and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow 6 All the dayes that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no †Or dead soul. dead body 7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother g Wherein he was equal to the High-priest Lev. 21. 11. being in some sort as sacred a person and as eminent a type of Christ Heb. 7. 26. and therefore justly required to prefer the service of God to which he had so fully and peculiarly given himself before the expressions of his affections to his dearest and nearest relations for his brother or for his sister when they die because the †Heb. separation consecration h i. e. The token of his consecration to wit his long hair of his God i i. e. Whereby he hath devoted himself to his God in an eminent manner The Genitive case of the object is upon his head 8 All the dayes of his separation he is holy unto the LORD 9 And if any man die very suddenly by him and he hath defiled the head of his consecration then he shall shave his head k Because his whole body and especially his hair was defiled by such an accident which he ought to impute either to his own heedlessness or at least to Gods providence so ordering the matter possibly for the punishment of his other sins or for the quickening of him to more caution and purity and detestation of all dead works whereby he would be defiled in the day of his cleansing on the seventh day l To be reckoned from the time of his pollution for uncleanness contracted by the dead continued for seven days and the seventh day was the day of cleansing for it Levit. 15. 13. Numb 19. 11 12. shall he shave it 10 And on the * Lev. 5. 7. and 24. 22. eighth day he shall bring two turtles or two young pigeons m As in the case of him that had a running issue Lev. 15. 14. to the priest to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 11 And the priest shall offer n Heb. make which is oft put for sacrificing or offering as Exod. 29. 36. 1 Chron. 21. 23. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 22. the one for a sin-offering o Because such a pollution was though not his sin yet the chastisement of his sin and had an appearance of sin to wit of negligence in not standing sufficiently upon his guard which in such persons was in a manner equivalent to a sin and the other for a burnt-offering and make an atonement for him for that he sinned p i. e. Contracted a ceremonial uncleanness which is called sinning because it was a type of sin and a violation of a law though through ignorance and inadvertency as many other sins were by the dead and shall hallow q Begin again to hallow or consecrate it his head that sameday 12 And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the dayes of his separation r As many days as he had before separated or vowed unto God and shall bring a lamb of the first year * Lev. 5. 6. for a trespass offering but the dayes that were before shall †Heb. fall be lost s i. e. Not reckoned or imputed to him Heb. fall to wit to the ground i. e. be void or of none effect because his separation was defiled 13 And this is the law of the Nazarite when the dayes of his separation are fulfilled he shall be brought t By the Priests appointment and direction unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 14 And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD one he-lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt-offering and one ew-lamb of the first year without blemish for * Lev. 4. 2 〈◊〉 32. a sin offering u Whereby he confessed and bewailed his frailties and miscarriages notwithstanding the strictness of his vow and all the diligence and care which he could use and consequently acknowledged his need of the grace of God in Christ Jesus the true Nazarite and one ram without blemish for * Lev. 3. 6. peace-offerings x For thankfulness to God who had given him grace to make and in some measure to keep such a vow So he offered all the three sorts of offerings that he might so far fulfill all righteousness and profess his obligation to observe the will of God in all things 15 And a basket of unleavened bread * Lev. 2. 〈◊〉 cakes of fine flour mingled with oyl and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oyl and their meat-offering and their drink-offerings y Such as did generally accompany the sacrifices of which see Lev. 2. 1. and Numb 28. 16 And the priest shall bring them before the LORD and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt-offering 17 And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD with the basket of unleavened bread the priest shall offer also his meat-offering and his drink-offering 18 * Act. 21. 〈◊〉 And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation z Or of his Nazariteship i. e. in which the chief of his Nazarite-ship or separation to God consisted at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation a Publickly that it might be known that his vow was ended and therefore he was at liberty as to those things from which he had restrained himself for a season otherwise some might have been scandalized at his use of his liberty See Act. 21. 26. and shall take the hair of the head of his separation and put it in the fire b Either 1. the fire of the Altar But why then is this restrained to the peace-offerings seeing it was common to the burnt-offerings and to the sin-offerings or rather 2. to the fire of the kitchin upon which the flesh of the peace-offerings was boyled which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offerings 19 And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder c The left shoulder as it appears from ver 20. where this is joyned with the heave-shoulder which was the right-shoulder and which was the Priests due in all sacrifices Lev. 7. 32. and in this also But here the other shoulder was added to it as a special token of thankfulness from the Nazarites for Gods singular favours vouchsafed unto them of the ram and one unleavened cake out of the basket and one unleavened wafer and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite d That he may give them to the Priest as his peculiar gift after the hair of his separation is shaven 20 And the priest shall wave them * Exod. 〈◊〉 23. for a wave-offering e Of the wave-offering and heave-offering See Lev. 7. 30. before the LORD this is holy for the priest with the wave-breast and heave-shoulder and after that the
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.
his slave to be abused despised or trampled under his feet but to be kindly treated and used like a companion with moderation respect and affection Qu. How could a Rib be taken from Adam but it must be either superfluous in Adam while it was in him or defective afterwards both which reflect upon the Creator Answ. 1. It was no superfluity but a conveniency if Adam had at first one Rib extraordinary put into him for this purpose 2. If Adam lost a Rib upon so glorious an occasion it was but a scar or badge of honour and no disparagement either to him or to his Creator 3. Either God created him a new Rib or hardned the Flesh to the Nature and use of a Rib and so there was no defect in him and closed up the Flesh i Together with another Bone or Rib. in stead thereof k i. e. Of that Rib and Flesh which he took away from him which was easie for God to do 22. And the Rib which the LORD God had taken from Man †Heb builded made he a Woman and brought her l From some place at a little distance whether he first carryed her that for the decency of the action he might bring her thence unto the Man m A Bride to a Bridegroom to be married to him the great God being pleased to act the part of a Father to give his Daughter and workmanship to him thereby both teaching Parents their duty of providing Marriages for their Children and Children their duty of expecting their Parents consent in Marriage 23. And Adam said n Qu. How knew he this Answ. Either 1. By his own observation For though it be said that he was asleep till the Rib was taken out and restored yet he might awake as soon as ever that was done the reason of his sleep ceasing and so might see the making of the Woman Or. 2. By the Revelation of God who put these words into Adams mouth to whom therefore these words of Adam are ascribed Matth. 19. 5. this is now o Or For this time the Woman is made of my Bones c. but for the time to come the Woman as well as the man shall be produced another way to wit by Generation Bone of my Bones and Flesh of my Flesh p Made of my Rib and Flesh i. e. God hath provided me a meet help and Wife not out of the brute Creatures but nearer hand a part of my own Body and of the same nature with my self She shall be called Woman because she was * 2 Cor. 11. 8. taken out of man 24. * Matth. 19. 5. Mar. 10. 7. 1 Cor. 6. 16. Eph. 5. 31. Therefore q These are the words of Moses by divine instinct or his inference from Adam's words shall a man leave his Father and his Mother r In regard of Habitation and society but not as to natural duty and affection and shall cleave unto his Wife s In Coniâ—…gal relation and highest affection even above what they owe to their Parents And they t Or they two as it is in the Samaritan Syriack and Arabick translations and Matthew 19. 5. shall u i. e. Shall be esteemed by themselves and others to be as intirely and inseparably united and shall have as intimate and universal communion as if they were be one Flesh x i. e. One Person one Soul one Body And this first institution shews the sinfulness of Divorces and Polygamy however God might upon a particular reason for a time dispence with his own institution or to remit the punishment due to the violaters of it 25. And they were both naked the Man and his Wife and were not ashamed y To wit of their nakedness as having no guilt nor cause of shame no filthy or evil inclinations in their Bodies no sinful Concupiscence or impure motions in their Souls but spotless innocency and perfection which must needs exclude shame CHAP. III. 1. NOw the Serpent a Or Rather this or that Serpent For here is an emphatical article of which more by and by was more subtile than any Beast of the Field b The Serpents eminent subtilty is noted both in sacred Scripture Gen. 49. 17. Psal. 58. 5. Mark 10. 16. 2 Cor. 11. 3. and by Heathen Authors whereof these instances are given that when it is assaulted it secures its head that it stops its ear at the charmers voice and the like If it be yet said that some beasts are more subtle and therefore this is not true it may be replied 1. It is no wonder if the Serpent for its instrumentality in mans sin hath lost the greatest part of its original subtlety even as mans sin was punished with a great decay both of the natural endowments of his Mind Wisdom and Knowledge and of the beauty and glory of his Body the instrument of his sin But this Text may and seems to be understood not of the whole kind of Serpents but of this individual or particular Serpent for it is in the Hebrew Haunachaâ—…h that Serpent or this Serpent to signifie that this was not only an ordinary Serpent but was acted and assisted by the Devil who is therefore called that old Serpent Rev. 12. 9. And this seems most probable partly from the following discourse which is added as a proof of that which is here said concerning the Serpents subtlety and that sâ—…rely was not the discourse of a Beast but of a Devil and partly from 2 Cor. 11. 3. which hath a manifest reference to this place where the Apostle affirmeth that the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety not surely through that subtlety which is common to all Serpents but through that subtilty which was peculiar to this as it was possessed and acted by the Devil There seems indeed to be an all â—…sion here to the natural subtilty of all Serpents and the sense of the sacred Penman may seem to be this as if he said the Serpent indeed in it self is a subtil Creature and thought to be more subtil than any Beast of the Field but howsoever this be in other Serpents â—…t is certain that this Serpent was more subtil than any Beast of the Field as will appear by the following words If it be said the particle this or that is relative to something going before whereas there is not a word about it in the foregoing words it may be replyed that relative particles are often put without any antecedents and the antecedents are left to be gathered not onely out of the foregoing but sometimes also out of the following passages as is apparent from Exod. 14. 29. Numb 7. 89. and 24. 17. Psal. 87. 1. and 105. 19. and 114. 2. Prov. 7. 8. and 14. 26. So here that Serpent that of which I am now to speak whose discourse with the Woman here followeth which the LORD God had made and he said c Quest. How the
a matter And very grievous to her because Womens Affections use to be vehement and it is irksome to them to have them restrained or denied shall be ‖ Or subject to thy Husband to thy Husband and he shall rule * 1 Cor. 14. 34. over thee n Seeing for want of thy Husbands rule and conduct thou wast seduced by the Serpent and didst abuse that power I gave thee together with thy Husband to draw him to sin thou shalt now be brought down to a lower degree for he shall rule thee not with that sweet and gentle hand which he formerly used as a guide and Counsellour onely but by an higher and harder hand as a Lord and Governour to whom I have now given a greater Power and Authority over thee than he had before which through thy pride and corruption will be far more uneasie to thee than his former Empire was and who will usurp a further power than I have given him and will by my permission for thy punishment rule thee many times with Rigour Tyranny and Cruelty which thou wilt groan under but shalt not be able to deliver thy self from it See 1 Cor. 14. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 11 12. 1 Pet. 3. 6. 17. And unto Adam he said because thou hast hearkned unto the voice of thy Wife o i. e. Obeyed the word and counsel contrary to my expresse command and hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eat of it * Isa. 24. 5 6. Rom. 8. 20. cursed is the ground p Which shall now yield both fewer and worse fruits and those too with more trouble of mens minds and labour of their bodies for thy sake q i. e. Because of thy sin or to thy use or as far as concerns thee in sorrow r Or with toil or grief shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life 18. Thorns also and Thistles a And other unuseful and hurtful Plants Synecdochically contained under these shall it †Heb cause to bud bring forth b Of its own accord to thee c Not to thy benefit but to thy grief and punishment And thou shalt * Psal. 104. 14. eat the Herb of the Field d In stead of those generous and delicious Fruits of Paradise which because thou didst dispise thou shalt no more tast of See Gen. 1. 29. 19. In the sweat of thy face f i. e. Of thy Body He mentions the Face because there the sweat appears first and most Or with labour of Body or Brain Eccles. 1. 13. and vexation of mind shalt thou eat Bread g i. e. Get thy food and livelihood Bread being put for all nourishment as Gen. 18. 5. and 28. 20. till thou return unto the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art i As to the constitution and original of thy Body See Gen. 18. 27. Iob 1. 21. Psal. 103. 14. and unto dust shalt thou return k Though upon thy obedience I would have preserved thy Body no less than thy Soul from all mortality yet now having sinned thou shalt return unto dust in thy Body whilst the immortal Spirit shall return unto God who gave it Eccles. 12. 7. Thus thy end shall be as base as thy beginning 20. And Adam called his Wives name †Heb. Chavâ—… Eve m Which signifies either Living or the giver or preserver of Life because she was the Mother of all living n Though for her sin justly sentenced to a present death yet by Gods infinite Mercy and by vertue of the promised Seed was both continued in Life her self and was made the Mother of all living Men and Women that should be after her upon the Earth who though in and with their Mother they were condemned to speedy Death yet shall be brought forth into the state and Land of the Living and into the hopes of a blessed and eternal Life by the Redeemer whose Mother or progenitor she was 21. Unto Adam also and to his Wife did the LORD God p Either by his own word or by the Ministry of Angels make coats of skins q Of Beasts slain either for Sacrifice to God or for the use of man their Lord and owner and clothed them r Which he did partly to defend them from excessive heats and colds or other injuries of the Air to which they were now exposed Partly to mind them of their sin which made their nakedness which before was Innocent and Honourable now to be an occasion of sin and shame and therefore to need covering And partly to shew his care even of fallen man and to encourage his hopes of Gods mercy through the blessed Seed and thereby to invite him to Repentance 22. And the LORD God said s Either within himself or to the other persons of the Godhead Behold the Man is become t i. e. Adam and Eve both are become such according to the Devils promise and their own expectation This is an Holy Irony or Sarcasm like those 1 King 18. 27. Eccles. 11. 9. q. d. Behold O all ye Angels and all the future Generations of men how the first man hath over-reached and conquered us and got the Divinity which he affected and how happy he hath made himself by his Rebellion But this bitter scorn God uttereth not to insult over mans misery but to convince him of his sin folly danger and calamity and to oblige him both to a diligent seeking after and a greedy embracing the remedy of the promised Seed which God offered him and to a greater watchfulness over himself and respect to all Gods commands for the time to come as one of us u i. e. As one of the Divine Persons of infinite Wisdom and Capacity Here is an evident proof of a plurality of persons in the Godhead compare Gen. 1. 26. and 11. 7. If it be said God speaks this of himself and the Angels besides that as yet not one word hath been spoken concerning the Angels it is an absurd and unreasonable conceit that the great God should level himself with the Angels and give them a kind of equality with himself as this expression intimates to know Good and Evil x To know all things both good and evil and now lest he put forth his hand y The speech is defective and to be supplyed thus or some such way But now care must be taken or man must be banished hence lest he c. and take also a i. e. As he did take of the Tree of knowledge of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever b i. e. And thereby prophane that Sacrament of Eternal Life and fondly perswade himself that he shall live for ever This is another scoffe or irony whereby God upbraideth mans presumption and those vain hopes wherewith he did still feed himself 23. Therefore d For
the whole society of the faithful and wandring hither and thither Others render the words mourning and trembling or trembling and wandring These two words note both the unquietness and horrour of his Mind and Conscience and the unsettledness of his habitation and condition and as some add the trembling of his Body shalt thou be in the Earth 13 And Cain said unto the LORD ‖ Or mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven my punishment n Heb. My Sin But Sin seems here to be put for punishment as before ver 7. and Gen. 19. 15. Levit. 5. 1. Psal. 69. 27. Prov. 12. 21. For Cain was not so sensible of his sin as of the ill effects of it as himself shews ver 14. is greater than I can bear 14. Behold o Consider how severely thou usest me thou hast driven me out p With publick infamy as the word signifies this day from the face of the Earth q Or This Earth my native Land * and from thy face r i. e. Favour and Protection shall I be hid and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the Earth And it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me s As the publick Enemy of mankind and as one devoted by thee to destruction Quest. Whom did Cain fear when it appears not that there were any but his Father and Mother Answ. So ignorant people conceive but it is a fond conceit to think that there were no more men than are expressed in this Book where God never intended to give a catalogue of all men but only of the Church or those who had some relation to or concern with it Nay that there were very many thousands of men now in being is very credible upon these rational grounds and suppositions 1. That Adam and Eve did according to Gods precept and blessing Gen. 1. 26. procreate Children presently after the fall and Gods gracious reconcilement to them and consequently their Children did so when they came to competent age 2. That those first Men and Women were endowed by God with extraordinary fruitfulness and might have two three four or more at a time as divers persons long after had which was then expedient for the replenishing of the World and the like may be judged of their Children during the Worlds infancy 3. That this Murder was committed but a little before the hundred and thirtieth year of Adams Age which appears by comparing Gen. 4. 25. and 5. 3. Before which time how vast and numerous an off-spring might have come from Adam none can be ignorant that can and shall make a rational computation 15. And the LORD said unto him therefore t Or Assuredly as the word signifies Ier. 2. 32. and 5. 2. Zach. 11. 17. That thou mayst see how I hate murther and how impartially I shall punish all Murtherers and that thou mayst be unhappily free from this fear that thou mayst live for an example to mankind for a terrour to thy self and others whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold u i. e. Abundantly he shall be plagued with many and grievous punishments as the phrase is used Levit. 26. 28. Psal. 12. 7. and 79. 12. and in many other places And the LORD set a mark upon Cain x What this was whether a trembling of his Body or a ghastliness of his countenance or what other visible token of the divine displeasure God hath not revealed nor doth it concern us to know lest any finding him should kill him 16. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD y i. e. Was banished from the place of Gods special presence and habitation from the society of his Father and of the only Church which God had upon Earth and dwelt in the Land of Nod z In the Land which was afterwards called Nod from Cains unsetled condition because he continued wandring hither and thither in it on the East of Eden 17. And Cain knew his Wife a Of which phrase see on Chap. 4. 1. and she conceived and bare †Heb. Chaâ—…och Enoch and he built a City b Partly to divert his troubled mind with business and pleasure and partly for his own security against the Enemies and evils which his guilty Conscience made him fear notwithstanding the assurance which God had given him And this he did as soon as he was in capacity for it either by the increase of his own posterity or by the accession of other degenerate Sons of Adam to him who either being banished or having departed from the Church willingly associated themselves with their brethren in iniquity and called the Name of the City after the name of his Son Enoch c Not after his own name which he knew to be infamous and hateful 18. And unto Enoch was born Irad And Irad begat Mehujael and Mehujael begat Methusael and Methusael begat †Heb. Lemech Lamech 19. And Lamech d The wicked branch of that cursed root of Cain took unto him two Wives e Against Gods first institution Gen. 2. 24. Mal. 2. 15. and without Gods leave the Name of the one was Adah and the name of the other Zillah 20. And Adah bare Iubal He was the Father of such as dwell in Tents f He taught Shepherds to dwell in Tents and to remove them from place to place for conveniency of Pasture The first Authors or Inventers of any thing are commonly called its Fathers and of such as have Cattle g Heb. And of Cattle i. e. The Inventor of the art of keeping and managing Cattle 21. And his Brothers name was Iubal He was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ h Or the lovely instrument But what kind of instrument this was even the Jews do not understand The meaning is he was the Inventer of Musick and musical instruments 22. And Zillah she also bare Tubal-Cain i Whom as the learned conceive and the agreement of the name and function makes probable the Heathens Worshipped by the name of Vulcan the God of Smiths and his Sister Naamah by the name of Venus an †Heb. Whâ—…tter Instructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron k Who first taught men how to make arms and other instruments of Iron And the Sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah l So called from her beauty which her Name signifies 23. And Lamech said unto his Wives Adah and Zillah m Who observing his fierceness and cruelty feared that the vengeance of God or men would fall upon him and upon them for his sake Hear my voice ye Wives of Lamech hearken unto my speech For ‖ Or I would slay a man in my wound c. I have slain a man to my wounding and †Heb. a Child a young man ‖ Or in my hurt to my hurt n i. e.
