workmen here spoken of but by others How then comes this to be mentioned here Ans. 1. The shew-bread may be here put for the vessels for the receiving of the shew-bread by an usual Metonymy of the adjunct the thing contained put for the thing containing as treasures are put for the place where the treasures are put Psal. 135. 7. Mat. 2. 11. and 12. 35. and the gifts or offerings of God for the treasury where they were put Luk. 21. 4. Hence Tremellius renders this place and the vessels of the shew-bread Obj. All the vessels of the Table are mentioned before of which this was one Ans. It is not unusual after a general expression comprehending all distinctly to name one eminent member of that kind such as this unquestionably was the table being made principally for this use Thus Mark 16. 7. Tell my disciples and Peter Like examples are in 2 Sam. 2. 30. 1 King 11. 1. Psal. 18. the Title Act. 1. 14. and in other Authors And for the particle Vau and which may seem to imply that these were things of another kind and not any vessels of the Table that is oft put for especially as Ios. 2. 1. Mark 16. 7. and so onely notes an eminent thing of the same kind as hath been said Ans. 2. Though God did not prescribe the making of the shew-bread yet he mentions it together with the table Exod. 25. 30. and therefore it is conveniently mentioned with the table in this place also where Moses to shew his exactness and fidelity doth punctually repeat the same things to the people which he had received in command from God In like manner the oil which fed the light of the lamps is mentioned here in the next verse because the lighting of the lamps was prescribed Exod. 25. 37. 14 The candlestick also for the light and his furniture and his lamps with the oil for the light 15 * 〈…〉 And the incense altar and his staves and the anointing oil and the sweet incense and the hanging for the door at the entring in of the Tabernacle 16 * chap. 27. 1. The altar of burnt-offering with his brazen grate his staves and all his vessels the laver and his foot 17 The hangings of the court his pillars and their sockets and the hanging for the door of the court 18 The pins of the tabernacle and the pins of the court and their cords 19 The clothes of service to do service in the holy place the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priests office 20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses 21 And they came every one whose heart stirred him up k i. e. Whose heart being desirous and ready to serve God ingaged his hand to offer what he had to his service and every one whom his spirit made willing and they brought the LORDS offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation and for all his service and for the holy garments 22 And they came both men and women as many as were willing-hearted and brought bracelets and ear-rings l Obj. Aaron had goâ—… these from them for the making of the calf Exod. 32. Ans. Though the generality of the people did then part with their ear-rings yet there was a considerable number who did not as being unsatisfied with that Idolatrous design and it may seem that the women would not part with theirs being more fond of their ornaments than of their Idols See the notes on Exod. 32. 3. and rings and tablets all jewels of gold and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD 23 And every man with whom was found blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen and goats hair and red skins of rams and badgers skins brought them 24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORDS offering and every man with whom was found shittim-wood for any work of the service brought it 25 And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands and brought that which they had spun both of blue and of purple and of scarlet and of fine linnen 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom m This word seems better to agree with the following than with the foregoing word they spâ—… with wisdom i. e. with skill and art spun goats hair 27 And the rulers brought onyx-stones and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breast-plate 28 And * chap. 30. 23. spice and oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense 29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses 30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel See * chap. 31. 2. the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah 31 And he hath filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship 32 And to devise curious works to work in gold and in silver and in brass 33 And in the cutting of stones to set them and in carving of wood to make any manner of cunning work 34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach n To wit others to work under him for the work required many hands and it is a peculiar gift of God to be apt to teach which every skilful man hath not both he and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work of the ingraver and of the cunning workman and of the embroiderer in blue and in purple in scarlet and in fine linen and of the weaver even of them that do any work and of those that devise cunning work CHAP. XXXVI 1 THen wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary a Or of the holy place to wit of the Tabernacle so called by a Prolepsis and Synecdoche according to all that the LORD had commanded 2 And Moses called b God had qualified them before but that is not sufficient without a call Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it 3 And they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary to make it withal And they brought yet unto him free-offerings every morning c Which time they chose as the first and
he the rather presseth upon him because the state of his Kingdom required it for it is plain that Hezekiah had not as yet any Son Manasseh his Heir and Successor not being born till three Years after this time by comparing this chap. 20. 6. with chap. 21. 1. for thou shalt die and not live c According to the course of Nature and of thy Disease which is mortal in its kind and will be so in effect if God doth not miraculously prevent it Such threatnings though absolutely expressed have oft times secret conditions which God reserves in his own Breast See Ionah 3. 4. 2 Thâ—…n he turned his face to the wall d Either because the Temple lay that way or rather that by turning his Face from the company he might intimate his desire of privacy and so might with more freedom and fervency pour out his Soul to God and prayed unto the LORD saying 3 I beseech thee O LORD remember now how I have walked before thee in truth e i. e. Sincerely with an honest mind as the following words explain it I have in some measure humane frailty excepted kept the condition which thou didst require 1 King 8. 