a speculative as of a practical knowledge as such words are most commonly used Who considers or regards this or layeth it to Heart True it is there is such a difference which also is known and believed by wise and good men but the generality of Mankind never mind it their Hearts are wholly set upon this life and upon present and sensible things and they place all their hopes and happiness in them and take no thought nor care for the things of the future and invisible World And as to them with whom Solomon hath to do in this matter the argument is strong and good being as Logicians call it an Argument to the Man and there is no considerable difference between sensual men and beasts because their affections are set upon the same Objects and both of them are partakers of the same sensual satisfactions and subject to the same sensual pains and miseries and their hopes and felicity perish together to wit at death and therefore such men are no more happy than the beasts that perish Others understand it thus Who knoweth this to wit by sense or experience or meerly by his own reason or without the help of Divine revelation But with the leave of so many worthy Interpreters and with submission to better Judgments the former seems to be the truer sense the spirit †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 that †Heb. 〈◊〉 aâ—…cending 〈◊〉 upward and the spirit of the 〈◊〉 that goeth downward to the earth 22 * 〈◊〉 12. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better m To wit for a Man 's present satisfaction and the happiness of this life than that a man should rejoyce in his own works n That he comfortably enjoy what God hath given him and not disquiet himself with cares about future events He seems to speak this not in the Person of an Epicure but as his own judgment which also he declareth Ch. 2. 24. 5. 18 19. 8. 15. for that is his portion o This is the benefit of his labours he hath no more than he useth for what he leaveth behind him is not his but another Man's for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him p When once he is dead he shall never return into this life to see into whose hands his Estate falls and how it is either used or abused nor is he at all concerned in those matters CHAP. IV. 1 SO I returned and considered a I considered again more seriously all the * Ch. 5. 8 c. oppressions that are done under the sun b Whether by Supreme Magistrates or Judges of which he spake Ch. 3. 16. or by any other potent Persons and behold the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no comforter c None afforded them either pity or succour either out of a selfish and barbarous disposition or for fear of exposing themselves thereby to the same injuries and on the †Heb. band 〈◊〉 140. 4. side of their oppressors there was power d Both in themselves and because most men were ready to joyn with the strongest and safest fide So they were utterly unable to deliver themselves and as it follows none else could or would do it but they had no comforter e Which is repeated as an argument both of the great inhumanity of men towards others in calamity and of the extream misery of oppressed Persons 2 * Job 3. â—…7 c. Ch. 6. 3. Wherefore I praised f I judged them more happy or less miserable Which he seems to deliver not onely as the judgment of the flesh or of the sense or of men in misery as this is commonly understood but as his own Judgment For this is most true and certain that setting aside the advantage which this life gives him for the concerns of the future life which Solomon doth not meddle with in the present debate and considering the uncertainty and vanity and manifold vexations of mind and outward calamities of the present life a wise Man would not account it worth his while to live and would choose death rather than life the dead which are already dead g Those which are quite dead who possibly are here opposed to them that in respect of their deplorable and desperate condition are even whilst they live called dead men Isa. 26. 19. and said to die daily 1 Cor. 15. 31. more than the living which are yet alive h Which languish under their pressures of whom we can onely say as we use to speak of dying men They are alive and that is all 3 * 〈◊〉 3. 11 〈◊〉 21. Yea better is he than both they which hath not yet been i Who was never Born How this is true see on the foregoing Verse who hath not seen k i. e. Not felt for as seeing good is put for enjoying it Ch. 2. 24. so seeing evil is put for suffering it as hath been more than once observed the evil work that is done under the sun 4 Again I considered all travel and †Heb. all the rightness of work every right work l All the worthy designs and compleat works of wise and vertuous men that †Heb. this is the 〈◊〉 of a Man from his Neighbour for this a man is envied of his neighbour m Instead of that honour and recompence which he deserves he meets with nothing but envy and obloquy and many evil fruits thereof This is also vanity and vexation of spirit 5 * Pro. 6. 10. 24. 33. The fool foldeth his hands together n Is careless and idle which is the signification of this gesture Prov. 6. 10. 19. 24. 26. 13. Perceiving that diligence is attended with envy v. 4. he like a fool runs into the other extream and eateth his own flesh o Wasteth his substance and bringeth himself to poverty whereby his very flesh pineth away for want of Bread and he is reduced to Skin and Bone and if he have any Flesh left he is ready to eat it through extremity of hunger 6 * Prov. 15. 16 17. 16. 8. Better is an handful with quietness than both the hands full with travel and vexation of spirit p These are the words either 1. of the Sluggard making this Apology for his idleness That his little with ease is better than great Riches got with much trouble Or 2. of Solomon who elsewhere speaks to the same purpose as Prov. 15. 16 17. 17 1. and here proposeth it as a good Antidote against the vanity of immoderate cares and labours for worldly goods against which he industriously directs his speeches in divers places of this Book and particularly as a seasonable precaution against the sin of covetousness of which he speaks in the following passage 7 Then I returned and I saw †vanity under the sun 8 There is one alone