be so fair when she was above 60 years old Ans. She was so both comparatively to the Egyptians and simply in her self and that might be from diverse causes 1. From the greater vigour of Nature in that Age of the World 2. Because her beauty was not diminished by Child-bearing 3. From God's singular providence ordering it thus for Abrams tryal and for the manifestation of his special providence watching over him and his 12. Therefore it shall come to pass when the Egyptians ‖ Who were a very lustful people which made Abram more cautious shall see thee that they shall say This is his Wife and they will kill me but they will save thee alive 13. Say I pray thee thou art my Sister c So she was either 1. More generally as his Niece for Nephews and Nieces are in Scripture called Brethren and 〈◊〉 as Gen. 13. 8 11. Or rather 2. Properly i. e. by the fathers side Gen. 20. 21. So this expression was true but ambiguous and intended to decieve the Egyptians and therefore unwarrantable And here Abram the Father of the faithful elsewhere celebrated for the strength of his faith betrays his infirmity and distrust of God's providence and promise and this fact was not without great danger both to himself and Sara that it may be well with me for thy sake and my soul shall live because of thee 14. And it came to pass that when Abram was come into Egypt the Egyptians beheld the Woman that she was very fair 15. The Princes d i. e. The Officers and Courtiers whose great design was to gain their Princes favour by gratifying his lusts also of Pharaoh e A name common to all the Kings of Egypt now and for many Ages after saw her and commended her before Pharaoh and the woman was taken f i. e. Taken and brought one word for two So the word take is used Gen. 15. 6 10. Exod. 18. 2. and 27. 20 c. into Pharaohs house g Not to his bed but the house of his women where they were purified and prepared for the King's presence and society as Est. 2. 8 9. that in due time she might be his concubine or wife Thus even the Ceremonies of Courts serve the providence of God and give opportunity for working her deliverance 16. And he entreated Abram well for her sake and he had * To wit by Pharaoh's gift over and above his own Else it had been impertinent to mention it in this place sheep and oxen and he-asses and men-servants and maid-servants and she-asses and camels 17. And the LORD * Chap. 20. 18. plagued Pharaoh h Most probably with some notable Distemper of his Body which did both chastise him for and hinder him in the Execution of his Lust. and his house i i. e. His servants who being some one way some another partners of his sin are justly made partners in his plagues And if any were innocent in this matter they were obnoxious to God for other sins Besides as they were punished upon the occasion of Pharaoh's sin so Pharaoh was punished in their punishments with great plagues because of Sarai Abrams wife k i. e. For the act of violence towards her for the word taken v. 15. implyes that it was by constraint and not with Abraham's and with her consent which it is not probable that either of them would give in that case 2. For an intention of uncleanness For God who is the searcher and judge of mens hearts may justly and doth often punish men for their evil purposes Compare Gen. 20. 3 4. 18. And Pharaoh called Abram and said What is this that thou hast done unto me Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife l How great an injury hast thou done to me in concealing this from me that she was thy Wife How knew Pharaoh this Ans. 1. He guessed it from the quality of his plague which also awakened his Conscience 2. Upon a serious enquiry into the cause of this plague he understood it either by divine instinct as Gen. 20. 3. or by Sarai's confession whom doubtless he severely examined about it And she being awakened by this warning durst no longer conceal her self and thought she might securely make her self known 19. Why saidest thou she is my sister so I might have taken her to me to wife m Though he had another before Polygamy being then commonly practised now therefore behold thy wife take her and go thy way 20. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him n i. e. Gave them a charge concerning him for his safe conduct whither he pleased and they sent him away and his wife and all that he had CHAP. XIII 1. AND Abram went up out of Egypt he and his wife and all that he had and Lot with him into the South a i. e. Into the Southern part of Canaan from whence he came Gen. 12. 9. and which in Scripture is called simply the South Ios. 10. 40. and 11. 16. Otherwise he went rather into the North but the Scripture being written for the Iews doth frequently accommodate the names of the quarters of the world to them 2. And Abram was very rich in cattle in silver and in gold 3. And he went on his journeys b Or rather according to his journeys which he took as he came going in the same road and resting in the same place of which he had experience from the South even to Beth-el unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Beth-el and Hai. 4. Unto the * Chap. 12. 7. place of the altar c i. e. Where the Altar was for the Altar it self was either fallen down as being probably built of Earth as afterwards Exod. 20. 24. or overthrown by the wicked Canaanites which he had made there at the first and there Abram called on the name of the LORD d i. e. Worshipped God by Prayer and Preaching to his Family Gen. 18. 19. and offering sacrifices See Gen. 4. 26. and 12. 8. 5. And Lot also which went with Abram had flocks and herds and tents 6. And the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together for their substance was great so that they could not dwell together 7. And there was a strife between the herds-men of Abrams cattel and the herds-men of Lots cattle and the Canaanite e i. e. The Canaanites as Gen. 12. 6. the singular number for the plural as Psal. 78. 45. and 105. 33 40. and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land f i. e. Were the Lords and Owners of it and therefore Abram and Lot could not take what pastures they pleased but such as the others left them which was not sufficient for their conveniency It may also be added as a reason of Abram's following motion because that idolatrous people were present and diligently observed all their
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
this knowingly this was a gross sin Ezek. 18. 6. and they being accused and convicted were punished with death Levit. 20. 18. for as there was a turpitude in the action so it was very prejudicial to the children then begotten who were commonly weak or leprous or otherwise disordered which was also an injury to the Commonwealth of Israel and redounded to the dishonour of God and of the true Religion that the professours thereof gave such publick evidence of their intemperance and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean 25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many dayes out of the time of her separation or if it run beyond the time of her separation r To wit the seven dayes mentioned Levit. 12. 2. as suppose she had the Emerods c. all the dayes of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the dayes of her separation she shall be unclean 26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the dayes of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean as the uncleanness of her separation 27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 28 But if she be cleansed of her issue then she shall number to her self seven dayes s From the stopping of her issue as it is apparent And this was for trial whether it was onely a temporary obstruction or a real cessation and after that she shall be clean 29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles or two young pigeons and bring them unto the priest to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 30 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness 31 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness that they die not in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle t Which they did both ceremonially by coming into it in their uncleanness and morally by the gross neglect and contempt of Gods express and positive command to cleanse themselves that is among them 32 This is the law of him that hath an issue and of him whose seed goeth from him and is defiled therewith 33 And of her that is sick of her flowers and of him that hath an issue of the man and of the woman and of him that lieth with her which is unclean CHAP. XVI 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses after * chap. 10. 2. the death of the two sons of Aaron when they offered before the LORD and died 2 And the LORD said unto Moses Speak unto Aaron thy brother that he * Exod. 30. 10. Heb. 9. 7. come not at all times a Not whensoever he pleaseth but onely when I shall appoint him to wit to take down the parts and furniture of it upon every removal and to minister unto me once in the year Exod. 30. 10. into the holy place ‖ i. e. Into the Most Holy or the Holy of Holies as the following words demonstrate which is sometimes called onely the holy place as Heb. 9. 2 3 the positive degree put for the comparative which is not unusual in Scripture within the vail b To wit the second vail See Levit. 4. 6. before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark that he die not c For his irreverence and presumption for * Exod. 40. 35. 1 King 8. 12. I will appear d Visibly and gloriously That is as it were my presence-chamber whither the Priest shall not dare to come but when I call him in the cloud e Either in that dark place for there was no light came into it and clouds and darkness go together and one may be put for the other or in a bright and glorious cloud which used to be over the mercy-seat or rather in the cloud of incense mentioned afterward ver 13. by the mercy-seat 3 Thus f In this manner or upon these terms shall Aaron come into the holy place with * a young bullock g i. e. with the blood of it as it is explained ver 14. So it is a Synecdoche the whole put for the part For as for the body of it that was to be killed and offered without upon the Altar of burnt offerings for a sin offering h For his own and families sins for a goat was offered for the sins of the people and chap. 4. 3. a ram for a burnt-offering 4 He shall put on the * Exod. 28. 39 4â—… holy linen coat i It is observable that the High-priest did not now use his peculiar and glorious robes but onely his linnen garments which were common to him with the ordinary priests The reason whereof was either because this was not a day of feasting and rejoycing but of mourning and humiliation at which times people were to lay aside their ornaments Exod. 33. 5. Some conceive that under the linen garments here named are comprehended his more glorious robes also by a Synecdoche But that doth not appear neither from hence nor from other places alledged Had onely his holy garments been mentioned in general all might have been understood but when onely the linen apparel is mentioned here and after ver 23. and when that is so particularly expressed in four several parts of it and not a word of the other either here or in the rest of the chapter it seems presumptuous to adde them here without any ground or evidence Or because it was fit he should not exalt but abase himself when he was to appear before the divine Majesty and therefore he was to come in the meanest of his Priestly habits Or that it might be an evidence of the imperfection of this Priesthood and of the great difference between the Levitical and the true High-Priest Christ Jesus whose prerogative alone it is to go into the true Holy of Holies with his glorious robes when this must carry thither the characters of his meanness and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh and shall be girded with a linen girdle and with the linen mitre shall he be attired These are holy garments k Because appropriated to an holy and religious use for which reason other things are called holy See Exod. 29. 31. and 30. 25. and 2 Chron. 5. 5. therefore * Exod 30 â—…0 shall he wash his flesh in water and so put them on 5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin-offering and one ram for a burnt-offering 6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself and make * Heb. 9. 7. an atonement for himself and for his house l i. e.
children of Israel 20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place and the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar he shall bring the live goat 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands h See on Exod. 29. 10. and Lev. 1. 4. upon the head of the live goat and confess over him i Confession of sin being a duty to accompany the sacrifice offered for it as we see Lev. 5. 5. Numb 5. 7. all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins k Or with or according to all their sins for so the Hebrew particle is oft used He mentions iniquities transgressions and sins to note sins of all sorts and that a very free and full confession was to be made and that the smallest sins needed and the greatest sins were not excluded from the benefit of Christs death here represented putting them upon the head l Charging all their sins and the punishment due to them upon the goat which though onely a ceremony yet being done according to Gods appointment and manifestly pointing at Christ upon whom their iniquities and punishments were laid Isa. 53. 5 6. it was available for this end And hence the heathens took their custom of selecting one beast or man upon whom they laid all their imprecations and curses and whom they killed as an expiatory sacrifice for their sins and to prevent their ruine of the goat and shall send him away by the hand of †Heb. a 〈◊〉 opportunity a fit man m One that knows the wilderness and the way to it and what places in it are most convenient for that use Heb. a man of time i. e. of years and discretion who may be trusted with this work into the wilderness n Which signified the removal of their sins far away both from the people and out of Gods sight or from the place of his presence And here the goat being neglected by all men and exposed to many hardships and hazards from wild beasts which were numerous there might further signify Christs being forsaken both by God and by men even by his own disciples and the many dangers and sufferings he underwent The Iews write that this goat was carried to the mountain called Azazel whence the goat is so called ver 10. and that there he was cast down headlong and that the red string by which he was led turned white when God was pleased with the Israelites otherwise it remained red and then they mourned all that year And the antient Hebrews write that 40 years before the destruction of the Temple which was about the time of Christs death this red string turned no more white 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land †Heb. of seperation not inhabited and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness 23 And Aaron shall come o Forthwith not expecting the return of the man who carried the goat away but securely committing that to Gods providence he shall go on in his work into the tabernacle of the congregation and shall put off the linnen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place and shall leave them there 24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place p Either in the laver appointed for that purpose Or in some other vessel within the holy place because after he had washed in it he is said to come forth and put on his garments q Not his ordinary Priestly linnen garments for he was to leave them in the Tabernacle ver 23. but the High-priestly garments called his garments properly and peculiarly and by way of distinction from the former garments which are called holy garments ver 4. and the linnen garments ver 23. but never his garments as these are And this change of his garments was not without cause For the common Priestly garments were more proper and fit for him in the former part of his ministration both because he was to appear before the Lord in the most holy place to humble himself and make atonement for his own and for the peoples sins and therefore his humblest and meanest attire was most fit and because he was to lay his hands upon that goat on which all their sins were put by which touch both he and his garments would be in some sort defiled and therefore as we read here that he washed himself or his flesh so we may well presume his linnen garments were laid by for the washing as the cloaths â—…f him who carried away the scape-goat were washed ver 26. And the High-priestly garments were most proper for the latter part of his work which was of another nature and come forth and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people and make an atonement for himself and for the people 25 And the * fat of the sin offering shall he burn chap. 4. 10. upon the altar 26 And he that let go the goat for a scape-goat shall wash r Because he had contracted some degree of ceremonial uncleanness by the touch of the goat his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward come into the camp 27 * And the bullock †for the sin offering and chap. 4. 12 the goat ‖ for the sin offering whose blood was 〈◊〉 and 6. 30. brought in to make atonement in the holy place 〈◊〉 13. 11. Heb. of Heb. of shall one carry forth without the camp and they shall burn in the fire their skins and their flesh and their dung 28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward he shall come into the camp 29 And this shall be a statute for ever s See on Exod. 12. 14. unto you that * in the seventh moneth t Answering part to our September and part to our October when they had gathered in all their fruits and were most at leasure for Gods service This time God chose for this and other feasts herein graciously condescending to mens necessities and conveniencies being contented with that time which men could best spare on the tenth chap. 23. 27. 〈◊〉 29. 7. day u Obj. It was on the ninth day Lev. 23. 32. Ans. It began in the evening of the ninth day and continued till the evening of the tenth day as is there sufficiently implyed of the month ye shall afflict your souls x i. e. your selves as the word soul is frequently used both your bodies by abstinence from food and other delights and your minds by anguish and grief for former sins which though bitter yet is voluntary in all true penitents who are therefore here said not to be afflicted but to afflict themselves or to be active in the work and do no work at all whether it be one of your own countrey or a stranger that sojourneth among you 30 For on
