man of Zorah c A City of which see Iosh. 15. 33. and 19. 41. of the family d i. e. Of the Tribe or People as family sometimes signifies Iosh. 7. 17. Ier. 8. 3. and 10. 25. Amos 3. 1. Mich. 2. 3. Zach. 14. 18. of the Danites whose name was Manoah and his wife was barren and bare not e An Emphatical repetition of the same thing in divers words which is an usual Elegancy both in Scripture and other Authors 3 And ‡ Heb. an angel the angel of the LORD f The Son of God oft so called in the old Testament as may be gathered from v. 18. yet distinguished from the Lord because he appeared here as it were in the form of a Servant as a Messenger sent from God and was really a distinct person from God the Father appeared unto the woman and said unto her Behold now thou art barren and bearest not but thou shalt conceive and bear a Son 4 Now therefore beware I pray thee g Because the child was to be a Nazarite from the Womb v. 5. and from the conception and because the Mothers Pollution extends to the Child she is enjoyned from this time to observe the following rules belonging to the Nazarites * Numb 6. 2 3. and drink not wine nor strong drink h Under which by a Synecdoche are comprehended the other particulars mentioned Numb 6. 2 3 4. as is implyed v. 14. and eat not any unclean thing i Any of those meats forbidden Levit. 11. which were forbidden to all but especially to the Nazarites 5 For lo thou shalt conceive and bear a son and * Numb 6. 5. 1 Sam. 1. 11. no rasor shall come on his head for the child shall be a Nazarite k A person separated from others and consecrated to Gods service unto God from the womb and he shall begin to deliver Israel l And the deliverance shall be carried on and perfected by others as it was in part by Eli and Samuel and Saul but especially by David out of the hand of the Philistines 6 ¶ Then the woman came and told her husband saying A man of God m A Prophet or sacred person sent with a Message from God came unto me and his countenance was like the countenance of an Angel of God very terrible n Or venerable or awful full of Majesty but I asked him not whence he was neither told he me his name 7 But he said unto me Behold thou shalt conceive and bear a son and now drink no wine nor strong drink neither eat any ‡ Heb. uncieanness unclean thing for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death 8 ¶ Then Manoah intreated the LORD and said O my LORD let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born 9 And God hearkned to the voice of Manoah and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sate in the field but Manoah her husband was not with her 10 And the woman made haste and ran and shewed her husband and said unto him Behold the man hath appeared unto me that came unto me the other day 11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said unto him Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman and he said I am 12 And Manoah said Now let thy words come to pass o Or thy words shall come to pass I firmly believe that thy promises shall be fulfilled ‡ Heb. what shall be the manner of the c. how shall we order the child p What rules shall we observe about his Education and ‖ Or what shall he do ‡ Heb. what shall be his work how shall we do unto him 13 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware q Whilest the Child is in her Womb and after the Child is Born let him observe the same Orders 14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine neither let her drink wine or strong drink neither eat any ‡ Heb. uncleanness unclean thing all that I commanded her let her observe 15 ¶ And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD I pray thee let us detain thee until we shall have made ready a kid ‡ Heb. before thee for thee r Supposing him to be a Man and a Prophet to whom he would in this manner express his respect as was usual to strangers See Gen. 18. 5. Iudg. 6. 18. 16 And the Angel of the LORD said unto Manoah Though thou detain me I will not eat of thy bread s i. e. Meat as bread is commonly taken in Scripture and if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering thou must offer it unto the LORD t Not unto a man as now thou apprehendest me to be but unto the Lord as thou wiltst by and by perceive me to be for Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD 17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD What is thy name that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee hononr u Either by making honourable mention of thee or by performing respect and service to thee by a Present which they usually gave to Prophets 1 Sam. 9. 7 8. 2 King 14. 3. 18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him Why * Gen. 32 29. askest thou thus after my name seeing it is ‖ Or wonderful secret x Or hidden from mortal Men or wonderful such as thou canst not comprehend my nature or essence which is oft signified by name in Scripture is incomprehensible This shews that this was the Angel of the Covenant the Son of God 19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering y Which were generally joyned with the chief Sacrifices and offered it upon a rock z The Angels presence and command being a sufficient Warrant for the offering of Sacrifice by a person who was no Priest and in a place otherwise forbidden to the LORD and the angel did wondrously and Manoah and his wife looked on 20 For it came to pass when the flame a Either arising from the fire which Manoah brought for the offering or produced by the Angel out of the Rock in a miraculous manner went up toward heaven from off the altar b i. e. From that part of the Rock which served instead of an Altar upon which the Sacrifice was laid that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame c To manifest his nature and essence to be Spiritual because not capable of hurt by the fire and Caelestial of the altar and Manoah and his wife looked on it and fell on their faces d Partly in Reverence to that glorious
did so before the fall what then was natural is now become painful and shameful to it as nakedness and some other things were to man But it seems more probable that this Serpent before the fall either had feet or rather did go with its breast erect as the Basilisk at this day doth God peradventure so ordering it as a Testimony that some other Serpents did once go so And so the sense of the curse being applied to this particular Serpent and to its kind may be this whereas thou hadst a priviledge above other kinds of Serpents whereby thou didst go with erected breast and didst feed upon the Fruits of Trees and other Plants now thou shalt be brought down to the same mean and vile estate with them upon thy belly or rather breast as the word also signifies shalt thou go c. as they do and * Isa. 65. 25. dust shalt thou eat y Dust is the food as of Earthworms Scorpions and some other Creatures so also of some Serpents as appears both from Isai. 65. last Mic. 7. 17. and from the Testimony of Nicander Thâ—…riac vers 372. and Philo an Arabick Writer Or the dust is the Serpents sawce rather then his meat whilst creeping and groveling upon the Earth and taking his foâ—… from thence he must necessarily take in dust and filth together with it These two clauses being applyed to the Devil signifie his fall from his noble state and place to Earth and Hell the baseneâ—…s of his nature and of his food his delight being in the vilest of mâ—…n and things it being now his meâ—…t and drink to dishonour God and destroy mankind and promote the esteem and love of earthly things all the days of thy Life 15. And I will put enmity z Though now you be sworn Friends leagued together against me between thee and the Woman a And the Man too but the Woman alone is mentioned for the Devils greater confusion 1. The Woman whom as the weaker Vessel thou didst seduce shall be the great occasion of thy overthrow 2. Because the Son of God who conquered this great Dragon and old Serpent Rev. 12. 9. Who came to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Iohn 3. 8. was made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. without the help of man Esa. 7. 14. Luk. â—… 34 35. and between thy * Matt. 3. 7. and 13. 38 and 23. 3â—… John 8. 44. Acts 13. 10. â—… John 3. 8. Seed b Literally this Serpent and for his sake the whole seed or race of Serpents which of all Creatures are most loathsome and terrible to mankind and especially to Women Mystically that evil Spirit which seduced her and with him the whole society of Devils who are generally hated and dreaded by all men even by those that serve and obey them but much more by good men and all wicked men who with regard to this text are called Devils and the Children or seed of the Devil Iohn 6. 70. and 8. 44. Acts 13. 10. 1 Iohn 3. 8. and her †Psal. 132. 11. Isi. 7. 14. Mic. 5. 3. Seed c Her off-spring first and principally the Lord Christ who with respect to this text and promise is called by way of eminency the Seed Gal. 3. 16 19. whose alone work it is to break the Serpents head i. â—… to destroy the Devil Heb. 2. 14. Compare Iohn 12. 31. Rom. 16. 20. Secondly and by way of participation all the members of Christ all believers and holy men who are called the Children of Christ Heb. 2. 13. and of the Heavenly Ierusalem Gal. 4. 26. All the members whereof are the Seed of this Woman And all these are the implacable enemies of the Devil whom also by Christs merit and strength they do overcome It shall ‖ Som. 16. 20. Heb. 2. 14. 1 John 5. 5. Rev. 12. 7 17. bruise thy head e The principal instrument both of the Serpents fury and mischief and of his defence and the principal seat of the Serpents life which therefore men chiefly strike at and which being upon the ground a man may conveniently tread upon and crush it to pieces In the Devil this notes his Power and Authority over men the strength whereof consists in Death which Christ the blessed seed of the Woman overthroweth by taking away the sting of death which is Sin 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. and destroying him that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2. 