Effigies Reverendi ad modum Viri Matthaei Poli qui huic seculo non minus â—…esiderabilis interyt quam ob scripta sua Critica et casuistica posteris charus futurus est Flere et meminisfe relictum est Printed for T. Parkhurst D. Newman I. Robinson B. Aylmer T. Cockrill B. Alsop ANNOTATIONS UPON THE HOLY BIBLE WHEREIN The Sacred Text is Inserted and various Readings Annex'd together with the Parallel Scriptures the more difficult Terms in each Verse are Explained seeming Contradictions Reconciled Questions and Doubts Resolved and the whole Text opened VOL. I. By the Late Reverend and Learned Divine M r. MATTHEW POOLE NEHEM 8. Verse 8. They Read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the Reading ACTS 8. Verse 30 31. Understandest thou what thou Readest How can I except some man shall Guide me LONDON Printed by Iohn Richardson for Thomas Parkhurst Dorman Newman Ionathan Robinson Brabazon Ailmer Thomas Cockeril and Benjamin Alsop M. DC LXXXIII THE PREFACE WHEREIN The Authors of the ensuing Annotations supplemental to Mr. Poole present to the Reader an Historical account of the Translation of the Scriptures into our English Tongue the mighty workings of Divine Providence conducive to it and the several Notes or Annotations which have been published and a particular Account of the Reverend Mr. Pooles and their present undertaking with the Reasons of it THE same Reason which teacheth us to conclude That there is a first Being and must be a first Cause and Mover whom we call God That it is he who hath made us and not we ourselves and that we are his people and the Sheep of his Pasture will also oblige us To enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with praise and to be thankful unto him by fulfilling his will Which we cannot do without some Revelation of it to us God therefore having ceased to speak to men face to face as to Abraham and Moses c. which he never ordinarily did but to some particular Favourites we are by reason inforced to conclude that there are some Books in the World in which this Revelation is to be found The Church of God the Mother of us all hath constantly held forth the Books of the Old and New Testament which we have in our Bibles for this sacred Revelation which hath justly obliged all her children to look upon them as hung out to them for that use upon that Noble pillar the Church looking into them upon the Churches notice as the child does upon the Mothers telling it That is the Sun every reasonable man finds them of so venerable Antiquity and discerneth in them such stamps of Divinity In the majesty of their stile the purity of the matter the sublimeness and spirituality of the propositions contained in them the self-denial of the Penmen the heavenliness of the scope and end of those sacred writings the harmony of the parts the seal of miracles and principally in the mighty power and efficacy of them upon the souls and consciences of multitudes both for conviction and for support and consolation that he easily concludes This is the voice of God and not of man and looks back upon his mother the Church as a child upon his nurse thanking her for shewing him such a treasure and saying as the Samaritanes to their Countrey-woman John 4. 42. Now we believe these Books are the word of God not because of thy saying so but because we have looked into them our selves and find them of a different stile nature and matter and to have a different scope end power and efficacy upon the souls of men from what any other Writings in the World have Though the truth is that until a man comes to be fully perswaded of the truth of them from the same spirit that dictated them every soul will be as apt to waver in his faith as to them to be the Word of God as he in Tully who only believed the Immortality of the Soul from the reading of Platoes Book which if I remember right the Roman Orator expresseth in words to this sense I have read over Platoes book again and again but I know not how it comes to pass so long as I am reading I agree it but no sooner is the book out of my hands but de immortalitate animae dubitare coepi but I begin to doubt whether the soul be immortal yea or no. But how ever in one degree or other every Christian makes that the Principle of his Religion That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God Some believe it more faintly and incertainly some more fixedly and firmly and accordingly the faith of persons as to them is more or less operative This Revelation of the Divine Will was made perfect gradually as it pleased God in succeeding times to reveal what was his secret will before but hid from ages So as if Chronologers compute right there were more then 1500 years passed betwixt the writing of the first book of Genesis by Moses and the Revelation which was the last by John and Divines generally judge that he sealed up the Book by those words Revelations 22. 18 19. So that as to things to be believed or done we are to expect no further Revelation When the mighty God even the Lord had thus spoken and God had thus shined out of Sion the perfection of beauty it was but reasonable that his people should come to the knowledge of what he had said that they might answer the end of the Revelation both by believing and obeying The Old Testament being wrote in the Hebrew Tongue when great multitudes of them by their captivity in Babilon had much forgotten or corrupted their own Language it was thought reasonable there should be a Caldaick paraphrase and the wisdom of Divine Providence provided a Septuagint Version as for the benefit of others so possibly of the Jews themselves the most of whom before Christs time were more Grecians then Haebricians and it is generally thought that all the Books of the New Testament were wrote in the Grecian Language When it pleased God that the Gospel should be preached to all Nations and the sound of it go to the ends of the Earth he so also ordered it that soon after true Religion came into any place some were stirred up to Translate those Holy Books into the Language of that Country and so far to assist them that though in many lesser things they failed through want of a knowledge of the just propriety of some words in Hebrew or Greek or the use of particles in those Languages yet they failed not in any thing whereby the Reader might be led into any pernicious error touching his Salvation and we shall observe the Pen-men of the New Testament giving such a deference to the commonly received Version in their times that altho the Septuagint Version which we have
face and went out and refrained himself and said Set on bread 32 And they set on for him by himself y Partly because the dignity of his place and the custom of Princes required this state and partly for the reason here following and for them by themselves and for the Egyptians which did eat with him by themselves because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians z Not so much from their pride and disdain of other people as from their superstition and idolatry partly because they worshipped the creatures which the Hebrews and others did commonly eat and partly because of some peculiar rites and customes which they had in the dressing and ordering of their diet Whence Herodotus affirms that the Egyptians would not use the pots nor knives of the Graecians about their food Compare Gen. 46. 34. Exod. 8. 26. 