25. and therefore do humbly beg of thee that the Promise made to David and to his Posterity upon that condition may not fail in my Person for as yet thou hast not given me a Son See on ver 1. I am not conscious to my self of any gross exorbitancies in the course of my life for which thou usest to shorten mens days and cut off my life in thy displeasure which by this sharp Message thou threatnest to do and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept ‡ Heb. with a great weeping sore f Partly for that horror of death which is and was common to men especially in the times of the Old Testament when the Grace of God in Christ was not so fully manifested as now it is and principally for the distracted and miserable condition in which the Church and State were then likely to be left through the uncertainty of the Succession to the Crown and the great proneness of the People to backslide to their false worship and evil practises which he easily perceived and which he knew would bring far worse Calamities upon them if he were removed as afterwards it came to pass 4 And it came to pass afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle ‖ Or citâ—… court g To wit of the Kings Palace of which see on 1 King 7. 8. Or into the middle city as it is in the Hebrew For some observe that there were three Cities or three parts of this City one called the city of David in Sion another 〈◊〉 led Iebus or Salem and a third which was betwixt these two parts and united them all into one City called Ierusalem This is noted to shew Gods great readiness to hear the sincere and fervent prayers of his Children that the word of the LORD came to him saying 5 Turn again and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people Thus saith the LORD the God of David thy father h I am mindful of my Promise made to David and his House and will make it good in thy Person I have heard thy prayer I have seen thy tears behold I will heal thee on the third day i Which shews that the cure was Miraculous thou shalt go up into the house of the LORD k To give me Solemn Praise for this Mercy Which proves the perfection of the cure 6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years l Beyond what thou dost expect and beyond what thou wouldst do if I should leave thee to the force of thy Disease and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria m This is added either first Because he might otherwise fear the Assyrians return to this City from which he was so shamefully repulsed Or Secondly Because this sickness happened before that great slaughter chap. 19. 35. Of which see the Notes on ver 1. and * Chap. 19. 34. I will defend this city for mine own sake n To vindicate my Glory against that insolent Blasphemer and for my servant Davids sake 7 And Isaiah said Take a lump of figs o Though the deliverance was certainly Promised yet means must be used and those suitable for this hath naturally a power of ripening and softning Boils or Sores though that power was altogether insufficient to produce so sudden and so compleat a Cure And they took and laid it on the boil Which seems to have been a Plague-sore and he recovered 8 ¶ And Hezekiah said p Or rather had said for it is evident this was said before his recovery though his recovery be mentioned before it such transpositions being frequent in Scripture unto Isaiah What shall be the sign q He asketh a sign not because he distrusted it but for the strengthning of his Faith which otherwise might be shaken by the greatness of his danger and by the contradiction between this and his former Message Compare Iudg. 6. 17 37 39. Isa. 7. 11. that the LORD will heal me and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day 9 And Isaiah said This sign shalt thou have of the LORD that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go back ten degrees 10 And Hezekiah answered It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees r To wit in an instant for that course or motion of the Sun is natural for the kind of it though miraculous for the swiftness of it but the other would be both ways miraculous nay but let the shadow return backward ten degrees 11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD s Being moved by Gods Spirits first to offer him this sign and then to pray for it and * Isa. 38. 8. he brought the shadow ten degrees backward t Quest. 1. What were these degrees Ans. Lines in the Dial but whether each of these Lines or Degrees noted an hour or half an hour or a quarter of an hour is uncertain and not very considerable in this case Quest. 2. What was it that went down Ans. Either First The Shadow alone went back without the Sun For God could so dispose of the Light of the Sun by interposing Clouds or other things so that the Shadow should fall onely upon those Lines and in that manner as God directed it And whereas the sun is said to have gone down that may be spoken according to appearance as other passages of Scripture are understood as when the Moon is called one of the great lights Gen. 1. though it be less than some of the Stars and when the sun is said to go down Jer. 15.
were recollecting himself in a pathetical Prosopopoeia q. d. Where is he Where am I with my former bowels that moved me to help them of old that I should now turn to be their Enemy Or Is my hand shortned that I cannot do it And so in the following verses he gives a particular description how kind he had been to them formerly the times mentioned v. 9. and thus God seems to work upon himself the days †Heb. of eternity of old Moses and his people h Or what great things he had done for them by Moses saying Where is he that * Exod. 14. 30. Jer. 2. 6. brought them up out of the sea i Here God speaks of himself as in the former clause viz. that divided the Sea for them being one of the greatest Miracles that ever God wrought for his People it is therefore frequently mentioned by way of encouragement to them when they are in sore troubles with the ‖ Or Shepherds as Psal. 77. 20. shepherd k Or Shepherds viz. Moses that brought out his People as a Shepherd doth his Flock He and Aaron are both joyned Psal. 77. 20. of his flock Where is he that * Neh. 9. 20. put his holy spirit l i. e. Those Abilities and Gifts wherewith God furnished Moses as properly proceeding from the Spirit he can do the like again and qualifie Instruments for his work within him 12 That led them by the right hand m viz. The Strength and Power that God gave to Moses expressed by the Right hand that being usually esteemed the stronger Psal. 16. 8. 20. 6. Or the Rod in his Right hand by which understand also all the wonders that he did for them in Egypt of Moses with his glorious arm n Or that Arm wherewith God gained to himself so much glory being alway present at the Assistance of Moses Deut. 4. 34. Or Moses his Right Hand led by God's glorious Arm as Parents lead their Children that God may have all the glory in the using of his Instruments * Exo. 14. 