Lord by whose power and goodness the trees bring forth fruit to perfection 25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof that it may yield unto you the increase thereof q That God may be pleased to give his blessing which alone can make them fruitful I am the LORD your God 26 * chap. 17. 10. c. Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood r i. e. Any flesh out of which the blood is not first poured See 1 Sam. 14. 32. The Jews write that the Egyptians and other Nations when they offered sacrifices to the Devils did eat part of the sacrifices beside the blood which was kept in basins for that end which also they believed to be as it were the special food of the Devils neither shall ye use inchantment nor observe times s To wit superstitiously by the observation of the clouds or stars or otherwise by esteeming some days lucky others unlucky See Deut. 18. 10 11. Esth. 3. 7. 27 * chap. 21. 5. Ye shall not round the corners of your heads t i. e. Your Temples Ye shall not cut off the hair of your heads round about your Temples This the Gentiles did either for the worship of the Devils or Idols to whom young men used to consecrate their hair being cut off from their heads as Homer Plutarch and many others write or in funerals or immoderate mournings as appears from Isa. 15. 2. Ier. 48. 37. And the like is to be thought concerning the beard or the hair in the corner i. e. corners of the beard The reason then of this prohibition is because God would not have his people agree with Idolaters neither in their Idolatries nor in their excessive sorrowing no nor so much as in the appearances and outward significations or expressions thereof neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard 28 Ye shall not * Deut. 14. 1. make any cutting in your flesh u Which the Gentiles commonly did both in the worship of their Idols and in their solemn mournings Ier. 16. 6. for the dead x Heb. for a soul i. e. either 1 improperly for a dead body as that word is sometimes used as Lev. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb 6. 6â—… or 2. properly for the soul ye shall not cut your flesh or your bodies for your souls or upon pretence of doing your souls any good either in way of mortification or in the worship of God as they did 1 King 18. 28. in like manner as others were willing to give to God the fruit of their body for the sin of their soul Mic. 6. 7. nor print any mark upon you I am the LORD 29 Do not †Heb 〈◊〉 prostitute thy daughter to cause her to be a whore y As the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of some of their Idols to whom diverse women were consecrated and publickly prostituted lest the land fall to whoredom and the land become full of wickedness 30 * chap. 26. 2. Ye shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary z Not presuming to approach it with irreverence or with any kind of uncleanness upon you I am the LORD 31 * Isa. 8. 19. Acts 16. 16. Regard not them that have familiar spirits a That have entred into covenant with the Devil by whose help they foretell many things to come and acquaint men with secret things See Lev 20. 27. Deut. 18. 11. 1 Sam. 28. 3 7 9. 2 King 21. 6. neither seek after wizards b Another name expressing the same thing for substance to wit persons in league with the Devil with some difference onely in the manner of their operation I am the LORD your God 32 Thou shalt rise up c To do them reverence when they pass by for which end they were obliged as the Iews say presently to sit down again when they were past that it might be manifest they arose out of respect to them before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and fear thy God d A reason of the former precept both because old men in some respect do most resemble God who is stiled the ancient of days Dan. 7. 9 22. and because this respect is due to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for themselves who may be unworthy or contemptible yet for Gods sake who requires this reverence and whose singular 〈◊〉 old age is I am the LORD 33 And * Exod. 22. 21. and 23. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sojourn with thee in your land ye 〈◊〉 not ‖ Or oppress vex him e Either with opprobrious expressions or grievous exactions 34 * Exod. 12. 49. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born amongst you f Either 1 as to the matters of common right as it here follows so it reacheth to all strangers Or 2. as to Church-priviledges so it concerns onely those who were proselytes of righteousness and * Deut. 10. 19. thou shalt love him as thy self for ye were strangers g And therefore are sensible of the fears distresses and miseries of such which call for your pity and you ought to do to them as you would that others should do to you when you were such in the land of Egypt I am the LORD your God 35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment in mete-yard h In the measuring of lands or any dry and continued things as cloth ribband c. in weight or in measure i In the measuring of liquid or such dry things as are not continued or contiguous as of corn or wine c. Or the former may note greater the latter less measures 36 * Deut. 2â—… 1â—… Prov. 11. 1. and 16. 11. and 2â—… 1â—… Just balances just †Heb. 〈◊〉 weights a just ephah and a just hin i These two measures are named as most common the former for dry the latter for moist things but under them he manifestly comprehends all other measures shall ye have I am the LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt 37 Therefore k Because my blessings and deliverances are not indulgences to sin but greater obligations to all duties to God and men So that if religion and righteousness were utterly lost in the world they ought in all reason to be found among you as my peculiar people and freed men shall ye observe all my statutes and all my judgments and do them I am the LORD CHAP. XX. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 * chap. 18. 21. Again thou shalt say to the children of Israel a Here follow the punishments of the crimes forbidden in the former chapters * Deut. 18. 10. 2 Kin. 17. 17. and 23. 10. Jer. 32. 35. Whosoever he be of the children of Israel or of the strangers b Not onely such as were Proselytes but all others these being gross
is dead and purifieth not himself 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. defileth the tabernacle of the LORD c By approaching to it in his uncleanness for Holy things or places were ceremonially defiled with the touch of any unclean person or thing See Levit. 15. 31. and 16. 16. Hagg. 2. 13. and that soul shall be cut off from Israel because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him he shall be unclean his uncleanness is yet upon him d He continues in his guilt and filth not now to be washed away by this water but to be punished by cutting off 14 This is the law when a man dieth in a tent all that come into the tent and all that is in the tent shall be unclean seven days 15 And every * chap. 31. 20. open vessel e Because it receives the air of the tent by which it is ceremonially polluted Compare Levit. 11. 32 33. which hath no covering bound upon it is unclean 16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword f Or by any other violent way in the open fields or a dead body or a bone of a man or a grave shall be unclean seven dayes 17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the †Heb. dust ashes of †Heb. the burning the burnt heifer of purification for sin and †Heb. living water shall be given running water g i. e. Waters flowing from a spring or River which are the purest These manifestly signifie Gods Spirit which is oft compared to water Ioh. 7. 38 39. and by which alone true purification is obtained shall be put thereto in a vessel h Where they were to be mixed and then the water was to be strained out and kept for this use 18 And a clean person i To wit a Priest for to such the work of cleansing was appropriated See Levit. 13. shall take hysop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it upon the tent and upon all the vessels k Even those who were in part purified by the fire See Numb 31. 23. and upon the persons that were there and upon him that touched a bone or one slain or one dead or a grave 19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day and on the seventh day he shall purifie himself and wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and shall be clean at even 20 But the man that shall be unclean and shall not purifie himself k i. e. Shall contemptuously refuse to submit to this way of purification that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him he is unclean 21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes l Because he is unclean as it here follows It is strange that the same water should cleanse one person and defile another but God would have it so partly to teach us that it did not cleanse by any vertue in it or in the work done but onely by vertue of Gods appointment partly to mind the Jews of the imperfection of their Priesthood and their ritual purifications and expiations and consequently of the necessity of a better Priest and sacrifice and way of purifying which these outward Rites did point at and partly to shew that the efficacy of Gods ordinances doth not depend upon the person or quality of his Ministers because the same person who was polluted himself could and did cleanse others and he that toucheth the water of separation m Either by sprinkling of it or by being sprinkled with it for even he that was cleansed by it was not fully cleansed as soon as he was sprinkled but onely at the even of that day as is said here and above ver 19. shall be unclean until even 22 And whatsoever the unclean person n Not he who is so onely by touching the water of separation ver 21. but he who is so by the greater sort of uncleanness which lasted seven days of which ver 11 16. and which was not removed without the use of this water of purification as is manifest from the context and other places of Scripture and from the nature of the thing For the lesser sort of uncleanness mentioned in the foregoing verse lasted onely till even and was cleansed by the sole washing of his clothes and flesh in water ver 7. without any use of this water of purification which if it had been necessary must have been used on the third and on the seventh day according to the rule ver 12 19. and so the uncleanness of one day had been made an uncleanness of seven days which is a contradiction Besides it is unreasonable that he who immediately touched the defiling thing should be no more and longer unclean than he who touched that person onely and it is contrary to other rules in like cases as Levit. 15. where the Man or Woman having an issue are thereby made unclean for seven days ver 13 28. but he who toucheth them is made unclean onely till even ver 7 27. And therefore this cannot be meant of him who was unclean by touching this water who himself was unclean onely till even ver 21. as also he who toucheth him is in this place toucheth shall be unclean and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean o To signifie to us the very infectious nature of sin and of sinfull company until even p Because as his defilement was less so it was fit the duration of it should be shorter CHAP. XX. 1 THen a To wit after many other stations and long journeys here omitted but particularly described Numb 33. came the children of Israel even the whole congregation into the desert of Zin b A place near the land of Edom distinct and distant from that Sin Exod. 15. 1. in the first moneth c To wit of the fortieth year as is evident because the next station to this was in mount Hor where Aaron died ver 22 23 c. who died in the fifth moneth of the fortieth year Numb 33. 38. Moses doth not give us an exact journal of all their occurrences in the wilderness but onely of those which were most remarkable and especially of those which happened in the first and second and in the fortieth year and the people abode in Kadesh d Whether the same place called Kadeh-barnea where they were long 〈◊〉 Numb 13. 26. and to which they now return after 38 years tedious travels and wandrings in the desert Deut. 2. 14. or another place more southerly it is not material and Miriam died there
Ierusalem and in the Road from Bethlehem-Iudah to Gibeah 14 And they passed on and went their way and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah which belongeth to Benjamin o This is added to difference it from another Gibeah in Iudah Ios. 15. 57. Possibly this is that which was called Gibeah of Saul 1 Sam. 11. 4. 15 And they turned aside thither to go in and to lodg in Gibeah and when he went in he sate him down in a street of the city for there was no man that took them into his house to lodging p Though they were soft and effeminate in other respects yet they were hard-hearted towards Strangers or indigent persons Either there were no publick Houses to receive and entertain Travellers as may be gathered from Gen. 28. and 42. and 45. and Ios. 9. c. or if there were such an one here they might perceive it to be a very wicked House as being in so lewd a place and therefore might decline it and expect that some private person would exercise Hospitality to them as persons of any worth used to do as Gen. 18. 1 2 3 4. and 19. 1 2. Heb. 13. 2. 16 ¶ And behold there came an old man from his work out of the field at even which was also of mount Ephraim q Whence also the Levite was which obliged and enclined him to shew the more kindness to his Countrey-man and he sojourned in Gibeah but the men of the place were Hebr. Sons of 〈◊〉 Chap. â—…5 Benjamites r This was indeed one of the Cities belonging to the Priests Ios. 21. 1 Chron. 6. but you must consider that the Cities which were given to the Priests and whereof they were Possessors and Owners were not inhabited by the Priests or Levites onely especially at this time when they were but few in number but by many other persons of differing Professions and Callings which was necessary for their conveniency 17 And when he had lift up his eyes he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city and the old man said Whither goest thou and whence comest thou 18 And he said unto him We are passing from Berhlehem-Judah toward the side of mount Ephraim from thence am I and I went to Bethlehem-Judah but I am now going to the house of the LORD s Which was in Shilo Ios. 18. 1. and 22. 12. Thither he went either because he lived there for that was in the Tribe of Ephraim or rather because he would there offer Prayers and Praises and Sacrifices unto God for his Mercy in reconciling him and his Wife together and for his Blessing upon them again and to make atonement for his Wise. and there is no man that ‡ Hebr. gathereth receiveth me to house 19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses and there is bread and wine also for me and for thy handmaid and for the young man which is with thy servants there is no want of any thing 20 And the old man said Peace be with thee howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me t It matters not whether thou wantest nothing or every thing I will take care to supply all thy wants * Gen. 13. â—… onely lodg not in the street 21 So he brought him into his house and gave provender unto the asses and they washed their feet u As they used to do to Travellers in those hot Countreys Gen. 18. 4. and 19. 2. and 24. 32 c. and did eat and drink 22 ¶ Now as they were making their hearts merry x i. e. Refreshing themselves with the Provisions set before them behold the men of the city certain * Hos. 99 〈◊〉 10. 9. sons of Belial y Wicked and Licentious men see Deut. 13. 13. beset the house round about and beat at the door and spake to the master of the house the old man saying Bring forth the man that came into thine house that we may know him z An ambiguous expression whereby they pretended onely a desire to know and see what person he had brought among them and yet carry on their Wicked design of knowing him Carnally Compare Gen. 19. 5. where the same phrase is used in that sense upon a like occasion But though they name onely the man yet it is plain from the following relation that their Design was principally upon the Woman and therefore under the name of the man they comprehend those that belong to him 23 And * Gen. 〈◊〉 the man the master of the house went out unto them and said unto them Nay my brethren nay I pray you do not so wickedly seeing that this man is come into mine house a And therefore I am obliged to protect him by the Laws of Hospitality Compare Gen. 19. 7 8. do not this folly 24 Behold here is my daughter a maiden and his concubine them I will bring out now b He offers this to avoid a greater and more unnatural Sin which he thought they designed but it seems they did not their abuse being confined to the Woman and not extended to the Man who also was in their power if they had lusted after him But this offer was Sinful because he offered that which was not in his nor in the Mans power to dispose of even the Chastity of his Daughter and the Mans Wife and because no Man must do any evil though never so small for the prevention of any evil of Sin or Misery or for the procuring of the greatest good Rom. 3. 8. though his Sin was much mitigated by his Ignorance by his honest and generous Intention of protecting a stranger by the force which was in some sort put upon him and by the suddenness and violence of the Temptation and humble ye them and do with them what seemeth good unto you but unto this man do not ‡ Hebr. 〈◊〉 matter 〈◊〉 this folly so vile a thing 25 But the men would not hearken to him so the man took his concubine c Being willing to expose her rather than the Daughter of his Host who had expressed such a singular care and affection for him and brought her forth unto them and they knew her and abused her all the night until the morning and when the day began to spring they let her go 26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day and fell down d To wit dead as the following words show and as that word is oft used as Exod. 19. 21. Psal. 82. 7. and 91. 7. Hos. 5. 5. killed partly with grief of heart and partly with excessive abuse of her Body of which there have been divers instances Thus the Sin she formerly chose v. 2. is now her Destruction and though her husband pardoned her God would punish her at least as to this life at the door of the mans house where her lord 〈◊〉 till it was light e So he
is mentioned here as the reason why David put himself and his people to so great trouble and charge because it was to fetch up the choicest Treasure which they had and so the benefit would abundantly recompence the inconvenience that dwelleth between the cherubims 3 And they ‡ Heb. made to ride set the ark of God * See 1 Sam. 6. 7. upon a new cart f Being taught and encouraged to do so by the Example of the Philistines who did so without any token of Gods displeasure upon them for so doing But they did not sufficiently consider that God might wink at the Philistines because they were ignorant of God's Laws and yet be angry with them for the same thing because they knew or might and should have known the Law of God which commanded the Priests to bear it upon their shoulders Numb 4. 14 15. and 7. 9. But their present transports of Joy at the happy Change of their Affairs and their greedy desire of having the Ark removed made them hasty and inconsiderate and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in ‖ Or the hill Gibeah g Or on the hill as 1 Sam. 7. 1. and Uzzah and ‖ Or his brother So Gr. Ahio the sons of Abinadab h For Abinadab himself seems now to have been dead or at least detained at home through infirmity or indispensable occasions drave the new cart 4 And they brought it out of * 1 Sam. 7. 1. the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah ‡ Heb. with accompanying the ark of God and Ahio went before the ark i To lead the Oxen that drew it 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir-wood even on harps and on psalteries and on timbrels and on cornets and on cymbals 6 ¶ And * 1 Chron. 13. 9. when they came to Nachons k Otherwise called Chidon 1 Chron. 13. 9. threshing floor Uzzah * See Num. 4. 15. put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it for the oxen ‖ Or stumbled or threw it down 2 King 9. 33. shook it l For they stumbled 1 Chron. 13. 9. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah and God smote him m With some deadly Disease or Stroke as it follows there for his ‖ Or rashness errour n Either 1. For his touching the Ark when he was no Levite as Iosephus reports nor indeed was Kiriath-jearim a Levitical City or that being but a Levite he touched the bare Ark which onely the Priests might do Numb 4. 15. and 18. 3. And though the Ark was ordinarily covered yet it is not impossible but the covering might be either loose and so blown aside by the Wind or worn out and so he might touch the Ark it self Or 2. Because he put the Ark into a Cart and thereby exposed it to the danger of falling which would have been a great discouragement to the Israelites and a reproach to the Ark. And though Ahio also might have an hand in putting it into the Cart yet Uzzah onely is smitten either because he was the Elder Brother and the person to whose care the Ark was more especially committed or because he was the chief Author of this counsel of putting it into a Cart or because he added a new fault of touching the Ark and that out of distrust of God's care over it and there he died o This may seem very severe considering that his Intention was pious and his Transgression not great But besides that Men are very improper Judges of the Actions of God and that Gods Judgements are always just though sometimes obscure there are many things to be said of this and such like cases 1. That it is fit and reasonable that God should make some persons Examples of his just and high Displeasure against Sins seemingly small partly for the demonstration of his own exact and impartial Holiness partly for the Establishment of Discipline for which very reason even Earthly Princes have oft-times Inflicted great Punishments for small Offences and for the greater Terrour and Caution of Mankind who are very prone to have slight thoughts of Sin and to give way to small Sins and thereby to be led on to greater all which is or may be prevented by such instances of Severity and consequently there is more of God's Mercy than of his Justice in such Actions because the Justice is consined to one particular person but the Mercy and benefit of it publick and common to Mankind of that and all future Ages 2. That God is justly most severe in those things which immediately concern his Worship and Service and against those persons who have the nearest Relation to him and the greatest opportunities of Knowing and the highest obligations of careful Practising those Duties which they neglect See Levit. 10. 3. 3. That this Punishment possibly was not so great as it may seem to be for as for his Body the Disease though dangerous might not be exceedingly painful and for his Soul the stroke probably was not so sudden 〈◊〉 not to give him space of Repentance by the ark of God 8 And David was displeased p Or grieved both for the sin which he acknowledgeth 1 Chron. 15. 2 13. and for Gods heavy Judgment whereby their hopes were dashed and their joys interrupted and a good subject struck dead for the circumstantial error of a Pious mind which he might possibly think harsh and very severe and therefore be displeased or offended at this sharp Providence because the LORD had ‡ Heb. had broken made a breach uppon Uzzah And he called the name of the place ‖ That is the breach of Uzzah Perez Uzzah to this day 9 And David was afraid of the LORD q Either that God was displeased with him for removing the Ark and bringing it to his City or lest God should proceed further in the way of his Judgments upon him and his people or lest the Ark being brought to his House might be the occasion of inconveniencies and great calamities for some neglects or errors which they might easily and frequently commit that day and said How shall the ark of the LORD come unto me r How may I presume or how shall I dare do it when God hath shewed his displeasure for my attempting it I will therefore wait further upon God for his direction in the case and at present forbear But why did not David consult God presently by the Urim as he used to do This therefore seems to have been his infirmity and neglect 10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom s Which doubtless was done by the consent and desire of the owner of it who for the enjoyment