33 And they sate before him the first-born according to his birth-right and the youngest according to his youth a Being so placed either by Iosephs appointment or rather by their own choice and according to their custome by which the elder though the handmaidens children took place of the younger who by that order were taught what veneration they owe to the aged and how great a sin it is though very customary in young men to despise those whom they should reverence and the men b Not the Egyptians but the Hebrews the men last spoken of marvelled c Either at the matter and manner of the feasts and entertainments of the Egyptians or rather at the singular honour which Ioseph did to them above all others the reason whereof they could not conceive and therefore marvelled at it one at another 34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him d It was the antient custom of Egypt and other countries in their feasts that either all the meat or at least some eminent parts and parcels of it were not promiscuously set before all the guests but peculiarly distributed by the master of the feast to the several guests and that differently according to his respect and affection to them or to their several qualities See 1 Sam. 1. 5. and 9. 22 23 24. but Benjamins mess was five times so much as any of theirs e Partly because of his nearer relation and dearer affection to him and partly to observe whether this would raise that envy in them towards him which was the occasion of their malicious enterprize against himself that he might accordingly provide for his security and they drunk and †Heb. they drank largely were merry f The Hebrew word oft signifies to be drunk but oft-times it is onely to drink liberally though not to drunkenness as may appear from Cant. 5. 1. Hag. 1. 6. Ioh. 2. 10. with him CHAP. XLIV 1 AND he commanded the †Heb. him that was over his house Steward of his house saying Fill the mens sacks with food as much as they can carry and put every mans money in his sacks mouth 2 And put my cup a It seems to have been a large cup and of great price and much used by Ioseph the silver cup in the sacks mouth of the youngest b With design to discover their intentions and affections towards Benjamin whether they did envy him and would desert him in his danger as they did Ioseph or would cleave to him that hence he might take his measures how to deal with him and them and his corn-money and he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken 3 As soon as the morning was light the men were sent away they and their asses 4 And when they were gone out of the city and not yet far off Joseph said unto his Steward Up follow after the men and when thou dost overtake them say unto them Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good 5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh and whereby indeed he ‖ Or maketh trial divineth c Amongst the several kinds of divination in use among the Egyptians and other Heathens this was one to do it by a cup or bason which they filled with water and put in them plates of silver or precious stones in which certain characters were ingraven by which and some words they used they called upon the Devil who gave them answer Ioseph did not use this course nor was a diviner but the people thought him such an one and the Steward might represent him as such for the better covering or carrying on his design But this sence agrees not with the 15th verse of this chapter Wot you not c. Which words shew that he speaks of something which they all might easily know but they did not know that Ioseph was a Diviner much less that he divined by that cup whereas that kind of divination was generally performed by a glass not by a cup. Others observe that the Hebrew word ofttimes signifies not to divine but onely to observe and discover a thing as Gen. 30. 27. 1 Kings 20. 33. and render the place thus whereby he will certainly observe or discover to wit what you are and do But this also seems not to consist with ver 15. and the supplement is too large and remote The true sense then is this the Hebrew bo is not to be rendered by which but concerning which as the particle bâ—…th is oft used and it notes not the instrument whereby but the object about which he did divine and the words must be rendred concerning which he can or would certainly divine And this agrees well with ver 15. q. d. did you think you could deceive my Master did not you and all others know that he could divine and discover secret things whence he had both his name and preferment And this cup being much prized and used by him you might easily judge that he would use his art to recover it ye have done evil * i. e. Very evil unjustly unthankfully and foolishly in so doing 6 And he overtook them and he spake unto them these same words 7 And they said unto him wherefore saith my Lord these words God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing 8 Behold the money which we found in our sacks mouths we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan how then should we steal out of thy Lords house silver or gold d It is not probable that we who restored that which was in our power to keep and to conceal without any danger should steal that which was likely to be discovered with so much shame and hazard to our selves 9 With whom soever of thy servants it be found both * Chap. 31. 32. let him die and we also will be my Lords bondmen e This over-daring offer proceeded from hence that they were all conscious of their own innocency and did not suspect any fraud or artifice in
former glory and happiness which Promise though it be not here expressed is sufficiently implied in the contrary threatning as is evident from the following words which plainly suppose it and have a reference to it such Ellipses of Contraries being not unusual in Scripture as we shall see hereafter especially in the Book of the Proverbs the evil doers 21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing b And what I have said in general of all perfect men shall be made good to thee if thou beest such an one God will not forsake thee nor desist from doing thee good till he fill c. i. e. God will give thee such abundant matter of rejoycing that thy heart shall not be able to hold it but it shall break out at thy mouth and lips and thy lips with †Heb. shoutâ—… 〈◊〉 joy rejoycing 22. They that hate thee c That rejoyce in thy Calamities shall be cloathed with shame d i. e. Shall be wholly covered with it shall be utterly confounded when they shall observe thee whom they have despised and insulted over to be so wonderfully and surprizingly restored to thy former or a greater Felicity and the dwelling-place of the wicked e Either particularly of thy Enemies who dealt so unworthily and wickedly with thee Or more generally of all wicked men Having shewed what good God would do to the perfect man he now declares the contrary Portion of the Wicked and as he said that God would not help them v. 20. so here he adds that God will bring not onely them but their house i. e. their Family and Estate to nought †Heb. shall 〈◊〉 it shall come to nought CHAP. IX 1. THen Job answered and said 2. I know it is so a To wit as you say that God is just in all his waies that he doth ordinarily bless the Righteous and punish the Wicked of a truth but how should * Psal. 143. 2. man be just b Heb. and how c. i. e. And I know that no man is absolutely just or can defend his righteousness if God be severe to mark what is amiss in him ‖ Or bâ—…fore God with God c Either 1. being compared with God Or 2. before God as the same Phrase is taken 1 Sam. 2. 26. Psalm 130. 