14. and thou shalt bruise his heel f The part which is most within the Serpents reach and wherewith it was bruised and thereby provoked to fix his venemous Teeth there But a part remote from the Head and Heart and therefore its wounds though painful are not deadly nor dangerous if they be observed in time If it be applyed to the seed of the Woman Christ his heel may note either his humanity whereby he trod upon the Earth which indeed the Devil by Gods permission and the hands of wicked men did bruise and kill or his Saints and Members upon the Earth whom the Devil doth in diverse manners bruise and vex and afflict while he cannot reach their head Christ in Heaven nor those of his members who are or shall be advanced thither 16. Unto the Woman he said I will greatly g Or certainly as the repetition of the same word implyes multiply thy sorrow h In diverse pains and infirmities peculiar to thy Sex i. e. Thou shalt have many and those oft-times false and fruitless Conceptions and Abortive Births and whereas thou mightest commonly have had many Children at one Conception as some few Women yet have now thou shalt ordinarily undergo all the troubles and pains of Conception Breeding and Birth for every Child which thou hast Or Thy sorrows and thy Conception by a figure called Hendiaduo are put for thy sorrows in Conception or rather in Child-bearing which the Hebrew word here used signifies Gen. 16. 4. Iud. 13. 3. and thy conception In sorrow i Aristotle in his Histor. Animal 7. 9. observes that Women bring forth young with more pain than any other Creatures thou shalt bring forth k Or bear for the word notes all the pains and troubles which Women have both in the time of Child-bearing and in the act of bringing forth Children l Heb. Sons and Daughters too both being comprehended in that word as Exod 22. 24. Psal. 128. 6. And thy desire m Thy desires shall be referred or submitted to thy husbands will and pleasure to grant or deny them as he sees fit Which sense is confirmed from Gen. 4. 7. where the same phrase is used in the same sense And this punishment was both very proper for her that committed so great an errour as the eating of the forbidden Fruit was in compliance with her own desire without asking her Husbands advise or consent as in all reason she should have done in so weighty and doubtful
future Or and be thou admonished For they may be the words of Abimelech 17 So Abraham prayed unto God and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maid-servants and they bare children 18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs k This phrase elsewhere notes barrenness as 1 Sam. 1. 5 6. and so many understand it here Against which some learned men object that that could not so soon be discovered for all this happened between the Conception and birth of Isaac Which objection may seem not valid because the evidences of of Womens being with Child go so long before the birth of the Child and those evidences not appearing in any of their Women who before that time were generally fruitful and child-bearing they might discern Gods hand in it especially upon Gods admonition to their King But because this history seems to have been done in a far less space of time it not being probable either that God would suffer Sarah to be long with Abimelech ere he warned him or that he being warned and so severely threatned and actually punished would delay the execution of Gods command or that upon his obedience to God the mercy and deliverance promised would be delayed by God That seems more probable which others think that this was an indisposition or plague or sore in the secret parts by which they were hindred from cohabitation and mutual converse and consequently from hopes of conception and Child-bearing upon the removal whereof it is said that they bare Children where as oft-times in Scripture the last and consummating act is put for all the proceeding acts q. d. And they were restored to the Conjugal use and Conception and in due time to Child-bearing of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah Abrahams wife CHAP. XXI 1 AND the LORD visited Sarah a i. e. Performed his gracious promise of giving her strength to Conceive and Bear a Child Gods visitation of a person in Scripture use is the manifestation and execution of his purpose or word towards that person and that either for evil and so it is an inflicting of evils threatned as the word visiting is used Exod. 20. 5. Psal. 59. 5. or for good and so it is used for the actual giving of mercies promised as here and Gen. 50. 24. Exod. 4. 31. Ruth 1. 6. as he had said and the LORD did unto Sarah * Chap. 17. 19. and 18. 10. as he had spoken 2 For Sarah * Acts 7. 8. Gal. 4. 22. Heb. 11. 11. conceived and bare Abraham a son in his old age b Or For his old age i. e. for the comfort of his old age at the set time of which God had spoken to him 3 And Abraham called the name of his Son that was born unto him whom Sarah bare to him * Chap. 17. 19. Isaac 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old * Chap. 17. 12. as God had commanded him 5. And * Chap. 17. 17. Abraham was an hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him 6 And Sarah said God hath made me to laugh c i. e. Before my own distrustful Heart made me to laugh now God makes me laugh not through diffidence and irreverence as before chap. 18. 12. but through excess of holy joy so that all that hear will laugh with me d Or At me some through sympathy rejoycing with me and for me laughter being oft put for joy as Isa. 54. 1. Gal. 4. 27. c. others through scorn and derision as at a thing which well may seem incredible to them because it did so to me See Gen. 17. 17. and 18. 12 13 15. 7 And she said who would have said e i. e. What Man or Woman could believe so improbable a thing Or who but a God could have foreseen and foretold it upto Abraham that Sarah should have given children f She saith Children though she had but one Child either by an usual Enallage of the plural number for the singular whereby the word Sons or Daughters is used when there was but one as Gen. 36. 25. and 46. 23. Numb 26. 8. or presaging that having received from God a new strength she might have more Children suck g By which expression she sheweth all Mothers what their duty is viz to give their Children suck when they are able to do it and that neither greatness of quality nor multitude of business nor other difficulties and inconveniences will be a sufficient excuse to those that neglect it for I have born him a Son in his old age 8 And the child grew and was weaned h It doth not appear how old Isaac was because the time for the weaning of Children is very various according to the differing tempers and necessities of Children or inclination of Parents and in those times when mens lives were longer than now they are proportionably the time was longer ere Children were weaned and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian which she had born unto Abraham mocking i Signifying either by words or gestures his contempt of Isaac and his derision of all that magnificence then shewed towards his younger Brother and this carriage proceeding from a most envious and malitious disposition and being a sufficient indication of further mischief intended to him if ever he should have opportunity it is no wonder it is called persecution Gal. 4. 29. Although the Hebrew word may be rendred beating him as it is used 2 Sam. 2. 14. 10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham k Being enraged by this fact and perceiving it was but a beginning and earnest of greater evil designed by him against her beloved Isaac being also guided by the wise counsel and providence of God as appears from ver 12. * Gal. 4. 30. cast out this bond-woman l Though the fact was done by Ismael yet Sarah plainly saw that this and other like carriages were from his Mothers instigation and encouragement who being of an imperious and petulant disposition as appears from Gen. 16. 4 9. in all probability comforted her self and animated her Son by that right he had to his Fathers inheritance as he was his first-born as may be gathered both from the custom of Women in such cases and from the last words of this verse Besides if the Mother had been continued she would easily have prevailed with Abraham to fetch the Child back again and her son for the son of this bond-woman shall not be heir with my son even with Isaac 11 And the thing was very grievous in Abrahams sight m Because of his tender affection to him and Gods promise concerning him See Gen. 17. 18 20. He who chearfully parted with Isaac was hardly brought to part with Ismael because the former was done by Gods command which he was obliged to obey the latter
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
the whole society of the faithful and wandring hither and thither Others render the words mourning and trembling or trembling and wandring These two words note both the unquietness and horrour of his Mind and Conscience and the unsettledness of his habitation and condition and as some add the trembling of his Body shalt thou be in the Earth 13 And Cain said unto the LORD ‖ Or mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven my punishment n Heb. My Sin But Sin seems here to be put for punishment as before ver 7. and Gen. 19. 15. Levit. 5. 1. Psal. 69. 27. Prov. 12. 21. For Cain was not so sensible of his sin as of the ill effects of it as himself shews ver 14. is greater than I can bear 14. Behold o Consider how severely thou usest me thou hast driven me out p With publick infamy as the word signifies this day from the face of the Earth q Or This Earth my native Land * and from thy face r i. e. Favour and Protection shall I be hid and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the Earth And it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me s As the publick Enemy of mankind and as one devoted by thee to destruction Quest. Whom did Cain fear when it appears not that there were any but his Father and Mother Answ. So ignorant people conceive but it is a fond conceit to think that there were no more men than are expressed in this Book where God never intended to give a catalogue of all men but only of the Church or those who had some relation to or concern with it Nay that there were very many thousands of men now in being is very credible upon these rational grounds and suppositions 1. That Adam and Eve did according to Gods precept and blessing Gen. 1. 26. procreate Children presently after the fall and Gods gracious reconcilement to them and consequently their Children did so when they came to competent age 2. That those first Men and Women were endowed by God with extraordinary fruitfulness and might have two three four or more at a time as divers persons long after had which was then expedient for the replenishing of the World and the like may be judged of their Children during the Worlds infancy 3. That this Murder was committed but a little before the hundred and thirtieth year of Adams Age which appears by comparing Gen. 4. 