patient and merciful to thee that he gives thee liberty to demand of him any Signal or miraculous Work whereby thou mayst be assured of the Truth and Certainty of this Promise thy God u Both by right of Dominion and by vertue of his gracious Covenant made with all Israel of whom thou art a Member and King and by thy own Profession for he still worshipped God together with his Idols and by the continuance of his Care and Kindness to thee and to thy People notwithstanding all your Wickedness whereof this Promise and Offer is a clear Demonstration ‖ Or make thy pâ—…on deep ask it either in the depth or in the heighth above x Demand some Prodigie to be wrought either in Earth or in Heaven at thy pleasure 12 But Ahaz said I will not ask y This Refusal proceeded not from the strength of his Faith but from his contempt of God and total distrust and disregard of his Word and inward Resolution to take another Course as is manifest both from the following words and from the History of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. neither will I tempt the LORD z Either 1. by asking a Sign as if he questioned the Truth of his Word So this was deep Hypocrisie Or 2. by neglecting any means necessary for my preservation which were indeed a tempting of God And therefore I shall not sit still and relie upon God till I be destroyed which will be the effect of thy Counsel but I shall do as becometh a wife King seek for Succour from Potent Allieâ—… such as the Assyrian is So this is flat Rebellion against God 13 And he said Hear ye now O house of David a Of which see above v. 2. He reproveth them all because they were the Kings Counsellors and promoted the Design of sending for the Assyrian Succours Is it a small thing for you b Is not that Wickedness more than enough Must you add more to it to weary men c To vex God's Prophets and People and the generality of your Subjects with your Oppressions and horrid Impieties but will ye weary my God also d By your cursed Ingratitude and Unbelief and Disobedience to his Commands He saith my God i. e. the God whose Servant and Prophet or Messenger I am to intimate that this heinous Offence was not committed against a weak and foolish Man such as they might think the Prophet to be but against God himself who sent the Message Compare Exod. 16. 8. 14 Therefore e Because you despise me and the Sign which I now offer to you God of his own free Grace will send you a more honourable Messenger and give you a nobler Sign to try whether that will cure you of your Infidelity Or Nevertheless as this Particle seems to be understood Isa. 30. 18. Ier. 16. 14. 30. 16. Although you deserve no Sign nor Favour yet for the comfort of those few Believers which are among you and to leave you without excuse I shall mind you of another and a greater Sign which God hath promised and will in his due time perform which also â—…s a Pledge of the certain Accomplishment of all God's Promises Or Surely as this Particle is sometimes used as Gen. 4. 15. Ier. 2. 33. 5. 2. Zech. 11. 7. the Lord himself shall give you a sign f To wit of your Deliverance Qu. How was this Birth of a Virgin which was not to come till many Ages after a Sign of their Deliverance from the present Danger Answ. 1. Because this was a clear Demonstration of God's infinite Power and Goodness and Faithfulness and consequently of the certain Truth of all God's Promises from time to time which can never fail so long as those Attributes of God stand And mens Faith is either strong or weak as they believe them or doubt of them Of which see Psal. 77. 8. 78. 19 20. Rom. 4. 20 21. And so this was a proper Remedy for Ahaz his Disease which was a secret Suspicion that God either could not or would not deliver them 2. Because that Promise I say not onely the actual Giving which was long after but even the Promise of the Messiah which had been made long since and oft renewed and was universally believed by all the People was the Foundation of all God's Mercies and Promises unto them 2 Cor. 1. 20. and a Pledge of the Accomplishment of them 3. Because this promised Birth did suppose and require the Preservation of that City and Nation and Tribe in and of which the Messiah was to be born and therefore there was no cause to fear that utter Ruine which their Enemies now threatned to bring upon them 4. This is one but not the onely Sign here given as we shall see at v. 16. * Maâ—… 1. 2â—… Luk. 1. â—…1 Behold g You who will not believe that God alone is able to deliver you from the united Force of Syria and Israel take nocice for your full satisfaction that God is not onely able to do this Work but to do far greater and harder things which he hath promised and therefore both can and will accomplish a virgin h Strictly and properly so called The Iews that they may obscure this plain Text and weaken this Proof of the Truth of Christian Religion pretend that this Hebrew Word signifies a young woman and not a virgin But this corrupt Translation is easily confuted 1. Because this Word constantly signifies a virgin in all other places of Scripture where it is used which are Gen. 24. 43. compared with v. 15. Exod. 2. 8. Psal. 68. 25. Cant. 1. 3. 6. 8. To which may be added Prov. 30. 19. the way of a man with a maid or a virgin For though it be supposed that he did design and desire to corrupt her and afterwards did so yet she may well be called a virgin partly because he found her a Virgin and partly because she seemed and pretended to others to be such which made her more careful to use all possible Arts to preserve her Reputation and so made the discovery of her impure Conversation with the Man more difficult whereas the filthy Practices of Common Harlots are easily and vulgarly known 2. From the scope of this Place which is to confirm their Faith by a strange and prodigious Sign which surely could not be that a young Woman should conceive a Child but that a Virgin should conceive c. shall conceive and bear i Or rather bring fâ—…rth as it is rendred Mat. 1. 23. and as this Hebrew Word is used Gen. 16. 11. 1â—… â—…9 Iudg. 13. 5. a son and ‖ Or thou O virgin 〈◊〉 alâ—… call shall call k The Virgin last mentioned shall call Which is added as a further Evidence of her Virginity and that this Son had no Humane Father because the Right of Naming the Child which being a Sign of Dominion is primarily in
cannot agree to David's time wherein there was no such Captivity of the people but only a Civil war and mutual slaughter which is quite another thing nor to the time of Israel's return from Babylon when there was no such return of all Israel but only of Iudah and Benjamin and some few of the other Tribes and the joy which the returning Isroelites then had was but low and mixed with many Fears and Dangers and Reproaches as we see in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah And therefore they must belong to the times of the Messias by whom this Promise was fulfilled to the true Israel of God who were brought back from that most real and dreadful though spiritual Captivity of sin and Satan as is declared Luk. 4. 18. Eph. 4. 8. and shall be litterally accomplished to the natural seed of Iacob or Israel according to the Expectation and belief of all the Jews in their several Ages and of most Christian Writers when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people †i. e. His Captive people Captivity being oft put for Captives as Deut. 21. 10. and 30. 3. Psal. 126. 1. 4. Or his people from Captivity of which see the former Note Jacob * i. e. The seed or Children of Iacob as Aaron is named for his Sons 1 Chron. 12. 27. and 27. 17. and David for his Sons and the like shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad PSAL. XV. The ARGUMENT The occasion and time of Composing this Psalm is uncertain but the Scope of it is plain which is to give the Character of an holy and happy Man and to describe the way to true Blessedness Wherein this is observable that he is wholly silent as to the Ceremonial or Ritual Observations of the Law not that he doth disown them or allow the neglect of them as is manifest from David's constant Practice and from many other passages but that he might undeceive the Hypocritical Israelites who laid too great a stress upon those things as if the diligent performance thereof would excuse their wicked Lives which Error almost all the Prophets do observe and Condemn in them and that he might inform the Church of that and all succeeding Ages that the substance of Religion did consist in the Practice of true Holiness and Righteousness A Psalm of David 1. LORD a O thou who art the soveraign Lord of this holy Hill and Tabernacle to whom it belongs to give Laws to it and to admit or reject Persons as thou seest fit I beg of thee the resolution of this important question And he proposeth this question to God that the Answer coming from him may have the greater Authority and influence upon mens Consciences who shall †Heb. sojourn abide b Heb. sojourn to wit so as to dwell as it is explained in the next clause Unless this clause be meant of sojourning in the Church here and the next of dwelling in Heaven hereafter Who shall enter thither and abide there with thy good leave and liking in thy â—… Psal. 24. 3. 〈◊〉 tabernacle c i. e. In thy Church either 1. Militant Who is a true and will be a persevering Member of this Church Or 2. Triumphant or in Heaven which is called the true Tabernacle not made with mans â—…ands Heb. 8. 2. and 9. 11. Revel 21. 3. who shall dwell in thy holy hill d To wit of Zion so called Psal 2. 6. which is oft put for the Church and for Heaven Who shall so dwell in thy Church here as to dwell with thee for ever hereafter in Heaven 2. * Isa. 33. 15 He that walketh uprightly e Or presently or sincerely without guile or Hypocrisie Loving Worshiping and serving God and loving his Neighbour not in word and shew only but in truth and reality and this constantly and in the whole course of his Life as walking implies and worketh righteousness f Maketh it his work and business to do justly i. e. to give to every one his due first to God and then to men for the words are general and not restrained to either and speaketh the truth ‖ Or with in his heart g His words and professions to God and men agree with and proceed from the thoughts and purposes of his Heart 3. He that back-biteth not with his tongue h He doth not take away or diminish his Neighbours good name either by denying him his due praises or by laying any thing to his Charge falsely or without sufficient cause and Evidence nor doeth evil i i. e. Any hurt or injury to his neighbour k i. e. To any man as is evident 1. from the Nature of this precept which reacheth to all it being plain and certain that both by Laws of Nature and of Moses it was not lawful to do evil to any man except where God the Soveraign commanded it as he did to the Canaanites and Amalekites 2. From the Scripture usage of this word Neighbour which frequently signifies every man though a stranger or an heathen as appears from Gen. 29. 4. Exod. 20. 16 17. Levit. 18. 20. and 19. 15 c. Prov. 25. 8 9. Luk. 10. 29 c. Mat. 5. 43 44. And he useth this word Neighbour because he who is strictly so is most within our reach and most liable to the injuries which one man doth to another nor ‖ Or receiveth Or endureth Exod. 23. 1. taketh up l To wit into his Lips or Mouth which is understood here as also Exod. 20. 7. Iob 4. 2. and fully expressed Psal. 16. 4. and 50. 16. i. e. Doth not raise it though that may seem to be included in the first Clause that Back-biteth not Or doth not spread and propagate it which men are too prone and ready to do and which makes that a publick which before was but a private injury and mischief Or nor taketh or receiveth i. e. Entertaineth it cheerfully and greedily as men usually do such things and easily believeth it without sufficient reason See Exod. 23. 1. Levit. 19. 1â—… Or nor beareth or endureth as this phrase signifies Psal. 69. 7. Ezek. 36. 15. He doth not suffer another to defame him without some rebuke or signification of his dislike Prov. 25. 23. a reproach against his neighbour 4. In whose eyes m i. e. In whose Judgment and Estimation a vile person n i. e. One who deserves Contempt an ungodly or wicked Man as appears from the next clause where he that feareth God is opposed to him is contemned o Or despised notwithstanding all his Wealth and Glory and Greatness He doth not admire his Person nor envy his Condition nor court him with flatteries nor value his Company and Conversation nor approve of or comply with his Courses but he thinks meanly of him he judgeth him a most miserable man and a great object of Pity he abhors his wicked practices and labours to
a Let his Excellency discovered in his works be the Matter of your joy and praise O ye righteous for * â—…sal 147. 1. praise is comely for the upright b It well becomes them to Exercise themselves in this work of praising and blessing of God Partly because they have such singular and abundant Obligations and Occasions to do so and Partly because they will praise God worthily and Heartily and with due Reverence and Thankfulness as God requires and deserves to be praised whereas ungodly men do indeed disparage and 〈◊〉 the Holy Name of God while they 〈◊〉 to praâ—… and therefore God rejects their Praâ—…s and Prayers See 〈◊〉 5â—… 16. and 109. 7. Prov. 28. 9. 2. Praise the LORD with harp sing unto him with the psaltery and * Psal 92. 3. an instrument of ten strings c He mentions these Instruments because they were used in the publick Worship and Praises of God in the Tabernacle 3. * Psal. 96. 1. 〈◊〉 1. 149. 1. 〈◊〉 â—…2 10. Sing unto him a new song d Either 1. Newly Composed As God gives you 〈◊〉 occasions so do not you content your selves with the olâ—… Songs or Psalms made by the holy Men of God but make New ones suited to the occasions But neither had all the Rigâ—…ous to whom he speaks v. 1. the Gift of Composing Songs nor was it of any Necessity or Importance that they should make new Songs to praise God at least for the Works here mentioned when there were so many made by David and other Holy Prophets for the use of God's Church and People when they had any such occasion Or 2. Renewed or repeated or sung again in which Sence Iob saith his Gâ—…y was Nâ—…w or fresh in him Iâ—…b 29 20. i. e. Renewed or continued from Day to Day and the Command of Love is called New Iob. 13. 34. because it was renewed and re-inforced by Christ. So this Song is here called Nâ—…w not so much from the Matter as from the singing of it because it was sung afresh or again play skilfully with a loud noise 4. For the word of the LORD is right e All God's Counsels and Commands either contained in the Scriptures Or given forth in his Providence for the Government of the World are wise and Just and Good without deceit or defect and all his works are done in truth f i. e. All his works of Providence agree with his Word and are no other then the accomplishment of his Promises or Threatnings or other Declarations of his Mind and Will in his Word although sometimes for a season they may seem contrary to it 5. * Psal. 4â—… 7. He loveth righteousness and judgment g i. e. Just judgment by a Figure called Hendyadis as Ier. 22. 3. Or Iustice relates to the Sentence and Iudgment to the Execution of it He not onely doth Justice to all men as was implied v. 6. but which is more he Loves it and Delights in it * Psal 119. 64. the earth is full of the ‖ Or mercy goodness of the LORD h He not onely doth no man wrong but he is very kind and merciful to all Men in the World to whom he gives many Favours and Invitations to his Love and Service See Mat. 5. 45. Act. 14 17. Rom. 1. 20 21. 6. * Gen. 1. 6 7. Heb. 11. 3. 2. Pet. 3. 5. By the word of the LORD i Either 1. By the Hypostatical word Christ who is oft called God's Word even by the Chaldee Paraphrast as also Iohn 1. v. 1 2 3. where he is said to be that â—…rd by whom all things were made So that which is here spoken more darkly and doubtedly according to that state of the Church is more clearly declared in the New Testament Or 2. By his Will or Command as this very Phrase is here used v. 4. and as it seems to be explained v. 9. And so it hath a great Emphasis in it that God made this admirable structure of the Heavens and all its glorious Stars not with great pains and time and help of many Artists and Instruments as men do far meaner Works but with one single Word which is much to the Glory of the Creator were the heavens made and all the host of them k The Angels Or the Stars See on Gen. 2. 1. * Job 26. 13. by the breath of his mouth l Either 1. By the Holy Ghost so called Iob 33. 4. And so here are all the Persons of the Trinity Iâ—…hovah the Father and the Word and the Spirit to each of which this Work of Creation is elsewhere ascribed as was noted on Gen. 1. 26. Or 2. By his Word as it was expressed in the last Clause which is so called Isa. 11. 4. 2. Tâ—…s 2. 8. 7. * Gen. 1. â—… 〈◊〉 26. 1â—… 〈◊〉 â—…8 8. He gathereth m Or gathered For he speaks of the first Creation when this was done Gen. 1. the waters of the sea together * Psal. 78. 1â—… as an heap o Either in the Clouds or in the Bowels of the Earth Whence he can draw them forth when he sees fit he layeth up the depths in store houses o Either in the Clouds or in the Bowels of the Earth Whence he can draw them forth when he sees fit n By which Expression he brings to our Minds this great work of God that the Sea which is lighter and higher than Earth is yet Confined within its Bounds that it might not overâ—…ow the Earth 8. Let all the earth p All the people of the Earth as the next Clause expounds this not only Iews but Gentiles who equally enjoy the Benefit of this great and glorious work of God fear the LORD let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him 9. For * Psal. 148. 5. he spake and it q The work here mentioned v. 6 7. Or stood forth as a Servant at his Masters Command Or was or did exist was done he commanded and it stood fast r. 10. * Isa. 19. 3. The LORD †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringeth the counsel of the heathen s Or of the Nations though Nations combine themselves and their Counsels together yet he defeats them when he pleaseth Thus he passeth from the work of Creation to the works of Providence and from the Instances of his Power in Sensless and unreasonable Creatures to manifest his power in over-ruling the Thoughts and Wills and Actions of all Men whether single or united to nought he maketh the devices of the people of none effect 11. * Prov. 19. 2â—… Isa. 46. 10. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever t All his Purposes and Designs and especially those which concern his choseh people of whom he speaks in the next Verse are always successful and irresistible the thoughts of his heart †Heb. to Generation and Generation
Serpent could speak and what the Woman conceived of his speech and why she was not affrighted but continued the discourse with it There be two satisfactory answers may be given to these questions 1. The Woman knew that there were spirits and did freely and frequently converse with Spirits or Angels who also did appear in some visible shape to her which seems very credible because in the following Ages not onely the Angels but even the blessed God himself did in that manner converse with men And as they afterwards used to appear in the shape of men why might not one of them now appear to her and converse with her in the shape of a beautiful Serpent And why might she not freely and securely discourse with this which she thought to be one of those good Angels to whose care and tuition both she and her Husband were committed For I suppose the fall of the Angels was yet unknown to her and she thought this to be a good Spirit otherwise she would have declined all conversation with an Apostate Spirit 2. A late ingenious and learned Writer represents the matter thus in which there is nothing absurd or incredible The Serpent makes his address to the Woman with a short speech and salutes her as the Empress of the World c. She is not affrighted because there was as yet no cause of fear no sin and therefore no danger but wonders and enquires what this meant and whether he was not a brute Creature and how he came to have speech and understanding The Serpent replies that he was no better than a brute and did indeed want both these gifts but by eating of a certain fruit in this Garden he got both She asked what Fruit and Tree that was Which when he shewed her she replied this no doubt is an excellent fruit and likely to make the eater of it wise but God hath forbidden us this Fruit To which the Serpent replies as it here follows in the Text. It is true 〈◊〉 discourse is not in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ewish and other Expositors that these words Yea hath God said c. Are a short and abrupt sentence and that they were but the close of a foregoing discourse which might well enough be either this now mentioned or some other of a like nature And that expression which follows verse 6. When the Woman saw i. e. understood that it was a Tree to be desired to make one wise may seem to imply both that the Serpent told her and that she believed that the speech and understanding of the Serpent was the effect of the eating of that Fruit and therefore that if it raised him from a brute-Beast to the degree of a reasonable Creature it would elevate her from the humane to a kind of divine nature or condition unto the Woman d Who had upon some occasion retired from her Husband for a season an advantage which the crafty Serpent quickly espieth and greedily embraceth and assaulteth her when she wanteth the help of her Husband †Heb. Yea because c. yea e Or Why or Is it so or indeed or of a truth hath God said f It is scarce credible that God who is so bountiful and the soveraign good and so abhorring from all parsimony and envy should forbid you the enjoyment of any part of those provisions which he hath made for your use and comfort ye shall not eat of every g Or of any for the word is ambiguouâ—… which therefore the cunning adversary useth to hide the snare which he was laying for her Tree of the Garden 2. And the Woman said unto the Serpent we may eat of the Fruit of the Trees of the Garden 3. But of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden God hath said ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it h To wit in order to the eating of it Or the touch might be simply forbidden or she might reasonably understand it to be forbidden in and by the prohibition of eating because it was an occasion of sin and therefore to be avoided For it is not probable that the Woman being not yet corrupted should knowingly add to God's Word or malitiously insinuate the harshness of the precept lest ye dye i Others lest peradventure ye dye as if she doubted of the truth of the threatning Which seems not probable the Woman yet continuing in the state of 〈◊〉 and such doubting being evidently sinful and the Hebrew particle Pen doth not always imply a doubt as appeares from Psal â—… 12. Isa. 27. 3. and 3â—… 18. compared with 2 King 18. 3. 4. * 2 Cor. 11. 3 1 Tim. 2. 14. And the Serpent said unto the Woman ye shall not surely die k It is not so certain as you imagine that you shall die God did say so indeed for your terrour and to keep you in awe or he had some mystical meaning in those words but do not entertain such hard and unworthy thoughts of that God who is infinitely kind and gracious that he will for such a triâ—…le as the eating of a little Fruit undo you and all your Posterity and so suddenly destroy the most excellent work of his own hands 5. For God doth know l If you would have the whole truth of the matter and God's design in that Prohibition it is only this that in the day ye â—…at thereof then your eyes shall be opened m He knoweth that you shall be so far from dying that ye shall certainly be entred into a new and more noble kind of Life and the eyes of your minds which are now shut as to the knowledge of a World of things shall then be opened and see things more fully and distinctly and ye shall be as Gods n Or as God like unto God himself in the largeness of your knowledge knowing Good and Evil o As the very name that God hath put upon the Tree may teach you But this is a priviledge of which for divers causes best known to himself some of which your own reason will easily guess at he would not have you partake of 6. And when the Woman saw p By curious and accurate observation and gazing upon it or perceiving it by the Serpents discourse as was observed on ver 3. that the Tree was good for Food and that it was †Heb. a desire pleasant to the Eyes * To wit in an eminent degree for otherwise so were all the rest and a Tree to be desired to make one Wise q Which she might know by the Serpents information See the Notes on ver 1. she took of the Fruit thereof * 1 Tim. 2. 14. and did eat and gave also unto her Husband r Who by this time was returned to her with her s i. e. Who now was with her or that he might eaâ—… with her and
the Syrian of Padan-aram e Either of the Countrey of Syria as it is called Hos. 12. 12. or rather Padan of Syria or as the Septuagint and Chaldee render it Mesopotamia of Syria For that Padan is the proper name of a place may be gathered from Gen. 48. 7. and it is so called from its scituation between two Rivers for Padan signifies a pair or two the sister to Laban the Syrian 21 And Isaac intreated the LORD f He prayed as the Hebrew word signifies instantly or fervently frequently and continually for near twenty years together for so long it was between their marriage and the first child He was so much concerned because not onely his comfort but the truth of Gods promise depended upon this mercy And he knew very well that Gods purpose and promise did not exclude but require the use of all convenient means for their accomplishment for his wife g Or in the presence of his Wife signifying that besides their more secret devotions they did oft-times in a more solemn manner and with united force pray for this mercy wherein they were both equally concerned Or over against his wife noting that each of them did severally and apart intreat God for this mercy so that there was a concurrence if not in place yet in design and action because she was barren h As diverse of those holy women that were progenitours of Christ have long been that it might appear that that sacred stock was propagated more by the vertue of Gods grace and promise then by the power of nature and the LORD was intreated of him and * Rom. 9. 10. Rebekah his wife conceived 22 And the children struggled together within her i In a violent and extraordinary manner which was likely to cause both pain and fear in her and she said If it be so why am I thus k The sense may be either 1. If it be thus with me that there be two Children contending and fighting within me likely to destroy one the other and both threatning my death why did I desire and pray for this as a great mercy Or why is it thus with me Why hath God dealt thus with me to continue my life till it be a burthen to me and to give me conception which is so painful and hazardous Or rather 2. If God hath granted me my desire in the conception of a Child what means this disturbance and conflict within me which threatens me with the loss of the mercy before I enjoy it For she seems not so much to murmur at it as to wonder and to enquire about it as it here follows And she went to inquire of the LORD l Either immediately by ardent prayers to God that he would reveal his mind to her herein or mediately by her Father Abraham who lived fifteen years after this time ver 7. or by some other godly Patriarch yet surviving by whom God used to manifest his Will and Counsels to others when he thought fit 23 And the LORD said unto her m Either by inward inspiration in a dream or vision or by the ministery of an Angel or Prophet Two nations n i. e. The Roots Heads or Parents of two distinct nations one opposite to the other the one blessed the other accursed namely the Israelites and Edomites are in thy womb and two manner of people shall be separated o Not onely separated from thee but one separated or greatly differing from the other in their frame of body temper of mind course of life profession and practise of Religion from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger then the other people and * Rom. 9. 12. the elder p Or the greater namely Esau who was as older so of a stronger constitution of Body and of greater power and dignity in the World than Iacob and Esaus posterity were great Princes for a long time when Iacobs seed were strangers in Canaan slaves in Egypt and poor afflicted wanderers in the Wilderness But saith he Esau and his shall not always be stronger and mightier than Iacob and his posterity the tables shall be turned and the Children of Israel shall be uppermost and subdue the Edomites which was literally accomplished in Davids time 2 Sam. 8. 14. and afterwards 2 Chron. 25. 11 12. and after that by the Maccabees but much more eminently in a spiritual sense under the Gospel when one of Iacobs Children even Jesus Christ shall obtain the dominion and shall rule the Edomites no less then other Heathen nations with his iron rod and make them serviceable one way or other to his Glory and to the felicity of his true Israel shall serve the younger 24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled behold there were twins in her womb 25 And the first came out red q With red hair upon all the parts of his body From him the Red Sea is supposed to receive its name it being so called as the Heathen writers tell us from one who reigned in those parts and was called Erythras or Erythrus which signifies red the same with Edom or Esau. * Chap. 27. 11. 16. 23. all over like an hairy garment and they called his name Esau r i. e. Made or perfect not properly a Child but rather a man as soon as he was born having that hair upon him which in others was an evidence of manhood 26 And after that came his brother out and * Hosea 12. 3. his hand took hold on Esaus heel and his name was called Jacob s i. e. Supplanter or one that taketh hold of or trippeth up his brothers heels See Gen. 27. 36. and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them 27 And the boys grew and Esau was a cunning hunter u Of wild beasts and afterwards an oppressour of men Compare Gen. 10. 9. This course of Life was most agreeable to his complexion fierce and violent a man of the field x One that delighted more in conversing abroad than at home whose employment it was to pursue the Beasts through Fields and Woods and Mountains who therefore chose an habitation fit for his purpose in mount Seir. and Jacob was †Heb. a perfect or sincere a plain man y A sincere honest and plain-hearted man Or a just and perfect man as the word is used Gen 6. 9. dwelling in tents z Quietly minding the management of his own domestick affairs his Lands and Cattle and giving no disturbance either to wild beasts or men 28 And Isaac loved Esau because †Heb. venison was in his mouth he did eat of his venison a Not simply nor chiefly because he pleased his palate but because this was an evidence of his sons great respect and affection to him that he would take such pains and incurre such hazards to which that course of Life exposed him that he might please and
or at least with such as were forreigners which he did upon prudential reasons both because he would not have them to pry into the state of Egypt ver 12. and because he would by that opportunity understand the state of other lands and improve that knowledge for his masters service to all the people of the land and Josephs brethren came and bowed down themselves before him h Thus unwittingly fulfilling Iosephs dream Gen. 37. 7. with their faces to the earth 7 And Joseph saw his brethren and he knew them but made himself strange unto them and spake †Heb. hard things with them roughly unto them i Partly to bring their sin to remembrance partly to get the knowledge of the true state of his Father and Family and partly to further the following design and make way for his and their greater happiness and he said unto them Whence come ye And they said From the land of Canaan to buy food 8 And Joseph knew his brethren but they knew not him k Because his visage was much altered by his beard and by other things it being about 20 years since they saw him and his Egyptian Language and Habit and Carriage together with the great dignity of his place prevented all suspicious concerning their brother 9 And Joseph * chap. 37. 5. remembred the dreams which he dreamed of them and said unto them Ye are spies l This he saith not because they were so or he thought them to be so but that he might search out the truth of their affairs speaking too much like a Courtier or Politician to see the nakedness of the land m i. e. The weak parts of it and where it may be best assaulted or surprized you are come 10 And they said unto him Nay my Lord but to buy food are thy servants come 11 We are all one mans sons n And therefore not spies for it is not likely either that a father would venture so many of his sons upon so hazardous an employment or that such a work would have been trusted in the hands of one family onely we are true men o Who honestly and truly mean what we pretend and have no other design in our coming hither thy servants are no spies 12 And he said unto them Nay but to see the nakedness of the land you are come 13 And they said Thy servants are twelve brethren the sons of one man in the land of Canaan and behold the youngest is this day with our father and one * Iam. 5. 7. is not p i. e. Is dead as that phrase oft signifies both in Scripture as Gen. 37. 30. and 44. 2â—… Iâ—…r 31. 15. Mat. 2. 18 18. and in other Authors as Homer Eâ—…ripides c. They concluded with great probability that he was dead chap. 44. 20. because for 20 years together they had heard nothing either of him or from him which may seem strange considering the nearness of Egypt and Canaan but this came to pass partly from his own long imprisonment and afterward from his great and high employments partly from his loathness to bring so much mischief to his father and brethren as the discovery of his case might have produced and principally from the over-ruling Providence of God which for its own glorious design disposed of Iosephs mind and affairs so that he either did not send to his fathers house or that the messages were intercepted there being not then those conveniencies for mutual correspondencies which now there are And it is not improbable that Ioseph might be further acquainted with the mind of God in this matter by dreams which may seem to have been familiarly afforded to him together with the interpretation of them See Gen. 40. 8. and 41. 16. 14 And Joseph said unto them That is it that I spake unto you saying Ye are spies q This justifies my accusation for it is not probable that one man should have so many soâ—…s all grown up and living together in one Family and that he should expose them all to the perils of such a journey 15 Hereby ye shall be proved * See 1 Sam. 1. 26. 17. 55. by the life of Pharaoh r As sure as Pharaoh lives It seems to be the form of an oath in use among the Egiâ—…tians as afterwards the Romans used to swear by the Name Genius Health and Life of their Emperors Compare 1 Sam. 1. 26. and 17. 55. 2 King 2. 2. Ezek. 33. 11. And it is not strange that Ioseph through humane infirmity was carried by the stream of the general practise of the Court especially when the law of God was not yet delivered concerning the appropriation of Oaths unto God ye shall not go forth hence except your youngest brother come hither 16 Send one of you and let him fetch your brother and ye shall be †Heb. bound kept in prison that your words may be proved whether there be any truth in you or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies 17 And he †Heb. gathered put them all together into ward seven days 18 And Joseph said unto them the third day This do and live s I will spare your lives and not punish you with death as spies and you shall carry provisions that your family also may live * Neh. 5. 15. for I fear God t And therefore will not be cruel to you nor to your brother whom you shall leave with me This might have raised some suspition concerning Ioseph but that they knew there were divers among the heathens who did own the true God though they worshipped Idols with him 19 If ye be true men let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison * In which you are now imprisoned and are still like to be so if you accept not this condition go ye carry corn for the famine of your houses 20 But * chap. 43. 5. bring your youngest brother unto me so shall your words be verified and ye shall not die and they did so u i. e. Resolved and promised to do so Thâ—…se things are oft said to be done in Scripture which were sincerely resolved upon as hath been noted before 21 And they said one to another We are verily guilty x This is the just punishment of that great wickedness which though we could cover from men yet we now see and feel was known to God who is now reckoning with us for it Thus divine Vengeance overtakes them and conscience tortures them for a sin committed above 20 years before and their affliction brings them to repentance concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us y Compare Gen. 49. 23. Yet this passage is not mentioned in that history chap. 37. Learn hence that the silence of the Scripture is no good argument that such or such a thing was
is As thy name signifies praise Gen. 29. 35. So shalt thou have praise or honour from thy brethren He alludes to his name and to the occasion of it but with an elegant variation Thou art deservedly called Iudah not onely because thy mother praised God for thee but also because thy brethren shall praise and bless thee for the reasons here following But this as also the other blessings or predictions do not so much declare the state of Iudah or the rest in their own persons as in their posterity thy hand shall be in the neck s i. e. Thou shalt overthrow and subdue them This was fulfilled in part Iudg. 1. 1 2 4. and 3. 9 10. but more fully in David 2 Sam. 8. 1. and Solomon 1 Chro. 22. 9. and most eminently though spiritually in Christ. The phrase is taken either 1. From the practice of warriors who use to assault their enemies in that part that they may throw them down at their feet of which see Iob 15. 26. and 16. 12. Or 2. from the custom of conquerors who are said to put the yokes upon the necks of the conquered See Gen. 27. 40. Deut. 28. 48. Isa. 10. 27. Jer. 27. 8. and 28. 14. of thine enemies * 1 Chro. 5. 2. thy fathers children t i. e. All thy brethren and my posterity he â—…aith not thy mothers children for his sons had divers mothers shall bowe down before thee u i. e. Shall own thee as their superiour and lord upon whom â—… have devolved this part of the right of the first-born By this and the following words we plainly see that these blessings and predictions were not distributed according to Jacobs affections and inclinations for then Judah should never have been advanced above his worthily beloved Joseph but by the direction of Gods spirit 9 Judah is a lions whelp x i. e. Is as a lions whelp or as a young lion for courage and strength and terrour to his enemies The particle as is here wanting as also ver 14 17 21 22. and in many other places as Psal. 11. 1. and 12. 6. and 22. 6. c. And he is rightly compared first to a lions whelp then to an old lion to signifie the growth of that Tribe in strength and interest and that from small beginnings and a precedency of order onely Judg. 1. 1 2. it should ascend to the height of honour and power and happiness in David and especially in the Messiah who should conquer all nations from the prey my son thou art gone up y Having taken the prey i. e. conquered thine enemies thou art gone up in triumph or gone up i. e. grown greater and higher after thy victories as the manner is Or he alludes to the Lions which usually dwell in mountains as diverse writers observe and come down to prey in the valleys and when they have got their prey they go up to their habitations and so shall Judah do he z A change of the person very frequent in Prophetical writings as we shall oâ—…t have occasion to note hereafter * Num. 23. 24. and 24. 9. stooped down he couched a When he hath taken the prey he doth not convey it away to his den with haste and speed for fear the enemy should return and overtake him but like a lion he stoops down to feed upon his prey and coucheth or lieth down securely to rest himself after he hath eaten it without the lest fear of any enemy as it is observed of him Isa. 31. 4. Judahs conquests shall not be interrupted or followed with ill successes and defeats or overthrows afterward as it frequently happens in the course of War but he shall quietly possess his spoils and after the bloody Wars to which he will be forced shall enjoy a sweet peace and tranquillity which his posterity did 1 King 4. 25. as a lion and as an old lion b Of rather a grown lion not a decrepit and impotent Lion but one come to his full strength who shall rouse him up c Who shall presume or dare to disturb or provoke him All shall fear him and seek peace with him 10 The Scepter d i. e. The dominion or government which is oft 〈◊〉 preded by this word as Numb 24. 17. Psal. 45 â—… Isa. 14. 5. Ezek. 19. 11 14. Aâ—…s 1. 5 8. Zâ—… 10. 11. because it is an ensign of government Eâ—…th 4. 11. So it is a figure called a Metonymy of the sign then which nothing more frequent The sence is That superiority or dominion over his brethren which I said he should obtain ver 8. he shall keep it shall not depart from him Others the Tribe as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 1â—… 19 20 21. 1 King 11 32 c So the sence is this Whereas the other Tribes shall be captivated dispersed and confounded the Tribe of Judah shall be kept entire and distinct until Christ come This is a great and important truth and a singular demonstration of the all-dâ—…sposing providence of God and of the truth and divine authority of the Scriptures but it seems not to be the meaning of this place 1. because both the foregoing and following words do evidently speak of Iudahs power and greatness and particularly this Shebâ—…t or Scâ—…pter is explained and restrained by the following 〈◊〉 2. because this renders the phrase improper and absurd for the Tribe had not departed from Iudah nor had they ceased to be a Tribe if the other Tribes had been mixed with them in their land as indeed they were sometimes See 2 Chron. 11. 16. 3. because this is not peculiar to the Tribe of Judah for in this sence the tribe did not depart from Lâ—…vi nay that tribe was kept more distinct than that of Judah thus also the tribe did not depart from Benjamin as appears from Ezra 1. 5. and 10. 9. Nehem. 11. 4. Nay it is questionable whether in this sence the Tribe departed from any of the other Tribes not onely because there is a distinct mention of the several Tribes Ezek. 48. which was written after the dispersion and supposed confusion of the other Tribes and which speaks of the times after the coming of the Messiah but also because of the great care which the Israelites generally took in distinguishing not onely their Tribes but their several families in exact genealogies of which we have many proofs and instances as 1 Chron. 4. 33. and 5 1 7 17. and 7. 7 9 40. and 9. 1 22 and Ezra 2. 62. and 8. 1 3. Nehem. 7. 5 64. The Jews indeed have another device to avoid the force of this Text. They say Shebet signifies a rod to wit a rod of correction as the word is taken Prov. 22. 15. And so they say the sence is The tyrannical Scepter or the rod of the oppressour shall not cease or depart from Israel till the Messiah come who shall save them from all their oppressours and enemies
But this is a vain and frivolous conceit for 1. the following sentence which expounds the former as it is usual in Scripture plainly shews that this Sâ—…ebet or Rod is such as is proper to the Lawgiver and therefore is a rod of authority or a Scepter which is called also a rod Ezek. 19. 14. and not a rod of affliction 2. This is contrary to the whole context wherein there is nothing prophefied of Judah but honour and dominion and victory and safety 3. There was no reason why the rod of affliction should be appropriated to Judah which was common to all the Tribes and came sooner and fell heavier and abode longer upon the other Tribes than upon Judah 4. This interpretation is confuted by the event or history both because the rod of correction did depart from Judah and from them more than from the other tribes for many generations before the coming of the Messiah and because that rod is not removed from them but hath continued longer and more dreadfully upon them since the coming of the Messias than ever before which one consideration hath been the occasion of the conversion of many Jews 5. Howsoever the modern Jews pervert this word and text out of enmity to Christ and Christians it is certain that the antient Jews the LXX and the Chaldee Paraphrast with many others take the word as we do as the learned have proved out of their own writings See my Latin Synopsis shall not depart from Judah nor a * Psal. 60. 7. 1â—…8 8. Law-giver e So the Hebrew word signifies as here so also Numb 21. 18. Deut. 33. 21. Psal. 60. 7. and 108. 8. Isa. 33. 22. And the verb from whence this word comes signifies to make laws as Prov. 8. 15 c. and the Hebrew word chok which comes from the same root constantly signifies a law or statute Some render it the Scribe and that either the civil Scribe who belongs to the ruler or the Ecclesiastical Scribe the interpreter of the law and so it signifies that both the civil and the Ecclesiastical power should continue in Judah till Christ came and then should be taken away both which the event did verifie But indeed the Hebrew word for Scribe is Soâ—…er not Mechokek which never is so used in Scripture but always for a law-giver as I have shewed and so Kimchi and Aâ—…en Egra two late and learned Jews with others expound it from between his feet f From his posterity or from those that come from between his feâ—…t i. e. that are begotten and born of that Tribe And thus Kimâ—…i and the Chaldee Paraphrast and other antient Jews understand this place And the truth of this interpretation may appear by comparing hiâ—… with other texts of Scripture as 〈◊〉 28. 5â—… where the young one is described to be one that cometh from between her the womans 〈◊〉 and Ezek. 16. 25. and with those places where the word feet is used for the secret parts as 〈◊〉 7. 20. the hair of the feet not properly so called for hair seldom grows there and 2 King â—…8 27. Iâ—…a 36. 12 where the water which comes from the 〈◊〉 parts is called the water of the feet And possibly that phrase â—…f covering the feet applied to them that eased their bellies may note so much because the care of the Jews in that action was not to hide their feet properly so called but their secret parts which without due care might be discovered upon that occasion * Luk. 1. 32. until Shiloh †i. e. The Messias Which we need not stand to prove because it is so expounded by all the three Chaldee Paraphrasts and by the Jewish Talmud and by divers of the latter Jews themselves And the word signifies either a peace-maker or Saâ—…iour or as others her son or one that came out of the Womans Womb or out of that skin in which the child in the Womb is wrapped which this word or one near akin to it signifies So it notes that the Messias should be born of a Woman though without the help of man Or as others the sent he who was oft promised and to be sent And this signification may seem to be warranted by comparing Iohn 9. 7. those places of the New Testament in which the Messias is described by that periphrasis of one sent or to be sent as Ioâ—… 3. 39. c. And the phrase here used is remarkable till the Shiloh come for the Shiloh or Messiah oft goeth under the name of him that was to come as Matth. 21. 9. Luke 7. 20 and 13. 35. And hence the Kingdome of the Messiah is called the World or Kingdom to come i. e. of him who was to come Heb. 2. 5. and 6. 5. come and unto him shall the gathering g They shall be gathered together or united both among themselves and with the Jews under him as their head Others the reverence obedience or worship Which comes to the same thing for they that are gathered to him do also reverence obey and worship him The Hebrew word is used onely here and Prov. 30. 17. of the people h i. e. The Gentiles as the Jews themselves understand it And so it is a plain Prophesie of the conversion of the Gentiles by and under the Messiah signifying that whereas the Ordinances of God and means of Worship and Salvation were confined to the Jews before Christs coming Psal. 1â—…7 19 20. when the Messiah should come the pale of the Church should be enlarged the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles taken down and the Gentiles should Worship the true God and the Messias And this is no more than is foretold and promised in other Prophesies 〈◊〉 we shall see hereafter The summe of this verse is The Scepâ—…â—…r Dominion shall be seated in the Tribe of Iudah though â—…e doth not determine when it shall come thither but when once it shall come it shall not depart from thence till the Messiah come and then Iudah shall lose his Scepter and other Priviledges and the Gentiles shall come into the stead of the Jews and shall embrace that Messiah whom they shall reject So now here is an undeniable argument to prove against the Jews that the Messiah is already come and that the Lord Jesus Christ is he because he was to come during the time wherein the Scepter was in the hands of Iudah and about that time when Jesus Christ came the Scepter was taken away from Iudah and the Jews and hath now been lost for sixteen hundred years together The Jews are mightily perplexed and confounded with this argument one evidence whereof is their various and contradictory Expositions of the place whilest some of them affirm this Shiloh to be Moses others Saul others Ieroboam others Nebuchadnezzar which neither need nor deserve confutation others David Which though some of the acutest of the Jewish Doctours assert is as contemptible as any of the rest it
due time to do And they were very unwilling to part with them because of the tribute and service which they did receive and expect from them 11 Therefore they did set over them task-masters m Heb masters of tribute who were to exact from them the tribute required which was both mony and labour that their purses might be exhausted by the one their strength by the other and their spirits by both * Gen. 15. 13. to afflict n Or oppress or humble to spend their strength by excessive labours and so disenable them for the procreation of children them with their burdens and they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities o Where they laid the Kings money or corn which is reckoned among treasures 2 Chro. 17. 12. and 32. 27. and wherein a great part of the riches of Egypt consisted for they had corn enough not onely for themselves but to sell to other countries so that Egypt was accounted the granary of the Roman Empire Or defenced cities in which Garrisons were to be placed which seems best to agree with the place and use of them For they were in the borders of the land and among the Israelites which appears concerning the one from Gen. 47. 11. where the land in which they were placed is called Rameses which in Hebrew consists of the same letters with this Raamses and seems to be so called then by anticipation from the City of that name now built in it and may be reasonably presumed concerning the other and therefore it is most probable that they were built to keep the Israelites in subjection and to hinder them from going out of the land Pithom and Raamses 12 †Heb. and as they afflicted them so they multiplied c. But the more they afflicted them the more they multiplyed p Through Gods over-ruling providence and singular blessing which God gave them purposely to hasten first their sorer affliction and next and by that means their glorious deliverance and grew and they were grieved * Through envy and fear because of the children of Israel 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour q Or cruelty or tyranny with hard words and cruel usage without mercy or mitigation This God permitted for wise and just reasons 1. as a punishment of their Idolatry into which divers of them fell there Ios. 24. 14. Ezek. 20 5 7 8. and 23. 8. 2. to wean them from the land of Egypt which otherwise was a plentiful and desirable land and to quicken their desires after Canaan 3. to prepare the way for Gods glorious works and Israels deliverance 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage * Psal. 81. 6. in morter and in brick and in all manner of service in the field r Which was the basest and most laborious of all their services all their service wherein they made them serve was with rigour 15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives s Such as not onely were employed about the Hebrew women but were Hebrews themselves not Egyptians as some suppose as may appear 1. because they are expresly called not the midwives of the Hebrews but the Hebrew midwives 2. the Egyptian midwives would not willingly employ their time and pains among the meanest and poorest of servants as these were And if they were sent in design by the King he had lost his end which was to cover his cruelty with cunning and to perswade the people that their death was not from his intention but from the chances and dangers of child-bearing 3. the Hebrew women as they had doubtless midwives of their own so they would never have admitted others 4. they are said to fear God ver 17. 21. of which the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other t You are not to think that these were the onely midwives to so many thousands of Hebrew women but they were the most eminent among them and it may be for their excellency in that profession called to the service of some Egyptian Ladies and by them known to Pharaoh who might therefore think by their own interest and by the promise of great rewards or by severe threatnings to oblige them to comply with his desires and if he met with the desired success by them he meant to proceed further and to engage the rest in like manner Puah 16 And he said When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them upon the stools u A seat used by women when ready to be delivered conveniently framed for the midwives better discharge of her office if it be a son then ye shall kill him x Which it was not difficult for them to do without much observation but if it be a daughter then she shall live y Either 1. because he feared not them but the males onely and some adde that he was advised by one of their magicians that a male-child should be born of the Israelites who should be a dreadful scourge to the Egyptians or 2. they reserved them for their lust or for service or for the increase of their people and the raising of a fairer breed by them 17 But the midwives feared God z More then the King and therefore chose to obey God rather than the King their commands being contrary each to other and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them but saved the men-children alive 18 And the King of Egypt called for the midwives and said unto them Why have ye done this thing and have saved the men-children alive 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women for they are lively a Or vigorous and active in promoting the birth of their own children or like the beasts which without any help of others bring forth their young So the Hebrew word signifies and so there is onely a defect of the particle of similitude which is frequent as I have noted before and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them b This might be no lye as many suppose but a truth concerning many of them and they do not affirm it to be so with all And so it might be either because their daily and excessive labours joyned with the fears of the execution of the Kings command whereof they seem to have gotten notice did hasten their birth as the same causes do commonly in other women or because they understanding their danger would not send for the Midwives but committed themselves to Gods providence and the care of some of their neighbours present with them So here was nothing but truth though they did not speak the whole truth which they were not obliged to do 20 Therefore c Because they feared God and spared the children ver 17 whereby they exposed themselves to the Kings displeasure because they would not offend God