3 if he be brought before God's Tribunal to debate the matter with him 3. If he will contend with him d If God be pleased to contend to wit in judgment debate or plead for so this word is oft used as Hos. 2. 2. 4. 1. Mich. 6. 1. Comp. Isa. 45. 9. with man he cannot answer him one of a thousand e Either to one Accusation or Argument among a thousand which God shall produce against him Or one time of a thousand So far will he be from being able to maintain his own innocency against God if God set himself against him as his Adversary 4. * Chap. 36. 5. He is wise in heart f Either 1. really and profoundly wiâ—… or 2. wise in his mind or understanding which in Hebrew is oft called the heart as Prov. 2 10. 6. 32. Hos. 4. 11. because the Hebrews make the heart the seat of the Understanding or of the reasonable Soul The sense is He is infinitely wise and so knows all things and searcheth all mens hearts and waies and discovers a multitude of sins which mens short-sighted eyes cannot see and therefore can charge them with innumerable evils where they thought themselves innocent and â—…es far more malignity than men could discern in their sins and men cannot conceal any of their sins from him nor cheat him as they may other men with crafty devices and evasions So that there is no contending with him and mighty in strength g i. e. Omnipotent and therefore if men contumaciously persist in contending with him after they are convicted and condemned he can easily crush them So that whether men contend with God by wisdom or by strength which are the two waies of one mans contending with another God will be Conquerour who hath hardned himself against him h i. e. Obstinately contended with him Or spoken hard things towards him quarrelling with him opposing and reproaching God's Providence towards him as hard and unjust Compare Iude v. 15. and hath prospered i Heb. Hath been at peace i. e. hath not provoked God to his own destruction A common Figure called Meiosis whereby more is understood than is expressed 5. Which removeth the Mountains k He proceedeth to give particular Evidences of the Divine Power and Wisdom which he mentioned vers 4. and they know not l i. e. Suddenly and unexpectedly ere they were aware of it They i. e. the Mountains to which he ascribes Sense and Knowledge figuratively as hath been oft noted which overturneth them in his anger m In token of his displeasure with men that lived upon them or near them 6. Which shaketh the earth n i. e. Great portions of it by Earthquakes or by removing Islands which sometimes hath been done out of her place and the pillars o i. e. The strength or the strongest parts of it the Mountains yea the deep and inward parts of it which like Pillars supported those parts which appear to our view and yet have been discovered and overturned by Earthquakes thereof tremble 7. Which commandeth the Sun and it riseth not p He speaks either 1. of that which God can do or rather as he doth in the foregoing and following Instances 2. Of what God actually doth and that either 1. ordinarily and so he gives Laws to the Sun that it shall not rise but at such times and to such places and in such manner as he hath appointed as that it shall rise constantly at its set time and never disorderly that it shall not rise for divers Months together in some parts of the World c. Or rather 2. Extraordinarily for of such Works of God he discourseth in this place and so it may note either some stop given to the Sun for a small season like that in Ioshua's time which might have been though it be not recorded or some extraordinary tempest or dark season wherein the morning is made darkness as the phrase is Amos 4. 13. Compare 5. 8. wherein the Sun doth not at all appear as it was for many â—…ays together Act. 27. 20. and consequently is to those places and persons as if he were not risen For things in Scripture are oft said to be or not to be when they appear or disappear of which some Instances have been formerly given and more we shall have hereafter in their proper places and sealeth up the stars q i. e. As it were covereth and shutteth them up that they may not shine as in dark and dismal Tempests like that now mentioned Act. 27. 20. when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days 8.
and the heritage †Heb. of his decree from God appointed unto him g Heb. the heritage i. e. the Portion as before called here an heritage partly to note the stability and assurance of it that it is as firm as an Inheritance to the right Heir and partly in opposition to that Inheritance which he had gotten by fraud and violence of his word either 1. of God's Word i. e. which is allotted to him by the word or sentence of God Or 2. of the wicked man's word the reward of his speeches which like his actions are and may well be presumed to be wicked and blasphemous and many ways offensive to God And he instanceth in his speeches rather than his actions to meet with Iob who though he made some colourable excuses for his actions yet was manifestly guilty of hard and sinful speeches against God which he would hereby intimate that they were not such harmless and excusable things as Iob pretended as appeared by these severe judgments which they brought upon wicked men by God CHAP. XXI 1. BUt Iob answered and said 2. Hear diligently my speech and let this be your consolations a Or This shall be your consolations i. e. I shall accept of your patient and diligent attention to me in stead of all those consolations which you owed to me in this condition and which I expected from you 3. Suffer me that I may speak b Without such interruption as you have given me Chap. 20. 2. and after that I have spoken * Ch. 16. 10 17. 2. mock on c If I do not defend my Cause with solid and convincing Arguments go on in your scoffs if you please 4. As for me is my complaint to man d Or of man for the prefix Lamed commonly signifieth both to and of And this question implies a Denial or that his Complaint is not to or of man to wit only but to or of God as is here sufficiently implied and oft elsewhere expressed by Iob in this Book So the sense seems to be either 1. this I do not make my moan or complaint unto or expect relief from you or from any men but from God onely and therefore you have reason patiently to hear me when I am pouring forth my Complaints to God Or rather 2. this do I onely complain or have I reason to complain onely of you and your unmerciful carriage to me or of men who have dealt barbarously with me Chap. 1. 30. 1. 9. c. Surely no But my complaint is of God and of his hard and severe dealing with me It is he who hath alienated my Friends affections from me and stirred up mine enemies against me And though it hath been my chief care and business to please and serve him yet he hath also set himself against me and shot all his Arrows into me And therefore my Expostulations with him which here follows v. 7. is the more reasonable and if you will hear me calmly and patiently you will find that I have cause of complaining and if it were so e i. e. If my complaint were only of man I have cause to be troubled Or if it be so i. e. If I do not complain of man but of God it is no wonder if my Spirit be greatly oppressed and you ought to allow me the liberty of easing my troubled mind and modestly pleading my Cause before God why should not my spirit be †Heb. shortned troubled f Heb. be shortned or straitned i. e. either grieved or vexed as this word signifies Exod. 6. 