-gate and the other at Asuppim where possibly the Sacred Treasures mentioned v. 20 c. were layd up and therefore a particular Guard was necessary See on v. 15. two and two 18 At Parbar s Or As concerning Parbar which was another Gate or some building on the Western Quarter of the Temple west-ward four at the causey t Which led to Parbar and two at Parbar u At the Gate or House it self By which it may seem that this was a Place of some Importance either the Vessels of the Temple or some part of the Treasures of Gods House being kept here 19 These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore and among the sons of Merari 20 And of the Levites Ahijah was over * Mal. 3. 10. the treasures of the house of God and over the treasures of the †Heb. holy things dedicate things x Either these are the same kind of Treasures the latter phrase onely explaining the former the particle and being used for that is or rather they are two differing kinds of Treasures the former containing the Sacred Vessels and other Treasures which by Gods Command were appropriated to the Maintenance of the House and Worship and Ministers of God as Tithes and First-fruits and other things and the latter onely those things which had been freely given or dedicated to God for those Ends or which see v. 26 27. 21 As concerning the sons of ‖ Or Libni Chap. 6. 17. Laadan the sons of the Gershonite Laadan chief fathers y i. e. Which sons were Chief Fathers or Heads of the Houses of their Fathers even of Laadan the Gershonite were ‖ Or Iehiel Ch. 23. 8. Jehieli z Understand here and his sons which here follow 22 The sons of Jehieli Zetham and Joel his brother which were over the treasures of the house of the LORD a As Shelomith and his brethren were over the treasures of the dedicated things v. 26. But both may seem to have been subject and accountable to Ahijah who was over both these kinds of Treasures v. 20. Or Ahijah might have a general Oversight into the Management of those Treasures as an Auditour of the Accounts although the others had
as it follows but by vehement perswasions and denunciations of Gods further Judgments upon him if he did not depart Some suppose that the Earthquake mentioned Amos 1. 1. Zech. 14. 5. happened upon this occasion as another token of Gods displeasure against this unparallel'd arrogancy yea himself * 〈◊〉 6. 12 hasted also to go out because the LORD had smitten him 21 * 〈◊〉 15. 5. 〈◊〉 13. 26 〈◊〉 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death r God would have this Leprosy to be incurable as a lasting monument of his Anger against such presumptuous Invaders of the Priests office and dwelt in a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †several house being a leper s As he was obliged to do by Law Levit. 13. 46. which he durst not now resist being under the hand and stroke of God and under the fear of further and worse plagues if he did so for t So the following words are a reason of the former he dwelt in a several house because he might not come into the Temple or Courts nor consequently into any publick Assembly or the society of others Or and therefore as the Hebrew Chi oft signifies and the Particle and is oft understood So it is an inference from the next foregoing words He was a Leper and therefore he was cut off c. He who could not content himself with Gods allowance but usurped the Priests place and office is now deprived of the priviledge of the meanest of his People A just and most suitable Judgment he was cut off from the house of the LORD and Jotham his son was over the kings house judging the people of the land 22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah first and last did Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz write 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings for they said He is a leper and Jotham his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XXVII 1 JOtham * 2 Kin 15 32 c. was twenty and five years old when he began to reign and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem his mothers name also was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Uzziah did howbeit he entred not into the temple of the LORD a To wit to offer Incense But seeing this was commendable how is this mentioned as an exception from the foregoing Character that he did as his Father did in that which was right c. Answ. It is an exception onely from the last clause where also one word may be supplied out of the foregoing words as is most usual in Scripture thus He did according to all that his father Uzziah did then it fitly follows howbeit c. i. e. except in his miscarriages And the people did yet corruptly 3 He built b i. e. Repaired it for it was built before ch 11. 5. the high-gate c 〈◊〉 wise called the New gate Jer. 36. 10. of the house of the LORD and on the wall of ‖ Or the 〈◊〉 â—…r Ophel d A Tower upon 〈◊〉 the wall of Jerusalem which probably he fortified as his Father 〈◊〉 done other Towers ch 2. 6. 9. he built much 5 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites e Who it seems endeavoured to shake off the yoke which from Davids time had been put upon them and prevailed against them And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver and ten thousand measures of wheat and ten thousand of barley †Heb. this So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him both the second year and the third 6 So Jotham became mighty because he ‖ Or established prepared his ways d Or directed his ways i. e. his counsels and actions by the rule of Gods Law before the LORD his God 7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all his wars and his ways lo they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah 8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem 9 And Jotham slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XXVIII 1 AHaz * 2 Kin. 16. 〈◊〉 was twenty years old when he began to reign and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD like David his father 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made also molten images for Baalim a To worship his Baalim or false gods in and by them 3 Moreover he ‖ Or offered sacrifice burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom and burnt * Lâ—…v 18. 21. his children in the fire after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel 4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places and on the hills and under every green tree 5 Wherefore the LORD his God b God was his God though not by Covenant and Grace and special Relation which Ahaz had renounced yet by his Soveraign Dominion over him For God did not forfeit his Right by Ahaz his denying it delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria and they smote him and carried away a great multitude of them captives and brought them to †Heb. Darmesek Damascus and he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel who smote him with a great slaughter 6 For * 2 Kin. 15. 2â—… Isa. â—… â—… Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day which were all †Heb. sons of valour valiant men because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers 7 And Zichri a mighty man of Ephraim slew Maasejah the kings son and Azrikam the governour of the house and Elkanah that was †Heb. the second to the king next to the king 8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand women sons and daughters and took also away much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria 9 But a prophet of the LORD was there whose name was Oded and he went out before the host that came to Samaria and said unto them Behold * Psal. 69. 26. Isa. 10. 5. 47. 6. Ezek. 2. 12 15. 26. 2. Obad. 10. c. Zech. 1. 15. because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah he hath delivered them into your hand and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven c i. e. In a most high and fierce manner An usual Hyperbole withal signifying that their Rage did cry aloud and
us in the mitigation of thy Judgments and hast given us such deliverances as this m So full so sudden and unexpected and amazing not onely to our enemies but also to our selves 14 Should we again break thy commandments n Was this a fit and just requital of all thy kindnesses or was this thy end and design in these actions or wilst thou take this well from our hands and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations I wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us so that there should be no remnant nor escaping o Can we reasonably expect any thing from thee less than utter ruine 15 O LORD God of Israel thou art righteous p A just and holy God who dost hate and wilst infallibly punish sin and sinners Or thou art merciful as appears from hence that notwithstanding all our sins thou hast not utterly destroyed us but left a remnant of us The Hebrew word here rendred righteous is oft used for merciful as is well known to all the learned for we remain yet escaped q Or though we remain c. i. e. Though thou hast yet spared us in part yet thou art righteous and therefore wilt certainly punish and destroy us according to our deserts if we do not repent of and reform this great wickedness as it is this day behold we are before thee in our trespasses r We are here in thy presence and so are all our sins we are arraigning our selves before thy Tribunal acknowledging our selves to be vile offenders and thee to be just if thou destroy us for we cannot stand before thee s To wit in Judgment as that word is oft used as Psal. 130. 3. Compare Psal. 1. 5. we must needs fall and perish at thy presence as the phrase is Psal. 9. 