light of the heavenly bodies but also put out their candles or other artificial lights or at least so darken them that men could have no benefit by them neither rose any from his place y Place here may be taken either 1. more strictly and particularly so the sence is the horrour of that darkness was so great that they durst not remove at all but stood or sat where the darkness found them like men astonished or affrighted and therefore unmoveable having their minds disturbed being terrified with their guilty Consciences which most affect men in the dark and with the dreadful noises which they heard Wisd. 17. 5. and with the apparitions of evil Angels as may seem from Psal. 78. 49. where the plague of evil Angels is put instead of this plague of darkness which therefore is omitted in that place where all the rest are reckoned up Or rather 2. more largely for their own houses or dwellings for so the Hebrew word is certainly used Exod. 16. 29. So the sence is they did not stir abroad out of their houses upon their most necessary occasions Obj. He saith not that they could not go but that they could not rise from their place which may seem to limit this expression to their particular places Ans. The word to rise is commonly put for going about any business and here it is a pregnant word as they call it and implies going in it none arose viz. to go or remove from his place And rising cannot be properly taken here for that particular posture unless we will suppose that this darkness found all men sitting which is absurd to imagine for three dayes * Wisd. 18. 1. chap. 8. 22. but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings z Whereby they might have conveyed themselves and families and goods away as afterwards they did in haste but they waited for Moses his orders and he for Gods command and God intended to bring them forth not by stealth but in a more honourable and publick manner in spight of all opposition 24 And a Or Therefore or Then to wit after the darkness was either wholly or in part removed Pharaoh called unto Moses and said Go ye serve the LORD only let your flocks and your herds be stayed b Either as a pledge of your return after your sacrifice is ended or as a recompence for the cattel which I have lost by your means let your little ones c And consequently the women whose help and service was necessary for their little ones in diverse regards also go with you 25 And Moses said Thou must give †Heb. into our hands us * i. e. Suffer us to take of our own stock also sacrifices and burnt-offerings that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God 26 Our cattel also shall go with us there shall not an hoof be left behind for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God and we know not with what we must serve the LORD until we come thither d Which was not a pretence but a real truth For this being a solemn and extraordinary sacrifice by the express and particular appointment of God they knew not either of what kinds or in what number or manner their sacrifices must be offered And for all these things they did not receive particular directions till they came to mount Sinai 27 But the LORD * chap. 14. 4 8. hardened Pharaohs heart and he would not let them go 28 And Pharaoh said unto him Get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die 29 And Moses said thou hast spoken well e Heb. right not morally for so it was very ill said but logically that which agrees though not with thy duty yet with the event and truth of the thing for as thou hast warned me to see thee no more so I in the name of God assure thee that thou shalt see me no more to beg my prayers or to be helped out of thy troubles by my means And therefore that discourse of Moses to Pharaoh which follows chap. 11. 4 c. though it be put there out of its order and proper place as many other passages are yet was delivered at this time and upon occasion of these words I will see thy face again no more CHAP. XI 1 AND the LORD said unto Moses a Either 1. Whilest Moses was not yet gone out of Pharaohs presence So God might suggest this to his mind as he did other things to Michaiah when he was before Ahab and Iehosaphat 1 King 22. or rather 2. before his last coming to Pharaoh and the words may be rendred thus Now the Lord had said unto Moses And this is here added as the reason why Moses spake so boldly to Pharaoh because God had assured him of a good issue Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt afterwards he will let you go hence * chap. 12 31 33 39. when he shall let you go he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether b Men and women and children and cattel and all that they had which he would never do before 2 Speak now in the ears of the people and let every man borrow of his neighbour c The Israelites who at first lived distinctly by themselves when they were greatly multiplyed and Pharaoh began to cast a jealous eye upon them and to take cruel counsels against them were more mixed with the Egyptians as appears from chap. 12. 12 13. and many other places either by their own choice that they might receive protection and sustenance from them or rather by Pharaohs design who planted many of his own people among them to watch and chastise them Exod. 1. 11. and it may be removed some of them from Goshen to the parts adjoyning to it which were inhabited by his people and every woman of her neighbour * chap. 3. 22. and 12. 35. jewels d Or vessels as the Hebrew word properly signifies for they might more plausibly ask and the Egyptians would with less suspition lend them vessels which might be proper and useful both for their sacrifices and feasts than Jewels for which they had no present need or use of silver and jewels of gold 3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians Moreover the man * Eccl. 45. 1. Moses was very great in the land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaohs servants and in the sight of the people e Therefore they complyed with their request not onely out of love to the people but out of fear of Moses lest he should punish them severely in case of refusal 4 And Moses said f To Pharaoh before his departure as appears by comparing ver 8. with chap. 10. 29. And therefore the three first verses of this chapter come in by way
13. thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid servant l This clause is added not as if children or servants were not immediately obliged by this command or were excused by God for the breach of this â—…aw at their masters commands which were to obey God rather than men contrary to St. Peters command and practice Act. 5. 29. and which were to limit the foregoing word thou and the law of the Sabbath onely to those that have children and servants which is an idle senceless and absurd as well as profane opinion but to restrain hard-hearted and covetous or ungodly persons that they should neither command nor suffer their children or servants to profane the fabbath so far as they can hinder it Which how far it concerns thousands of governours of families at this day they shall do well seriously and in time to consider nor thy cattle m Partly to teach us to exercise merâ—… towards the brâ—…te creatures compare Deut. 5. 14. partly because the use of cattel must have drawn along with it the attendance or employment of men and partly that by observing the rest of the cattel they might be more minded and quickened to the observation of this sacred rest nor thy stranger n i. e. The Gentile that sojourneth with thee lest their example should provoke the Israelites to imitate them and lest the Gentiles should have opportunity of gaining at that time when and by that thing whereby the Israelites were losers even by the religious observation of the Sabbath that is within thy gates o i. e. that dwells within thy cities which have walls and gates or within thy villages or territories So the word gates is oft taken as Gen. 22. 17. and 24. 60. and 2 Sam. 10. 8. compared with 1 Chron. 19. 9. 11 For * Gen. 2. 2â—… in six dayes p And neither in more nor less time as he could have done the LORD made heaven and earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested q i. e. Ceased from his creating works otherwise he worketh still Ioh. 5. 17. by his providence and grace and neither is idle nor weary Isa. 40. 28. but this rest is ascribed to him for our admonition and imitation the seventh day wherefore the LORD blessed r i. e. Made it a day of blessing as well of receiving blessings and praises from men as of conferring his blessings and favours upon those that religiously observe it The day is said to be blessed when men are blessed by it and in it by a common Metonymy as a mans field Gen. 27. 27. and basket and store Deut. 28. 5. and the work of his hands Iob 1. 10. are said to be blessed when a man is blessed in them the Sabbath day s It is remarkable the blessing and sanctification are not appropriated to the seventh day but to the sabbath day whether it should be the seventh day as to the Iews it then was or the first day as to us Christians now it is which change seems hereby to be insinuated and hallowed it t i. e. Separated it from the rest of the days and from all common employments and consecrated it to his own holy service and mans holy use 12 * Levit. 19. 3. Deut. 5. 16. Eph. 6. 2. Honour u Which word doth not onely note the reverence love and obedience we owe them but also support and maintenance as appears from Mat. 15. 4 5 6. and from the like signification of that word 1 Tim. 5. 3 17. which is so natural and necessary a duty that the Iews say a man is bound even to beg or to work with his hands that he may relieve his parents thy father and thy mother x The father is put first here and the mother Lev. 19. 3. to shew that we owe this duty promiscuously and indifferently to both of them Compare Exod. 21. 15 17. Deut. 21. 18. and 27. 16. Prov. 20. 20. and 30. 17. And because these laws are brief and yet comprehensive under these are contained all our Superiours and Governours that thy dayes may be long y Heb. that they i. e. thy Parents may prolong thy days or the days of thy life to wit instrumentally by their prayers made to God for thee and by their blessing in my name conferred upon thee though the active verb is commonly taken impersonally as Iob 7. 3. Prov. 9. 11. Luk. 12. 10. and so it may be here they prolong for be prolonged upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee 13 * Rom. 13. 9 Thou shalt not kill z To wit any man or woman without authority and without just cause which exception must necessarily be understood because many other Scriptures command the Magistrate to kill great offenders And this prohibition being delivered by God who made and searcheth and commands mens hearts must be extended not onely to the external act of killing but to all motions of the heart or tongue which tend that way as anger hatred envy malice strife blows and the challenges of Duellists which is clearly manifest by comparing this with other Scriptures as Mat. 5. 21. 1 Ioh. 3. 15. c. And here as in the rest is commanded the contrary duty of preserving the lives of our neighbours as much as lies in our power 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery a Here is mentioned one kind of uncleanness as being eminently sinful and unjust and pernicious to humane society But under this are comprehended and forbidden all other kinds of filthiness as beastiality Sodomy whoredom fornication c. and all means occasions and appearances of them as it â—…ears 1. from other Scriptures that forbid those things which â—…her belong to this command or to none of the ten which is very improbable 2. from the large extent of the other commands noted before 3. from our saviours explication Mat. 5. 27. And contrariwise all chastity and sobriety in thoughts affections words habits and gestures is here prescribed See 1 Thes. 4. 3 4. Heb. 13. 4. 15 Thou shalt not steal b i. e. Either by deceit or violence or without his knowledg and consent take away another mans goods Eph. 4. 28. but on the contrary shalt preserve and increase them as need requires and occasion is offered 16 * Deut. 19. 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness c Heb. not answer viz. when thou art asked in judgment Lev. 5. 1. 19. 16. or not speak a false testimony or as a false witness Which doth not onely forbid perjury in judgment but also all unjust censure slander backbiting scorning false accusation and the like and also requires a just and candid judgment of him and of his words and actions speaking well of him as far as truth and justice will permit and defending his good name against the calumnies and detractions of others against thy neighbour d No nor
thee nor steal by thee Or will proclaim or publish of the name of the Lord or of my name i. e. some part of it especially my goodness which may seem to be here principally intended 1. by comparing this with chap. 34. 6 7. 2. By the following words which seem a limitation of this general expression q. d. I will proclaim manifest and impart my goodness but with a difference not to all men but to whom I please 3. By other places where the name of the Lord is principally if not solely understood of his goodness as Isa. 50. 10. and in many places of the Psalms before thee * Rom. 9. 15. and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious e This may seem to be added with reference to the people for whom Moses is interceding lest Moses should misunderstand or misapply what is said here and chap. 34. 6 7. The sense is I will shew this peculiar favour to thee I will also be gracious towards the people thou pleadest for but not promiscuously Some of them I will severely and eternally punish for this and their other sins and some of them I will pardon and save not because they are righteous or innocent or less sinners than the rest but meerly out of my own good pleasure and most free grace whereby I will shew mercy to some when I will not shew mercy to others Thus this place is interpreted by the Apostle Rom. 9. 16 c. and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy 20 And he said Thou canst not see my face f Either 1. My essence But that no man can see neither in this life nor in the next Or rather 2. My glorious presence for * Gen. 32. 30 Deut. 5. 24. Jud. 13. 22. Rev. 1. 16 17 there shall no man see me and live g This may note either 1. Gods purpose that that blissful vision of God in glory shall be given to no man here but is reserved for the future life Or rather 2. The impossibility of the thing from mans weakness which is such that if God should display all the beams of his glory to him it would certainly astonish overwhelm and destroy him 21 And the LORD said Behold there is a place by me h In this mountain where my residence and glorious presence now is and in that part of it whence my voice now cometh to thine ears and thou shalt stand upon a rock 22 And it shall come to pass while my glory passeth by that I will put thee in a clift of the rock and will cover thee with my hand i That thou maist not be undone by thy own desires nor swallowed up with the sight of my glory while I pass by 23 And I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my back parts k i. e. Imperfectly and in part as when we see onely a mans back-parts and not his face Thou shalt see a shadow or obscure delineation of my glory as much as thou canst bear though not as much as thou dost desire but my face shall not be seen CHAP. XXXIV 1 AND the LORD said unto Moses * Deut. 10. 1. Hew thee two tables of stone a The first Tables were made immediately by God who of his own meer grace and good pleasure and without mans merit or contrivance entred into Covenant with Abraham and his Seed these Tables must be made by Moses partly in token of Gods displcasure for their sin and partly to signifie that though the Covenant of grace was first made without mans care and counsel yet it should not be renewed but by mans repentance And as the Tables of stone signified the hardness of their hearts so the having of them by Moses might signifie the circumcision and plowing up of their hearts that they might be fit for the receiving of Gods mercies and the performance of their duties like unto the first and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables b To shew Gods reception of Israel â—…nto his favour and their former state and that the Law and Covenant of God was neither abolished nor changed by their sin which thou brakest 2 And be ready in the morning and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai and present thy self there to me * chap. 19. 20. in the top of the mount 3 And no man shall * chap. 19. 12. come up with thee neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount c This is said not for the beasts which are not capable of a Law but to restrain the presumption and curiosity of the people by this argument that even the beasts that come too near shall be destroyed and much more man whose knowledge aggravates his sin and punishment 4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up unto mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him and took in his hand the two tables of stone 5 And the LORD descended in the cloud d In the cloudy pillar which ordinarily stood up in the air above the Mount but came down to the top of it when God spake with Moses See Exod. 33. 9. Numb 11. 17 25. and stood with him there e To wit in the Mount v. 2 4. and the clift of a rock chap. 33. 22. which was in the Mount and near the top of it as appears by comparing these places together and proclaimed the Name of the LORD 6 And the LORD passed by before him and proclaimed The LORD The LORD God f This title shews his glorious being power and authority the following titles note his goodness to men merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth g In fulfilling all his gracious promises made to Abraham and to his seed and to all his people wherein he is said to be abundant because he generally is better than his word and gives more than he promised There is a truth in divine threatnings but here the scituation of this word in the midst of the Attributes of divine Goodness plainly shews that it is to be restrained to the promises this being usual and reasonable that general words have their signification limited by the context And indeed here seems to be a Hendyadis goodness and truth for true sincere and hearty goodness as mercy and truth are oft put for true and real mercy See Psal. 25. 10. and 57. 3. c. 7 Keeping mercy for thousands h The Chaldee and some others render it for a thousand generations forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin i Sins of all sorts and sizes secret or open infirmities or presumptions against God or men as the heap of various words here put together signifies and * Deut. â—… â—… Jer. 32. 1â—… that will by no
and let us return into Egypt g This was but a purpose or a desire and yet it is imputed to them as if they had done it Nehem. 9. 16 17. they appointed a captain c. even as Abrahams purpose to offer up Isaac is reckoned for the deed Heb. 11. 17. g Stupendious madness whence should they have protection against the many hazards and provision against all the wants of the wilderness could they expect eitâ—…er Gods cloud to cover and guide them or Manna from heaven to feed them who should conduct them over the Red Sea or if they went another way who should defend them against those nations by whose borders they were to pass what entertainment could they expect from the Egyptians whom they had deserted and brought to so much ruine 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces h As humble and earnest suppliants either to the people to intreat them to desist from their wicked and pernicious enterprize or rather to God by comparing this with Numb 16. 4. and 20. 6. the onely reâ—…uge to which Moses resorted in all such straits and who alone was able to still and govern this tumultuous and stiff-necked people before all the assembly i That they might be awakened to apprehend their sin and danger when they saw Mosâ—…s at his prayers whom God never used to deny and never failed to defend even with the destruction of his enemies of the congregation of the children of Israel 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh which were of them that searched the land rent their clothes k To testifie their hearty grief for tâ—…e peoples blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses and that dreadful judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the 〈◊〉 and people of God 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel saying The land which we passed through to search it is an exceeding good land 8 If the LORD delight in us l If by our rebellion and ingratitude we do not provoke God to loath and forsake us then he will bring us into this land and give it us a land which floweth with milk and honey 9 Onely rebel ye not against the LORD neither fear ye the people of the land for they are bread for us m We shall destroy them as easily as we do our bread or common food Compare Numbers 24. 8. Psal. 14. 4. their †Heb. shadow defence n i. e. Their counsel conduct and courage and especially God who was pleased to afford them his protection till their iniquities were full Gen. 15. 16. is utterly departed from them and hath given them up as a prey to us is departed from them and the LORD is with us o By his special grace and almighty power to save us from them and from all our enemies fear them not 10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones and the glory of the LORD appeared p Now in extremity of danger to rescue his faithful servants and to stop the rage of the people in the tabernacle q i. e. Upon or above the tabernacle where the cloud usually resided in which the glory of God did appear upon occasion and now in a more illustrious manner as the state of things required of the congregation before all the children of Israel 11 And the LORD said unto Moses How long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signs which I have shewed among them 12 I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them r This was not an absolute determination as the event shewed but onely a commination like that of Ninevehs destruction within 40 days with a condition implyed except there be speedy repentance or powerful intercession * Exod. 32. 1â—… and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they 13 And * Exod. 32. 12. Deut. 32. 27. Moses said unto LORD Then s i. e. In case thou dost utterly destroy them the Egyptians shall hear it for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them t Whereby thou didst get great honour to thy self which now thou wilt certainly lose 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land u For there was much entercouse between these two nations * Exod. 15. 14. Josh. 2. 9. and 5. 1. for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people that thou LORD art seen face to face and that * Exod. 13. 21. thy cloud standeth over them and that thou goest before them by day time in a pillar of a cloud and in a pillan of fire by night 15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man x i. e. Altogether or to a man and suddenly as it were by one blow as if all had but one neck then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak saying 16 Because the LORD was not * Deut. 9. 28 able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them y His power was quite spent in bringing them out of Egypt and could not finish the work he had begun and had sworn to do therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness 17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my LORD be great z i. e. Appear to be great discover its greatness A real verb put for a declarative or the thing for the manifestation of the thing And this may be understood either 1. of Gods power in preserving the people and carrying them on into Canaan which sence may seem to be favoured by the foregoing verse where the Egyptians deny that God had power to do so And according to that sence he addes the following words not as an explication of this power but 〈◊〉 an argument to move him to shew forth his power fâ—…r his people notwithstanding their 〈◊〉 according â—…s or rather 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew word is oft rendred he had spoken saâ—…ing c. and so he should maintain the honour and the truth of his own name or of those titles which he had ascribed to himself Or 2. the power of his grace and mercy or the greatness of his mercy as he calls it ver 19. in pardoning of this and their other sins for to this the following words manifestly restrain it according as thou hast spoken c. where the pardon of their sins is the onely instance of this power both described in God titles ver 18. and prayed for by Moses ver 19. pardon I beseech thee c. and granted by God in answer to him ver 20. I have pardoned c. Nor is it strange that the pardon of sin especially of such great sins be spoken of as an act of power in God because undoubtedly it is an act of omnipotent and infinite goodness whence
about us g i. e. All our people who lived in the Countrey and Territory adjoyning to each City where the Princes resided as the oxe licketh up the grass of the field And Balak the son of Zippor was King of the Moabites at that time 5 * Josh. 24. 9. Neh. 13. 1 2. Mic. 6. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 15. Jude 11. Rev. 2. 14. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam h Who is called a Prophet 2 Pet. 2. 16. because God was pleased to inspire and direct him to speak the following prophesie as he did inspire Caiaphas to speak those words Iohn 11. 51 52. and as sometimes he did for a time inspire other wicked men but in truth he was a soothsayer as he is called Ios. 13. 22. See Numb 24. 1. the son of Beor i Or Bosor 2 Pet. 2. 15. for he had two names as many others had to Pethor k A City in Mesopotamia or Aram see Numb 23. 7. Deut. 23. 4. which is by the river of the land of the children of his people l i. e. By Euphrates which is oft called the River by way of eminency as Gen. 15. 18. Ios. 24. 2 15. and here the River of Balaams land or Countrey to wit of Mesopotamia or Aram Numb 23. 7. to call him saying Behold there is a people come out from Egypt behold they cover the †Heb. eye face of the earth and they abide over against me m They are encamped in my neighbourhood ready to invade my Kingdom 6 Come now therefore I pray thee curse me n i. e. Curse them for my sake and benefit use thy utmost power which thou hast with thy Gods or infernal spirits to blast and ruine them this people for they are too mighty for me peradventure I shall prevail that we may smite them o Thou by thy magical imprecations and I by my sword joyned with them and that I may drive them out of the land for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed p He had some experience of or at least a great confidence in Balaams skill and power in these matters 7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination q Heb. with divinations by which he understands not the instruments of divination which it was needless and absurd to bring to so eminent a diviner who doubtless was throughly furnished for his own trade but the rewards of it as it is explained 2 Pet. 2. 15. and as in the Hebrew 2 Sam. 4. 10. good tydings is put for the reward of good tydings Nor is it probable they would go to or could expect to prevail with such a person especially being noted for his covetousness as appears from the story without that powerful engine in their hands and they came unto Balaam and spake unto him the words of Balak 8 And he said unto them Lodge here this night r The night was the time when God used to reveal his mind by dreams Here is the first discovery of his wickedness that he takes time to consider and doth his indeavour to effect that wicked motion of cursing the Israelites which he should have rejected and abhorred at the first mention of it and I will bring you word again as the LORD s Heb. Iehovah the true God whom he here mentions either for his own greater reputation as if he consulted not with inferiour spirits as other soothsayers did but with the supreme God or rather because this was Israels God and the onely possible way of ruining them was by engaging their God against them as the known way of the Romans and other Heathens when they went to besiege any City they used inchantments to call forth that God under whose peculiar protection they were shall speak unto me and the princes of Moab t And of Midian too as is manifest from ver 7. which was needless to repeat here abode with Balaam 9 And God came unto Balaam u Not to gratifie his covetous desire but to advance his own honour and service even by the counsels of his enemies and said what men are these with thee x He asketh not this for his own information but partly that Balaam by repeating the thing in Gods presence might be convinced and ashamed of his sin and folly in offering his service in such a cursed business and partly for a foundation to the following answer 10 And Balaam said unto God Balak the son of Zippor King of Moab hath sent unto me saying 11 Behold there is a people come out of Egypt which covereth the face of the earth come now curse me them peradventure †Heb. I shall prevail in fighting against him I shall be able to overcome them and drive them out 12 And God said unto Balaam y To whom God revealeth his mind not for any love to him but for the sake of his people concerned in it as he did to Pharaoh Gen. 41. 25. and to 〈◊〉 Dan. 2. 45. Thou shalt not go with them thou shalt not curse the people for they are blessed z By my irrevocable decree and sentence and therefore it is in vain for men to curse them 13 And Balaam rose up in the morning and said unto the princes of Balak Get ye into your land for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you a He conceals the principal thing to wit the reason of Gods prohibition which might have given a stop to their further course and counsels in this matter and secretly intimates his own good will and readiness to comply with them if God had not hindered him 14 And the princes of Moab rose up and they went unto Balak and said Balaam refuseth to come with us b Thus they lay the blame upon Balaam which he imputed to God 15 And Balak sent yet again princes mo and more honourable than they 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor †Heb. be not thou letted from c. let nothing c No counsel nor suggestion either of God or Man I pray thee hinder thee from coming unto me 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour d Before he wrought upon his covetousness now upon his ambition and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me come therefore I pray thee curse me this people 18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak * chap. 24. 13. if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot e You desire and expect that from me which is out of my power to resist the will of the great God He slily insinuates that he wanted not will but power onely go beyond the word of the LORD my God f So he calls him partly to magnifie himself as the servant of the
which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab * chap. 6. 2 3. beside the covenant b i. e. That entring into or striking of covenant The covenant was but one in substance but various in the time and manner of its dispensation which he made with them in Horeb. 2 And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them * Exâ—…d 19. 4. Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his land 3 * Chap. 4. 34. 7. 19. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signs and those great miracles 4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day c. d This verse comes in by way of correction or exception to the foregoing clause in this manner I said indeed ye have seen c. v. 2. and thine eyes have seen c. but I must recal my words for in truth you have not seen them in seeing you have not seen and perceiving you have not perceived them you have perceived and seen them with the eyes of your body but not with your minds and hearts you have not seen them to any purpose you have not yet learned rightly to understand the word and works of God so as to know them for your good and to make a right use of them and to comply with them Which he expresseth thus the Lord hath not given you c. not to excuse their wickedness but partly to direct them what course to take and to whom they must have recourse for the amending of their former errours and for a good understanding and improvement of Gods works and partly to aggravate their sin and to intimate that although the hearing ear and the seeing eye and the understanding heart be the workmanship of God Prov. 20. 12. and the effects of his special grace Deut. 30. 6. Ier. 31. 33. and 32. 39 c. yet their want of this grace was their own fault and the just punishment of their former sins their present case being like theirs in Isays time who first shut their eyes and ears that they might not see and hear and would not understand and then by the tremendous but righteous judgment of God had their hearts made fat and their eyes and ears closed that they should not be able to see and hear and understand as is manifest from the history of their carriage in the wilderness 5 And I have led you fourty years in the wilderness your cloths are not waxen old upon you and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot d So far that it was necessary for you to throw them away and to get new ones See on Deut. 8. 4. 6 Ye have not eaten bread e i. e. Common bread purchased by your own mony or made by your own hands but Heavenly and Angelical bread Deut. 8. 3. Psal. 78. 24 25. You have subsisted without bread the staff of life neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink f But onely water out of the rock that ye might know that I am the LORD your God g The Lord Omnipotent and All-sufficient for your provision without the help of any Creatures and your God in covenant with you who hath a true affection to you and fatherly care of you even when ordinary means fail 7 And when ye came unto this place * Num. 21. 〈◊〉 33. chap. 2. 32. and 3. 1. Sihon the King of Heshbon and Og the King of Bashan came out against us unto battel and we smote them 8 And we took their land and * Num. 32. 33. an inheritance unto the Reubenite and to the Gadite and to the half tribe of Manasseh 9 * chap. 4. 6. Josh. 1. 7. 1 King 2. 3. Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them that ye may †Heb. 〈◊〉 dently So 〈◊〉 prosper in all that ye do 10 Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God h In his presence who sees your hearts and carriages and before his Tabernacle where it is probable they were now called together and assembled for this work See v. 2. your captains of your tribes your elders and your officers with all the men of Israel 11 Your little ones your wives and thy stranger i Such strangers as had embraced their Religion that is in thy camp from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water k All sorts of persons yea even the meanest of them such as these were Ios. 9. 27. all sorts and ranks of servants 12 That thou shouldest †Heb. 〈◊〉 enter into covenant l i. e. Into covenant or agreement confirmed by a solemn oath with the LORD thy God and into his oath l i. e. Into covenant or agreement confirmed by a solemn oath which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day 13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself and that he may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. 14 Neither with you onely do I make this covenant and this oath 15 But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God * See 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 and also with him that is not here with us this day m i. e. With your prosperity For so the covenant was made at first with Abraham and his seed by which as God engaged himself to continue the blessing of Abraham upon his posterity so he also engaged them to the same duties and conditions which were required of Abraham So it is even among men where a King confers an estate upon a Subject and his Heirs for ever upon some certain conditions all his Heirs who enjoy that benefit are obliged to the same conditions But whatsoever becomes of mans right God the Creatour and Soveraign Lord of all men and things hath an unquestionable right and power to oblige all persons that are or shall be to such conditions as he pleaseth and especially to such conditions as are for their own benefit which is the present case 16 For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt n Where you have seen their Idolatries and learned too much of them as the Golden Calf shewed and therefore need to renew your covenant with God where also we were in dreadful bondage whence God alone hath delivered us to whom therefore we are deeply obliged and have all reason to renew our covenant with him and how we came through the nations o i. e. With what hazards if God had not appeared for us which ye passed by 17 And ye have seen their abominations and their †Heb. 〈◊〉 gods
wroth with the whole congregation of Israel s With you for doing so and with us for suffering or not punishing it 19 Notwithstanding if the land of your possession be unclean t If you apprehend it to be so for want of the Tabernacle and Altar there as the following words imply if you now repent of your former choice in preferring the worldly commodities of that Country before the advantage of Gods presence and favour and more frequent opportunities of his Service then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD wherein the LORD's tabernacle dwelleth and take possession among us u We will readily resign part of our possessions to you for the prevention of this sin and mischief wherein they shew great zeal for Gods honour and great pity and charity to their Brethren but rebel not against the LORD nor rebel against us in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God u For all the tribes were united in one Body Politick and made one Commonwealth and one Church and each Tribe was subject to the Laws and Commands of the whole Society and of the Chief Ruler or Rulers thereof so its disobedience to their just commands was properly Rebellion against them 20 ‡ Chap. 7. 1 5. Did not Achan the son of Zerah x i. e. One of his Posterity Ios. 7. 17 18. commit a trespass in the accursed thing and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel and that man perished not alone y But brought destruction upon his whole Family and part of our Forces sent against Ai. in his iniquity z Or for his sin of which see Ios. 7. 24. 21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel a Either First properly each was a Governour of a thousand for there were among them divers Rulers some of Tens some of Hundreds and some of Thousands or rather Secondly improperly and indefinitely i. e. of the People of Israel which consist of so many Thousands more than you whose Authority therefore you owe a reverence to For by comparing v. 14. these seem to be greater Persons than those that were Rulers of thousands 22 The LORD God of gods b That Iehovah whom we no less than you acknowledge and adore as the God of gods infinitely superiour to all that are called Gods The multiplying of his Titles and the repetition of these words shew their zeal and earnestness in this matter and their abhorrency of the very thoughts of it the Lord God of gods he knoweth c To him we appeal who knoweth all things and the truth of what we are now saying and Israel he shall know if it be d Not onely our present words but our future and constant course shall satisfie all Israel of our perseverance in the true Religion d If this have been done by us with such design or in such a manner in rebellion or if in transgression against the LORD save us not this day e Thou O Lord to whom we have appealed and without whom we cannot be saved or preserved save us not from any of our Enemies nor from the Sword of our Brethren It is a sudden Apostrophe to God usual in such vehement speeches 23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meat-offering or if to offer peace-offerings thereon let the LORD himself require it f i. e. Call us to an account and punish us for it as that Phrase is oft used as Deut. 18. 19. 1 Sam. 20. 16. Iob 10. 6. Psal. 10. 13. 24 And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing saying ‡ Heb. tomorrow In time to come your children might speak unto our children saying What have ye to do with the LORD g You have no relation to him nor interest in him or his Worship God of Israel 25 For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you h To shut you out of the Land of Promise and consequently from the Covenant made between God and our fathers ye children of Reuben and Children of Gad ye have no part in the LORD i Nothing to do with him no right to serve him or expect favour from him See the like Phrase 2 Sam. 20. 1. Ezra 4. 8. Ioh. 13. 3. so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD 26 Therefore we said Let us now prepare to build an altar not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice 27 But that it may be * Gen. 31. 48. Chap. 24. 27. vers 34. a witness between us and you and our generations after us that we might do the service of the LORD before him k That we and ours may have and hold our Priviledge of serving and worshipping God not upon this Altar but in the place of Gods presence in your Tabernacle and upon your Altar with our burnt-offerings and with our sacrifices and with our peace-offerings that your children may not say to our children in time to come Ye have no part in the LORD 28 Therefore said we That it shall be when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come that we may say again Behold the pattern l An exact representation and resemblance of the Altar of the LORD which our fathers made not for burnt-offerings nor for sacrifices but it is a witness between us and you m That we both serve one God and approve and make use of one and the same Altar 29 God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD and turn this day from following the LORD to build an altar for burnt-offerings for meat-offerings or for sacrifices besides the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle 30 And when Phinehas the priest and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him heard the words that the Children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake Heb. it was 〈◊〉 in their eyes it pleased them n They were fully satisfied with this answer 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben and to the children of Gad and to the children of Manasseh This day we perceive that the LORD is among us o By his gracious presence and preventing goodness in keeping you from so great an offence and all of us from those dismal calamities that would have followed upon it because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD ‡ Heb. then now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD p i. e. From the Wrath and dreadful Judgments of God by avoiding that Sin which would have involved both you and
When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine they were dismayed and greatly afraid h Which may seem strange considering the glorious Promises and their late Experiences of Divine Assistance But the truth is all men do so intirely depend upon God in all things that when he withdraws his help the most Valiant and Resolute Persons cannot find their Hearts nor Hands as daily experience shews 12 ¶ Now David was * Chap. 〈◊〉 the son of that * Gen. 〈◊〉 Ephrathite i i. e. Of the man of Ephrathah or Bethlehem Gen. 35. 19. of Bethlehem-Judah whose name was Jesse and he had eight sons k See on chap. 16. 10. and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul 13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battel and the names of his three sons that went to the battel were Eliab the first-born and next unto him Abinadab and the third Shammah 14 And David was the youngest and the three eldest followed Saul 15 But David went and returned from Saul l Either 1. From Saul's Court where having been entertained by Saul to relieve him in his Melancholy Fits he was permitted to go to his Fathers House to be sent for again upon occasion Or 2. From Saul's Camp whither he used to come to visit his Brethren as appears from v. 17. to feed his fathers sheep at Bethlehem 16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented himself forty days 17 And Jesse said unto David his son Take now for thy brethren an Ephah of this parched corn m A Food then much in use which they used to mix with Water or Milk or Oyl c. and these ten loaves and ‡ Heb 〈◊〉 theâ—… 〈◊〉 run to the camp to thy brethren 18 And carry these ten ‡ Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cheeses unto the captain of their thousand n In whose Poweâ—… it was in a great measure either to preserve them or to expose them to utmost hazards and look how thy brethren ‡ Heb 〈◊〉 of â—… 〈◊〉 fare and take their pledg o i. e. Bring me some token of their welfare from them 19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines p i. e. In a posture and readiness to Fight with them as it is explained v. 20 21. Men are oft said in Scripture to do what they intend and are prepared to do as hath been shewed formerly by instances 20 And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took and went as Jesse had commanded him and he came to the ‖ Or place of the carriage trench q i. e. To the Camp or Army which was there Intrenched as the host was going forth to the ‖ In battel-ray or place of fight fight and shouted r As the manner was both to animate themselves and to terrifie their Enemies for the battel 21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battel in aray army against army 22 And David left his ‡ Heb. the vessels from upon him carriage s The Provisions which he had brought to his brethren in the hand of the keeper of the carriage and ran into the army and came and ‡ Heb. asked his brethren of peace saluted his brethren 23 And as he talked with them behold there came up the champion the Philistine of Gath Goliah by name out of the armies of the Philistines and spake according to the same words and David heard them 24 And all the men of Israel when they saw the man fled †from him and were sore afraid â—… Heb. from his face 25 And the men of Israel said Have ye seen this man that is come up surely to defie Israel is he come up and it shall be that the man who killeth him the King will enrich him t It is observable that Saul in his great Distress doth not encourage himself in God nor seek his counsel or favour by Prayers and Sacrifices but expects Relief from Men onely This was one Effect and Sign of the departure of God's Spirit from him with great riches and * 〈◊〉 15. 16. will give him his daughter and make his fathers house free u Free from all those Tributes and Charges which either the Court or the Camp required in Israel 26 And David spake to the men that stood by him saying What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach from Israel for who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defie the armies of the living God x Why should you all be thus dismayed at him he is but a Man and that of an accursed Race a Stranger and Enemy to God and no way able to stand before them who have the Living and Almighty God for their Strength and Refuge 27 And the people answered him after this manner saying So shall it be done unto the man that killeth him 28 ¶ And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men and Eliabs anger was kindled against David y Either because he thought him guilty of intollerable Folly and Pride and Presumption in pretending to such an Attempt or because he feared and concluded he would be certainly Ruined in the Enterprize or rather because he envied him the glory of so great an undertaking and took this proffer of David's to be what indeed it was a Reproach to himself and to all the rest that having the great God on their side had not the Faith or Courage to Fight with him and he said Why camest thou down hither and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness z Thou art much fitter to tend Sheep than to appear in an Army or to fight with a Giant I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thine heart a Thy self confidence and vain-glory and curiosity for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battel 29 And David said What have I now done â—…s there not a cause b Either 1. Of my coming My Father sent me on an Errand Or rather 2. Of my thus speaking â—…s there not Reason in what I say Is this Giant Invincible â—…s our God unable to Oppose him and Subdue him 30 ¶ And he turned from him towards another and spake after the same ‡ Heb. Wâ—…d manner c For being secretly moved by Gods Spirit to undertake the Combat he speaks with divers persons about it that so it might come to the Kingâ—… ear and the people answered him again after the former manner 31 And when the words were heard which David spake they rehearsed them before Saul and he ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 him sent for him 32 ¶ And David said to Saul Let no mans heart fail because of him thy servant
shall despair of me to seek me any more in any coast of Israel so shall I escape out of his hand 2 And David arose and he passed over with tâ—…e six hundred men that were with him unto Achish the son of Maoch king of Gath c it might seem a bold adventure but 1. He thought himself forced to it by Saul's inveterate Rage and continued resolutions to Persecute him 2. It is probable he had sent some persons to Treat with him and had agreed upon conditions and received assurance of his safe and peaceable abode with him 3. David reasonably thought that Achish would gladly receive him as indeed he 〈◊〉 partly because he saw Saul's implacable Enmity against him partly because by this means he should be freed from the most formidable Enemy which he had in all Israâ—…l who might do him most mischief in the Battel which it seems at this time he designed and partly because he came noâ—… now alone as he did before but brought with him sufficient Pledges of his Fidelity to Achish namely all his Souldiers and his and their Wives v. 3. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath he and his men every man with his houshold even David with his two wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess Nabals wiâ—…e 4 And it was told Saul that Davâ—…d was sled to Gath and he sought no more again for him d By which it is implyed That he would have gone on in Persecuting David if he had continued in his Dominions 5 ¶ And David said unto Achish If I have now found grace in thine eyes let them give me a place in some town in the country that I may dwell there e A prudent desire Hereby David designed 1. To preserve his People both from the Idolatry and other Vices which conversation with the Philistines would have exposed them to and from that envy and malice and mischief which diversity of Religion or other prejudices might have caused 2. That he might have opportunity of enterprizing something against Gods Enemies without the knowledge or observation of the Philistines â—…or why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee f Which is too great an honour for me and too burdensome to thee and may be an occasion of suspicion and offence to thy People and of many other inconveniences 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag g Not onely to Inhabit but to Possess it as his own Which he did to lay the greater obligations upon David whom he knew so able to serve him that day wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah h It was given to the Tribe of Iudah before Iosh. 15. 31. and afterwards to the Tribe of Simeon Iosh. 19. 5. whose inheritance was given them within the 〈◊〉 of the children of Iudah Chap. 19. 1 But the Philistâ—…nes kept the Possession of it till this time and were hitherto 〈◊〉 to do so And being now given by them to David it now belonged not to the people of the Tribe of Iudah to whom it was allotted before but to the Kiâ—…g of Iudah David and his Heirs for ever unto this day i This and some such Clauses seem to have been added by some Sacred Writers after the main substance of the several Books was written 7 And ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 number 〈◊〉 days the time that David dwelt in the countrey of the Philistines was ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of dayes a full year and four months k Heb. days and four months days being put for a year as Levit. 25. 29. Or some days and four months i. e. Some days above four Months Or some days and for even or that is the Conjunction and being oft so used as hath been proved above four months 8 ¶ And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites and the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Gezrites l Who were anciently seated in other places Iosh. 12. 12. and 16. 3. but for some reasons not now known they changed their Seats as was then very usual and seated themselves and had for some considerable time lived near the Amalekites and the Amalekites m The remnant of those whom Saul destroyed 1 Sam. 15. who fled from his Sword and retired into Remote and Desert places for those nations were ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 eterniâ—…y 〈◊〉 5. 2. of old the inhabitants of the land as thou goest to Shur even unto the land of Egypt 9 And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive n To wit in that part where he came but there were more of the Amalekites yet left in another part of that land Chap. 30. 1. and took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the apparel and returned and came to Achish 10 And Achish said ‖ Or did 〈◊〉 make â—… 〈◊〉 c. Whither have ye made a rode to day And David said Against the south of Judah o These and the following Words are Ambiguous for they may be understood either of the Southern parts of Iudah c. which he would have Acâ—…ish understand or of another Country lying Southward from Iudah c. which David meant and which was the truth So though it was not a downright lye yet it was an Equivocation with an intention to deceive which is the formality of a Lye and was contrary to that simplicity which became David both as a Prince and as an Eminent Professor of the true Religion and p For that is for in the following words he particularly expresseth what part of the South of Iudah he went against even that which was Inhabited by the Ieraâ—…meelites and by the Kenites against the south of the Jerahmeelites q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 a Family of Iuâ—… â—… 〈◊〉 2 â—… 〈◊〉 and against the south of the Kenites r 〈◊〉 Posterity of Ieâ—…hro which chose to dwelâ—… in the South of Iudah Iudg. 1. 16. See Numb â—…4 21. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath saying Lest they should tell on us s That the tidings of this Action against this People who were it seems either tributaries to or confederates with Achish might neither come quickly nor certainly to Achish his Court which he might the rather promise himself because Achish and all his Men were now busily imployed in their Warlike preparations against the Israelites and if any flying rumour came thither he thought by his Interest and Artifices he could easily discredit and dash it Besides the consideration of Gods Curse denounced against the People whom he had now destroyed and of Gods particular Promises made to him and of his special Providence which he constantly experienced watching over him made him more secure and confident in this and in many other hazardous attempts saying So did David and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines 12 And Achish