9. Num. 21. 5. Iudg. 10. 16. 16. 16. The heart is enlarged by joy and contracted by sorrow as appears by Philosophy and Experience 5. †Heb. look unto me Mark me and be astonished g Consider what I am about to say concerning the wonderful prosperity of the worst of men and the intolerable pressures of some good men such as I have manifested and shall prove that I am and it is able to fill you that are but Spectators with astonishment and horrour at the strange and mysterious course of Divine Providence herein and therefore it is no wonder if I who suffer such things from that God whom I have so faithfully served am overwhelmed with the sense of it and lay your hand upon your mouth h i. e. Be silent as this Phrase is oft used as Chap. 40. 4. Prov. 10. 32. Mich 7. 16. for shame forbear to vex me with your words Or you will lay c. the Imperative being put for the Future as is usual I am perswaded you will be silenced and convinced by what I shall say 6. Even when I remember i What I have partly observed and partly felt of these things The very remembrance of what is past fills me with dread and horrour I am afraid and trembling taken hold on my flesh 7. * Ch. 12. 6. Psal 17. 10. 73. 3 12. Jer. 12. 1. Hab. 1. 16. Wherefore k He expostulates this matter partly with his Friends If things be as you say how comes this to pass c. partly with God himself wherefore doth the righteous God distribute things so unequally do the wicked live l To wit long and happily as living is oft taken as Levit 18. 5. 1 Sam. 10. 24. 25. 6. Psal. 38. 19. a painful and afflicted life being a kind of death and oft so called as Deut. 30. 15 19. Prov. 15. 10. 19. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 22. 15. 31. become old m To wit in their prosperous estate yea are mighty in power 8. Their seed n Either 1. the Fruits of their ground Or rather 2. their Children as it is explained in the next branch of the Verse the words both here and there used being commonly so understood is established o i. e. They multiply and prosper greatly in their sight p Which is a great addition to their happiness with them and their off-spring before their eyes 9. Their houses †Heb. are peace from fear are safe from fear neither is the rod of God upon them q They neither fear nor feel any disturbance 10. Their bull gendreth and faileth not their cow calveth and casteth not her calf 11. They send forth their little ones like a flock r Of Sheep or Goats as the word signifies in great numbers and with sweet concord which is a singular delight to them and to their Parents and their children dance 12. They take the timbrel and harp and rejoyce at the sound of the organ 13. They spend their days ‖ Or in 〈◊〉 in wealth s In good i. e. in the enjoyment of all the good things of this life without any mixture of evil and in a moment t They do not die of a lingring and tormenting Disease as I now and many other good men die but suddenly and sweetly like Lambs
If I have eaten †Heb. the strength thereof the fruits thereof without Money y Either without paying the price required by the right owner for the land or by defrauding my Workmen of the wages of their labours or have †Heb. caused the Soul of the owners thereof to expire or breath out caused the owners thereof to lose their life z Killing them that so I might have undisturbed possession of it as Ahab did Naboth 40. Let thistles grow instead of wheat and ‖ Or noisome weeds cockle instead of barley The words of Iob ‖ To wit in answer to his Friends for he speaks but little afterwards and that is to God are ended CHAP. XXXII 1. SO these three men ceased †Heb. from answering to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes a i. e. Was self-conceited and obstinately resolved to justifie himself both against God and men therefore they give him over as incorrigible 2. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the Son of Barachel the Buzite b Of the Posterity of Buz Nabours Son Gen. 22. 21. of the kindred of Ram c Or of Aram for Ram and Aram are used promiscuously comp 2 Kings 8. 28. with 2 Chron. 22. 5. and Ruth 4. 19. with Mat. 1. 3. Others of Abraham who as he was called Abram possibly was at first called onely Ram. His Pedegree is thus particularly described partly for his honour because his speech declares him to be both a wise and a good Man and principally to evidence the truth of this History which otherwise might seem to be but a Poetical fiction against Job was his wrath kindled because he justified †Heb. his Soul himself rather than God d He justified himself not without reflection upon God as dealing too severely with him and denying him that hearing which he so passionately desired He took more care to maintain his own innocency than God's glory 3. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled because they had found no answer e To Iob's allegations and arguments as to the main cause and yet had condemned Job f As an Hypocrite or ungodly Man 4. Now Elihu had †Heb. Expected Iob in words waited g With Patience as the word notes till Job h Add and his three Friends as appears from the following words It is a Synecdoche whereof instances have been given before had spoken because they were †Heb. Eldâ—…or daâ—…s elder than he i And therefore he expected more satisfaction from them and gave them the precedency in the discourse Wherein he shewed his prudence and modesty 5. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of thâ—…se three men then his wrath was kindled 6. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said I am †Heb. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 young and ye are very old wherefore I was afraid k To wit of discovering my weakness and folly and of being thought forward and presumptuous and †Heb. â—…ared durst not shew you mine opinion 7. I said * Ch. 12. 