3. because of this t Because of this our great guilt and the aggravations of it CHAP. X. 1 NOw when Ezra had prayed and when he had confessed weeping and casting himself down before the house of God there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children a Awakened by the words and example of this holy Priest and great Potentate So inexpressible is the good which is done by the good example and the evil which is done by the bad example of a great Person or of a Minister The fame of his great passion of grief and of his many and publick expressions thereof in the Court before the Temple being in an instant dispersed over all the City brought a great company together for the people †〈…〉 wept very sore b Being greatly affected with Ezra's prayer and with the common sin 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel one of the sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra We have trespassed c He saith we either 1. Because he was guilty in this matter Or rather 2. In the name of the people and their several Families and his own amongst the rest For this mans name is not in the following Catalogue but there we have his Father Iehiel and his Fathers Brethren five other Sons of his Grandfather Elam v. 26. It was therefore an evidence of his great Courage and good Conscience that he durst so freely and fully discharge his duty whereby he shewed that he honoured God more than his nearest and dearest Relations against our God and have taken d To wit into conjugal society with our selves strange wives of the people of the land yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing e In case of our repentance and reformation Therefore let us not sorrow like persons without hope nor sit down in despair but let us fall upon action and amend our errours and then trust to Gods mercy 3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put away all the wives f Which though it may seem harsh yet is not unjust if it be considered 1. That Marriages made between some prohibited Persons as suppose between a Father and his Daughter a Brother and a Sister are not only unlawful but void Marriages and ipso facto null by the political laws of civil Nations And therefore these Marriages with Idolatrous and Heathen Women being expresly and severely forbidden by God might well be disannulled And it was one of good Theodosius his laws that those actions which were done against law should be accounted not only unlawful but null 2. That there were many peculiar laws given to the Jews concerning the Marrying and putting away of Wives as hath been observed before in their proper places and therefore it is not strange if there be something more in this case then is now usual with us 3. Supposing the matrimonial tye had continued yet they might be excluded from co-habitation with them as a just punishment upon them for the willful breach of a known and positive law of God and such as are born of them g This may seem harder than the former but many things may be said 1. Whatsoever evil befall either them or their Children they had all reason to accept it as the just and deserved fruit of their own sin 2. That Children may and sometimes do suffer at least temporal evils for their Parents sins or upon occasion of them is most evident both by the Scripture instances and by the laws and usages of Nations in some cases 3. This may seem to have been a necessary part of severity partly as a proper punishment of the Parents sin herein and to deter others more effectually from the like practices partly to prevent the corruption of their other Children by the conversation and society of this ungodly and Idolatrous brood and partly lest such Children being continually present with them and stealing into their affections might at last prevail with them to take their ejected Wives again 4. These Children were only cast out of the Families and Commonwealth of Israel but were not utterly forsaken and ruined but due care was probably taken by Authority that they should have some provision made for them some care taken about their Education in the Jewish Religion c. according to the counsel of my lord h Either 1. As thou counsellest and desirest us to do Or 2. Let us do it in such manner as thou shalt think fit and agreeable to the Law as it follows for it requires great caution as being a matter of no small difficulty and of those that tremble at the * 〈◊〉 â—… 2 3. commandment of our God i And of other serious and religious persons who may with thee consider and regulate the business and let it be done according to the law k This is meant either 1. Of the matter of the business let that be done which the Law requires let them be put away Or 2. Of the manner of it which must be
thirty priests garments 71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver 72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand pound of silver and threescore and seven priests garments 73 So the priests and the Levites and the porters and the singers and some of the people and the Nethinims and all Israel dwelt in their cities and when the seventh month came the children of Israel were in their cities CHAP. VIII 1 AND all * 〈◊〉 3. 1. the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water-gate a Of which see Nehem. 3. 26. and they spake unto Ezra * Ezra 7. 6. the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded to Israel 2 And Ezra the priest b Who came 12 or 13 years before Nehemiah to Ierusalem and either carried there or went back to Babylon being forced to do so by the Kings command or indispensable occasions and then returned again with Nehemiah brought the law before the congregation both of men and women and all †〈…〉 that could hear with understanding c i. e. And such children as were come to years of understanding upon the first day of the seventh month 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate †〈…〉 from the morning until mid-day before the men and the women and those that could understand and the ears of all the people were attententive unto the book of the law 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a 〈…〉 pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose and beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anajah and Urijah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on his right hand and on his left hand Pedajah and Mishael and Malchiah and Hashum and Hashbadana Zechariah and Meshullam d Partly to declare their consent and concurrence with Ezra in what he said and did and partly that they or some of them might bear a part in the work 5 And Ezra opened the book in the †〈…〉 fight of all the people for he was above all the people and when he opened it all the people stood up e Either in reverence to Gods Word of which see Num. 11. 32. Iudg. 3. 20. Or that they might hear his words the more distinctly or rather because they observed that Ezra composed himself to prayer or thanksgiving which is here generally declared but doubtless was more particularly and largely expressed in that assembly as appears by their answering Amen amen to his prayer 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD the great God and all the people answered Amen amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground 7 Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah Jamin Akkub Shabbethar Hodijah Maaseiah Kelita Azariah Jozabad Hanan Pelaiah and the Levites caused the people to understand the law f As well the words which being Hebrew now needed to be translated into the Chaldee or Syriack language which was now and henceforth the common language of that people who together with their religion had also in a great part lost their language as also the sense and meaning of them they expounded the mind and will of God in what they read and applied it to the peoples present condition as they saw fit as the manner of the Prophets generally was And hence the people were so deeply affected with 〈◊〉 and the people stood in their place g i. e. In their several places and stations into which the company seems to have been distributed for conveniency of hearing it not being likely that so vast a Congregation could distinctly hear one mans voice Or by their stations i. e. by the several stations of the Levites persons last named who seem to have had several scaffolds by comparing this with ch 9. 4. upon which they stood as Ezra did upon his pulpit v. 4. 8 So they read h To wit Ezra and his companions successively or severally l. in the book in the law of God distinctly and gave the sense i The meaning of the Hebrew words which they expounded in the common language and caused them to understand the reading k i. e. That which they read to wit the holy Scripture the action being put for the object as vision is oft put for the thing seen and hearing for the thing heard and fear for the thing feared So they gave them both a translation of the Hebrew words into the Chaldee and an exposition of the things contained in them and of the duty incumbent upon the people by vertue of them the declaration whereof was a great part of the Priests work Mal. 2. 7. 9 And Nehemiah which is ‖ Or the governour Ezra 2. 63. the Tirshatha and Ezra the priest the scribe and the Levites that taught the people said unto all the people * Num. 29. 1. Deut. 16. 14 15. This day is holy unto the LORD your God l To wit as a day of feasting and thanksgiving to God and rejoycing in his mercies for otherwise even fasting days were holy to God in the general though not in the sense here meant mourn not nor weep for all the people wept m when they heard the words of the law n Out of a deep sense of their great guilt and of their extream danger by reason of it 10 Then he said unto them Go your way eat the fat and drink the sweet n Feast before the Lord as the duty of the day obligeth you to do and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared o For the relief of your poor brethren who else must mourn whilest you rejoyce See of this duty and practice Deut. 16. 11 14. Esth. 9. 19. for this day is holy unto our LORD p Being the feast of trumpets Levit. 23. 24. and the beginning of this joyful month wherein so many days of feasting and thanksgiving were to be observed neither be ye sorry for the joy of the LORD is your strength q i. e. Rejoycing in God in the manner prescribed in his word or serving him with cheerfulness and thankfulness which is your duty alwaies but now especially will give you that strength both of mind and body which you greatly need both to perform all the duties required of you and to indure and oppose all the crafty counsels and malicious designs of your enemies against you whereas this dejection of mind and excessive grief if you indulge it will both oftend God and damp your spirits weaken your very bodies make you unfit for Gods service or for your own necessary occasions and so an easy prey to your enemies 11 So the Levites stilled all