21. Josh. 3. 16. dividing the water o The Red Sea Exod. 14. 21. and also Iordan Iosh. 3. 15 16. before them to make himself an everlasting name p With reference both to his Power and Providence as respecting either his Aim and End in doing what he did or the Effect of it when it was done It got him Renown 13 That led them through the deep q Shewing that God did not dry up the shallow places but the very depth of the Sea the very Channel which is the deepest part Or between those heaps of waters that stood up as a wall on each side of them which might make it seem terrible and therefore it is ascribed to their Faith Heb. 11. 29. as an horse in the wilderness r Or Plain for so Wilderness is sometimes taken and may be here 〈◊〉 by comparing it to a Valley in the next verse viz. with as much safety as the Horse runs up and down in the plain ground Or with as much ease and tenderness as an Horse led by the Bridle not as men affrighted but soberly and orderly that they should not stumble s This may be taken Metaphorically they came to no harm Or Properly that though the Sea were but newly divided yet it was so dried that the mud as also the unevenness of the ground was not any occasion of their stumbling or their sticking in it probably so dried and smoothed by the wind that God sent as it were to prepare the way before them See Chap. 4. 3 4 5. 14 As a beast goeth down into the valley t A laden Beast goeth warily and gently down the hill or as a Beast goeth down to the vally for Grass that being a Mountainous Country or going down for going along so the word is used Isa. 38. 8. noting the evenness of their passage or alluding to their going down from the shore into that great Channel as the coming out of it is called a going up ver 11. now made through the Sea orderly and compoâ—…edly not like the Gadaren's Swine through consternation ready to break their necks for hast the spirit of the LORD u i. e. The Lord himself caused him to rest x Led them easily that they should not be over-travelled or â—…all down or come to any injury through wearâ—…ness thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it chap. 31. 2. and thus God gave them rest from their enemies drowning of them in the Sea and in their safe conduct that they could not annoy or disturb them leading them till he found them a place for resting the word for 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 being much of a like notion Zech. 10. 6. pointing at their several rests by the way Num. 10. 33. or it may be read by way of Interrogâ—…tion as all the foregoing words and be the close of that inquiry and where is the Spirit that caused them to rest or he led them to Canaan the place of their rest so called 〈◊〉 12. 9. and Psa. 9â—… 11. so didst thou lead y The Prophet here by an Apostrople doth onely repeat the words in the name of the Jews that he had spake before ver 12. q. d. as thou didst then so maiest thou do again if thou pleasest thy people to make thy self a glorious name 15 * Deut. 26. 15. Look down from heaven z Now they or the Prophet begin to pray and expostulate with God and to argue both from the goodness of his nature and from the greatness of his works that he had done God sees every where and every thing but he is said to â—…ook down from Heaven because there is his throne whereon he siâ—…s in greatest Majesty and Splendor behold is added to note that he would not onely barely see and look on but that he would behold with regard and respect his poor people in Captivity and behold from the habitation of thy holiness a A description of heaven by a Periphrasis frequently used and explained Deâ—… 26. 15. and of thy glory Where is thy zeal b What is become of that love which of old would not leâ—… thee suffer thy people to be wronged chap. 37. 32. and thy strength c That Power of thine manifested in those valiant Acts which thou didst put forth for thy people Psa. 145 11 12. and 150. 2. see Ier. 14 9. ‖ Or the â—…titude the sounding * Jer. 31. 20. Hos. 11. 8. of thy bowels d By the sounding thereof may be understood those Sympathizing sighs and compassionate groans that proceed from the bowels when they are affected which being thought the subject of Pity are often by a Metonymy put for compassion and hence proceed those rumblings of the bowels occasioned by strong passions called yernâ—…ngs it is spoken of God after the manner of men Is all this shut up from me Thou that
sacrifice of the feast of the Passeover beleft until the morning And in that 2 Chron. 35. 14. where there is mention of the fat it is manifestly restrained to the burnt-offerings which are there distinguished from the Passeover ver 11 12. 19 The first of the first-fruits k This seems to be a general rule extending to all the fruits which the earth first produced in every kind of which the very first are here enjoyned to be offered unto God before they should presume to eat any of them It may seem to be repeated here where the year of rest is mentioned to teach them the first-fruits were to be given to God of all that the earth produced not onely by their labour and seed as might be thought from ver 16. but also of its own accord as is here implyed of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God * Deut. 14. 21. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mothers milk l He names one kind under which he understands a lamb or a calf c. according to the use of Scripture-stile This law many understand literally and that it is forbidden to them because the Idolaters had such a custome whereof yet there seems to be no sufficient proof nor if there were doth it seem to be a rite of that importance or probability to entice the Israelites to imitate it that there needed a particular law against this more than against an hundred such ridiculous usages which were among the heathen and are not taken notice of in the book of Gods laws The words may be rendred thus Thou shalt not seethe or rost for the word bashal signifies to rost as well as to boyl as it is evident from Deut. 16. 7. a kid being or whilest it is which is to be understood there being nothing more common than an Ellipsis of the verb substantive in his mothers milk which it may be said to be either 1. whilest it sucks its mothers milk and so it may admit of a twofold interpretation 1. that this is to be understood of the Passeover of which most conceive he had now spoken v. 18. in which they used either a lamb or a kid Exod. 12. 5. and then the word bashal must be rendred rost 2. that this speaks not of sacrifice to God wherein sucking creatures were allowed Exod. 22. 30. Levit. 22. 27. 1 Sam. 7. 