that the avenger of Blood should not implacably persist in seeking revenge and that the manslayer should be spared Or rather thus but thinketh thoughts or but hath designed or therefore he intendeth that he who is banished to wit Absalom be not always expelled or banished from him i. e. from God and from his People and from the place of his Worship but that he should return home to him So the sense is That God by sparing Absaloms life in the midst of dangers did sufficiently intimate that he would in due time bring him back to his Land and People Even as in our Days and Land Gods miraculous preservation of the Life of our present Sovereign in so many and great dangers was a pledge and presage that God intended sooner or later to restore him to his Kingdoms 15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king it is because the people have made me afraid d The truth is I was even forced to this bold Address to thee by the disposition and condition of thy people who are discontented at Absalom's perpetual banishment and full of fears either lest upon thy death which none knoweth how soon it may happen they should be involved in a Civil War about thy Successor or lest in the mean time if Absalom by his Father-in-laws assistance invade the Land and indeavour by force to regain and secure his right to the Succession the people who have a great opinion of him and kindness for him and think he is very hardly used should take up Arms for him or lest he who is thy Heir and Successor should by continual and familiar conversation with Heathens be insnared in their Errors or alienated from the true Religion and from Gods Worship from which he is now utterly excluded and thy handmaid said e Or therefore thy handmaid said either within my self i. e. I intended or to the people to quiet them I will now speak unto the king it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid 16 For the king will hear f For I know the King is so wise and just that I assure my self of Audience and Acceptation Which expectation of hers is cunningly insinuated here that the King might conceive himself obliged to answer it and not to disappoint her hope nor to forfeit that good opinion which his Subjects now had of him to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man g To grant my request concerning my Son and consequently the peoples Petition concerning Absalom that would destroy me and my son h Implying that her life was bound up in the life of her Son and that she could not out-live his death and supposing it is like that it might be David's case also and would therefore touch him in a tender part though it were not proper to say it expresly and thereby suggesting that the tranquillity safety and comfort of the people of Israel depended upon Absalom's Restitution and the settlement of the Succession in him together out of the inheritance of God i i. e. Out of that Inheritance which God hath given to me and mine or out of that Land which God gave to his people to be their Inheritance and Possession and in which alone God hath settled the place of his Presence and Worship Whereby she intimates the danger of Absalom's living in a state of separation from God and his House and amongst Idolaters 17 Then thine handmaid said The word of my lord the king shall now be ‡ Heb. for rest comfortable k I doubt not the King will give a gracious and satisfactory Answer to my Peâ—…tion for as an angel of God l To wit 〈◊〉 Wisdom and Justice and Goodness so is my lord the king ‡ Heb. to hear to discern good and bad m To hear and judge of Causes and Requests whether they be just and good and fit to be granted as mine is or unrighteous and unreasonable 〈◊〉 fit to be rejected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confidence in the Justice of her Cause and thereby confirms the King in his purpose and promise to grant her Request and withal arms the King against the suggestions of them who should advise him to a rigorous execution of Gods Law against Absalom and be ready to censure him for restoring Absalom and this for want of that Angelical Wisdom which the King had who wisely considered many things far above their reach therefore n Because thou art so wise and just and pitiful and gracious to those who in strict Justice deserve punishment the LORD thy God will be with thee o God will own and stand by thee in this thy act of Grace or God will prosper thee in thy enterprizes or at least not be offended with thee 18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman Hide not from me I pray thee the thing that I shall ask thee And the woman said Let my lord the king now speak 19 And the king said Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this p Hast thou not said and done this by Ioab's direction and contrivance And the woman answered and said As thy soul liveth my lord the king none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken q As the King is so wise that no man can deceive him by any turnings or windings to the right or left hand but he quickly searcheth out the truth in every thing so it is a folly to dissemble or go about to conceal it it is even so thou hast now discovered the truth of this business for thy servant Joab he bade me and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid r To wit for the scope and substance of them but not as to all the expressions which she used for these were to be varied as the Kings answer gave occasion which also she did with singular prudence 20 To fetch about this form of speech s i. e. To propose mine and his and the peoples desire of Absalom's restitution in this parabolical manner in mine and my Sons person hath thy servant Joab done this thing and my lord is wise according to the wisdom of an angel of God to know all things that are in the earth t Or in this Land in all thy Kingdom all the counsels and devices of thy Subjects which have any relation to thee or thy affairs 21 ¶ And the king said unto Joab Behold now I have done this thing u In compliance with thy desire although in truth it was according to his own desire He overlooks the Woman in this grant because she was but Ioab's Instrument in it go therefore bring the young man x By which expression he mitigates his Crime as being an act of youthful heat and folly and rashness Absalom again 22 And
private or retired and quiet life without noise and numerous attendants and meddle not with the Affairâ—… of the Court and Kingdom CHAP. II. NOW the days of David drew nigh that he should die and he charged Solomon his son saying 2 â—… go the way of all the earth a i. e. Of all men upon the Earth Compare Ios. 23. 14. Heb. 9. 27. be thou strong b For to govern his People according to the Law of God as it here follows requires great fortitude or strength of mind to Arm himself against the subtil devices and evasions of some against the flatteries and importunities of others against terrors and dangers from revengeful men and especially against himself and his own weakness or partiality through fear or favour and against all those evil thoughts and passions to which the temptations of their great wealth and glory and uncontrollable power naturally expose them See Prov. 16. 32. therefore and shew thy self a man c In manly wisdom and courage and constancy though thou art but young in years 1 Chron. 22. 5. 3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God d i. e. What God hath charged or commanded thee to do the act being put for the object as is usual to walk in his ways to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses e Which the Prince was enjoyned to transcribe and read Deut. 17. 18. that he might govern his own and his peoples actions by it that thou mayest * Deut. 29. 9. Josh. 1. 7. ‖ Or do wisely prosper f Or behave thy self prudently for the word signifies both Hereby he intimates That Religion is the truest Reason of State and that all true Wisdom and good success depends upon Piety in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thy self 4 That the LORD may confirm his word g i. e. Fulfil his promise the condition upon which it was suspended being performed which he spake concerning me saying * Psal. 132. 12. If thy children take heed to their ways h i. e. Diligently observe all their actions to order them according to Gods word to walk before me i To live as those that have God before their eyes and indeavour to approve themselves to him in truth k Not onely in pretence and shew but truly and sincerely with all their heart and with all their soul l i. e. Universally freely and â—…ervently * 2 Sam. 7. 12. there shall not ‡ Heb. be cut off from thee from the throne fail thee said he a man on the throne of Israel m The Succession shall be continued in thy Line without any interruption 5 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me n i. e. Against me Either First Directly and immediately how insolently and imperiously he hath carried himself towards me from time to time trampling upon my Authority and Commands when they thwarted his humor or interest provoking my spirit by his words and actions See 2 Sam. 3. 39. and 19. 7. Or Secondly Indirectly in what he did against Abner and Amasa whose death was a great injury to David as it was a breach of his Laws and Peace a contempt of his Person and Government a pernicious example to others of his Subjects upon the like occasions a great scandal and dishonour to him as if Ioab had been onely David's instrument to effect what he secretly desired and designed whereby the hearts of his People either were or might have been alienated from him and inflamed against him and the wounds which were well-nigh healed might have been widened again and made to bleed afresh and o Or even the following branches being added as an explication of the foregoing to shew what and how he acted towards or against David Or and particularly as his other miscarriages so these especially what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel unto * 2 Sam. 3. 27. Abner the son of Ner and unto * 2 Sam. 20. 10. Amasa the son of Jether whom he slew and ‡ Heb. put shed the blood of war in peace p He flew them as if they had been in the state and act of War when there was not onely a Cessation of Arms but also a treaty and agreement of Peace of which also they were the great procurers and promoters and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins and in his shoes that were on his feet q This is added to note his impudence and impenitency that although by his perfidions manner of killing them when he pretended to embrace them he stained his own Garments with their Blood yet he was not ashamed of it but gloried in it and Marched boldly along with the Army with the same Girdle and Shoes which were sprinkled with their Blood See 2 Sam. 20. 10. 6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom r i. e. What in Reason and Justice thou seest fit For tho I was forced to forbear him when it was in a manner out of my power to punish him yet I never forgave him and therefore do thou wisely and severely examine all his actions and particularly this last Rebellion and punish him according to his demerits and let not his hoar head go down to ‡ Heb. hell So Gr. the grave in peace s Though he be old having been the General of the Army 40 Years yet do not suffer him to die a Natural death but cut him off by the Sword of Justice 7 But shew kindness unto the sons of * 2 Sam. 19. 31. Barzillai the Gileadite t Quest. Why doth he not require the like kindness to Mephibosheth the Son of his dear Ionathan Ans. Either he and his were now extinct or by their after miscarriages had forfeited his favour and let them be of those that eat at thy table for so u i. e. With such kindness either as I cannot express as the Particle so is else where used or as I command thee to shew to them they x i. e. Barzillai and his Sons for though Barzillai onely be mentioned 2 Sam. 17. 27. yet his Sons doubtless were instrumental in the business especially Chimham 2 Sam. 19. 37 38. came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother 8 And behold thou hast with thee y i. e. In thy power as that Phrase is oâ—…t used * 2 Sam. 16. 5. Shimei the son of Gera a Benjamite of Bahnrim which cursed me with a ‡ Heb. strong grievous curse z Or reproached me with bitter reproaches 2 Sam. 16. 7 8. which David could not but deeply resent from him though as it was an affliction sent from God he patiently submitted to it in the day when I went to Mahanaim but he came down to meet me at
Dreams it is but reasonable to allow something extraordinary For who can doubt but God may so clear up and assist a mans reason in his Dream that he may have a true and strong apprehension of some things which also may make a sutable impression upon the will or affections and consequently such acts of the Soul may be Moral acts and regardable by God and men And this might be a kind of exstatical rapture whereby his Soul might be as it were carried out of his Body as St. Paul's was 2 Cor. 12. 3. for a season in which case both his reason might clearly and distinctly apprehend Gods mind and his Gracious offer and his Will might make a free choice of Wisdom which therefore might be accepted and rewarded by God Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great ‖ Or bounty mercy according as he walked before thee in truth q Either First Sincerely and without dissimulation But that is more fully expressed in the following words in uprightness of heart Or rather Secondly in the true Worship and Service of God in the profession belief practice and defence of the truth or of the true Religion or of Gods Will or Word which is called truth Prov. 23. 23. Ioh. 17. 17. Gal. 3. 1. So truth here contains all his duties to God as righteousness doth his duties to men and uprightness the right manner of performing both sorts of duties and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee r i. e. In thy Judgment to whom alone his heart was known and to whom he oft appealed as the witness of his Integrity and with respect to whom he performed all his duties even to men and thou hast kept s Or reserved that which thou didst not reserve for Saul whose Posterity thou didst cut off from the Kingdom for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day 7 And now O LORD my God thou hast made thy servant king in stead of David my father and I am but a little child s So he was in Years not as if he were now but twelve Years old as many gather from this name of Child for that name is given to Ishmael when 18 Years old Gen. 21. 14 15 and to Rehoboam when 41 Years old 2 Chron. 13. 7. where the word is the same in the Hebrew and before this time David calls him a wise man chap. 2. 9. but he was now not above 20 Years old and withal which he principally intends he was raw and unexperienced as a Child in State-Affairs and altogether unfit for so hard a task I know not how to go out or come in t i. e. To govern my People and manage Affairs as that Phrase signifies Num. 27. 17. Deut. 31. 2. Ios. 14. 11. 8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people u i. e. Is set over them to rule and guide them A Metaphor from the Overseer of divers Workmen who usually is in the midst of them that he may the better observe how each of them dischargeth his office which thou hast chosen x Thy peculiar People whom thou takest special care of and therefore wiltst expect a more punctual account of my Government of them a great people that cannot be numbred nor counted for multitude 9 * â—… Chr. 1. 1â—… Give therefore thy servant an ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 understanding heart y Whereby I may both clearly discern and faithfully perform all the parts of my duty for both these are spoken of in Scripture as the effects of a good understanding and he that lives in the neglect of his duties or the practice of wickedness is called a Fool and one void of understanding to judge z Or govern as that word is used Iudg. 3. 10. and 4. 4. Psal. 7. 8. and 67. 4. Isa. 2. 4. and 16. 5. thy people that I may discern between good and bad a To wit in Causes and Controversies among my People that I may not through mistakes or prejudices or passions give wrong Sentences and call evil good or good evil for who is able b Of himself or without thy Gracious assistance to judg this thy so great a people 10 And the speech pleased the LORD c How such a Dreaming-prayer could please God see in the notes on v. 5 and 6. that Solomon had asked this thing 11 And God said unto him Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 days long life neither hast asked riches for thy self nor hast asked the life of thine enemies d That God would take away their lives or put them into thy power to destroy them but hast asked for thy self understanding ‡ Heb to 〈◊〉 to discern judgment 12 Behold I have done according to thy word e I have granted and do at this present grant unto thee thy desire And accordingly at this time God did infuse into him a far higher degree and greater measure of Wisdom than he naturally had lo I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart f i. e. Wisdom to govern thy People to know and do thy several duties which was the thing that Solomon desired v. 7 9. and the effects whereof here follow v. 16 c. and withal all Divine and human Wisdom the knowledge of all things of all the Arts and Sciences as may be gathered from 1 King 4. 29 c. and that in a far greater proportion than by his years and the time he could get for his study could possibly produce so that there was none g Either no King or rather no man for he is herein preferred not onely before all Kings but before all men chap. 4. 31. no meer man since the fall equalled him to wit in universal knowledge and especially in the art of well governing his People like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee ‖ Quest. Did not the Apostles excel him Ans. They did not in Natural and Political knowledge but onely in the knowledge of the mysteries of Faith which were more freely and more fully imparted in those times the ignorance whereof was no disparagement to Solomon's Wisdom because they were not discoverable by any Creature without Divine revelation which God saw fit not to afford in Solomon's time I know no inconvenience in affirming that Solomon's Natural capacities were higher than any of the Apostles and Solomon had a more comprehensive knowledge of all things known in that Age than the Apostles had in all the discoveries of their Age. 13 And I have also * Mat. 6. 〈◊〉 given h Either First I have granted and decreed to give for words signifying action are oft put onely for the purpose of the action Or rather Secondly I will give as it is expressed in the Parallel place
God Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God m Who by his Zeal for thee hath manifested himself to be thy God and Friend in a singular manner and therefore will hear thy Prayers for me though he will not regard mine because I have forsaken him and his Worship and pray for me that my hand may be restored me again And the man of God besought ‡ Heb. the 〈◊〉 of the LORD the LORD n To assure Ieroboam that what he had said was not from ill-will to him and that he heartily desired his Reformation not his Ruine and the kings hand was restored again o Partly to assure him that the stroke was from God partly because he Repented of that Violence which he intended against the Prophet for which God inflicted it and partly that this goodness of God to him might have led him to Repentance or if he continued Impenitent leave him without all excuse and became as it was before 7 And the king said unto the man of God Come home with me and refresh thy self and I will give thee a reward p Horrid Stupidity He desires to requite the Instrument but takes no notice of the chief Cause and Author of this great and wonderful Mercy which was God 8 And the man of God said unto the king * â—…o Numb 〈◊〉 18. and 24. 〈◊〉 If thou wilt give me half thine house I will not go in with thee neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place 9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD q My refusal of thy favour is not from any contempt or hatred of thy Person but in obedience to the just Command of my God who hath forbidden me all further Converse or Communication with thee saying Eat no bread nor drink water r To wit in that place or with that People Whereby God declares how detestable they were in Gods Eyes not because their Idolatry was so bad as that of the Heathens but because they were vile Apostates from the True God and embraced this Idol-worship against the light of their own Consciences meerly to comply with the Kings humour and command and because their vicinity and Relation to the Tribe of Iudah made this more dangerous as to their infection by it nor turn again by the same way that thou camest s That by thy avoiding the way that led thee to Bethel as execrable although thou wentest by my special Command thou mightest teach all others how much they should abhor that way and all thoughts of going to that place or to such people upon any trivial and unnecessary occasion 10 So he went another way and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel 11 ¶ Now there dwelt an old prophet t A Prophet of the Lord one to whom and by whom God did sometimes impart his mind as is manifest from ver 20 21. and one that had a respect to the Lords holy Prophets and gave credit to their Predictions all which the following Relation shews but whether he was an holy and good Man may justly be doubted seeing all those qualifications might meet in a vicious man to and by whom he may Reveal some part of his Mind as he did to Balaam Numb 23. c. and in such his other qualities are sometimes found and we find him in a downright and premeditated Lye and that without any great temptation to it ver 18. And albeit an holy Prophet might possibly have continued in the Kingdom of Israel he would never have gone from his own habitation to dwell at Bethel the chief Seat of Idolatry unless with design to Preach against it which it is evident he did not his Sons seem to have been present at and to have joyned with others in that Idolatrous worship v. 11. and that not without their Fathers connivence in Bethel u For thither he came to dwell probably expecting some great advantages from Ieroboam but he came out of Samaria 2 King 23. 18. where he either was born and had lived before Or his usual dwelling was at Bethel but had lately been at Samaria and was now returned to Bethel and his ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 sons x Who probably were eye and ear-witnesses of what had passed came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel the words which he had spoken unto the king them they told also to their father 12 And their father said unto them What way went he for his sons had seen what way the man of God went which came from Judah 13 And he said unto his sons Saddle me the ass So they sadled him the ass and he rode thereon 14 And went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak y Being faint and weary with his journey and possibly with the heat which makes him chuse this shady place and especially with hunger and thirst ver 9. And he might easily guess that this was the old Prophet by his age and carriage and it may be by his Prophetical Mantle and by the Character which his Sons had given him and he said unto him Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah And he said I am 15 Then he said unto him Come home with me and eat bread 16 And he said I ‡ Heb. cannot â—…eut 12. 16. 〈◊〉 17. 5. and â—… Cor. 10. 21. may not return with thee nor go in with thee neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place z i. e. In Bethel where thou desirest me to do it 17 For ‡ Heb. a word 〈◊〉 it was said to me by the word of the LORD Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest 18 He said unto him I am a prophet also as thou art and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD saying Bring him back with thee into thine house that he may eat bread and drink water But he lied unto him a Not with evil design against him but out of curiosity to know all the truth and circumstances from his own mouth and to express his kindness to him and to relieve his pressing hunger whereby possibly he thought to please God and to compensate for his miscarriages But his sin was great for he did not onely tell a premeditated lye but also made God a lyar and to contradict himself and all this without any pretence of necessity or benefit to himself 19 So he went back with him and did eat bread in his house and drank water 20 ¶ And it came to pass as they sat at the table b There the Prophet meets with a severe Judgment where he was pleasing himself with this seasonable refreshment that the word of the LORD came c By secret instinct into his mind as sometimes God spake to Moses
by other Authors that I may go in and dress it for me and my son that we may eat it and die b For having no more Provision we must needs perish with Hunger For though the Famine was onely in the Land of Israel yet the Effects of it were in Tyre and Sidon which were fed by the Corn of that Land See Acts 12. 20. Or the same Famine might be in those parts also the chief cause of the Famine to wit the Worship of Baal being common to both places 13 And Elijah said unto her Fear not go and do as thou hast said but make me thereof a little cake first c Which he requires as a tryal and exercise of her Faith and Charity and Obedience which he knew God would graciously and plentifully reward and so this would be a great Example to encourage others to the practise of the same Graces upon like occasions and bring it unto me and after make for thee and for thy son 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel d In whom I perceive thou trustest The barrel of meal e i. e. The Meal of the Barrel An Hypallage or Metonymy So the cruse of oil â—…or the oil of the cruse shall not waste neither shall the cruse of oil fail until the day that the LORD ‡ Heb. giveth sendeth rain upon the earth 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah f Giving Glory to the God of Israel by believing his Prophet and she and he and her house did eat ‖ Or a full year many days g i. e. A long time even above Two Years See Chap. 18. 1. Heb. days i. e. A full Year as ver 7. namely before the following Event about her Son happened and the rest of the time of the Famine after it 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not h God still Creating new as fast as the old was spent neither did the cruse of oil fail according to the word of the LORD which he spake ‡ Heb. by the hand of by Elijah 17 ¶ And it came to pass after these things that the son of the woman the mistress of the house fell sick and his sickness was so sore that there was no breath i Or no Soul or Life as this Hebrew Word oft signifies i. e. He died as is manifest from the following Verses See also Heb. 11. 35. left in him 18 And she said unto Elijah What have I to do with thee k Wherein have I injured or provoked thee Or Why didst thou come to Sojourn in my House as the following Words seem to Explain these if this be the fruit of it They are Words of a troubled Mind favouring of some rashness and impatience O thou man of God art thou come unto me l Didst thou come for this end that thou mightest severely observe my Sins and by thy prayers bring down God's just Judgment upon me for them as thou hast for the like cause brought down this Famine upon the Nation to call my sin to remembrance m Either 1. To my remembrance that I should by this dreadful Judgment be brought to the knowledge and remembrance of my Sins which have procured it Or rather 2. To God's Remembrance for God is oft said in Scripture to remember sins when he punisheth them and to forget them when he spares the Sinner See 2 Sem. 16. 10. Have I instead of the Blessing which I expected from thy presence met with a Curse and to stay my son 19 And he said unto her Give me thy son n Into mine Arms. And he took him out of her bosom and carried him up into a loft o A private place where he might more freely and fully pour out his Soul to God and use such Gestures or Methods as he thought most proper without any offence or observation where he abode and laid him upon his own bed 20 And he cried unto the LORD and said O LORD my God hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn by slaying her son p A Prayer full of powerful Arguments Thou art the Lord that canst revive the Child and my God and therefore wiltst not do not deny me She is a widow add not Affliction to the Afflicted deprive her not of the great support and staff of her Age She hath given me kind entertainment let her not fare the worse for her kindness to a Prophet whereby Wicked Men will take occasion to Reproach both her and Religion 21 And he ‡ Heb. measured stretched himself upon the child q Not as if he thought this could contribute any warmth or Life to the Child but partly to express and withal to increase his grief for the Child's Death and his desire of its reviving that thereby his Prayers might be more fervent and consequently more prevalent with God and partly that it might appear That this Miracle though wrought by God alone yet was done for the sake of Elijah and in answer to his Prayers Compare 2 King 4. 34. Ioh. 9. 6. Act. 20. 10. three times and cried unto the LORD r First he stretched himself then he prayed and that for Three times successively and said O LORD my God I pray thee let this childs soul come ‡ Heb. into 〈◊〉 inward parts into him again s By which it is evident That the Soul was gone out of his Body and therefore doth subsist without it after Death Compare Gen. 35. 18. This was a great Request but Elias was incouraged to make it partly by his Zeal for God's Honour which he thought was concerned in it and would be Eclipsed by it partly by the experience which he had of his prevailingpower with God in prayer and partly by a Divine Impulse moving him to desire it 22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah and the soul of the child came into him again and he revived 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down out of the chamber into the house and delivered him unto his mother and Elijah said See thy son liveth 24 ¶ And the woman said to Elijah Now by this I know t Now I am assured of that concerning which I began upon this sad occasion to doubt that thou art a man of God and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth u That the God whom thou professest is the True God and the Doctrine and Religion which thou Teachest is the onely True Religion and therefore henceforth I wholly Renounce the Worship of Idols CHAP. XVIII AND it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year a Either 1. From the time when he went to hide himself by the Brook Cerith Six Months before which time the Famine might begin though it was not yet come to extremity And so this being in or
you desire And all the people came near unto him and he repaired i Which by the Peoples help was quickly done the materials being all ready and very slightly put together onely for the present occasion the altar of the LORD k Which had been built there by some of their Ancestors for the offering of Sacrifice to the God of Israel which was frequently done in high-places of which this was none of the least eminent ones but being for some time neglected it needed reparations that was broken down l Either First By the Priests of Baal at this time who leaped upon it to that end of which see on ver 26. Or rather Secondly By some of the Baalites out of their enmity to the True God whose Temple because they could not reach they shewed their malignity in destroying his Altars ch 19. 14. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob m This he did partly to renew the Covenant between God and all the Tribes as Moses did Exod. 24. 4. Partly to shew that he prayed and acted in the Name and for the Service of the God of all the Patriarchs and of all the Tribes of Israel and for their good and partly to teach the people that though the Tribes were divided as to their Civil Government they ought all to be united in the Worship of the same God and in the same Religion unto whom the word of the LORD came saying * 〈◊〉 32 28. 2 〈◊〉 17. 34. Israel shall be thy name n Which Iacob was Graciously answered by God when he prayed to him and was honoured with the Glorious Title of Israel which noted his prevalency with God and men And I calling upon the same God doubt not of a like Gracious answer and if ever you mean to have your Prayers granted you must not seek to Baal for it who as you now see neither hears nor regards his most devout worshippers but unto the God of Iacob and if you would recover the honour which was once conferred upon Iacob and continued a long time to his Posterity you must return to that God from whom you are revolted 32 And with the stones he o With the assistance of the People who readily yielded their helping-hand built an altar p Which though generally forbidden he might do because he did it by the command and suggestion of God who can dispence with his own Laws and upon apparent and urgent necessity and for a work of great mercy to which even by Gods Command the Ceremonial Laws must give place Hos. 6. 6. Mar. 2. 27. even for the conversion of the Israelites whom it was impossible to bring to the Altar of Ierusalem at this time in the Name of the LORD q By the Authority of God and for his Worship and he made a trench about the altar as great as would contain two measures r i. e. Two third parts of an Ephah which shews that the â—…rench was of a competent largeness of seed 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bullock in pieces and laid him on the wood and said Fill four barrels with water s Which they could quickly fetch either from the River Kishon or if that was dried up from the â—…ea both which were at the foot of the Mountain See Ier. 46. 18. and * See Judg. 6. 20. pour it on the burnt-sacrifice and on the wood t This he did to make the Miracle more Glorious and more unquestionable and so more successful 34 And he said Do it the second time And they did it the second time And he said Do it the third time And they did it the third time 35 And the water ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 ran round about the altar and he filled the trench also with water 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice u Which time he chose that he might unite his Prayers with the Prayers of the Godly Iews at Ierusalem who at that time assembled together to pray Act. 3. 1. that Elijah the prophet came near and said LORD God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy servant and that I have done all these things x Brought this Famine gathered the people hither and done what I have done or am doing here at thy word y Not in compliance with my own passions but in obedience to thy command as thy Agent and Minister For that action of shutting up Heaven and that of killing the Priests of Baal must needs expose him to great envy and reproach which made this publick vindication necessary as it was also effectual being witnessed from Heaven 37 Hear me O LORD hear me that this people may know that thou art the LORD God and that thou hast turned their heart z That they may feel so powerful and sudden a change in their hearts that they may know it is thy Work and the effect of thy Grace to them and in them Or when thou hast turned c. or because thou c. So the Particle Vau is oft used and the sense is That they may know thee to be the True God by the effects of thy Divine Power in converting their hearts and that in so miraculous a way and in answer to my Prayers back again a Unto thee from whom they have revolted 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt-sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water that was in the trench 39 And when all the people saw it they fell on their faces b In way of acknowledgment and adoration of the True God and they said The LORD he is the God the LORD he is the God c He alone and Baal is a dull and sensless Idol And they double the words to note their abundant satisfaction and assurance of the Truth of their assertion 40 And Elijah said unto them d He takes the opportunity whilst the peoples hearts were warm with the fresh sense of this great miracle ‖ Or apprehend Take the prophets of Baal let not one of them escape and they took them and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon e That their blood might be poured into that River and thence conveyed into the Sea and might not defile the Holy Land and slew them there f Quest. How could Elijah do this seeing he was but a private Person Ans. First He had no doubt the consent of all the heads of the People who were here assembled and of the King too who durst not resist the universal torrent and could not deny that they were Impostors and worthy of Death and probably was by the Prophet assured of Rain when this was done Ans. Secondly As
we here until we die 4 If we say we will enter into the city then the famine is in the city and we shall die there and if we sit still here we die also Now therefore come and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die 5 And they rose up in the twilight i In the Evening twilight as appears from v. 9. and 12. to go unto the camp of the Syrians and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria behold there was no man there 6 For the LORD made the host of the Syrians to * 2 Sam. 5. 2â—… hear a noise k Either in the Air or rather in their Ears otherwise the Samaritans had heard it of chariots and a noise of horses even the noise of a great host and they said one to another Lo the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites l Under which name as elsewhere under the name of the Amorites he seems to understand all or any of the people of Canaan For though the greatest number of that people were destroyed yet â—…ry many of them were spared and many of them upon Ioshua's coming fled away some to more remote parts whiâ—… that famous and ancient Inscription upon a Pillar in Africa testifies and others to the Lands bordering upon Canaan where by reason of the scarcity of Inhabitants there was in tâ—…t Age room enough for them and there they seated themselves and grew numerous and powerful and had after their ancient and constant manner Kings over them The Kings also of Tyrus or Sidon may be here included and the kings of the Egyptians m By which they may understand either the King of Egypt the Plural Number being put for the Singular as it is elsewhere or the Princes and Governors of the several Nomi or Provinces in Egypt such being oft called kings in Scripture to come upon us 7 Wherefore they arose and â—…ed in the twilight and left their tents and their horses and their asses even the camp as it was and fled for life To save their lives which they fancied to be in such present and extream danger that they durst not stay to take away any of their Goods but every man fled the next way before him 8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp they went into one tent and did eat and drink and carried thence silver and gold and raiment and went and hid it and came a gain and entred into another tent and carried thence also and went and hid it 9 Then they said one to another We do not well n Not well for our Brethren whom we should pity and help nor well for our selves for we may suffer for this neglect either from the Syrians who may lie lurking hereabouts or from our King and people or from Gods immediate hand this day is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace if we tarry till the morning-light ‡ Heb. we shall find punishment some mischief will come upon us now therefore come that we may go and tell the kings houshold 10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city and they told them o To wit the Porter and his Companies saying We came to the camp of the Syrians and behold there was no man there neither voice of man but horses tied and asses tied and the tents as they were 11 And he called the porters p Either his fellow-Porters of the City or rather the Porters or Guards of the Gate of the Kings House and they told it to the kings house within 12 ¶ And the king arose in the night and said unto his servants I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us they know that we be hungry therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field saying When they come out of the city we shall catch them alive and get into the city 13 And one of his servants answered and said Let some take I pray thee five of the horses that remain which are left ‡ Heb. in it in the city behold they are as the multitude of Israel that are left in it behold I say they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed q So the sense is We may well venture these Horses though we have no more because both they and we are ready to perish through hunger and therefore let us use them whilst we may for our common good or to make the discovery But the repetition of the Phrase seems to imply something more emphatical and significant than the saving of four or five Horses for which it is not probable they would be so much concerned in their circumstances The words therefore may be rendred otherwise Behold they are of a truth the Hebrew prefix Caph being not here a note of similitude as the other Translations make it and as it is commonly used but an affirmation of the truth and certainty of the things as it is taken Numb 11. 1. Deut. 9. 10. Hos. 4. 4. and 5. 10. Iâ—…h 1. 14. all the multitude of the Horses of Israel that are left in it to wit in the City behold I say they are even all the multitude of the Horses of the Israelites which i. e. which multitude are consumed i. e. reduced to this small number all consumed except these five And thus the vulgar Latin and some others understand it And this was indeed a memorable passage and worthy of a double behold to shew what mischief the Famine had done both upon Men and Beasts and to what a low ebb the King of Israel was come that all his Troops of Horses to which he had trusted were shrunk to so small a number and let us send and see 14 They took therefore ‡ Heb. two chariots of horses 1. Kin. 10. 29. two chariot-horses r Or two chariots â—…f horses or rather two chariot-horses as divers render the words i. e. Horses which belonged to the Kings Chariots For single Horses 〈◊〉 much more proper for this service than Chariots and Horses And whereas it was moved by the Kings Servant that all the five Horses should be sent it seems it was thought by the King and others that two were sufficient for that purpose and the king sent after the host of the Syrians saying Go and see 15 And they went after them unto Jordan and lo all the way was full of garments and vessels which the Syrians had cast away ‡ Or. in theâ—… 〈◊〉 in their haste s Or in their fear or consternation wherewith God struck them and the messengers returned and told the king 16 And the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel
being seventy persons were with the great men of the city which brought them up 7 And it came to pass when the letter came to them that they took the kings sons and slew seventy persons Iehu justly required this because the Sovereign and most Righteous Lord of all mens lives commanded it but the Samaritans wickedly obeyed it because they destroyeâ—… persons in a great measure innocent meerly out of slavish fear and without any knowledge of or regard to Gods command and put their heads in baskets and sent him them to Jezreel 8 ¶ And there came a messenger and told him saying They have brought the heads of the kings sons And he said Lay ye them in two heaps at the entring in of the gate n The place of Judicature to signify that this was an act of Justice and of Gods Righteous Judgment and the place of greatest concourse where people went out of the City and came into it and whither they resorted for Judgment and other occasions that all men might behold this dreadful spectacle of Divine vengeance upon Ahab's Family and thereby might justify Iehu's cause and proceedings until the morning 9 And it came to pass in the morning that he went out and stood and said to all the people o Either First To the promiscuous multitude met there to gaze upon this sad and strange spectacle So the sense is Be not you troubled nor affrighted with these unusual and dismal occurrences if any thing be amiss in these actions I do here publickly and solemnly acquit you as Righteous and Innocent do not you therefore fear any vengeance from God or men for it if there be any guilt it is in me and in those who cut off these heads Or Secondly To those who cut off and brought the heads for the same persons did both and were here present as Iehu commanded them v. 6. to them he speaks in the audience of all the people or by all the people may be meant all those who brought the Heads and were there waiting for Iehu according to his order So the Speech is in part Ironical to this purpose You are Righteous in your own eyes and you look upon me as a Traitor and Rebel and Murderer because I have risen against and slain my Master which I acknowledge I have done But if I am guilty you are not innocent and therefore cannot accuse me for I have killed one but you a great number This explication seems probable onely the Hebrew word ham being generally used of the common people may seem not so fitly to agree to these Rulers and great Men who had brought the Heads and that expression to all the people implies that Iehu did not direct his Speech to some particular persons but to the whole Body of the people then present whom he clears from all blame and to whom he appeals as Witnesses between him and these persons Ye be righteous behold I conspired against my master and slew him but ‡ Heb. anâ—… who slew all these 10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD which the LORD spake p But the truth is neither I nor they are to be blamed nor you that assisted and encouraged me herein for this is not mans work but Gods and done by his command concerning the house of Ahab for the LORD hath done that which he spake * 1 Kin. 21. 29 ‡ Heb. by the hand of by his servant Elijah q Whom he mentions rather than Elisha partly because Elijah was now dead and therefore his â—…me and memory was more Sacred than Elisha's who was yet alive this being the common humour and folly of Mankind to value and honour those that are dead whom they contemned whilst they lived and partly because Elijah's Prophecy was known and publick and famous when Elisha's was delivered in a corner and that not from his own mouth but by one of the Sons of the Prophets 11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel and all his great men r Whom he had advanced and made Great in Wealth or Honour and Quality who had been partners with him in his sins and who were likely to be avenged of his death and his ‖ Or acquaintance kinsfolks and his priests s His Domestick Priests which had waited upon Ahab and Iezabel in their Idolatrous services and were fed at the Kings Table Compare 1 King 18. 19. Or his chief officers of State as that word is sometimes used Of which see 2 Sam. 8. 18. compare with 1 Chron. 18. 17. Obj. These were included in his great men mentioned before Answ. Yet may they well be mentioned apart as a distinct and the most eminent sort of them until he left him none remaining t To wit in that place and Kingdom for he did leave some of the Royal Seed of Iudah Chap. 11. 1 2. 12 And he arose and departed and came to Samaria And as he was at the ‡ Heb. House of Shepherds binding sheep shearing house u Where they used to shear Sheep and then to Feast after their manner 1 Sam. 25. 36. 2 Sam. 13. 23. Or this may be the name of a Place Beth-heked of the shepherds or Beth-heked-rohim in the way 13 Jehu ‡ Heb. found met with the brethren x Not strictly so for they were killed before this 2 Chron. 21. 17. but his brethrens sons as they are called 2 Chron. 22. 8. or others of his near kinsmen such being oft called brethren in Scripture as Gen. 13. 8. of Ahaziah king of Judah and said Who are ye And they answered We are the brethren of Ahaziah and we go down ‡ Heb. to the peace of c. to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen 14 And he said Take them alive And they took them alive and slew them y Partly in compliance with God's Command Chap. 9. 8. for these were of the House of Ahab by the Mothers-side Chap. 8. 18. and partly that they might neither claim the Kingdom of Israel in Right of their Grandmother as they might well have done if God had not given it to Iehu nor Revenge the Deaths of their near Relations at the pit of the shearing-house z Where he intended to Bury them even two and forty men neither left he any of them 15 And when he was departed thence he ‡ lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab a A Kenite 1 Chron. 2. 55. and a man of singular Prudence and Piety as appears from this History and from Ier. 35. 6. coming Heb. found to meet him b To Congratulate with him for the Destruction of that wicked Family and to encourage and advise him to proceed in fulfilling the Will of God Revealed to him and he ‡ Heb. blessed saluted him c Iehu saluted Iehonadab and
destroy them 25 But †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Esther came before the king he commanded by letters that his wicked device which he devised against the Jews should return upon his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows 26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of ‖ 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 Pur therefore for all the words of this letter and of that which they had seen t i. e. Both for the respect which they justly bare to Mordecai's â—…etter and because they themselves had seen and felt this wonderful work of God on their behalf concerning this matter and which had come unto them 27 The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joined themselves unto them u i. e. Gentile Proselites who were obliged to submit to other of the Jewish Laws and therefore to this also the rather because they enjoyed the benefit of this days deliverance without which the Jewish Nation and Religion had been in a great measure if not wholly extinct in the World so as it should not †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fail that they would keep these two days according to their writing x i. e. According to that writing which was drawn up by Mordecai with Esthers consent v. 23 29. and afterwards confirmed by the consent of all the Jews in the several places and according to their appointed time every year 28 And that these days should be remembred and kept throughout every generation every family every province and every city and that these days of Purim should not †Heb pass fail from among the Jews nor the memorial of them †Heb. â—…nded perish from their seed 29 Then Esther the queen the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew wrote with †Heb. all strength all authority y The former Letter v. 20. did only recommend but this enjoins the observation of this solemnity because this was not only Mordecai's Act who yet had by the King 's Grant a great Power and Authority over the Subjects of that Kingdom and consequently over the Jews but it was the Act of all the Jews binding themselves and Posterity to it v. 27. Or with all might or efficacy and as that word usually signifies He presâ—…ed it with all earnestness and vehemency to confirm this second letter of Purim 30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with words of peace and truth z Or even words of peace and truth Which may respect either 1. The form of the writing wherein after the custom he saluted them with hearty wishes of their true Peace or prosperity or of the continuance of those two great blessings of God truth i. e. the true Religion and Peace either among themselves or with all men that they might peaceably and quietly enjoy and profess the truth Or 2. The manner of his writing which was with peace i. e. friendship and kindness to his Brethren and truth i. e. sincerity which is the more noted and commended in him because it is so unusual in such great Courtiers as he now was Compare ch 10. 3. or the matter of his Writing which was to direct and persuade them to keep both peace and truth i. e. both to live peaceably and lovingly both one with another and with all their Neighbours not insulting over them upon their confidence in Mordecai's great power or upon this late and great success as men naturally and commonly do nor giving them any fresh provocations and yet holding fast the true Religion in spight of all the artifices or hostilities of the Gentiles among whom they lived 31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them and as they had decreed †Heb. for their souls for themselves and for their seed the matters of the fasting and of their cry ‖ For or about those great and overwhelming calamities which were decreed to all the Jews and for the removing of which not only Esther and the Jews in Shushan but all other Jews in all places as soon as they heard those dismal tidings did doubtless according to the precepts of Scripture and the constant practice of their godly Predecessors in all Ages fly to that last and only Refuge of seeking to God by Fasting and earnest Prayers and strong Cries unto God which God was pleased graciously to hear and in answer thereunto to give them this amazing Deliverance And this was that which they were now to remember to wit the greatness of their danger and of their rescue from it And accordingly the Jews use to observe the first of these days with Fasting and crying and other expressions of vehement grief and fear and the latter with Feasting and Thanksgiving and all demonstrations of Joy and Triumph 32 And the decree of Esther †Who had received Authority and commission from the King to impose this upon all the Jews confirmed these matters of Purim and it was written in the book * Either in the publick Registers of that Kingdom Or rather in the Records which the Jews kept of their most memorable passages CHAP. X. 1 ANd the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land and upon the isles of the sea a i. e. Upon all his Dominions whether in the main continent or in the Islands 2 And all the acts of his power and of his might and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai whereunto the king †〈…〉 advanced him are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus and great among the Jews and accepted of the multitude of his brethren b Who did not envy his greatness as men most commonly do in such cases but rejoiced in it and blessed God for it and praised and loved him â—…or his right sweet management of his vast power seeking the wealth of his people and speaking peace to all his seed c Or for all his seed to wit the Jews who were of the same seed and root from which he was descended He spoke and acted with great Kindness and Friendliness to them when they resorted to him upon any occasion JOB SOme things are to be premised in the General concerning this Book before I come to the Particulars 1. That this was no Fiction or Parable as some have dreamed but a real History which is sufficiently evident both from the whole Contexture of the Book wherein we have an exact and distinct account of the Places Persons and things here mentioned with their several Circumstances and especially the succeeding Pen-men of Holy Scripture who mention him as a real and eminent example of Piety and Patience as Ezek. 14. 14. Jam. 5. 11. 2. That
me off and nor suffer me to live any longer which will seem to me a cruel kind of patience towards me for I have not concealed the words of the holy One a i. e. Of God who is frequently called the Holy One in Scripture as Isa. 40. 25 57. 15. Hab. 3. 3. and is so in a most eminent and peculiar manner The sense is Therefore I do not fear death but desire it and that not only to be freed from my present troubles but also and especially to put me into the possession of the happiness of the next life of which I am assured becauses I have in good measure performed the conditions of that Covenant upon which he hath promised it for as for The words of God i. e. That light of sacred Truths Precepts which he hath been pleased to impart to me I have not concealed them neither from my self by shutting mine eyes against them or suffering my prejudices or passions or worldly Interests to blind my mind lest I should see them as you think I have done nor from others but as I my self have stedfastly believed them and not wilfully and wickedly departed from them so I have endeavoured to teach and commend them to others and have not been ashamed nor afraid boldly to profess and preach the true Religion in the midst of the Heathens who are round about me And therefore I know that if God doth cut me off it will be in mercy and I shall be a gainer by it Some translate and distinguish the Verse thus Yet this is my comfort though or when I scorch with pain and he i. e. God doth not spare me but afflicts me most severely that I have not concealed the words of God but have professed and practised them 11. What is my strength that I should hope b My strength is so small and spent that although I may linger a while in my torments yet I cannot live long and therefore it is vain and absurd for me to hope for such a restitution of my strength and prosperity as thou hast promised to me Ch. 5. 22. c. And therefore I justly pray that God would take away my life and what is mine end c Either 1. What is the end or period of my miseries When may I expect it I see no end of them I know not how long I may pine and linger in them Therefore Lord take me speedily away Or 2. What is the end of my life Or What is death to me It is not terrible but comfortable as he said v. 10. I need not those vain consolations which thou givest me of being kept from death v. 20. or having life continued and health restored Death is not the matter of my fear but of my desire that I should prolong my †Heb. 〈◊〉 life d To wit by my seeking to God for it as thou advisest me Ch 5. 8. Why should I desire or indeavour the prolonging of my life Or that I should lengthâ—… out my desire to wit of life and those comforts of life which thou hast propounded to me I desire not to live longer though in the greatest splendour and prosperity but to be dissolved and to be with my God and Redeemer Ch. 19. 25. The Hebrew word nephesh here rendred soul or life oft signifies desire as Gen. 23. 8. Deut. 23. 24. Prov. 23. 2. Eccles. 6. 9. 12. Is my strength the strength of stones Or is my flesh †Heb. 〈◊〉 of brass e I am not made of stone or brass but of flesh and blood as others are and therefore I am utterly unable to endure these miseries longer and can neither hope for nor desire any continuance of my life or restauration of my farmer happiness but onely wish for that death which is the common refuge of all miserable persons as I said Ch. 3. 17. 18. 13. Is not my help in me f Though I have no strength in my body or outward man yet I have some help and support within me or in my inward man even the conscience of my own innocency and piety notwithstanding all your bitter accusations and censures as if I had no integrity Ch. 4. 6. and is wisdom driven quite from me g If I have no strength in my body have I therefore no wisdom or judgment left in my Soul Am I therefore unable to judge of the vanity of thy discourse and of the truth of my own case Have I not common sence and discretion do not I know my own condition the nature and degree of my sufferings better than thou doest Am not I a better judge whether I have integrity or no than thou art But this verse is rendred otherwise and that very agreeably to the Hebrew words What if I have no help in me i. e. If I cannot help my self if my outward condition be helpless and hopeless as I confess it is is wisdom driven quite from me Have I therefore lost my understanding and common reason Cannot I judge whether it is more desirable for me to live or to die whether I am an hypocrite or no whether your words have truth and weight in them or no whether you take the right method in dealing with me whether you deal mercifully and sincerely with me or no. Yet again because the construction and sense of these words is judged very difficult this verse may be joyned with the following and rendred thus What if there be no help in me or if I be not able to bear my miseries and if counsel be driven from me so that I know not what to do or how to help or ease my self Or and subsistence or power of subsisting be driven or taken away from me so that I can neither help my self out of my troubles nor subsist under them yet to the afflicted pity should be shewed c. 14. †Heb. to 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 To him that is afflicted h Heb. To him that is melted or dissolved with afflictions or in the furnace of afflictions that is in extream miseries for such persons are said to be melted as Psal. 22. 14. 107. 26. 119. 28. Nah. 2. 10. pity should be shewed from his friend i His friend such as thou O Eliphaz pretendest to be to me should shew kindness benignity and compassion in his judgment of him and carriage towards him and not pass such unmerciful and heavy censures upon him nor load him with reproaches but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty k But thou hast no love or pity for thy neighbour and friend Which is a plain evidence that thou art guilty of that which thou didst charge me with even of the want of the fear of God for didst thou truly fear God thou couldest not and durst not be so unmerciful to thy brother both because God hath severely forbidden condemned that disposition carriage because God is able to punish thee for it