25. and 5. 3. Before which time how vast and numerous an off-spring might have come from Adam none can be ignorant that can and shall make a rational computation 15. And the LORD said unto him therefore t Or Assuredly as the word signifies Ier. 2. 32. and 5. 2. Zach. 11. 17. That thou mayst see how I hate murther and how impartially I shall punish all Murtherers and that thou mayst be unhappily free from this fear that thou mayst live for an example to mankind for a terrour to thy self and others whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold u i. e. Abundantly he shall be plagued with many and grievous punishments as the phrase is used Levit. 26. 28. Psal. 12. 7. and 79. 12. and in many other places And the LORD set a mark upon Cain x What this was whether a trembling of his Body or a ghastliness of his countenance or what other visible token of the divine displeasure God hath not revealed nor doth it concern us to know lest any finding him should kill him 16. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD y i. e. Was banished from the place of Gods special presence and habitation from the society of his Father and of the only Church which God had upon Earth and dwelt in the Land of Nod z In the Land which was afterwards called Nod from Cains unsetled condition because he continued wandring hither and thither in it on the East of Eden 17. And Cain knew his Wife a Of which phrase see on Chap. 4. 1. and she conceived and bare †Heb. Chaâ—…och Enoch and he built a City b Partly to divert his troubled mind with business and pleasure and partly for his own security against the Enemies and evils which his guilty Conscience made him fear notwithstanding the assurance which God had given him And this he did as soon as he was in capacity for it either by the increase of his own posterity or by the accession of other degenerate Sons of Adam to him who either being banished or having departed from the Church willingly associated themselves with their brethren in iniquity and called the Name of the City after the name of his Son Enoch c Not after his own name which he knew to be infamous and hateful 18. And unto Enoch was born Irad And Irad begat Mehujael and Mehujael begat Methusael and Methusael begat †Heb. Lemech Lamech 19. And Lamech d The wicked branch of that cursed root of Cain took unto him two Wives e Against Gods first institution Gen. 2. 24. Mal. 2. 15. and without Gods leave the Name of the one was Adah and the name of the other Zillah 20. And Adah bare Iubal He was the Father of such as dwell in Tents f He taught Shepherds to dwell in Tents and to remove them from place to place for conveniency of Pasture The first Authors or Inventers of any thing are commonly called its Fathers and of such as have Cattle g Heb. And of Cattle i. e. The Inventor of the art of keeping and managing Cattle 21. And his Brothers name was Iubal He was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ h Or the lovely instrument But what kind of instrument this was even the Jews do not understand The meaning is he was the Inventer of Musick and musical instruments 22. And Zillah she also bare Tubal-Cain i Whom as the learned conceive and the agreement of the name and function makes probable the Heathens Worshipped by the name of Vulcan the God of Smiths and his Sister Naamah by the name of Venus an †Heb. Whâ—…tter Instructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron k Who first taught men how to make arms and other instruments of Iron And the Sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah l So called from her beauty which her Name signifies 23. And Lamech said unto his Wives Adah and Zillah m Who observing his fierceness and cruelty feared that the vengeance of God or men would fall upon him and upon them for his sake Hear my voice ye Wives of Lamech hearken unto my speech For ‖ Or I would slay a man in my wound c. I have slain a man to my wounding and †Heb. a Child a young man ‖ Or in my hurt to my hurt n i. e.
the same phrase Gen. 48. 15. 1 King 8. 25. Psal. 116. 9. and be thou ‖ Or upright or sincere perfect c i. e. sincere universal and constant in thy belief of my promises and obedience to my commands See Gen. 6. 9. 2. And I will make my covenant between me and thee d I am come to renew establish and enlarge that covenant which I formerly made with thee and will multiply thee exceedingly 3. And Abram fell on his face e Partly in self-abasement and an humble sense of his own undeservedness of such favours and partly in reverence and worship to God and a thankful acknowledgment of his marvellous kindess Compare Levit. 9. 24. Ezek. 43. 3. and God talked with him saying 4. As for me behold my covenant is with thee and thou shalt be a father of †Heb. multitude of Nations many nations f Both literally or after the Flesh of the Israelites Ismaelites Edomites c. and spiritually of all Believers of all Nations to whom Abram hath in some sort the place of a Father Rom. 4. 12 17. Not only as he was the great example and teacher of that faith by which they are all saved as the instructers of others are called their Fathers both in Scripture as Gen. 4. 20 21. and in profane Authors but as he was made by God the head of the Covenant by or through whom the Covenant-right was conveyed to all his natural seed and afterwards to the spiritual seed all Gentile-Believers 5. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram but thy name shall be Abraham g i. e. The Father of a multitude Ham in the Hebrew being put for Hamon which signifies a multitude by a figure called Apocope which is usual in proper names * Rom. 4. 17 for a father of many nations have I made thee 6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful and †Heb. I will make thee Nations I will make * Chap. 35. 11 nations of thee and Kings shall come out of thee h So did the Kings of Israel and Iudah of Edom of the Saracens and the Messias who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee i i. e. Whatsoever I am or have all that shall be thine and shall be employed for thy protection consolation and Salvation This phrase contains in it the confluence of all blessings Temporal Spiritual and Eternal See Levit. 26. 12. Psal. 33. 12. and 144. 15. Ier. 31. 33. and to thy seed after thee 8 And * Chap. 12. 7. I will give unto thee and to thy seed †Unto thee not in thy own person but in thy Seed See Gen. 13. 15 17. after thee the land †Heb. of thy sojournings wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession k Upon condition of their obedience to God as is oft expressed Wherein seeing they so notoriously failed it is no wonder if they possessed it but a little while as the Prophet complains Isa. 63. 18. and I will be their God 9 And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou l The agreement is mutual My part was expressed before now follows thy part and the condition to which my promise and blessing is annexed and thy Seed after thee in their Generations 10 This is my covenant m Circumcision is here called the Covenant by an usual Metonymy because it is the condition sign and seal of the Covenant the pledge of Gods promise and mans duty And upon the same grounds the cup i. e. the Wine is called the New Testament in Christs blood Luke 22. 20. Or which is all one Christs Blood in the New Testament Matth. 26. 28. which ye shall keep between me and you and thy Seed after thee every * Acts 7. 8. man-child n It is evident that Women as well as Men were comprehended in this Covenant from Gen. 34. 14. Exod. 12. 3 4. Ioel 2. 15 16. Yet Circumcision is given only to the Males partly because it could not at least not conveniently be administred to Females partly because man is the principal cause of the propagation of Children and consequently of the propagation of that original corruption which cleaves to them partly to signifie that all persons begotten by man should be polluted by sin though not all conceived by a Woman as Christ was And partly because Man is the Head of the Woman and of the Family upon whom all their concerns are devolved and from whom the distinction of Families and People comes among you shall be circumcised 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin o i. e. By an usual Hypallage the fore-skin of your flesh And the word Flesh is here put for the Genital part as it is Levit. 15. 2 19. Ezek 16. 26. and 23 20. and elsewhere This part God singled out for this Ordinance because it is and was a great instrument both in the commission of actual sins and in the propagation of original sin and therefore it was very proper to apply to it the seal of Gods gracious Covenant for the remission of sins past and the extirpation of sin for the future and it shall be a * Act. 7. 8. Rom. 4. 11. token of the covenant p i. e. A sign evidence and assurance both of the blessing promised by that God who appointed this Ordinance and of mans obligation to the duties required which is signifyed by his acceptance of and submission to this Ordinance And here we have the nature and definition of a Sacrament viz. that it is a figure or token of Gods Covenant betwixt me and you 12 And †Heb. a son of eight days he that is eight days old q Not before that time because of the Childs weakness and imperfection and impurity too Exod. 22. 30. Levit. 12. 3. for which reason also Beasts were not to be offered to God before the eigth day Exodus 22. 30. * Levit. 12. 3. Luke 2. 21. John 7. 22. shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your generations r Successively until the Messias come who shall circumcise your hearts and change this Ordinance for another he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger s These were of two sorts 1. Children who being entirely his possession and having not understanding to discern nor will to chuse or refuse were to be circumcised 2. Grown persons who were not to be compelled to be circumcised but if they refused it were not to be permitted to dwell in his Family lest they should infect others but were to be sold to strangers as the Hebrew Doctors teach But as for Abrahams Servants here they were