9. but of mans use and so God ordained this partly because this was unwholesome food and principally to restrain cruelty even towards brute-creatures and luxury in the use of them Or rather 2. whilest it is very tender and young rather of a milky than of a fleshy substance like that young kid of which Iuvenal thus speaks Qui plus lactis habit quà m sanguinis i. e. which hath more milk than blood in it And it may be said to be in its mothers milk by an usual Hypallage when its mothers milk is in it i. e. whilest the milk it sucks as it were remains in it undigested and unconverted into flesh even as a man is oft said to be in the spirit when indeed the spirit is in him And what is here indefinitely prohibited is elsewhere particularly explained and the time defined to wit that it be not offered to God before it was eight days old And this interpretation may receive light and strength from hence that the law of the first-fruits which both here and Exod. 34. 26. goes immediately before this law doth in Exod. 22. 30. immediately go before that law of not offering them before the eighth day which implies that both of them speak concerning the same thing to wit the first-fruits or first-born of the cattel which were not to be offered to God while they were in their mothers milk saith this place or till they were 8 days old saith that place And consequently if they might not be offered to God they might not be used by men for food 20 * chap. 33. 2 14. Num. 20. 16. Behold I send an Angel m To wit Christ the Angel of the covenant as may be gathered both from the following words because pardon of sin which is Gods prerogative Mark 2. 7. is here ascribed to him and Gods name is in him and by comparing other Scriptures as Exod. 32. 34. Acts 7. 38 39. 1 Cor. 10. 9. See Exod. 13. 21. and 14. â—…9 before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared 21 Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions n i. e. He will severely punish you for them by a common Meiosis as Exod. 20. 7. Understand if you continue obstinate in your sins for my Name is in him o Heb. Is in his inward parts i. e. is intimately united to him according to Ioh. 10. 38. I am in the father and the father in me It not onely signifies that he acts in his name and by his power and authority which even the Apostles did and other Ministers of the Gospel do and therefore it is unreasonable to think no more is ascribed to this Angel but that his divine nature or essence is in him whence he is called the Lord our righteousness Ier. 23. 6. and God who will not give his glory to another Isa. 42. 8. hath given it to Christ that all men should honour the son even as they honour the father Ioh. 5. 23. which never was nor can be said of any Angel without blasphemy Add to this that the word name is oft put for the thing or being whether it be humane or divine as is manifest from Deut. 28. 58. Psal. 20. 1. and 115. 1. Isa. 30. 27. Act. 1. 15. Revel 3. 4. and 11. 13. And so it must be here because this name is not said to be given to him as it would be if it were properly taken but to be in him or in his inwards which agrees well to the Divine nature or essence but not to the meer name 22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak p All that I have already commanded and shall further prescribe by him unto Moses * Gen. 12. 3. Deut. 30. 7. Jer. 30. 20. then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies and †Or I will afflict them that afflict thee an adversary unto thine adversaries 23 * Ver. 20. For mine Angel shall go before thee and * chap. 33. 2. bring thee in unto the Amorites and the Hittites * Josh. 24. 11. and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites and I will cut them off 24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods nor serve them q i. e. Give them neither outward worship with thy body nor inward with thy mind * Lev. 18. 3. Deut. 12. 31. Nor do after their works r i. e. Nor follow their
desparing sinners sometimes cry out that their sins are greater than God can pardon as some translate Cains words Gen. 4. 13. And since power is applied to Gods wrath in punishing sin Rom. 9. 22. why may it not as well be attributed to Gods mercy in forgiving it Especially if it be considered that even in men revenge is an act of impotency and consequently it must needs be an act of power to conquer their passions and inclinations to revenge and to pardon those enemies whom they could destroy according as thou hast spoken saying 18 The LORD is * Exod. 34. 6. Psal. 103. 8. long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression and by no means clearing the guilty * Exod. 20. 5. and 34. 7. visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation a These words may seem to be very improperly mentioned as being a powerful argument to move God to destroy this wicked people and not to pardon then It may be answered that Moses useth these words together with the rest partly because he would not sever what God had put together and partly to shew that he did not desire a full and absolute pardon but was willing that God should execute his vengeance upon the principal authours of this rebellion and leave some character of his displeasure upon all the people as God did but onely that God would not disinherit them ver 12. nor kill all the people as one man ver 15. nor destroy them both root and branch because he had promised not to extend his wrath against them in punishing their sins beyond the third and fourth generation But the truer answer seems to be that these words are to be translated otherwise and in destroying he will not utterly destroy though he visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation Of which see the notes on Exod. 34. 7. where all this verse is explained 19 Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even ‖ Or hitherto until now b After many and great provocations shew thy self still to be the same sin-pardoning God 20 And the LORD said I have pardoned according to thy word c So far as not utterly to destroy them as I threatned ver 12. and thou didst fear and beg the prevention of it ver 15. 21 But truly as I live * Psal. 72. 19. all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD d i. e. With the report of the glorious and righteous acts of God in punishing this rebellious people in manner following That this is the true sence appears both from the particle of opposition and the solemn introduction of them But truly as I live and from the following verses because all these men c. which come in without any note of opposition and have a manifest relation to and connexion with this verse 22 Because all those men which have seen my glory c i. e. My glorious appearances in the cloud and in the Tabernacle and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times f i. e. Many times A certain number for an uncertain as Gen. 31. 7. Levit. 26. 8. Iob 19. 3. Though some reckon ten times precisely wherein they did eminently provoke God and have not hearkened to my voice 23 * Deut. 1. 35. Psal. 95. 11. and 106. 26. Heb. 3. 