mete unto thee the same hard measure which thou metest to me But this verse is and may be otherwise rendred should a reproach for so the Hebrew cheâ—…ed oft signifies be laid upon him that is afflicted by his friend even that he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty Should my friend have fastened such a reproach upon me than which none is worse that I am an impious man and destitute of the fear of God Ch. 4. 6 7 8. This he mentions as that which was most grievous and intolerable to him 15. My brethren l i. e. My kinsmen or three friends For though Eliphaz onely had spoken the other two shewed their approbation of his discourse or at least of that part of it which contained his censure of Iobs person and State have dealt deceitfully m Under a pretence of friendship and kindness dealing unrighteously and unmercifully with me and adding to these afflictions which they said they came to remove as a brook and as the stream of brooks n Which quickly vanish and deceive the hopes of the thirsty traveller they pass away 16. Which are blackish by reason of the ice o Which in winter when the traveller neither needs nor desires it are full of water then congealed by the Forst and wherein the snow is hid p Either 1. Under which the water made of snow which formerly fell and afterward was dissolved lies hid So he implies that he speaks not of those Brooks which are fed by a constant Spring but of them which are filled by accidental and extraordinary falls of water or snow melted which run into them Or 2. Wherein there is abundance of snow mixed with or covered by the Ice Or Iâ—… which to sâ—…ow covers itself i. e. Where is snow upon snow Which gives the traveller hopes that when he comes that way in summer he shall find good store of water here for his refreshment 17. * 〈…〉 What time they wax warm q When the weather grows milder and the frost and snow is dissolved †they vanish †when it is not r In the hot season of the year when waters are most refreshing and necessary thy are †consumed out of their place s In which the traveller expected to find them to his comfort But they are gone he knows not whither 〈…〉 18. The paths of their way are turned aside t i. e. The course of those waters is changed they are gone out of their channel flowing hither and thither till they be quite consumed as it here follows they go to nothing and perish 19. The troops u As this word is used Gen. 37. 25. Isa. 21. 13. Heb. The waies put for the travellers in the waies by an usual Metonymy And so it must needs be meant here and in the next clause because the following verse they were confounded c. plainly sheweth that he here speaks of persons not of sensless things of Tema x This place and Sheba were both parts of the hot and dry Country of Arabia in which waters were very scarce and therefore precious and desirable especially to travellers who by their motion and the heat to which they were exposed were more hot and thirsty than other men looked the companies y As before the troops And thus he speaks because men did not there travel singly as here we do but in troops and companies for their greater security against wild Beasts and Robbers of which they had great store of Sheba waited for them 20. They z i. e. The troops and companies were confounded because they had hoped a They comforted themselves with the expectation of water there to quench their thirst they came thither and were ashamed b As having deceived themselves and others with vain and false hopes 21. ‖ 〈◊〉 for new 〈◊〉 like to 〈◊〉 For c He gives the reason why he charged them with deceitfulness and compared them to these deceitful Brooks now ye are †â—…eb to it nothing d Or as nothing the note of similitude being oft understood Heb. as not i. e. you are to me as if you had not been or as if you had never come to me for I have no benefit nor comfort from you and your discourse but only an increase of my misery ye see my casting down and are afraid e When you come near to me and perceive my great and manifold calamities you stand as it were at a distance you are shie of me and afraid for your selves either lest my fores or breath should insect you or lest some further plagues should come upon me wherein your selves for my sake or because you are in my company should be involved or lest I should be burdensom to you and need and call for your charitable contribution to support my self and the small remainders of my poor Family or for your helping hand to assist and save me from mine enemies who may possibly fall upon me in this place as the Chaldaeans and Sabaeans did upon my Servants and Cattle elsewhere which is implied in the next verses So far are you from being true friends and comforts to me as you would seem to be 22. Did I say f Or Is it because I said Is this or what else is the reason why you are afraid of me or alienated from me Bring unto me g Give me something for my support or relief Did either my former covetousness or my present necessity make me troublesome or chargeable to you or give a reward for me h Either to the Judge before whom I am brought and accused that he may give a favourable sentence in my behalf Or to the enemy who hath taken me captive Or give a gift for me i. e. for my use or need Did I send for you to come and visit me for this end Nay did you not come of your own accord Why then are you thus unmerciful to me Methinks you might at least have given me good and comfortable words which is the easiest and cheapest part of a friends work when I desire and expected nothing else from you of your substance 23. Or deliver me i By power and the force of your arms as Abraham delivered Lot from the enemies hand or redeem me k By price or ransome from the hand of the mighty 24 Teach me and I will hold my tongue m I will patiently hear and gladly receive your counsels Or I will be silent I will neither contradict you nor complain of my own griefs Compare Iob 40. 4 5. Prov. 30. 32. and cause me to understand wherein I have erred n i. e. My mistakes and miscarriages l Instead of censuring and reproaching instruct and convince me by solid arguments 25. How forcible are right words o i. e. The words of Truth or solid Arguments have a marvelous power to convince and persuade a man and if
yours were such I should readily yield to them but what doth your arguing reprove p Or your arguing argue There is no truth in your Assertions nor weight in your Arguments and therefore are they of no account or power with me 26. Do ye imagin to reprove words q i. e. Do you think that all your Arguments are solid and unanswerable and all my Answers are but idle and empty words Or do you think it is sufficient to cavil and quarrel with some of my words and expressions without considering the merits of the cause and the truth of my condition or giving an allowance for humane infirmity or for my extreme misery which may easily force from me some indecent expressions and to reprove the speeches of one that is desperate r Of a poor miserable hopeless and helpless man for the words of such persons are commonly neglected and despised although there be truth and great weight in them See Eccles. 9. 16. And such are generally thought to speak from deep passions and prejudices more than from reason and judgment which are as wind s i. e. Which you esteem to be like the Wind vain and light without solid substance making a great noise with little sense and to little purpose But this last branch of the verse may be and by many is rendred otherwise And do ye imagine which is to be repeated out of the former clause as is very usual in Scripture the words of one that is desperate to be but wind i. e. empty and vain Do you take me for a desperate and distracted man that knows not or cares not what he saith but only speaks what comes first into his mind and mouth The Wind is oft used to express vain words as Ch. 15. 2. Ier. 5. 13. and vain things Iob 7. 7. Prov. 11. 29. Some render the whole verse thus Do you in your arguings think or ought you to think the discourses of a dejected or desponding or sorely afflicted man such as I am to be but words and wind i. e. vain and empty as indeed the discourses of such persons use to be esteemed by such as are in an higher and more prosperous condition But you should judge more impartially and more mercifully Possibly the verse may be rendred thus Do you think to reprove the speeches of a desperate or dejected or miserable man such as I am and you use me accordingly with the praposition being very frequently omitted and understood in the Hebrew tongue words and with for the Hebrew prefix Lamed oft signifies with as hath been formerly proved wind You think any words or Arguments will be strong enough against one in my circumstances So it agrees with the foregoing verse 27. Yea †Heb ye câ—…st to fall upon ye overwhelm t Your words are not onely vain and useless and uncomfortable to me but also grievous and pernicious the fatherless u Heb. You rush or throw your selves upon him For words in Hiphil are oft put reciprocally as Hebricians know You fall upon him with all your might and say all that you can devise to charge and grieve him A metaphor from wild beasts that fall upon their prey to hold it fast and devour it You load him with censures and calumnies u Or the desolate i. e. me who am deprived of all my dear children and of all my estate forsaken by my friends and by my heavenly father Which should have procured me your pity rather than your censure and ye dig a pit for your friend x Or you feed or feast for so this Hebrew word is oft used as 2 Sam. 3 35. 2 Kings 6 23. Iob 40. 15. upon your friend i. e. You insult and triumph over me whom sometimes you owned for your friend 28. Now therefore be content look upon me y Be pleased either 1. To look upon my countenance if it betrayes any fear or guilt as if I spoke contrary to my own conscience Or rather 2. to consider me and my cause further and better than you have done that you may give a more true and righteous judgment concerning it for it is †Heb. before your face evident unto you z You will plainly discover it A little further consideration and discourse will make it manifest and I shall readily acknowledge it if I lie 29. * Ch. 17. 10. Return a Turn from your former course of perverse judgment lay aside passion and prejudice against me let me beg your second thoughts and a serious review of my case I pray you let it not be iniquity b To wit in your thoughts or debates I beg not your favour but your justice judge according to right and do not conclude me to be wicked because you see me to be miserable as you have falsly and unjustly done Or there shall be no iniquity to wit in my words which I have spoken and which I am further about to speak Which you will find upon the review yea return again my righteousness is ‖ That is in this matter in it c i. e. In this cause or matter between you and me the Relative without the Antecedent which is frequent in the Hebrew Language You will find the right to be on my side 30. Is there iniquity in my tongue d Consider again and more throughly examine if there be any untruth or iniquity in what I have already said or shall further speak to you cannot †Heb. my palate my tast e i. e. My judgment which discerns and judgeth of words and actions as the tast or palate doth of meats discern perverse things f i. e. False opinions or sinful expressions I am not so bereft of common understanding as not to be able to distinguish between good and evil And therefore if I have uttered or should utter any perverse words I should apprehend them to be so as well as you do CHAP. VII 1. IS there not ‖ Or a warfare * Chap. 14. 13 14. Psal. 39. 4. an appointed time to man upon Earth a Is there not a certain and short time limited by God wherein man shall live in this sinful vain and miserable world after which he shall live in an holier and happier place and state And is it a crime in me to desire that God would give me some ease and respite for the present and bring me to that blessed and joyful period are not his daies also like the daies of an hireling b Whose time is limited and short being but for a few years Isa. 16. 14. 21. 16. and sometimes but for daies Iob 14. 6. Matth. 20. 1 2. and whose condition is full of toil and hardship 2. As a Servant †Heb. gapeth after earnestly desireth the shadow c i. e. The Sun-set or the Night the time allotted for his rest and repose Psal. 104. 23. And why may
unto thee 9. Who knoweth not in all these q Or by all these Brute-creatures that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this r That God by his power and wisdom hath created and ordered all this which is in them or is done by and among them 10. * Num. 16. 22. In whose hand s i. e. At whose absolute disposal it is to give it or take it away when and how it seemeth good to him is the ‖ Or life soul t The Life or the Soul the Principle of Life of every living thing u i. e. Of all unreasonable Creatures of which he spoke v. 7. opposed to man in the last words and the breath x Or the spirit as that word is commonly used i. e. the Immortal Soul which is no less a Creature and in Gods power to dispose of it than the Animal Soul of unreasonable Creatures of †Heb. all flesh of man all mankind 11. * Chap. 34. 3. Doth not the ear try words and the †Heb. pâ—…late Chap. 6. 30. mouth tast his meat y As the Mouth tasteth and thereby judgeth of Meats and as it liketh or disliketh so it receiveth or rejecteth what is put into it so it is the Office of the Ear or rather of the Mind which hears and receives the Opinions and Discourses of others by the Ear not rashly to approve or condemn every thing which it hears but diligently and thoroughly to search and try whether it be true and so to be embraced or false and to be rejected Interpreters are much puzzled about the connexion and design of these words But they seem to be either 1. An Apology for himself why he did not comply with their Opinion and Arguments because they did not suit with his Ear or Mind and though he had considered and tried them he could not discern any weight in them Or rather 2. a Reproof to his Friends that they did so hastily condemn his Person and his Doctrine without a strict and serious enquiry Or 3. a Preface to his following Discourse whereby he invites them to hear and judge of his Words and Arguments more candidly and impartially and not to scorn all that he said because of his present poverty and misery as men aâ—…â—…ase use to do nor to cast away the good for any mixture of bad with it but calmly to weigh and debate things both within and among themselves and with him that they and he too might all agree in disallowing whatsoever should appear to be false and owning of every truth 12. With the ancient is Wisdom and in length of days Understanding z These words contain a concession of what Bildad had said ch 8. 8 9. and a joining with him in that appeal but withal an intimation that this Wisdom was but sinite and imperfect and liable to many mistakes and indeed meer Ignorance and Folly if compared with the divine Wisdom of which he speaks in the next and following Verses And therefore that antiquity which they pretended for their Opinion ought not to be received against the Oracles or Truths of the eternal and most wise God 13. ‖ That is with God With him a i. e. With God the Relative being put for the Antecedent which is easily and necessarily understood out of the scope of the place and all the following Verses is Wisdom b Perfect Wisdom is only in him and all Wisdom in the World cometh from him who giveth to old or young as iâ—… pleaseth him The ancient are not wise without his Giâ—… and Gâ—…ce and with that a younger Man may be wiser than the Ancients 〈◊〉 David was Psal. 119. 100. and strength he hath Counsel and Understanding c Counsel i. e. Practical Wisdom to guide all the Affairs of the World and Understanding or a speculative knowledge of all persons and things Chap. 36. 5. 14. Behold he * Chap. 11. 10. breaketh down d To wit Houses Castles Cities which God designeth to destroy utterly and it cannot be built again he ‖ 〈◊〉 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. shutteth †Heb. upon up e If he will shut up a man in Prison or in any straits or troubles a man and there can be no opening f Without Gods Permission and Providence 15. Behold he withholdeth the waters g Which are reserved in the Clouds that they may not fall upon the Earth and they h i. e. The Waters upon the Earth Ponds and Springs and Brooks and Rivers dry up also he sendeth them out and they overturn the Earth 16. With him is strength and Wisdom i He doth the things here mentioned in the foregoing and succeeding Verses and that both powerfully so as no Creature can resist and hinder him and wisely so as none can prevent and over-reach him The same thing he had said before v. 13. but he repeats it here to prepare the way for the following events which are eminent Instances both of his Power and Wisdom the deceived and the deceiver are his k i. e. From or by him and wholly subject to his disposal That one man deceiveth another and that the other is deceived by him either in Divine or Civil and Worldly things which seem to be principally intended here by comparing the following Verses this is from God and by the conduct of his wise and powerful Providence God giveth to the deceiver more Wit and Knowledge and Art and withal opportunity and all favourable Circumstances for his deceit He also gives less Understanding to the deceived and withdraws from him either wholly or in part that common light of discretion which is his free Gift and he may justly give or take away as he pleaseth and leaves him to his own Ignorance and Errour Pride and Self-conceit and to all those Prejudices Passions and Lusts which commonly corrupt mens Minds and to the Power and Crafts of Satan that grand deceiver He governs the Deceiver and sets bounds to his Deceits to whom and when and how far they shall extend as is manifest from Deut. 13. 1. 1 King 22. 20. Isa. 19. 14. Ezek. 14. 9. Mat. 24. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 11. Rev. 20. 3 8. He also over-rules all this to his own Glory and the accomplishment of his righteous Designs of trying the good and punishing wicked men by giving them up to believe Lies Yet God is not the cause or Author of any error or sin but only the wise and holy Governour and Disposer of it 17. He leadeth Counsellors away spoiled l The wise Counsellors or Statesmen by whom the affairs of Kings and Kingdoms are ordered he leadeth away as Captives in triumph being sâ—…oiled either of that Wisdom which they had or seemed or pretended to have or of that Power and dignity which they had enjoyed and maketh the Judges Fools m Partly by discovering their Folly and partly by infatuating their
his vehement desire and longing for that blessed time and state The reins are oft put for earnest desires or affections whereof they are supposed to be the seat as Iob. 38. 36. Prov. 23. 16. And men are oft in Scripture said to be consumed or eaten up or the like by ardent affections as Psalm 69. 19. 84. 2. and 119. 81 82. Iohn 2. 17. 28. But a Or Therefore because this is my case and my â—…aith and hope in God ye should say b So the Future is used Potentially as it is Obad. v. 12. and the sense is It would become you or it is your duty upon this account to say Or you will say i. e. Either 1. I hope you will say so and that you will be more moderate in your censures and expressions concerning me as being convinced and sweetned by this sincere and solemn profession of my Faith and Hope Or 2. Peradventure you will say to wit by way of excuse for your selves why persecute we him c So it is a correction of themselves seeing things are thus with him we are blame-worthy that we have persecuted him with such bitter Invectives and we will do so no more Or wherein or how for so that Particle is sometimes used as the Learned observe do we persecute him as â—…e chargeth us v. 22. He accuseth us falsly and without cause given on our parts So it is an Apology for their hard speeches against him which Iâ—… puts into their mouths as their exception to his charâ—…e which he mentioned v. 22. and upon that occasion falls into a most serious and pathetical exclamation v. 23 24. and into a most solemn declaration of his Faith in God his Redeemer v. 25 26 27. and after that digression he resumes the former matter and â—…ere propounds an Objection to which he gives a severe Answer which may seem to suit much better with this than with the former Exposition ‖ 〈…〉 seeing the root of the matter is found in me d These words contain either 1. a Motive or Reason why they should correct themselves for persecuting him and desâ—…st from it because saith Iob the root of the matter or word is in me The root notes the occasion or the foundation or the truth and substance of a thing And by this matter or word may be meant either 1. that famous profession of his Faith and Confidence in God v. 25 26 27. which saith he I have not uttered vaingloriously or hypocritically but from my very heart wherewith I believe what I have spoken with my mouth as is said upon another occasion Rom. 10 9 10. This Word or Faith is rooted in mine heart as it should be Matth. 13. 21. Col. 2. 7. I am no Hypocrite as you asperse me but an upright person having a root of true Religion in me which therefore should allay your Censures and make you willing to bear with some circumstantial defects or mistakes in my discourses or miscarriages into which my passion and pain might transport me and make you repent of your cruel usage of a truly good man But although Iob had this root in his heart yet this was doubâ—…ed of and not discernable by Iob's Friends and therefore could be no argument to them Possibly it might be better to understand by this root of the word to wit of God's word which is oft called the word by way of eminency the foundations or fundamental Truths of Divine Doctrine which Iob held as appeared by this glorious Confession howsoever he might err in the matter of Controversie with them which being a difference in lesser things they should mildly have born with it and not aggravated it and traduced him as if thereby he had renounced God and the very Principles of Religion as they did Or 2. the word or thing under debate among them So the sense may be this The root or truth of the thing deâ—…ated by us is with me i. e. is on my side Your discourses and arguments have no truth nor solidity in them as mine have You speak whatever cometh into your minds and mouths but my discourses are rooted or grounded upon sound knowledge and deep consideration But this was no convincing answer for they could easily retort the same thing upon him again and their affirmation might seem as good as his for it was only a begging of the thing in question Or rather 2. a desâ—…nce of themselves and of their former sharp and severe discourses which Iob called Persecution v. 22. And having made a short but vehement and important digression v. 23 c. he returns to the main question between them here And the sense of this Verse with submission to better judgments seems to me to be plainly this But ye will say i. e. I know will object against my Charge How or wherein or why do we persecute him Why doth he charge us with so black a Crime seeing or for as Vâ—… is oft used the root i. e. the Foundation or Cause or occasion of the word i. e. of those words or passages of ours which are so ill taken or of the matter i. e. of the thing now debated among us is in me i. e. Iob gives the occasion to it by his boisterous passions and wicked expressions against God which we neither can nor ought to endure but are to be sharply reproved And so this Verse contains their Objection or Apology which Iob puts into their mouths to which he makes a sharp and suitable reply in the following Verse 29. Be ye afraid of the sword e i. e. Of some considerable judgment to be inflicted on you which is called the sword as Deut. 32. 41. and oft elsewhere Do not please your selves with such pretences and crafty evasions as if the blame were wholly in me not in you God will not be mocked by you He sees and will punish your most unrighteous and uncharitable judgment of me and dealing with me for wrath bringeth the punishment of the sword f For that wrath or fury which is in your hearts and breaks out of your lips against me doth deserve and will certainly bring upon you 〈◊〉 punishment Heb. punishments or iniquities but iniquity is oft put for punishment of the sword i. e. a dreadful judgment from God Or without any supplement except that which is generally understood for wrath that sin of wrath or rage against a man especially against one in affliction is an iniquity Heb. iniquities the Plural number being used by way of aggravation as Psalm 73. 22. and elsewhere Or of the iniquities the Hebrew prefix Meâ—… being here understood as it is in many other places of the sword i. e. one of those iniquities which use to be or are fit to be punished by the sword i. e. by some eminent judgment as Iob 31. 19. An iniquity of the judges is an iniquity to be punished by the judges as our Translation hath it that ye may know
say c It is a defective speech and may be thus supplied Thus it was or God thus left you to your own weakness and mistakes and impertinent discourses lest ye should say c. i. e. lest you should ascribe the conquering or silencing of Iob to your own wisdom age and experience Or lest you should â—…astingly 〈◊〉 We have discovered and said all that can or nâ—…d â—…e said in the Cause the sum and substance of the thing that which may fully and finally end the Controversie which is contained in the fâ—…lowing words We have found out wisdom God thrusteth him down not man d These are alledged by Eâ—…ihu in the person of 〈◊〉 three Friends or as their words The sense is The 〈◊〉 judgments which are upon Iob have not been brought upon him by man solely and originally for then there might have been some ground for Iob's complaints there might have been injustice or cruelty in them but immediately by the hand of God of that God who being Omniscient and just and true and mercifull would never have dealt thus hardly with Iob if he were not an Hypocrite and guilty of some very grâ—…ss though secret 〈◊〉 which is the ground-work of our discourses But â—…aith Elâ—… this Argument doth not satisfie me and therefore bear with me if I seek for better 14. Now he hath not †Heb. 〈◊〉 directed his words against me e I am not engaged in this discourse by any provoking words of Iob as you have been which hath drawn forth your passions and byassed your judgments but meerly from zeal for the vindcation of God's honour and love to truth and justice and a â—…cere desire to administer to Iob matter both of conviction and of comfort neither will I answer him with your words f i. e. with such words or arguments as yours either weak and impertinent or fierce and opprobricus 15. They g i. e. Iob's three Friends of whom he speaks sometimes in the second and here in the third person directing his speech to Iob and the Auditors of this disputation were amazed h They stood mute like persons amazed not knowing what to reply to Iob's arguments and wondring at his bold and confident assertions of his â—…ntegrity and of his interest in God under such sad and manifest tokens of God's just displeasure against him they answered no more i Although Iob gave them just occasion to reprove and confute him for his intemperate speeches and presumptuous and irreverent expressions concerning God †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they left off speaking 16. When I had waited for they spake not but stood still and answered no more k Which he repeats as a strange and unreasonable thing that they should be silent when they had such obligations to speak for the vindication both of God's justice and of their own truth and reputation 17. I said I will answer also my part l I will take my turn and speak what they have omitted I also will shew mine opinion 18. For I am full of †Heb. 〈◊〉 matter m i. e. I have many things to say in this cause †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit within me n Either my own Spirit or Soul which is wholly dissatisfied with what hath been hitherto spoken and clearly apprehends what may silence Iob and end the dispute Or God's Spirit which he hath put in me the Spirit of Understanding which hath discovered the truth of the matter to me and the Spirit of Zeal which urgeth me to plead God's Cause against Iob. constraineth me o Forceth me to speak It is a Metaphor from a man or woman whose Belly is full with Wind or with a Child and is never at rest till it be emptied and eased of its burden 19. Behold my belly p i. e. My mind or heart which is oft called a man's belly as Iob 15. 35. Psalm 40. 8. Hab. 3. 16. Ioâ—… 7. 38. is as wine q As new Wine pent up close in a Bottle as the following words explain and determine it The Wine is here put for the Bottle in which it is by a common Metonymy which †Heb. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles r i. e. Bottles of new Wine by the same general Figure for otherwise old Bottles are most apt to burst Matthew 9. 17. 20. I will speak †Heb. 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may be refreshed s That I may ease my mind of those thoughts which now oppress it I will open my lips and answer t I will not utter impertinent words but solid answers to Iob's arguments 21. Let me not I pray you accept any mans person u Do not expect that I should out of fear or respect to any of you speak partially but bear with my free and plain dealing with you all neither let me give flattering titles unto man z. x As I shall not censure and reproach Iob as an Hypocrite or profane person which you have done so neither shall I flatter him but faithfully reprove him for his exorbiâ—…ant speeches of God 22. For I know not to give flattering titles y i. e. I have neither skill nor will to flatter Iob or any man so as to debauch my Conscience or corrupt the Truth or speak falsly for his sake in so doing z i. e. If I should be guilty of that sin God would quickly and â—…orely punish me â—…or it Or without this supplement My Maker will quickly take me away to wit out of this world I dare not â—…atter any man because I consider I must shortly die and go to judgment to give an account of all my words and actions my maker would soon take me away CHAP. XXXIII 1. WHerefore Job I pray thee a Perceiving the errour of Iob's Friends and that by their violent and opprobrious speeches they had exasperated Iob's mind and thereby hindred the success of their discourses he applies himself to him in milder ways and treats him kindly thereby to gain his attention and affection that his words might have more acceptance with him hear my speeches and hearken to all my words b Not only to what may please thee but also to what may convince and reprove thee 2. Behold now I have opened my mouth c Now I have begun to speak and intend with thy good leave to proceed in my discourse with thee my tongue hath spoken †〈…〉 in my mouth d Heb. in or with my paâ—…ate for both Tongue and Palate are Instruments of Speech and that a man should speak plainly and distinctly which he designed to do it is necessary that his Tongue should oft-times touch the Palate or Roof of the mouth 3. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart e I shall not speak passionately or partially as one resolved
is very concise and short and many things to be understood perceiveth it not c Through his inadvertency or negligence or dulness Man therefore hath no reason to charge God as if he were deficient in his notices and manifestations of his will but to accuse himself for not improving revealed things to his own advantage but desiring rather to pry into God's secret counsels which was Job's errour 15. In a dream d This he mentions as the usual way of Gods revealing his mind and will to men in those days before Gods word was committed to writing as Gen. 20. 6. 41. â—… 28. in a vision of the Night e This is added by way of explication and limitation to shew that he speaks not of every dream but of those divine dreams in which God was pleased to vouchsafe some vision or representation of his will to the mind of a Man when deep sleep falleth upon men f When mens senses are bound up and their minds free from all distracting cares and busâ—…ness of the World and wholly at leisure to receive divine impressions in slumbrings g This is added because in this case the Man is like one that slumbereth or between sleeping and waking or uncertain in which staâ—…e he is as Paul could not tell whether he was in the Body or out of the Body when he was in his extasie 2 Cor. 12. 1. 2. upon the bed 16. Then †Heb. he revealâ—…th or uncovereth he openeth the ears of men h i. e. He revealeth his will to the ears and hearts of men as this Phrase is used Iob 36. 10. Psal. 40 6. Isa. 50. 4. and sealeth their instruction i He imprinteth those instructions which he hath revealed to their ears upon their minds that after they have heard and received them they do not let them slip as men commonly do most things which they hear whether from God or men but do retain and hold them fast and are fully satisfied and assured of the truth and importance of them Or he sealeth their chastening or correction for so this word signifies as well as instruction i. e. He gives them assurance of his purpose of correcting them for their sins if they do not prevent it by a speedy repentance Or he sealeth it i. e. his Word conveyed to their Ears and Minds with chastening them i. e. He gives them assurance of the truth and reality of his revelation by striking them with a Sacred dread and horror as was usual in such dreams or night Visions as we see Iob 4. 13 14. Which he did that they might remember it the better and distinguish this from such vain dreams as are onely the productions of Man's fancy 17. That he k i. e. God who was expressed v. 14. and designed by this Pronoun he both in the foregoing and following Verses may withdraw Man from his †Heb. work purpose l i. e. From the execution of his purpose Heb. from his work i. e. from his evil work as the Chaldee and Seventy understand it from sin which is truly and fitly called Man's work because it hath its rise in and from him and is his own proper work and very agreeable to his Nature in his present corrupt estate as on the contrary all the good that is in Man is God's proper and peculiar work and is generally ascribed to him in Scripture So this is noted as the design of God's giving Man this warning to keep him from executing that evil work which possibly he had designed to do of which see examples Gen. 20. 5 6 31. 24. and hide pride m i. e. either 1. To take it away as God is said to hide sin when he quite removes and forgives it Psal. 32. 1. and sorrow is said to be hid Job 3. 10. when it never is nor was and understanding is said to be hid when it perisheth Isa. 29. 14. And Pride is here mentioned as the root of those evil purposes or works last mentioned which for the most part proceed from haughtiness of spirit whereby men scorn to submit themselves and their wills and actions to God's Authority and presume to advance themselves above God and resolve to follow their own wills and lusts in spight of God and with contempt of him Or Pride may be here put for all matter or occasion of Pride And God by this means is said to hide Pride from Man because by these glorious and terrible representations of his divine Majesty to a Man he takes him off from the contemplation and admiration of his own excellency which men are generally very prone to reflect upon and brings him to a sight of his own nothingness and weakness and to a sense of his dependence upon God and to an humble and ready submission to his will and pleasure from Man 18. * Vers. 28. He keepeth back l To wit by these gracious admonitions whereby he leads them to repentance his soul from the pit n i. e. From the Grave from death or destruction and his life †Heb. from passing by the Sword from perishing by the sword o i. e. By some dreadful Judgment of God which was ready to fall upon him m Either the Man who is oft expressed by this part or his life as the next branch explains it 19. He is chastned also with pain p Or grief with some painful and dangerous diseases or Bodily distempers which is the second way whereby God instructs men and excites them to repentance which also was Iob's case upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain q The pain pierceth his very Bones even all of them Or even the strong multitude of his Bones i. e. his Bones which are both many and strong Or according to another reading the contention of his Bones i. e. the pain of his Bones whereby God contends with him is strong This also was Iob's case Chap. 30. 17. 20. * Psal. 107. 18. So that his life r i. e. His Soul as the next clause explains it or his Appetite which is a sign and an act of life ‖ Or maketh him abhor abhorred bread s i e. Common and necessary food and his soul †Heb. meat of desire dainty meat t Such as others do and he formerly did much desire and prize 21. His flesh is consumed away u Through pain and pining sickness that it cannot be seen x Because there is none left to be seen but he who before was fat and flourishing is now become a meer Skeleton and his bones that were not seen y Formerly because they were covered with flesh and fat But this Clause is and may be rendred thus and his Bones are broken and are not seen which is to be metaphorically understood stick out 22. His soul draweth near unto the †Heb. pit grave z
to him through the Mediatour and sincerely repenting of and turning from his former sins unto the serious practice of righteousness and true holiness and therefore must needs be favourable to him as he hath declared and ingaged himself to be in such cases 27. ‖ 〈…〉 He looketh upon men u Either 1. the sick Man shall look upon and converse with Mankind his Friends or others as he did before and shall say as the following word is and may be rendred I have sinned c. i. e. He shall confess to them that God was not to be blamed but that he by his own sin and folly did bring that evil upon himself And then he shall acknowledge God's great goodness to him and shall add what follows in the next Verse He hath delivered my Soul c. and my life c. as they render it Or rather 2. God diligently observes all Mankind and their several carriages especially in sickness and distress and if any say I have sinned x If there be any Man that sincerely saith thus God hears it and will pardon and heal him as it follows and perverted that which was right y Either 1. I have judged perversly of the just and right ways of God censuring his proceedings against me as too severe and rigorous whereas in truth I only was to be blamed Or 2. I have perverted God's righteous Law by bending it and making it comply with my crooked ways Or I have swerved from the right and good way of God's commands or I have made crooked paths So he repeats in other words what he said in the former branch of the Verse I have sinned and it profited me not z I got no good by so doing as I vainly promised my self but I got much hurt by it even diseases and griefs and extreme dangers This was the just fruit of my sins It is a Meiosis whereby less is said and more is understood of which we have seen many examples before 28. ‖ 〈…〉 He a i. e. God whose work alone this is will deliver his soul b Himself or as it follows his life from going into the pit and his life c See on v. 18. shall see the light d i. e. Shall enjoy either 1. prosperity which is oft called light as darkness is put for affliction or 2. the light of the living as it follows v. 30. the light of this World i. e. His life which was endangered shall be restored and continued This is opposed to his going down into the Pit in the former branch 29. Lo all these things worketh God e All these ways and methods doth God use to awaken and convince and save sinners †〈…〉 oftentimes with man f Either severally one way with one and another way with another or with the same Man trying several means one after another to bring him to repentance and prepare him for deliverance 30. * 〈◊〉 â—…6 13. To bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the living g i. e. That he may enjoy the light of life and continue in the Land of the Living out of which he was going 31. Mark well O Job hearken unto me hold thy peace h Attend to what I have further to say to thee with patience and silence and I will speak 32. If thou hast any thing to say i answer me speak for I desire to justifie thee k For thy own justification or in answer to the charge that I have already brought against thee k To wit as far as may consist with Truth and Justice I do not speak with evil design or a bitter mind or as one resolved to condemn thee whatsoever thou sayest and I shall be glad to hear any thing from thee which may make for thy just vindication 33. If not hearken unto me hold thy peace and I shall teach thee wisdom l i. e. What thy wisdom and duty is in thy circumstances CHAP. XXXIV 1. FUrthermore Elihu answered and said 2. Hear my words O ye wise men a Who are here present do you judge of the truth and reason of what I have said and am further to say for I am willing to submit all to the judgment of the truly wise and give ear unto me ye that have knowledge 3. * Chap. 6. 30. 12. 11. For the ear trieth words b i. e. Man's mind judgeth of things spoken and heard The ear the sense of Discipline is put for the mind to which things are conveyed by it See the note on Iob 12. 11. as the †Heb. palate mouth tasteth meat 4. Let us choose to us judgment c i. e. Justice and Equity judgment being oft synecdochically used for just judgment as Iob 8. 3. 19 7. 32. 9. Psal. 37. 28. Let us not contend for victory but only for Truth and Justice This shall be my only care and business Let us lay aside all prejudices and animosities which I perceive have had too great an influence upon thee and thy friends and impartially consider the naked truth and right of the cause let us know d i. e. Let us discover or make it known one to another among our selves what is good e Who hath the best cause 5. For Job hath said * Chap. 〈◊〉 I am righteous f Either 1. I am perfectly righteous But this Iob did not say but the contrary Iob 9. 2 3. 14. 4. Or 2. I am a sincere Person no Hypocrite as my Friends make me But this Elibu doth not deny or 3. I am so far righteous and have been so holy and blameless in my life that I have not deserved not had any reason to expect such hard usage from God And this Iob had oft intimated and Elihu doth justly blame him for it that he blazoned his own righteousness with tacit reflections upon God for dealing so severely with him and my God hath taken away my judgment g For so Iob had said Ch. 27. 2. i. e. He denies me that which is but just and equal to give me a fair hearing to suffer me to plead my Cause with or before him to shew me the reasons of his contending with me and what sins besides common infirmities I have been guilty of whereby I have deserved such extraordinary judgments Which Elihu justly taxeth him with as a very irreverent and presumptuous expression 6. Should I lie against my right h So Iob had said in effect Ch. 27. 4 5 6. Should I falsly accuse my self of such sins of which I am no way conscious to my self Should I betray mine own cause and deny my integrity and say that I deserved worse than I have done †Heb. mine Arrow Chap. 6. 4. 16. 12. my wound is incurable without transgression i i. e. Without any great or hainous or crying sin as
tells him that he is not to judge of God by present appearance because though God may for a season hide his Face and delay to give him an answer yet he will certainly do him right yet judgment is before him d i. e. Before God or in his presence or at his Tribunal or in all his ways and administrations And judgment is put for Justice or just judgment as it is Job 8. 3. Psal. 37. 28. 99. 4. and oft elsewhere So the sense is God is and will shew himself to be just in all his ways and therefore thou dost wickedly in reflecting upon God justice Or yet judge thy self before him instead of accusing God condemn thy self acknowledge thy sins and then thou mayst hope for Mercy Compare 1 Cor. 11. 31. therefore trust thou in him e In stead of murmuring against him put thy trust in him Repent of what is past and humble thy self under God'â—… hand and do not despond for the future but waâ—…t upon God patiently in his way till deliverance come to thee for it will certainly come if thou dost not hinder it 15. But now because it is not so f i. e. Because Iob doth not acknowledge God's justice and his own sins and wait upon God in his way for Mercy according to the last advice given to him v. 14. ‖ That is God he g To wit God to whom this great work of visiting is ascribed every where in Scripture hath visited in his anger h i. e. Hath laid grievous afflictions upon him all which is too little to bring Job to compliance with God yet ‖ That is Job he knoweth it not i Job is not sufficiently sensible of it so as to be humbled under God's hand in great extremity k Or though which Particle is sometimes understood of which examples have been before in great extremity or abâ—…dance to wit of afflictions Though Job hath hitherto been and still is exercised with very sore Calamities yet they have not brought Job to the knowledge of God and of himself But this Verse is and may be rendred thus Aâ—…d now know that his i. e. God's angâ—…r hath visited thee little or nothing to wit in comparison of what thou hast deserved and mightest reasonably expect neither hath 〈◊〉 known i. e. judged or punished as this word is used Prov. 10. 9. and elsewhere thee in or according to as the prefix 〈◊〉 is sometimes used 〈◊〉 great abâ—…dance to wit of thy sins And therefore thy complaints against God are very unrighteous and unâ—…easonable 16. Therefore l Hence it is manifest doth Job open his mouth in vain m i. e. Four forth his complaints without any success and gets no â—…ase by â—…hem he multiplieth words without knowledge n Thereby discovering his ignorance of God and of himself CHAP. XXXVI 1. ELihu also proceeded and said 2. Suffer me a little a Give me thy patient attention but a little longer and I have done and I will shew thee †Heb. that there are yet words for God that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf b That I have not said all that can be said to justifie God's proceedings against thee 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar c i. e. From remote times and places and things I will not confine my discourse to thy particular case but will justifie God by declaring his great and glorious works of Creation and Providence both in the Heaven and Earth and the manner of his dealing with men in other Parts and Ages of the World for these are the chief Heads of the following Discourse and therefore the best comment upon this general expression and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker d I will acknowledge that which is true that God is righteous He adds the words my Maker either 1. as an argument or evidence of God's righteousness partly because it is not likely that God should be unjust to his own Creatures since even men are not only just but kind to their own Works and Relations and partly because the Work of Creation gave unto God an absolute right and power to dispose of Job as he saw fit as the Potter hath power over the Clay Rom. 9. 21. and therefore there was no foundation for unrighteousness nor any temptation upon God to do it and partly because Man's Maker must needs be a Being of all possible perfection and therefore one of perfect righteousness Or 2. as a motive or obligation upon him to plead God's cause I do not engage my self in this Controversie out of a pragmatical or contentious humour nor out of any prejudice or ill will to thee but meerly from the sense of my duty to my blessed Creator Withal he reflects upon Job as guilty of great folly and ingratitude in contending with him in or by whom he lived and moved and had his being 4. For truly my words shall not be false e I will not speak any thing against my own Conscience nor against Truth either to flatter God or to vex thee as thou supposest thy other Friends have done Chap. 13. 7. and elsewhere * Ch. 37. 16. he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee f This is meant either 1. of God Thou hast to do with a God of perfect Knowledge by whom all thy words and actions are weighed and therefore hast need to be more wary and circumspect in thy expressions and behaviour Or rather 2. of himself as the former part of the Verse is And he speaketh of himself in the third Person for modesty's sake He speaks not of absolute but of comparative Perfection And whatsoever perfection of Knowledge he had he doth not ascribe it to himself but to God's Spirit Chap. 32. 8. And the meaning may be this Thou hast not to do with a Novice but with one who hath accurately considered and though God's grace doth fully understand these matters Therefore hearken to me But the word rendred perfect signifieth also sincere or upright or right And this may seem best to agree with the former Clause wherein he saith that he would not speak what he knew to be â—…alse and now he adds that he was and would be upright in the use of his knowledge or in the delivery of his Opinion in this matter and not be 〈◊〉 by any passion or prejudice either to speak otherwise than he thought or to judge otherwise than he should 5. Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any g His greatness doth not make him as it doth men to scorn or despise or oppress the meanest Though he may do what he pleaseth and none can hinder him yet he will not use it to do any Man wrong as Job seemed to inâ—…nuate Chap. 10. 3. 19. 7. 23. 13. * Chap. 9. 4. 12. 13 16. 37. 23. he is mighty in strength and †Heb. heart wisdom
glorious Majesty of his soveraign Power and Dominion over all men and things and of his accurate Inspection into all men and their actions here below which from that high Tower he can easily behold as it here follows the LORD'S throne p Where he sits to examine all Causes and to judge all Men and to give forth righteous Sentences according to every mans works which is my great Comfort and Joy is in heaven his eyes behold * Psal. 33. 13. 3â—… 15 16. 66. 7. his eye-lids try the children of men q i. e. He doth exactly and thoroughly discern all men and all that is in men their most inward and secret Actions Psal. 7. 9. And therefore he sees and will reward my Innocency notwithstanding all the Reproaches and Calumnies of mine Enemies and withal he sees all their secret and subtil and malitious Designs against me through all their cunning Pretences and will discover and defeat them n To whom I appeal from mens unjust Tribunals 5. The LORD trieth r Either 1. He examines them and knows them to be righteous and consequently approveth and loveth and will preserve and bless them which may be gathered from the contrary Condition of the Wicked whom God is supposed to try though that be not expressed and upon Trial finds them to be wicked and therefore hates and punisheth them as it follows The like Ellipsis of an whole Sentence see on Psal. 1. 6. Or 2. He tryeth and exerciseth them and their Graces by Afflictions or he corrects them for their Sins which is oft called trying as Psal. 66. 10. Zech. 13. 9. Iames 1. 12. 1. Pet. 4. 12. So this is spoken by way of concession and to remove the Offence which some men might take at David whose person and cause they might be apt to condemn because of his Troubles Therefore he saith God tries i. e. chastens even righteous persons yet still he loves them and therefore will in due time deliver them But as for the wicked let not them rejoyce in my Tryals for far worse things are appointed for them God hates them and will severely punish them the righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence s By which Character he describes and brands his Enemies and aggravates their Malice because they chose and practised Violence against him not for any need which they had of it for David was a most peaceable and harmless man and neither pretended nor indeavoured to do any more than to defend himself and that as far as was possible without the Offence or Injury of any other man but meerly from their Love to Injustice and Violence and their implacable Hatred against goodness and good men his soul hateth t He hateth with or from his Soul i. e. inwardly and ardently 6. * Ezek. 38 22. Upon the wicked he shall rain u Which notes their Original to be extraordinary and from God's hand and withal that they should come plentifully swiftly and suddenly violently and unavoidably as Rain commonly doth fall from Heaven snares x i. e. Grievous Plagues or Judgments which are called Snares here as also Iob. 18. 9 10. and 22. 10. Isa. 8. 14. and 24. 17 18. Partly because wicked men are oft times surprized with them when they least expect them Luk. 21. 35. And partly because they cannot escape them nor get out of them but are held fast and destroyed by them fire and brimstone and ‖ i. e. Dreadful Judgments so called metaphorically and by allusion to the Destruction of Sodom and other places by these means But this he seems to speak not so much of present and temporal Calamities as of their future and eternal Punishments because he manifestly speaks of those Miseries which are peculiar to wicked men whereas David knew very well both by his own Experience and by the History of Iob and of Israel's Bondage in Egypt that all things here came alike to all men good or bad Eccles. 9. 2. and that good men had many times a greater share of worldly troubles than God's own people as David acknowledgeth and complaineth of it Psal. 73. an horrible tempest ‖ Or a burning 〈◊〉 this shall be the portion of their * Psal. 16. 5. cup y This is their portion and as it were the meat and drink appointed to them by God This shall certainly and unavoidably be their state or condition which is oft called a mans part or portion as Psal. 16. 5. and 63. 10. and 75. 8. Mat. 24. 51. He alludes to the antient custom of Masters of Families or of Feasts who used to distribute the several Portions of Meat to their Domesticks or Guests 7. For * So this is given as the reason why God hateth and punisheth wicked men so dreadfully because he loves righteousness and therefore must needs hate wickedness and punish wicked men Or But as this Particle is oft rendred For this seems to be added by way of Opposition to what he now said concerning the State of wicked men the †Heb. the LORD is righteous â—…e 〈◊〉 righteousness So Gr. righteous LORD loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright z To wit with an eye of Approbation and true and tender Affection and watchful and gracious Providence which is oft signified by God's beholding or looking upon men as Exod. 2. 25. Ezra 5. 5. Psal. 25. 18. and 33. 18. and 34. 15. c. As on the contrary God is oft said to hide or turn away his Face or Eyes from wicked men PSAL. XII To the chief musician ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eighth upon Sheminith a The same Title is prefixed to Psal. 6. a Psalm of David b This Psalm was composed in the time and upon the occasion of Saul's ill Government and his Persecution of David and other good men who favoured him 1. ‖ Or 〈◊〉 HElp c Or Save me and other good men from the Subtilty and Rage of wicked men Saul will not help us and other men cannot help therefore it is a sit season for thee to help Or kind or merciful as this word is oft used as Psal 30. 5. and 31. 24. and 86. 2. LORD for * 〈◊〉 5â—… 1. the godly d I and my Friends are sorely and causelesly persecuted banished from our Homes and Friends and which is worst of all from God's Sanctuary and yet few or none pity us all Mercy and Humanity is lost man ceaseth for the faithful sail e Men have lost not only serious Piety but even common Honesty in their words and dealings with men from among the children of men 2. They speak vanity f Or falshood which is a vain thing and wants the solidity of truth every one with his neighbour * Psal. 28. 3. with flattering lips and with †Heb. aâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heaâ—…t a double heart g Pretending one Heart and that