Fire which destroyed the four Cities had by this time extended it self to Zoar and all other places knowing that the whole World did lye in wickedness and having possibly heard from their Father that the World as it was once destroyed by Water so it should afterwards be consumed by Fire which they might think was now executed and that God had secured Abraham from it by taking him to himself Or 2. In that Land as the word may be rendred And her meaning might not be this that there was no man at all but not a man with whom they might or durst Marry For though they knew they left many Men in Zoar yet the sad experience of the dreadful ruine wherein their Brethren in law were involved made them abhor the thoughts of any Conjunction with them to come in unto us after the manner of all the Earth p i. e. Of all the Inhabitants of the Earth Compare Gen. 18. 11 32 Come let us make our father drink wine q Which they carried with them amongst other necessary provisions either from Sodom or Zoar. and we will lie with him that we may preserve seed of our father r Which though an incestuous and abominable action yet they thought was made lawful by the supposed necessity as in the beginning of the World the Marriage of Brethren and Sisters was lawful because necessary and when it ceased to be necessary because of the increase of mankind it became incestuous 33 And they made their father drink wine s To wit in excess so as to deprive him of the use of his Reason and Grace which was likely to frustrate their project This was a great sin not only in them but also in Lot himself not to be excused by ignorance of the vertue of wine which being known to both the Daughters certainly their Father could not be ignorant of it Thus he who kept his integrity in the midst of all the Temptations of Sodom falls into a grievous sin in a place where he might seem most remote from all Temptations God permitting this to teach all following ages how weak even the best men are when they are left to themselves and what absolute need they have of Divine assistance that night and the first-born went in and lay with her father and he perceived not when she lay down nor when she arose t Wherein there is nothing strange it being usual with drunken men to do many things in that condition which when they come to themselves they perfectly forget And so might Lot when under the power of Wine forget that his Wife was turned into a pillar of Salt and might mistake his Daughter for his Wife 34 And it came to pass on the morrow that the first-born said unto the younger Behold I lay yesternight with my father let us make him drink wine this night also and go thou in and lie with him that we may preserve seed of our father 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also and the younger arose and lay with him and he perceived not when she lay down nor when she arose 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child ‖ Which they might possibly imagine to be an evidence of Divine approbation of their fact whereas indeed it was a design of God to make a lasting Monument of their sin and shame by their father 37 And the first-born bare a son and called his name Moab u i. e. Of my Father begotten upon me by my Father So she had learned from her Neighbours to declare her siâ—… as Sodom Isa 3. 9. the same is the father of the Moabites x A mischievous and infamous people branded as their brethren also the Ammonites were with characters of Gods displeasure unto this day 38 And the younger she also bare a son and called his name Ben-ammi y i. e. The Son of my People or Kindred not of the cursed race of the Sodomites where I was to be married This is something more modest than the other in the name she gives but both impudently glorying in their sin and shame of which they should have bitterly repented the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day CHAP. XX. 1 AND Abraham journyed from thence a From the plain of Mamre Chap. 18. 1. where he had long dwelt and whence he removed either because of its nearness to that filthy Lake which now was in the place of that late fruitful plain Or for other reasons and conveniences needless to be here enquired or determined towards the south countrey b Yet more towards the Southern part of Canaan and dwelt between Cadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife * Chap. 12. 13. she is my sister c Left they should slay him for his beautiful Wifes sake as himself tels us ver 11. For though Sarah was ninety years old yet she retained her beauty in good measure partly because she had not been broken by bearing and nursing of Children partly because in that age of the World Men and Women as they lived longer so they did not so soon begin to decay as now they do and partly because of Gods especial blessing upon her and Abimelech King of Gerar sent and took Sarah d Not without violence for it is not to be thought that either Abraham or Sarah would consent to it 3 But God * Psal. 105. 14. came to Abimelech in a dream e God then used to manifest his mind in dreams not onely to his People but even to Heathens for their sakes or in things wherein they were concerned by night and said to him Behold thou art but a dead man * Thou deservest a present and untimely Death and if thou proceedest in thy intended wickedness it shall be inflicted upon thee for the woman which chou hast taken f Both for thy injustice in taking her away by force and for thy intentions to abuse her though not yet executed for she is †Heb. married to an Husband a mans wife 4 But Abimelech had not come near her g i. e. Had not yet lyen with her A modest expression like that of knowing a woman Gen. 4. 1. or going in to her Gen. 6. 4. or touching her Prov. 6. 29. 1 Cor. 7. 1. by which we are taught to use modesty in our speeches and not with the rude Cynicks to express all things by their proper names This clause and history was necessary to be added here for Sarahs vindication and especially for the demonstration of Isaacs original from Abraham and Sarah according to Gods promise and he said LORD wilt thou slay also a righteous h i. e. Innocent as to this matter compare 2 Sam. 4. 11. nation i For he knew it was just and usual for God to punish a Nation for their Kings sins and therefore
me b Heb. will lift up my face or countenance which now is dejected with the sence of his displeasure Compare Gen. 4. 6. or will accept of my person as this phrase is oft used 21 So went the present over before him and himself lodged that night in the company 22 And he rose up that night and took his two wives and his two women-servants and his eleven sons c And Diâ—…h though she be not here mentioned as the women are oft omitted in Scripture as being comprehended under the men and passed over the ford Jabbok d Which is here generally related but the time and manner of it is particularly described in the following verses Of this ford Iabbok see Numb 21. 24. Deut. 3. 16. 23 And he took them and †Heb. caused to pass sent them over the brook and sent over that he had 24 And Jacob was left alone e In some private place it matters not on which side Iabbok that he might more freely and ardently pour out his soul unto God and there wrestled a man f An Angel yea the Angel of the Covenant the Son of God as it is plain from ver 28 30. and Hos. 12. 3 4. who did here as oft elsewhere assume the shape and body of a man that he might do this work For this wrestling was real and corporeal in its nature though it was also mystical and spiritual in its signification as we shall see and it was accompanied with an inward wrestling by ardent prayers joyned with tears Hos. 12. 4. with him untill the †Heb. asâ—…nding of the morning breaking of the day 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him g Not through impotency but in design he suffered himself to be conquered to encourage Iacobs faith and hope against the approaching danger he touched * See Mat. 26. 41. 2 Cor. 12. 7. the hollow of his thigh ‖ The joint of his Hip-bone or rather the hollow in which that joynt was and the hollow of Jacobs thigh was out of joynt as he wrestled with him h Which was done that Iacob might see that it was not his own strength but onely Gods grace which got him this Victory and could give him the deliverance which he hoped for 26 And he said Let me go i He saith this partly to shew the prevailing power of his prayer with God and partly to quicken and encourage Iacob to persist in his conflict Compare Exod. 32. 10. Deut. 9. 14. for the day breaketh k And I am not willing that there should be any spectatours or witnesses of these things and he said * Hos. 12. 4. I will not let thee go except thou bless me l With the blessings which thou hast promised to Abraham and to me among which one is protection in this hour of my danger For Iacob now began to think that it was no man nor ordinary Angel that was with him but God himself as he saith ver 30. 27 And he said unto him What is thy name and he said Jacob. 28 And he said * chap. 35. 10. Thy name shall be called no more Jacob m Not Iacob onely See the like manner of expression 1 Sam. 8. 7. Ier. 23. 7. Ioh. 7. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 17. but Israel n Which signifies a Prince or 〈◊〉 with God or a Prince of God i. e. a great Prince and Conquerour for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men o Thou hast in some sort conquered both God in this conflict and men Laban Esau c. and hast prevailed p Or and shalt prevail over Esau of whom thou art afraid 29 And Jacob asked him and said Tell me I pray thee thy name q That I may give thee the honour due to it Art thou a created Angel or art thou the ever-blessed God and he said Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name r A question which carries in it both a denial of his request as Iudg. 13. 17 18. and a reproof of his curiosity and he blessed him there s In an eminent and peculiar manner which was a real answer to Iacobs question and gave him to understand both his name and nature 30 And Jacob called the name of the place †That is the face of God Peniel for I * Exod. 24. 11. and 33. 20. Deut. 5. 24. Isa. 6. 5. have seen God face to face t Not in his Essence for so no man ever saw God Ioh. 1. 18. nor yet in a dream or vision but in a most evident sensible familiar and friendly manifestation of himself and my life is preserved u And I am now well assured of my safety from Esau whose approach threatned my life Or he speaks of it with wonder as others did that he should see God and not be struck dead by the Glory of his presence Compare Gen. 16 13. Exod. 20. 19. Iudg. 6. 22 23. and 13. 22. 31 And as he passed over Peniel the sun rose upon him and he halted upon his thigh 32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not x Not from any superstitious conceit about it but onely for a memorial of this admirable conflict the blessed effects whereof even the future generations received of the sinew which shrank which is upon the hollow of the thigh unto this day because he touched the â—…ollow of Jacobs thigh in the sinew that shrank CHAP. XXXIII 1 AND Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked and behold * Chap. 32. 6. Esau came and with him four hundred men and he divided the children unto Leah and unto Rachel and unto the two handmaids 2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost and Leah and her children after and Rachel and Joseph hindermost a Placing his best beloved in the last and safest place 3 And he passed over before them b Exposing himself to the first and greatest hazard for the security of his Wives and Children and bowed himself to the ground seven times untill he came near to his brother 4 And Esau ran to meet him and imbraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept 5 And he lift up his eyes and saw the Women and the Children and said Who are those †Heb. to theâ—… with thee and he said The Children which God hath graciously given thy servant 6 Then the handmaidens came near they and their children and they bowed themselves 7 And Leah also with her children came near and bowed themselves and after came Joseph near and Rachel and they bowed themselves 8 And he said †Heb. What is all this â—…and to thee what meanest thou by all this drove which I met †He knew his meaning before from the servants mouths but he asks that he might both be more certainly informed of the Truth and have an occasion for