jurisdiction Heb. 〈◊〉 cities whatsoever plague a That chiefly signifies an extraordinary Judgment sent from God whatsoever sickness there be 38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart b i. e. Either 1. His Sin which may be called the plague of his heart in opposition to the other Plagues here mentioned which Afflict onely the Body or outward Man So the sence is Who by their Afflictions are brought to a true and serious sence of their worse and inward Plague of their Sins which are most fitly called the plague of the heart because that is both the Principal Seat of Sin and the Fountain from whence all Actual Sins flow Matt. 15. 19. Or rather 2. His Affliction for so this is Explained in the parallel-place 2 Chron. 6. 29. which is the more considerable because that Book was written after this to Explain what was dark or deubtful and to supply what was lacking in this when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief which is not unfitly called the plague of his heart because it was that Plague which his Heart was most Afflicted with which pained him at the very heart as the Phrase is Ier. 4. 19. comp Psal. 55. 4. which caused him most vexation or grief which is a Passion of the Heart and so the sence is Who shall know i. e. be duly and deeply sensible of his Affliction and the hand of God in it and his Sin as the Cause of it for Words of Knowledge in Scripture do very frequently note such a kind of Knowledge as affects and changeth the Heart and reforms the whole course of a Man's Life for which cause men of ungodly Lives are frequently said in Scripture not to know God or Christ or his Word c. And therefore â—…o man knows his sore in a Scripture-sence but he who hears the rod who turneth unto him that smiteth him and sincerely seeketh to the Lord for Relief and spread forth his hands towards this house 39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways c According to his Repentance or Impenitency I pray with more hope and confidence because I do not desire that thou wouldst deliver such as are insensible of thy Judgments and their Sin but onely those who truly know the Plague of their own Heart in manner before explained whose heart thou knowest d Thou knowest who are truly Penitent and who are not and therefore the granting of my Request will be no dishonour to thy Government nor injury to thy Holy Nature for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of men 40 That * Psal. 130. 4. they may fear thee e That when thou hast first smitten them and then so eminently delivered them and that in answer to their Prayer they may hereby be taught to fear Thee and thy Justice and thy Goodness all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers 41 Moreover concerning a stranger that is not of thy people Israel but cometh out of a far countrey for thy Names sake f This may note either 1. The end of his coming that he may Worship and Glorifie thy Name or rather 2. The motive or occasion of his Coming which was the fame of God's Greatness and Power and Kindness to his People as the following words Explain it 42 For they shall hear of thy great Name and of thy strong hand and of thy stretched out arm when he shall come and pray towards this house 43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for g To wit Agreeable to thy Will and Word for he would not have them heard if they had Prayed for any thing dishonourable to God or destructive to his People It is observable That his prayer for the Strangers is more large and comprehensive than for the Israelites that thereby he might both shew his Publick-spiritedness and encourage Strangers to the Worship of the True God that all people of the earth may know thy Name to fear thee as do thy people Israel h Whereby we see how sincerely and heartily the ancient and godly Iews desired the Conversion of the Gentiles whereas the latter and degenerate Iews in the days of Christ and of the Apostles did Envy Oppose it and fret at it and that they may know that ‡ Heb. thy â—…ame is called 〈◊〉 this house this house which I have builded is called by thy Name i i. e. Is owned not onely by us but by thy self as thy House the onely place in the World to which thou wilt vouchsafe thy Presence and Protection and wherein thou wiltst â—…e Publickly and Solemnly Served 44 ¶ If thy people go out to battel against their enemy whithersoever thou shalt send them k i. e. In a Just Cause and by thy Warrant or Commission Whereby he implies That it was unlawful for them to undertake any War meerly for their own Glory or Lust or to enlarge their Empire beyond its due bounds and that they could not with safe Conscience pray to God for his Blessing upon such a War and shall pray unto the LORD l Whereby he instructs them That they should not trust either to the Strength or Justice of their Arms but onely to God's Help and Blessing which they were to pray for ‡ 〈◊〉 the way of the city toward the city which thou hast chosen m To wit for thy Dwelling-place and the Seat of thy Temple and toward the house that I have built for thy Name n For to it they were to turn their Faces in Prayer partly thereby to profess themselves to be the Worshippers of the True God in opposition to Idols and that they sought help from him and from no other and partly to strengthen Faith in God's Promises and Covenant the Tables whereof were contained in that House 45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication and maintain their ‖ Or right Heb. judgment cause o Declare the Justice of their Cause by giving them the Victory 46 If they sin against thee * 2 Chron. 6. â—…6 Prov. 20. 9. Eccles. 7. 20. 〈◊〉 3. 2 for there is no man that sinneth not p The Universal Corruption of Man's whole Race and Nature makes me presage that they will fall into Sins and withal makes me to hope that thou wiltst not be severe to deal with them as their Sins deserve and thou be angry with them and deliver them to the enemy so that they carry them away captives unto the * Joâ—… 1. 8 10. Lev. 26. 34 â—…4 Deut. 28. 〈◊〉 64 land of the enemy far or near 47 Yet if they shall ‡ Heb. bring back to
many of Ephraim and Manasseh Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written z They had so eager a Desire to partake of this Ordinance that rather than neglect it they would venture upon it with some Ceremonial Uncleanness upon them but Hezekiah prayed for them saying †〈…〉 The good LORD pardon every one 19 That prepareth his heart to seek God the LORD God of his fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary a i. e. With that Ceremonial Purification which was required of them that came into Gods Sanctuary So he calls it to distinguish from that Moral and Internal Purity which they are here acknowledged to have 20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people b From their Uncleanness which it self was a Spiritual Disease and which probably produced a Disease or Distemper or Trouble in their Minds and Consciences which also had formerly brought and might justly now bring even outward Diseases upon the Body or at least Guilt which is a Disease upon the Soul From all which the Lord was pleased now to heal them by pardoning this their Sin and accepting them and their Services as if they had been clean Which it is likely God was pleased to manifest by some outward Sign possibly by fire from Heaven consuming the Sacrifices which was the usual Token of Gods Approbation as hath been formerly noted more than once 21 And the children of Israel that were †Heb. found present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day singing with †loud instruments unto the LORD 22 And Hezekiah spake †Heb. instruments of strength comfortably unto all the Levites c Encouraged them to a chearful and diligent Attendance upon their Holy Ministrations by the Promise of his Favour and utmost Care for them which he faithfully performed ch 31. 4 c. that taught the good knowledge of †Heb. to the heart of all c. the LORD d Who by their Office were to instruct and build up the People in the Knowledge and Fear of God which is mentioned as the Cause of his Respect and Kindness to them which was for their works sake as it is said 1 Thes. 5. 13. and they did eat throughout the feast seven days offering peace-offerings and making confession e Either 1. Confessing their Sins which Work was to accompany many of their Sacrifices of which see Levit. 5. 5. 16. 21. Or rather 2. Confessing Gods Goodness or praising of God which oft goes under this Name as 1 Chron. 16. 8 24. which also seems to be more proper work for this Season of Joy unto the LORD God of their fathers 23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep * See 1 Kin. 8. 65. other seven days and they kept other seven days with gladness f Not in the same manner as they had done the former with offering new Paschal Lambs and eating onely Unleavened Bread of which there is not the least intimation in the Text but onely in the solemn Worship of God by Sacrifices and Prayers and Praises and publick Instruction of that great Congregation in the Good Knowledge of the Lord which was so dear to Hezekiah v. 22. and at this time most seasonable and necessary for the People after so long and dismal a Night of Ignorance Superstition and Idolatry as both Israel and Judah had been involved in 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah †Heb. lifted up or offered did give to the congregation g First to God to whom the parts appointed were offered in way of Thanksgiving and then to the People who feasted upon the Relicks as the Offerer used to do in Peace-offerings and Hâ—…zekiah who was the Offerer gave away his Right in the Remains of the Sacrifices to the People a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep h Which Generosity is the more considerable because it was in the Beginning of his Reign when he found the Royal Exchequer exhausted and empty and when he had been at great Expence about the Cleansing and refitting of the Temple and making Preparations for this great Feast and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep and a great number of priests sanctified themselves i Having now both more Time and further Need of sanctifying themselves to offer these Numerous Sacrifices 25 And all the congregation of Judah with the priests and the Levites and all the congregation that came out of Israel and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel and that dwelt in Judah rejoyced 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem 27 Then the priests the Levites k Those of the Levites who were Priests also for to them onely this Work belonged 1 Chron. 23. 13. Or the Priests and the Levites For as the Levites did some other part of the Priests Work at this time it is not strange if they did this also Or the Priests might bless by solemn pronunciation of the Blessing and the Levites by their Acclamations or with their Musical Instruments arose and * Numb 6. 23. blessed the people l Either commended them for their great Zeal and Diligence in Gods Service Or rather solemnly prayed to God to bless them and their Prayer was not in vain as the following words shew and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to †Heb. the habitation of his holiness his holy dwelling place even unto heaven CHAP. XXXI 1 NOw when all this was finished all Israel that were †Heb. found present went out to the cities of Judah and * 2 Kin. â—… 〈◊〉 brake the †Heb. 〈◊〉 images in pieces and cut down the groves and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manasseh †Heb. until to make an end until they had utterly destroyed them all Then all the children of Israel returned every man to his possession into their own cities a Either 1. In those Cities belonging to Ephraim and Manasseh which the Kings of Judah had formerly taken from the Kings of Israel Or 2. In the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh For although these were a part of Hoshea's Kingdom yet Hezekiah presumed to do this partly by vertue of the Law of God to which both Israel and Judah owed Subjection which commanded the extirpation of these things out of the whole Land of Canaan Partly by the special Impulse and Direction of Gods Spirit which sometimes did put persons upon Heroical and Extraordinary Actions not to be drawn into Imitation And partly because he knew that Hoshea
blessings which by thy great goodness they obtained and enjoyed f i. e. Neglected and despised them would not regard nor observe them whereas they should have had them continually before their eyes to direct and govern them Compare Psal. 50. 17. Ezek. 23. 35. 26 Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee * 1 Kin. 14. 9. cast thy law behind their backs f Of which see on Levit. 18. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. and slew thy * 1 Kin. 19. 10. prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations 27 * Judg. 2. 14. 3. 8. c. Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies who vexed them and in the time of their trouble when they cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the hand of their enemies 28 But after they had rest †Heb. they returned to dâ—… evil they did evil again before thee therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies so that they had the dominion over them yet when they returned and cried unto thee thou heardest them from heaven and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies 29 And testifiedst against them that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law yet they dealt proudly and hearkned not unto thy commandments but sinned against thy judgments which if a man do he shall live in them f Of which see on Levit. 18. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 1â—… and †Heb. 〈◊〉 gave a withdrawing â—…oulder withdrew the shoulder and hardened their neck g i. e. Would not submit to thy yoke like stubborn oxen and would not hear 30 Yet many years didst thou †Heb. protract over them forbear them h i. e. Thou didst delay to bring upon them these judgments which thou hadst threatned and they had deserved and didst wait for their repentance and testifiedst * 2 Kin. 17. 13. against them by thy spirit †Heb. in the hand of thy prophets in thy prophets i By thy prophets who spake to them by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit whom therefore they should have obeyed yet would they not give ear k i. e. Would not obey them nor would they vouchsafe so much as to hear them therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands 2 Chr. 36. 15. 31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them for thou art a gracious and merciful God 32. Now there ore our God the great * Exod. 3â—… 6 7. the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy l i. e. Covenanted mercy or thy covenant of mercy and peace Or he adds mercy because the covenant in its self was not a sufficient ground of hope because they having so basely broken it God was discharged from keeping it and therefore they fly to Gods free and rich mercy for relief let not all the †Heb. weariness trouble seem little before thee m Do not thou account it small and insufficient for our punishment and that it is fit to continue and encrease it †Heb. that hath found us that hath come upon us on our kings on our princes and on our priests and on our prophets and on our fathers and on all thy people since the time of the kings of Assyria n Strictly and properly so called for from them was the beginning of all the calamities both of Iudah and of Israel as appears from 2. Kings 15. 19. and 18. 13. Or the kings of Babylon so called a Chron. 33. 11. unto this day 33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly 34 Neither have our kings our princes our priests nor our fa ther 's kept thy law nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testifie against them 35 For they have not served thee in their kingdom and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them o i. e. Which thou didst lay open to their view and possession removing their enemies and all impediments out of the way neither turned they from their wicked works 36 Behold we are servants this day and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof behold we are servants in it p In that land wherein heretofore under thee and by thy favour we were rightful lords and owners 37 And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us q We plow and sow and labour and thou givest thy blessing to our indeavors and yet in a great measure this is not for our selves as formerly it was but for our kings to whom we pay great heavy tributes for these things of which see Ezra 6. 8. and 7. 24. because of our sins also they have dominion over our bodies and over our cattel r Pressing or foreing both us and our beasts to go and do what they please at their pleasure and we are in great distress 38 And because of all this s Because all this misery lies upon us for our sins we do heartily repent of them resolve to forsake them we make a sure covenant t Or we faithfully promise and engage our selves to future obedience and write it and our princes Levites and priests †Heb. are at the sealing or sealed seal unto it CHAP. X. 1 NOW †Heb. at the sealings or over the sealers those that sealed a Both in their own names and in the name of all the rest It may seem strange that Ezra doth not appear among them But that might be because he was prevented either by death or by some sickness or other extraordinary impediment for which we have this presumption that whereas Ezra appears and preacheth and prayeth with Ieshua and Bani c. before the feast of Tabernacles 〈◊〉 8. v. 4 c. We have no mention of him ch 9. but the whole work of that solemn fast day was managed by them alone without any mention of Ezra whose name would not have been omitted if he had been then present It is true we meet with Ezra after this at the dedication of the wall of Ierusalem ch 12 36. and therefore he was then freed from this impediment whatsoever it was but thence it appears that he was not dead were Nehemiah ‖ Or the Governor the Tirshatha b This is added to distinguish him from others of that name whereof we have one Ne. 3. 16. the son of Hachaliah and Zidkijah 2 Serajah Azariah Jeremiah 3 Pashur Amariah Malchijah 4 Hattush Shebaniah Malluch
Iob had any sin in him but whether he was an Hypocrite or would blaspheme God which is here denied and disproved nor * Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charged God foolishly m Heb. Nor imputed folly to God i. e. so far was he from blaspheming God that he did not entertain any dishonourable thought of God as if he had done any thing unworthy of his infinite Wisdom or Justice or Goodness but heartily approved of and acquiesced in his good pleasure and in his righteous though sharp Proceedings against him CHAP. II. 1. AGain there was a day a Another set time some convenient space after the former calamities Of this and the two next Verses see the Notes on Ch. 1. 6 7 8. when * Gâ—… the 〈◊〉 of God the Sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD 2. And the LORD said unto Satan From whence comest thou And †Chap. 1. 7. Satan answered the LORD and said From going to and fro in the Earth and from walking up and down in it 3. And the LORD said unto Satan Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth ‖ Chap. 1. 8. a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil and still b Notwithstanding all his Trials and Tribulations and thy malicious suggestion to the contrary he holdeth fast his Integrity c i. e. He continues to be the same perfect and upright man which he was before All thy endeavours to pull away his Integrity have made him only to hold it the faster although thou movedst me d i. e. Didst persuade me and prevailed with me to do it But this as the rest of this Representation is not to be understood properly as if God could be moved by any of his Creatures to alter his purposes which are all eternal and unchangeable and especially by Satan as if God would gratifie him by granting his desires but the design of these words is to signifie both the Devils restless Malice in promoting mans misery and Gods permission of it for his own wise and holy Ends. against him †â—…eb to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 19. 10. to destroy him without cause e i. e. Without any special provocation whereby he more than others deserved such heavy punishments Which also Iob himself oft alledgeth for his Justification although he doth not deny himself to be a sinner as is apparent from Ch. 7. 20 21. and 9. 2. and 13. 23 26. Nor that sin deserves Judgments Or without any such cause as thou didst alledge which was his Hypocrisie Or in vain as this word is used Prov. 1. 17. Ezek. 6. 10. and elsewhere So it is not referred to God's destroying him but to Satan's moving God so to do And so this place may be thus rendred exactly according to the Hebrew And thou hast moved me to destroy him in vain or without effect or to no purpose i. e. Thou hast lost thy Design and Expectation therein which was to take away his Integrity which in spight of all thy Art and Malice he still holdeth fast 4. And Satan answered the LORD and said Skin for Skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his Life f The design of these words is plain which is to detract from Iob and to diminish that Honour and Praise which God gave to Iob by pretending that he had done no more than the meanest men commonly do by the Law of Self-preservation And it is as clear that this was a proverbial Speech then in use wherein if there be some difficulty to understand it at this distance of time it is no more than the common lot of many other Proverbs the sense and especially the grounds whereof are frequently unknown to persons of other Nations and of after Times Moreover it is known that in those ancient times though they had some Mony yet the main of their Estate lay in Cattle of which the skins were a considerable part and their chief Traffique lay in the Exchange of one commodity for another and among other things it cannot be questioned but that they did commonly exchange skins of one kind for skins of another sort according to their several Inclinations or occasions So the meaning may be this As men willingly and commonly give one Skin in Exchange for another Skin and one Commodity for another so the Hebrew particle Vau being oft so used as a note of comparison as it is Prov. 17. 3. and 25. 3 23 25 27. all that a man hath his House Cattle Children will he give and that most willingly for his Life i. e. To redeem or save his own Life Or rather thus Skin for Skin might then be a Proverb like that of ours Body for Body when one man is so far obliged for another And we have some such Expressions among us as when we say of a man who doth some dangerous Action His Skin i. e. his Body will pay for it i. e. It may cost him his Life And this Proverb might be taken 1. From Sacrifices in which there was Skin for Skin i. e. the skin of a Beast for or instead of the skin or body of the Man which deserved to be used as the Beast was and which was saved or preserved by the suffering of the Beast which was accepted by God instead of the Man and by which the Mans sins were expiated Or 2. From Hostages or Ransomes wherein one man was given for or instead of another So now the sense may be this Any man will give Skin for Skin i. e. the Skin or Body or Life of another whether Man or Beast to save his own yea all that a man hath whether Goods or Persons such as Iob hath lost will he give for his Life Iob is not much hurt nor concerned so long as his own skin is whole and safe Others thus Skin upon for so the Hebrew particle Behad is somtimes used as 2 Kin. 4. 5. Amos 9. 10. As also the Greek particle Anti which answers to it is understood Ioh. 1. 16. Grace for Grace i. e. Grace upon Grace or all kinds or degrees of Grace Skin and all that a man hath so all these words belong to the price which a man pays now follows what he hath or expecteth to have for it will he give for his Life i. e. in exchange for his Life or to save his Life This also is a plausible Interpretation only it is not very probable that the same Hebrew particle Bâ—…had should be used in two so differing senses in the same verse in the former part to signifie upon which if this sacred Writer had meant he would likely have expressed it rather by that other Hebrew particle Al which is commonly so used than by this which is so ambiguous and seldom so taken and otherwise used in this very Verse