some of his brethren who were lately sent to Hamans house ch 6. 14. where they might easily see it or at least hear of it And this he said either out of a distast which he had taken against Haman for his great insolency and barbarous cruelty or in compliance with the Kings inclinations and the Queens desires said before the king Behold also the †Heb. 〈◊〉 gallows fifty cubits high which Haman had made for Mordecai who had spoken good for the king u Even to the saving of the Kings life ch 2. 21 22 23. and therefore deserved a better requital than this even from Haman if he had not basely preferred the satisfaction of his own revenge before the preservation of the Kings life standeth in the house of Haman Then the king said Hang him thereon 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared x Which stood in his own house as was now said and made the punishment more grievous and ignominious for Mordecai Then was the kings wrath pacified y Judgment being now most justly executed upon this abominable criminal CHAP. VIII 1 ON that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman a With all his Goods and Estate which being justly forfeited to the King he no less justly bestows it upon the Queen to compensate the danger to which Haman had exposed her the Jews enemy unto Esther the queen and Mordecai came before the king b i. e. Was by the Queens desire admitted into the Kings Presence and Favour and Family and as it seems made one of the seven Princes for Esther had told what he was unto her c i. e. How nearly he was related to her which till this time she had wisely concealed this being the fit season to declare it 2 And the king took off his ring d That Ring which he had formerly given to Haman for that present or any further use ch 3. 10. he now gives to Mordecai with it that Power and Authority whereof this Ring was a sign making him as Haman had been the keeper of his signet which he had taken from Haman and gave it unto Mordecai And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman e As her Steward to manage that great Estate for her as he thought fittest 3 And Esther spake yet again before the king and fell down at his feet and †〈…〉 besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman f To repeal that cruel Decree of which see ch 3. 13. the Agagite and his device that he had devised against the Jews 4 Then the king held out the golden scepter g In token that he accepted her Person and Petition and that she should stand upon her feet toward Esther So Esther arose and stood before the king 5 And said If it please the king and if I have found favour in his sight and the thing seem right before the king and I be pleasing in his eyes h She useth various Expressions that she might insinuate her self into the Kings Favour by such a full and repeated resignation and submission of her self to the kings good pleasure let it be written to reverse †〈…〉 the letters devised by Haman i She prudently takes off all the Envy and hatefulness of the action from the King and lays it upon Haman who had for his own wicked and selfish ends contrived the whole business and circumvented the King in it which she alledgeth as a reason why it should be repealed because it was surreptitiously and craftily procured the son of Hammedatha the Agagite ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the kings provinces 6 For how can I †〈◊〉 able 〈◊〉 see endure to see the evil k My heart will sink under it and I shall never be able to survive it that shall come unto my people or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred 7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and unto Mordecai the Jew Behold I have given Esther the house of Haman and him they have hanged l You see how ready I have been to grant your requests and I do not repent of my Favour to you and am ready to grant your further Desires as far as the Law will permit me to do upon the gallows because he laid his hand upon the Jews 8 Write ye also for the Jews m On their behalf to the Governours and Commanders of the Kings Forces or to whom you please as it liketh you in the kings name and seal it with the kings ring n I offer you my Authority and Seal to confirm whatsoever you shall think fit to write for the writing which is written in the kings name and sealed with the kings ring * 〈◊〉 1. 19. 〈◊〉 6. 8 12 〈◊〉 may no man reverse o This reason may belong either 1. To the writing of these present Letters and so the sense is These letters will be most effectual being no less irrevocable than the former and coming last will repeal the former Or 2. To the former Letters as a reason why he could not grant their Desires in recalling them because they were irrevocable by the Law of the Medes and Persians And this sense though rejected by many seems to be the truest because here is no mention of reversing Haman's Letters which Esther had desired v. 5. and the King denied for the reason here alledged and because the following Letter doth not contain one word about the reversing of the former nor doth it take away that Power which was given to all Rulers to destroy all the Jews ch 3. 12 13. but only gives the Jews Power and Authority to stand up in their own defence v. 11. which all circumstances considered was sufficient for their preservation 9 Then were the kings scribes called at that time in the third month that is the month Sivan on the three and twentieth day thereof p Which was above two months after the former decree All which time God suffered the Jews to lie under the terrour of this dreadful day partly that they might be more throughly humbled for and purged from those many and great sins under which they lay partly and particularly that they might be convinced of their great sin and folly in neglecting the many offers and opportunities they had of returning to their native Country and to the free and full exercise of the true Religion which could be had no where but in Ierusalem by which means they being now dispersed in the several parts of this vast Dominion were like to be a very easie prey to their Enemies whereas their Brethren in Iudaea were in a better capacity to preserve themselves partly that their most malicious and inveterate Enemies might have an opportunity of discovering themselves to their ruine as the event shewed
and partly for the greater illustration of Gods glorious Power and Wisdom and Goodness in giving his People such an admirable and unexpected deliverance Yet God so ordered things that this Letter should be sent in due time before it was too late for there were yet near nine Months to come before that appointed day and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews q That they might understand their Liberty and be encouraged to use it for their own defence and to the lieutenants and the deputies rulers of the provinces r That they should publish and disperse them into all parts that both themselves and others might take notice of the Kings Pleasure and Kindness to the Jews which are from India unto Ethiopia an hundred twenty and seven provinces unto every province according to the writing thereof and unto every people after their language and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language 10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus name and sealed it with the kings ring and sent letters by posts on Horse-back and riders on mules camels and young dromedaries s Which were not employed in the sending of the former Letter but this coming later required more care and speed that the Jews might be eased from the torment of their present Fears and have time to furnish themselves with necessaries for their own defence 11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city †Liberty and authority to gather themselves together and to stand for their life t To stand up and fight for the defence of their Lives against all that should seek to destroy them to destroy to slay and to cause to perish all the power of the people u Either Governours or governed without any exception either of Age Dignity or Sex as it follows and province that would assault them both little ones and women x Which is here added because it was put into the former decree and to strike the greater terrour into their enemies and according to the Laws and customs of this Kingdom whereby Children were punished for their Parents offences which also in some cases was allowed and practised in sacred story Yet we read nothing in the execution of this decree of the slaughter of Women or Children nor is it probable that they would kill their innocent Children who were so indulgent to their Families as not to meddle with the spoil and to take the spoil of them for a prey 12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month Adar 13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was †Heb. â—…ed published unto all people and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their Enemies 14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out being hastened and pressed on by the kings commandment y By his particular and express Command to that purpose and the decree was given at Shushan the palace 15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of ‖ Or violet blue and white and with a great crown of gold z Which the chief of the Persian Princes were permitted to wear but with sufficient distinction from the Kings Crown and with a garment of fine linen and purple and the city of Shushan a Not only Jews but the greatest number of the Citizens who by the Law of Nature written upon their hearts had an abhorrency from bloody Counsels and designs and a compiacency in acts of benignity and Mercy or for other reasons of which see on Chap. 3. 15. rejoiced and was glad 16 The Jews had light b Which is oft put for gladness as 2 Sam. 22. 29. Iob 18. 5 6. Psal. 27. 