12. Days l i. e. Multitude of days by comparing the next Clause of the Verse Or men of days i. e. of many days or years old men should speak m To wit wisely and pertinently as the next words limit it and multitude of years should teach wisdom n Should instruct us that are younger in the paths of wisdom and concerning the wise counsels and ways of God about which the present controversie lay 8. But o Or surely It must be confessed there is a spirit p To wit which gives him understanding as is easily and fitly gathered out of the last words of the Verse And this is to be understood either 1. of the humane Spirit or reasonable Soul which is in every man So the sense of the place is Every man as a man whether old or young hath a reasonable Soul by which he is able in some measure to discern between Good and Evil and to judge of mens Opinions and Discourses And therefore I also may venture to deliver my Opinion Or 2. of the Spirit of God the latter Clause being explicatory of the former according to the manner So the sense is I expected a true and full discovery of the truth in this controversie from persons of your years Wisdom and Experience But upon second thoughts I consider that the knowledge of these deep and divine Mysteries is not to be had or expected from any man as such though never so aged or wise but onely from God's Spirit which alone knoweth the deep things of God And this Spirit he saith is in man not in every man for the words are not universal but indefinite and man in this Branch is no larger than them who receive divine inspiration in the next Branch And so the sense is God is pleased to give his Spirit unto Mankind unto men of all ages and qualities as he pleaseth and having given it in some measure to me I may take the boldness to utter my thoughts in man and * Ch. 35. 11. 38. 36. Prov. 2. 6. Eccles. 2. 26. Dan. 1. 17. 2. 21. Jam. 1. 5. the inspiration of the Almighty q i. e. God's Spirit or the gracious Gifts thereof breathed or iâ—…fused into man's Soul by God giveth them understanding r To wit in divine and spiritual matters which are the matter of this Debate and Book 9. Great men s i. e. Men of eminency for age or learning or dignity and power such as Iob's three Friends seem to have been are not always wise neither doth the aged understand judgment t What is just and right Or the judgment of God and the methods and reasons of his administrations 10. Therefore I said u Within my self and now I say it with my mouth Hearken to me x Thou Iob especially who art more nearly concerned to whom therefore he speaketh in the Singular Number and thy Friends with thee I also will shew mine opinion 11. Behold I waited y With silence and patience and diligent attention which therefore I now expect from you for your words I gave ear to your †Heb. understandings reasons z Or reasonings Heb. understandings or minds the depth and strength of your Discourses your most intelligent and forcible Arguments against Iob I searched and examined them to the bottom whilest ye searched out †Heb. words what to say a Whilest you put your Inventions upon the rack and studied to find out all that could be said against him and to furnish your selves with the most convincing words and reasons 12. Yea I attended to you and behold there was none of you that convinced Job b By solid and satisfactory answers to his Assertions and Allegations or that answered his words 13. Lest ye should
is very concise and short and many things to be understood perceiveth it not c Through his inadvertency or negligence or dulness Man therefore hath no reason to charge God as if he were deficient in his notices and manifestations of his will but to accuse himself for not improving revealed things to his own advantage but desiring rather to pry into God's secret counsels which was Job's errour 15. In a dream d This he mentions as the usual way of Gods revealing his mind and will to men in those days before Gods word was committed to writing as Gen. 20. 6. 41. â—… 28. in a vision of the Night e This is added by way of explication and limitation to shew that he speaks not of every dream but of those divine dreams in which God was pleased to vouchsafe some vision or representation of his will to the mind of a Man when deep sleep falleth upon men f When mens senses are bound up and their minds free from all distracting cares and busâ—…ness of the World and wholly at leisure to receive divine impressions in slumbrings g This is added because in this case the Man is like one that slumbereth or between sleeping and waking or uncertain in which staâ—…e he is as Paul could not tell whether he was in the Body or out of the Body when he was in his extasie 2 Cor. 12. 1. 2. upon the bed 16. Then †Heb. he revealâ—…th or uncovereth he openeth the ears of men h i. e. He revealeth his will to the ears and hearts of men as this Phrase is used Iob 36. 10. Psal. 40 6. Isa. 50. 4. and sealeth their instruction i He imprinteth those instructions which he hath revealed to their ears upon their minds that after they have heard and received them they do not let them slip as men commonly do most things which they hear whether from God or men but do retain and hold them fast and are fully satisfied and assured of the truth and importance of them Or he sealeth their chastening or correction for so this word signifies as well as instruction i. e. He gives them assurance of his purpose of correcting them for their sins if they do not prevent it by a speedy repentance Or he sealeth it i. e. his Word conveyed to their Ears and Minds with chastening them i. e. He gives them assurance of the truth and reality of his revelation by striking them with a Sacred dread and horror as was usual in such dreams or night Visions as we see Iob 4. 13 14. Which he did that they might remember it the better and distinguish this from such vain dreams as are onely the productions of Man's fancy 17. That he k i. e. God who was expressed v. 14. and designed by this Pronoun he both in the foregoing and following Verses may withdraw Man from his †Heb. work purpose l i. e. From the execution of his purpose Heb. from his work i. e. from his evil work as the Chaldee and Seventy understand it from sin which is truly and fitly called Man's work because it hath its rise in and from him and is his own proper work and very agreeable to his Nature in his present corrupt estate as on the contrary all the good that is in Man is God's proper and peculiar work and is generally ascribed to him in Scripture So this is noted as the design of God's giving Man this warning to keep him from executing that evil work which possibly he had designed to do of which see examples Gen. 20. 5 6 31. 24. and hide pride m i. e. either 1. To take it away as God is said to hide sin when he quite removes and forgives it Psal. 32. 1. and sorrow is said to be hid Job 3. 10. when it never is nor was and understanding is said to be hid when it perisheth Isa. 29. 14. And Pride is here mentioned as the root of those evil purposes or works last mentioned which for the most part proceed from haughtiness of spirit whereby men scorn to submit themselves and their wills and actions to God's Authority and presume to advance themselves above God and resolve to follow their own wills and lusts in spight of God and with contempt of him Or Pride may be here put for all matter or occasion of Pride And God by this means is said to hide Pride from Man because by these glorious and terrible representations of his divine Majesty to a Man he takes him off from the contemplation and admiration of his own excellency which men are generally very prone to reflect upon and brings him to a sight of his own nothingness and weakness and to a sense of his dependence upon God and to an humble and ready submission to his will and pleasure from Man 18. * Vers. 28. He keepeth back l To wit by these gracious admonitions whereby he leads them to repentance his soul from the pit n i. e. From the Grave from death or destruction and his life †Heb. from passing by the Sword from perishing by the sword o i. e. By some dreadful Judgment of God which was ready to fall upon him m Either the Man who is oft expressed by this part or his life as the next branch explains it 19. He is chastned also with pain p Or grief with some painful and dangerous diseases or Bodily distempers which is the second way whereby God instructs men and excites them to repentance which also was Iob's case upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain q The pain pierceth his very Bones even all of them Or even the strong multitude of his Bones i. e. his Bones which are both many and strong Or according to another reading the contention of his Bones i. e. the pain of his Bones whereby God contends with him is strong This also was Iob's case Chap. 30. 