of Iethro See Exod. 2. 18. Numb 10. 29. 5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush and Jaalam and Korah these are the sons of Esau e He had also Daughters ver 6. though their names be not here mentioned which were born unto him in the land of Canaan 6 And Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all the †Heb. souls persons of his house and his cattle and all his beasts and all his substance which he had got in the land of Canaan and went f Quest. 1. Why went he thither Answ. Partly by his own choice that Wild and Mountainous Countrey being very commodious for hunting to which he wholly addicted himself partly by his Wives perswasions who were both utterly averse from cohabitation with Isaac or Iacob and strongly inclined to their own Country but principally from the secret conduct of Divine Providence thus accomplishing his promises See Ios. 24. 4. Maâ—… 1. 3. Quest. 2. When went he thither Answ. He went thither before this time in discontent at his Parents and dwelt in Seir before Iacobs return to Canaan as appears from Gen. 32. 3. and 33. 14 16. Yet so as he came sometimes to Canaan and to his Fathers house and did not quit his interest in his fathers estate But when his Father was dead and Iacob and he agreed about the partition of the estate he did totally and finally forsake Canaan partly for the reason here following partly for the other reasons now alledged and partly to avoid all occasion both of Communication and Contention with his Brother into the countrey g i. e. Further up into the Country Or into another Country as the Chaldee renders it namely into Seir The word another being supplyed If that seem too bold a supplement the place may be rendred thus he went into a Land distant or remote from the face of his brother which supplement lies hid and is implied in the word Mipne from the face Or thus he went out of the Land For so the Hebrew preposition El is sometimes used for Min which signifies off or out of as appears by comparing 1 King 8. 30. with 2 Chron. 6. 21. and Isaiah 59. 20. Rom. 11. 26. and Iudg. 17. 2. 2 Chron. 1. 13. and many other places from the face of his brother Jacob. 7 * chap. 13. 6 11. For their riches were more then that they might dwell together and * chap. 17. 8. and 28. 4. the land wherein they were strangers h Which words contain the reason why that Land which was large and fruitful could not bear them because they were not entire possessours of it but onely sojourners in it and therefore must take the owners leavings which were not sufficient for both of them and their numerous Families could not bear them because of their cattle 8 Thus dwelt Esau in * Josh. 24. 4. mount Seir Esau is Edom i This seems to be mentioned by the Holy Ghost by way of contempt or reproach this is he who sold his Birth-right for a mess of red pottage and therefore was called Edom or Red. 9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of †Heb. Edom. the Edomites in mount Seir. 10 These are the names of Esaus sons * 1 Chron. 1. 35. c. Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman Omar ‖ Or Zephi Zepho and Gatam and Kenaz 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esaus son and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek these were the sons of Adah Esaus wife 13 And these are the sons of Reuel Nahath and Zerah Shammah and Mizzah these were the sons of Bashemath Esaus wife 14 And these were the sons of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon Esaus wife and she bare to Esau Jeush and Jaalam and Korah 15 These were Dukes k Princes or Heads of their several Families and little Principalities according to the manner of those times who ruled their Dominions either severally each his own or jointly by common advice or it may be under one chief Prince their superiour either in Title or in power And in this division Eliphaz as he was Esaus first-born so he had more than a double portion his six sons being made Dukes as Esaus immediate Sons were Compare 1 Chron. 5. 1. of the sons of Esau the sons of Eliphaz the first-born son of Esau Duke Teman Duke Omar Duke Zepho Duke Kenaz 16 Duke Korah l He is not mentioned among Eliphaz his sons and therefore is thought to be his Grand-son There is another Korah ver 14. and 18. Duke Gatam and Duke Amalek These are the Dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom These were the sons of Adah 17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esaus son Duke Nahath Duke Zerah Duke Shammah Duke Mizzah These are the Dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Bashemath Esaus wife 18 And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esaus wife Duke Jeush Duke Jaalam Duke Korah These were the Dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah Esaus wife 19 These are the sons of Esau who is Edom and these are their Dukes 20 * 1 Chron. â—… 38. These are the sons of Seir m Who are here mentioned partly because of their alliance with Esaus Family ver 2 20 22 24 25. and partly because the Government was translated from his to Esaus Family the Horite who inhabited the land o And ruled there till Esau and his posterity drove them out Deut. 2. 12 22. Lotan and Shobal and Zibeon and Anah 21 And Dishon and Ezer and Dishan these are the Dukes of the Horites the children of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 And the children of Lotan were Hori and ‖ Or Homan 1 Chron. 1. 39. Heman and Lotans sister was Timna 23 And the children of Shobal were these ‖ Or Alian 1 Chron. 1. 40. Alvan and Manahath and Ebal ‖ Or Shephi 1 Chron. 1. 40. Shepho and Onam 24 And these are the children of Zibeon both Ajah and Anah this was that Anah that found * Lev. 19. 19. the mules p So most understand the word Iemim which is no where else used and give this sense of it that he found out the way of the generation of mules by the copulation of an Horse and a Mare Others render it waters that he found out some springs of water which in those hot Countries were rare and pretious or hot waters some hot and medicinal springs But the Chaldee renders it Giants and the Samaritâ—… version Emims a sort of Giants mentioned Deut. 2. 10 11. who also were Neighbours to the Horites here spoken of as appears from Gen. 14. 5 6. and therefore might according to the manner of those times make inroads one upon another So Iemim
not the power of Life and Death at least not over her who was a Canaanite and who was not in his but in her own fathers house But he being a person of great estate and authority and as it seems of obliging conversation could do very much to perswade those who then had the power of the Sword either to draw it forth at least in a just cause on his behalf or to sheath it upon his desire and satisfaction and let her be burnt d As guilty of Adultery which was punished with death by the laws of God Deut. 22. 23 24. and of Nations too Ier. 29. 22 23. He chargeth her with adultery because she was betrothed to Shelah See Deut. 22. 23. This eagerness of Iudah proceeded not from zeal of Justice for then he would not have indeavoured to destroy the innocent child with the guilty mother against Gods law Deut. 24. 16. Ezek. 18. 20 but from worldly policy that he might take her out of the way which he esteemed a burden and a blot to his family 25 When she was brought forth she sent to her father in law saying By the man whose these are am I with child and she said Discern I pray thee whose are these the signet and bracelets and staff 26 And Judah acknowledged them e His guilty conscience and the horrour of so foul a fact together with his sudden surprizal forced him to an ingenuous confession whereas he might have used many pretences and evasions which would easily have prevailed with such partial Judges and said She hath been more righteous than I f She was more unchast because she knowingly committed Adultery and Incest when he designed neither but he was more unjust because he was the cause of her sin both by withholding Shelah from her who was hers both by right and by Iudahs promise and by whom her chastity should have been preserved and by his solicitation and encouragement of her to the sin because that I gave her not to Shelah my son and he knew her again no more g Shewing the sincerity of his confession by his forsaking of the sin confessed See Iob 34. 32. And it may be probably concluded that he neither knew her nor any other Woman afterward because there is no mention of any Child which he had after this time 27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail that behold twins were in her womb 28 And it came to pass when she travailed that the one put out his hand and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a skarlet thread h In token of his being the first-born which she confidently expected he would be saying This came out first 29 And it came to pass as he drew back his hand that behold his brother came out and she said ‖ Or wherefore hast thou made this breach against thee How hast thou broken forth this breach be upon thee i Be imputed to thee as the same phrase is taken Genesis 16. 