1. because light is pleasant and disposeth a man to joy whereas darkness inclines a man to sorrow and gladness and joy c This explains the former Metapâ—…or by two words expressing the same thing to note the greatness of the joy and honour d Instead of that contempt under which they had lain 17 And in every province and in every city whithersoever the kings commandment and his decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a good day e i. e. A time of feasting and rejoicing and thanksgiving and many of the people of the land became Jews for the fear of the Jews f Whom possibly they had irritated by their former threatnings and now gave this evidence of their Repentance that they were willing to submit to that severe precept of Circumcision fell upon them CHAP. IX 1 NOw in the twelfth month that is the month Adar on the thirteenth day of the same when the kings commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them a In that day which was selected by Haman with great Industry and Art as the most lucky day and which their Enemies had oft times formerly thought of and â—…o doubt threatned the Jews with it though it was turned to the contrary that the Jews had rule over them that hated them 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus to lay hand on such as sought their hurt and no man could withstand them b Their Enemies though they did and were allowed to take up Arms against them yet were easily conquered and destroyed by the Jews for the fear of them c Who had such potent Friends at Court and so great a God on their side who by such unusual and prodigious Methods whereof doubtless they had been particularly informed had brought about such a mighty and unexpected deliverance fell upon all people 3 And all the rulers of the provinces and the lieutenants and the deputies and †Heb. those which did the business that belonged to the king officers of the king d Heb. and all them that did the Kings business i. e. Not only the chief persons designed by the foregoing words but all his other Ministers or Officers of what quality soever ‖ Or exâ—…lled Gr. 〈◊〉 helped the Jews because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them 4 For Mordecai was great e i. e. The greatest in Place and Power and Favour with the King both for his near relation to his beloved Queen and for his good service done to him in preserving his Life and managing his Affairs and for those excellent Abilities and Virtues which he discovered in him and especially by the disposition of the heart-ruling God in the kings house and his fame went out throughout all the provinces for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater 5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke
to defend what I have once said whether true or false but from an honest mind or what I verily believe to be true and from a sincere desire to do thee good and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly f I shall not speak my own fancies or devices but only that which by diligent study and divine inspiration I know to be true and this I shall do plainly and clearly 4. The spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life g I am thy Fellow-creature made by God's Spirit Gen. 1. 2. and quickned by that Soul which God breathed into man Gen. 2. 7. and therefore fit and ready to discourse with thee upon even and equal terms according to thy desire 5. If thou canst answer me h I shall allow thee all freedom of discourse I cannot terrifie thee as God would I shall not reproach thee nor cavil at thee as thy Friends have done * 〈◊〉 3â—… 14. set thy words in order before me stand up i To contend with me as thine Adversary in this Cause 6. * 〈◊〉 â—… 35. 〈◊〉 Behold I am †〈…〉 according to thy wish in Gods stead k I will plead with thee in God's Name and stead and on his behalf which thou hast oft wished that God would do upon equal terms and laying aside his terrible Majesty c. Or I am as thou art with or towards God i. e. God's Creature like thy self as the next words explain it I also am †〈…〉 formed out of the clay 7. Behold * 〈◊〉 13. 21. my terrour shall not make thee afraid neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee l Which was the condition of that disputation which thou didst offer to undertake with God Chap. 9. 34. 13. 21. 8. Surely thou hast spoken †〈…〉 in mine hearing m I shall not charge thee with hypocrisie as thy Friends do which God onely can discern but with those words which I have heard from thee and I have heard the voice of thy words saying 9. * Ch. 9. 17. 〈◊〉 â—… 16 〈◊〉 23. 10 〈◊〉 27. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 31. 1. I am clean without transgression I am innocent neither is there inquity in me n Not simply and absolutely none for he oft confesseth himself to be a sinner as Chap. 9. 1 2 c. 14. 4. but no such transgression or iniquity as might give God just occasion to punish him so severely as is implied in the next Verse where he blameth God for finding occasions against him implying that he had given him none by his sins And thus far Elihu's chaâ—…ge was just and true and herein it differs from the charge of Iob's three Friends who oft accuse him and that in words much like these for asserting his own righteousness and innocency although they did it because they thought him a secret Sinner and an Hypocrite whereas Elihu doth it upon other grounds even because Iob's justification of himself was accompanied with reflections upon God as hath been said 10. Behold he findeth occasions against me o He picketh quarrels with me and watcheth over and searcheth after all my errours and frailties as Iob said Chap. 10. 6. 14. 16 17. severely marking what is amiss in me that thence he may take occasion to punish me worse than mine iniquities deserve * Ch. 16. 9. he counteth me for his enemy p Though I have endeavoured to be his friend and faithful servant all my days yet he treats me like an enemy This Job said Chap. 13. 24. 19. 11. 11. * Ch. 13. 27. 14. 16. He putteth my feet in the stocks he marketh all my paths q He narrowly pries into all my actions that he may find matter for further severities against me 12. Behold in this thou art not just r I do not accuse thee of hypocrisie nor rip up the former errours of thy life but in this thou art unjust and much to blame that thou boastest so much of thine own integrity and chargest God with rigorous dealing and callest him to an account before thy Tribunal and offerest to dispute the matter with him I will answer thee That God is greater s Not only in Power and Majesty which thou acknowledgest but also in Justice and Wisdom and goodness and therefore thou doest very foolishly and presumptuously and wickedly in contending with him and censuring his Judgments thou forgettest thy distance from him and castest off that awe and reverence which thou shouldest constantly maintain towards thy Soveraign Lord. than man 13. Why t Upon what grounds and for what ends What advantage dost thou expect from it dost thou strive against him u To wit in a judicial way See Chap. 13. 6. for †Heb. he answereth not he giveth not account of any of his matters x He neither useth nor is by any Law obliged to give an account to any of his Creatures of the grounds and reasons of his Judgments or dispensations as being the Supream and absolute Governour of all Persons and Things in whose will and pleasure it becometh all Men to acquiesce And therefore O Job thou exceedest all bounds of modesty and humility and reverence and submission which thou owest to thy Maker in that thou presumest to demand a reason for his dealings with thee and to quarrel with him for not giving it to thee at thy desire Or he answereth not all his words i. e. He doth not say or hath not said all that he can to justifie his actions which he can do many more ways than we can imagine but hath revealed so much of his will and ways to Mankind as he hath thought meet and as their narrow capacity can comprehend as he declareth in the following Verses 14. For y Or Nevertheless as this Particle is sometimes used Although God doth not give men an account of his matters yet he doth that for them which is much better and which is sufficient for them God speaketh z To wit unto men by way of instruction or admonition as appears from the following Verses once yea twice a i. e. Again and again or oftimes this number being sometimes put indefinitely as below v. 29. 2 King 6. 10. Psal. 62. 11. When one speaking doth not awaken men God is graciously pleased to give them another admonition So God though he will not gratifie mens curiosity in enquiring into his hidden Judgments yet he will supply their necessity and acquaint them with their duty and interest so far as is fit and they are concerned to know yet man b Which is easily and fitly understood here from the former branch of this Verse as being the Person to whom God speaketh as appears from the next Verse And such supplements are not unusual in the Hebrew Language and especially in these Poetical Books where the Stile
this word commonly signifies which might reasonably bring down such terrible judgments upon my Head 7. What man is like Job who drinketh up scorning like water k i. e. Abundantly and greedily who doth so oft and so easily break forth into scornful and contemptuous expressions not only against his friends but in some sort even against God himself whom he foolishly and insolently chargeth with dealing rigorously with him The words may be thus read What Man being like Iob would drink up c. That a wicked or foolish Man should do thus is not strange but that a Man of such Piety Gravity Wisdom and Authority as Iob should be guilty of such a sin this is wonderful 8. Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity and walketh with wicked men l Although I dare not say as his three Friends do that he is a wicked Man yet in this matter he speaks and acts like one of them 9. For he hath said m Not absolutely and in express terms but by unforced consequence and as concerning this life and with reference to himself because he said that good Men were no less nay sometimes more miserable here than the wicked Ch. 9. 22 c 30. 26. and that for his part he was no gainer as to this life by his Piety but a loser and that God shewed him no more kindness and compassion than he usually did to the vilest of men Which was a very unthankful and ungodly opinion and expression seeing godliness hath the promise of this life as well as of that to come and Iob had such supports and such assurances of his own uprightness and of his future happiness as he confesseth as were and should have been accounted even for the present a greater comfort and profit than all which this World can afford * Chap. 9. 2â—… 35. 3. It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God n That he should choose and delight to walk with God and make it his chief care and business to please him and to do his commandments which is the true and proper Character of a godly Man 10. Therefore hearken unto me ye †Heb. men of heart men of understanding o You who are present and understand these things do you judge between Iob and me * Deut. 32. 4. Chap. 8. 3. 36. 23. Psal. 92. 