Psal. 38. 10 lighten mine eyes d Either 1. Because I find my Counsel insufficient v. 2. do thou enlighten my mind and guide me by thy Counsel and Spirit into the right way of obtaining thy Mercy and Help So this Phrase is used Psal. 19. 8. â—…ph 1. 18. Or 2. Do thou revive and comfort and deliver me from the darkness of Death which is ready to come upon me and to close mine Eyes Nothing is more common than to express great Dangers and Calamities by Darkness and great Comforts and Deliverances by Light as Iob 15. 22. and 17. 13. and 30. 26. and by an enlightening of the Eyes as Ezra 9. 8. Comp. Prov. 15 30. and 29. 13. lest I sleep the sleep of death e i. e. Lest I sink under my Burthen and die for Death is oft called a Sleep in Scripture as Iob. 3. 13. and 14. 12. Psal. 76. 5. Iohn 11. 11. 4. * Psal. 25. 2 Lest mine enemy say I have prevailed against him f To wit by my art or strength which will reflect dishonour upon thee as if thou wert either unfaithful and unmindful of thy Promises oâ—… unable to make them good Therefore repress this their Arrogancy and Blasphemy and maintain thine own Honour and those that trouble me rejoyce when I am moved g Or stumble or fall to wit into Mischief 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy h Neither their Threats and Brags nor my own Dangers shall shake my Confidence in thy Mercy promised to me my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation 6. I will sing unto the LORD because he hath dealt bountifully with me i Either 1. In giving me that support and assurance of his Favour which for the present I enjoy Or 2. In giving me that Mercy which he hath freely promised me it being a common thing for David and other Prophets to speak of future Dèliverances as if they were already come that so they may signify both the infallible certainty of the thing and their firm assurance thereof But the words may be rendered When he shall have dealt bountifully with me This Verb properly signifies to requite or reward as it may be taken here for there is a reward of Grace as well as of Debt Rom. 4. 4. but here it signifies a free and bountiful giving as it doth alâ—…o Psal. 119. 17. and 142. 7. PSAL. XIV To the chief musician a Psalm of David The design of this Psalm is to describe and bewail the horrible Wickedness and Corruption of Mankind and especially of ungodly Men and of his own Enemies 1. THE * Psal. 10. 4. 53. 1. fool a i. e. The wicked man For such are commonly and justly called Fools every where in Scripture and that purposely to meet with their false yet common Conceit of themselves as if they were the only wise men and all others were Fools hath said in his heart b i. e. In his secret Thoughts or within himself being afraid and ashamed to utter it with his mouth Not that it was his fixed and constant Opinion and Judgment but this he saith by Construction because he heartily wisheth there were no God and lives as if there were none So this Text may be explained by comparing it with Psal. 36. 1. and Tit 1. 16. there is no God c He denies not God's Being or Existence but only his Providence He saith not there is no Iehovah which name of God notes his being but no Elohim which expresseth God as the Judge and Governour of the World who observes and recompenseth all the Actions of all men according to their several Qualities they * Rom. 1. 21. c. are corrupt d Heb. They have corrupted to wit themselves or their ways as this word commonly signifies Their great and wilful Wickedness is alledged as a ground of their Atheism or Infidelity they have done abominable works there is none that doeth good f None of their Actions are really and thoroughly good or pleasing to God for if some of them be materially good as when they do an act of Justice or Charity yet they are poisoned with bad Principles or Ends not being performed by them out of a good Conscience and serious Care to please God for then they would do one good Action as well as another but in Hypocrisy or with vain Glory or some finister and unworthy Design e To wit of the Fools here described 2. The LORD looked down from heaven g To search out the Truth God knoweth all things without any enquiry But this is a Figure called Anthropopathia whereby Scripture oft speaks of God after the manner of Men. upon the children of men h Upon the whole Body of the Israelitish Nation and upon the generality of Mankind under Heaven for he speaks of all except his People and the Righteous ones who are here opposed to these v. 4. 5. to see if there were any that did understand and seek God i That did truly know God to wit so as to love and fear and trust and obey him for all these are frequently signified in Scripture by this Expression of knowing God and that did diligently seek him i. e. Study his Mind and Will that they might do it and seek his Grace and Favour 3. They are all gone aside k To wit from God whom they should have sought v. 2. and from the Rule which he hath given him and by which they sometimes professed and seem'd to govern themselves Or are grown sowre as this word signifies Hos. 4. 18. And so this is a Metaphor from corrupted Drinks as the next is taken from rotten Meat they are all together become †Heb. stinking filthy l Heb. stinking i. e. loathsom or abominable to God and to all wise and sober Men. * Rom. 3. 10. there is none that doth good no not one 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledg m Have they lost their Wits have they neither Religion nor common Discretion either of which would teach them not to make themselves so hareful to the all-seeing and almighty God and to all Men The words may be rendered thus Do not all the workers of Iniquity know it So it is only an Ellipsis of the Pronoun which is frequent as I have shewed before Are they not Conscious to themselves of the Truth of what I say I dare appeal to their own Consciences But this I propound with Submission †Heb the eaters up of my People eat Bread * Mâ—… 3. 3. who eat up n Or they eat up i. e. devour and destroy as this word signifies Deut. 7. 16. Prov. 30. 14. Ier. 50. 17. Nah. 3. 15. my people o i. e. The poor and godly Israelites of whom he principally speaks whom he calleth my people Either 1. God's people as they were in many respects Or rather 2. David's people For David
have not wickedly departed from my God q i. e. I have not knowingly and wilfully forsaken God and broken his Laws as wicked men do Which he adds by way of Correction and Explication lest the former or following Clauses should be interpreted as a Profession of such a perfect and Sinless righteousness whereby he might in strict Justice be justified by and before God which he elsewhere utterly disowns Psal. 130. 3. and 143. 2. and which David especially towards the end of his days when this Psalm was Composed as the Title shews could not pretend to without great Arrogancy and Falshood as having been guilty of those great Sins of Murder and Aduâ—…tery and many other Errors as he confesseth Psal. 19. 12. and oft elsewhere 22. For all his * Psal. 10. â—… judgments were before me r i. e. Before the Eyes of my Mind I diligently studied and Considered them that I might govern my whole Life by them and I did not * put away his statutes from me s i. e. Out of my view as ungodly men do who like not to retain God nor his Word in their Hearts or Thoughts 23. I was also ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Job 11. 4. upright before him t I did not pretend Religion before men for my own Ends but did approve my Heart and ways to the all-seeing God and I kept my self from mine iniquity u i. e. From that sin which I was most inclined or tempted Either 1. From my Hereditary and natural Corruption so far that it should not have Dominion over me nor break forth into any Presumptuous or Scandalous sins Or rather 2. From the sin of killing Saul which might be called his sin because this might seem most agreeable and desireable to him both as a Man and as a Souldier and as anointed to be King as being a likely way both to revenge and to preserve and to advance himself to which also he might seem to be both invited by the fair Opportunity which Providence had put into his Hand 1 Sam. 24. 4. and 26. 8. and necessitated by Saul's implacable Malice and his own perpetual and extream Dangers and Distresses and to which he was so strongly tempted by his own followers in the place now quoted 24. Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands †Heb. before his eyes in his Eye-sight 25 With the merciful man thou wilt shew thy self merciful with an ‖ Or perfect upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright x Or sincere to wit in performing what thou hast Promised to such Persons this being a great part or act of Sincerity when â—…nes Deeds and Words or Professioâ—…s agree together as on the contrary for those that deal Hypocritically and wickedly with thee thou wiâ—…st make them to know thy 〈◊〉 of Promise as it is expressed Numb 14. 34. The Sence of the Verse Thou meâ—…est to every one the same measure which he meteth out to others and givest to him the Fruit of his own doings and therefore thou wilst perform mercy and truth to those who are merciful and true to others as through thy mercy I have been 26. With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure y Free from the least mixture or appearance of unrighteousness or unfaithfulness or unkindness or simply and sincerely such as thou usest and hast promised to be to them that are such for Purity is oft put for Sincerity and with * 〈◊〉 16. â—…3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the froward thou wilst shew thy self froward z Or pervâ—…rse i. e. Thou wilst Cross him and Walk contrary to him as thou hast threatned Levit. 26. 23 24. See also Prov. 3. 34 Man's perversness here is moral and sinful but God's perversness is judicial and penal 27. For thou wilt save the afflicted people a Such as I and my poor followers were but wilt bring down high looks b i. e. Proud Persons who discover the pride of their Hearts by their haughty looks and Carriages Psal. 101. 5. Prov. 6. 17. such as mine Enemies were 28. For thou wilt light my ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 candle c Or thou dost light or hast lighted my Candle i. e. given me Safety and Comfort and Prosperity and Glory and Posterity also all which are oft signified by a Candle or a Light as Esth. 8. 16. Iob 21. 17. and 29. 3. Psal. 97. 11. and 132. 17. c. the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness 29. For by thee I have ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 run through a troop d i. e. Broken through the armed Troops of mine Enemies and by my God have I leaped over a wall e I have scaled the Walls of their strongest Cities and Castles and so taken them 30. As for God his * 〈◊〉 12. 4. 〈◊〉 4. 37. 〈◊〉 15. 3. way is perfect f His Counsel and Providence though it may sometimes be dark and hard to be understood yet is always wise and just and every way perfect or unblameable the word of the LORD is * 〈◊〉 126. 〈◊〉 140. Pro. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tryed g The truth of God's promises is certain and approved by innumerable Experiences and mine among the rest he is a buckler to all those that trust in him 31. For who is God save the LORD h It must needs be as I have said because our Lord is the only God and therefore there is none neither God nor Creature that can hinder him from accomplishing his own word and work or from defending those that trust him He is unchangeable and invincible Or this is an Amplification as God is what I have now described him to be so he only is such and there is no other God or Rock in which they may safely trust or * Deut. 32 39. â—… 〈◊〉 â—… 2. 〈◊〉 â—…6 8. 〈◊〉 â—…5 5. who is a Rock save our God! 32. It is God that girdeth me with strength i That gives me strength both of Mind and Body for Battel It is a Metaphor taken either from a Military Girdle or from a Common Girdle wherewith their loose Garments were girt about them whereby they were rendred fitter for any Action and maketh my way perfect k i. e. Perfectly plain and smooth and clear from Impediments as Pioneers use to prepare the way for the March of an Army He guideth me in all my Counsels and enterprizes so that I neither miss my way nor stumble in it nor come short of my end 33. He maketh my feet like hinds feet l i. e. Most swist and nimble As he made me wise in Counsel and Contrivance which he elsewhere saith so he made me speedy and Expeditious in the Execution Which are the two great Excellencies of a Captain He gave me great Agility either to fâ—…ee and escape from mine Enemies when prudence required it or to pursue them
Gospel-Covenant their Children were admitted with them shall serve him it shall be accounted to the LORD for a generation h That believing seed shall be Reputed both by God and Men The Generation Or Children or People of the Lord at the 〈◊〉 formerly were â—…ut upon the Iews Contempt of Christ and the Gospel the Gentiles shall come in their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 their Titles and Priviledges Compare this place with Psal. 87. 5. 31. They i shall come k To wit from Iudea and Ierusalem from whence the Gospel was first to go forth to the Gentile World to the several parts whereof the Apostles went upon this Errand and shall declare his righteousness l God's Righteousness Either 1. His wonderful grace and mercy to mankind in giving them Christ and the Gospel for Righteousness is 〈◊〉 put for Mercy or Kindness as hath been noted again and again Or 2. That Righteousness which God hath appointed for the justification of Sinners called the Righteousness of 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 21. 22 Philip. 3. 9. which the Iews were ignorant of and would not submit to Rom. 10. 3. but the 〈◊〉 joyfully embraced or 3. His truth or faithfulness which is very frequently and fiâ—…ly called Righteousness in the performance of those exceeding great and precious Promises made and recorded in the Olâ—… Testâ—…ment and especially those two concerning the sending of the Messiâ—…s and concerning the calling of the Gentiles unto a people that shall be born m Either 1. Spiritually i. e. Born again for Regeneration is oft called a Birth as Psal. 87. 4 5. Ioh. 1. 13. 1 Pâ—…t 1. 23. and a Creation Psal. 102. 18. Or rather 2 Naturally i. e. Unto succeeding Generations Whereby David gives us a Key to understand this Psalm and â—…cheth us that he speaks not here of himself or of the Occurrences of his times but of things which were to be done in after-Ages even of the spreading of the Gospel among the Gentiles in the time of the New Testament that he hath done this n i. e. They shall declare that this is the work of God and not of Man and carried on by his only power in the World against all the Wit and force of Men. Or rather because this being added as a Proof or Demonstration of that Righteousness of God now mentioned He i. e. the Lord plainly understood here and expressed in the foregoing Verse hath 〈◊〉 oâ—… wrought it to wit his Righteousness i. e. He hath executed with his Hand what he spake with his Mouth he hath demonstrated the truth of his Promises by his Actions and by the Accomplishment of them 1. Either the Converts and Worshippers v. 27. 29. Or their seed last mentioned v. 30. Or this may be indefinitely spoken as such Verbs are oft used they shall come i. e. Some or other shall come and do the Work here mentioned to wiâ—… the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel PSAL. XXIII The ARGUMENT The matter of this Psalm gives us some general Discovery of the time of it's writing which was when David was delivered out of his Distresses and quietly settled in his Kingdom A Psalm of David 1. THe LORD is * 〈◊〉 40. 11 Jer 23 4 Eze 34. 23. Joh. 10. 11. 1 Pâ—…t 2. 25 Rev. 7. 17. my shepherd a He hath shewed himself to be so by his gracious Providences towards me and for me and he hath taken upon him that Office and Relation to me by his enâ—…ing into Covenant with me Whereby he hath engaged himself to rule and feed and preserve and heal me and do all which Shepherds do or are oblig'd to do to their Flocks which David very well understood and had doubtless carefully performed his Duty to his Sheep and therefore he strengthens this Faith by his Consideration that God was his Shepherd and God was a much better Shepherd than he or any man could be so he might Confidently expect more than ordinary Benefits from his Conduct I shall noâ—… want b To wit any thing which is really necessary for me either for this Life or for the next But foolish man may think many things to be necessary for him which the all-wise God knoweth to be not only unnecessary but hurtful and therefore mercifully denies what men ignorantly desire to their hurt 2. He maketh me to lye down c To rest and repose my self at Noon as the manner was in those hot Countries See Cant. 1. 7. Isa. 13. 20. Ezek. 34. 15. in †Heb 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 green pastures d Where there is both delight and plenty of Provisions he leadeth me e Left I should wander and perish Heb. He leadeth me sweetly and 〈◊〉 accommodating himself to mine Infiâ—…mities as Shepherds do to their Sheep Gen. 33. 13. Isa. 40. 11. and 49. 10. beside f Or to the Particle al being oft put for el as Gen. 1. 30. and 16. 7. the †Heb. waâ—…er of quietness still waters g Quiet and gentle Waters either put into Watering-Troughs or Running in small and shallow Channels Which are opposed to great Rivers which both affright the Sheep with their noise and expose them to the Danger of being carried away by their swift and violent Streams whilst they are drinking aâ—… them 3. * Psal. 5. 8. 19. 8. 31. 3. He restoreth h Heb. He bringeth it back Either 1. From its Errors or Wandring Or 2. Into the Body out of which it was even departing and fainting away He reviveth or Comforteth me Comp. Ruth 4. 15. 1 Sam. 30. 12. Lament 1. 11. my soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness i In streight and plain and safe Paths where the Sheep is neither hurt nor wearied nor in Danger of wandering By his Word he directs me to the right ways of Truth and Holiness and Righteousness and by his Spirit he inclines and inables me to chuse them and to continue to walk in them for his names sake k Not for any worth in me but meerly for the Demonstration and Glory of his Justice and Faithfulness and Goodness 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death l Through a dark and dismal Valley full of Terrors and Dangers as this Phrase signifies Iob. 24. 17. Psal. 44. 19. and 107. 10. 14. Ier. 2. 6. * Psal. 3. 6 118. 6. I will fear no evil m I will not give way to my Fears but Confidently rely upon God for thou arâ—… with me thy rod and thy staff n Two words noting the same thing and both designing God's pastoral Care over him expressed by the sign and Instrument of it they comfort me o The Consideration thereof supports me under all my Fears and Distresses 5. Thou preparest a table p i. e. Thou furnishest me with plenty and Variety of Provisions and Comforts before me in the presence of mine enemies p They
Deut. 24. 15. 2. O my God I * Psal. 22. 5. 31. 1. 34. 8. Psal. 28. 7. Rom. 10. 11. trust in thee let me not be ashamed b i. e. Disappointed of my Hope which will be reproachful to me not without Reflection upon thee of whose Power and Faithfulness I have made my boast let not mine enemies triumph over me 3. Yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed c With me and for me For if I be frustrated all that trust in thee will be discouraged and upbraided with my Example let them be ashamed d Blast their wicked Designs and Hopes which transgress e Or Prevaricate or deal Persidiously with me violating their Faith given to me * Psal. 119. 78. without a cause f Without any Provocation of mine or without any sufficient Reason 4. * Psal. 5. 8. 27. 11. 86. 11. 119. 27. 143. 8. 10. Shew me thy ways g i. e. The way of thy Precepts what I ought to do in my Circumstances and Difficulties by what Methods I may obtain thy Favour and Help Whatsoever thou dost with me as to other things grant me this Favour teach me my Duty and cause me to keep close to it notwithstanding all Temptations to the contrary O LORD teach me thy paths 5. * Psal. 26. 3. Lead me in thy truth h i. e. In the true and right way prescribed in thy Word which is oft called Truth as Psal. 119. 30. Ioh. 8. 45 46. and 16. 13. c. Or by or because of thy Truth i. e. Because thou art Faithful do thou lead or guide me as thou hast promised to do and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation i i. e. Who hast saved me formerly and hast engaged to save me and from whom alone I expect Salvation on thee do I wait all the day 6. Remember O LORD * Psal. 103. 17 106. 1. 107. 1. Jer. 33. 11. †Heb. thy bowels thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses k O consider thy own merciful Nature and thy former manifold Favours vouchsafed to me and to other miserable Sinners and do like thy self for they have been ever of old l Thou hast been gracious to such as I am from the beginning of the World to this day and to me in particular from my very Infancy as he oft acknowledgeth in this Book yea from all Eternity thou hast had a good Will to me and therefore do not now desist and desert me 7. Remember not m So as to lay them to my Charge * Job 20. 11. the sins of my youth n The sins committed in my young and tender years Eccles. 11. 9 10. which God frequently punisheth in riper Age Iob. 13 26. Ier. 3. 25 and therefore he now prays that God would not deal so with him nor my transgressions o Nor any of my succeeding or other sins which either have been Acted by me or may be imputed to me according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness sake p Being a sinner I have nothing to plead for my self but thy free Mercy and Goodness which I now implore O LORD 8. Good q i. e. Bountiful and gracious to sinners ready to good and delighting in it and upright r Or Right i. e. Holy and True sincere in making Promises and in all his Declarations and Offers of Mercy to sinners and faithful in fulfilling them is the LORD therefore will he teach sinners in the way s Being such an one he will not be wanting to such poor sinners as I am but will guide them by his Word and Spirit and gracious Providence into the way of Life and Peace By sinners he doth not understand all that are so not such â—…s are obstinate and Proud and scornful whom God hath declared that he will not teach nor direct but will leave them to the Errors and Lusts of their own Hearts and will blind and harden them to their Ruine as is often expressed in Scripture but only such as being truly sensible of their sins do humbly and earnestly seek God for his Grace and Mercy or such as are Meek as the next Verse explains it for these he will not fail to assist and Relieve 9. The meek t i. e. The humble and lowly such as meekly submit themselves to Gods hand and word and are willing and desirous to be directed and governed by him will he †Heb. 〈◊〉 to go guide in judgment u i. e In the Paths of judgment or in the right way wherein they should walk as the next Clause explains this or by the Rule of his word which is oft called his Iudgment or Iudgments Or with Iudgment i. e. With a wise and provident Care and a due regard to all their Circumstances See Ier. 10. 24. 1 Cor. 10. 13. and the meek will he teach his way x Either Gods way which God prescribes Or his own way in which he ought to walk 10. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth y All the dealings of God with them yea even those that are afflictive and grievous to the flesh are done in kindness and faithfulness to them as being very necessary for them and tending to their great advantage unto such as keep his covenant z i. e The Laws or Conditions required of them by his Covenant Or as it followes his Testimonies i. e. His Precepts which are the Testimonies or Witnesses of God's Will and of mans Duty and his testimonies 11. For thy names sake a i. e. For the Honour of thy Goodness and Truth which is concerned herein O LORD pardon mine iniquity for it is great b And therefore none but such a God can pardon it and nothing but thy own Name can move thee to do it and the pardoning of it will well become so great and good a God and will tend much to the Illustration of thy Glory as the greatness and desperateness of the Disease advanceth the Honour and Praise of the Physician Or this may be urged not as an Argument to move God but as the Reason that moved him to pray so earnestly and that for God's Names sake Or though as this Particle is oft rendred as Exod. 34. 9. Psal. 41. 4. and elsewhere it be great Possibly he speaks of his sin against uriah and Bathsheba Or for or though it be much or manifold For the Hebrew word signifies both great and much 12. What man is he c i. e. Whosoever he be whether Iew or Gentile whether more innocent or a greater Sinner which is my Case that feareth the LORD him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose d i. e. Which God appointeth or approveth Or which he i. e. such Person should chuse for the future Tense is oft put Potentially and so as
〈◊〉 nâ—…t slide or fall So this declares the matter of his Trust. 2. * Psal. 7. 8. 17. 3. 66. 10. 139. 23. Zech. 13. 9. Examine me O LORD and prove me e Because it is possible that I may deceive my self and be partial 〈◊〉 my Cause or at least mine Enemies will so judge of me I appeal to thee O thou Judge of Hearts and beg that thou would search and try me by such waâ—…s and means as thou seest fit and make me known to my self and to the World and convince mine Enemies of mine Integrity try my reins and my heart 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes f I dare appeal to thee with this Confidence because thou knowest that I have a true and deep Sence of thy Loving kindness to me upon mine Heart by which I have been obliged and in a manner constrained to Love and Obey thee and in all things to approve my Heart and ways to thee and to abstain from all such evil Practices as mine Enemies Charge me with whereby I should have forfeited thy Loving kindness which I prize more than Life Psal. 63. 3. and exposed my self to thy just Displeasure My Experience of and Trust in thy Goodness doth fully satisfie and support me that I neither do noâ—… need to use any indirect or irregular Courses for my Relief and I have walked in thy truth g i. e. According to thy Word which is oft called Truth as Psal. 119. 142. 151. Ioh. 17. 17 19. believing its Promises and observing its Precepts and Directions and not according to the Course of the World as it follows 4. * Psal. 1. 1â—… Jer. 15. 17. I have not sate h i. e. Chosen or used to Converse with them for sitting is a posture of Ease and of Continuance I have been so far from an Approbation or Imitation of the wicked Courses where with mine Enemies reproach me that I have avoided even their Company and if accidentally I came into it yet I would not abiâ—…e in it with vain persons i i. e. With Lyars or false and deceiâ—…ul Persons as the next Clause explains it And Vanity is very frequently put for Falâ—…hood or Lying neither will I go in k Into their Comâ—… or with design to joyn in their Counsels or Courses as the saâ—…e Word is used Ios. 23. 7. And Conversation is oft expressed by going out and coming in with †Heb. closâ—…â—…ersons dissemblers l Heb. with such as hide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covering their Crafty and wicked Designs with fair Preâ—…nces I abhor such Persons and Practises though I am accused to be such an one 5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers m Either 1. Their whole Ranck or Society I have an Antipathy against all such Persons without any Exception Or 2. To meet and joyn with them in their Assemblies and Consultations or sit with them as it follows and will not sit with the wicked 6. I will * Exod. 30. 20. Psal. 73. 13. wash mine hands in innocency n Or with Integrity Or with a pure Heart and Conscience I will not do as my Hypocritical Enemies do who Content themselves with those outward washings of their Hands Or Bodies prescribed in the Law Exod. 29. 4. c. Deut. 21. 6. Heb. 9. 10. whilst their Hearts and Lives are filthy and abominable But I will waâ—…h or I have washed my Hands and withal purged my Heart and Conscience from dead Works Compare Isa. 1. 15 16. 1 Tim. 2. 8. so will I compass thine altar o i. e. Approach to thine Altar with my Sacrifices which I could not do with any Comfort or Confidence if I were Conscious to my self of those Crimes whereof mine Enemies accuse me For the Phrase of Compassing the Altar Either 1. He alludes to some Lâ—…vitical Custom of going about the Altar as the Priests did in the Oblation of their Sacrifices and the People especially those of them who were most devout and Zealous who possibly moved from place to place but still within their own Court that they might better discern what was done on the several sides of the Altar and so be the more affected with it Or rather 2. He implies that he would offer many Sacrifices together which would employ the Priests round about the Altar and so he is said to Compass it because the Priests did it in his Name and upon his Account as Persons are very oft said in Scripture to Offer those Sacrifices which the Priests offer for them O LORD 7. That I may publish p Or Proclaim to wit thy wondrous works as it here follows with the voyce of thanksgiving q Accompanying my Sacrifices with my own solemn Thanksgivings and Songs of Praise and tell of all thy wondrous works 8. LORD I have loved the habitation of thy house r i. e. This Sanctuary and Worship which is an Evidence of my Piety to thee as I have given many Proofs of my Justice and Integrity towards men Nothing is more grievous to me then to be hindred from seeing and serving thee there and the place †Heb. of the 〈◊〉 of thy 〈◊〉 where thine honour s Or thy Glory Either 1. The Ark so called 1 Sam. 4. 22. Psal. 78. 61. Or 2. Thy glorious and gracious Presence Or the manifestation of thy Glory or of thy glorious Power and Faithfulness and Goodness dwelleth 9. Or Take not away Psal. â—…8 3. Gather not my soul t i. e. My Life as it is explained in the next Clause Do not bind me up in the same Bundle nor put me into the same accursed and miserable Condition with them Seeing I have had so great an Antipathy against them in the whole Course of my Life v. 4. 5. let me not dye their Death as Balaam on the contrary desired to dye the Death of the Righteous Numb 23. 10. And seeing I have loved thy House and Worship and indeavoured to serve thee acceptably not only with Ceremonial cleanness but with moral purity of Heart and Life v. 6 7 8. do not deal with me as thou wilst with those that are filled with ungodlyness and unrighteousness do not destroy me with them the Righteous with the wicked Gen 18. 23. but save me in the common Calamity as thou hast promised and used to do in like Cases The Hebrew word Asaph rendred gathering is oft put for taking away as Gen. 30. 23. Isa. 4. 1. Ier. 8. 13. and 16. 5. and that by Destruction or Death as 1 Sam. 15. 6. Iâ—…a 57. 1. Ier. 8. 13. Ezek. 34. 29. Hâ—…ea 4. 3. The ground of which Phrase may be either because by death mens Souls or Spirits are gathered and returned to God Eccles. 12. 7. who had dispersed them all the World over or because the several sorts of Men good and bad which live here together Promiscuously are there severed and all of one sort
Palace the Dedication whereof is mentioned in the Title of the Psalm thou * Psal. 104. 29. didst hide thy face p i. e. Withdraw thy Favour and Help and I was troubled q I was quickly brought into such Distresses of Body and Anxiety of Mind that I saw the Vanity of all my Carnal Confidences 8. I cryed to thee O LORD and unto the LORD I made supplication 9. What profit is there r To wit unto thee as the latter part of the Verse explains it What wilt thou gain by it in my blood s i. e. In my violent Death as Blood is frequently used as Gen. 37. 26. Numb â—…5 33. Ios. 20. 3. 1 Sam. 25. 26. 33. Mat. 27. 6. when I go down to the pit t When I dye See above on v. 3. Shall they that are Dead or gone down into the Dust Celebrate thy Faithfulness and Goodness in the Land of the Living Or shall my Dust or Dead Corps praise thee No Lord shouldest thou cut me off in the beginning of my Reign thy Name would lose the Praises which many will return to thee for my Life and be exposed to Reproaches as if thou hadst not kept thy Word with me and I should lose those Opportunities of praising thy Name and serving my Generation which I prize above my Life * Psal. 6. 5. 88. 11. 115. 17. shall the dust praise thee shall it declare thy truth 10. Hear O LORD and have mercy upon me LORD be thou my helper 11. * Isa. 61. 3. Thou hast turned u Having related his Prayer he now declares the gracious Answer which God gave him for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my saccloth x i. e. Given me occasion to put off that Saccloth which they used to wear in times of Mourning See Esth. 4. 1. Psal. 35. 13. Isa 32. 11. Ioel 1. 13. and girded me with gladness y Either with Garments of Gladness or Rejoycing Or with joy as with a Garment surrounding me on every side as he is for the like Reason said to be girded with strength Psal. 18. 32. 12. To the end that ‖ That is my Tongue Or my Soul my glory z My Soul Or rather my Tongue to which both singing and silence most properly belong See on Psal. 7. 5. and 16. 9. may sing praise to thee and not be silent O LORD my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever PSAL. XXXI The ARGUMENT This Psalm was Composed either when David was in great Distress Or afterwards in remembrance thereof and of God's singular Goodness in delivering him out of it whence it is mixed of Prayers and Praises of Hopes and Fears But what those particular Troubles were which David here speaks is only matter of Conjecture and therefore I shall rather omit than Confidently determine To the chief musician A Psalm of David 1. IN * Psal. 22. 5 Isa. 49. 23. thee O LORD do I put my trust let me never be ashamed a To wit of my Confidence in thy Promises * Psal. 143 1. deliver me in thy righteousness b i. e. By or For Or according to thy Faithfulness and Goodness both which come oft under the Name of Righteousness 2. Bow down thine ear to me deliver me speedily c Because of the greatness and urgency of my Danger which is even ready to swallow me up be thou †Heb. to me for a Rock of strength my strong rock for an house †Heb. of Fortresses of defence to save me 3. For thou art my rock and my fortress therefore * Psal. 23. 3. for thy names sake d For the Glory of thy Name i. e. Of thy Power and Truth and Mercy to thy miserable Servant lead me and guide me e Two words expressing the same thing with more Emphasis direct me clearly and continually in a right and safe Path For without thy Conduct I can neither discern the right way or continue in it 4. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me for thou art my strength 5. * Luk. 23. 46. Into thine hand f i. e. To thy Care and Custody I commit my spirit g i. e. My Soul or Life called a Man's Spirit as Eccles. 3. 21. and 12. 7. c. Either 1. To receive it for my Case is almost Desperate and I am ready to give up the Ghost Or 2. To preserve it from the Plots and Malice of mine Enemies thou hast redeemed me h Thou hast delivered me formerly in great Dangers and therefore I willingly and Cheerfully commit my self to thee for the Future O LORD God of truth i Who hast shewed thy self to be so to me in making good thy Promises 6. I have hated them k Their very Persons not simply but for their Wickedness Compare Psal. 139. 21 22. * Jon. â—… 8. that regard l Heb. that observe to wit with Respect to them Dependence upon them or Expectation of any good from them lying vanities m Or most vain Vanities Such as are foolish and deceitful and fruitless By which he understands Either 1. All Humane or Carnal Helps any Arm of flesh for he that trusteth therein is pronounced Cursed Ier. 17. 5. and therefore is hateful Or 2. Idols which are oft called Vanities as Deut. 32. 21. Ier. 2. 5. and 8. 19. c. Or 3. Curious Arts and all sorts of Divinations by Stars Or the Motions or Inwards of living Creatures or by the Dead which Practises were common and prevalent among those Eastern people and by their Example were to rise among the Israelites also Isa. 2. 6. of whom he here speaks for the Gentiles â—…at observed these Vanities he rather pitied than hated but the Israelites that did so were Apostates from God and professed Enemies to him and his Laws and therefore were the proper Objects of just hatred but I trust in the LORD 7. I will be glad and rejoyce in thy Mercy for thou hast considered my trouble thou hast known n i. e. Loved me and cared for me for Words of knowledge commonly imply Affection my soul in adversities 8. And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy o Whereof I was in great and imminent Danger if thou hadst not delivered me See 1 Sam. 23. 1. * 〈…〉 thou hast set my foot in a large room p Made way for me to escape when I was Encompassed by them and set me at Liberty 9. Have mercy upon me O LORD for I am in trouble mine eye is consumed with grief q With continual weeping See on Psal. 6. 8. yea my soul r My sorrows are not Counterfeit or sleight but inward and Hearty my Mind is oppressed my Heart is ready to sink under my Burden and my belly s i. e. My Bowels contained in my Belly which are
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
And so God's Blessing him with such solid and everlasting Blessings is noted as the Cause of this singular Beauty and Grace here expressed God hath blessed thee for ever 3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh o Either 1. As an Ensign of Royal Majesty But that is usually and much better expressed in Scripture by putting a Crown upon his head Or rather 2. As an Instrument for War and Battel to smite his Enemies as it is declared v. 4 5. And the Sword is here put Synecdochically for all his Arms as it is in many other places as appears from v. 5. where we read also of his Arrows And this Sword of the Messiâ—…s is nothing else but the Word of God coming out of his Mouth which is fitly Compared to a Sword as may appear from Isa. 49. 2. Eph. 6. 17. Heb. 4. 12. Revel 1. 16. which is elsewhere called the Rod of his Mouth Isa. 11. 4 and the Rod of his Power Psal. 110. 2. O most mighty with thy glory and thy majesty p Or which is thy Glory and thy Majesty Or magnificence or Beauty For these Words are joyned with the Snord by way of apposition Which Sword or Word is the great Instrument of maintaining and propagating thy Honour and Glory and Kingdom 4. And in thy majesty q Being thus gloriously or magnificently girt and Armed †Heb. Prosper thou Ride thou ride prosperously r March on speedily which is signified by Riding and successfully against tâ—…ine Enemies i. e. Thou shalt do so as it is in the last Clause shall teach thee So Imperatives are ofâ—… put for Futures and Predictions are expressed in the form of Commands or Exhortations because of truth and meekness and righteousness s Or because of thy Truth c. i. e. Because thou art worthy of this Dominion and Success for thou neither didst obtain nor wilt manage thy Kingdom by Deceit or Violence and unrighteousness as the Princes of the Earth â—…requently do but with Truth and Faithfulness with Meekness and Gentleness towards thy People and to all that shall submit to thee with impartial Justice and Equity whereby thy Throne will be established Prov. 16. 12. and 20. 28. Or as it is in the Hebrew Word for Word upon the â—…ord of Truth c. which may seem best to suit with the foregoing Words which according to the Hebrew are Prosper thou Ride thou and then immediately follows upon the Word of Truth c. To wit the Gospel which is oft called Truth as Ioâ—… 8. 32. Col. 1. 5 c. and the word of Truth Eph 1. 13. and may no less truly be called the Word of Meekness because it is not delivered with Terror as the Law was at Sinai but meekly and sweetly by Christ and by his Ministers Mat. 21. 5. 2 Tim 2. 25. and the Word of Righteousness because it brings in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9. 24. and strongly obligeth and excitâ—… all Men to the Practise of Righteousness and Holiness And so the Gospel is Compared to an Horse or Chariot upon which Christ is said to ride when the Gospel is Preached and carried about from place to place Revel 19. 11. And this may be here added to shew the great difference between the Kingdoms of the World that are managed with outward Pomp and Glory and the Kingdom of Christ which is a spiritual Kingdom and like a Spouse v. 13. all Glorious within as Conssisting in spiritual Vertues and Graces Truth Meekness and Righteousness and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things t i. e. Thou â—…alt do great and glorious Exploits which shall be Grievous and Terrible to thine Enemies as the next Verse explains it and this not by great Forces and the Assistance of others but by thine own single Power Compare Isa. 63. 3. Which doth by no means agree to Solomon who was a man of Peace and not ingaged in any martial Actions against his Enemies and if he had done any thing Considerable in that kind he could not do it by his own Right hand but by the Help of his Souldiers But this doth excellently agree to the Messias and to him onely Obâ—… The things which were done by the Messias at his first Coming were rather Comfortable than Terrible Ans. They were indeed Comfortable to all good Men but withal they were Terrible to the ungodly and particularly to the Body of the Jewish Nation to whom Christ was a Stone of stumbling and Rock of offence and an Occasion of their utter Destruction And upon that and other Accounts not onely Christ's second but even his first Coming is represented as dreadful as Ioâ—…l 2. 30. Mal. 3. 2. and elsewhere For the Phrase thy Right hand shall â—…each thee it is not to be taken Properly for so he taught his Hand and not his Hand him but the meaning is that his Hand should show him i. e. Discover and work before him for Verbal words are oft understood Really as Calling is put for Being as Isa. 1. 26. and 9. 6. so teaching or shewing is put for doing as Psal. 16. last and 60. 3. 5. Thine arrows u The same thing for Substance with the Sword v. 3. both noting the Instruments by which he Conquers his Enemies which is no other than his Word which is sharp and powerful and pierceth the Hearts of Men Heb. 4. 12. which also first wounds Sinners and then heals them and which is for the Fall as well as for the Rising of many Luk. 2. 34 and for Iudgment as well as for Mercy Ioh. 9. 39. to some a Savour of Death and to others a Savour of Life 2 Cor. 2. 16. and therefore is fitly Compared to Arrows which Title is sometimes given to words as Psal 64. 4. and frequently to God's Plagues or Judgments Deut. 32. 23. Psal. 18. 14. and 64. 7. such as the Word becomes to ungodly Men by their own Fault And these Metaphorical Weapons are oft ascribed to Christ who hath a Bow Revel 6. 2. and Weapons of Warfare 2 Cor. 10. 4. and whose Mouth God is said to make a Sword and an Arrow Isa 49. 2. are sharp in the heart of the kings enemies x i. e. Of thine Enemies the third Person being put for the second as is usual in Prophetical Writings which here may seem to have some Emphasis as describing the Persons against whom he shot his Arrows and the Reason why he did so because they were the Enemies of his Kingdom and would not have him to Reign over them Luk. 19. 27. whereby the people fall under thee y Either as slain by thine Arrows Or as prostrate at thy Feet after the manner of Conquered Persons Psal. 18. 38. and 20. 8. According to this and many other Translations the Words are Transplaced which in the Hebrew lye thus Thine Arrows are sharp whereby the People do fall under thee in the Heart i. e. in the midst which is oft called
An Old and Proud and insolent and cruel Enemy of Israel will I cast out my shoe f i. e. I will use them like Slaves Either holding forth my Shoes that they may pluck them off or throwing my Shoes at them Either in Anger or Contempt as the manner of many Masters was and is in such Cases Other I will take Possession of them which was done by Trading upon their Land Or I will tread upon their Necks as they did in like Case Ios. 10. 24. But these Notions suit not with this Phrase of casting or throwing the Shoe Philistia ‖ Or Triumph thou over me by an Irony triumph thou because of me g Or over me as thou didst in former years use to Triumph and insult over the poor Israelites It is an ironical Expression signifying that her Triumphs were come to an End 9 Who will bring me h None can do it but God as he declareth in the following Verses into the †Heb. City of strength strong city i i. e. The Cities the singular Number for the plural which is usual Having beaten his Enemies out of the Field and into their strong Cities from whence they hoped to renew the War he desires God's Assistance whereby he may take their strong Holds and so secure himself from further Attempts against him * Psal. 108. 10. who will lead me into Edom k Which was an high and Rocky Country Obad. v. 3 fortified by Nature as well as by Art and therefore not to be invaded and subdued without a divine Hand 10 Wilt not thou O God which * Psal. 44. 9. 108. 11. hadst cast us off and thou O God which didst not go out with our armies l To wit in former times but now hast graciously returned to us He brings to his own and peoples Minds their former Calamities that they may be more thankful for present Mercies and Deliverances 11 Give us help from trouble for vain is the †Heb. Salvation help of man m. 12 Through God * â—… 〈◊〉 19. 23. we shall do valiantly for he it is that shall tread down our enemies n Though I have some Reputation for Valour and Conduct and though my People are very Numerous and now united under me yet all this will avail little or nothing without thy Almighty help PSAL. LXI To the chief musician upon Neginah a Psalm of David The occasion of this Psalm was some great Distress of David's Either by Saul or by Absalom though it might be Composed some time after it was past 1 HEar my cry O God attend unto my prayer 2 From the end of the earth a Or rather of the Land To which David was driven by the Tyranny of his Enemies will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I b Convey me into some high and secure Fortress which I could not reach without thy Succour and where mine Enemies cannot come at me He alludes to their Custom of securing themselves in Rocks 1 Sam. 13. 6. c. 3 For thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy 4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever c I shall I doubt not be restored to the Tabernacle from which I am now banished and according to the desire of my Heart worship and enjoy thee there all my days I will ‖ Or make my Refuge trust in the covert of thy wings d In the mean time whilst I am in Danger and Trouble I will cast my self upon thy Protection with full Confidence Selah 5 For thou O God hast heard my vows e My servent Prayers attended with many Vows and Promises as was usual especially in Cases of great Danger or Difficulty Gen. 28. 20. Iudg. 11. 30 31. thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name f Thou hast alloted me my Portion with and amongst them that Fear and Worship thee who are the Excellent ones in whom is all my Delight And upon that Account I must acknowledge it to thy Praise that the Lines are fallen to me in Pleasant places Yea I have a goodly Heritage Psal. 16. 3. 6. Thou hast granted me this singular Mercy to live in God's Land and to enjoy his Presence and Favour and to Worship in his Tabernacle which is the Heritage that I and all that Fear thee prize and desire above all things in the World 6 †Heb. thou shalt add days to the days of the King Thou wilt prolong the kings life g i. e. My Life He calls himself King Either 1. Because he was actually King though Absalom Usurped the Throne Or 2. Because he was designed and anointed to be King and by calling himself King he supports himself under his present straits and declares his Confidence in God's promise of the Kingdom to him Yet we must not think that David did commonly and publickly Call or own himself to be King which had neither been True nor Covenient for his Affairs But this Psalm either was not Composed whilst Saul lived or at least was Penned onely for his private use and Comfort and not Committed to the chief Musician which indeed it could not be till David had the Kingdom and the Inspection of the sacred Musick and service of the Tabernacle and his years h i. e. The years of my Life and Reign †Heb. as Generation and Generation as many generations i As long as if I had a Lease of it for many Ages Thus he speaks Partly because his Kingdom was not like Saul's a matter of one Age expiring with his Life but Established to him and his Heirs for ever and Partly because Christ his Son and Heir should actually and in his own Person possess the Kingdom for ever 7 He shall abide k Or sit to wit in the Throne Ier 13. 13. Living and Ruling as in God's Presence and serving God with his Royal Power and Worshiping him in his Tabernacle before God l for ever O prepare m Or Order or appoint as this Word signifies Ionah 1. 17. and 4. 6. * Pro. 20. 28. mercy and truth n Either 1. The graces of Mercy or Compassion and Truth or Faithfulness which are the great supporters of Thrones Prov. 20. 28. and 29. 14. Or rather 2. Thy Mercy and Truth i. e. The Effects of them Thy Truth in giving me those Mercies which thou hast promised to me and thy Mercy in giving me such further Blessings as I need and thou â—…eest fit to give me which may preserve him 8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever that I may daily perform my vows o That so I may pay unto thee those Services and Sacrifices which I vowed to thee when I was in Trouble PSAL. LXII The ARGUMENT This Psalm was made in a time of great Danger
53. 2. and partly because Christ who is the truth Iohn 14. 6. and a minister of the circumcision i. e. of the circumcised or of the Jews for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers was born upon the earth of a Virgin 's Womb. and righteousness shall look down from heaven u Even God's Justice which was offended with men shall then be satisfied and shall through Christ look down upon sinful men with a reconciled and smiling countenance 12 Yea the LORD shall give that which is good x i. e. All that is good in it self and for us all spiritual and temporal Blessings and * Pal. 67. 6. our land shall yield her increase 13 * Psal. 89. 14. Righteousness shall go before him y As his Harbenger or Attendant He shall work and fullfill all righteousness he shall glorifie and satisfie the righteousness of God and shall advance the practice of righteousness and holiness among men and shall set †Heb. hir steps iâ—… tâ—…e way or 〈◊〉 steps in tâ—…e way So Gr. us in the way of his steps z i. e. shall cause us to walk in those righteous ways wherein he walketh and which he hath prescribed to us But this us is not in the Hebrew and may seem too liberal a supplement And the words may be and are by almost all other Interpreters rendred otherwise He i. e. God shall set which may note his stability and constancy in so doing it to wit righteousness last mentioned in the way of his steps i. e. in the way wherein he walketh So the sence of this last Clause is the same for substance with the former as is very usual in this Book righteousness in that Clause goes before him and in this it goes along with him PSAL. LXXXVI ‖ Or a prayer being a Psalm of David A Prayer of David a When he was in some deep distress either from Saul or by Absalom or upon some other occasion 1 BOw down thine ear O LORD hear me for I am poor and needy b Forsaken and persecuted by men and utterly unable to save my self and therefore a very proper objects or thy power and goodness to work upon 2 Preserve my soul for I am ‖ Or one whom 〈◊〉 savourest holy c Sanctified in some measure by thy Grace and sincerely devoted to thy service This David speaks not in a way of vain ostentation but partly as a powerful argument to move God to hear his prayers because he was one of that sort of men to whom God had engaged himself by his Promise and Covenant and partly by way of just and necessary vindication of himself from the censures of his Enemies who represented him to the world as a gross dissembler and secretly a very wicked man concerning which he here makes a solemn appeal to God desiring audience and help from God upon no other terms than upon this supposition that he was an holy man Which by the way savoureth of no more arrogancy than when he elsewhere professeth his great love to and longing after God his sincere obedience to all God's commands and his hatred of every false way and the like O thou my God d By thy Covenant and my own choice save thy servant that trusteth in thee e Whereby thou seemest obliged in honour and by promise to help me 3 Be merciful unto me O Lord for I cry unto thee ‖ Or all the day daily 4 Rejoyce the soul of thy servant for unto thee O LORD do I lift up my soul f The expression notes servent desire joyned with hope oâ—… expectation as appears by comparing Dâ—…uter 24. 15. Ier. 22. 27. 5 * Verse 1â—… Joel 2. 13. For thou LORD art good and ready to forgive g Herewith he relieveth himself under the sence of his guilt whereby he had brought his present calamities upon himself and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee k. h To wit in truth as it is explained Psal. 145. 18. or with an upright heart for if a man regard iniquity in his heart God will not hear him Psal. 66. 18. 6 Give ear O LORD unto my prayer and attend to the voice of my supplications i He repeats and multiplies his requests both to ease his own troubled mind and to prevail with God who is well pleased with his peoples importunity in prayer See Luke 18. 1 c. 7 * Psal. 50. 15. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt answer mee k Whereof I have assurance both from the beâ—…ignity of thy hature and from the truth and certainty of thy promises and from my own and others experiences in former times 8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee l Either for power or readiness to hear and answer prayers I am not now calling upon a deaf and impotent Idol for then I might cry my heart out and all in vain as they did 1 King 18. 26 c. but upon the Almighty and most Gracious God O Lord * Exod. 15. 1â—… Deut. 3. 24. Psal. 89. â—… neither are there any works like unto thy works 9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O LORD and shall glorifie thy name m So true is that which I have now said of thee Verse 8. that the time is coming when all the Nations of the Earth shall acknowledge it and forsaking their impotent Idols shall worship thee alone Which being a Work of thy Power and Grace clearâ—… proves that no God is like to thee and no works like thine And those words whom thou hast made are added to prevent or remove Objections concerning the insuperable difficulty and incredibility of this work The God saith he that made them can easily convince and convert them to himself 10 For thou art great and * Psal. 72. 18 and 77. 14. dost wondrous things n This is added as a reason either why the Nations should own the true God because they should see his wonderful Works or why that great Work Verse 9. was not incredible but should certainly be accomplished * Deut. 6. 4. and 32. 39. Isa. 37. 16. and 44. 6. Mark 12. 29. 1 Cor. 8. 4. Eph. 4. 6 thou art God alone o And all the Idols of the Heathen are no gods but vanities as the Gentiles themselves shall see and acknowledge 11 * Psal. 25. 4. and 119. 33. and 143 8. Teach me thy way p Wherein thou wouldst have me to walk As thou hast taught me by thy word so also by thy spirit enlighten my mind that I may clearly discern thy will and my duty in all Conditions and Circumstances O LORD I will walk in thy truth q In the way of thy Precepts which are true and right in all things as he saith Psal. 119.