5. therefore his name was called ‖ That is a breach * 1 Chron. 2. 4. Matth. 1. 3. Pharez 30 And afterward came out his brother that had the skarlet thread upon his hand and his name was called Zarah CHAP. XXXIX 1 AND Joseph was brought down to Egypt and * Chap. 37. 36. Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh captain of the guard an Egyptian bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelites which had brought him down thither 2 And * 1 Sam. 16. 18. and 18. 28. Aâ—…t 7. 9. the LORD was with Joseph a With his gracious presence and blessing as this phrase is taken here ver 21. and Gen. 21. 22. and 26. 24. and he was a prosperous man and he was in the house b He doth not endeavour to make an escape to his Father but demeaned himself patiently and faithfully in the station into which Gods Providence had brought him of his master the Egyptian 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him c The Heathens owned a supreme God and his overruling Providence in affairs though they did not glorifie him as God but worshipped the Creature with and more than the creator Rom. 1. 25. and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand d i. e. Under his ministery as this phrase is used Exod. 4. 13. Levit. 8. 36. Prov. 26. 6. and oft elsewhere 4 And Joseph found grace in his sight and he served him e Not now as a slave but in an higher degree and he made him overseer over his house and all that he had he put into his hand f i. e. Committed to his care and management as Gen. 16. 6. Object How could this be when Ioseph understood not the Egyptian Tongue Answ. Ioseph doubtless when he came thither did as much as possibly he could endeavour to get the knowledge of that Language and being a person of excellent parts would soon obtain it especially because of the great affinity between that Language and his own Nor must we think that Ioseph was thus highly advanced in an instant but by degrees step by step and after some considerable time 5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house and over all that he had that * Chap. 30. 27. the LORD blessed the Egyptians house for Josephs sake and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house and in the field 6 And he left all that he had in Josephs hand and he knew not ought he had save the bread which he did eat g He took care for nothing but that he might eat and drink and fare deliciously Nor did he indeed take any care for that it being provided for him by other hands Others thus he took care for nothing but committed all to Ioseph except his bread which he would not have provided by an Hebrew hand because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews Gen. 43. 32. But that was no impediment for neither did Ioseph eat with his master nor was he the cook to dress it for him But he might provide food for him as afterwards he did for all the Egyptians without any scruple on their side and Joseph was a goodly person and well-favoured 7 And it came to pass after these things that his masters wife cast her eyes upon Joseph h In a lascivious and unchast manner See Ioâ—… 31. 1. Mat. 5. 28. 2 Pet. 2. 14. and she said lie with me 8 But he refused and said unto his Masters wife Behold my master wotteth not what is with me in the house and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand 9 There is none greater in this house than I neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee because thou art his wife how then can I do this great wickedness and * Chap. 20. 6. Lev.
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 man-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 man-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
by murdering the children which they might have done many times secretly and therefore it was onely the fear of God which restrained them from it God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and waxed very mighty 21 And it came to pass because the midwives feared God that he made them houses d i. e. God greatly increased their Families both in children and posterity and in wealth and other outward blessings So this phrase is used Gen. 30. 30. Deut. 25. 9. 1 Sam. 2. 35. 1 King 2. 24. and 11. 38. Psal. 127. 1. As houses are commonly put for families so building is put for procreating of children Gen. 16. 2. and 30. 3. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people saying Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river and every daughter ye shall save alive CHAP. II. 1 AND there went a From the place of his abode to another place for the following purpose * 1 Chron. 23.13 a man of the house of Levi b viz. Amram Exod. 6. 20. Numb 26. 58 59. and took to wife a daughter of Levi c Namely Iochebed Numb 26. 59. called a daughter not strictly but more largely to wit a grandchild as the words father and Son are oft used for a grandfather and a grandson as hath been shewed before And so the word sister Exod. 6. 20. is to be taken largely as brother is oft used for a cousin This seems more probable than that an Israelite should marry his own sister which even heathens by the light of nature have condemned especially now when he had such abundant choice elsewhere 2 And the woman conceived and bare a son and when she saw him that he was a goodly child she * Act. 7. 20. Heb. 11. 23. hid him three months 3 And when she could not longer hide him d To wit with safety to her self because they now grew more violent in executing that bloody decree and the child growing up was more likely to be discovered especially seeing the Egyptians dwelt among them Exod. 3. 22. she took for him an ark of bulrushes e That boats were made of such materials in those parts is evident from Isa. 18. 2. and from the testimonies of Herod Pliny and others and daubed it with slime and with pitch * Slime within and pitch without and put the child therein and she laid it in the flags f Which grew near the rivers side partly that the vessel might not be carried away and overturned by the violence of the winds and water and partly that the child might be sooner discerned and more easily taken out thence by any kind hand which she hoped for by the rivers brink 4 And his sister stood afar off g That she might not be thought to have laid the child there or to be related to it to wit what would be done unto him 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash her self at the river and her maidens walked along by the river side and when she saw the ark among the flags she sent her maid to fetch it 6 And when she had opened it she saw the child and behold the babe wept And she had compassion on him and said This is one of the Hebrews children h This she might very probably guess both from the circumstances in which she found him and from the singular fairness and beauty of the child far differing from the Egyptian hew and she might certainly know it by its circumcision 7 Then said his sister to Pharaohs daughter Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for thee 8 And Pharaohs daughter said unto her Go And the maid went and called the childs mother 9 And Pharaohs daughter said unto her Take this child away and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages And the woman took the child and nursed it 10 And the child grew and she brought him unto Pharaohs daughter and he became her son i By adoption Heb. 11. 24. For as Philo. reports she though long married had no child of her own and therefore treated him as her own and gave him royal education and instruction see Act. 7. 21. And she called his name ‖ That is drawn out Moses k It matters not whether this be an Egyptian name or an Hebrew name answering to it in signification seeing the meaning of it is here explained and she said Because I drew him out of the water 11 And it came to pass in those dayes l Whilest Moses lived at court and was owned as the son of Pharaohs daughter and as some write designed to succeed Pharaoh in the Throne when Moses was grown m To maturity being 40 years old Act. 7. 23. that he went out unto his brethren n Partly by natural affection and inclination that he might learn the state of his brethren and help them as occasion should offer it self and partly by divine instigation and in design that he might give some manifestation to them that he was raised and sent of God to deliver them as may be gathered from Act. 7. 25. and looked on their burdens and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew one of his brethren 12 And he looked this way and that way o Not from conscience of guilt in what he intended but from humane and warrantable prudence and when he saw that there was no man he slew the Egyptian p This action of Moses was extraordinary and is not to be justified by the common right of defending the oppressed which belongs not to private persons Rom. 12. 19. but onely by his divine and special vocation to be the ruler and deliverer of Israel Which call of his howsoever manifested whether by his father as Iosephus saith or immediately to himself was evident to his own conscience and he gave this as a signal to make it evident to the people and hid him in the sand 13 And when he went out the second day q The next day after that atchievement he returns to execute the office in which God had set him as a Judge whose work it is both to destroy enemies and to reconcile brethren behold two men of the Hebrews strove together And he said to him that did the wrong Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow 14 And he said Who made thee †Heb. a man a Prince a Prince and a judge over us intendest thou to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian and Moses feared r Through the weakness of his faith which afterwards growing stronger he feared not that which now he did fear the wrath of the King Heb. 11. 27. Distinguish the times and Scriptures agree which seemed to clash together and said Surely this thing is known 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing he sought to slay Moses s Not out of zeal to punish