15. Rom. â—… 14. far be it from God that he should do wickedness p This I must lay down as a Principle that the righteous and holy God neither doth nor can deal unjustly with Iob or with any Man as Iob insinuates that God had dealt with him and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity 11. * Psal. 62. 12. Prov. 24. 12. 〈◊〉 â—…2 1â—… Ezek 33. 2â—… Mat. 1â—… 2â—… Rom. 2. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Rev. 22 12. For the work q i. e. The reward of his work or according to his work Iob's affâ—…ons though great and sharp are not undeserved but justly inflicted upon him both for his Original corruption and for many actual transgressions which are manifest to God though Iob through his parâ—…lity may not see them And Iob's Piety shall be recompensed it may be in this life but undoubtedly in the next And therefore â—…ety is not unprofitable as Iob saith of a man shall he render unto him and cause every man to â—…ind according to his ways 12. Yea surely God will not do wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgment r As Iob hath wickedly affirmed For the phrase see on Ch. 8. 3. 13. Who hath given him a charge over the earth s i. e. Over the Inhabitants of the Earth to rule them according to his Laâ—…s and to give an account to him of it Who or where is his Superiour that made the World and then delivered the Government of it to God There is no such Person God himself is the sole Creator the absolute and supream Lord and Governour of all the World and therefore cannot do unjustly The reason is partly because all unrighteousness is a transgression of some Law and God hath no Law to bound him but his own nature and will partly because the Creator and Lord of the World must needs have all possible Perfections in himself and amongst others perfect Justice and must needs be free from all imperfections and obliquities and therefore from Injustice and partly because he is of himself all-sufficient and independent upon all other Persons and able to do and procure whatsoever pleaseth him and therefore as he hath no inclination so he hath no temptation to any unrighteous actions this being generally the reason of all unrighteous actions in the World because the Persons who do them either are obliged to do it to gratiâ—…ie some Superiour Authority who commands them to do it or else do want or desire something which they cannot justly obtain For he is a Monster and not a Man who will take away any thing by injustice or violence which he may have by right or who hath disposed t Or committed to wit to him to be governed by him in the Name and for the use and service of his Superiour Lord to whom he must give an account †Heb all of it the whole world 14. * Ps. 104. 29. If he set his heart †Heb. upon him upon man u Heb. upon him i. e. Man as may seem probable from v. 11. 15. where Man is expressed and from the next Clause of this Verse where he speaks of that Spirit and Breath which is in Man If his eye and heart be upon man if he diligently and exactly observe him and all his ways and whatsoever is amiss in him and which follows upon it of course resolve to punish him Or if he set his heart against as this Particle el is used Amos 7. 15. and elsewhere as hath been noted before him to wit to cut him off if he gather unto himself x If it please him to gather to himself to wit by death whereby God is said to take away mens Breath Psal. 104. 29. and to gather mens Souls Psal. 26. 9. and the Spirit is said to return unto God Eccles. 12. 7. his spirit and his breath y i. e. That Spirit and Breath or that living Soul that God breathed into Man Gen. 2. 7. and gives to every Man that cometh into the World 15. * Gen. 3. 19. Eccles. 12. 7. All flesh z i. e. Every Man who is called Flesh Gen. 6. 3 17. Isa. 40. 6. shall perish together a Or alikâ—… without any exception be they great or mean wise or foolish good or bad if God design to destroy them they cannot withstand his power but must needs perish by his stroke The design of this and the foregoing Verse is the same with that of v. 13. where see the notes namely to
LORD for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever PSAL. CXIX The Author of this Psalm was David which I know none that deny and of which there is no just reason to doubt The scope and design of it is manifest to commend the serious and diligent study and the stedfast belief and the constant practice of Gods Word as incomparably the best counsellor and comforter in the world and as the onely way to true blessedness And this he confirmeth by his own example which he proposeth to them for their imitation and he declareth the great and frequent experience which he had of its admirable sweetness and manifold benefits in all conditions and especially in the times of his distresses And because it was an hard thing rightly to understand this Word in all its parts and harder to put it in practice he therefore intermixeth many prayers to God for his help therein thereby directing and encouraging others to take the same course And because this Psalm was very large and the matter of it of greatest importance the Psalmist thought fit to divide it into two and twenty several parts according to the number of the Hebrew Letters that so he might both prevent tediousness and fix it in the memory It is further observable that the Word of God is here diversly called by the names of Law Statutes Precepts or Commandments Iudgments Ordinances Righteousness Testimonies Way and Word By which variety he designed to express the nature and the great perfection and manifold parts and uses of Gods Word Which is called his Word as proceeding from his mouth and revealed by him to us his way as prescribed by him for us to walk in his Law as binding us to obedience his Statutes as declaring his Authority and Power of giving us Laws his Precepts as declaring and directing our duty his Ordinances as ordained and appointed by him his Righteousness as exactly agreeable to Gods righteous Nature and Will his Iudgments as proceeding from the great Judge of the World and being his Judicial Sentence to which all men must submit and his Testimonies as it contains the witnesses of Gods mind and will and of mans duty And there are very few of these 176 verses contained in this Psalm in which one or other of these Titles is not found ALEPH. 1 BLessed are the ‖ Or perfect or sincere undefiled a Or the perfect or sincere as this word properly and most frequently signifies such whose hearts and course of life agrees with their profession in the way b Either 1. in their way or course of life which in Scripture is oft called a mans way or 2. in the way of the Lord as it seems to be explained by the next clause who walk in the law of the LORD c Who order their lives according to the rule of Gods Law or Word 2 Blessed are they that keep d In mind and heart that carefully and diligently observe his testimonies e His precepts For the reason of this and the other Titles of Gods Word see the Argument or Preface to this Psalm and that †Heb. they will seek him So Gr. seek him f To wit the Lord expressed v. 1. that seek his presence and favour and acquaintance with the whole heart g Sincerely industriously and servently above all other things This is opposed to hypocrifie and sloth and lukewarmness in Religion 3 They also do no iniquity r Or are not workers of iniquity i. e. do not knowingly and resolvedly and industriously and customarily continue in sinful courses So this phrase is understood Ioh 31. 3. 34. 8. Psal. 5. 5. 6. 8. 125. 5. Prov. 10. 29. Luke 13. 27. otherwise there is not a just man upon earth that sinneth not Eccles. 7. 20. they walk s This is their constant practice and the general course of their lives which is commonly signified by walking as Psal. 1. 1. and every where in his ways t In the paths which God hath prescribed to them 4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently u Not is it strange that thy people do so exactly and diligently observe and practise thy precepts because they are commanded so to do by thee their Soveraign Lord. 5 O that x My desires answer thy commands my ways were directed y Or established to wit by thy Grace and holy Spirit for the direction of Gods word he had already to keep thy statutes 6 Then shall I not be * Ver. 80. ashamed z Either of my actions or of my profession of Religion or of my hope and confidence in thy favour When sinners shall be ashamed both here Rom. 6. 21. and hereafter Dan. 12. 2. I having the conscience of mine own integrity shall lift up my head with courage and boldness both before men when they either accuse or persecute me and before God in the day of judgment as it is said 1 Ioh. 4. 17. when I have respect a A due and true respect which implies high valuation hearty affection diligent study and common practice unto all thy commandments b So as not to be partial in my obedience not to allow my self in the practice of any known fin or in the neglect of any known duty 7 I will * Ver. 171. praise thee c i. e. Worship thee one eminent duty of Gods worship being put for all as is frequent in Scripture with uprightness of heart d Or with a right mind or heart in a right manner so as may be acceptable to thee and beneficial to my self when I shall have learned †Heb. judgments of thy righteousness thy righteous judgments e When by thy good Spirit I shall be more fully instructed in the meaning of thy Word which is the onely rule of thy Worship for want of a sound knowledge whereof many persons run into superstitious or erroneous practices 8 I will keep thy statutes f It is my full purpose to do so whatsoever it cost me O forsake me not utterly g Not totally and finally for then I shall fall into the foulest sins and greatest mischief Not that he was contented to be forsaken in the least degree but this he more especially deprecates as he had great reason to do BETH 9 Wherewithal shall a young man h Or any man But he names the young man because such are commonly void of wisdom and experience heady and wilful and impatient of admonition full of violent passions and strong lusts and exposed to many and great temptations cleanse his way i Reform his life or purge himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit by taking heed thereto according to thy word k By a diligent and circumspect watch over himself and the examination and regulation of all his actions by the rules of thy Word 10 With my whole heart have I