against his Enemies Or 2. the Angels yea God himself from Heaven who gave manifest testimony to the righteousness of the Messias declare his righteousness and all the people see his glory l Both Jews and Gentiles shall see and feel the glorious effects of his coming 7 * Exod. 20. â—… Lev. 26. 1. Deut. 5. 8. Confounded be m Let them be ashamed of their former folly herein and be thereby brought to detest and forsake them and those who will obstinately persist in their impiety and Idolatry let them be brought to confusion Or They shall be confounded for this may be a prediction and not an imprecation all they that serve graven images that boast themselves of idols * Heb. 1. 6. worship him all ye gods n All you whom the Gentiles have made the objects of their worship and who are capable of giving him worship which two qualifications agree principally if not solely to the Angels of God whom the Heathens manifestly worshipped in their Images as an inferiour sort of gods of whom therefore this Text is expounded Heb. 1. 6. 8 Zion o Thy people dwelling in Zion or Ierusalem and Iudah to whom Christ came and among whom the Gospel was first preached Or thy Church and People who both in the Prophetical writings are oft called Zion heard p The fame of thy judgments as the following words declare the ruine of Idolatry and the setting up the Kingdom of the Messias in the World and was glad and the daughters of Judah q Particular Churches or rather persons members of Zion rejoyced because of thy judgments r Not that they took pleasure in the ruine of others but because that made way for the advancement of Gods glory and Christs Kingdom in the World O LORD 9 For thou LORD art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all gods s As thou always wert so in in truth so thou hast now proved and declared thy self to be such in the Eyes of the whole World by subduing them under thy feet 10 Ye that love the LORD t O all you who love and worship the true God and his anointed and rejoice in the establishment of his Kingdom * Psal. 34. 14. Amos 5. 15. Rom. 12. 9. hate evil u Shew your love to him by your abhorrency of all Idolatry which is sometimes called evil or sin by way of eminency and of all other wickedness he preserveth the souls of his saints he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked x And although you that love the Lord Christ and his Kingdom will meet with many troubles and persecutions yet be not discouraged for he will preserve you in troubles and in his time deliver you out of them all 11 * Psal. 112. 4. Light y i. e. Joy and felicity as this word is used Esth. 8. 16. Psal. 112. 4. and oft elsewhere is sown z Is prepared or laid up for them and shall in due time be reaped by them possibly in this life but undoubtedly in the next And therefore bear your afflictions for Christ with patience and chearfulness for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart 12 Rejoyce in the LORD ye righteous and give thanks ‖ Or to be â—…morial at the remembrance of his holiness a In consideration of his holy and righteous nature and government or of his faithfulness in making good that great promise of sending the Messias into the World for holiness is sometimes taken for faithfulness which is one part or branch of it PSAL. XCVIII A Psalm The matter and scope of this Psalm is the same with the former and is an evident prediction of the coming of the Messias and of the blessed effects thereof 1 O * 〈◊〉 33. 3. 〈◊〉 1. Sing unto the LORD a new song for he hath done marvellous things his right hand and his holy arm * 1 Sam. 25. 〈◊〉 Heb. hath gotten him the victory a God by his own onely power hath overcome all difficulties and Enemies and hath in spight of all set Christ upon his Throne and propagated his Kingdom in the World 2 * 〈◊〉 52. 10. The LORD hath made known his salvation b The redemption or salvation of the World by the Messias which was hitherto reserved as a secret among the Jews yea was not thoroughly known and believed by the most of the Jews themselves his righteousness c Either his faithfulness in accomplishing this great promise of sending the Messias or his goodness and mercy oft called by this Hebrew word or the righteousness of God or of Christ revealed in the Gospel hath he ‖ Or 〈◊〉 openly shewed in the sight of the heathen 3 He hath remembred his mercy and his truth c He hath now actually given that mercy which he had promised to the Israelites toward the house of Israel all the ends of the earth d All the Inhabitants of the Earth from one end to another have seen e i. e. Enjoyed it as this word is oft used as hath been proved again and again the salvation of our God 4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD all the earth f Because you all do now partake of the same priviledges with the Jews join with them in worshipping and praising of God make a loud noise and rejoice and sing praise 5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp with the harp and the voice of a psalm g The worship of the New Testament is here described in phrases taken from the rites of the old as Psal. 92. 3. and oft elsewhere 6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD the king 7 Let the sea roar and the fulness thereof h All those Creatures wherewith it is replenished which by a poetical strain are invited to praise God See of this and the next Verses the notes on Psal. 96. 11 12 13. the world and they that dwell therein 8 Let the flouds clap their hands let the hills be joyful together 9 Before the LORD * 〈◊〉 96. 13. for he cometh to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity PSAL. XCIX This Psalm is supposed to be Davids and the matter of it seems to suit to his time and the state of affairs which then was although as David was a type of Christ so this Psalm may look beyond David unto the Messias But it doth not speak so fully nor clearly of the Messias as the foregoing Psalms do 1 * 〈◊〉 93. 1. THE LORD reigneth let the people a To wit such as are Enemies to God and to his people tremble * 〈◊〉 80. 1. he sitteth between the cheruhims b Upon the Ark. See 1 Sam. 4. 4. He is present with his people to protect them and to punish their Enemies let the
demean my self in all the varieties of my condition and in all my affairs and actions so as is most agreeable to thy precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous works a Even the wonders of the Law mentioned before v. 18. 28 My soul †Heb. droppeth melteth b Like wax before the fire it hath no strength nor consistency left in it but consumeth or pineth away for heaviness c Through grief partly for my extreme danger and misery and principally for my sins and thy wrath and terrors following upon them strengthen thou me d That so I may bear my burdens patiently and cheerfully and vanquish all my temptations according unto thy word 29 Remove from me the way of lying e Or of falshood either 1. the practice of lying and dissembling and cheating which is so rise in Sauls Court and in the Courts of most Princes but Lord let it not be so in my Court or rather 2. every false way of doctrine or worship for to this way he opposeth Gods Law in the next clause And he justly prayeth to God to keep him from Apostasie Heresie Idolatry and Superstition because his own corrupt nature of it self and without Gods grace was prone to these errours and not onely Heathens but many Israelites did frequently fall into them and grant me thy law graciously f Vouchsafe unto me an accurate knowledge and firm belief of thy Word and that I may constantly attend and adhere to it and govern my self by it in all things 30 I have chosen the way of truth g To wit thy Word or Law for my portion and the rule of my worship and whole life thy judgments have I laid before me h Or set before me as the Phrase is fully expressed Psal. 16. 8. as a delightful object or as a mark to aim at or as a rule to direct me 31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies i I have resolutely persisted in the practice of thy precepts in spight of all temptations reproaches persecutions and discouragements to which I was exposed in and for so doing O LORD put me not to shame k Either 1. by giving me over to Apostasie or transgression which will bring shame Or rather 2. by the disappointment of my hopes and confidence in those promises of the blessings of this life as well as of the next which thou hast made to the obedient of which I have made my boast 32 I will run the way of thy commandments l I will obey thy precepts with all readiness fervency and diligence when thou shalt enlarge my heart m Either 1. when thou shalt bring me out of my present straits or distresses This indeed is called enlarging as Psal. 4. 2. 18. 36. but never to my remembrance the enlarging of the heart Or rather 2. when thou shalt replenish my heart with more wisdom and love to and delight in thee and thy Law for this enlargement of heart in Scripture is ascribed to wisdom 1 Kings 4. 29. and love 2 Cor. 6. 11. and joy Isa. 60. 5. When thou shalt knock off those fetters of remaining corruption and give me a more noble and generous disposition towards thee and stablish me with thy free Spirit as it is expressed Psal. 51. 12. Thus David both ownes his duty and asserts the absolute necessity of Gods grace to the performance of it HE. 33 Teach me O LORD the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end n Or that I may keep it c. That I may persevere for Apostasie proceeds from the want of a good understanding 34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart 35 Make me to go o By directing my mind into the right way by inclining my will and strengthening my resolution in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight p Forsake not him who delighteth in thee and in thy service and as thou hast wrought in me to will work in me also to do 36 * Psal. 141. 4. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies q To the love and practice of them and not to covetousness r Not to the inordinate love and desire of riches Which particular lust he mentions partly because this lust is most spreading and universal and there is scarce any man who doth not desire riches either for the love of riches or upon pretence of necessity or for the service of pride or luxury or some other lust partly because this lust is most opposite to Gods testimonies and doth most commonly hinder men from receiving Gods word and from profiting by it See Mat. 13. 22. Luke 16. 14. and partly because this lust is most pernicious as being the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 20. and is most mischievous in Princes and Governors such as David was and therefore in a special manner forbidden to them Exod. 18. 21. 37 †Heb. make to pass Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity s The vain things and lusts of this present evil world such as riches honours pleasures from beholding them to wit with admiration and inordinate affection for such a sight of the eyes doth usually affect the heart and stir up mens lusts and passions Of which see Numb 15. 39. Iob 31. 1. Prov. 4. 25. 23. 5 6. Mat. 5. 28. and quicken thou me in thy * Ver. 27. way t As I desire that I may be dull and dead in affections to worldly vanities so Lord make me lively and vigorous and servent in thy work and service 38 Stablish thy word u Confirm and perform thy promises as concerning the Kingdom so also for the giving of gracious assistances directions and comforts to those that fear thee of which number I am one unto thy servant who is devoted to thy fear 39 Turn away my reproach x Either 1. for the shameful disappointment of my hopes and confident boastings concerning the truth and certainty of thy promises or 2. for my manifold failings and particularly for that shameful matter about Uriah and Bathsheba or 3. for my instability in or Apostasie from thy ways which in respect of mine own weakness and folly I have great cause to fear which I fear for thy judgments are good y This may be a reason either 1. why he prayed and hoped that God would turn away reproach from him because Gods word and statutes were good and therefore it was not fit for any to suffer reproach in and for his diligent observation of them or 2. why he feared reproach because he had and feared he might hereafter transgress those judgments or statutes of God which were and he very well knew to be good i. e. just and holy and excellent and therefore it was a shameful thing to violate them 40 Behold I have longed after thy precepts z After a
more solid knowledge and constant performance of thy precepts quicken me p Do thou preserve and maintain both my natural and spiritual life in thy righteousness q According to thy justice or faithfulness which obligeth thee to make good thy promises VAU 41 Let thy mercies come also unto me r Let promised mercies be performed to me O LORD even thy salvation according to thy * Ver. 49. word 42 ‖ Or so shall I answer him that reproveth me in a thing So shall I have wherewithal to answer him that reproacheth me s That chaâ—…geth me with folly for my piety and trust in thy promises for I trust in thy word t Or because I trust c. This was the matter of their reproach 43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth t Do not deal so with me that I shall be altogether ashamed to mention thy word which I have so often affirmed to be a word of truth and infallible certainty of which I have often made my boast for I have hoped in thy judgments u Either in thy word and promises or in thy judicial administrations and government of the world which as it is matter of terrour to the wicked so it is matter of comfort and hope to me 44 So shall I keep thy law continually x So shall I be obliged and encouraged to the constant and perpetual study and observation of thy Laws for ever and ever 45 And I will walk †Heb. at large at liberty y Or I shall walk at large as it is in the margent I shall be delivered from all my present straits both of the outward and inward man and enjoy great freedom and comfort in thy ways for I seek thy precepts 46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings z Who commonly entertain all godly discourses with scorn and contempt and will not be ashamed 47 And I will delight my self in thy commandments a Whereas other Princes place their delight in the glories and vanities of this world and the study and practice of Religion is generally irksom and loathsom to them thy Law shall be my chief delight and recreation which I have loved 48 * Gen. 14. 2â—… 23. Exod. 6. 8. My hands also will I lift up b To lay hold upon them to receive and embrace thy precepts and promises by faith and love and chearfully and vigorously to put them in practice for as the hanging down of the hands is a gesture of sloth and listlesness as 2 Chron. 15. 7. and elsewhere so the lifting up of the hands is the posture of a man entring upon action as Gen. 41. 44. 2 Sam. 20. 21. unto thy commandments which I have loved and I will meditate in thy statutes c My deepest thoughts as well as my hands shall be exercised in them ZAIN 49 Remember the word d Thy promises unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope e By thy command requiring it of me and by thy grace working it in me 50 This f To wit thy word as is evident both from the foregoing and following words is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me g Hath preserved my life in manifold dangers and hath revived and cheared my spirit 51 The proud have had me greatly in derision h For my godliness and trust in thy word as the following words imply yet have I not declined from thy law 52 I remembred thy judgments of old i Thy former and ancient dispensations to the children of men in punishing the ungodly and protecting and delivering thy faithful servants whose experience is my encouragement O LORD and have comforted my self 53 Horrour k A mixed passion made up of indignation at their persons as sinful and abhorrency of their sins and dread and sorrow at the consideration of the judgments of God coming upon them hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law l For the dishonour which they bring to God the scandal and mischief to others and their own certain ruine 54 Thy statutes have been my songs m The matter of my songs my delight and recreation in the house of my pilgrimage n Either 1. in this present world which I do not owne for my home wherein I am a stranger and pilgrim as all my fathers were Psal. 39. 13. Comp. Gen. 47. 9. Or 2. in mine exile and in the wildernesses and other places where I have been oft forced to wander when I was banished from all my friends and from the place of thy Worship and had no other support or comfort but the remembrance of thy statutes 55 I have remembred thy Name o Thy holy Nature and Attributes thy blessed Word and thy wonderful Works all which come under the title of Gods Name O LORD in the night p When darkness causeth fear in others I took pleasure in remembring thee and when others abandon all business and wholly give themselves up to rest and sleep my thoughts and affection were working towards thee and have kept thy law q This was the fruit of my serious remembrance of thee 56 This r This comfortable and profitable remembrance and contemplation of thy name and statutes of which he spoke v. 54 55. I had because I kept thy precepts s Which if I had wilfully and wickedly broken the remembrance of these things would have been sad and frightful to me as now it is comfortable because I kept them CHETH 57 * 〈◊〉 142. 5. Thou art my portion t Whereas other men place their portion and happiness in worldly things I have chosen thee for my portion and chief treasure as he said Psal. 16. 5. 73. 26. and thou hast an all-sufficient and an excellent portion for me O LORD I have said u I have not onely purposed it in my own heart but have professed and owne it before others and I do not repent of it that I would keep thy words 58 I intreated thy †〈◊〉 face favour x Thy gracious presence and merciful assistance as it follows with my whole heart be merciful unto me according to thy word 59 I thought on my ways y I seriously considered both my former counsels and courses that I might be humbled for my past errours and might now amend them and my duty in all my future actions and turned my feet unto thy testimonies z And finding that my feet had too often swerved from thy rule I turned them to it And although the ways of sinful pleasure and advantage were presented to my mind yet I rejected them and turned my self wholly to thy ways 60 I made haste and delayed not a Being fully convinced of the necessity and excellency of obedience I presently resolved upon it and
immediately put it in execution to keep thy commandments 61 The ‖ 〈◊〉 bands of the wicked have robbed me b Or made a prey of me done me many injuries for my respect to thy Law but I have not forgotten thy law 62 At midnight I will rise c Out of my bed to praise thee in a solemn manner not being contented with those short ejaculations which he might have used lying in his bed to give * 〈◊〉 164. thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments d i. e. Laws which are so useful to direct and comfort me 63 I am * 〈◊〉 79. a companion of all them that fear thee e Not excepting the poorest and meanest whose society other Princes disdain and of them that keep thy precepts 64 The earth O LORD is full of thy mercy f Thou dost satisfie the just desires and necessities of all men and all creatures with the fruits of thy goodness teach me thy statutes g The generality of other men chiefly desire the blessings of this life but Lord give me thy spiritual blessings the saving knowledge love and practice of thy Law TETH 65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant O LORD according unto thy word 66 Teach me ‖ 〈◊〉 goodness 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 So good judgment h Whereby I may rightly discern between truth and falshood good or evil between the mind of God and my own or others inventions that so I may be kept from those mistakes and errours in which many are involved that I may truly judge what thy Law requires or permits and what it forbids Heb. the goodness of taste an experimental sence and relish of Divine things Comp. Psal. 34. 9. and knowledge i A spiritual and experimental knowledge And judgment or taste and knowledge may by an useful figure called Hendiadys be put for judicious or solid or practical knowledge for I have believed thy commandments k I have believed the Divine authority of them and the truth and certainty of those promises and threatnings which thou hast annexed to them 67 * Ver. 71. and 75. Before I was afflicted I went astray l As men generally do in their prosperity See Deut. 32. 15. Psal. 73. 4 5 6 c. Prov. 1. 32. Ier. 22. 21. but now have I kept thy word 68 Thou art good m Gracious and bountiful in thy nature and dost good n To all men both good and bad Mat. 5. 45. and in all things yea even when thou afflictest teach me thy statutes o Which is the good that I desire above all things 69 The proud have †Heb. sewed a lye upon me forged a lie p A slander charging me with hypocrisie towards God and rebellion against my Prince against me but I will keep thy precepts q My practice shall confute their calumnies with my whole heart 70 Their heart is as fat as grease r The sence is either 1. they are stupid and insensible and past feeling not affected either with the terrours or comforts of Gods word So the like phrase is used Isa. 6. 10. comp with Iob. 12. 40. or 2. they prosper exceedingly and are even glutted with the wealth and comforts of this life but I delight in thy law s But I do not envy them their jollity and I have as much delight in Gods Law as they have in worldly things 71 It is good t Necessary and greatly beneficial for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes t He repeats what in effect he said before v. 67. partly to intimate the certainty and importance of this truth and partly because it is a great Paradox to worldly men who generally esteem afflictions to be evil yea the worst of evils 72 * Psal. 19. 10. Prov. 8. 11. The law of thy mouth is better unto me u Not onely thy promises but even thy precepts which are so unpleasant and hard to ungodly men to me they are more desirable and more needful and profitable because they do not onely give me abundant satisfaction and comfort in this life but also they conduct me with safety and delight unto that eternal and most blessed life where gold and silver bear no price than thousands of gold and silver IOD 73 * Job 10. 8. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments x I am thy creature and therefore obliged to serve and obey thee with all my might which that I may do aright I beg thy instruction or assistance Or thou hast made me once make me a second time and renew thy decayed image in me that I may know and serve thee better and that as I was made by thee so I may be guided by thy grace to serve and glorifie my Creator 74 * Ver. 79. They that fear thee will be glad y Partly for my sake of whose innocency and piety they are convinced and therefore sympathize with me and partly for their own sakes both for the encouragement they have by my example to trust in God and for the manifold benefits both spiritual and temporal which they expect from my government when they see me z To wit alive and in safety notwithstanding all the force and malice of mine enemies and advanced to the Kingdom because I have hoped in thy word a In thy promise and have not been disappointed of my hope which is a great confirmation of their faith and hope in God that they shall obtain all the good things which God hath promised them 75 I know b By the convictions of my own conscience and by experience O LORD that thy judgments c i. e. Thy corrections as the next clause explains this are †Heb. righteousness Ps. 19. 8. right and that thou in faithfulness d In pursuance of thy promises and in order to my good that by my afflictions thou mightest purge me from those sins which might provoke thy wrath against me and prepare me for a better administration and more lasting and comfortable enjoyment of my Kingdom hast afflicted me 76 Let I pray thee thy merciful kindness be †Heb. to comfort me for my comfort according to thy word e Yet in judgment remember mercy and give me that comfort and assistance in and that deliverance out of my troubles which thou hast promised me unto thy servant 77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live f That I may be preserved from that violent and untimely death which mine enemies design to bring upon me for thy law is my delight g I humbly beg and expect thy protection because I am thy faithful servant 78 Let the proud be ashamed for they dealt perversly with me h Heb. they have perverted me either by their calumnies whereby they have put
false and perverse constructions upon all my words and actions or by endeavouring to overthrow and destroy me or to turn me out of the way of thy precepts without a cause but I will meditate in thy precepts i All their wicked attempts against me shall never drive me from the study and love and practice of thy precepts 79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me k Either 1. turn their eyes to me as a spectacle of Gods wonderful mercy or rather 2. turn their hearts and affections to me which have been alienated from me either by the artifices and calumnies of my adversaries or by my sore and long distresses which made them prone to think that either I had deceived them with false pretences or that God for my sins had utterly forsaken me Which doubtless was a very grievous burden to David who had a far greater esteem and affection for such persons than for all other men and desired above all things to stand right in their opinions and those that have known l i. e. Loved and practised them as words of knowledge are oft used thy testimonies 80 Let my heart be †Heb. persect sound m Heb. persect or entire that I may love and obey them sincerely constantly and universally in thy statutes that I be not ashamed n To wit for my sins which are the onely just causes of shame and for the disappointment of my hopes following upon them CAPH 81 * Psal. 84. 2. My soul fainteth o With longing desire and earnest expectation and hope deferred and hitherto disappointed for thy salvation but I hope in thy word 82 * Ver. 123. Mine eyes fail p With looking hither and thither and to thee for help for thy word saying When wilt thou comfort me 83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke q Hung up in a smoaking chimney My natural moisture is dried and burnt up I am withered and deformed and despised and my case grows worse and worse every day yet do I not forget thy statutes 84 How many are the days r Either 1. the days of my life as the word days is commonly used Gen. 6. 3. Iob 7. 1 6. Psal. 39. 5 6. I have but a little while to live in the world give me some respite before I die and help me speedily otherwise it will be too late or rather 2. the days of my misery as the next clause implies and as days are taken Psal. 37. 13. 116. 2. and elsewhere How long Lord shall my miseries last for ever of thy servant when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me 85 * Psal. 35. 7. The proud have digged pits for me s Have sought to destroy me by deceit and treachery as well as by violence which t Either 1. which men have no respect to thy Law which forbids such things Or rather 2. which thing to wit to dig pits for me an innocent and just man is not agreeable to thy Law but directly contrary to it are not after thy law 86 All thy commandments are †Heb. faithfulness faithful u They are in themselves most just and true and they require justice and faithfulness from men promising many blessings to those that perform it and severely forbid all fraud and falseness threatning grievous punishments to those that use it and such promises and threatnings are true and shall certainly be executed they persecute me wrongfully help thou me 87 * Ver. 109. and 143. They had almost consumed me upon earth x As to my present life and all my happiness upon earth whereby he implies that his immortal Soul and eternal happiness in Heaven of which he speaks Psal. 16. 11. 17. 15. and elsewhere was safe and out of their reach but I forsook not thy precepts 88 Quicken me after thy loving kindness so shall I keep y Heb. and I will keep I will testifie my gratitude to thee by my obedience the testimony of thy mouth LAMED 89 * Psal. 89. 2. For ever O LORD * Ver. 152. 160. thy word is setled in heaven z Although many things happen upon earth which seem contrary to thy word and at which men take occasion to question the truth of thy word yet in Heaven it is sure and certainly true In heaven either 1. with thee in thy heavenly habitation or in thy breast as thy nature is unchangeable so thy word is infallible Or rather 2. in the heavenly bodies which are not subject to those changes and decays which are in this lower world but constantly continue the same in their substance and order and courses and this by virtue of that Word of God by which they were made and established in this manner and therefore Gods word delivered to his people upon earth which is of the same nature must needs be of equal certainty and stability This sence best suits with the following verses and with other Scriptures wherein the certainty of Gods word is set forth by comparing it with the stability of the Heaven and the Earth as Mat. 5. 18. and elsewhere 90 Thy faithfulness is †Heb. to generation and generation unto all generations a Every age gives fresh proofs of the truth of thy Word thou hast established the earth and it ‖ Heb. standeth abideth b In that place and state in which thou didst establish it See Eccles. 1. 4. 91 They c The Heaven and the Earth last mentioned †Heb. stand continue this day according to thine ordinances d As thou hast appointed and by virtue of thine appointment for all are thy servants e All things are subject to thy power and pleasure and none can resist thy will or word 92 Unless thy law had been my delights I should then f At the very instant I could not have outlived one stroke of thine afflicting hand have perished in mine affliction 93 I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me g Revived and cheared me when my heart was ready to sink and die within me 94 I am thine h By Creation and Redemption and manifold obligations as also by my own choice and designation I have devoted my self to thy service and committed my self to thy care save me for I have sought thy precepts 95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me but I will consider thy testimonies i As my best comforters and counsellers and defenders against all the assaults and designs of mine enemies 96 I have seen an end of all perfection k I have observed by my experience that the greatest and most perfect accomplishments and enjoyments in this world the greatest glory and riches and power and wisdom are too narrow and short-lived to make men happy but thy commandment l Thy word one part of it being
usest to do unto those that love thy Name n As thou hast done in all former ages Do not deny me the common priviledge of all the faithful 133 Order my steps o By thy grace direct and govern all my motions and actions in thy word p In the way prescribed in thy Word Or by thy word Let thy Spirit accompany thy Word and ingraft it within me so that I may be guided and ruled by it and * Psal. 19. 13. let not any iniquity have dominion over me q And although I have evil inclinations and affections within me let them not bear sway in me nor withdraw me from the course of obedience 134 Deliver me from the oppression of man r As he prayed against the inward impediment of his obedience v. 133. so here he prayeth against an external impediment of it and a common temptation to sin so will I keep thy precepts 135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant s Look upon me with a pleased and favourable countenance Comp. Numb 6. 25. Prov. 16. 15. and teach me thy statutes 136 * Ver. 53. 158. Jer. 9. 1. 14. 17. See Ezek. 9. 4. Rivers of waters t Plentiful and perpetual tears witnesses of my deep sorrow for Gods dishonour and displeasure and for the miseries which sinners bring upon themselves and others run down mine eyes because they u To wit the wicked as before v. 126. who were not worthy to be mentioned for this Pronoun is oft used in way of contempt as Luke 14. 24. 19. 27. Ioh. 7. 11. 8. 10. Acts 16. 36. keep not thy law TSADDI 137 Righteous art thou x By thine essence and nature and therefore it is impossible that thou shouldest be unjust in any of thy Laws or Providences O LORD and upright are thy judgments 138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are †〈◊〉 righteâ—… righteous and very ‖ 〈◊〉 faithâ—… faithful y But this verse is otherwise rendred by all the ancient Interpreters and by divers others and that more agreeably to the order of the words in the Hebrew Text Thou hast commanded righteousness even thy testimonies or the righteousness of thy testimonies or thy righteous testimonies by a common Hebraism or rather righteousness in or by thy testimonies nothing being more frequent than the Ellipsis of the prefix beth which signifies in or by and truth or and true thy righteous and true testimonies although the other seems to be the better translation earnestly So the sence is Thou hast strictly and severely under the highest obligations and penalties commanded in thy Word that men should be just and true in all their actions And this agrees very well with the next foregoing verse wherein he affirmed that God is righteous and doth righteous things and then here he adds that he requires righteousness and truth from all men 139 * 〈◊〉 69. 9. 〈◊〉 2. 17. My zeal hath †〈◊〉 cut me 〈◊〉 consumed me z I am tormented and cut to the heart with grief and anger at it because mine enemies have forgotten thy words a i. e. Despise and disobey them which in Scripture use is oft called a forgetting of them as the remembring of them is oft put for loving and practising them 140 * 〈◊〉 12. 6. 〈◊〉 1â—… 30. Thy word is very †〈◊〉 30. 5. 〈◊〉 tryed or 〈◊〉 pure b Without the least mixture of any falshood or sin both which are frequent in the words or precepts of men therefore c Because of that exact purity and holiness of it for which very reason ungodly men either despise or hate it thy servant loveth it 141 I am small d Or a little one not for age but in respect of my condition in the world mean and obscure and despised yet do not I forget thy precepts 142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness e Constant and unchangeable the same in all ages and places and to all persons of eternal truth and justice never to be dispensed with nor to be made void and thy law is the truth f Nothing but truth or as true as truth it self 143 Trouble and anguish g Outward troubles and anguish of spirit or great anguish or distress have †〈◊〉 â—…ound 〈◊〉 taken hold on me yet thy commandments are my delights 144 * â—…er 106. â—… 160. The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting give me understanding and I shall live h I shall be kept from those sins which deserve and bring death KOPH 145 I cried with my whole heart hear me O LORD I will keep thy statutes 146 I criâ—… unto thee save me ‖ Or that may 〈◊〉 and I shall keep thy testimonies 147 * Psal. 5. 3. 130. 6. I prevented the dawning of the morning i Heb. the twilight to wit of the morning by comparing Psal. 88. 13. And so this word is used 1 Sam. 30. 17. and cried I hoped in thy word 148 * Psal. 63. 1 6. Mine eyes prevent the night watches k Heb. the watches which were kept onely by night And these watches were then three as hath been more than once observed And this is not to be understood of the first watch which was at the beginning of the night for the prevention thereof was very easie and frequent and inconsiderable but of the middle watch as it is called Iudg. 7. 19. which was set in the middle of the night and especially of the morning watch as it is called Exod. 14. 24. which was set some hours before the dawning of the day and so this is an aggravation and addition to what he said v. 147. that I might meditate in thy word 149 Hear my voice according unto thy loving kindness O LORD quicken me according to thy judgment l According to thy word which is oft called Gods Iudgment or according to thy custom or manner of dealing with me and with others of thy people as this word is taken above v. 132. 150 They draw nigh m To wit to me or against me as Psal. 27. 2. they are at hand and ready to seize upon me that follow after mischief they are far from thy law n They cast away far from them all thoughts of and respect to thy Law which forbids such wicked practices 151 Thou art near o To me Thou art as ready and present to succour me as they are to molest me O LORD and all thy commandments p Considered with the promises and threatnings which are frequently annexed to them Or the promises as this word seems to be used Psal. 111. 7. and elsewhere in this Psalm And God is said to command not onely his precepts or the observation thereof but also his Covenant Psal. 105. 8. 111. 9. which is a collection or body of the promises and his loving kindness Psal.
42. 8. which is the fountain of the promises and his blessing Psal. 133. 3. which is the fruit of his promises and deliverances 44. 4. which are the things promised And therefore it is not strange if the promises be sometimes called Commandments are truth 152 †Heb. I knew of old from thy precepts So Gr. ver 89. Psal. 111. 7. 8. Concerning thy testimonies I have known of old q By my own long experience ever since I arrived at any knowledge in those matters that thou hast founded them for ever r That thou hast established them upon sure and everlasting foundations RESH 153 Consider mine affliction and deliver me for I do not forget thy law 154 * Psal. 35. 1. Mich. 7. 9. Plead my cause and deliver me quicken me according to thy word 155 Salvation is far from the wicked for they seek not thy statutes s And therefore on the contrary I trust that thou wilt save me because I do seek them My wicked enemies shall certainly be destroyed by which means I shall be delivered 156 ‖ Or many Great are thy tender mercies O LORD quicken me according to thy judgments t According to the manner of thy administrations towards thy people as v. 149. 157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies yet do I not decline from thy testimonies u Though they tempt me to do so and persecute me because I will not do it 158 I beheld the transgressors x I observed and considered their ungodly courses and was grieved because they kept not thy word 159 Consider how * Ver. 132. I love thy precepts y Which was the cause of my grief for their violation of them quicken me O LORD according to thy loving kindness 160 †Heb. The beginning of thy word is true Thy word is true from the beginning z Either from the beginning of the world or ever since thou hast revealed thy mind by thy word to the sons of men all thy words have been found to be true and certain and so they will be to the end of the world as is implied in the next clause Or as it is in the margent the beginning or as others render it the summ as this very word is used Exod. 30. 12. Numb 26. 2. 31. 26. to wit the whole of it there is not the least part of it which is not so of thy word is true and * Ver. 89. every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever SCHIN 161 Princes a Who had power to do it and who ought to have used their authority to protect me whom they knew to be innocent and injured have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy word b But I feared thine offence and displeasure more than their wrath 162 I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil 163 I hate and abhor lying c Or falshood either 1. in my speech and actions all hypo crisie and deceit which is the common practice of mine enemies and of all godless Politicians or 2. in doctrine and worship as this word seems to be used v. 29. because both there and here it is opposed to Gods Law but thy law do I love 164 * Ver. 62. Seven times d Many times that definite number being oft taken indefinitely as Levit. 26. 28. and elsewhere a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments 165 Great peace e Either outward prosperity and happiness which God in his Law and expresly promised to good men or at least inward peace satisfaction and tranquillity of mind arising from the sence of Gods love to them and watchful care over them in all the concerns of this life and of the next have they f Heb. is to them or shall be to them for the Verb being not expressed it may be understood either way Although they may meet with some disturbance yet their end shall be peace as is said Psal. 37. 37. which love thy law and †Heb. they shall have no stumbling block Prov. 22. 5. nothing shall offend them g Heb. they shall have no stumbling block to wit such at which they shall stumble and fall into mischief and utter ruine as ungodly men have before whom God doth oft lay stumbling blocks or occasions of sin and destruction as it is affirmed by God himself Ier. 6. 21. Ezek. 3. 20. Rom. 9. 33. out of Isa. 8. 14. 166 * Gen. 49. 18. LORD I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy commandments h Thus performing the condition which thou hast required I justly and confidently hope for thy mercy promised 167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly i I have not onely obeyed thy commands which an hypocrite may sometimes and in part do for worldly ends but I have done it with my very soul and from an hearty love to them 168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for k Or because This is added either 1. as the reason or motive of his obedience which was the consideration of Gods Omniscience and his desire to approve himself and his ways to God or 2. as a proof and evidence of it Whereas this and all his former professions of his piety were charged by his enemies with deep hypocrisie and might seem to savour of pride and vain-glory here in the close of them he makes a solemn appeal to that God who knew his heart and all his ways and whether these things were not true and real which if they were not he tacitly imprecates Gods judgment upon himself all my ways * Or were are before thee TAU 169 Let my cry come near before thee l Which at present thou seemest to shut out as the Church complained Lam. 3. 8. O LORD give me understanding m Whereby I may both know and perform my duty in all particulars according to thy word 170 Let my supplication come before thee deliver me according to thy word 171 * Ver. 7. My lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes 172 My tongue shall speak n Heb. shall pour forth freely and abundantly like a fountain of thy word o In praise of it for its righteousness as it here follows its truth and purity and other excellencies for all thy commandments p Even those which to men of corrupted minds seem harsh and unjust are righteousness 173 Let thine hand help me for * Josh. 24. 22. Prop. 1. 29. I have chosen thy precepts q For my guide and companion and chief joy and treasure 174 I have longed for thy salvation r Either 1. for deliverance from my present straits and calamities that I may serve thee with more freedom and may glorifie thy Name in a more solemn and publick manner or 2. that thou wouldest
understood of the spiritual plagues which Christ by the hand or ministry of his Apostles and Ministers did inflict upon the hearts and consciences of his incorrigible enemies who by Gods word and ordinances were either tormented or hardned to their destruction Yea it may have a respect unto the last day of judgment in which the Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. which will be a most dreadful execution of this vengeance c. and punishments upon the people 8 To bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron o Of which see the Note on the foregoing verse 9 * Deut. 7. 1 2. To execute upon them the judgment written p Appointed and declared in the holy Scripture as Deut. 12. 32. 29. 19. 32. 41 42 43. and elsewhere This is added to shew that they do not this work to satisfie their own malicious or revengeful inclinations but in obedience to Gods commands and onely in such manner as God hath allowed in his word this honour have all his saints q The honour of these actions belongs to all the Saints for whose sakes God appointed this in his word and afterwards executed it by his providence Praise ye the LORD PSAL. CL. This Psalm agrees much with the former and is an invitation to all men to praise God and especially to the Levites or those of them who were appointed to this work as may be gathered both from the place in which they are to praise him which is according to our Translation in his Sanctuary v. 1. and from that great variety of instruments here mentioned all which were frequently used in their Temple-service and seldom elsewhere 1 †Heb. Hallelujah PRaise ye the LORD Praise God in his sanctuary a In his Temple where this work was to be performed constantly and solemnly Or who dwelleth in his Sanctuary So it describeth and limiteth the object of their praises Or. for as this particle is used in the next verse his Sanctuary for this great favour of placing his Sanctuary and dwelling place amongst men praise him in the firmament of his power b In his heavenly mansion there let the blessed Angels praise him Or who dwelleth in the firmament or spreading forth of his power to wit in the Heavens which were stretched out by his great power and in which are the most glorious testimonies of his infinite power Or for the firmament c. for that glorious and astonishing piece of his workmanship 2 * Psal. 145. 5 6. Praise him for his mighty acts praise him according to his excellent greatness c As his infinite Majesty deserves to be praised 3 Praise him with the sound of the ‖ Or cornet trumpet * Psal. 81. 2. 149. 3. praise him with the psaltery and harp 4 Praise him with the timbrel and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 dance praise him with stringed instruments and organs 5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals praise him upon the high sounding cymbals 6 Let every thing that hath breath d Every living creature in heaven and in earth 〈◊〉 5. 13. according to their several capacities some objectively others actively as was noted before praise the LORD Praise ye the LORD PROVERBS THe Pen-man of this Book is expressed in the Title Solomon who was famous for his Proverbs of which he spake Three Thousand as it is recorded 1 King 4. 32. the most eminent and useful of them being doubtless collected in this Book And that the greatest part of this Book was composed by Solomon doth sufficiently appear because that part of it which was collected and composed by other hands is so plainly distinguished from the foregoing part Ch. 25. 1. The Nine first Chapters contain a Preface or Introduction to the Book or an Exhortation to true Wisdom and all the following Chapters contain the Precepts of Wisdom called Proverbs Wherein we are not to expect that order and coherence which is in many other Books of Scripture CHAP. I. 1. THe * 〈◊〉 â—…in 4. 32. Chap. 10. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. proverbs a Proverbs are ancient and wise and short Sayings in common use whereof some are plain and easie others are intricate and obscure of Solomon b Proceeding from Solomon and most of them digested by him into this Book See the Preface the son of David king of Israel 2. To know c Written to help men to know throughly and practically wisdom d Both humane Wisdom to conduct our Affairs in this Life which divers of the following Proverbs do and especially divine Wisdom which Solomon chiefly designed or to make men wise to know their duty and to save their Souls and instruction e The Counsels and Instructions delivered either by God or by Men in order to the attainment of Wisdom to perceive the words of understanding f Either 1. Which are the effects of a good understanding Or 2. Which teach a man true Understanding whereby to discern between Truth and Error between Good and Evil to chuse the former and to refuse the latter 3. To receive the instruction g Willingly to receive the Counsels of others which is a good step to Wisdom and a part of it of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisdom h Such as is wise and tends to make men wise and prudent This is opposed to the Instruction of Fools and folly of which Prov. 16. 22 19. 27. For folly or wickedness hath its School and multitudes of Scholars that are very apt to learn its Lessons justice and judgment and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equity i Which teach men just judgment or equity to wit their whole Duty both to God and to others and to themselves These three words seem to signifie the same thing and are heaped together to note either the necessity of the Precept or the exactness and diligence which is required in the practice of it 4. To give subtilty k Or rather Prudence as this word is used Prov. 3. 21. 5. 2. 8. 5 12. which elsewhere is taken in an evil sense for craft or subtilty to the simple l Such as want wisdom and are easily deceived by others and therefore most need this blessing to the young man m Which wants both Experience and Self-government knowledge and ‖ 〈◊〉 adviseâ—… discretion 5. * Chap. 9. 9. A wise man will hear n Is not self-conceited as Fools are but willing to learn from others and therefore will attend to the following Instructions and will encrease learning o And thereby will gain this great benefit to grow in knowledge and wisdom This he adds to shew that this Book is useful and necessary not only to the simple but also to the most wise and knowing Persons and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels p Not to deep speculations but practical consideration to the art of
supposed to be such by reason of that severe Law against these practices in Israelitish women Deut. 23. 17. or are justly reputed Heathens as being degenerate Israelites which are oft called Strangers as hath been noted in the book of the Psalms and partly because conversation with such Persons is forbidden to men as those Israelites which were not Levites are called Strangers Numb 1. 51. in respect of the Holy things which they were prohibited to touch and forbidden Fire is called strange fire Num. 3. 4. * Ch. 5. 3. 6. 24 7. 5. even from the stranger which flattereth with her words d Which useth all arts and ways to allure men to unchast actions one kind being put for all the rest 17. Which forsaketh * Jer. 3. 4. the guide of her youth e To wit her Husband whom she took to be her guide and governour and that in her youth which circumstance is added to aggravate her sin and shame because love is commonly most sincere and servent between an Husband and Wife of youth as they are for that reason emphatically called Prov. 5. 18. Isa. 54. 6. Ioel. 1. 8. Mal. 2. 14 15. and forgetteth f i. e. Violateth or breaketh as that word is commonly used in a practical sense the covenant of her God g The marriage Covenant so called partly because God is the Author and Institutor of that society and mutual Obligation and partly because God is called to be the witness and judge of that solemn Promise and Covenant and the avenger of the transgression of it 18. For her house inclineth unto death h Conversation with her which was most free and usual in her own House is the ready and certain way to Death which it brings many ways by wasting a Mans Vital spirits and shortning his life by exposing him to many and dangerous Diseases which Physicians have declared and proved to be the effects of inordinate lust as also to the fury of jealous Husbands or Friends and sometimes to the Sword of Civil Justice and undoubtedly without repentance to God's wrath and the second Death This is here mentioned as one great priviledge and blessed fruit of Wisdom and her paths unto the dead i Or as the Chaldee and some others render it unto the Giants to wit those rebellious Giants Gen. 6. 4. or as others unto the damned or unto Hâ—…ll See for this word Iob 7. 9. Psal. 88. 11. Prov. 9. 18. 21. 16. 19. None k Few or none An hyperbolical expression used Isa. 64. 7. that go unto her l That go to her House or that lie with her as this Phrase is used Gen. 16. 4. 30. 4. Ios. 2. 3. return again m From her and from this wickedness unto God Adulterers and Whoremongers are very rarely brought to repentance but are generally hardned by the power and deceitfulness of that Lust and by God's just judgment peculiarly inflicted upon such Persons Heb. 13. 4. He alludes to the nature of corporal death from which no man can without a Miracle return to this life neither take they hold of the paths of life n Of those courses which lead to true and eternal Life 20. That thou mayest o This depends upon v. 11 and is mentioned as another happy fruit of Wisdom the former being declared from v. 12. to this Verse walk in the way of good men p Follow the counsels and examples of the godly Whereby he intimates that it is not sufficient to abstain from evil company and practices but that we must choose the conversation of good men and keep the path of the righteous 21. * Psal. 37. 29. For the upright shall dwell in the land q Shall have a peaceable and comfortable abode in the Land oâ—… Canaan which also is a type of their everlasting felicity See Psal. 37. 3 9 18 29. and the perfect shall remain in it 22. * Job 18. 17. Psal. 104. 35. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be ‖ Or pluckt up rooted out of it CHAP. III. 1. MY son forget not my law a My doctrine or counsel or the Law of God which might be called his Law as the Gospel is called Paul's Gospel 2 Tim. 2. 8. because delivered by them * Deut. 8 â—… 30. 16 20. but let thine heart keep my commandments b By diligent meditation and hearty affection 2. For * Chap. 4. 10 22. length of days and †Heb. years of life long life and peace shall they add to thee c God will add these Blessings which he hath promised to the obedient Deut. 8. 18. 30. 20. 1 Tim. 4. 8. 3. Let not mercy and truth d Either 1. God's Mercy and Truth So it is a promise God's Mercy and Truth shall not forsake thee Or rather 2. That Mercy and Truth which is Man's duty So it is a Precept which seems most probable both from the form of the Hebrew Phrase and from the following words of this Verse which are plainly preceptive and from the promise annex'd to the performance of this Precept in the next Verse Mercy and Truth are frequently joyned together as they are in God as Psal. 25. 10. 57. 3. c. or in men as Prov. 16. 6. 20. 28. Hos. 4. 1. and here Mercy notes all that benignity clemency charity and readiness to do good freely to others Truth or Faithfulness respects all those duties which we owe to God or Man to which we have special Obligation from the Rules of Justice forsake thee * Exod. 13. 9. Deut. 6. 8. Ch. 6. 21. 7. 3. bind them about thy neck e Like a Chain wherewith Persons adorn their Necks as it is expressed Chap. 1. 9. which is fastned there and not easily lost which also is continually in ones view write them upon the table of thme heart f Either 1. upon those Tablets which the Iews are said to have worn upon their Breasts which are always in sight So he alludes to Deut. 6. 8. Or 2. in thy mind and heart in which all God's commands are to be received and engraven as is oft required in this Book and every where So the Table of the Heart seems to be opposed to the Tables of Stone in which God's Law was written as it is Ier. 31. 33. 2 Cor. 3. 3. 4. * Psal. 111. 10. So shalt thou find favour g i. e. Obtain acceptance or be gracious and amiable to them and ‖ Or good success good understanding h Whereby to know thy duty and to discern between good and evil The serious practice of Religion 〈◊〉 an excellent mean to get a solid understanding of it as on the contrary a vitious life doth exceedingly debase and darken the mind and keep men from the knowledge of Truth which not onely Scripture but even Heathen
howsoever they are thought by themselves or others to be witty or wise yet in God's account and in truth are fools and he will love thee t Both for that faithfulness and charity which he perceiveth in thee and for that benefit which he receiveth from thee 9. * 〈◊〉 1. 5. Give instruction u In the Hebrew it is onely give for as receiving is put for learning Prov. 1. 3. so giving is put for teaching both in Scripture and in other Authors of which see my Latin Synopsis to a wise man and he will be yet wiser teach a just man x Called a wise Man in the former branch to intimate that good men are the onely wise men and he will increase in learning 10. * Job 28. 28. Ps. 111. 10. Chap. 1. 7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledg of the holy y Either 1. of holy men whether such as all Saints learn or rather such as the holy men of God the Servants of this Wisdom teach from God's VVord Or rather 2. of Holy things the Hebrew word being here taken in the Neuter Gender as it is Numb 5. 17. and elsewhere for this seems best to answer to the fear of the Lord in the other branch is understanding z Is the onely true and necessary and useful knowledge 11. * Ch. 10. 27. For by me thy days shall be multiplied and the years of thy life shall be increased 12. If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self a Thou dost not profit me but thy self by it I advise thee for thine own good †Heb. and. but if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it b The blame and mischief of it falls wholly upon thee not upon me or my VVord or Ministers who have warned thee 13. * Ch. 7. 11. A foolish woman c By which he understands either 1. folly which is opposite to that VVisdom of which he hath been so long discoursing and so it may include all wickedness either in principle as Idolatry Heresy c. or in practice Or 2. the Harlot which with submission seems most probable to me partly because all the following decription exactly agrees to her especially what is said v. 17. as also v. 18. which in effect was said of the Harlot before Ch. 2. 18. 5. 5. and partly because such transitions from discoursing of VVisdom to a discourse of Harlots are frequent in Solomon as we have seen Ch. 2. 16. 5. 3. 7. 5. is clamorous d Speaks loudly that she may be heard and vehemently that Persons might be moved by her persuasions she is simple and knoweth nothing e To wit aright nothing that is good nothing for her good though she be subtil in little artifices for her own wicked ends 14. For she sitteth at the door of her house f Which notes her idleness and impudence and diligence in watching for occasions of sin on a seat in the high places of the city 15. To call passengers who go right on their ways g Who were going innocently and directly about their business without any unchast design for others needed none of those invitations or offers but went to her of their own accord And besides such leud Persons take a greater pleasure in corrupting the innocent 16. Whoso is simple h Which title is not given to them by her for such a reproach would not have allured them but driven them away but by Solomon who represents the matter of her invitation in his own words that he might discover the truth of the business and thereby dissuade and deter those whom she invited let him turn in hither and as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him 17. * Ch. 2â—… 17. Stolen waters i By which he understandeth either 1. Idolatry or other wickednesses which in Solomon's time before his fall were publickly forbidden and punished but privately practised Or rather 2. Adultery are sweet k Partly from the difficulty of obtaining them partly from the art which men use in contriving such secret sins and partly because the very prohibition renders it more grateful to corrupt Nature and bread †Heb. of secrecies eaten in secret is pleasant 18. But he knoweth not l i. e. He doth not consider it seriously whereby he proveth his folly that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of hell CHAP. X. 1. THe proverbs of Solomon a Properly so called for the foregoing Chapters though they had this Title in the beginning of them yet in truth were only a Preface or preparation to them containing a general Exhortation to the study and exercise of wisdom to stir up the minds of men to the greater attention and regard to all its Precepts whereof some here follow Of which in general these things are fit to be observed to help us in the understanding of them 1. That these sentences are generally distinct and independent having no coherence one with another as many other parts of Scripture have 2. That such sentences being very short as their nature requires more is understood in them than is expressed and the Causes are commonly to be gathered from the Effects and the Effects from the Causes and one opposite from another as we shall see 3. That they are delivered by way of comparison and opposition which for the most part is between Virtue and Vice but sometimes is between two Virtues or two Vices * A wise b i. e. Prudent and especially virtuous and godly as this word is commonly meant in this Book and in many other Scriptures son maketh ‖ Ch. 15. 20. a glad father c And a glad Mother too for both Parents are to be understood in both branches as is evident from the nature of the thing which affects both of them and from parallel places as Ch. 17. 25. 30. 17. although one only be expressed in each branch for the greater Elegancy but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother d The occasion of her great sorrow which is decently ascribed to the Mothers rather than to the Fathers because their passions are most vehement and make deepest impression in them 2. * Chap. 11. 4. Treasures of Wickedness e Either 1. All worldly Treasures and Riches which are called the Mammon of Unrighteousness Luke 16. 9. of which see the Reasons there to which Righteousness or Holiness which are spiritual and heavenly Riches may be fitly opposed Or 2. Such Treasures as are got by any sort of unjust or wicked practices profit nothing f They do the possessor no good but which is implied from the opposite member much hurt they do not only not deliver him from death but oft expose him to it either from men who take away his Life that they may enjoy his Wealth or from God
who shortens his days and makes his death more terrible as being attended with guilt and with the second death but righteousness g Either 1. True Holiness of Heart and Life Or 2. Justice and Equity in the getting of Riches or an Estate honestly obtained which may be fitly opposed to Treasures of Wickedness Or 3. A liberal and charitable use of Riches which is oft called Righteousness as Psal. 112. 9. Dan. 4. 27. 2 Cor. 9. 10. c. and is indeed but an act of Justice of which see on Prov. 3. 27. which also is conveniently opposed to an unjust getting of Riches and so this contains a great Paradox yet a certain truth that the charitable laying out of Mony is more profitable to men than an unjust and covetous laying it up delivereth from death h Oft times from temporal death because men generally love and honour and will assist such persons in cases of danger and God gives them the blessing of a long Life and always from eternal death when such Charity proceeds from a sincere and honest mind and a good Conscience 3. * Psal. 33. 19 37. 19 25. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish i Will preserve them from Famine according to his Promises Psal. 34. 10. and elsewhere which as other temporal Promises is not to be understood simply and universally but with this limitation except this be necessary for Gods Glory which in all reason should over-rule the Creatures good and for their own greater benefit For to say nothing of eternal Felicities which follow every good mans death it is certainly in some times and cases a less evil for men to be killed with Famine than to survive to see and feel those miseries which are coming upon them and upon the Land where they live but he casteth away ‖ Or the wicked for their wickedness the substance k As this word is used Psal. 52. 7. or the Wickedness i. e. the wealth gotten by wickedness as Righteousness v. 2. is by divers understood of an Estate got with Righteousness of the wicked l Who by that means shall be exposed to want and Famine 4 * Ch. 12 24. 19. 15. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand m Negligently and slothfully as appears from the diligence opposed to it in the next branch and from the use of this word in this sense Prov. 12. 24 27. 19. 15. Ier. 48. 10. Heb. with a deceitful hand so called partly because it seems and pretends to do somthing when in truth it doth nothing and partly because such persons usually endeavour to maintain themselves by deceit and wickedness which they cannot or will not do by honest labour and diligence but * Chap. 13. 4. 21. 5. the hand of the diligent maketh rich n Not by it self nor necessarily as is manifest from Experience and is noted Eccles. 9. 11. but through Gods blessing which commonly is given to such by comparing this verse with v. 22. here following 5. He that gathereth o The fruits of his field in summer p In harvest as it follows which is a part of Summer He that watcheth for and improveth the proper seasons and opportunities of doing good to himself and to others is a wise son but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame q Both to himself for his folly and that Poverty and Misery caused by it and to his Parents to whose negligent or evil Education such things are oft and somtimes justly imputed 6. Blessings are upon the head of the just r All sorts of blessings are wished to them by Men and conferred upon them by God He saith upon their head either to shew that these Blessings come from above and that openly in the sight of the World so that he can confidently speak of them to God's Praise and to his own Comfort and Honour or because Blessings were commonly pronounced by men with this Ceremony by laying their hands upon the Head of the party blessed but * Ver. 11. violence covereth the mouth of the wicked s Violence either 1. Their own Violence or Injustice which may be here put for the fruit or punishment of it as Iniquity is oft put for the punishment of Iniquity Or 2. Violence or the violent and injurious and mischievous practices of others against them deserved by their own Violence committed against others and inflicted upon them by the curse and righteous judgment of God shall cover the mouth of the wicked i. e. shall fall upon them This Phrase of covering their Mouth is used either 1. With allusion to the ancient custom of covering the Mouths and Faces of condemned Malefactors of which see Esth. 7. 8. Iob 9. 24. Or 2. To signifie that the Curse and Judgment of God upon them should be so manifestly just that their mouths should be stopped and they not be able to speak a word against God or for themselves Or 3. to intimate that Gods judgment upon them should be publick and evident to all that behold them as any covering put upon a mans mouth or Face is as for the same reason the blessings of the just were said to be upon their Heads And the Mouth may be put for the Face or Countenance by a Synecdoche But this clause is otherwise rendred by divers learned Interpreters the mouth of the wicked covereth i. e. concealeth or smothereth within itself and doth not utter that violence or injury which he meditateth in his Heart and designeth to do to others and therefore shall be accursed and miserable But this suits not so well with the former clause wherein the Blessings of the just are not meant actively of those Blessings which they wish or give to others but passively of those Blessings which others wish or give to them and consequently this violence is not understood of that which they do to others but of that which is done to them by others 7. * Psal. 112. 6. The memory of the just is blessed t i. e. Honourable and acceptable to those who mention them Compare Iob 31. 20. Psal. 62. 5. but the name of the wicked shall rot u Shall perish and be cursed and detestable amongst men shall stink above ground 8. The wise in heart will receive commandments x Is ready to hear and obey the Counsels and Precepts of God and of Men by which means he shall stand fast and live but †Heb. a fool of lips a prating fool y One who is slow to hear and swift to speak who instead of receiving good Admonitions Cavils and Disputes against them In the Hebrew he is called a fool of Lips either because he discovers the folly of his Heart by his Lips and thereby exposeth himself to the mischief here following or because he is without heart as is said of Ephraim Hos. 7.