g The sense is either 1. This admonition I now give you that you may know it in time and for your good that you may seriously consider and prevent it Or 2. This judgment will come upon you that you may be taught by your own sad and costly Experience what you would not learn without it that there is a judgment h i. e. That there will be a time of judgment when God will call men to an account for all their hard speeches and miscarriages and particularly for their rash and uncharitable censures of their brethren Matth. 7. 1. Rom. 14. 4. Iam. 4. 11. either in this life or at that last and dreadful Day of the general Resurrâ—…tion of which he sâ—…ke v. 25 c. and judgment God sees and observes and will judge all your words and actions and therefore do not flatter your selves with vain hopes of Impunity CHAP. XX. 1. THen answered Zophar the Naamathite and said 2. Therefore a For this thy severe sentence and denunciation of God's judgments against ut Chap. 19. 29. which much more justly belongs to thy self and is actually executed upon thee and because of thy reproaches as it followeth v. 3. do my thoughts cause me to answer b I thought to have troubled my self and thee with no further discourses considering how exceptious and incorrigible thou art but my thoughts or consideration of thy reproachful words force me to break silence and to answer thee as the matter requires and for this I make hast c I speak sooner than I intended because I am not able to contain my self longer and fear lest I should forget what is in my mind Possibly he interrupted Iob when he was proceeding further in his discourse Or he prevented some of his brethren who made an offer to speak 3. I have heard d From thy mouth Or shall I hear to wit with patience and without a reply Who can endure it the check of my reproach e i. e. Thy shameful and opprobrious reproofs of us as if we and all thy Friends were void of all humanity and natural affection towards thee and were haters and cruel Persecuters and even Devourers of thee Chap. 19. 19 22. and as if we were guilty of most hainous Crimes and might expect God's Vengeance upon us and the spirit f i. e. My Soul or Mind out of my understanding g Or because of for so the Hebrew Mem oft signifies my understanding i. e. Out of or because of that certain knowledge which I have of this matter from study and experience I have not spoken and I shall not speak out of ignorance or prejudice or passion and rage against Iob as he asperseth us but only what I evidently know and yet hope that I can and shall convince thee of causeth me to answer h i. e. Forceth me to speak Or answereth for me i. e. either vindicates me against thy Calumnies or suggesteth an answer to me 4. Knowest thou not this i i. e. This which I am now about to say How canst thou thou I say who pretendest to such an exact and universal knowledge of men and things be ignorant of so notorious a thing which wicked men sensibly feel and good men diligently observe and all men are forced to acknowledge one time or other of old k i. e. From the experience of all former ages since man was placed upon earth l i. e. Since the World was made and there were any men to observe God's Government of it 5. * Psal. 37. 35 36. That the triumphing of the wicked is †Heb. from near short m Heb. is from near i. e. from or for a little time They have not long enjoyed it and it will shortly vanish and the joy of the hypocrite n This he adds by way of reflection upon Iob who though he did clear himself from gross wickedness yet might be guilty of deep hypocrisie but for a moment 6. * Isa. 14. 13 14. Obad. 3 4. Though his excellency mount up to the heavens o Though he be advanced to great Dignity and Authority in the World and his head reach unto the †Heb. cloud clouds 7. Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung p Which men cast away with contempt and abhorrency Compare 1 Kings 14. 10. 2 Kings 9. 37. they which have seen him q With admiration at his felicity shall say where is he r i. e. He is no where to be found he is utterly lost and gone 8. He shall fly away * Psa. 73. 20. as a dream s Which for the present makes a great shew and noise and highly affects the Fancy but hath nothing solid nor permanent in it for as soon as the man awakes all vanisheth and the remembrance of it is quickly lost and shall not be found t The man will be utterly lost and gone together with all his riches and glory yea he shall he chased away as a vision of the night u Which appears to a man in the night and in his sleep 9. * Ch. 7. 8 10. Psal. 37. 36. 103. 16. The eye also which saw him shall see him no more neither shall his place any more behold him x i. e. It shall not acknowledge nor contain him A figure called Prosopopeia as Iob 7. 10. Or neither shall it i. e. the Eye last mentioned behold him any more in his place 10. ‖ Or the pâ—… shall oppress 〈◊〉 children His children shall seek to please the poor y Either 1. to get some small relief from them in their extream necessity Or rather 2. lest they should revenge themselves of them for the great and many Injuries which their Father did them or seek to the Magistrate for reparations and his hands shall restore their goods z By the sentence of the Judge to whom the oppressed poor will appeal notwithstanding all their entreaties and endeavours to disswade them from so doing 11. His bones a i. e. His whole Body even the strongest parts of it which may seem most remote from danger are full of the sin of his youth b Heb. of his youth i. e. of his youthful pleasures and lusts by a Metonymy of the subject And this may be understood either 1. of the sins themselves that he shall persevere in his youthful lusts even in old age and shall die without repentance Or rather 2. of the punishment of his sins of which he is speaking both in the foregoing and following Verses He shall feel the sad effects of those sins in his riper years as riotous sinners commonly do and as it follows attended him to his grave Or with his secret ways or sins as others render it Whereby he possibly intimates that Iob though he appeared righteous before others yet was guilty of some secret wickedness for which God was
8. Lead me y Direct my heart and counsels and affairs and all the course and actions of my Life O LORD in thy righteousness z In thy righteous Laws which sometimes are called righteousness as Psal. 119. 172. Mat. 3. 15. Or for or because of or according to thy righteousness which is a Phrase and Argument frequently used in this book of Psalâ—…s because of †〈…〉 mine enemies a Either 1. That I may give them no occasion of slandering me or Religion for my sake Or rather 2. Because they are most malicious and mischievous and withal cunning and treacherous as he describes them in the next Verse which he uâ—…eth as an Argument to enforce this Petition and they lay Snâ—…res for me and if thou dost not assist me will be too hard for me and will triumph over me which will reflect dishonour upon thee also * 〈◊〉 25. 4. and â—…6 11. make thy way b i e The way wherein thou wouldest have me to walk or the course which thou wouldest have me to take son God's Precepts or Counsels are most commonly called his way straight c Or plain or smooth that I may clearly discern it and readily walk in it without mistake or lett or stumbling or offence This was a needful request because many good men are oft at a loss what their Duty is in several Circumstances And God granted this request to David as in many other things so in this that he should not cut off Saul when he had opportunity and instigation to do it 1. Sam. 24 and 26. but that he should wait till God took him away before my face d To my view and for my walk For men walk forward not backward 9. For there is no ‖ Or 〈◊〉 faithfulness †〈…〉 in their mouth their inward part is †Heb. wickâ—…nesses very wickedness e They speak one thing and mean another and under a pretence of kindness they seek my Destruction which makes it difficult for me to know how I should carry my self to them wherein therefore I have begged thy direction * Rom. 3. 13. their throat f Either 1. Metonymically Their speech coming out of their Throat tho smooth and subtil yet is most pernicious Or 2. Properly Their Throat and Mouth are wide opened ready to devour all that come within their reach A Metaphor from wild Beasts gaping for the Prey is an open sepulchre they flatter with their tongue g They make shew of piety and friendship that they may more easily deceive and destroy me 10. ‖ Or 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 Destroy thou them h Heb. hold thâ—… guilty i. e. Condemn and punish them Or make them to offend to wit in their Counsels as it follows so as they may either be given up to bad and foolish Counsels or fail in the execution of their wise or crafty Counsels Or make them desolate as the word is used Ezek. 6. 6. Ioel. 1. 18. O God let them fall ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 counsels by their own counsels i i. e. Make their Counsels not only unsuccesful against me but also destructive to themselves Or from their c. i. e. Let them fall short of their aims and designs Or because of their Counsels which are ungodly and unjust and so deserve destruction cast them out k Out of thy Land and from among thy People whom they either infect or molest by their wicked courses in l Or for or because of as before the multitude of their transgressions for they have rebelled against thee m Against thy Authority and declared Will concerning my advancement to the throne which divers Israelites opposed against their own Consciences See 2. Sam. 3. 8 9 10. 11. But let all those that put their trust in thee n That dare rely upon thy word and promise when all humane hopes and refuges fail which was oft the case of David and his followers rejoyce o Let them have cause of great joy from thy love and care of them and because thou defendest them as it follows let them ever shout for joy because †〈…〉 thou defendest them let them also that love thy name p i. e. Thy Majesty thy Word and Worship and Glory all which is called God's name in Scripture David doth not confine his Prayer to his Party but prays for all good men though by their own mistakes or other mens artifices some of them might now be in a sâ—…ate of opposition against him be joyful in thee 12. For thou LORD wilt bless q i. e. Thou art resolved and hast engaged thy self by promise and covenant to bless them And therefore my Prayer for them is agreeable to thy will the righteous with favour r With thy Love and gracious Providence wilt thou †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compass him as with a shield s i. e. Keep him safe on every side PSAL. VI. To the chief musician on Neginoth a Of which see on Psal. 4. 1. ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eighth upon Sheminith b Or upon the eighth It is thought to be the shrillest or loftiest Note as Alomoth is the lowest of which see 1. Chron. 15. 20 21. and as some add Muth-labben Psal. 9. the mean But all this is only conjecture and the Iews themselves have no certain knowledg of their own ancient Musick and of the signification of the Terms belonging to it a Psalm of David c The occasion of the Psalm seems plainly to have been some grievous Distress or Disease of the Body then upon him accompanied also with great trouble of Conscience for his Sins whereby he had brought it upon himself 1. O * Psal. 38. LORD rebuke me not d i. e. Do not chasten or correct me as the next Clause explains it and as this word is frequently used as Iob 22. 4. Psal. 50. 21. Isa. 37. 4. Revel 3. 19. in thine anger e With rigour or severity as my Sins deserve but with gentleness and moderation Ier. 10. 24. and 46. 28. or so as it may not be the effect of thy strict Justice or Anger but of thy Mercy and Faithfulness neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure f The same thing repeated after the manner 2. Have mercy upon me g I plead not my merit but thy free Mercy O LORD for I am weak h Or I languish my Body pines away and my Spirit fails through my excessive pains or troubles O LORD heal me i i. e. The distempers of my Soul and Body of both which this word is used Psal. 41. 4. and 107. 18 20. for my bones are vexed k My torment is so deep and so general that it reacheth and is very grievous even to my Bones tho they are inward and might seem to be out of the reach of it and also strong and senseless and therefore
can best bear it See the like expressions Iob 4. 14. and 33. 19. Psal. 38. 3. and 51. 8. 3. My soul is also sore vexed l Partly by sympathy with my Body and partly with the burthen of my Sins and the sence of thine Anger and my own danger and misery but thou O LORD how long m Wiltst thou suffer me to ly and languish in this condition It is a Figure called Aposiopesis very agreeable to men in pain or anguish who use to cut their words short 4. Return n Unto me from whom thou hast withdrawn thy self and thy smiling Countenance and thy helping Hand O LORD deliver my soul o i. e. Save me or my life as the Soul oft signifies as Gen. 9. 5. and 12. 5. Iob 36. 14. Psal. 33. 19. David and other good men in those times were much afraid of death partly because the manifestations of Gods Grace to his people were then more dark and doubtful and partly because thereby they were deprived of all opportunities of advancing God's Glory and Kingdom in the World Comp. Isa. 38. 1 2 3. oh save me for thy mercies sake 5. * 〈◊〉 30. 9. 〈◊〉 11. 11. 17. 〈◊〉 17. For in death p Amongst the dead or in the grave as it follows there is no remembrance of thee q To wit by me David consisting both of Soul and Body and no such remembrance to wit in way of thankfulness and praise as the next Clause of the Verse limits and explains it which he might fear would be true not only because he should not have occasion to praise God for this deliverance but also because he was in grievous agonies of Conscience and under terrors of God's wrath and his eternal damnation which being oft incident to the Saints of God under the new Testament it is not strange if it were so also under the old Testament Besides he speaks of the remembrance or celebration of God's Name and Grace in the Land of the Living to the enlargement and edification of God's Church and the propagation of true Religion among men which is not done in the other life and was justly prized at so high a rate by David and other holy men to whom therefore it must needs be a great grief to be for ever deprived of such Opportunities For otherwise David very well knew and firmly believed that Souls departed were not extinct but did go to God Eccles. 12. 7. and there remember and adore and enjoy God tho quite in another way than that of which he here speaks in †〈◊〉 33. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grave who shall give thee thanks 6. I am weary with my groaning ‖ Or every 〈◊〉 all the night r He mentions this time by way of aggravation of his misery because that season which is to others by God's appointment a time of rest was to him very sad and doleful whether from his Disease which then came upon him more strongly as it is usual or from the opportunity which the solitude and silence of the Night gave him to think of his own Sins or his Enemies Perfidiousness and Malice or God's Displeasure or his future Estate make I my bed to swim s To wit with tears See the like â—…yperbole Ier. 9. 1. Lam. 3. 48 49. I water my couch t Or my bedstead with my tears 7. * 〈◊〉 17. 7. 〈◊〉 31. 9. 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 5. 17. Mine eye is consumed u Or grown dim or dull through plenty of salt tears which I shed Or through the decay of my Spirits because of grief x i. e. My grief arising from mine Enemies as the next Clause interprets it and from the consideration of their multitude and rage and falseness it waxeth old because of all mine Enemies 8. * Mat. 7. 23. 25. 41. Luk. 13. 27. Pâ—…l â—… 19. 115. Depart from me y I advise you for your own sakes to cease from opposing or molesting me or insulting over me or approaching to me with design of deceiving and betraying me for all your labor will be lost all ye workers of Iniquity z All you wicked Enemies of mine for the LORD hath heard a i. e. He will hear the past time being put for the future as is usual in prophetical Passages such as this was David having received by the Spirit of God particular assurance that God would hear and deliver him the * Psal. 31. 22. voice of my weeping b i. e. Of my fervent Prayers joyned with my Tears 9. The LORD hath heard c And therefore will hear as it follows He draws an Argument from his former Experience my supplication the LORD will receive my prayer 10. Let all mine Enemies be ashamed d Of their vain hopes and confidence of conquering and destroying me Or they shall be ashamed because of their great and unexpected disappointment and sore vexed let them return e To wit from their wicked ways from their hostile and malicious practises against me and let them come and submit to me from whom they have revolted Or let them turn back as it is expressed Psal. 56. 9. let them be put to flight Or let them be converted i. e. Repent of their Sins and return to their Obedience to me Although it seems more probable both from the foregoing and following words that this turning or returning is rather penal than penitential Or they shall turn or return Or this Verb may be taken adverbially and joyned to the following Verb as it is frequently in other places and both may be thus rendered Let them or They shall be again ashamed clothed as it were with double shame and be ashamed suddenly f Sooner than I could hope or they did expect or believe PSAL. VII Shiggaion a This seems to be the name of a certain kind either of Song or Tune or Instrument which â—…hen was very well known but now is only matter of conjecture wherewith I think it not fit to trouble the unlearned Reader And the learned may consult my latin Synopsis of David which he sang unto the LORD concerning the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 words b The false and slanderous Reports raised or â—…omented by him This was the occasion of this Psalm of Cush c By which he designs either 1. Saul whom he thought it indecent to express by his proper Name for which he might at this time have divers reasons and therefore he deciphers him enigmatically which is not unusual in holy Scripture where Babylon is called 〈◊〉 Ier. 25. 26. and 51. 41. and Rome is called Egypt and Sâ—…dom and Babylon in the Revelation and Iohn the Baptist is called Elias And he might call him Cush partly by a tacit Allusion to his Father's Name Kish and partly with respect to his black and wicked Disposition planted and firmly rooted in him Comp. Ier. 13. 23. Amos 9. 7.