17. †Heb. if tâ—…ey see the land Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it 24 But my servant * Josh. 14. 6 8 9. Caleb g Ioshua is not here named because he was not now among the people but a constant attendant upon Moses nor was he to be reckoned as one of them any more than Moses and Aaron were because he was to be their chief commander because he had another spirit with him h i. e. Was a man of another temper and carriage faithful and couragious not acted by that evil spirit of cowardize unbelief unthankfulness disobedience which ruled in his brethren but by the spirit of God and hath followed me fully i i. e. Universally and constantly in and through difficulties and dangers which made his partners halt him will I bring into the land whereinto he went k In general Canaan and particularly Hebron and the adjacent parts Ios. 14. 9. and his seed shall possess it l Or shall expell it i. e. its inhabitants the land being oft put for the people of it Compare Ios. 8. 7. and 14. 12. 25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley m Beyond the mountain at the foot whereof they now were ver 40. And this clause is added either 1. as an aggravation of Israels misery and punishment that being now ready to enter and take possession of the land they are forced to go back into the wilderness or 2. as an argument to oblige them more willingly to obey the following command of returning into the wilderness because their enemies were very near them and severed from them onely by that Idumâ—…an mountain and if they did not speedily depart their enemies would hear of them and fall upon them and so the evil which before they causelesly feared would come upon them they their wives and their children would become a prey to the Amalekites and Canaanites because God had forsaken them and would not assist nor defend them The verse may be rendred thus And or But for the present the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley therefore which particle is here understood as it is in other places to morrow turn ye c. Though some knit these words to the former and read the place thus Caleb and his seed shall possess it to wit the land near Hebron and also the land of the Amalekites and of the Canaanites that dwell in the valley Quest. But how are the Canaanites said to dwell in the valley here when they dwelt in the hill ver 45. and by the sea-coasts Numb 21. 1 Ans. 1. Part of them dwelt in one place and part in other places 2. The word Canaanite may here be understood more generally of all the inhabitants of Canaan to morrow turn ye and get ye into the wilderness by the way of the Red-sea n i. e. That leadeth to the Red-sea and to Egypt the place whither you desired to return ver 3 4. 26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 27 How long shall I bear with o Or pardon as ver 19 20. or spare which words are necessarily and easily understood It is a short and imperfect speech which is frequent in case of anger as Exod. 32. 32. Psal.
other side and stood on the top of an hill afar q That his person might be out of their reach and yet his Voice might be heard which in a clear Air and in the silence of the Night might be heard at a great distance off a great space being between them 14 And David cried to the people and to Abner the son of Ner saying Answerest thou not Abner Then Abner answered and said Who art thou that criest to the king r Or with or beside the king i. e. So near to him so as to disturb the King 15 And David said to Abner Art not thou ‡ Heb. a man a valiant man and who is like to thee s For Courage and Conduct and therefore thy fault herein is the greater in Israel Wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king for there came one of the peoplâ—… in to destroy the king thy lord 16 This thing is not good t i. e. It is very bad a great Crime A Figure called Meiosis as Prov. 18. 5. and 19. 2. that thou hast done as the LORD liveth ye are ‡ Heb. sons of death worthy to die because ye have not kept your master the LORD 's anointed And now see where the kings spear is and the cruse of water that was at his bolster 17 And Saul knew Davids voice and said Is this thy voice my son u As thou wast my Son by Marriage so thou hast expressed the care and affection of a Son to me now a second time David and David said It is my voice my lord O king 18 And he said Wherefore doth my lord pursue thus after his Servant for what have I done or what evil is in mine hand 19 Now therefore I pray thee let my lord the king hear the words of his servant If the LORD have stirred thee up against me x If the Lord hath by the evil Spirit which he hath sent or by his secret Providence directed thy Rage against me for the Punishment of thine or my Sins let him ‡ Heb. smell accept an offering y Let us offer up a Sacrifice to God to appease his Wrath against us but if they be the children of men z Who by their crafty insinuations and calumnies have incensed thee against me He sheweth his Prudence and Revereâ—…ce and Meekness that he Accuseth not the King but translateth the fault wholly upon his Evil Ministers as the Israelites do in like Case Exod. 5. 16. cursed be they before the LORD for they have 〈◊〉 me out this day from ‡ Heb. cleaving abiding in the inâ—…eritance of the LORD From the Land which God hath given to his People for their Inheritance and where he hath Established his Presence and Worship saying Go serve other gods a This was the Language of their Actions For by driving him from Gods Land and the place of his Worship into Foreign and Idolatrous Lands they exposed him to the peril of being either ensnared by their Counsels or Examples or forced by their threats and power to worship Idols 20 Now therefore let not my blood fall to the earth b Do not attempt to spill my Innocent Blood like water upon the ground before the face of the LORD c Remember if thou doest it God the Judge of all men seeth it and will avenge it of thee though I will not avenge my self for the king of Israel is come out to seek * Chap. 24. 14. a flea c Remember if thou doest it God the Judge of all men seeth it and will avenge it of thee though I will not avenge my self as when one doth hunt a partridg in the mountains d Hard to be taken and not worth catching a mean and contemptible person d Where his advantage doth no way compensate his Labour 21 ¶ Then said Saul I have sinned Return my son David for I will no more do thee harm because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day behold I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly e He not oneâ—…y â—…onfesseth but aggravateth his fauit because his Conscience was fully convinced though his Heart was not changed 22 And David answered and said Behold the kings spear and let one of the young men come over and fetch it 23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness f â—… desire that God would deal no otherwise with me than I have 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day but I would not stretch â—…ourth mine hand against the LORDS anointed 24 And behold as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes so â—…et my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD and let him deliver me out of all tribulation 25 Then Saul said to David Blessed be thou my son David thou shalt both ‡ Heb. in doing thou shalt do Dan. 11. 