e There is much cruelty mixed even with their most merciful actions when they pretend or intend to shew mercy Heb. the Bowels of the c. those very Bowels which in others are the seat of pity in him are hardned and shut up and onely stir him up to cruelty In stead of that Mercy which is natural to other men he hath nothing but cruelty Their Mercies are here said to be cruel as the foolishness and weakness of God are said to be wise and strong 1 Cor. 1. 25. 11. * Ch. 28. 19. He that tilleth his land f That employeth his time and strength in an honest calling shall be satisfied with bread but he that followeth vain persons g That useth their society and idle course of living is void of understanding h Shall through his own folly want Bread 12. The wicked desireth ‖ Or the fortress the net of evil men i He approveth and useth those cunning and deceitful arts which wicked men use like Nets to ensnare other men and to take their goods to themselves Or he desireth the Fortress of wicked men or of wickedness i. e. he seeks to fortifie and stablish himself by wicked practices but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit k That Justice and Piety in which he is rooted and which is the root of his actions doth of it self without the aid of any indirect and sinful courses yield him sufficient fruit both for his own need and to do good to others But because the word fruit is not in the Hebrew and may seem to be too great a supplement it is and may be rendred thus the root of the Righteous giveth it to wit that Fortress or security which others seek in wickedness 13. †Heb. the snare of the wicked is in the transgression of Lips * Ch. 18. 7. The wicked is snared l i. e. Brought into trouble by the transgression of his lips m By his wicked speeches against God and men but the just shall come out of trouble n To wit by his wise and holy and in offensive speeches whereby he pacifieth men and gaineth God's favour and protection 14. * Ch. 13. 2. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth o By his pious and profitable Discourses and the recompense of a mans hands p i. e. Of his works and actions of which the hand is the great instrument Whereby also may be implied that God will not regard nor recompence good words unless they be accompanied with a good conversation shall be rendred unto him q To wit by God to whom the work of retribution belongs 15. * Ch. 3. 7. The way of a fool r The counsel and course which his own mind suggests to him in the ordering of his affairs is right in his own eyes s Highly pleaseth him so that he neglects and despiseth the opinions and advices of others but he that hearkeneth unto counsel t That distrusteth his own judgment and seeketh counsel from others is wise 16. A fools wrath is †Heb. in that day presently known u By his rash words and indecent actions whereby he exposeth himself to shame but a prudent man covereth shame x Either 1. the shame or reproach or injury done to him by others which he concealeth and beareth with patience and passeth by as his duty and interest obligeth him to do Or 2. his own shame to which the â—…olly of rash anger would have betrayed him 17. * Ch. 13. 5. 14. 5. He that speaketh truth y Heb. He that will speak truth i. e. he who accustometh himself to speak truth in common conversation for the future Tense in the Hebrew Tongue oft notes a continued act or habit sheweth forth righteousness z To wit as a witness in publick judgment he will speak nothing but what is true and just you may depend upon his Testimony but a false witness deceit a He who useth himself to lying in his common talk will use falseshood and deceit in judgment 18. * Ps. 57. 4. 59. 7. There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword b Hurtful and pernicious words whereby they either corrupt mens minds and manners or scandalize them or injure them in their Reputation Estate or Life or otherwise but the tongue of the wise is ‖ Or healing So Gr. health c His speech both in judgment and in common discourse is found and wholesom in it self and tending to the comfort and benefit of others 19. The lip of truth shall be established for ever but a lying tongue is but for a moment d The speaker of truth is constant and always agreeable to himself and his words the more and longer they are tried the more doth the truth of them appear whereas Liars though they may make a fair shew for a season yet are easily and quickly convicted of falshood 20. Deceit e Either 1. towards others whom they design to deceive and then to destroy whilst good Counsellers bring safety and joy to others Or rather 2. to themselves So the sense of the Verse is They whose hearts devise mischief against others shall be deceived in their hopes and bring that trouble upon themselves which they design against others but they who by good counsels labour to promote the Peace and Happiness of others shall reap the comfort and benefit of it to themselves is in the heart of them that imagine evil but to the counsellors of peace is joy 21. There shall no evil happen to the just but the wicked shall be filled with mischief f Either 1. of sin or rather 2. of suffering or mischief as the next clause explains this No such evil shall befall them as doth commonly befall the wicked who are filled or overwhelmed and utterly destroyed by it whereas good men are supported under their troubles and shall be delivered out of them and receive much benefit by them 22. * 〈◊〉 6. 17. Lying lips are an a bomination to the LORD but they that †〈◊〉 do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 21. deal truly g That speak and act sincerely and truly He implies that although lying lips alone are sufficient to purchase Gods hatred yet truth in a mans speech is not sufficient to procure Gods favour unless there be also Truth and Justice in his actions are his delight 23. * 〈◊〉 13. 16. 〈◊〉 15. 2. A prudent man concealeth knowledge h He doth not vain-gloriously and unseasonably utter what he knows but keeps it in his breast till he hath a fit occasion to bring it forth for Gods Glory and the good of others but the heart of Fools proclaimeth foolishness i Whilest he makes ostentation of his knowledge he betrays his Ignorance and Folly Compare Eccles. 10. 3. 24. * 〈◊〉 10. 4.
it expedient but assuredly in the next life of the righteous 20 * Ch. 19. 7. The poor is hated c i. e. Despised and abandoned as hateful Persons and Things are even of his own neighbour d Strictly so called who is nearest to him either by habitation or by relation and therefore most obliged to love and help him but †Heb. many are the lovers of the Rich. the rich hath many friends 21 He that despiset his neighbour c That doth not pity and relieve the poor as this is explained in the next Clause the word Neighbour being here generally taken for any Man as it is most commonly used in Scripture which not relieving him proceeds from a contempt of his Person sinneth d And therefore shall be punished for his inhumanity which is opposed to his being happy in the next Clause * Ps. 112. 9. but he that hath mercy e That sheweth his compassion by his bounty and relief on the poor happy is he f He doth a worthy action and shall be blessed in his deed 22 Do they not err g They do certainly err from the right way and mistake their mark and shall miss of that advantage and felicity which they promise to themselves by such practices that devised h That do not onely commit it but make it their design and study and business that are Artists or Masters in it as the word signifies evil i Either 1. mischief to men Or 2. any kind of wickedness against God or men for the expression is general and this seems best to agree to the following Clause but mercy and truth k Either 1. from men Men shall deal truly and kindly with them partly because such men by their carriage oblige them to do so and partly because God inclineth their hearts to it Or 2. from God to whom these two properties are jointly ascribed in divers places of Scripture shall be to them that devise good l That designedly and industriously apply themselves to the doing of all good offices to God and men 23 In all labour there is profit but the talk of the lips tendeth onely to penury m Diligem labour is the ready way to riches but idle talking wherein too many spend most of their pretious time will bring a Man to poverty 24 The crown of the wise is their riches n They are a singular advantage and ornament to them partly as they make their Wisdom more regarded when the poor Man's wisdom is despised Eccles. 9. 16. and partly as they give a Man great opportunity to discover and exercise his Wisdom or Vertue by laying out his Riches to the honour and service of God and to the great and manifold good of the World which also highly tends to his own glory and happiness but the foolishness of fools is folly o But as for rich fools for to them the general word is to be restrained from the opposite Clause their folly is not cured but made worse and more manifest by their riches Their Riches find them Fools and leave them Fools they are not a Crown but a reproach to them and an occasion of their greater contempt For the Phrase we have the like in the Hebrew Text 1 Sam. 1. 24. The Child Samuel was a Child It is an elegant Figure called Antanaclasis used in all Authors 25 * Vers. 5. A true witness delivereth Souls p i. e Persons to wit such as are innocent from the mischief of false Accusations by declaring the truth which is sufficient for their Vindication but a deceitful witness speaketh lies q To the injury and destruction of the Innocent which is easily understood out of the former Clause and from the practice of false Witnesses 26. In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence r A sure ground of confidence or a strong refuge as the next Clause explains it and his children s Either 1. God's Children Or 2. the Children of them that fear God who are sufficiently understood out of the former Clause shall have a place of refuge 27 * Ch. 13. 12. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death t To preserve men from deadly and destructive courses 28. In the multitude of people is the kings honour u Because it is an evidence of his wise and good government Under honour he here comprehends also strength and safety as appears from the opposite Clause which depend much upon a Princes reputation And honour may be here put for strength as strength is put for honour or glory Psal. 8. 2. 29. 1. 96. 7. but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince 29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding x Sheweth great and true wisdom in conquering his sinful and shameful passions but he that is †Heb. short of Spirit hasty of spirit exalteth y Heb. lifteth up like a Banner makes it known and visible to all men folly 30 A sound heart z Free from envy and such like inordinate passions which are commonly called the Diseases of the Soul not onely in Sacred but even in Heathen Writers Or as others render it An healing Heart mild and merciful and kind to others which is opposed to envy is the lise of the flesh a Procureth and maintaineth the health and vigor of the whole Body but envy the rottenness of the bones b It wasteth the Spirits and consumeth even the strongest and most inward parts of the Body 31 * Ch. 17. 5. Mat. 25. 40 45. He that oppresseth the poor c That useth him hardly as the Syriack renders it that with-holdeth from him that which is his due either by the rules of strict justice or by the great Law of Charity of which see Prov. 3. 27. and so it is opposed to having Mercy in the next Clause reproacheth his maker d Whose Image the poor Man bears which might challenge respect Iob 31. 15. by whose counsel and providence he is made poor 1 Sam. 2. 7. Prov. 22. 2. and who hath declared himself to be their protector and avenger but he that honoureth him e His Image and Works and Laws hath mercy on the poor f Doth not onely forbear oppressing or injuring of him but affords him his pity and help 32 The wicked is driven away g To wit in his Death as is gathered from the opposite Clause driven away from God's favour and presence and from the Society of the Just and from all his hopes of Happiness both in this life and in the next This expression notes that this is done suddenly violently and irresistibly as the smoke or chaff are driven away by a strong Wind. in his wickedness h Or for his wickedness Heb. in his evil which may be understood of the
his heart may discover itself c Heb. but his delight is in the discovery of his own heart i. e. in uttering that folly and wickedness which is in his heart being more forward to speak than to hear which is one badge of a fool 3 When the wicked cometh d Into any place or company then cometh also contempt e Either 1. Passively he is justly contemned and reproached by those who converse with him Or rather 2. Actively he despiseth and scorneth all Instruction and Reproof neither fearing God nor reverencing Man For he seems here to note his sin rather than his punishment and with ignominy reproach f And he doth not only contemn others in his heart but sheweth his contempt of them by ignominious and reproachful expressions and carriages 4 * Chap. 20. 5. The words of a mans g i. e. A wise mans as the next clause explains this who is worthy of the name and hath the understanding of a man in him This Hebrew word oft-times notes an eminent or excellent person and therefore is opposed to Adam which designs any ordinary man mouth are as deep waters h Full of deep Wisdom and the well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook i That Wisdom which is in his heart is continually pouring forth wise and good counsels 5 * Lev. 19. 15. Deut. 1. 17. 16. 19. Chap. 24. 2â—… It is not good k i. e. It is a most wicked and hateful thing See on Prov. 17. 15 26. to accept the person l To favour his unrighteous cause of the wicked to overthrow the righteous in judgment 6 A fools lips enter into contention m A fool by his rash and wicked speeches provoketh others to quarrel with him and as it follows to strike him and his mouth calleth for strokes n Procureth strokes to himself 7 * Chap. 10. 14. 12. 13 13. 3. Eccl. 10. 12. A fools mouth is his destruction and his lips are the snare of his Soul 8 * Ch. 12. 18. 26. 22. The words of a ‖ Or whisperer tale-bearer o Who privily slandereth his Neighbour are ‖ Or like as as wounds p Deeply wound the Reputation and afterwards the Heart of the slandered person Compare Prov. 12. 18. Or as others render the word are as smooth or flattering i. e. they really are so the particle as being oft used to express the truth of the thing as hath been noted before See also Ioh. 1. 14. They are softer than Oil as is said Psal. 55. 21. For slanderers use to cover and usher in their calumnies with pretences of kindness and compassion to them whom they traduce ‖ Or but. when men are wounded and they go down into the †Heb. Chambers in nermost parts of the belly q They wound mortally piercing to the very heart which is oft meant by the belly as Iob 15. 35. 32. 19. c. 9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster r They are alike though they take several paths yet both come to one end even to extream want and poverty 10 * â—… Sam. 22. 〈◊〉 Psal. 18. 2. 〈◊〉 1. 61. 〈◊〉 91. 2. 〈◊〉 â—… The name of the LORD s i. e. The Lord as he hath revealed himself in his works and especially in his word by his Promises and the Declarations of his infinite perfections and of his goodwill to his people is a strong tower t Is sufficient for our Protection in case of the greatest dangers the righteous u Which limitation he adds to beat down the vain confidences of those men who though they live in a gross neglect and contempt of God will expect Salvation from him runneth into it and †〈◊〉 is set 〈◊〉 is safe 11 * 〈◊〉 10. 15. The rich mans wealth is his strong city and as an high wall in his own conceit u He trusts to his Wealth as that which will either enable him to resist his enemy or at least purchase his favour 12 * 〈◊〉 11. 2. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty x Pride is a cause and presage of ruine as is noted Prov. 16. 18. and before honour is y Or goeth This clause we had Prov. 15. 33. humility 13 He that †〈◊〉 returneâ—… 〈◊〉 answereth a matter before he heareth it z Before he hath fully heard and considered what another is speaking about it it is folly and shame a It is a shameful folly though he seek the reputation of a wise man by it as if he could readily and throughly understand all that another can say before he hath uttered it unto him 14 The spirit b i. e. The soul to wit which is unwounded as appears by the opposite branch of the verse which is vigorous and chearful supported by the sense of Gods Love and the Conscience of its own Integrity and the prospect of its present Peace and future Happiness of a man will sustain his infirmity c Will easily support him under any bodily or outward troubles as Gods people have oft found by experience but a wounded d Dejected with the sense of its own guilt and misery spirit who can bear e It is most grievous and intollerable without divine assistance 15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledg f By employing his thoughts and studies upon it and the ear of the wise getteth knowledge g By a greedy and diligent attention to those from whom he may learn it 16 * Chap. 17. 8. 〈◊〉 â—…1 14. A mans gift maketh room for him h Procures him free access to great men Heb. enlargeth him as this very Phrase is rendred Psal. 4. 1. and elsewhere freeth him from straits and oppressions and bringeth him before great men i Gets him favour and free conversation with them 17 He that is first in his own cause k He that first pleadeth his cause seemeth just l Both to himself and to the Judg or Court by his fair pretences but his neighbour cometh m To contend with him in judgment and to plead his cause and searcheth him n Examineth the truth and weight of his Allegations and disproveth them and detecteth his weakness Or discovers him for seeking or searching are oft put for finding as Prov. 17. 9 19. and elsewhere 18 The lot causeth contentions to cease o By determining the matters in difference and parteth p Maketh a partition giveth to every one what is right or meet by the disposition of divine Providence between the mighty q So it doth also between mean persons but he mentions the mighty because they are most prone to contention and most fierce and intractable in it and most capable of doing great mischief to themselves and
clause grace of his lips Whose discourse is gracious and sincere the king shall be his friend g The greatest men will or should desire and highly prize the acquaintance and advice of such persons rather than of Dissemblers and Flatterers wherewith they are most commonly pestered 12 The eyes of the LORD preserve h God by the watchful Eye of his Providence maintains and defends knowledg i To wit men of knowledge the abstract being put for the concrete as Pride is put for a proud man Psal. 36. 11. Deceit for the deceitful as Prov. 12 17. So here Knowledge for knowing and good men such as the last verse spoke of whose hearts are pure and speeches gracious not only the King shall be their friend as he said there but God also which he adds here and he overthroweth ‖ Or the matters the words k Their false and flattering speeches whereby they designed and expected to gain the favour and friendship of great men which are opposed to the sincere and gracious speeches of good men implied in the first clause of this verse and expressed in the foregoing verse Or as others render it and the word is very commonly used the matters all his Counsels Hopes Enterprizes and Concerns of the transgressor 13 * Ch. 26. 13. The slothful man saith l Alledgeth as his excuse to them who upbraid him with idleness or persuade him to diligence There is a lion without m There are extream dangers and invincible difficulties in my way I shall be slain n By that Lion or some other way in the streets o Which is added to shew the ridiculousness of his excuse for Lions abide in the woods or fields nor in the streets of Towns or Cities 14 * Ch. 2. 16. 5. 3. 7. 5â—… 23. 27. The mouth p Her fair and flattering speeches wherewith she enticeth him to gross filthiness as it is noted Prov. 7. 21. of strange women is a deep pit q Into which it is easie to fall but hard if not impossible to get out of it It is a rare thing for any person once entred into the course of Whoredom sincerely to repent of it and turn from it See Prov. 2. 19. he that is abhorred of the LORD r To wit in an high and singular manner who by his former impieties and contempt of God and of his Grace hath provoked God to leave and loth him and to punish one sin with another for otherwise all sinners as such are abhorred by God shall fall therein 15 Foolishness is bound s Is fixed and setled there as being born with him and rooted in his very nature and not plucked up without great difficulty and diligence in the heart of a child but * Ch. 13. 24. 19. 18. 23. 13. 29. 15 17. the rod of correction shall drive it far from him t The smart of punishment makes him weary of his sin and watchful against it 16 He that oppresseth the poor to encrease his riches and he that giveth to the rich u That vainly and prodigally casts away his estate upon those who do not need it or gives it to them with evil design as that they may assist him in oppressing the poor or at least not hinder him in it shall surely come to want 17 Bow down thine ear and hear the words of the wise x Of wise and holy men of God and apply thine heart y Thirst after it and give up thy self to the diligent study of it unto my knowledg z The knowledge of God and of thy several duties which I am here delivering to thee 18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them a The words of the wise †Heb. in thy belly Job 15. 35. 32. 18. within thee b Heb. in thy belly i. e. in thine heart which implies receiving them in Love and retaining them in mind and memory they shall withal be fitted c Be fitly expressed or be disposed or ordered The sense is when thou hast got them into thine heart thou wilt be able and ready to discourse pertinently and profitably of them in thy lips 19 That thy trust may be in the LORD d That knowing God and his word and Promises thou maist chearfully and confidently trust in him which is the only way to thy safety and happiness I have made †Them known to thee this day ‖ Or trust thou also even to thee 20 Have not I written to thee †Heb. things of command or authority excellent things e Or princely things as they are called Prov. 8. 6. the great things of Gods law as Hos. 8 12. in counsels and knowledg f Consisting of Counsels to direct thy practice and Knowledg to inform and enrich thy mind Or by that known Figure Hendiadis in counsels of knowledg i. e. in good counsels which proceed from sound knowledge and make a man knowing and wise which are opposed to the counsels of the wicked Prov. 12. 5. which are without knowledg 21 That I may make thee know the certainty of the words of truth g That I may teach thee not false or vain or uncertain things as the Teachers of the Heathen Nations do but the true and infallible Oracles of God that thou mightest answer the words of truth h That being instructed by me thou maist be able to give true and solid and satisfactory answers ‖ Or to those that send thee to them that send unto thee i To wit for thine advice in great and difficult matters Or to those that send thee i. e. that employ thee in any business of moment whereof they expect an account from thee 22 Rob not the poor because he is poor k This may be mentioned either 1. As a motive to this Robbery because he was unable to resist him or to revenge himself upon him Do not take advantage of his Poverty Or 2. As an Argument against it because he is a fitter object for thy pity and Charity than for thy Injustice or Cruelty It is base and inhumane to crush such a person * Zech. 7. 10. neither oppress the afflicted in the gate l In the place of Judgment or under pretence of Justice and much less in other ways where there is no colour of Justice 23 * Ch. 23. 1â—… For the LORD will plead their cause m Which he hath in a peculiar manner undertaken to do and spoil the soul n Take away not only their goods but their Lives too So fully will he recompence their wickedness to them of those that spoiled them 24 Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not go o Into his company not converse frequently and familiarly with him as friends use to do 25 Lest thou learn his ways p
Spirits Heb. 12. 9. 8 * Ch. 1. 2. Vanity of vanities saith the preacher all is vanity m This sentence wherewith he began this Book he here repeateth in the end of it Partly as that which he had proved in all the foregoing discourse and partly as that which naturally and necessarily followed from both the branches of the assertion now laid down v. 7. 9 And ‖ Or the more wise the preacher was c. moreover because the preacher was wise n Which he affirmeth not out of vain ostentation but partly to procure the more credit and acceptance to his Doctrine and Counsel here delivered and partly to declare his Repentance for his former follies and Gods great Mercy in restoring his Wisdom to him he still taught the people knowledge o As God gave him this Wisdom that he might be a teacher of others so he used it to that end Therefore despise not his Counsel yea he gave good heed p He did not rashly and foolishly utter whatsoever came into his mind or mouth but seriously pondered both his matter and words and sought out q Both by the exercise of his own mind and by reading and learning from others and * 1 Kin. 4. 32. set in order r Or directed on fitted He selected such as were most useful many proverbs s Excellent and wise sayings which are oft called Proverbs as was noted before upon the Book of Proverbs 10 The preacher sought to find out †Heb. words of delight acceptable words t Heb. desirable or delightful worthy of all acceptation such as would minister comfort and profit to the hearers or Readers and that which was written u By the Preacher in this and his other Books was upright x Heb. right or streight agreeable to the Mind or Will of God which is the rule of right not crooked or perverse even words of truth y Not fables cunningly devised to deceive the simple but true and certain Doctrines which commend themselves to mens own Consciences or Reasons wholsom and edifying Counsels 11 The words of the wise z Not of secularly or politickly wise men but of the spiritually wise and holy men of God of which and not of the former this whole context treats are as goads and as nails a Piercing into mens dull Minds and hard Hearts and quickening and provoking them to the practice of all their duties fastened b Which do not only amuse and startle men for the present as the wise and grave Counsels of moral Philosophers frequently do but make powerful and abiding impressions in them which is the peculiar effect of Gods Word by the masters of assemblies c By the teachers of Gods Church and People whether Prophets or others appointed by God for that work which are given from one shepherd d From God or from Jesus Christ the great Shepheard and Teacher of the Church in all Ages by whose Spirit the ancient Prophets as well as other succeeding Teachers were inspired and taught Ier. 3. 15. 1 Pet. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 21. And this clause seems to be added partly as the reason of that admirable Harmony and Agreement which is amongst all the men of God in all ages and places because they are all taught by one Master and guided by the same Hand and partly to oblige us to the greater Attention and Reverence to all their Doctrines and Counsels which we are to receive as the word of God and not of Men only as is said 1 Thes. 2. 13. 12 And further by these e By these Wise Men and their Words or Wâ—…ings of which he spake in the foregoing verse my son be admonished f Take your Instructions from them for their words are right and true as he said v. 10. where as the words of other men are false or at best doubtful of making many books there is no end g I could easily write many Books and large Volumes upon these matters but that were an endless and needless work seeing things necessary to be known and done lie in a little compass as he informs us in the next verse and much ‖ Or reaâ—…ing study h The reading of many Books written by learned Philosophers about these things which it is more than probable were then extant though since lost which also Solomon being so curious and inquisitive a person would in all likelihood procure and peruse as far as he had opportunity is a weariness to the flesh i It wasteth a mans strength and Spirits and yet which is implied doth not satisfie the Mind nor sufficiently recompence the trouble and inconvenience to which man is exposed by it 13 ‖ Or 〈◊〉 eâ—…d of tâ—…e matter 〈◊〉 all that hath been 〈◊〉 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter k The summ and substance of all that hath been said or written by wise men so far as it is necessary for us to know * Deut. 6. 2 10. 12. Fear God l Which is Synecdochically put here as it is very frequently in Scripture for all the inward Worship of God Reverence and Love and Trust and a Devotedness of Heart to serve and please God and a Lothness to offend him and an Aptness to tremble at his Word and Judgments and keep his commandments m This is fitly added as a necessary effect and certain Evidence of the Fear of God Make Conscience of practising whatsoever God requires how costly or troublesom or dangerous soever it be for this is the whole duty n In the Hebrew it is only the whole it is his whole work and business his whole Perfection and Happiness it is the summ of what he need either know or do or enjoy of man 14 For * Rom. 2. 16. 14. 1â—… 1 Cor. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 10. God shall bring every work into judgment o This is added either 1. As a reason of what he last said this is the whole of man because all men must give an account to God of all their works and this alone will enable them to do that with joy and not with grief Or 2. As another Argument to press the foregoing Exhortation Fear God and keep his commandments for you must be called to judgment about it c. with every secret thing p Not only outward and visible actions but even inward and secret thoughts whether it be good or whether it be evil CANTICLES BEfore I come to the Explication of this Book some things must be premised concerning it 1. That it was of Divine Inspiration is so clear and certain that as the Iewish Writers note none ever questioned it although some doubted of some other of Solomon's Writings And the same Arguments which prove the Divinity of other Books are found here such as the quality of the Pen-man who was confessedly a man
inspired by God the Excellency and Usefulness of the Matter the sacred and sublime Majesty of the stile and the singular efficacy of it upon the Hearts of sober and serious Persons who read it with due preparation and those other Characters which are commonly known and therefore it is needless here to enumerate 2. The form of this Book is dramatical wherein several parts or parcels of it are uttered by or in the Name of several persons which are chiefly Four the Bridegroom and the Bride and the Friends or Companions of the one and of the other Nor is it declared what or when each of them speak but that is secretly couched and is left to the observation of the prudent Reader as is usual in Writings of this Nature 3. The design of the Book in general is to describe the passionate Loves and happy Marriage of two persons and their mutual Satisfaction therein and the blessed Fruits and Effects thereof But then it is not to be understood carnally concerning Solomon and Pharaoh's Daughter as some have fancied although the occasion of this Love and Marriage may be taken from that or rather he makes an allusion to that but spiritually concerning God or Christ and his Church and People This is sufficiently evident from the descriptions of this Bridegroom and Bride which are such as could not with any decency be used or meant concerning Solomon and Pharaoh's Daughter as when he is brought in like a Country Shepherd Ch. 1. 7. and is called his Brides Brother Ch. 5. 2. and when he gives such high and excessive Commendations to himself as we shall see and when she is made the keeper of Vineyards and of Sheep Ch. 1. 6 8. and is said to be smitten and abused by the Watchmen Ch. 5. 7. and to be terrible as an Army Ch. 6. 4. and to be like Pharaoh's Horses and to have an Head like Carmel a Nose like a Tower Eyes like Fishpools Teeth like a flock of Sheep c. Ch. 7. 4 5. And there are many such like Expressions and Descriptions which being applied to them are absurd and monstrous Hence it follows that this Book is to be understood mystically or Allegorically concerning that spiritual Love and Marriage which is between God or Christ and his Church or every believing Soul And this will be more than probable to any man who shall consider the following particulars 1. That the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament are full of mystical and Allegorical passages which being known and confessed it is needless to prove 2. That the Doctrine of Christ or the Messias and of his being the Head and Husband and Saviour of Gods Church or People was well known at least to the Prophets and the wise and pious Israelites in the time of the Old Testament whereof we have many manifest and unquestionable evidences not only in the New Testament but in the Writings of Moses in the Books of Psalms and Proverbs and in the Prophets as hath been noted in part and will God assisting be further observed in the proper places 3. That God compares himself to a Bridegroom and his Church to a Bride Isa. 62. 5. and calls and owns himself the Husband of his People Isa. 54. 5. Hos. 2. 16 19 20. In which places by comparing these with many other Texts of Scripture by God or the Lord is meant Christ the second Person in the Godhead who then was to come down and since did come from Heaven to Earth for the consummation of that eternal project of Marriage between God and his People Which also is fully confirmed by the writings of the New Testament which were designed for the Explication of the Old in which Christ is expresly declared to be the Bridegroom or Husband of his Church as Mat. 9. 15. 22. 2. John 3. 29. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Eph. 5. 23. Rev. 19. 7. 21. 2. 22. 17. 4. That the 45th Psalm which is a kind of abridgment of this Book although it had its rise from or alludes to the Marriage between Solomon and Pharaoh's Daughter was written concerning the Messias as all Interpreters both Christian and Iewish agree and concerning the mystical Marriage between Christ and his Church of which see my notes upon that Psalm From these considerations and many others which might be suggested and which will offer themselves to our thoughts from several passages of it it is sufficiently manifest that the main scope and business of this book is to describe the mutual Love Union and Communion which is between Christ and his Church in the various conditions to which it is liable in this World as in the state of Weakness and Desertion and Persecution from foolish Shepherds and the like Chap. 1. 6 7. and 3. 1 2 3 4. and 5. 2 7 c. Moreover it is to be considered that Solomon doth here vary his Speech sometimes speaking of the Church in general as one Person or Body and sometimes of the particular Members of it or of several Believers both of such as really and sincerely are so or such as profess to be so and of their various dispositions and conditions And hence comes the difference of Persons here mentioned the Mother or Spouse and the Children or Daughters of Jerusalem Sixty Queens and Eighty Concubines some that are Strangers to the Bridegroom and some that are well acquainted with him c. These things being premised will give great light to the several passages of this Book CHAP. I. 1 THe song of songs a The most excellent of all Songs whether composed by profane or sacred Authors by Solomon or by any other So this Hebrew Phrase is understood in other cases as the holy of holies signifies the most holy and the highest King is called King of Kings there are multitudes of such instances as hath been oft observed And so this might well be called whether you consider the Author of it who was a great Prince and the wisest of all mortal Men the two Adams only excepted or the Subject of it which is not Solomon but a greater than Solomon even Christ and his Marriage with the Church as hath been noted or the Matter of it which is most lofty and mysterious containing in it the greatest and noblest of all the mysteries contained either in the Old or the New Testament most pious and pathetical breathing forth the hottest flames of Love between Christ and his People most sweet and comfortable and useful to all that read it with serious and christian Eves Nor is it the worse because prophane and wanton Wits abuse it and endeavour to fasten their absurd and filthy senses upon some passages in it The truth is this Book requires a sober and pious not a lascivious and foolish Reader for which reason some of the ancient Hebrews advised young men to forbear the reading of it till they were Thirty years old which is Solomons b Which was composed by
g To the place to which I invite thee to go which from those high Mountains thou maist easily behold the sight of which will certainly enflame thee with desire to go thither He alludes to Moses his beholding the promised Land from mount Pisgah from the top of Amana h Not that Amana which divided Syria from Cilicia which was too remote from these parts but another of that name not far from Lebanon from the top of Shenir * Deut. 3. 9. and Hermon i Which may be the names of two tops of the same Mountain as Horeb Sinai seem to have been Or Shenir or the copulative and being put disjunctively for or as it is in many places which have been observed before Hermon for this Mountain is called both Shenir and Hermon Deut. 3. 9. and the latter name Hermon may be added to the former as being better known to the Israelites from the lions dens from the mountains of the leopards k From these or other such like Mountains which are inhabited by Lions and Leopards Which seems to be added as an Argument to move the Spouse to go with him because the places where now she was were not only barren but also dangerous as being the Habitations of Tyrants and Persecutors and wild or salvage People who are oft described by the names of wild Beasts whose natures they have and whose practices they imitate 9 Thou hast ‖ Or taken aâ—… way my 〈◊〉 ravished my heart l I am overcome with thy beauty and therefore am so desirous of thy company my sister m So he calls her partly because both he and she had one and the same Father to wit God yea and Mother too being both at this time born in and of the Commonwealth and Church of Israel and partly to shew the greatness of his Love to her which is such as cannot be sufficiently expressed by any one Relation but must borrow the Perfections and Affections of all to describe it my spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes n With one glance of one of thine Eyes By which Phrase he intimates the Modesty and Humility of the Church which was ashamed or afraid to look fully and directly upon the Bridegroom with both her Eyes and withal alludes to the ancient custom of Virgins who used to cover their Faces with a veil and to look out only with one of their Eyes for the direction of their steps By this one Eye he seems to mean that fundamental Grace of Faith by which Christians look upon Christ and discern his beauty and which is precious in the sight of God and of Christ. with one chain of thy neck o With one of those other Graces and Perfections wherewith thou art adorned How then should I be ravished if thou didst discover both thine Eyes and thy whole Countenance and all thine excellent Gifts and Graces 10 How fair p How amiable and acceptable to me is thy love q I do not disdain thy love as I might do but take it kindly and prise it highly my sister my spouse * 〈◊〉 1. 2. how much better is thy love than wine r Of which see on ch 1. 2 4. and the smell of thine ointments s Of the Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit wherewith thou art anointed Compare Isa. 61. 1. 1 Ioh. 2. 20 27. than all spices 11 Thy lips O my spouse drop as the honey-comb t Thy Speeches both to me in Prayer and Praises and to men for their Edification are highly acceptable to me honey and milk u Words more sweet and comfortable than Honey or Milk are under thy tongue x By which Phrase he may possibly intimate that her words were not uttered in Hypocrisie or with evil design as many fair and smooth Speeches are but proceed from her very Heart which is under her Tongue as mischief is said to be under his Tongue Psal. 10. 7. who devised it in his Heart and the smell of thy garments y Of that Righteousness wherewith I have cloathed and adorned thee Christ and the Graces of the Spirit are oft compared to Garments as Rom. 13. 14. Eph. 4. 24. 1 Pet. 5. 5. is like the smell of Lebanon z Which is also mentioned and commended Hos. 14. 6. which must needs be very sweet and grateful in regard of the great numbers of sweet-smelling Spices and Trees which grew in that Mountain 12 A garden a For Order and Beauty for pleasant Walks and Flowers and Fruits †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inclosed b Either 1. Defended by the care of my Providence Or 2. Reserved for my proper use She will not admit of other Lovers either false Teachers or worldly Lusts but keeps herself close for me She is chast and pure and modest as Virgins are or should be is my sister my spouse a spring c Either 1. For others sending forth the wholsom streams of saving Doctrine for the refreshing and healing and cleansing of those who receive it Or 2. Within her self being well watered i. e. replenished with spiritual Graces and Blessings which are frequently compared to waters both in the Old and New Testament as Isa. 44. 3. Ioh. 4. 10. 7. 38. for which the Church is compared to a watered Garden or Spring of water Isa. 58. 11. shut up d Either 1. To preserve it from all pollution or injury Or 2. To reserve it for the use and service of its owner for which reason Springs were shut up in those Countries where water was scarce and precious as Gen. 29. 3. a sountain sealed e The same thing is here repeated in other words 13 Thy plants f The plants of thy Garden Believers which are planted in thee are an orchard g Are like the plants or fruits of an Orchard which are pleasant to the Eye and delicious to the taste or smell such as are here mentioned in the following words Whereby he signifies the variety and excellency of Gifts and Graces in the several members of the Church of pomgranates with other pleasant fruits ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 camphire with spikenard h Which he mentions both here with camphire or cypress and in the next verse with saffron because it is mixed with both these and being so mixed yieldeth the more grateful smell 14 Spikenard and saffron calamus and cinnamon with all trees of frankincense i Such Trees as produce Frankincense Or as others both ancient and modern render it Trees of Lebanon such sweet smelling Trees and Plants as grew in Lebanon of which see above on v. 11. myrrhe and aloes with all the chief spices 15 A fountain of gardens a well of living waters k These are the words either 1. Of the Bride who returns this Answer to the Bridegroom Thou callest me a Fountain but in truth thou only art that Fountain from whence I
Calamity shall be universal without any respect or distinction of Persons or Ranks of Men the Priests themselves having been Partakers of the Peoples Sins shall also partake with them in their Plagues as with the servant so with his master as with the maid so with her mistress * Ezek. 7. 1â—… 13. as with the buyer so with the seller e The Purchaser of Lands shall have no more left than he who hath sold all his Patrimony and all Persons shall be made equal in Beggary and Slavery as with the lender so with the borrower as with the taker of usury so with the giver of usury to him 3 The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled for the LORD hath spoken this word 4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away the world f From this Word some infer That this Prophecy concerns not onely the Land of Iudaea but also the neighbouring Countries But if the proper Signification of that Word be urged this Prophecy must be extended to all the Parts of the World which these Learned men will not allow And the world both in Scripture and other Authors is oft used Synechdochically for that which is in truth but a small part of it at least in comparison with the Whole as it is not onely of the Roman Empire as Luk. 2. 1. Act. 11. 28. but also of Babylon Isa. 13. 11. and which cometh nearer to the point of this very Land of Iudaea as Ioh. 12. 19. 18. 20. and elsewhere And therefore it may well be so understood here especially when this Word world is explained by those other Words the earth and the land which the very next Verse sheweth to be meant of Israel or Iudaea as we shall there discover languisheth and fadeth away †Heb. the heighth of the people the haughty people g Not onely Common People who use to be of low Spirits but the High and Lofty ones who use to be stout in their Words and Carriages towards me and to deride my Threatnings of the earth do languish 5 * Gen. 3. 17. The earth also h Heb. And the land or this land for here is an emphatical Article in the Hebrew Text. is defiled under the inhabitants thereof i By the Wickedness of its People of which see Levit. 18. 25 27 Numb 35. 33. c. because they have transgressed the laws k The Laws of God revealed to them and pressed upon them in a singular manner called simply the laws as the Word of God is oft-times called the word by way of eminency changed the ordinance l God's Ordinances concerning his Worship and Service the Singular being put collectively for the Plural broken the everlasting covenant m The Covenant made between God and Abraham and all his Posterity renewed with the Israelites at Sinai which was everlasting both on God's part who upon the Conditions therein expressed engaged himself to be a God to them and to their Seed for ever and on Israels part who were obliged thereby to constant and perpetual Obedience through all Generations All these Clauses clearly prove that the earth or land which this Prophecy concerns is no other than the Land of Israel and Iudah 6 Therefore hath the curse n The Curse of God threatned to Transgressours Deut. 28. 15. c. and 29. 20. and imprecated by and upon themselves if they should not persist in their Obedience to God Deut. 2â—… 26. and elsewhere devoured the earth and they that dwell therein are desolate therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned o Are consum'd by the Wrath of God which is commonly compared to Fire and few men left 7 * Chap. 16. 8 9. Joel 1. 10 12. The new wine mourneth p Because there are either none or none but the Enemies of God and Israel to drink it Grief is ascribed to senceless Creatures by a Figure usual in all Authors the vine languisheth q Either because there are no People left to dress it or gather its Grapes or because it is broken down and spoiled by the Enemy all the merry-hearted r That made their Hearts merry with Wine Psal. 104. 15. do sigh 8 The mirth * Jer. 7. 34. 16. 9. 25. 10. Ezek. 26. 13. Hos. 2. 11. of tabrets s Which they used in their Feasts and Revellings ceaseth the noise t The Word properly signifies a roaring Noise and confused Clamour such as drunken men make Psal. 78. 65. Zech. 9. 15. of them that rejoyce endeth the joy of the harp ceaseth 9 They shall not drink wine with a song strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it u Because of the Fears and Miseries wherewith it is mixed 10 The city x Ierusalem and other Cities for the Singular Word may be here taken collectively of ‖ Or emptiness confusion y Or of vanity or emptiness or desolation for this Hebrew Word signifies all these things And the City may be thus called either 1. in regard of the Judgments of God coming upon it as if he had said a City devoted to Desolation or Destruction to be emptied of its Goods and People or 2. for its Sin a City of Confusion or Disorder breaking all the Laws and Orders which God had established among them or a City that walketh with or after vanity as the Scripture speaks Iob 31. 5. Ier. 2. 5. that loveth and speaketh vanity as they did Psal. 4. 2. 12. 2. And this may seem most convenient that the Sin of the City should be noted in this Word as the Punishment is expressed in the next is broken down every house is shut up z Either for fear of the Enemy who have entred the City or rather because the Inhabitants are either fled or dead or gone into Captivity and so there are none to go into it or come out of it that no man may come in 11 There is a crying for wine a For the want or loss of their Wine and spoil of their Vines whereby they were deprived of the Means both of their Delight and Profit Whereby he intimates their gross Sensuality and Sottishness that in stead of crying for their Sins and humbling themselves under God's Judgments did onely howl for their corn and wine and oil as they did Hos. 7. 14. in the streets all joy is darkned the mirth of the land is gone 12 In the city is left desolation and the gate is smitten with destruction b The Gates of the City are totally ruined that the Enemy may enter when and where they please 13 When thus it shall be c When this Judgment shall be executed in the midst of the land d In the Land But withal this Phrase may intimate that the Judgment should not be sleight and superficial and in the Skirts of the Land but that it should reach their very Heart their most