and from their succeeding Calamities For that this Place looks beyond the Deliverance from the Assyrian Army and unto the Times of the New Testament seems probable 1. from the following Verses which belong to that Time as we shall see 2. from the State of the Iewish Nation which after that Deliverance continued to be very sad and corrupt and averse from that Reformation which Hezekiah and Iosiah prosecuted with all their might and therefore the Body of that People had not yet learned this Lesson of sincere Trusting in God alone 3. from S. Paul's Explication and Application of these Words Rom. 9. 27. of which more may be said when I come thither And for the Words in that day which may seem to restrain this to the time of the Assyrian Invasion they are frequently used in the Prophets of the times of the Gospel as Isa. 2. 11. 4. 2. 11. 10. c. shall no more again stay upon him that smote them r Shall learn by this Judgment and Experience never to trust to the Assyrians for Help as Ahaz and his People now did but shall stay upon the LORD the holy One of Israel in truth s Not onely by profession but sincerely 21 * Chap. 7. 3. The remnant t Or a remnant or but a remnant or a remnant onely Which Particles are oft understood as hath been formerly and frequently observed and may be here supplied from the following Verses shall return even the remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God u Unto the Messiah expresly called the mighty God Isa. 9. 6. 22 * Rom. 9. 27. For though thy people Israel x Or O Israel to whom by an Apostrophe he directeth his Speech be as the sand of the sea yet a remnant y Or a remnant onely as before For that this is a Threatning in respect of some as well a Promise in respect of others is evident from the rest of this and from the following Verse †Heb. in or amongst of them shall return * Chap. 28. 22. the consumption decreed shall overflow z The Destruction of the People of Israel was already decreed or determined as it is in the next Verse by the fixed Counsel of God and therefore must needs be executed and like a Deluge overflow them ‖ Or in with righteousness a As this Word is rendred Rom. 9. 28. the Preposition in or with being here understood as it is every where And this is added to shew that although this Judgment of God may seem very severe yet it is most just not onely by the Laws of strict and rigid Justice but even by the Rules of Equity and Clemency as this Word oft signifies inasmuch as he hath spared a considerable Remnant of them when he might have destroyed them utterly And so this Word is added as a Reason why a Remnant and why but a Remnant should return because God would both glorifie his Justice and manifest his Mercy And in this mixed sence the Apostle seems to expound this Place Rom. 9. 27 28. 23 For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption even determined b The same thing is repeated in other Words with some addition God will execute his own Decree concerning the Destruction of Israel which he is well able to do because he is the Lord of Hosts in the midst of all the land c In all the Parts of the Land not excepting Ierusalem which was to be preserved in the Assyrian Invasion when almost all the other fenced Cities of Iudah should be taken but should afterwards be taken and destroyed as it was first by the Babylonians and then by the Romans 24 Therefore d This is an Inference not from the Words immediately foregoing but from the whole Prophecy Seeing the Assyrian shall be destroyed and a Remnant of my People preserved and restored thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts O my people that dwellest in Zion e In Ierusalem which is frequently called Sion as Psal. 48. 12. 87. 2. Isa. 1. 8 27. 33. 20. c. Which he mentions because this was the principal Object of the Assyrians Design and Rage and there were the Temple and Thrones of Justice and the King and his Princes and Multitudes had fled thither from the Assyrian be not afraid of the Assyrian he shall smite thee with a rod f He shall afflict thee but not destroy thee Compare 1 Kings 12. 11. ‖ Or but he shall lift up his staff for thee and shall lift up his staff against thee after the manner of * Exod. 14. Egypt g As the Egyptians formerly did and with the same ill Success to themselves and comfortable Issue to you 25 For yet a very little while and the indignation h Mine Anger as it is explained in the next Clause either 1. towards my People which shall weaken the Assyrian whose great Strength lay there of which see above v. 5. or 2. towards the Assyrian with whom God was very angry v. 12. c. yea so angry as not to be satisfied without their Destruction as it follows shall cease i As Anger commonly doth when Vengeance is fully executed and mine anger in their destruction 26 And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge k Shall send a destroying Angel Isa 37. 36. for him according to the slaughter of * Jud. 7. 25. Chap. 9. 4. Midian l Whom God slew suddenly and unexpectedly and in the Night as he did the Assyrians at the rock of Oreb m Upon which one of their Chief Princes was slain and nigh unto which the Midianites were destroyed and as his rod was upon the sea n To smite and divide it and so to make way both for thy Deliverance and for the Destruction of the Egyptians so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt o As he did in Egypt to bring his Plagues upon that Land and People 27 And it shall come to pass in that day that * Chap. 14. 25. his burden p The Burden of the Assyrian for so it was actively because imposed by him though passively it was Israel's Burden as being laid upon him †Heb. shall remove shall be taken away from off thy shoulder and his yoke from off thy neck and the yoke shall be destroy'd because of the anointing q Out of the respect which I bear to that Holy Unction which I have established amongst you And so this may relate either 1. to the Body of the People who were in some sort anointed being made by God a kingdom of priests and an holy nation Exod. 19. 6. or 2. to that Sacred Kingdom which God had by his positive Precept and solemn Covenant established in David and his Posterity for ever The Iews therefore and some others understand this of Hezekiah to whom God had a singular respect
me not I said Behold me behold me unto a nation d I invited whole Nations by the preaching of my Gospel to behold me and I invited them with importunity doubling my words upon them and this I did unto a Nation not call'd by my name with whom I was not in Covenant and which did not profess any relation to me which none of the Gentiles could pretend unto The Prophet speaks of a thing to come many years after as if it were a thing then done to signifie the certainty of it God doth the same thing yet in every soul that is converted But the Text is manifestly to be interpreted of the conversion of the Gentiles that was not called by my name That in the primary sense of this Text is a Prophecy of the Conversâ—…on of the Gentiles upon the rejection of the Jews for their 〈◊〉 and crucifying of 〈◊〉 cannot be 〈◊〉 by any who will not arrogatâ—… to themselves a greater ability to interprâ—… the Prophesies of the old 〈◊〉 than Paul had who Rom. 10. 20. expresly so interpreteth it and applâ—…th it which sheweth the vanity of the Jews in their other interpretations of it 2 I have spread out my hands e Applied to the Jews Rom. 10. 21. I have stretched out my hands that is I have used all probable means to reduce them I have stretched out the hands of a passionate Orator to persuade them of a tender Mother to protect and defend them of a liberal Benefactor to load them with my Benefits this I have done continually in the whole course of my Providence with them yet all the day long to a rebellious people f They are a rebellious people Paul expoundeth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a People not persuaded not believing but contradicting the will of God which walketh in a way that was not good g That walketh in a way that is not good that term is not good often signifies what is very bad see 1 Sam. 2. 24. Prov. 28. 21. 24. 23. Psal. 36. 5. Though all sins be not equal yet what is not good is bad after their own thoughts h After their own thoughts What is here called after their own thoughts is elsewhere called a walking after the imaginations of their hearts an ordinary Phrase by which sin especially sins in the matter of the Worship of God are expressed eight times in the Prophet Ieremiah sinning is thus expressed Ier. 3. 17. 7. 24. 9. 14. 11. 8. 13. 10. 16. 12. 18. 12. 23. 17. so also Deut. 29. 19. Errours in matter of Worship are ordinarily thus expressed certainly to let us know that all Worship must be according to Gods revealed Will and of such errours this Text seemeth by what followeth to speak though indeed the reason of all sin is mens fondness of their own imaginations in opposition to Gods revealed Will whence it is that self-denial is made the Law of a Discipleship to Christ. 3 A people that provoketh me to anger i That the Jews are the People here intended is without question the Prophet speaking of the calling of the Gentiles upon their rejection reckons up their sins which were the causes For though their rejection and crucifying of Christ was that sin which was the proximate cause yet God did but visit on that Generation their Iniquities and the iniquities of their fathers together they having by that act filled up their measure They had provoked God continually to anger to his face continually to my face k Either in his Temple the place where he used to manifest himself or considering what followeth more probably the Phrase signifieth their impudence not taking notice of Gods Omnipresence and Omniscience that sacrificeth in gardens and burneth incense ‖ Or upon brick upon altars of brick l The particular provocations instanced in are deviations in the matter of divine Worship Sacrificing in gardens is one thing instanced in and burning incense on brick or altars of brick is another Deut. 12. 13. there was a particular Altar of Gold appointed for Incense Exod. 40. 5. God commanded Exod. 20. 24 25. That his Altars should be made of Earth or rough stone This people transgressed both these Laws sacrificing in gardens for which the Prophet reflected on them ch 1. 29. and again ch 66. 