of men c i. e Publickly and in the view of the World their very Enemies seeing and admiring and envying it but not being able to hinder it 20. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence d Or as in the secret of thy Presence Either 1. As if they were in thy presence Chamber where thine own Eye and Hand guardeth them from all the assaults of their Enemies called his secret Partly because the greatest part of the World are strangers to God and his Presence and Partly because it is a safe and secure place such as secret and unknown places are Or 2. As if they were in the secret of God's Tabernacle as it is called Psal. 27. 5. the place of God's special Presence where none might enter save the High-priest Or 3. With thy secret Favour and Providence which works mightily yet secretly for them and saves them by hidden and unknown Methods This is opposed to those Caves or other obscure and unsafe places where David was forced to hide himself from the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Or comâ—… pride of man e From their Vain-glorious Boasts and Threats and from their bold and insolent Attempts thou * Psal. 27. 5. shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion e From their Vain-glorious Boasts and Threats and from their bold and insolent Attempts from the strife of tongues f Or as in thy Pavilion or Tabernacle and so this Clause explains the former and the Pronoun thy is here easily and aptly understood out of the foregoing Branch f i. e. From the Mischief of Contentious and standerous Tongues 21. Blessed be the LORD for * Psal. 17. 7. he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a ‖ Or 〈◊〉 City strong city g To wit in Keilah Where God wonderfully preserved me of which see 1 Sam 23. 7. Others as in a strong City He hath kept me as safe in Woods and Caves as if I had been in a fenced City 22. For I said * Psal. 116. 11. 1 Sam. 23. 26. 2 Kings 7. 15. Gr. in my Amazement in my hast h i. e. In my hasty flight from Saul when he and his men had almost Encompassed me 1 Sam. 23. 26. which happened presently after his Deliverance in and from the strong City of Keilah Or in my Fear or Trembling when my Passion took away my Consideration and weakened my Faith I * Isa. 38. 11 12. Lam. 3. 54. Joh. 2. 4. am cut off from before thine eyes i i. e. Cast out of thy sight and out of the Care of thy gracious Providence my Case is desperate Or cut off whilst thou lookest on and dost not pity nor help me nevertheless thou heardest the voyce of my supplications k My Fears were quickly Confuted by thy gracious Answer to my Prayers when I cryed unto thee 23. O love the LORD all ye his saints for the LORD preserveth the faithful l Or keepeth Faithfulness or Faithfulnesses i. e. Is faithful in fulfilling his Promises Or rather the Faithful who is opposed to the Proud doer in the next Clause of the Verse and * Psal. 94. 2. plentifully m Heb. â—…ith for so the Hebrew al sometimes signifies abundance rewardeth the proud doer n The Enemies and persecutors of God's faithful Ones before mentioned whom he calls here Proud doers because of their Rebellion against God's Will and their Contempt of his Threatnings and Judgments and their most insolent and Contemptuous Carriage towards his People all which proceeds from the pride of their Heart Psal. 10. 4. 24. * Psal. 27. 14. Be of good courage o Or â—…e strong in the Lord and by Confidence in his Promises which will not fail you as I have found by Experience and ‖ Or Let your Heart be strong he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the LORD PSAL. XXXII ‖ Or A Psalm of David giving instruction A Psalm of David Maschil a Or an Instructer This Psalm is most fitly so called because it was Composed for the information of the Church in that most important Doctrine Concerning the way to true Blessedness 1. BLessed is he whose * Rom. 4. 6. 7 8. transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered a I did indeed say that they and they only were Blessed that did not walk in the Counsel of the ungodly c. But did delight in and Meditate on Gods â—…aw Psal. 1. 1 2. And it is true this is the only way to Blessedness But if enquiry be made into the Cause of mans Blessedness we must seek that elsewhere All men having sinned and made themselves Guilty before God and fallen short of the Glory of God and of that Happiness which was Conferred upon their first Parents now there is no way to recover this lost Felicity but by seeking and obtaining the Favour of God and the pardon of our sins Which is the very Doctrine of the Gospel to the Confirmation whereof this Text is justly alledged Rom. 4. 6 7. Our sins are Debts and they need forgiving they are filthy and abominable in Gods sight and need covering 2. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity b Whom God doth not Charge with the guilt of his sins as he might justly do but graciously accepts and pardons him in Christ and deals with him as if he had noâ—… sinned and * Joh. 1. 47. in whose spirit there is no guile o Who freely Confesseth all his sins without Dissembling or Concealing of them which may seem to be the main thing here intended by Comparing this with the following Verses and who is sincere in his Professions of Repentance turning from sin to God with all his Heart and not seignedly 3. When I kept silence d To wit from a full and open Confession of my sins as appears from v. 5. and from pouring out my Soul to God in serious and servent Prayers for pardon and peace Whilst I concealed my sins Or smothered my Fears and stiâ—…led the workings of my own Conscience my bones waxed old e through my roaring e My Spirits failed and the strength of my Body decayed all the day long f Because of the continual Horrors of my Conscience and Sence of Gods wrath wherewith I was as yet rather oppressed and overwhelmed than brought to thorough Repentance 4. For day and night thy hand g Thy afflicting hand bringing my sins to Remembrance and filling me with thy Terrors for them was heavy upon me my moisture was turned into the drought of summer h My very Radical moisture was in a manner dryed up and wasted through excessive Fears and Sorrows Selah 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid * Prov. 28. 13 Isa. 65. 24. 1. Joh. 1. 9. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD
but will justifie him and Vindicate his innocency and deliver him For such Negatives do oft imply the contrary Affirmatives as God's not holding a man Guiltless commonly implies that he will severely punish him when he is judged 34. Wait on the LORD u Seeking and trusting to him and to him onely for Help and Deliverance and keep his * Psal. 119. 27. 32 33. 35. way x Continue in the Practise of thy Duty or in those ways which God hath prescribed to thee in his Word and do not use indirect and irregular means to deliver thy self and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land * Psal. 91. 8. when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it y Thou shalt not onely escape the Destruction which they Design for thee but shalt Live to see their Ruin 35. * Job â—… 3. I have seen the wicked in great power z Or Formidable Not onely himself out of Danger as it seemed but terrible to others and spreading himself a And therefore firmly and deeply Rooted like a ‖ Or a green Tree that groweth in his owâ—… 〈◊〉 green bay-tree b Which is continually Green and flourishing yea even in the Winter season Or like a Green Tree in its own Native soil where Trees flourish much better than when they are Transplanted into another soil 36. Yet he passed away c He was gone in an instant like a Tree blasted and blown down or cut off and Rooted out and carried away in a Moment and lo he was not yea I sought him but he could not be found d There was no Monument nor Remainder of him left 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace e Though he may meet with Troubles in his way yet all shall end well with him he shall be happy at last 38. But the transgressours shall be destroyed together f Or alike one as well as another all without any Exception or Respect of Persons the end of the wicked shall be cut off g i. e. He shall be cut off at last or in the End His Prosperity shall end in Destruction Or the Posterity as this Word signifies Psol 109. 13. Ier. 31. 17. Ezek. 23. 25. Dan. 11. 4. of the wicked c. 39. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD h And therefore it shall certainly come to them he is their strength in the time of trouble 40. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him PSAL. XXXVIII The ARGUMENT This is reckoned one of David's penitential Psalms It was Composed upon occasion of some sore Disease or grievous Calamity which he rightly judged to be inflicted upon him for his sins A Psalm of David to bring * Psal. 70. Tit. to remembrance a Either 1. To God that by this humble and mournful Prayer he might prevail with God to remember and Pity him for now he seemed quite to have forgotten him Or 2. To himself that by reviewing this Psalm afterwards he might call to Mind his former Danger and Misery and God's wonderful mercy in delivering him from them which we are very apt to forget And that others also might remember and consider what God had done to him first in Chastening and then in restoring him and might make use of his Example for their benefit 1. O LORD rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure b I Confess I both deserve Chastisement and need it and therefore I desire not that thou wouldest remove it but onely moderate it See the same Expression Psal. 6. 1 2. For * Job 6. 4 thine arrows c i. e. Thy Judgments inflicted upon my outward and inward Man oft Compared to Arrows as Deut. 32. 23. Psal. 7. 13. and 45 5. and 91. 5. stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore d Or comes down upon me as when a strong man lifts up his hand and Weapon that it may fall down with greater Violence and make the deeper Wound 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger * Psal. 6. 2. neither is there any †Heb. Peace Or Health rest in my bones e My disease or grief hath seized upon all the parts of my Body my very Bones not excepted so that my Bed can give me no rest because of my sin f Which hath provoked thee to deal thus severely with me 4. For mine iniquities g Or the Punishment of mine iniquities as this Word is frequently used Which best agrees both with the foregoing and following Verses and with the Metaphor here used which in other places of Scripture is generally applyed to Afflictions and not to â—…ins * Ezra 9 6. are gone over my head h Like deep Waters wherewith I am overwhelmed and almost drowned Psal. 42. 7. and 69. 2. and 124. 4 5. as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me 5. My wounds stink and are corrupt i The Bruises and Sores caused by my Disease are not onely painful but loathsome to my self and to others because of my foolishness k i. e. Sin which really is and is commonly called folly as Psal. 69. 5. Prov. 13. 16. and 14. 17. and 15. 2 c. 6. I am †Heb Cryed troubled l Heb. Distorted or Depressed Or as it is expressed by anoother Word signifying the same thing bowed down to wit in my Body as diseased Persons commonly are and withal dejected in my Mind I am bowed down greatly I go ‖ Or in black Mal. 3. 14. mourning m Heb. In black the sign of Mourning which may here signifie the thing as signs oft do When for my ease I rise out of my Bed and walk or rather Creep about in my Chamber I do it with a sad Heart and dejected Countenance Or if he did walk further his Disease had some Intervals and Mitigations Or going may be here meant of his Languishing or going towards the Grave as this same Word is used Gen. 15. 2. Comp. with 25. 32. Ios. 23. 14. all the day long 7. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease n Or with filthiness Or with scorching Heat The Disease might be some burning Feaver being also Malignant or Pestilential either burning inwardly or breaking forth outwardly in Carbuncles or Boyls It is true this and the other Expressions may be taken Figuratively of some grievous Calamity But we should not forsake the proper and the literal Sence of the Words without necessity which seems not to be in this place and there is no soundness in my flesh 8. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared o Like a Bear or a Lyon through extreme Pain and Misery by reason of the disquietness of my heart
of the Legal Sacrifices and the Substitution of a better instead of them * Isa. 50. 5. mine ears hast thou †Hbb. digged opened y Heb. bored The Sence is Either 1. Whereas many men have no Ears to hear as is implyed Revel 2. 7 11 17. or stop their Ears as Psal. 58. 4. Zech. 7. 11. thou hast given me open Ears to hear and obey thy Precepts as this Phrase is used Isa. 50. 5. although indeed there is another Verb in that Text which much alters the Case Or 2. I have wholly devoted my self to thy perpetual Service and thou hast accepted of me as such and signified so much by the boring of mine Ears according to the Law and Custom in that Case Exod. 21. 5 6. Deut. 15. 17. And whereas onely one Ear was then bored and here it is Ears this may be either an Enallage of the plural Number for the singular whereof divers instances have been given Or else it may be so expressed Emphatically to intimate that Christ was more strictly obliged to a more universal Obedience not onely Active to which the Legal Servants were bound but Passive also to be obedient even unto the Death to which they were not Obliged The LXX Jewish Interpreters whom the Apostle follows Heb. 10. â—… Translate these Words A Body hast thou prepared me Wherein though the Words differ the Sence is the same for the Ears suppose a Body to whom they belong and the preparing of a Body implies the preparing or disposing of the Ears and the Obligation of the Person for whom a Body was prepared to serve him who prepared it which the boring of the Ear signifies burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required 7. Then z When I understood and Considered thy Mind and Will therein expressed v. 6. said I a Either within my self by a firm purpose Or unto thee by way of Promise or Engagement Lo I come b He may seem to speak like a Servant answering to the Call of his Master and signifying his Readyness to obey him in which Sence it may be Accommodated to David But the Servants Answer is usually expressed in Scripture by another Phrase Here am I and never to my Remembrance in these Words Besides this Phrase in that Sence seems not to be Proper in this place but rather Lâ—… I heâ—… which best suits with the foregoing Words mine Ears hast thou opened But these Words do most Literally and â—…ruly belong to Christ and the Sence is this Seeing thou requirest a better Sacrifice than those of the Law Lo I do offer my self to Come and I will in due time Come to wit from Heaven or iâ—… the Flesh or into the World as this Phrase is more fully expressed and explained in divers places of Scripture and particularly Heb. 10. 5. where this place is explained and applied to Christ. in the Volume of the book it is †written of me c These two Words Volume and Book are indifferently used of any Writing and both Words seem here to express the same thing as may appear by Comparing Ier. 36. where we have the very same Words and what is called the Roll or Volume of a Book v. 2. 4. is called simply a Roll or Volume v. 6. 20 21. and the Book v. 10. 13. it being usual with the Hebrews to joyn two Words together in like manner of which we have an instance here above v. 2. Miry Clay Heb. Clay of Mire Now this Volume of the Book is meant Either 1 Of the Book of Predestination in which Christ was written as being fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1. 20. But that is a secret Book not to be Read by any man Living and therefore not fitly alledged as an Evidence in this Matter Or 2. Of a Legal Instrument wherein the Contract was drawn between God and him wherein he did oblige himself to serve God and to Execute his Will in all things it being the manner of the Hebrews to write their Contracts in a little Volume or Book But 1. We Read of no such usage among the Hebrews in the Contracts between Master and Servant but onely of the boring of the Servants Ear Exod. 21. 6. So the Foundation of this allusion is destroyed 2. At least there was no such Contract written between God and him And if it be said that he onely speaks thus by way of allusion that is but a Supposition without ground And when the Words may be properly understood as they sound of a thing really done why should we forsake the plain Sence without Necessity 3. The Phrase here used doth not agree to this Sence for then he should have said I am written in the Volume of the Book i. e. In the Catalogue of thy Servants for in that Case the Persons or their Names are Constantly said to be written as Exod. 32. 32 33. Psal. 69. 28. Dan. 12. 1. Luk. 10. 20. Heb. 12. 23. Revel 13. 8. and 20. 15. and 21. 27. and not any thing to be written of them as it is here Or 3 Of the Holy Scriptures In which something indeed was written concerning David Namely that he was a man after God's own Heart 1 Sam. 13. 14. But it must be remembred that those Books were not written till after David's Death in whose time here was no other Book of Scripture exstant but the five Books of Moses unless you will except the Book of Ioh. And therefore this is meane of the Law of Moses which is commonly and Emphatically called the Book and was made â—…p in the form of a Roll or Volume as the Hebrew Books generally were See Ezâ—…k 3. 1 2. 3. Zech. 5. 1 2. Luk. 4. 17. 20. And so this place manifestly points to Christ and must necessarily be understood of him and of him onely concerning whom much is said in the Books of Moses as is Evident from Luk. 24. 27. 44. Ioh. 5. 46. Act. 3. 22. and 26. 22. and 28. 23. And this Sence being plain and Natural and unforced and exactly agreeing both with the Words and with the truth of the thing and with the Belief of all Christians I see no reason why I may not acquiesce in it 8. * Psal. 119. 16. 24. 47. 92. Rom. 7. 22 I delight to do thy will d This though in a general Sence it may be true of David and of all God's People yet if it be Compared with the â—…ing Verse and with the Explication thereof in the Neâ—… Testament in which those Mysteries which were darkly and doubtfully expressed in the Old Testement are fully and clearly revealed must be appropriated to Christ of whom it is eminently true and is here observed as an Act of Heroical obedience that he not onely resolved to do but deligâ—…ted in doing the Will of God or what God had Commanded him and he had promised to do which was to dye and that a most shameful and painful