inward and best defended Parts among the people * Chap. 17. 5 6. there shall be as the shaking of an olive-tree and as the gleaning-grapes when the vintage is done e There shall be left a Remnant and that but a very small Remnant as there are some few and but a few Olives or Grapes left after the Vintage is over Which by comparing this with the following Verse seems to be added by way of mitigation to signifie that God would in Judgment remember Mercy 14 They f The Remnant preserved shall lift up their voice they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD g For his glorious Power and Goodness manifested in their Deliverance they shall cry aloud h In way of Exultation and Thanksgiving to God from the sea i From the Isles of the Sea as this is explained in the next Verse from those Parts beyond the Sea into which they were carried Captive and in which they were miraculously preserved 15 Wherefore glorifie ye the LORD k These are the Words either 1. of the Remnant who being themselves delivered do encourage and exhort their Brethren to glorifie God with them or 2. of the Prophet directing and exciting God's People to glorifie God in their Afflictions because of that Deliverance which he had promised and would assuredly give to them in the ‖ Or valleys * Ezek. 39. 6. fires l When you are in the Furnace of Affliction although this Word is never used in Scripture in this sence Others therefore render the Word in the valleys and others in the holes you that are now forced to hide your selves in Holes Possibly it may be better rendred for light or illumination which may be understood either of the Light of the Truth which God would reveal to them or for the Comfort and Felicity which God would confer upon them Light being frequently taken both ways in Scripture For this Hebrew Word in all other Places of Scripture where it is found signifies that Urim which was in the High-Priest's Breast-plate and which properly signifies illumination as both Jews and Christians render it whereof that was both a Sign and an Instrument of which see on Exod. 28. 30. Add to this that this part of the Prophecy seems to concern the Days of the Gospel and that Light which the Jews should then receive by the Messias of whom the High-Priest with his Ephod and Urim was a Type And so this is an Exhortation to the converted Jews to bless God for the true Urim even for Christ and the Gospel And some of the ancient Translators had this Signification of the Word in their Eye as the Vulgar Latin who render it in doctrines and the Chaldee who translate it when light shall come to the just But this I propose with submission even the Name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea m In remote Countries beyond the Sea which in Scripture are commonly called isles as hath been formerly and oft observed Whereby he seems to imply that he here speaks not so much of a Temporal Felicity which the Jews should receive and enjoy in their own Country as of a Spiritual Advantage which they should have by the Messias in the Places where they were dispersed 16 From the †Heb. wing uttermost part of the earth n From all the Parts of the Earth or Land in which the Jews are or shall be have we heard songs o Songs of Joy and Praise even glory to the righteous p Or glory be to the righteous which may seem to be the Matter of the Song By the righteous may be here understood either 1. the Generation of Righteous and Holy Men who formerly were despised but now upon this eminent Deliverance shall be highly honoured or 2. the Lord whom they were exhorted to glorifie in the foregoing Verse and who may well be called the righteous one as he is frequently stiled the holy one as Hos. 11. 9. Habak 3. 3. c. or 3. the Messiah to whom this Title of just or righteous is frequently given as Isa. 53. 11. Ier. 23. 5. Zech. 9. 9. c. And the believing Jews call him righteous emphatically partly to intimate that he is the Author and Procurer of all true Righteousness and partly in opposition to their unbelieving Brethren who rejected and condemned him as a Malefactor All which the Prophet foresaw by the Spirit of Prophecy but I said q But in the midst of these joyful Tidings I discern something which interrupts my Joys and gives me cause of bitter complaint and lamentation †Heb. Leanness to me Or My secret to me My leanness my leanness r I saint and pine away for grief for the following Reason wo unto me the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously s The Jews who have been frequently guilty of great perfidiousness towards God are now acting the same Part. Which he speaks either 1. of those who lived in his time or rather 2. of those who should live when the Messias was upon Earth of whom he foresaw by the Spirit that they would forsake God and reject their Messiah and thereby bring utter Destruction upon themselves For even the Hebrew Doctors expound this Place of the Perfidiousness of some Jews in the times of the Messiah And it is not strange that so sad a sight made the Prophet cry out My leanness c. yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously t He repeats it to shew the horridness of the Crime and how deeply he was affected with it 17 * Jer. 48. 43 44. See 1 Kin. 19. 17. Amos 5. 19. Fear and the pit and the snare x Great and various Judgments some actually inflicted and others expected and justly feared as the punishment of their last-mentioned Treachery are upon thee O inhabitant of the earth 18 And it shall come to pass that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear y Upon the Report of some terrible Evil coming towards him the Act fear being here put for the Object or the thing feared as it is in many places And thus this very Phrase is taken Iob 15. 21. shall fall into the pit z When he designs to avoid one Danger by so doing he shall plunge himself into another and a greater Mischief and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the * Gen. 7. 11. windows from on high are open and the * Psal. 18. 7. foundations of the earth do shake a Both Heaven and Earth conspire against him He alludes to the Deluge of Waters which God poured down from Heaven and to the Earthquakes which he oft-times causeth below 19 The earth is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly b This is repeated again partly to shew the dreadfulness and
the book is delivered to him that is not learned s Unsealed and opened as the following Clause implies God so orders the manner of delivering this Book that neither the learned nor unlearned could read and understand it saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I am not learned 13. Wherefore the LORD said * Ezek. 33. 31. Mat. 15. 8. Mar. 7. 6. Forasmuch as this people draw near me t To wit in acts of worship with their mouth and with their lips u With outward Devotions and the profession of Religion do honour me but have removed their heart far from me x They do not pay Me that Love and Fear and Obedience which I require and prefer before all Sacrifices and external Services and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men y They Worship Me not in such way and manner as I have commanded and prescribed but according to their own and other Mens inventions preferring the devices and traditions of their false Prophets before My Institutions For this was a common Errour among the Iews as we learn from Ier. 7. 31. Hos. 5. 11. and many other Scriptures And thus our blessed Saviour expounds this very place Mat. 15. 7 8 9. 14. Therefore behold †Heb. I will add I will proceed to do a marvellous work amongst this people even a marvellous work and a wonder * Jer. 49. 7. Obad. ver 8. 1 Cor. 1. 19. for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid z Shall disappear and vanish for this answers to shall perish in the former Clause A veil shall be cast upon the Eyes of their Minds they shall give no evidences or proofs of their Wisdom but their Folly shall be made manifest And this was indeed a wonderful Thing for their wise Men to be made fools 15. * Chap. 30. 1. Wo unto them that seek deep a Heb. that make deep A Metaphor from Men who use to dig deep into the Earth that they may hide any thing there which they would keep safe and unknown to hide their counsel from the LORD b Vainly imagining That they can keep all their Hypocrisy and secret Wickedness out of God's fight and that they can deceive not onely Men but God by their external Professions and Services and their works are in the dark c Their wicked Counsels are contrived and their Idolatry is practised in secret and dark places of which see Ezek. 8. 12. and * Psal. 94. 7. they say Who seeth us and who knoweth us d We act so cunningly that neither God nor Man can discover us 16. Surely your turning of things upside down e All your subtile devices by which you turn your selves into all shapes and turn your Thoughts hither and thither and pervert the order which God hath appointed shall be esteemed as the potters clay f It is no more to me than the Clay is to the Potter who can not onely discern it thoroughly but alter and dispose it as he seeth fit for shall the * Chap. 45. 9. work say of him that made it He made me not or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it He had no understanding g And no less absurd and ridiculous is your Conceit that I your Maker and supream Governor cannot discover and controul all your Artifices at my Pleasure 17. Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field and the fruitful field shall be esteemed * Psal. 72. 16. as a forrest h The Forrest of Lebanon which was a barren Mountain and a desolate Wilderness shall by God's wonderful providence become a fruitful and populous Place and these places which are now Fruitful and Populous shall then become as Barren and Desolate as that Forrest This Sense is confirmed by that parallel Place Isa. 32 15. And from both places compared together this seems to be a Prophecy of the rejection of the wicked and unbelieving Iews whose Sins and marvellous Judgments and particularly Infatuation are declared in the foregoing Verses and of the calling of the Gentiles of which he speaks in the following Verse as appears further by comparing that Verse with Isa. 35. 5 And this Opinion may receive some Countenance from Mat. 15. 7. c. where Christ expounds the foregoing words ver 13. upon which these have a dependence of his own times 18. And in that day shall * Chap. â—…5 5. the deaf i Who were deaf before God by His Word and Grace did open their Ears even the deaf and blind Gentiles as was now noted Compare Isa. 35. 5. hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and 〈◊〉 of darkness k Being by God's Grace brought out of that grols and worse than Egyptian darkness of ignorance and wickedness in which they formerly lived unto a clear and saving Knowledge of the Truth 19. The meek l The humble and meek Believers opposed to those proud and scornful Israelites or Iews of whom He speaks in this and in the foregoing Chapter also †Heb. shall add shall increase their joy in the LORD m Shall greatly rejoyce in this that the Lord and holy One of Israel is now their God and Portion and the poor n Either 1. Spiritually of which Mat. 5. 3. Or 2. outwardly mean and despicable People such as the Gentiles were in the Opinion of the Iews and such as the greatest part of the first believing Christians were Mat. 11. 5. 1 Cor. 1. 26. Iam. 2. 5. among men shall rejoyce in the holy one of Israel 20. For the terrible one o The proud and potent Enemies of those meek and poor Believers now mentioned shall as the unbelieving Iews and the heathen Potentates were in the first Age of Christianity is brought to nought and the scorner p The scornful Opposers of God's Word and People is consumed and all that watch for iniquity q That early and diligently Apply themselves to the practice of Wickedness or to do mischief to others are cut off 21. * Am. 5. 10 That make a man an offender r That condemn and punish a Man as if he were a great Criminal for a word s For a verbal Reproof as appears from the next Clause and lay a snare for him that reproveth t For God's faithful Prophets and Ministers whose Office it is to reprove ungodly Men such as these were in the gate u Publickly which they took for a great Affront and Disgrace although the Reproof ought to be publick where the Sin is publick and scandalous He mentions the gate because there the People used to Assemble both upon civil and sacred Accounts and there Prophets used to deliver their Prophecies of which see Ier.
following Chapters is for the substance of it and almost wholly in the same words contained 2 Kings chap. 18. 19. 20. It is fitly inserted here to explain and confirm some of the foregoing Predictions It may seem to have been first Written by this Prophet and from him to have been taken into the Book of Kings to compleat that History CHAP. XXXVII 1. ANd * 2 Kin. 19. 1. c. it came to pass when king Hezekiah heard it that he rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD 2. And he sent Eliakim who was over the houshold and Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz 3. And they said unto him Thus saith Hezekiah This day is a day of trouble and of rebuke and of ‖ Or provocation blasphemy for the children are come to the †Heb. breach or breaking place that is the mouth of the Womb. birth and there is not strength to bring forth 4. It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is †Heb. found left 5. So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah 6. And Isaiah said unto them Thus shall ye say unto your master Thus saith the Lord Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me 7. Behold I will ‖ Or put a spirit into him send a blast upon him and he shall hear a rumour and return to his own land and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land 8. So Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish 9. And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia He is come forth to make war with thee and when he heard it he sent messengers to Hezekiah saying 10. Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Iudah saying Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee saying Ierusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria 11. Behold thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by destroying them utterly and shalt thou be delivered 12. Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed as Gozan and Haran and Rezeph and the children of Eden which were in Telassar 13. Where is the king of Hamath and the king of Arphad and the king of the city of Sepharvaim Hena and Ivah 14. And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD 15. And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD saying 16. O LORD of hosts God of Israel that dwellest between the cherubims thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdoms of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth 17. Incline thine ear O LORD and hear open thine eyes O LORD and see and hear all the words of Sennacherib which hath sent to reproach the living God 18. Of a truth LORD the kings of Assyria have laid wast all the †Heb. lands nations and their countreys 19. And have †Heb. given cast their gods into the fire for they were no gods but the work of mens hands wood and stone therefore they have destroyed them 20. Now therefore O LORD our God save us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD even thou onely 21. Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah saying Thus saith the LORD God of Israel Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria 22. This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn the daughter of Ierusalem hath shaken her head at thee 23. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high even against the holy One of Israel 24. †Heb. by the hand of thy servants By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord and hast said By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains to the sides * Jer. 22. 6 7. of Lebanon and I will cut down †Heb. the talness of the Cedars thereof and the choice of the fir-trees thereof the tall cedars thereof and the choice fir-trees thereof and I will enter into the height of his border and ‖ Or the forrest and his fruitful field the forrest of his Carmel 25. I have digged and drunk water and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the ‖ Or fenced and closed besieged places 26. ‖ Or hast thou not heard how I have made it long ago and formed it of ancient times should I now bring it to be laid wast and defenced cities to be ruinous heaps Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it and of ancient times that I have formed it now have I brought it to pass that thou shouldst be to lay wast defenced cities into ruinous heaps 27. Therefore their inhabitants were †Heb. short of hand of small power they were dismayed and confounded they were as the grass of the field and as the green herb as the grass on the house tops and as corn blasted before it be grown up 28. But I know thy ‖ Or sitting abode and thy going out and thy coming in and thy rage against me 29. Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears therefore will I put my hook in thy nose and my bridle in thy lips and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest 30. And this shall be a sign unto thee Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of it self and the second year that which springeth of the same and in the third year sow ye and reap and plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof 31. And †Heb. the escaping of the house of Judah that remaineth the remnant that is escaped of the house of Iudah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward 32. For out of Ierusalem shall go forth a remnant and †Heb. the escaping they that escape out of mount Zion the * 2 Kin. 19. 31. Chap. 9. 7. zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this 33. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria He shall not come into this city nor shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shields nor cast a bank against it 34 By the
onely praise thee whilst they live but take care to propagate and perpetuate thy Praise and Glory to all succeeding generations 20 The LORD was ready to save me p Was a present help to me ready to hear and succour me upon my prayer in my great extremity therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments r According to the custom of those times all the days of our life in the house of the LORD q Both I and my People who are concerned in me and for me will sing forth those songs of praise which are due especially from me for Gods great mercy to me 21 For * 2 King 20. 7 Isaiah had said Let them take a lump of figs and lay it for a plaister upon the boil and he shall recover s This was rather a sign appointed by God than a natural means of the cure For if it had a natural faculty to ripen a sore yet it could never cure such a dangerous and pestilential disease at least in so little tune 22 Hezekiah also had said t Or For Hezekiah had said had asked a sign which is here added as the reason why Isaiah said what is related in the foregoing verse to wit in answer to Hezekiahs question what is the sign that I shall go up u Within three dayes as is more fully related 2 Kings 20. 5 8. to the house of the LORD x For thither he designed in the first place to go partly that he might pay his vow and thanksgivings to God and partly that he might ingage the people to praise God with him and for him CHAP. XXXIX 1. AT * 2 King 20. 12 c. that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present to Hezekiah for he had heard that he had been sick and was recovered 2 And Hezekiah was glad of them and shewed them the house of his ‖ Or Spicery precious things the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious ointment and the house of his ‖ Or Iewels †Heb. vessels or instruments armour and all that was found in his treasures there was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah shewed them not 3 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah and said unto him What said these men and from whence came they unto thee And Hezekiah said They are come from a far countrey unto me even from Babylon 4 Then said he What have they seen in thine house and Hezekiah answered all that is in my house have they seen there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them 5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah Hear the word of the LORD of hosts 6 Behold the dayes come that all that is in thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day shall be carried to Babylon nothing shall be left saith the LORD 7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon 8 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken he said moreover For there shall be peace and truth in my dayes The History contained in this Chapter is related in the same words 2 Kings 20. 12 c. onely he who here is called Merodach is there called Berodach meerly by the change of one letter which is very usual in the Hebrew Language especially in proper Names as Dimon is put for Dibon Isa. 15. 9. and the same man is called Nebuchadnetsar and Nebuchadretsar This King is called Merodach from the Idol so called Ier. 50. 2. and Baladan from his Fathers Name But whether this man was an Assyrian or a Mede or a Babylonian it is not easy to determine nor worth while to enquire But this is certain that about this time there were Wars between the Assyrians and the Babylonians the issue whereof was that the latter subdued the former CHAP. XL. The Prophet having 〈◊〉 foretold the Babylonish Captivity chap. 39. 6 7. doth here arm his People against it by the consideration of their certain deliverance out of it and their blessed condition after it as in other things so especially in the coming of the Messiah and the great and glorious priviledges conferred upon Gods Church and People in his dayes 1. COmfort ye comfort ye my people a Ye Prophets and Ministers of the Lord which now are Or hereafter shall be deliver this comfortable message from me to my People that they may not sink under their burdens saith your God 2 Speak ye †Heb. to the heart comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her b Proclaim it in my name that her ‖ Or appointed time warfare c The time of her servitude and captivity and misery is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned d I am reconciled to her I will not impute sin to her to punish her any longer for it for she hath received of the LORDS hand * Jer. 16. 18. Lam. 1. 12. Dan. 9. 12. double for all e Not twice as much as her sins deserved for she her self confessed the contrary Ezra 9. 1â—… Lament 3. 22. but abundantly enough to answer Gods design in this chastilement which was to humble and reform them and to warn others by their example Double is oft put for abundantly as Isa. 61. 7. Ier. 16. 18. and 17. 18. God here speaks of himself after the manner of men and compareth himself to a tender-hearted Father who when he hath corrected his Child for his misdemeanour relenteth and repenteth of his severity and casteth his Rod away her sins 3 * Mal. 3. 1. Mat. 3. 3. Mark 1. 3. Luke 3. 4. John 1. 23. The voice f An abrupt and imperfect speech such as there are many in the Hebrew Language Methinks I hear a voice Or a voice shall be heard of him that crieth in the wilderness g Which words declare the place either 1. Where the cry was made Or 2. Where the way was to be prepared as it is expressed in the following clause which is added to explain this And such places being commonly path-less and many wayes incommodious to passengers it was the more necessary to prepare a way there But both come to one thing for the cry was to be in that place which was to be prepared This place seems to be understood immediately of the deliverance of the Iews out of Babylon and of smoothing their passage from thence to Iudea which lay through a great Wilderness but ultimately and principally concerning their Redemâ—…on by the Messiah whose coming is ushered in by the Cry 〈◊〉 the Baptist who did both cry and prepare the way in the Wilderness as we read Mat. 3. 1 c. Where this Text is directly expounded of him But withal the
it of any other person and affirm that they are smitten with blindness in this matter Moreover this place is expressly interpreted of Christ Matth. 12. 18 c. And to him and to him onely all the particulars here following do truly and evidently belong as we shall see whom I uphold c Whom I will assist and enable to do and suffer all those things which belong to his Office to do mine elect d Chosen by me to this great work of Mediation and Redemption to which he is said to be sealed and sent Iohn 6. 27. 29. and predestinated 1 Pet. 1. 20. and chosen of God 1 Pet. 2. 4. in whom my soul * Mat. 3. 17. 17. 5. Eph. 1. 6. delighteth e Or as this same word is oft rendred is well pleased both for himself and for all his people being fully satisfied with that Sacrifice which he shall offer up to me I * Chap. 11. 2. John 3. 34. have put my Spirit upon him f I have furnished him with that abundance and eminency of gifts and graces which are necessary for the discharge of his high and hard employment he shall bring forth g Shall publish or shew as this word is translated Mat. 12. 18. shall bring to light what before was hid in his breast or in his Fathers bosome judgment h This word is very ambiguous and elsewhere is put for punishment which cannot be meant here because the whole context speaks of his mercy and sweetness and not of his severity but here it is clearly put for Gods Law as this very word is expounded here below ver 4. and as it is frequently used in the Holy Scriptures as Psal. 119. and elsewhere which also best agrees with the bringing forth or publishing of it here mentioned publication being necessarily required and constantly used about Laws And this interpretation is confirmed by the following words to the Gentiles For the great things which Christ published unto all the World both Iews and Gentiles was nothing else but the Law and Will and Counsel of God concerning mans salvation and the way and means of obtaining it to the Gentiles i Not onely to the Iews to whom the knowledge of Gods Laws had been hitherto appropriated but to the Heathen Nations of the World 2. He shall not cry k Either 1. In a way of contention as anger is oft accompanied with clamour Eph. 4. 31. Or 2. In a way of ostentation It seems to be meant both wayes by comparing this place with Mat. 12. 16 17 20. He shall neither erect nor manage his Kingdom with violence and outward pomp and state as worldly Princes do but with meekness and humility nor lift up l His voice which is easily understood out of the following clause and from many other Scriptures where that word is added to this verb to compleat the Phrase nor cause his voice to be heard in the street m As contentious and vain-glorious persons frequently do 3. A bruised reed shall he not break n He will not break it to pieces but rather will strengthen and binde it up It is a common figure whereby more is understood than was expressed and one contrary is left to be gathered from another of which many instances have been given in former Texts The sence is plainly this Christ will not deal roughly and rigorously with those that come to him but he will use all gentleness and kindness to them passing by their greatest sins bearing with their present infirmities cherishing and incouraging the smallest beginnings of grace comforting and healing wounded consciences and the like and the ‖ Or dimly burning smoaking flax shall he not †Heb. quench it quench o The same thing is repeated in other words to give us the greater assurance of the truth of it That wiek of a Candle called Flax metonymically because it is made of Flax which is almost exstinct and doth onely smoke and not flame he will not utterly quench but will revive and kindle it again * Psal. 94. 15. he shall bring forth judgment unto truth p Iudgment may be here taken either 1. For the Law or Will of God or the Doctrine of the Gospel which he will bring forth i. e. publish which he will do unto or in or with or according to for this preposition is used all those wayes truth i. e. truly and faithfully not concealing nor corrupting it as false teachers commonly do So this is a character like that which is given to Christ Mat. 22. 16. Thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth And thus this phrase of bringing forth Iudgment is taken here as it is ver 1. Or 2. for the Cause which is debated or for the sentence which is given in the cause as this word is most frequently used which he will bring forth i. e. bring to light or discover or publish and this he will do according to truth and equity and not unjustly and partially as corrupt judges use to give sentence against the poor and meek In this sence this very phrase of bringing forth Iudgment is taken Psal. 37. 6. And this sence seems to be favoured both by the consideration of the quality of the Persons to whom this judgment is here implied to be brought forth who are called bruised Reeds and smoaking Flax whereby they are supposed to be Persons discouraged and oppressed and in a contest with themselves or with their spiritual adversaries about the state of their Souls as also by comparing this place with Mat. 12. 20. where these very words are quoted and thus rendred Till he send forth Iudgment unto Victory i. e. till judgment or sentence be given for him in which case a man is said to be victorious in Judgment If it be said for the former interpretation that it seems most reasonable to understand Iudgment here as it is understood ver 1. and 4. and bringing forth Iudgment here as it is taken ver 1. it may be truly and fairly answered that it is a very common thing in Scripture for the same words or phrases to be used in several sences not onely in two Neighbouring verses but sometimes also in the very same verse whereof I have formerly given divers instances 4. He shall not fail nor be †Heb. broken discouraged q Though he be thus meek and gentle yet he is also couragious and resolute against all the great and many difficulties and conflicts to which he will be exposed and will not give over till he have finished his work Or as others render the words He shall not be darkned This glorious light shall not be eclipsed or obscured Or He shall shine forth brightly and gloriously as the Seventy render this word nor broken by all the attempts and vigorous indeavours of his enemies who design it till he have set judgment in the earth r Till he hath
his Fathers house i. e. A Gershonite shall eat with his Brethren the Gershonites who are then ministring and a Merarite with the Merarites c. and so there shall be no disturbance nor change in the appointed courses by their accession to the number 9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter * Lev. 18. 21. to pass through the fire k Either by a superstitious lustration or purgation or by a cruel sacrificing of them See Levit. 18. 21. 2 King 17. 31. and 23. 10. 2 Chron. 28. 3. Psal. 106. 37. Ier. 7. 31. and 19. 5. Ezek. 16. 20 21. and 23. 37 38 39. or that * Lev. 19. 26 31. and 20. 27. Isa. 8. 19 useth divination l i. e. Foretelleth things secret or to come Mic. 3. 11. by unlawful arts and practises or an observer of times m Superstitiously pronouncing some days good or lucky and others unlucky for such or such actions Or an observer of the clouds or heavens i. e. one that divineth by the motions of the clouds by the stars or by the flying or chattering of Birds all which heathens used to observe or an inchanter n Or a conjecturer that discovers hidden things by a superstitious use of words or ceremonies by observation of water or smoke or any contingencies as the meeting of an hare c. See on Levit. 19. 26. or a witch o One that is in covenant with the Devil and by his help deludes their sences or hurts their persons See Exod. 7. 11. and 22. 18. 11 * Lev. 20. 27. Or a charmer p One that charmeth Serpents or other cattel Psal. 58. 6. Or a fortune-teller that foretelleth the events of mens lives by the conjunctions of the stars c. See more on Levit. 19. 31. and 20. 6. or a consulter with familiar spirits q Whom they call upon by certain words or rites to engage them in evil designs or a wizard r Heb. a knowing or cunning man who by any superstitious or forbidden wayes undertakes the revelation of secret things or * 1 Sam. 28. 7. a necromancer s One that calleth up and enquireth of the dead 1 Sam. 28. 8. Isa. 8. 19. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them t The people of the land which thou art going to possess mentioned above ver 9. out from before thee 13 Thou shalt be ‖ Or upright oâ—… sincere perfect with the LORD u Sincerely and wholly his seeking him and cleaving to him and to his word alone and therefore abhorring all commerce and conversations with Devils or their agents such as were now mentioned thy God 14 For these nations which thou shalt ‖ Or inherit possess hearkened unto observers of times and unto diviners but as for thee the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do x Hath not suffered thee to follow thy own vain mind and these superstitious and Diabolical practises as he hath suffered other nations to do Act. 14. 16. but hath instructed thee better by his word and spirit and thereby kept thee from such courses and will more fully instruct thee by a great Prophet c. Or hath not given to thee to wit such persons to consult with but hath given thee prophets to instruct thee and will in due time give thee an eminent prophet as it here follows 15 * Joh. 1. 45. Act. 3. 22. 7. 37. The LORD thy God will raise up y i. e. Will produce and send into the world in due time unto thee a prophet z Those words may be understood secundarily concerning the succession of Prophets which God would raise for the instruction of his Church both because this is alledged as an argument why they need not consult with diviners c. because they should have Prophets at hand whensoever it was needful to advise them and because this Prophet is opposed to the false prophets and a general rule is hereupon given for the discovery of all succeeding Prophets whether they be true or false ver 20 21 22. but they are chiefly to be understood of Christ as the following words shew which do not truely and fully agree to any other particularly where he is said to be like unto Moses which is simply denied concerning all other Prophets Deut. 34. 10. and therefore it is not probable that it should be simply affirmed concerning all true Prophets succeeding him But Christ was truly and in all commendable parts like him in being both a Prophet and a King and a Priest and Mediatour as Moses was in the excellency of his Ministery and work in the glory of his miracles in his familiar and intimate converse with God c. And this place is expounded of Christ alone by God himself in the New Testament Act. 3. 22. and 7. 37. See also Ioh. 1. 45 and 6. 14. from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly a To wit of that great and general congregation of all the people together saying * Exod. 20. 10. Heb. 12. 19. Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God neither let me see this great fire any more that I die not 17 And the LORD said unto me * chap. 5. 28. They have well spoken that which they have spoken 18 * Ioh. 1. 45. Act. 3. 22. 7. 37. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and * Isa. 51. 16. will put my words in his mouth b Will instruct him what to say reveal my self and my Will to him and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him c He will faithfully execute the office and trust I commit to him 19 And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my Name I will require it of him d i. e. I will punish him severely for it as this phrase is taken Gen. 9. 5. and 42. 22. The sad effect of this threatning the Iews have felt for above 1600 years together 20 But * chap. 13. 5. Jer. 14. 14. Zech. 13. 3. the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my Name which I have not commanded to speak or that shall speak in the name of other gods even that prophet shall die 21 And if thou say in thine heart How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken 22 * Jer. â—…8 9. When a prophet speaketh in the
Name of the LORD if the thing e Which he gives as a sign of the truth of his prophecy He means the prediction of some strange and wonderful event as appears by comparing this with Deut. 13. 1 2. follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken f The falshood of his prediction shews him to be a false prophet though the truth and accomplishment of his prediction had not proved him to be a true Prophet as is evident from Deut. 13. 2 3. but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously g Impudently ascribing his own vain and lying fancies to the God of truth thou shalt not be afraid of him h i. e. Of his predictions or threatnings so as to be scared from doing thy duty in bringing him to deserved punishment CHAP. XIX 1 WHen the LORD thy God * chap. 12. 29. hath cut off the nations whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee and thou †Heb inheritest or possessest succeedest them and dwellest in their cities and in their houses 2 * Exod. 21. 13. Num. 35. 10. 11. Josh. 20. 2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land a To wit beyond Iordan as there were three already appointed on this side Iordan Numb 35. 14. He saith in the midst of the land either for in the land as in the midst of the city Ier. 52. 25. is the same with that in the city 2 King 25. 19. or to design the places that they should be scituated in the midst of the several parts of their land to which they might conveniently and speedily flee from all the parts of the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way b Distinguish it by evident marks and make it plain and convenient to prevent mistakes and delays and divide the coasts of thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit into three parts c Not into more because it was fit that these places should as far as it was possible be at some considerable distance from the friends of the slain person least the sight of the manslayer might have provoked their passion and occasioned his ruine that every slayer may flee thither 4 And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither that he may live whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly whom he hated not †Heb. froâ—…â—…terday the 〈◊〉 day in time past 5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree and the †Heb. 〈◊〉 head slippeth from the †Heb. 〈◊〉 helve and †Heb. 〈◊〉 lighteth upon his neighbour that he die he shall flee unto one of those cities and live 6 Lest the avenger of blood pursue the slayer d This verse is to be joyned with ver 3. as is evident the 4th and 5th verses coming in as a parenthesis which is usual in Scripture and other authors while his heart is hot and overtake him because the way is long and †Heb. 〈◊〉 him in 〈◊〉 slay him e Which is supposed but not allowed as appears from the following words But the avenger of blood is not to be punished with death for killing the manslayer in case he found him without the borders of the city of refuge after he had been received there Numb 35. 26 27. because then he was guilty of a new crime to wit a contempt of Gods ordinance and a gross neglect of the duty of self-preservation and therefore deserved death from God who might permit it to be inflicted by the avenger of blood whereas he was not worthy of death inasmuch as he hated him not †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in time past 7 Wherefore I command thee saying Thou shalt separate three cities for thee 8 And if the LORD thy God * chap. 1â—… 〈◊〉 enlarge thy coast f As far as Euphrates See Gen. 15. 18. Exod. 23. 31. Deut. 1. 7. as he hath sworn unto thy fathers and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers 9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them which I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God and to walk ever in his wayes * Josh. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then shalt thou add three cities moe for thee beside these three 10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and so blood be upon thee 11 But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in life mortally that he die and fleeth into one of these cities 12 Then the elders of his city g Either of the slain person who were most likely to prosecute the murderer or of the murderer because God would oblige even his own fellow citizens to prosecute him to death that it might appear how hateful murder and the murderer is to God and ought to be to all men shall send and fetch him thence h Demand him of the Elders of the city of refuge who upon the hearing of the cause and the evidence of the murder were obliged to deliver the offender to justice and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die 13 Thine eye shall not pity him but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee 14 * chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbours †Heb. 〈◊〉 land-mark i By which the several portions of lands distributed to several families were distinguished one from another See Iob 24. 2. Prov. 22. 28. Hos. 5. 10. which they of old time have set in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 15 * Nâ—…m 35. 〈◊〉 chap. 17. â—… Mat. 18. 1â—… Joh. 8. 17. 2 Cor. 13. â—… Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 One witness shall not rise up k Or not stand or not be established accepted owned as sufficient it is the same word which in the end of the verse is rendred be established against a man for any iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established 16 If a false witness l A single witness though he speak truth is not to be accepted for the condemnation of another man but if he be convicted of false witness this is sufficient for his own condemnation rise up against any man to testifie against him ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is wrong 17 Then both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the LORD before the priests and the judges
not expressed in the Hebrew Text and therefore may be either way supplied The sence is Damascus shall still continue to be the Capital and Chief City of the Kingdom of Syria and therefore Ierusalem shall not be taken nor become a part of Rezin's Dominion but he shall be kept within his own Bounds and be King of Damascus onely and not as he hopes of Ierusalem Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin and within threescore and five years q To be computed either 1. from the Prophecy of Amos who prophesied in the days of Uzziah two years before the earthquake Amos 1. 1. which the Iews affirm to have hapned about the time of his Usurpation of the Priests Office and being smitten with Leprosie 2 Chron. 26. 16 c. which though it be not proved yet may be admitted because it cannot be disproved And it is more than probable that that Action and Accident was divers years before his death during which time Iotham acted as his Viceroy 2 Chron. 26. 21. And the Prophecy of Amos being express and full concerning the Destruction of the People and Commonwealth of Israel being also fresh in the memory of many now living the Prophet Isaiah might well have respect to it So the sence is as if he had said There shall be but 65 years between the Delivery and the Execution of that Prophecy And so the number of years may be thus made up Fix the beginning of them Ten years before Uzziah's death add the 16 years of Iotham's Reign and then the 16 years of Ahaz his Reign and then Six of Hezekiah's Reign in which Israel was carried Captive 2 Kings 18. 10. these make up 48 years And for the 17 years which yet remain of the 65 they may be taken out of the rest of Hezekiah's Reign For although the Transportation of that People began in the Sixth year of Hezekiah yet it might be continued or repeated divers years after and compleated 17 years after Ier. 52. 28 29 30. Or rather 2. these years may be computed from the time of this Prophecy of Isaiah And whereas it may be objected against this Opinion That the Judgment here threatned was executed in the Sixth year of Hezekiah as was before noted and therefore within 18 or 19 years of this Prophecy which was delivered in the third or fourth year of Ahaz Two things may be answered 1. That the Israelites were not transported in the Sixth year of Hezekiah For although Samaria be said to be taken in the Sixth year of Hezekiah 2 Kings 18. 10. and the Transportation of the Israelites be mentioned immediately after it v. 11 yet it doth not thence follow that it was done immediately and at that one time because this is not unusual in Scripture in Historical Relations to mention those things together which were done at a considerable distance of time one from another as it is recorded Act. 7. 15 16. Iacob died hâ—… and our fathers and were carried over into Sychem and laid in the Sepulchre of Abraham c. although it was above 200 years ere all which is said in those few words was done And other Instances of like nature might easily be produced 2. That this Work of Transportation was not done at once but successively and by degrees Thus it certainly was in the Transportation of Iudab which was begun in Nebuchadnezzar's Seventh year continued in his Eighteenth year and perfected in his Three and twentieth year Ier. 52. 28 29 30. And thus it might be and probably was in this Transportation It might be begun presently after the taking of Samaria and afterwards continued until at last the whole Body of the People was removed And as soon as that was done and not before the King of Assyria brought into their place those new Colonies mentioned 2 Kings 17. 24. Which that it was not done at the time of the taking of Samaria but many years after it seems to me evident because those Colonies were not brought thither by Shalmanezer who took Samariâ—… 2 Kings 18. 10. no nor by Sennacherib his next Successour but by Esarhaddon as is affirmed Ezra 4. 2. who was the Son and Successour of Senacherib 2 Kings 19. 37. and reigned above Fifty years for he seems to have begun his Reign about the Fourteenth year of Hezekiah's Reign by comparing 2 Kings 18. 13. 19. 35 36 37. and so he reigned with Hezekiah about Fifteen years and with Manâ—…sseh above Forty years as the Learned Sir Iohn Marsham affirms in his Chronicus Canon c. pag. 496. And this Work of Transporting the Remainders of the Israelites and bringing the new Colonies might not be done till towards the end of his Reign Which delay might be occasioned by his Wars or other great Affairs And lest this should seem to be onely my own private Conjecture if the Reader consult Sir Iohn Marsham's fourth and last Chronological Table inserted after pag. 589. of his Work he will find that Learned Chronologer to be of the same mind and to make above Fifty years distance between the taking of Samaria and the Translation of the new Colonies into those Parts And thus these Sixty five years might well be accomplished in his time And so this Place agrees with other Scriptures and the Difficulties objected against other Interpretations seem to be avoided shall Ephraim be broken †Heb. from a people that it be not a people 9 And the head of Ephraim is r Or either shall be and the sence is the same as in the foregoing Verse Samaria shall continue to be the Chief City of the Kingdom of Israel and Pekah shall not conquer Ierusalem as he hoped and designed to do Samaria and the head of Samaria is Remaliahs son * See 2 Chr. â—… 20. ‖ Or Do ye 〈◊〉 believe 〈◊〉 is because â—…e are not staâ—… or shall 〈◊〉 be established If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be established s If you do not believe this and the other Promises of God but in distrust of God shall seek to the Assyrians for Succour to which I perceive you are inclined in stead of that Deliverance and Settlement which you expect you shall be distressed and consumed thereby the Accomplishment of which Threatning is recorded 2 Chron. 28. 20. And by this Threatning he implies That if they did rely upon God's Word and Help they should be established Onely he delivereth it in the form of a Threatning rather than of Promise partly because he foresaw that they would chuse the worse part and bring the Judgment threatned upon themselves and partly because this was most necessary for them to affright them out of their present Security and Infidelity 10 †â—…eb And the LORD added 〈◊〉 speak Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz saying 11 Ask thee a sign of the LORD t I perceive thou dost not believe God's Word and Message now delivered by me yet God is so