17. 20. * Psal. 107. 18. So that his life r i. e. His Soul as the next clause explains it or his Appetite which is a sign and an act of life ‖ Or maketh him abhor abhorred bread s i e. Common and necessary food and his soul †Heb. meat of desire dainty meat t Such as others do and he formerly did much desire and prize 21. His flesh is consumed away u Through pain and pining sickness that it cannot be seen x Because there is none left to be seen but he who before was fat and flourishing is now become a meer Skeleton and his bones that were not seen y Formerly because they were covered with flesh and fat But this Clause is and may be rendred thus and his Bones are broken and are not seen which is to be metaphorically understood stick out 22. His soul draweth near unto the †Heb. pit grave z
and countenance as Psal. 10. 4. In whose heart Pride rules is an abomination to the LORD though hand join in hand n Though they have many Friends and Assistants See the same Phrase Prov. 11. 21. he shall not be †〈…〉 unpunished 6 By mercy and truth o Either 1. By Gods Mercy or Grace and by his truth in performing his Promises made to sinners in Christ. Or 2 By mens Mercy and Truth as those very words are jointly used Prov. 3. 3. 20 28. and elsewhere and as in the following clause the fear of the Lord is a Grace or Disposition in men by a merciful and just and faithful frame of heart and course of Life which are here opposed to Sacrifices as mercy is Hos. 6. 6. by which the hypocritical Jews expected to obtain the expiation of their sins iniquity is †〈…〉 purged p Not meritoriously but instrumentally as they qualifie a man to offer up acceptable Prayers to God for the Pardon of his sins and to receive and apply to himself that pardon which Christ by his Blood hath purchased for all sincere Believers who are filled with Mercy and Truth and other Graces and by the fear of the LORD q By a filial Reverence or Respect unto God and by an holy fear of offending God and by a dread of Gods judgments men depart from evil r They are kept from abusing pardoning Mercy and from returning to Folly or Wickedness So he sheweth that Justification and Sanctification are constant and inseparable Companions 7 When a mans ways please the LORD he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him s By disposing their hearts to kindness towards him 8 * Psal. 37. 16. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right t This was in effect said before Prov. 15. 16. and is here repeated partly because of the great importance and usefulness of this truth and partly because men are very hardly brought to a serious belief of it 9 * Ver. 1. A mans heart deviseth his way u Considers and proposeth to himself what he will do but the LORD directeth his steps x Over-ruleth and disposeth all their designs and actions as he pleaseth and not as they list 10 †Heb. diviâ—… A divine sentence y Heb. Divination which is somtimes taken in a good sense for Prudence as it is Isa. 3. 2. A great sagacity and piercing judgment to discern dubious and difficult cases is z Or should be for the verb is wanting in the Hebrew and this may be supplied as well as is And he seems not so much to speak of the matter of Fact as if it were thus in all Kings which is notoriously and confessedly untrue as of the duty of Kings in whom Wisdom is a necessary qualification For thus the two following Proverbs concerning Kings v. 12. 13. must be understood otherwise they are repugnant to common Experience in the lips of the king a Either 1. Of wise Kings who onely are worthy of that Name and Office King being here put for a wise King as a Name is put for a good Name and a Woman for a good Woman Eccles. 7. 28. and then this is true in fact as it was in David 2 Sam. 14. 17. and in Solomon 1 Kin. 3. 28. Or 2. Of Kings in general in the sense before given for seeing the word is generally expressed without any limitation both here and v 12 13. it may seem presumption to confine it to those few Kings which are or were wise and good * Chap. 20. 8. his mouth transgresseth not b Or Shall or should not transgress or go beyond the bounds of Religion and Justice in judgment 11 * Lev. 19. 36. Chap. 11. 1. A just weight and balance are the LORD's c Are Gods work as it follows made by his direction and appointment so as no man can corrupt or alter them without violating Gods Rights and Authority and incurring his displeasure †Heb. all the stones all the weights d Heb. the stones which they then used as weights See on Prov. 11. 1. of the bag are his work 12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness e They should not onely abstain from all wicked practices but abhor them both in their own persons and in all their servants and subjects It is too plain that he speaks not of the common practice but of the duty of Kings as on v. 10. And such affirmative expressions are oft used in Scripture to express mens duty onely as 1 Cor. 6. 19. your body is i. e. should be the temple c. and 7. 32. careth c. i. e. ought to care for * Ch. 20. 28. 25. 5. 29. 14. the throne is established by righteousness f And which is implied weakned and sometimes overthrown by unrighteousness and therefore this is necessary for their own security and happiness 13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings g All wise and good Kings do and all Kings should delight in employing such Counsellors Judges and Officers under them as are just and faithful in their Counsels and Sentences and Actions because such bring great honour and advantage to them and they love him that speaketh right 14 * Ch. 19. 12 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death h Is as terrible as if many Messengers were sent to denounce the sentence of death and to execute it but a wise man will pacifie it i Will use all prudent and lawful means to pacifie it 15 In the light of the kings countenance is life k His Favour and smiling Countenance is most sweet and refreshing especially to him that was under a Sentence of death v. 14. and * Ch. 19. 12. his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain l As acceptable as those clouds which brings the latter Rain whereby the fruits are filled and ripened a little before the Harvest of which see Deut. 11. 14. Iob 29. 23. Iam. 5. 7. 16 * Ch. 8. 11 19. How much better m It is inexpressibly and unconceivably better as this Phrase implies Psal. 31. 19. 36. 7. 92. 5. c. is it to get wisdom than gold n Because it brings a man more certain and compleat and lasting comfort and advantage and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver 17 The high-way of the upright o Their common road in which they constantly purpose and desire and customarily use to walk although somtimes through frailty or temptation they slip into the by-paths of sin is to depart from evil p From the evil of sin and consequently from the evil of punishment he that keepeth his way q That takes heed to walk in that high-way preserveth his soul r From that mischief which befalls those that walk