28 32. do great things and also shalt still prevail So David went on his way g Knowing Saul's unstable and deceitful Heart he would noâ—… trust to any of his Professions or Promises but kept out of his reaâ—…h and Saul returned to his place CHAP. XXVII AND David said in his heart I shall now †perish ‡ 〈◊〉 be conâ—…umed one day by the hand of Saul a I see by this late experience his restless and implacable hatred against me and how little heed is to be given to all his pretences of Repentance or Friendship there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines b But this was certainly a very great mistake and fault in David for 1. This proceeded from gross distrust of God's Promise and Providence and that after such repeated demonstrations of Gods peculiar Carâ—… over him which gave him cause to conclude quite contrary to what is here said 2. He forsakes the place where God had settled him Chap. 22. 5. and given him both assurance and experience of his Protection there 3. He voluntarily runs upon that Rock which he cursed his Enemies for throwing him upon Chap. 26. 19. and upon many 〈◊〉 Snares and Dangers as the following History will shew and withal deprives the people of the Lord of those succours which he might have given them in case of a Battel But it pleased God to leave David to himself in this as well as in other particulars that these might be sensible demonstrations of the Infirmities of the best Men and of the necessity of Gods grace and daily direction and assistance and of the freeness and riches of God's Mercy in passing by such great Offences And besides God hereby designed to accomplish his own Counsel to withdraw David from the Israelites that Saul and they might fall by the hand of the Philistines without any reproach or inconvenience to David whom God had put into a safe place and Saâ—…l
God the sad effects whereof they daily see in the destruction of their Brethren in iniquity yet they will boldly and madly run themselves into the same miseries Both ways the sense comes to the same 18. And u Or But or Yet or So for all these ways this Particle is used Which is more fully expressed in the next Verse The destruction which they design to others falls upon themselves Their blood answers to their feet v. 16. belongs to the sanâ—…e Persons they lay wait for their own blood x they lurk privily for their lives 19. So y As is expressed both in the foregoing and following words are the ways z The actions and courses which are so in the tendency and event of them of every one that is greedy of gain a That seeks gain by unrighteous and wicked practices which b Either which greediness or rather which gain by comparing the last words taketh away the lives of the owners thereof c Brings sudden and violent death upon those who had made themselves Masters and Possessors of such gain 20. †Heb Wisdom that is excellent Wisdom * Ch. 8. 1. Wisdom crieth d Having expressed the counsels and invitations of folly and of wicked men he now declareth the voice of Wisdom By the name of Wisdom or Wisdoms he seems to understand the wisdom for counsel of God revealed to the Sons of men by his Word Which he calls Wisdoms here as also Prov. 9. 1. either to note the excellency of this Wisdom beyond all other as the greatest and chief of Beasts is called Bebemoth or Beasts Job 40. 15. or because it consisteth of a multitude of wise Precepts or because it hath been delivered to Mankind at sundry times and in divers manners and by many Persons Prophets and Apostles and especially by the Son of God who is called the Wisdom of God Luke 11. 49. And this wisdom is said to cry with a loud voice to intimate both God's earnestness in inviting sinners to repentance and their inexcusableness if they do not hear such loud cries without e Or abroad or in the streets or open places as many others render it and as it is in the next Clause Not in corners and privily as Seducers perswade men to error or wickedness being afraid of the light but openly and publickly before all the World she uttereth her voice in the streets 21. She crieth in the chief place of concourse f Where there is probability of most success in the opening of the gates g Where Magistrates sit in Judgment and People are assembled So it crieth both to the wise and to the unwise as Paul preached Rom. 1. 14. in the city h Not onely in the gate but in every part of the City Or in the Cities the Singular number being put for the Plural she uttereth her words saying 22. How long ye simple ones i Ye ignorant and easie and credulous Persons who are so soon cheated by the World and the Devil and do not understand your own Interest will ye love simplicity k Being unwilling to part with it or to be made wiser and the scorners l That scoff at all Religion and contemn the Word and faithful Ministers of God delight in their scorning and fools m Willful and wicked fools as Prov. 17. 10. 26. 4. hate knowledg 23. Turn ye n From your evil courses unto me at my reproof o Upon this admonition here given to you behold I will pour out p If you will do so I will freely and abundantly impart unto you my * Isa. 44. 3. spirit q Either my mind as Spirit is taken Psal. 77. 6. Prov. 29. 11. or the gifts and graces of my Spirit which he hath promised to such Persons Luke 11. 13. Iohn 4. 14. 7. 39. unto you I will make known my words unto you r By my Spirit I will cause you truly and savingly to understand my word which is hid from others 2 Cor. 4. 3. 24. * Isa. 65. 2. 66. 4. Jer. 7. 13. Ezek. 8. 18. Because I have called s By my Ministers and by my Judgments upon you or others and by the motions of my Spirit and your own Consciences and ye refused I have stretched out my hand t Offering Grace and Mercy to you and earnestly inviting you to accept of it Lest through your deafness or distance from me you should not hear I have beckned to you with my hand which this Phrase signifies Isa. 13. 2. 65. 2. and no man regarded u Few or none complied with it 25. But ye * Psa. 107. 11. Luk. 7. 30. have set at naught x Or despised or made void resisted its power and authority all my counsel y Either 1. my design of doing sinners good which you have made of none effect to your selves Or 2. my commands and counsels which suits better with the next Clause and would none of my reproof 26. I also z As you have scoffed at me and my ways will laugh at your calamity a i. e. destroy you without pity and take pleasure therein Comp. Revel 18. 