as is sufficiently evident allowing for the darkness of the Dispensation and Expressions of the Old Testament from divers passages of the Psalms of which I have spoken in their Proper places and his earnest and passionate desire of Pardon which he desires above all other things Wherein he sheweth himself to be a true Penitent because his chief Care and desire was to obtain God's Favour and the forgiveness of his sins and not the Prevention of those external â—…ore Judgments which God by Nathan threatned to bring upon him and his House 2 Sam. 12. 10 11. about which here is not one Word in this Psalm whereas the Cares and Desires of Hypocrites chiefly are bent towards Worldly things as we see in Cain Gen. 4. 13 16 17. and Saâ—…l 1 Sam. 15. 30. and others 〈◊〉 7. 14. from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin 3. For I acknowledge h With Grief and Shame and abhorrency of my self and of my sins which hitherto I have dissembled and covered And being thus truly Penitent I hope and beg that I may find Mercy with thee my transgressions i For it was not a single but a Complicated Wickedness Adultery Murder Injustice Perfidiousness and frequent Repetition of and long and stupid Continuance in aâ—…ominable Repetition of and that with publick Scandal and my sin is ever before me k That which I had cast chind my Back is now Constantly in my view and fixed in my Thoughts and Memory 4. Against thee thee onely l Which is not to be understood simply and absolutely because he had unquestionably sinned against 〈◊〉 and Uriah and mâ—…ny others who were either injured by it or scandalized at it but Comparatively So the Sence is this though I have sinned against my own Body and Conscience and against others yet nothing is more grievous and Terrible to me than to consider that I have sinned against thee Partly upon a general Account because this is the chief Malignity and sinfulness of sin that it offends and injures the Glorious and Blessed God and Partly upon particular Reasons Because I set thee at Defiance and having used all wicked Arts to conceal my sin from Men and being free from Fear of punishment from them I went on boldly in sin casting off all Reverence to thy Holy and Omniscient Majesty and all dread of thy Judgments and because I sinned against thee to whom I had such numerous and peculiar and eminent Obligations as thy Prophet Nathan truly â—…suggested to me 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. have I sinned and done this evil in thy fight m With gâ—…oss Contempt of God whom I well knew to be a Spectator of my most secret Actions * Rom 3. 4. that thou mightest be justified n The Particle that is not taken Causally or Intentionally as if this was David's Design but Eventually as it is Exod. 11. 9. Psal. 30. 12. Hâ—…s 8. 4. This will be the Fruit or Consequent of my sin that whatsoever severities thou shalt use towards me and mine it will be no blemish to thy Benignity or Righteousness or Fidelity but the blame of all will rest upon my Head as I desire it may and thy justice will be Glorified by all Men. when thou speakest o Heb. In thy Words i. e. In all thy Threatnings denounced against me by Nathan and in any further Sentence which thou shalt see fit to pass upon me and be clear when thou judgest p When thou dost pleaâ—… or contend with me or execute thy Sentence or Judgment upon me Or when thou art â—…udged as it is rendred Rom. 3. 4. for the Word may be taken Passively as well as Actively When any man shall presume to Cenâ—…ure thee as not keeping thy Covenant and Mercy promised to David 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity q This Verse is both by Iewish and Christian by Antient and Latter Interpreters generally and most truly understood of Original sin Which he here mentions as an Aggravation of his Crime and the Sence of the place is this Nor is this the onely sin which I have Reason to acknowledge and bewail before thee for this filthy stream leads me to a corrupt Fountain and upon a serious Review of my Heart and Life I find that I am guilty of innumerable other sins and that this Haâ—…nous Crime though drawn forth by external Temptations yet was indeed the proper Fruit of my own filthy and vile Nature which without the restraints of thy Providence or Grace ever was and still is like to be inclinable and ready to commit these and ten Thousand other sins as Occasion offers it self For which Contrariety of my very Nature to thine thou mayst justly loath and Condemn me and for which I humbly beg thy Pardon and Grace and in sin did my mother †Heb. Warm me conceive me r Heb. Warm oâ—… Cheriâ—…h me in the Womb before I was shapen or formed there 6. Behold thou desirest s Or delightest in Or requirest Heb. willest truth t Either 1. Sincerity in Confessing my sins which therefore I have now acknowledged though hitherto I have Practised much Falshood and Dissimulation in indeavouring to conceal them from Men. Or rather 2. Integrity or uprightness of Heart which seems to be here opposed to that Iniquity mentioned in the last Verle in which he was and all Men are framed and Born And this may seem to be added Partly as a Proof or Aggravation of the sinfulness of Original Corruption because it is contrary to the holy Nature and Will of God which requireth not onely unblameableness in mens Actions but also Universal innocency and Rectitude of their Minds and Hearts and Partly as an Aggravation of his actual sin wherein he had used such gross Deceit and Treachery in †Heb. the Reins the inward parts and in the hidden part u i. e. In the Heart called the hidden Man of the Heart 1 Pet. 3. 4. and the 〈◊〉 Part Rom. 2. 16. which in the former Branch he called the Reins or inward Parts thou shalt make me to know x So declares his Hope that God would Pardon and cure his â—…olly which he had discovered and make him Wiser for the Future But this seems not to suit well with the Context which runs wholly in another strain The word therefore is and may be rendred otherwise Thou hast made me to know So this is another Aggravation of his sin that it was Committed against that Wisdom and Knowledge which God had not onely revealed to him outwardly in his Word but also inwardly by his Spirit writing it in his Heart according to his Promise Ier. 31. 33. Or thus do thou make me to know the future Verb being here taken Imperatively and as a Prayer as the following Futures are here Translated v. 7 8. Having now said for the Aggravation of his sin that God did desire or require Truth in tâ—…e inward Parts He takes
redeemer t Heb. their near kinsman to whom it belongs to avenge their wrongs and to recover and maintain their rights of which see Lev. 25. 25. Numb 35. 12. Thus God is pleased to call himself to shew how much he concerns himself for the relief of oppressed and helpless persons is mighty he shall plead their cause with thee 12 Apply thine heart unto instruction u Content not thy self with outward hearing or reading of it but affectionately receive it into thine heart and lay it up there as choice Treasure and thine ears unto the words of knowledg 13 * Ch. 13. 24. 〈◊〉 19. 18. 〈◊〉 22. 15. 〈◊〉 29. 15 17. With-hold not correction from the child for if thou beatest him with a rod he shall not die x It is a likely mean to prevent their corruption and the destruction which commonly follows it as the next verse explains this 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt de liver his soul from hell 15 My son if thine heart be wise my heart shall â—…rejoice y In the good success of my Counsels and in thy Piety and Happiness which is as truly desirable and pleasant to me as my own ‖ Or 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 rejoice even mine 16 Yea my reins shall rejoice z I shall rejoice not onely in shew and profession but inwardly and with all my soul. when thy lips speak right things 17 * Psal. 37. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 3. 31. 〈◊〉 â—…4 1. Let not thine heart envy sinners a Let not the consideration of their present impunity and prosperity stir thee up either to envy them or to approve and imitate their evil courses but be thou in the fear of the LORD b Reverence the presence of the Divine Majesty and dread his power and justice and those judgments which he hath prepared for sinners and thou wilâ—…t see no cause to envy but rather to 〈◊〉 them all the day long c Not only when thou art in trouble but in all times and conditions 18 * Ch. 24. 14. For surely there is an ‖ Or reward end d An expected and happy end for such as fear God which was required v. 17. Or a reward as this Hebrew word is rendred Prov. 24. 20. and thine expectation shall not be cut off e Thou shalt certainly enjoy that good which thou expectest as the wicked shall lose that Happiness which they enjoy 19 Hear thou my son and be wise f Rest not in hearing but see that thou growest wiser and better by it and guide thine heart g Order the whole course of thine affections and actions in the way h In Gods way oft called the way as hath been observed before 20 * 〈◊〉 5 22. Luke 21. 34. Rom. 13. 13. Eph. 5. 18. Be not amongst wine-bibbers i Avoid their conversation and company lest thou be either insected or injured by them amongst riotous eaters †Heb. of their flesh of flesh 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness k Immoderate sleep and idleness which is as ready a way to Poverty as Gluttony or Drunkenness is shall cloth a man with rags 22 * Chap. 1. 8. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee l And therefore desires and seeks thy good in all his counsels and despise not thy mother when she is old m When the infirmity of age is added to that of her sex which is apt to breed contempt 23 * Ch. 4. 5 7. Buy n Purchase it upon any terms spare no pains nor cost to get it the truth o The true and saving knowledg of Gods Mind and Will concerning your Salvation and the way that leads to it and sell it not p Do not forget it nor forsake it for any worldly advantages as ungodly men frequently do also wisdom and instruction and understanding q Whereby you may love and practise the truth known and received 24 * Ch. 10. 1. 15. 20. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him 25 Thy Father and thy mother shall be glad r He repeateth this again as a powerful Argument to prevail with all Children that are not void of natural affection to labour to be wise and good that so they may glad the hearts of their Parents to whom they have such high and indelible obligations and she that bare thee s With so great pain and hazard and brought thee up with such tender care whom thou canst not better require shall rejoice 26 My son give me thine heart t Receive my Counsels with thy whole heart Selomon speaking in Gods Name and cause requires the heart to be given to him and let thine eyes observe u Let thy mind seriously and practically consider my ways x Either 1. The ways in which I have walked my evil practices take warning by my sad example Or 2. The ways which I prescribe to you as the Apostles called the Gospel which they preached their Gospel 1 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 8. 27 * Ch. 22. 14. For a whore is a deep ditch y In which a man is in evident danger of perdition and out of which it is exceeding difficult to escape and a strange woman is a narrow pit 28 * Chap. 7. 12. She also lieth in wait ‖ Or as a robber as for a prey z Watching all opportunities of ensnaring young men to their destruction and increaseth the transgressors among men a She is the cause of innumerable sins against God and against the Marriage Bed against the Soul and Body too and by her wicked Example and Arts involveth many persons in the guilt of her sins 29 * Isa. 5. 11 22. Who hath woe b From the 〈◊〉 of Lust he proceeds to that of drunkenness which doth frequently accompany it who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath babling c The sin of much and impertinent talking or 〈◊〉 noise or clamour which is usual among Drunkards See 〈◊〉 20. 1. who hath wounds without cause d Upon every sleight occasion which men enflamed with Wine are very apt to take who hath redness of eyes 30 They that tarry long at the wine they that go to seek mixt wine e Either mixed with Water or with other ingredients to make it strong and delicious Heb. mixture mixed drinks of several sorts suited to their Palats 31 Look not thou upon the wine f Earnestly so as to inflame thine Appetite towards it in which sense men are forbidden to look upon a Woman Job 31. 1. Mat. 5. 28. when it is red g Which was the colour of the best Wines in that Countrey which therefore are called Blood Gen. 49. 11. Deut. 32. 14. and such were used by them in
of sin a seed of evil-doers n The Children of wicked Parents whose guilt they inherit and whose evil Example they follow children that are corrupters o Heb. that corrupt to wit themselves or their ways or others by their counsel and example Or that destroy themselves and their land by their wickedness they have forsaken the LORD p Not in profession but in practice and reality neglecting or corrupting his Worship refusing his yoke and conduct they have provoked the holy One of Israel unto anger q They have lived as if it were their great design and business to provoke him they are †Heb. alienated Or separated Psal. 58. 3. gone away backward r Instead of proceeding forward and growing in grace which was their duty they are all faln from their former professions and grown worse and worse and have impudently turned their backs upon me 5 Why should ye be stricken any more s It is to no purpose to seek to reclaim you by one Chastisement after another and therefore I will utterly forsake and destroy you at once ye will †Heb. increase revolt revolt more and more t I see you are incorrigible and turn even your afflictions into sin the whole head is sick and the whole heart faint u Your disease is mortal as being in the most noble and vital parts the very head and heart of the body politick from whence the plague is derived to all the other Members as it follows And this is to be understood either 1. Of their sins or rather 2. Of their miseries Which best suits 1. with the foregoing words this being added as a reason why it was in vain to strike them any more or to expect any amendment that way because he had stricken them already and that very terribly even in their head and heart whose wounds are most dangerous and yet they were not at all better for it 2. With vers 7 8. where this Metaphor is so explained 6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it x You have been all of you punished from the highest to the lowest from the worst to the best but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores they have not been closed neither bound up neither mollified with ‖ Or Oil. ointment y I have suffered you to lie under your maladies for a time without applying any remedies to try whether the length and continuance of your affliction might not work that cure which the strength of it could not do but all in vain 7 * Deut. 28. 51 52. Chap. 5. 5. Your countrey is desolate your cities are burnt with fire your land strangers devour it z All this and what follows was verified in the days of King Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. in whose time and upon which occasion this Prophesie seems to have been delivered as more exactly agreeing with that time than with any other If any object That this being the first of his Prophecies must rather belong to the days of Uzziah they must take notice and it is agreed by Interpreters and is undeniably true that the Prophecies of Isaiah as also of the other Prophets are not set down in the same order in which they were delivered but oftentimes the latter are put before the former in your presence a Which your eyes shall see to torment you when there is no power in your hands to deliver you and it is desolate †Heb. as the overthrow of strangers as overthrown by strangers b Heb. As the overthrow of strangers i. e. which strangers bring upon a land which is not theirs nor likely to continue in their hands and therefore they spare no persons that come in their way and they spoil and destroy all things which is not usually done in wars between persons of the same or of a neighbour nation 8 And the daughter of Zion c i. e. Zion or Ierusalem for these two names are promiscuously used of the same place The name of daughter being frequently given to cities or countries Thus the daughter of Babylon is put for Babylon it self Psal. 137. 8. Isa. 47. 1. In the same sence we read of the daughter of Tyre Psal. 45. 12. and of Zidon Isa. 23. 12. and of Egypt Ier. 46. 11 24. and of Edom Lam. 4. 21. is left as a cottage in a vineyard as a lodg in a garden of cucumbers d Is left solitary all the neighbouring villages and country round about it being laid waste as a besieged city 9 * Lam. 3. 22. Rom. 9. 29. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant e If God by his Infinite Power and Goodness had not restrained our enemies and reserved some of us we should have been as * Gen. 19. 24. Sodom and we should have been like unto Gomorrah f The whole nation and race of us had been utterly cut off as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were So great was the rage and power of our enemies and so utterly unable we were to deliver our selves 10 Hear the word of the LORD g I speak not my own fancies or passions but the message of your Lord and governour to whom you owe all reverence and obedience ye rulers of Sodom h So called for their resemblance of them in wickedness Comp. Deut. 32. 32. Ezek 16. 46 48. give ear unto the law i Or Doctrine as this word is commonly used the message which I am now to deliver to you from God your great Law-giver which ought to have the force of a Law with you of our God ye people of Gomorrah 11 To what purpose k They are vain and useless being neither accepted by me nor beneficial to you is the multitude of your * Psal. 50. 8 9. 51. 16. Prov. 15. 8. 21. 27. Chap. 66. 3. Jer. 6. 20. Amos 5. 21 22. Mic. 6. 7. sacrifices unto me l Who am a Spirit and therefore cannot be satisfied with such carnal Oblations but expect to be worshipped in spirit and truth and to have your Hearts and Lives as well as your Bodies and Sacrifices presented unto me saith the LORD I am full of the burnt-offerings m I am glutted with them and therefore loath them of rams and the fat of fed beasts and I delight not in the blood n He mentions the fat and blood because these were in a peculiar manner reserved for God Levit. 3. 15 16 17. 11. to intimate that even the best of their Sacrifices were rejected by him of bullocks or of lambs or of †Heb. great he-goats he-goats 12 When ye come †Heb. to be seen to appear before me o Upon the three Solemn Feasts Exod. 23. 17. 34. 23. or upon other occasioâ—… who hath required this at your hands p To wit in this manner
and in stead of well-set hair baldness and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth and burning p By the heat of the Sun to which they are now commonly exposed from which they used formerly to guard themselves with great care in stead of beauty 25 Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy †Heb. might mighty in the war 26 And her gates q The Gates of Zion or Ierusalem which by a Figure very usual in Sacred Scripture and all Authors are said to lament to imply the great Desolation of the Place that there should be no People to go out and come in by the Gates or to meet together in the Gates as they used to do shall lament and mourn and she being ‖ Or emptied †Heb. cleansed desolate shall sit upon the ground r Like a mournful Woman bewailing the loss of her Husband and Children CHAP. IV. AND in that day a Of which he hath hitherto been speaking Chap. 2. 3. and still continueth to speak In that calamitous time seven b Many A certain number for an uncertain women shall take hold c Shall sue to him and even lay hands upon him contrary to their Custom and their natural Modesty of one man d Because few Men shall survive that dreadful Stroke They who before were not contented with their own Husbands are now glad of a Seventh part of an Husband saying We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel e We will ease thee of that Charge which otherwise would fall upon thee by Gods Law Exod. 21. 10. onely †Heb. let thy name be called upon us let us be called by thy name f Own us for thy Wives ‖ Or take thou away to take away our * Luk. 1. 25. reproach g Virginity was esteemed a Reproach especially among that People because it was a Token of Contempt from Men and of the Curse of God Children the usual Fruit of Marriage being both an Honour to their Parents before Men and a great Blessing of God especially to that People from some of whose Loins the Messâ—…ah was to spring 2 In that day h About and after that time when the Lord shall have washed away as this time is particularly expressed v. 4. the filth of Zion by those dreadful Judgments now described shall the Branch of the LORD i Either 1. the Church and People of Israel oft called Gods vine or vineyard as we saw before and the Branch of Gods planting Isa. 60. 21. or 2. the Messiah who is commonly defined in Scripture by this Title the Branch Isa. 11. 1. Ier. 23. 5. 33. 15. Zech. 3. 8. whose name is expresly said to be the Branch Zech. 6. 12. of whom not onely Christians but even the Hebrew Doctors understand it For after the foregoing Miseries were brought upon the Iews by the Remainders of the Grecian Empire of which Daniel prophecies so exactly and particularly and afterwards by the Roman Empire the Messiah was born and after that utter Destruction brought upon the Jewish City and Temple and Nation by Titus the Kingdom of the Messiah became beautiful and glorious as it here follows be †Heb. beauty and glory beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent k The Land which for the Sins of the People was made barren upon their Repentance and return to Christ shall recover its former Fertility Under this one Mercy he seems to understand all temporal Blessings which together with spiritual and eternal God shall confer upon them and withal to intimate the Fruitfulness of the People the earth or land being oft put for its Inhabitants in Knowledge and Grace and all good works and comely †Heb. for the escaping of Israel for them that are escaped l That shall survive all the forementioned Calamities of Israel 3 And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy m i. e. Shall be really holy as is said Chap. 60. 21. To be called is oft put for to be as Gen. 21. 12. Isa. 1. 26. 44. 5. even every one that is written ‖ Or to life So Gr. among the living n So this is a Restriction of the foregoing indefinite Proposition Not all that are left but a great number of them shall be holy even all that are written c. i. e. all the Elect who are frequently described by this Character that they are written in Gods or the Lambs book or in the book of life or of the living Psal. 69. 28. Dan. 12. 1. Phil. 4. 3. Rev. 3. 5. 13. 8. 17 8. c. But this last Clause of the Verse is by some Learned Interpreters rendred thus all that are in Ierusalem i. e. a very great number of them as such general Expressions are frequently used or the generality of them shall be written unto life i. e. shall be such as are elected unto Salvation through Sanctification Which may deserve consideration So he notes the singular Priviledge of this People at this time above the former Ages in which many were called but few were chosen in Jerusalem o Of the People living in or belonging to Ierusalem 4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion p This shall be accomplished when God hath thorowly cleansed the Iewish Nation from their Sins and shall have purged the blood q The Blood-guiltiness and especially that of killing the Lord of Life their own Messiah of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by * Chap. 32. 15 16. the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning r This is opposed to the former Legal way of Purification which was by Water By the spirit he seems to understand the Holy Spirit of God to which this washing and purging Work is commonly ascribed as 1 Cor. 6. 11. and elsewhere which Spirit did accompany the Preaching of the Gospel and did this Work in part in some of the Iews and will do it more fully in the Body of the Nation And this Spirit may well be called a spirit of judgment because it executes Judgment in the Church and in the Consciences of Men separating the precious from the vile convincing men of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment Ioh. 16. 8 9. manifesting the Secrets of mens Hearts in the Preaching of the Word 1 Cor. 14. 25. accusing and terrifying and punishing some witnessing for and with others and filling them with Peace and Joy in believing hardning some and softning and subduing others to God as this Spirit is particularly promised to do the Iews Zech. 12. 10. And the same Spirit may be fitly called the spirit of burning as he is compared to fire Mat. 3. 11. because he doth burn up and consume the Dross which is in the