all as because there was great and evident reason both why the Israelites should be recompenced for all their hard labours and sufferings and why the Egyptians should be spoiled for their Idolatry luxury and cruelty to the Israelites and the great benefits which they had received from Ioseph and from the service of the Israelites 2. because the supreme Lord of all forbad them to restore what they borrowed and gave them the entire right and sole propriety therein 3. because though there was a form and appearance of borrowing and lending yet indeed the Israelites did not so much borrow as desire as the Hebrew word rendred borrow ver 35. signifies and the Egyptians did not reckon these things as lent and to be restored but as given and never to be expected again even as Pharaoh and his people rightly judged that if the Israelites were once permitted to go out of the land with their whole families and estates they would never return again chap. 14. 5. And in truth the Egyptians did and might esteem it a good bargain to give these things to redeem their lives and to ingage the Israelites to a speedy departure knowing that otherwise both their persons and all their estates were in extreme hazard 4. because if these jewels were properly borrowed yet the Egyptians by their causeless and hostile pursuit after the Israelites with intent to destroy them did fully discharge them from all obligations to restitution and give them a right not onely to keep these goods but to take any other which they could from the Egyptians according to the known and approved laws of War 37 * Num. 33. 3. And the children of Israel journeyed from * Gen. 49. 11. Rameses to Succoth b A place so called either because there the Israelites first lodged in booths or rents whereas before they dwelt in houses or because there God first spread his cloud of sire over them for a covering Psal. 105. 39. about * chap. 38. 26. Numb 1. 46. and 11. 21. Six hundred thousand c To wit grown and strong men and fit for War among whom there was none seeble or sick Psal. 105. 37. Thus the Heathen writer Châ—…remon mentioned by Iosephus speaking of this matter reckons up first 250 thousand and then 380 thousand more on foot that were men d The Hebrew word properly signifies strong and able men fit to go on foot in battel aray so decrepit or weak old men are not comprehended in this number beside children e And women whose presence and assistance is necessary to them See Exod. 10. 24. Some say the Hebrew word taph signifies their housholds or families which consist principally of women and children 38 And a †Heb. a great mixture Num. 11. 4. mixed multitude f Consisting of Egyptians or other people who went with them either because they were their servants or that by this means they might free themselves from the servitude which they endured under hard masters in Egypt or because the glorious works which they had seen had raised their esteem of God and of his people and made them expect a share in the great felicities which they presumed would be conferred upon a people so highly honoured and beloved of such an almighty and alsufficient God And because their hearts were not sincere nor their ends right they soon repented of their choice Numb 11. 4. Compare Zech. 8. 23. went up also with them and flocks and herds even very much cattel 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt for it was not leavened g Both because leaven was forbidden to them at that time and because the great haste required gave them not time for leavening it because * chap. 6. 1. and 11. 1. they were thrust out of Egypt h Not by force but by importunate requests as was observed on ver 33. Thus men are said to be driven to worship the sun moon c. when they are perswaded to it Deut. 4. 19. and could not tarry neither had they prepared for themselves any victuals 40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was * Gen. 15. 13. Act. 7. 6. Gal. 3. 17. four hundred and thirty years i It is plain that those years are to be computed from the first promise made to Abraham Gen. 12. 1 2. to the giving of the law from Gal. 3. 17. where this is affirmed And although it doth not plainly appear when that promise was made because the Scripture mentions not Abrahams age neither when it was made nor when Abram came to Haran with his father Gen. 11. 31. but onely when he went out of Haran being 75 years old Gen. 12. 4. yet a good while after it was made and as it may seem more than probable 30 years afterward it is manifest there were onely 400 years of this time to come Gen. 15. 13. And many more years passed ere there was such a man as Israel or Iacob and more ere there were any children of Israel or of Iacob and yet more ere they came into Egypt How then can this be true which is here said Ans. 1. Some affirm that they were in Egypt 430 years which is sooner said than proved 2. Some antient Hebrew copies are said to have had more words than ours now have for the LXX and Samaritan Interpreters after the words in Egypt read and in the land of Canaan And some other copies after the word who adde together with their fathers or and their fathers And so the difficulty vanisheth And if it should be granted that there were some few such errours in our present copies in matters purely historical or chronological which God might permit to be there for many wise and holy reasons yet this is no preiudice to our faith or to Gods providence which hath been pleased to have so special a care of those Texts which concern the essentials of Faith and a good life that all copies are agreed in them 3. These 430. years are not by the Text confined to Egypt but may be extended to any place where they were sojourners and the Hebrew word asher is not to be rendred which as relating to the time of their sojourning but who as belonging to the persons sojourning as our translation well renders it and the sence is that they were sojourners or which is all one strangers or dwellers in a land that was not theirs as it is said Gen. 15. 13. for 430 years And the emphasis lies in the Hebrew word moshab which is here fitly rendred sojourning as toshab coming from the same root is commonly used for a sojourner or one that lives in a place or land which is not his as Levit. 22. 10. and 25. 35 40. Numb 35. 15. Psal. 30. 12. There is now but one difficulty remains how the children of Israel can be said to be sojourners so long seeing much
f Heb. the streams or the flowing waters whose nature it is to be constantly in motion stood upright as an heap and the depths were congealed g i. e. Hardned stood still as if they had been frozen and so they were a wall on both hands chap. 14. 22. in the heart h i. e. The midst as that word is used Psal. 18. 16. and 46. 2. Ezek. 28. 2. of the sea 9 * Judg. 5. 30. The Enemy said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust i The lust of covetousness and revenge too shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword mine hand shall ‖ Or repossess destroy k Or take possession of them and theirs see of this word Numb 14. 12 24. them 10 Thou didst blow with thy wind the sea covered them * ver 5. they sank as lead in the mighty l Heb. Magnificent or honourable made so by being the instrument of thy glorious work waters 11 * 2 Sam. 7. 22. 1 King 8. 23. Psal. 86. 8. Jer. 10. 6. Who is like unto thee O LORD amongst the ‖ Or mighty ones Gods m So called and esteemed or Princes or Potentates as Psal. 29. 1. Ezek. 32. 21. Who is like thee glorious in holiness n Or Righteousness thy power is great and glorious but thou dost not abuse it to unrighteous and unworthy purposes but to holy and honourable designs to the punishment of wicked Tyrants and to the vindication of thine oppressed and holy people fearful in praises o In praise-worthy actions the act being put for the object as fear is put for a thing to be feared as Psal. 14. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 14. Or to be feared or had in reverence when thou art praised to be both loved and feared at the same time doing wonders 12 Thou stretchest out thy right hand the earth p Either 1. The Globe consisting of Earth and Water which is here called Earth as it is called the deep and the waters Gen. 1. 2. Or 2. The Earth is here put for the Sea the other part of the same Globe as the Soul is put for the body or the dead carcass the other part of the man Levit. 19. 28. and 21. 1. Numb 6. 6 9 11. Or 3. The Earth properly either because many of them sunk into the mud at the bottom of the Sea and were buryed in it Or because after they were cast up upon the shore they were buried by the Israelites in the Earth swallowed them 13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation q i. e. Canaan the place where not onely tâ—… shall dwell but thou in and with them See Psal. 78. 52 c. 14 * Num. 14. 14 Deut. 2. 25. Josh. 2. 9. The people shall hear and be afraid forrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina 15 Then the Dukes of Edom shall be amazed * Num. 22. 3. Hab. 3. 6. the mighty men of Moab trembling shall take hold upon them * Josh. 5. 1. all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away 16 * Deut. 2. 25. Josh. 2. 9. Fear and dread shall fall upon them by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still r Or be as silent they shall be so struck with amazement that they shall be impotent both for speech and motion as a stone till thy people pass over O LORD till the people pass over * chap 19. 5. Deut. 32. 9. 2 Sam. 7. 23. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 9. which thou hast purchased 17 Thou shalt bring them in and * Psal. 44. 2. and 80. 8. plant them in the mountain s Either 1. In the Country of Canaan which is a mountainous Country full of Hills and Vallies Deut. 11. 11. not like Egypt a plain and low Country Or 2. in and about the Mount of Moriah where the Temple was to be built which is here put for the whole Land it being the most eminent part of it round about which the people were planted and to which they were frequently to resort of thine inheritance in the place O LORD which thou hast made for thee to dwell in in the Sanctuary O LORD which thy hands have established t Will certainly build and establish i. e. cause to be built and established The past tense for the future to note the certainty of it according to the style of the Prophets 18 * Psal. 146. 10. Isa. 57. 15. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever 19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the Sea and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea 20 And Miriam the Prophetess u So called either in a general sense because she was an instructer of other Women in the praise and service of God Or in a more special sense because she had the spirit of Prophesie See Numb 12. 2. and Mic. 6. 4. the sister of Aaron x Quest. Why not of Moses also Answ. 1. She might be Moses his sister onely by one Patent Aarons by both 2. She was best known to the people by her relation to Aaron with whom she had lived for many years when Moses was banished took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her * Psal. 68. 25. with timbrels and with dances y According to their antient custom in publick solemnities See Iudg. 11. 34. and 21. 21. 1 Sam. 18. 6. 2 Sam. 6. 14 21. Ier. 31. 4 13. 21 And Miriam answered them z Either 1. The Women last spoken of and then it is an Enallage of the Gender Or 2. The men spoken of before They sung by turns or by parts either the same words being repeated or some other words of a like nature added See 1 Chron. 16. 41. 2 Chron. 5. 13. Esra 3. 11. sing ye to the LORD for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea 22 So Moses brought Israel from the red sea and they went out into the wilderness of Shur a So usually called Gen. 16. 7. and by the Israelites Etham as may be gathered by comparing this place with Numb 33. 8. for both there and here it is said they went three days in this Wilderness and they went three dayes in the wilderness and found no water 23 And when they came to Marah they could not drink of the waters of * Numb 33. 8. Marah for they were bitter therefore the name of it was called †That is bitterness Marah 24 And the people murmured against Moses saying What shall we drink 25 And he cryed unto the LORD and the LORD shewed him a