20. I will mock when your fear b The misery which you do or should fear The act for the object as Isa. 8. 12. and elsewhere cometh 27. When your fear cometh as desolation c As some desolating Sword or Judgment which quickly over-runs a whole Countrey and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind d Which instantly spreadeth it self from place to place with great and irresistible violence and doing much mischief when distress and anguish cometh upon you 28. * Job 27. 9. Isa. 1. 15. Jer. 11. 11. 14. 12. Mic. 3. 4. Zech. 7. 13. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early e Or in the Morning as the word properly signifies and is here rendred by others as soon as their calamity comes or rather with great diligence and servency as this Phrase commonly signifies but they shall not find me f Because they do not seek me by choice and with sincerity but onely by constraint and that they may be freed from their miseries 29. For that they hated knowledg f To wit the practical knowledge of God and of their duty to him as it is explained in the following Clause and did not chuse g Not heartily approve of it and love it but onely made some shew of it the fear of the LORD 30. They would none of my counsel h They refused to be guided by my Counsels or Precepts they despised all my reproof 31. Therefore * shall they eat of the fruit of their own way c and be filled with their own devices k With the fruits or effects of their wicked devices What was sweet in their Mouths shall be bitter in
their hearts bethink themselves q Heb. bring back their hearts to wit their Sin Expressed ver 46. and implied in the following word Repent in the land whither they were carried captives and repent and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives saying r Sensibly and with an honest heart We have sinned and have done preversly we have committed wickedness 48 And so return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul s i. e. Sincerely Universally and Stedfastly in the land of their enemies which led them away captive and * Dan. 6. 10. pray unto thee toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers the city which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy Name 49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place and maintain their ‖ Or right Heb. judgment cause t Heb. their right against their Invaders and Oppressors For they had forfeited all their Rights to God onely but not to their Enemies whom though God used as scourges to chastise his Peoples Sins yet they had no pretence of Right to their Land nor any regard to it but onely minded the satisfaction of their own Lusts and Interests See Isa. 10. 5 6. and 47. 6. Zech. 1. 15. 50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee and * Psa. 106. 46. give them compassion before them who carryed them away captive that they may have compassion on them u i. e. May gently use them whilst they are there and proclaim Liberty to their Captives to go to their own Land 51 For they be thy people x For howsoever they may sin against thee or suffer from men yet still remember that they are thy peculiar People and therefore do thou pity and pardon and save them and thine inheritance which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt from the * Jer. 11. 4 midst of the furnace of iron y So called either from the Metal melted in it or rather from the Matter of which it consisted an Iron Furnace being more hot and terrible than one of Brick or Stone He understands hereby their cruel Bondage and painful Labours See on Deut. 4. 20. 52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant and unto the supplication of thy people Israel to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee 53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth to be thine inheritance z Thou hast begun to build a Work of great and glorious Mercy to them do not give occasion to thine Enemies to think thou wast unable to finish it or that thou art unstable in thy ways and Counsels or unkind to thine own Children * Exod. 19. â—… as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt O LORD GOD. 54 And it was so that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD he arose from before the altar of the LORD from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven 55 And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice saying 56 Blessed be the LORD that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised * Deut. 12. 10. there hath not ‡ Heb fallen failed one word of all his good ‡ Heb. word Jer. 29. 1â—… promises a See the like Iosh. 21. 45. and 23. 14. 2 King 10. 10. which he ‡ Heb. spake promised by the hand of Moses his servant 57 The LORD our God be with us b By the presence of his Grace and Mercy as he was with our fathers let him not leave us nor forsake us 58 That he may incline our heart unto him c That he may not onely bless us with outward Prosperity and Glory but especially with Spiritual Blessings and that as he hath given us his Word and Statutes to teach and direct us so he would by his Holy Spirit effectually incline and engage our Hearts to keep and obey them to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments which he commanded our fathers 59 And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night that he ‡ Heb. do the judgment maintain the cause of his servant d i. e. Of me as ver 28 29 30. their King and consequently of all my Successors and the cause of his people Israel e According to mine or their various necessities and exigencies ‡ Heb. the thing of a day in his day at all times as the matter shall require 60 That all the people of the earth may know f Both by our vertuous and holy Lives to which thou inclinest us by thy Grace and by the eminent manifestations of thy Power and Goodness in defending and delivering us from all the assaults and devices of our Enemies that * 35 the LORD is God and that there is none else 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect g i. e. Sincere and serious in your purposes of Obedience for sinless Perfection he himself taught them was not to be expected here Eccles. 7. 20. with the LORD our God to walk in his statutes and to keep his commandments as at this day 62 ¶ And * 2 Chron. 7. 4. the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the LORD 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice h By the hands of the Priests of peace-offerings which he offered unto the LORD two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep i Not all in one day but in the 7 or it may be in the 14 days mentioned ver 65. so k i. e. By these Sacrifices and Holy Exercises the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD l i. e. Began to set it apart for the Work and Service of God 64 The * 2 Chron. 7. 7. same day did the king hallow the middle of the court m To wit of the Priests Court in which the great Altar was This he Consecrated as he did the great Altar to wit by Sacrifices but with this difference That he Consecrated That for lasting and perpetual use but This onely for the present time and occasion being warranted to do so both by the necessity of it for God's Service and for the present Solemn Work for which the Brazen Altar was not sufficient as it here follows and by the direction of God's Spirit where with Solomon was endowed as being a Prophet as well as a King Here therefore he suddenly reared up divers Altars which after this