17. whether in gardens consecrated to Idols or in such Gardens as the Heathens worshipped Idols in is not much material for us to know and burning incense upon altars of brick directly contrary to the divine Rule Their Worship was doubtless Idolatrous and these Phrases signifie committing Idolatry but the expressing that sin by these Phrases lets us know that the doing contrary to the direction of the Divine Rule in Gods Worship is a great part of the sinfulness of Idolatry 4 Which remain amongst the graves m They remained amongst the Graves either there expecting Revelations by dreams or there consulting with Devils who were thought to delight in such places or to practice Necromancy all which were forbidden Deut. 18. 11. ch 8. 19. and and lodge in the monuments n And they lodged in the Monuments the Hebrew word here used gives advantage to Interpreters to vary in their senses The word signifying onely places kept or observed some interpret it of Idol Temples some of Caves and Denns in which the Heathens used to worship their Idols some of Tombs or Monuments for dead persons besides the Idolatry of the thing there was in it a sinful imitation of the Heathens and a swerving from the Rule which God had given them which eat swines flesh o They also are Swines flesh contrary to the divine Law Lâ—…v 11. 7. Deut. 14. 8. and they indured in their vessels and ‖ pieces broth of abominable things p Broth of abominable things so the word is used Iud. 6. 19 20. others read it parts or pieces of abominable things that is broth or pieces of such flesh as was to the Jews unclean by the Law Levit. 11. Every Creature of God is good but Gods Prohibition had made the flesh of divers Creatures an abominable thing to the Jews they might not touch their flesh Lev. 11 28. but they taking the measures of their duty from their Appetite or from their Reason concluding from natural Principles made no Conscience of the positive Law of God This was their iniquity which is further aggravated in the next verse in their vessels 5 Which say Stand by thy self come not near to me for I am holier than thou q Though they were so exceedingly guilty yet they pretended to a singular Sanctity so as they would not suffer others to come near or touch them The Samaritans are usually charged with this uncharitableness and the use of this form of Words but as some do more excuse the Samaritans than the other Jews as to this rigour so it may be questioned whether they
yet were burning or rather 2. after it for the daily burnt-offering was first to be offered both as more eminently respecting Gods honour which ought to be preferred before all things and as the most solemn and stated sacrifice which should take place of all voluntary and occasional oblations and as a sacrifice of an higher nature and use being for expiation and atonement without which no peace could be obtained nor peace-offering offered with acceptance which is upon the wood that is on the fire it is an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace-offering unto the LORD be of the flock male or female he shall offer it without blemish 7 If he offer a lamb for his offering then shall he offer it before the LORD 8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and kill it before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and Aarons sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar 9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD the fat thereof and the whole rump e Which in sheep is fat and sweet and in these parts was very much larger and better than ours as is agreed both by antient and modern writers and therefore was fitly offered to God it shall he take off hard by the back-bone and the fat that covereth the inwards and all the fat that is upon the inwards 10 And the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them which is by the flanks and the caul above the liver with the kidneys it shall he take away 11 And the Priest shall burn f i. e. The parts now mentioned and for the rest they fell to the Priest Levit. 7. 31. it upon the altar it is †Heb. the bread 〈◊〉 16. chap. 21. 6. the food g i. e. The fewel of the fire or the matter of the offering It is called food Heb. bread to note Gods acceptance of it and delight in it as men delight in their food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD 12 And if his offering be a goat then he shall offer it before the LORD 13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it and kill it before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about 14 And he shall offer thereof his offering even an offering made by fire unto the LORD the fat that covereth the inwards and all the fat that is upon the inwards 15 And the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them which is by the flanks and the caul above the liver with the kidneys it shall he take away 16 And the Priest shall burn them g The parts mentioned among which the tail is not one as it was in the sheep because that in goats is a refuse part upon the altar it is the †Heb. bread food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour All the fat h This is to be limited 1. to those beasts which were offered or might be offered in sacrifice as it is explained and restrained Levit. 7. 23 25. 2. to that kind of fat which is here above mentioned and required to be offered which was separated or easily separable from the flesh for the fat which was here and there mixed with the flesh they might eat Deut. 32. 14. Neh. 8. 10. is the LORDS 17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings i Not onely at or near the Tabernacle nor onely of those beasts which you actually sacrifice but also in your several dwellings and of all that kind of beasts that ye eat neither fat k This was forbidden 1 To preserve the reverence of the holy rites and sacrifices 2. That they might be taught hereby to acknowledge God as their Lord and the Lord of all the creatures who might reserve what he pleased to himself 3. To exercise them in obedience to God and self-denial and mortification of their appetites even in those things which probably many of them would much desire nor * Gen. 9. 4. chap. 7. 23 26. 17. 10 14. Deut. 12. 16. 1 Sam. 14. 33. Ezek. 44. 7. blood l This was forbidden partly to maintain reverence to God and his worship partly out of opposition to Idolaters who used to drink the blood of their sacrifices partly with respect unto Christs blood thereby manifestly signified and partly for moral admonition about avoiding cruelty c. CHAP. IV. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel saying * Num. 15. 24 If a soul shall sin a This must necessarily be understood of more than common sins and daily infirmities for if every such sin had required an offering it had not been possible either for most sinners to bear such a charge or for the altar to receive so many sacrifices or for the Priests to manage so infinite a work And for ordinary sins they were ceremonially expiated by the daily offering and by that on the great day of atonement Levit. 16. 30. through ignorance b Or errour either not knowing his fact to be sinful as appears by comparing ver 13 14. or not considering it but rashly and unadvisedly falling into sin through the power of some sudden passion or temptation as the Hebrew word signifies Psal. 119. 67. Compare Iob 19. 4. Psal. 19. 13. The words may be thus rendred in or about every or any of the commandements of the Lord which should not be done or which concern things that should not be done to wit in any negative commands And there is great reason why a sacrifice should be more necessary for these than for other sins because affirmative precepts do not so strictly and constantly bind men as the negative do and if a man through ignorance have neglected them he may yet recover his errour and fulfil them against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which †Heb. shall not be done ought not to be done c and shall do against any of them d Then he shall offer according to his quality which is here to be understood out of the following verses 3 If the Priest that is anointed e i. e. The High-priest who onely was anointed after the first time See Exod. 29. 7. and 30. 30. and 40. 15. Lev. 10. 7. Numb 3. 3. His anointing is mentioned because he was not compleat High-priest till he was anointed do sin f Either in doctrine or practise which it is here supposed he may do And this is noted as a blot and character of imperfection in the Priesthood of the law whereby the Israelites were directed to expect another and better High-priest even one who is holy harmless and separate from sinners Heb.
their Bellies and that destruction which they have plotted against others shall fall upon themselves i They shall receive punishments answerable to their sins 32. For the ‖ turning away l To wit from God and from his counsels and reproofs so this is opposed to hearkning unto God v. 33. Or as it is rendred in the Margent and by divers others the ease or rest the peace or tranquillity as it seems to be explained in the next Clause of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them m It commonly proves the occasion of their ruine by making them presumptuous and secure and worldly and proud and forgetful of God and of their own Eternal happiness whereby they provoke God's Wrath and bring upon themselves swift and certain destruction Thus he meets with the common objection against the fear of God taken from the present impunity and prosperity of ungodly men 33. But whoso hearkneth unto me shall dwell safely n Or securely or confidently resting himself upon the conscience of his own integrity and upon the promises and favour of God and shall be quiet from fear of evil o From sinful and tormenting cares and fears And as a wicked Man's mind is oft full of anxiety in the midst of all his outward prosperity and glory so the mind of a good man is filled with peace and joy even when his outward man is exposed to many troubles CHAP. II. 1. MY son a These words are spoken by Solomon either 1 in the name of wisdom as before or rather 2. in his own name if thou wilt receive my words and * Chap. 7. 1. hide my commandments with thee b Lay them up in thy Mind and Heart with care as men do their choicest Treasures 2. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding c Give thy self to the study of it with affection and diligence 3. Yea if thou criest d To wit unto God the onely giver of it v. 6. Heb. If thou callest invitest it to come unto thee earnestly desirest its conduct after knowledg and †Heb. givest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liftest up thy voice for understanding 4. * 〈◊〉 13 44 If thou seekest her as Silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures e With the same unwearied diligence and earnest desire and patient expectation under all delays disappointments and difficulties which Worldlings use in the purchase of Riches or in digging in Mines of Silver 5. Then shalt thou understand f More perfectly and profitably for that very seeking and searching after it v. 4. supposed some understanding the fear of the LORD g Which is the beginning of this Wisdom Chap. 1. 7. and find the knowledge of God 6. * â—…in 3. 9 12. 〈◊〉 1. 5. For the LORD †Heb. will 〈◊〉 giveth h Heb. will give hath promised to give it to wit to those that so seek it Whereby he also teacheth them not to ascribe any Wisdom which they may obtain unto their own Wit and industry but onely unto God's favour and blessing wisdom out of his mouth i From his Word or appointment and good will as the Word of God is taken Deut. 8. 3. cometh knowledge and understanding 7. He layeth up sound wisdom k Heb. Essence or substance either 1. solid and true felicity opposed to the vain enjoyments of this World which are said to have no substance or being Prov. 23. 5. or 2. true and substantial Wisdom which is satisfactory and everlasting opposed to worldly Wisdom which is but an empty shadow of Wisdom and perisheth with us for the righteous * Ch. 30. 5. he is a buckler to them l To protect and save them from that mischief and ruine which shall befall all wicked men that walk uprightly 8. †Heb. to keep Sâ—… Gr. He keepeth * Psal. 146. 9 the paths of judgment m He guardeth and guideth the paths or ways i. e. the counsels and actions of good men as the next Clause explains this which are called Paths of Iudgment or righteous Paths Iudgment being here put for Righteousness as it is Psal. 99. 4. and oft elsewhere And keeping of Paths may be put for keeping them in their Paths so as they shall neither swerve from them nor stumble and fall in them and preserveth the way of his Saints n The same thing repeated in other words 9. Then o When thou hast done thy part expressed v. 1. 2 3 c. and God in answer to thy desires hath given thee Wisdom v. 6. or when it is with thee as it follows v. 10. shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity p All the parts of thy duty to Man as well as the fear of God v. 5. which contains all duties to God These three words are used here as also Chap. 1. 3. to signifie the same thing yea every good path q The practice of all Vertues and Graces 10. When wisdom entreth into thine heart r When thou dost truly love it and passionately desire it and hide its Precepts in thy Heart according to Psal. 119. 11. and knowledge is pleasant unto thy Soul 11. Discretion shall preserve thee s From wicked courses and the mischiefs which attend upon them as is particularly expressed in the following Verses understanding shall keep thee 12. To deliver thee from the way of the evil man t From following his counsel or example which others for want of Wisdom commonly do from the man that speaketh froward things u With design to corrupt thy mind and entice thee to evil Principles or Practices 13. Who leave the paths of uprightness x The way of God's Precepts to walk in the ways of darkness y i. e. Of sin which is oft called darkness as Rom. 13. 12 c. Eph. 5. 11. because it comes from darkness ignorance and errour and loves darkness and hates light and leads to utter darkness 14. Who rejoyce to do evil z Seeking and embracing occasions of sin with diligence and greediness and pleasing themselves both in the practice and remembrance of sin whereas upright men abhor and watch against all occasions of sin beforehand and mourn bitterly for it afterwards and delight in the frowardness of the wicked a Not onely in their own sins but in the sins of other wicked men which shews a greater malignity of mind and love to sin See Rom. 1. 32. 15. †Heb. who are crooked in their ways Whose ways are crooked b Or Who make their ways crooked i. e. whose course of Life swerves from the right and straight way of God's Law and they froward in their paths 16. To deliver thee from the strange woman c From the Adulteress or Whore called strange partly because such Persons were commonly Heathens or are
supposed to be such by reason of that severe Law against these practices in Israelitish women Deut. 23. 17. or are justly reputed Heathens as being degenerate Israelites which are oft called Strangers as hath been noted in the book of the Psalms and partly because conversation with such Persons is forbidden to men as those Israelites which were not Levites are called Strangers Numb 1. 51. in respect of the Holy things which they were prohibited to touch and forbidden Fire is called strange fire Num. 3. 4. * Ch. 5. 3. 6. 24 7. 5. even from the stranger which flattereth with her words d Which useth all arts and ways to allure men to unchast actions one kind being put for all the rest 17. Which forsaketh * Jer. 3. 4. the guide of her youth e To wit her Husband whom she took to be her guide and governour and that in her youth which circumstance is added to aggravate her sin and shame because love is commonly most sincere and servent between an Husband and Wife of youth as they are for that reason emphatically called Prov. 5. 18. Isa. 54. 6. Ioel. 1. 8. Mal. 2. 14 15. and forgetteth f i. e. Violateth or breaketh as that word is commonly used in a practical sense the covenant of her God g The marriage Covenant so called partly because God is the Author and Institutor of that society and mutual Obligation and partly because God is called to be the witness and judge of that solemn Promise and Covenant and the avenger of the transgression of it 18. For her house inclineth unto death h Conversation with her which was most free and usual in her own House is the ready and certain way to Death which it brings many ways by wasting a Mans Vital spirits and shortning his life by exposing him to many and dangerous Diseases which Physicians have declared and proved to be the effects of inordinate lust as also to the fury of jealous Husbands or Friends and sometimes to the Sword of Civil Justice and undoubtedly without repentance to God's wrath and the second Death This is here mentioned as one great priviledge and blessed fruit of Wisdom and her paths unto the dead i Or as the Chaldee and some others render it unto the Giants to wit those rebellious Giants Gen. 6. 4. or as others unto the damned or unto Hâ—…ll See for this word Iob 7. 9. Psal. 88. 11. Prov. 9. 18. 21. 16. 19. None k Few or none An hyperbolical expression used Isa. 64. 7. that go unto her l That go to her House or that lie with her as this Phrase is used Gen. 16. 4. 30. 4. Ios. 2. 3. return again m From her and from this wickedness unto God Adulterers and Whoremongers are very rarely brought to repentance but are generally hardned by the power and deceitfulness of that Lust and by God's just judgment peculiarly inflicted upon such Persons Heb. 13. 4. He alludes to the nature of corporal death from which no man can without a Miracle return to this life neither take they hold of the paths of life n Of those courses which lead to true and eternal Life 20. That thou mayest o This depends upon v. 11 and is mentioned as another happy fruit of Wisdom the former being declared from v. 12. to this Verse walk in the way of good men p Follow the counsels and examples of the godly Whereby he intimates that it is not sufficient to abstain from evil company and practices but that we must choose the conversation of good men and keep the path of the righteous 21. * Psal. 37. 29. For the upright shall dwell in the land q Shall have a peaceable and comfortable abode in the Land oâ—… Canaan which also is a type of their everlasting felicity See Psal. 37. 3 9 18 29. and the perfect shall remain in it 22. * Job 18. 17. Psal. 104. 35. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be ‖ Or pluckt up rooted out of it CHAP. III. 1. MY son forget not my law a My doctrine or counsel or the Law of God which might be called his Law as the Gospel is called Paul's Gospel 2 Tim. 2. 8. because delivered by them * Deut. 8 â—… 30. 16 20. but let thine heart keep my commandments b By diligent meditation and hearty affection 2. For * Chap. 4. 10 22. length of days and †Heb. years of life long life and peace shall they add to thee c God will add these Blessings which he hath promised to the obedient Deut. 8. 18. 30. 20. 1 Tim. 4. 8. 3. Let not mercy and truth d Either 1. God's Mercy and Truth So it is a promise God's Mercy and Truth shall not forsake thee Or rather 2. That Mercy and Truth which is Man's duty So it is a Precept which seems most probable both from the form of the Hebrew Phrase and from the following words of this Verse which are plainly preceptive and from the promise annex'd to the performance of this Precept in the next Verse Mercy and Truth are frequently joyned together as they are in God as Psal. 25. 10. 57. 3. c. or in men as Prov. 16. 6. 20. 28. Hos. 4. 1. and here Mercy notes all that benignity clemency charity and readiness to do good freely to others Truth or Faithfulness respects all those duties which we owe to God or Man to which we have special Obligation from the Rules of Justice forsake thee * Exod. 13. 9. Deut. 6. 8. Ch. 6. 21. 7. 3. bind them about thy neck e Like a Chain wherewith Persons adorn their Necks as it is expressed Chap. 1. 9. which is fastned there and not easily lost which also is continually in ones view write them upon the table of thme heart f Either 1. upon those Tablets which the Iews are said to have worn upon their Breasts which are always in sight So he alludes to Deut. 6. 8. Or 2. in thy mind and heart in which all God's commands are to be received and engraven as is oft required in this Book and every where So the Table of the Heart seems to be opposed to the Tables of Stone in which God's Law was written as it is Ier. 31. 33. 2 Cor. 3. 3. 4. * Psal. 111. 10. So shalt thou find favour g i. e. Obtain acceptance or be gracious and amiable to them and ‖ Or good success good understanding h Whereby to know thy duty and to discern between good and evil The serious practice of Religion 〈◊〉 an excellent mean to get a solid understanding of it as on the contrary a vitious life doth exceedingly debase and darken the mind and keep men from the knowledge of Truth which not onely Scripture but even Heathen