word or Command whereby I rebuke and check its proud waves 3 I cloath the heavens with blackness o Or I will or can cloath c. What I once did in Egypt when I drew black curtains before all the heavenly Lights and caused an unparallel'd and amazing Darkness for three days together to the great terrour of mine Enemies so I can and will do still when it is necessary to save my People And therefore you have no reason to distrust me and I make sackcloth their covering p I cover them with thick and dark Clouds black as Sackcloath as is said Rev. 6. 12. or as that stuff of which the Tents of Kedar were made Cant. 1. 5. From this and some other Expressions it appears that they wore a black sackcloth which also was most sutable to the state of mourners by whom it was used 4 The LORD GOD hath given me g God having asserted his own power to shew the groundlessness of the Infidelity of the Jews he proceeds to shew what excellent and effectual means he used to bring them to Repentance and Salvation which he mentions as a great aggravation of their Unbelief and Rebellion which by this means was without all excuse This and the following passages may be in some sort understood of the Prophet Isaiah though but obscurely and imperfectly but they are far more evidently and eminently verified in Christ and indeed seem to be meant directly of him For seeing there are many other passages in this Prophecy which are directly meant of Christ and of his Ministry aâ—…d not at all of the Prophet why may not this be added to the number of them especially considering that there is nothing here which forceth us to understand this place of Isaiah and several of these passages are expounded of Christ in the New Testament as is confessed Besides this seems to suit best with the coherence For according to this exposition the same person speaketh here who hath spoken in all the foregoing Verses of the Chapter even the Lord himself considered as Man because he was both God and Man as is abundantly evident from many Scriptures both of the old and new Testament as hath been already proved and will hereafter be more fully evincâ—…d the tongue of the learned h An ability of speaking plainly and convincingly and persuadingly and in all points so as becometh a person taught of God and filled with all Divine and Heavenly Wisdom and Knowledg and with a singular skill of winning Souls and of working upon Mens Hearts and Consciences that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is * Mat. 11. 28. weary i Burdened with the sense of his sad and deplorable condition in which case a word of comfort is most seasonable and acceptable This was the proper and principal design of Christs Ministry to give Rest and Comfort to distressed Souls according to what is said with respect to this place Mat. 11. 28. And all the Doctrines Reproofs and Threatnings of Christ were directed to this end to make men fit for Comfort and Salvation he wakeneth k To wit me the Pronoun being oft understood or as it follows mine ear morning by morning l From time to time and continually he wakeneth mine ear to hear m Because human Nature is of itself weak and sloathful he by his Divine Power assisteth and stirreth me up to the observation and practice of all his Commands and my Duties as the learned n Either 1. As learned Men or Teachers use to awaken their Scholars to hear and learn of them from time to time Or rather 2. As those that are or desire and endeavour to be learned use to hear with all possible attention and diligence For this title of learned is in the former part of the verse given not to the Teacher who is said to be God but to the person taught by him 5 The LORD GOD hath opened mine ear n Hath revealed unto me or rather hath given me a power and Will to hear and receive his commands as this Phrase is used Psal. 40. 6. Isa. 35. 5. and elsewhere and I was not * Joh. 14. 31 Phil. 2. 8. Heb. 10. 5 c rebellious o I readily did and suffered what he required of me neither turned away back p The same thing repeated in other words I did not turn away mine Ear from hearing any of Gods Commands nor my feet from going where God sent me how difficult or dangerous soever my employment was He seems to allude to the former Prophets who had diâ—…rs of them shrunk back and for a time refused such work as God called them to as Moses Exod. 3. 11 13. Ionas ch 1. 3. and others 6 * Mat. 26. 67. 27. 26. I gave my back to the smiters q I patiently yielded up my self and turned my back to those who smote me I was willing not only to do but to suffer the Will of God and the injuries of men This and the following passages were literally fulfilled in Christ as is expresly affirmed Mat. 26. 57 67. 27. 26 30. and elsewhere but we read of no such thing concerning Isaiah And therefore it is most safe and reasonable to understand it of Christ the rather because it is not usual with the Prophets to commend themselves so highly as the Prophet here commends the person of whom he speaketh and * Lam. 3. 30 my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair r Which was a contumely or punishment inflicted upon Malefactors Neh. 13. 25. I hâ—…d not my face from shame s From all manner of reproachful usages but did knowingly and willingly submit my self thereunto and spitting t Spitting in a mans Face was used in token of contempt and detestation Numb 12. 14. Iob 30. 10. And this was literally fulfilled in Christ Mat. 26. 67. 7 For u Or rather But as this particle is oft rendred For Gods favour is here opposed to the injuries of Men. the LORD GOD will help me x Though as a man I am weak inconsiderable yet God will strengthen me to go through my great and hard work therefore shall I not be confounded y Therefore I assure my self of success in my employment and of victory over all mine Enemies therefore have I set my face like a flint z I have hardened my self with resolution and courage against all opposition So this or the like Phrase is used Ezek. 3. 8 9. which elsewhere signifies obstinacy and impudence as Ier. 5. 3. Zech. 7. 12. so that it notes any settled and unmoveable purpose whether good or evil and I know that I shall not be ashamed 8 * Rom. 8. 32 33. He is near a God though he seem to be at a distance and to hide his face from me yet he is in truth at my right hand and ready to