Solemnity were demolished that was before the house of the LORD for there he offered burnt-offerings and meat-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings because * 2 Chron. 4. 1. the brazen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt-offerings and meat-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings 65 And at that time Solomon held a feast n i. e. Kept the Solemnity and all Israel with him a great congregation from the entring in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt o The usual and known bounds of the Land in the utmost length of it of which see Num. 34. 8. Iosh. 13. 5. Iudg. 3. 3. before the LORD p i. e. Before the Temple and as in God's Presence our God seven days and seven days q Seven for the Dedication of the Temple or Altar and the other seven for the Feast of Tabernacles as may be gathered from 2 Chron. 7. 9. And it seems to be expressed in this manner to intimate that these 14 days of Rejoycing were not all together but that there was some interval between them which indeed was necessary because the Day of Atonement was on the Tenth day of this Month Levit. 23. 27. And because these 14 days ended on the Twenty-second day 2 Chron. 7. 10. it may seem most probable that the Feast of the Dedication was kept before the Tenth day and the Feast of Tabernacles some days after it even fourteen days 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away r Solomon having joyned with the People in the Solemn Assembly which was kept on the Eighth day in the close of that Day and Service he took his solemn farewel and dismissed them with his Blessing and the next Morning when the Heads and Elders who came to Solomon upon this special Summons above ver 3. and with them divers of the People came to take their leave of the King he sent them away And so this place agrees very well with 2 Chron. 7. 9 10. and they ‖ Or thanked blessed the king s i. e. They prayed to God to Bless him according to their duty and custome Or they praised him for his great care and pains in Building of the Temple and setting up God's Worship among them and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David t In giving him a sure House and a wife and religious Son by whom he had now fulfilled the Promise made to David about the Building of the Temple his servant and for Israel his people CHAP. IX AND * 2 Chron. 7. 11. it came to pass when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD and the kings house and all Solomons desire which he was pleased to do 2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time a To wit in a Dream or Vision for that which is mentioned Chap. 6. 11. seems to have been imparted unto him by some Prophet or Messenger sent from God with that Errand The time of this Revelation was either 1. after all Solomon's Buildings as the words thus rendred plainly imply And if it seem strange that God should not Reveal this purpose and sentence of his concerning the Temple till so many years after the finishing of it it must be considered 1. That as it is an act of God's singular Grace when he doth thus Reveal himself to any person so it is but meet he should chuse his own time for it 2. That God had presently after the finishing of the Temple at the Feast of the Dedication of it sufficiently shewed his acceptance and approbation of it by that Glorious Cloud Chap. 8. 10 11. and therefore this Revelation was not then necessary 3. That God might chuse this as the fittest time for giving Solomon the following Admonition when he perceived that his heart began to be lifted up in Pride for his sumptuous and magnificent Buildings c. and that he was grown vain and careless and secure and therefore most needed such an awakening Oracle Or 2. Presently after the Building of the Temple as may be thought from the Matter of this Revelation which seems best to suit with that time when it was newly Built and when Solomon's Prayer here mentioned was newly made for seeing the following words contain God's Answer to that Prayer it seems improbable that the Answer should come so many years after it But then this second Verse and the rest even to ver 11. are to he inclosed with a Parenthesis and the place must be thus rendred ver 2. For so the Hebrew vau is oft rendred the Lord appeared or had appeared to Solomon c. ver 3. And the Lord had said unto him c. And this Parenthesis may seem to have a foundation in ver 10. where the first Verse in substance though not in the very same words is repeated as is usual after long digressions and then he compleats the Sentence ver 11 c. which till then had been suspended Nor are such long Parenthesis without Example in Scripture See my Latin Synopsis on Rom. 5. 12 c. Eph. 3. 1 c. Revel 22. 7. * Chap. 3. 5. as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon 3 And the LORD said unto him I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me I have hallowed this house b I have my Glorious Presence in the Cloud and by my Acceptation of thy Sacrifices Sanctified it to my proper use and Service which thou hast built * Chap. 8. 29. to put my name there for ever c As long as the Mosaical Dispensation lasts whereas hitherto my Name and Worship hath been successively in several places and mine eyes d i. e. My watchful and gracious Providence and mine heart e My true and tender Affection shall be there f Shall be towards this Place and People perpetually g Upon condition of your Obedience as it here follows 4 And if thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked h Who though he miscarried in some things yet in the general course of his Life was Upright and Faithful towards me in integrity of heart and in uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments 5 Then i Upon that condition for my Promise to David was Conditional I will establish the Throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever * â—… Sam. 7. 12. Chap. 2. 4. 1 Chro. 22. 10. as I promised to David thy father saying There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel 6 But * 2 Sam. 7. 14. if ye shall at all turn from following me k Or rather if ye shall wholly turn c. If you shall wilfully and obstinately depart from God and violate his Laws as the doubling of the