i. e. I falsly thought my self to be alive See also Phil. 3. 9. Or 2. They really delight for this is evident that there are many men who take some pleasure in the knowledge of Gods Will and Word and yet do not conform their Lives to it as a nation that did righteousness e As if they were a righteous and godly People and forsook not the †Heb. judgment Jer. 5. 4. 8. 7. ordinance of their God f As if they were not guilty of any Apostacy from God or neglect of or disobedience to Gods precepts they ask of me the ordinances of justice g As if they desired and resolved to observe them they take delight h Of which see the second note upon this verse in approaching to God i In coming to my Temple to hear my Word and to offer Sacrifices 3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not k They complain of hard usage from God that although they prayed and fasted and kept the rest of Gods ordinances all which are synecdochically comprehended under the title of fasting all their labor was lost and God neither regarded nor delivered them wherefore have we afflicted our soul l Defrauded and pinched our Appetites with fasting of which this Phrase is used Lev. 16. 29. 23. 27 29. and thou takest no knowledg Behold in the day of your fast m In those solemn days of fasting which I have appointed or in those times when I have called you by the course of my Providence and counsels of my Prophets unto fasting and weeping and mourning c. Isa. 22. 12. ye find pleasure n Either 1. You indulge your selves in sensuality as they did Isa. 22. 13. But this doth not agree with that afflicting of their Souls which they now professed and which God acknowledgeth v. 5. Or rather 2. You pursue and satisfie your own Lusts though you abstain from bodily food you do not mortifie your own sinful concupiscences and when you are restrained from outward Acts yet even then your Thoughts and Affections are set upon and working toward those things which gratifie your fleshly Inclinations and worldly Interests and exact all your ‖ Or things wherewith ye grieve others †Heb. grief labours o Your money got by your labour and lent to others either for their need or your own advantage for Labour is oft put for Wealth as Deut. 28. 33. Isa. 45. 14 c. Heb. your griefs not passively those things which are grievous to you but actively such as are very grievous and burdensom to others either hard Service above the strength of your Servants or beyond the time limited by God for their Service of which see an Instance Ier. 34. 13 14 15 16. or debts which you require either with usury or at least with rigour and cruelty when either the general Law of Charity or Gods particular and positive Law commanded the release or at least the forbearance of them of which see an instance Nehem. 5. 1 2 c. 4 Behold ye fast for strife and debate p Your fasting days wherein you ought in a special manner to implore the Mercy of God and to shew compassion to Men you imploy in a great measure in injuring or quarreling with your Brethren your Servants or Debtors or in contriving mischief against them as if the design of your fasting and praying to God were only to obtain a licence to oppress Men. Compare Mat. 23. 14. and to smite with the fist of wickedness q Or with a wicked fist a Genitive of the Adjunct To deal rigorously and injuriously with your Servants or Debtors which Servants it may be had sold themselves to the year of Redemption Exod. 21. 2. Lev. 25. 39 40 50. You handle them with an hard hand the word is used for fist Exod. 21. 18. the LXX add the humble poor or inferiour person and that not only their Debtors with a summum jus exact rigour which seems elsewhere to be expressed by grinding the face ch 3. 15. and in that Parable by taking by the Throat Mat. 18. 28. but also their Servants out of meer Will and Pleasure and in contempt of them treating them opprobriously as Christ was handled in contempt and scorn Mat. 26. 67 68. Ioh. 18. 22. ‖ Or ye fast not as this day ye shall not fast as ye do this day to make your voice r Either 1. In strife and Debate in which Mens Passions shew themselves by loud clamours Or 2. So as to cause the cry of the oppressed by reason of your injuries of what kind soever to enter into the Ears of God which is a crying sin whether it proceed from unmercifulness Exod. 22. 25 26 27. which sometimes encreaseth to rage 2 Chr. 28. 9. or from injustice ch 5. 7. or from fraud and deceit Iaâ—… 5. 4. The Scripture doth frequently express whatever sin is against Charity in special as also general complex sins by crying Gen. 18. 20 21. Ion. 1. 2. Or 3. By way of Ostentation to note their Hypocrisie they love to be taken notice of by others Mat. 6. 2 5 16. or their Folly supposing that they shall be heard for their much speaking upon which account Baals Priests are mocked by Eâ—…ijah 1 Kin. 18. 27 28. 4. Voice here relates principally to their Prayer it is a Synecdoche of the kind so the sense is this is not the way to have your Prayers heard if you desire that you must fast in another manner and abstain from all kind of oppression And this seems best to suit the Context which is to shew what kind of fast the Lord reproves and what he approves in the following verses to be heard on high 5 Is it * Zech. 7. 5. such a fast that I have chosen s Approve of accept or delight in by a Metonymy because we delight in what we freely chuse * Lev. 16. 2â—… ‖ Or to afflict his soul for a day a day t Or to afflict his Soul for a day It is an Hypallage and so it may be understood either for a man to take a certain time to afflict his Soul in and that either from even to even Lev. 23. 32. or from morning to evening Iudg. 20. 26. 2 Sam. 3. 35. or else to afflict his Soul for a little time for a man to afflict u Or keep himself low or chassiâ—…e the Body for want of Food viz. outwardly without any inward sorrow or compunction for sin working a true Humiliation in the sight of God his soul x Put here Synecdochically for the Body or Person as is usual in Scripture Gen. 46. 18 22 25. Lev. 2. 2 4. 7. 20 21 27. 22. 11. is it to bow down his head as a bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him z The Jews to express their sorrow made use of Sackcloth and Ashes two
ways 1. Sometimes by putting on Sackcloth upon their Bodies as 1 Kin. 21. 27. Ps. 69. 11. and casting ashes upon their Heads 2 Sam. 13. 19. And 2. Sometimes by spreading Sackcloth under them and lying down upon Ashes Esth. 4. 3. Iob 2. 8. The Intent of Sackcloth was to afflict the Body by its unpleasing harshness and of Ashes to represent their own vileness as being but Dust and Ashes their putting of them on might note their uneasiness under sin and laying on them their self-abhorrency shaming themselves for it Quer. Are such Rites now convenient on a day of Humiliation to help us in our afflicting of our selves Answ. Gospel Services neither require them or need them respecting more the Inward afflicting of the Soul with godly sorrow and deep contrition yet may they carry this instruction along with them that our Ornaments our best and gawdy Apparel ought to be laid aside as not suiting either the ground and cause or the end and design of days of Humiliation wilt thou call a i. e. Canst thou upon a rational account as a meer man call it so Canst thou think suppose or believe it to be so this a fast b It being such an one as hath nothing in it but the lifeless skeleton and dumb signs of a Fast nothing of deep Humiliation appearing in it or real Reformation proceeding from it Not that the Prophet blames them for these external Rites in this outward way of afflicting themselves For this he commands Lev. 23. 27 31 32. and appoints certain Rites to be used Lev. 16. 19 21. And these particular Rites were frequent in their solemn Humiliations 1 Kin. 21. 27. Esth. 4. 3. Dan. 9. 3. used also by the Heathen Ion. 3. 5 6. See Mat. 11. 21. But that which he condemns is their Hypocrisie in separating true Humiliation from them for bodily exercise profiteth little 1 Tim. 4 8. and an acceptable day to the LORD c A day that God will approve of as before Heb. a day of acceptance or that will turn to a good account on your behalf y Here the Prophet sets down those extâ—…al gestures and postures in particular which they did join with â—…eir hypocritical fasts as he had mentioned it before in general To bow down bowing is the posture of Mourners Psal. 35. 14. and here it is either as if through weakness of Body their Heads did hang down or counterfeitly to represent the posture of true penitents moving sometimes their Heads this way and that way as the word signifieth not unlike the ballance of a Clock as the Bullrush moved by the Wind boweth itself down waving to and fro in a kind of circular or semicircular motion the contrary motion of lifting up the Head being an Indication of Pride ch 3. 16. It is the guise of Hypocrites to put on affected Countenances Mat. 6. 16. 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen d Or approve as before v. 5. or ought not such a Fast to be accompanied with such things as these where he is now about to shew the concomitants of a true Fast with reference to the thing in hand namely to exercise works of Charity consisting partly in acts of Self-denial in this Verse and partly in doing good to those in distress in the next In this verse he instanceth in some particulars and closeth with a general to loose the bands of wickedness e viz. The cruel obligations of Usury and Oppression to undo †Heb. the bundles of the yoke the heavy burdens f Heb. bundles a Metaphor possibly pointing at those many bundles of Writings as Bills Bonds Mortgages and acknowledgments which the Usurers had lying by them The former may relate to unjust and unlawful Obligations extorted by force or fear which he would have cancelled This latter to just Debts contracted through Poverty and necessity the rigour whereof he would have abated whether by reason of loans upon too hard conditions called a drawing them into a net Psal. 10. 9. and so much is implied Prov. 6. 5. or under too hard circumstances whether they were loans of Food or money of which the People so bitterly complained Neh. 5. 1 2 3 4. and is expresly forbid Exod. 22. 25. For Debts may be called Burdens 1. Because they lie as a great load upon the Debtors Spirits under which who ever can walk up and down easily doth not so much excel in fortitude as in folly 2. Because they usually introduce Poverty Slavery Imprisonment c. and * Jer. 34. 9. to let the †Heb. broken oppressed h Heb. broken i. e. like a bruised Reed so crushed and weakned that they have no consistency or ability either to satisfie their Creditors or support themselves and we usually call such insolvent persons broken that cannot look upon themselves to be sui juris but wholly at anothers Mercy you have the same kind of oppression and the same words used Amos 4. 1. go free g Either in a large sense viz. any ways grieved or vexed whether by the gripings of Usury or the bondage of Slavery accompanied with cruel usage or more peculiarly according to some relating to their being confined and shut up in Prisons which latter sense the word free may possibly seem to favour the former being comprised in that general expression that follows of breaking every yoke and that ye break every yoke i Namely That is grievous a Metaphor i. e. free them from all sorts of Vexation whatever it is that held them under any Bondage the LXX refer it to Bonds and Writings But it seems more general the word properly signifies that stick or cord that holds both ends of the yoke that it spring not out or fall off from the neck on which it is laid Exod. 25. 14. where the same word is used for staves and called the bands of the Yoke Lev. 26. 13. I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you go upright the same thing that God would have them do here 7 Is it k Viz. The Fast that pleaseth me supplied from the former verse having shewed the evil they are to abstain from in order to an acceptable Fast viz. cruelty he here speaks of the duty that is required viz. Mercy as a manifestation of Repentance Dan. 4. 27. Luk. 19. 8. For there are two parts of Justice one to do no man wrong the other to do good to all Which two ought always to accompany each other and cannot be parted especially in acts of Humiliation and as by those evils mentioned he understands all other evil whatsoever that they are to be abstained from as the consequence of a day of Humiliation so under these duties mentioned are comprised all the duties that we are to set upon as the effect of true Repentance and he instanceth rather in those of the second Table than those of the first not that they are to be neglected but
and this is favoured by the sequel where they seem to particularize those sins in the following verses 13 In transgressing s Properly we rebel against God so the word is ch 1 2. and have persisted in our Rebellion and lying t Being true to none of their Engagements Vows and Promises some make transgressing here and lâ—…ing to be one and the same thing inasmuch as in their transgressing of the Law of God they did break their solemn engagement to God upon Mount Sinai Exod. 19. 8. 24. 3. and elsewhere frequently which is a down â—…ight lying against God For wherein do we more lye to God than in a persidious withdrawing from him So that by transgressing here he doth mean not a breach of one or another of the Laws of God but their being as it were fugitives that would be under no yoke against the LORD and departing u i. e. Turning from God to Idols away from our God speaking x As it were talking of little else one among another but how to oppress their Neighbours and apostatize from God oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering y i. e. First contriving and forging in their heart false accusations to the ruine of their Neighbour and false Worship to the dishonour of God laying the contrivance so that it might be effectual and then uttering it or venting themselves one to another in their discourses thereby encouraging each other in their perverse ways see v. 3. and whereas it is said from the heart it notes a resoluteness in their wickedness being a great deal worse than now and then to deal falsly upon some occasion or temptation from the heart words of falshood z They are called words of falshood both with reference to men and to signifie slanders and false accusations as also to God and so signifie their dealing falsly with God as an Adulteress doth with her Husband hence Idolaters are called the seed of falshood ch 57. 3 4 5. and it is said from the heart to shew that when they dealt with men in ways of fraud it was from the heart but when they spake with God it was but from the lip He now enumerates some of those particular sins they proâ—…ss themselves to be convinced of whereby he doth not mean the sins of some particular persons or some slight sins but a general deâ—…ection and corruption of the whole body 14 And judgment is turned away backward a He speaks here of the Sentences and Decrees in courts of Judicature which are carried quite contrary to Right and Justice God denies you Justice as you have denied help to others and justice standeth afar off b Iâ—… notes the same thing with the former to shew that Justice and Judges are far asunder for truth is fallen c A Metaphor taken from a feeble person that wants support without which he falls thus Truth hath none to support or patronize it the same only otherwise expressed with v. 16. Truth is cast upon the ground and Justice trampled under foot in the street d i. e. in publick and equity cannot enter e No such thing will be admitted in their Courts all corrupt so that all Equity and Justice is violently kept off by the authority of the great ones 15 Yea truth faileth f q. d. Truth is more than fallen which he had said in the former verse It faileth For being onely fallen it may recover itself again but failing notes the loss of its very Vitals As being every where neglected in Court in City in Country in inferiour as well as superiour Ranks in the Streets in the Gates in the Markets in the Fairs in all publick places of commerce the condition much like that under the Beast coming out of the Earth Rev. 13. 11. c. See Ps. 10. 7. 8. c. All things are amiss neither Judgment or Justice or Truth is to be found among us but Fraud and Deceiâ—… vet none troubled at it and he that departeth from evil g That separateth himself from evil things and Persons will not be as vile as others ‖ Or is accounted 〈◊〉 maketh himself a prey h Or is accounted mad is laughed at that talks of Justice so some Iosephus tells us that immediately before the destruction of Ierusalem it was matter of scorn to be religious Though there be no solid ground for nor need of that marginal reading yet is it a truth The Translators reach the meaning by Prey The wicked like wild Beasts endeavouring to devour such as are not as bad as themselves where Wickedness rules Innocency is oppressed in bargaining as buying and selling they that are simple and innocent are outwitted by the crafty and fraudulent as not willing or rather daring to oppose fraud with fraud but to do all things in sincerity and the LORD saw it i i. e. Took notice of it 't is spoken of God after the manner of men as Gen. 11. 5. 18. 21. and many other places and †〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it displeased him k â—… d. If you would know why God is so angry with you it is for such things as these the Lord takes notice of it and it is a great evil in his eye that there was no judgment 16 And he saw that there was no man l Viz. To intercede which is supplied from the following words or no man to help in such a case to shew himself and appear in such a corrupt state in the behalf of equity as ver 4. the like circumstances we have Ezek. 22. 29 30. or none fit to intercede and wondred m Heb. â—…istomen was amazed astonished as it were not knowing what to do This notes both Gods sollicitousness about their condition and their hypocrisie as if God took no notice of them together with their dulness and blockishness in not concerning themselves about it especially considering they had been a people so well instructed and yet under the guilt of such gross sins should be no more sollicitous about pardon which God would readily have granted if any such could have been found Ier. 5. 1. that there was no intercessour * Psal. 98. 1. Ch 63. 5. therefore n Or Yet as it is used ch 7. 14. 51. 21. his arm brought salvation unto him o This may relate 1. To the parties thus oppressed Or 2. To God as that either 1. He would do his work without help from any other ch 51. 5. Or 2. He would avenge himself his own honor thus the word is used 1 Sam. 25. 26. and this may and seems to be the meaning of the next clause Or 3. He had made provision for the maintaining his own righteous cause and peoples interest this sense that phrase so like this favours ch 63. 5. Salvation unto me and his * Ch. 42. 21. 63. 5. righteousness p Viz. His Justice q. d.