z Neither the friends of the party stain nor the Magistrate shall give him a pardon or accept a ransom for him Numb 35. 31. 13 And if a man lie not in wait a If it appear that the manslayer did not intend nor desire it but onely it fell out by his heedlesness or by some casualty but God deliver him into his hand b By some special unexpected providence or God and not man God without the mans contrivance or design for otherwise in a general sence and way God delivered Christ into the hands of Iudas and the Iews who did advisedly and maliciously kill him then * Deut. 19. 3. Josh. 20. 2. I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee c i. e. A city or place of refuge Numb 35. 11. Deut. 19. 5. 14 But if a man come presumptuously d i. e. Do this proudly boldly purposely and malitiously for so the word signifies upon his neighbour to slay him with guile * 1 Kin. 2. 28. thou shalt take him from mine Altar e Which not onely in the wilderness but afterward seems to have been esteemed a place of refuge 1 King 1. 50. as it also was among the Heathens But God so far abhors murder that he will rather venture the pollution of his own Altar than the escape of the murderer See 2 King 11. 15. that he may die 15 And he that smiteth e Either 1. So as is before mentioned ver 12. so as they die And to smite sometimes signifies to kill as Gen. 4. 15. 2 King 14. 5. compared with 2 Chron. 25. 3. And this may be here added by way of distinction q. d. That killing of another man which is punished with death must be done presumptuously but the killing of parents though not done presumptuously is a capital crime Or 2. the meer smiting of them to wit wilfully and dangerously Nor will any think this law too severe that considers that this is an act full of horrid impiety against God who hath so expresly and emphatically commanded children to honour their Parents of highest and most unnatural ingratitude and utterly destructive to humane Society his father or his mother shall be surely put to death 16 And he that stealeth a man and selleth him or if he be found in his hand f i. e. In the man-stealers hand q. d. though he keep him in his own hands for his own use for still it is a theft and he is made that mans slave and it is in his power to sell him to another when he pleaseth and therefore deserves death he shall surely be put to death 17 And * Lev. 20. 9. Prov. 20. 20. Mat. 15. 4. Mar. 7. 10. he that †Or revileth curseth ‖ Or revileth to wit wilfully malitiously obstinately against all admonition by comparing Deut. 21. 18. his father or his mother shall surely be put to death 18 And if men strive together and one smite †Or his neighbour another with a stone g Or any other instrument fit for such a mischievous purpose An usual Synecdoche or with his fist and he die not but keep his bed 19 If he arise again and walk abroad upon his staff then shall he that smote him be quit only he shall pay for †Heb. ceasing the loss of his time h i. e. Of the profit which he could or commonly did make of his time in the way of his calling and shall cause him to be throughly healed i i. e. Pay the charges of the cure 20 And if a man smite his servant k Namely a stranger for an Israelite was to be better used See Lev. 25. 39 40. c. or his maid with a rod l A fit and usual instrument for correction whereby it is implyed that if he kill'd him with a sword or any such weapon he was to die for it and he die under his hand m i. e. Whilest the master is correcting him he shall be surely †Heb. avenged punished n Not with death for then it would have been said so as it is before and after but as the Magistrate or Judge shall think fit according to the diversity of circumstances and therefore no particular punishment is set down 21 Notwithstanding if he continue a day or two he shall not be punished for he is his money o i. e. His possession bought with his mony and therefore 1. had a power to chastise him according to his demerit which might be very great 2. is sufficiently punished with his own loss 3. may be presumed not to have done this purposely and maliciously 22 If men strive and hurt a woman with child p To wit the wife of the other person who interposed her self to succour her husband so that her fruit depart from her and yet no mischief follow q Neither to the woman nor child for it is generally expressed so as to reach both in case the abortive had life in it he shall be surely punished according as the womans husband will lay upon him and he shall pay as the Judges determine r The husband shall impose the fine and if it be unreasonable the Judges shall have a power to moderate it 23 And if any mischief s Either to the mother or to the child whether it be death or any maime or mischief follow then ‖ Who Ans. Not the private person which would have introduced infinite mischiefs and confusions but the Magistrate for these laws are given to Moses and the execution of these things was committed to Moses and others under him thou shalt give life for life 24 * Lev. 24. 2â—… Deut. 19. 21. Mat. â—… 38. Eye for eye t This is called the law of retaliation and from hence the heathen Lawgivers took it and put it into their laws But though this might sometimes be practised in the letter yet it was not necessarily to be understood and executed so as may appear 1. by the impossibility of the just execution of it in many cases as when a man that had but one eye or hand was to lose the other which to him was a far greater mischief then what he did to his neighbour whom he deprived but of one of his eyes or hands And this is a sure and righteous rule Punishments may be less but never should be greater than the fault And how could a wound be made neither bigger nor less than that which he inflicted 2. by comparing this with other laws wherein a compensation is allowed in like cases as ver 18 30. And when it is enjoyned that no satisfaction shall be taken for the life of a wilful murderer Numb 35. 31. it seems therein implyed that satisfaction may be taken for lesser injuries And indeed the payment of such a price as the loss of an eye or hand or foot required though it might not so
workmen here spoken of but by others How then comes this to be mentioned here Ans. 1. The shew-bread may be here put for the vessels for the receiving of the shew-bread by an usual Metonymy of the adjunct the thing contained put for the thing containing as treasures are put for the place where the treasures are put Psal. 135. 7. Mat. 2. 11. and 12. 35. and the gifts or offerings of God for the treasury where they were put Luk. 21. 4. Hence Tremellius renders this place and the vessels of the shew-bread Obj. All the vessels of the Table are mentioned before of which this was one Ans. It is not unusual after a general expression comprehending all distinctly to name one eminent member of that kind such as this unquestionably was the table being made principally for this use Thus Mark 16. 7. Tell my disciples and Peter Like examples are in 2 Sam. 2. 30. 1 King 11. 1. Psal. 18. the Title Act. 1. 14. and in other Authors And for the particle Vau and which may seem to imply that these were things of another kind and not any vessels of the Table that is oft put for especially as Ios. 2. 1. Mark 16. 7. and so onely notes an eminent thing of the same kind as hath been said Ans. 2. Though God did not prescribe the making of the shew-bread yet he mentions it together with the table Exod. 25. 30. and therefore it is conveniently mentioned with the table in this place also where Moses to shew his exactness and fidelity doth punctually repeat the same things to the people which he had received in command from God In like manner the oil which fed the light of the lamps is mentioned here in the next verse because the lighting of the lamps was prescribed Exod. 25. 37. 14 The candlestick also for the light and his furniture and his lamps with the oil for the light 15 * 〈…〉 And the incense altar and his staves and the anointing oil and the sweet incense and the hanging for the door at the entring in of the Tabernacle 16 * chap. 27. 1. The altar of burnt-offering with his brazen grate his staves and all his vessels the laver and his foot 17 The hangings of the court his pillars and their sockets and the hanging for the door of the court 18 The pins of the tabernacle and the pins of the court and their cords 19 The clothes of service to do service in the holy place the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priests office 20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses 21 And they came every one whose heart stirred him up k i. e. Whose heart being desirous and ready to serve God ingaged his hand to offer what he had to his service and every one whom his spirit made willing and they brought the LORDS offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation and for all his service and for the holy garments 22 And they came both men and women as many as were willing-hearted and brought bracelets and ear-rings l Obj. Aaron had goâ—… these from them for the making of the calf Exod. 32. Ans. Though the generality of the people did then part with their ear-rings yet there was a considerable number who did not as being unsatisfied with that Idolatrous design and it may seem that the women would not part with theirs being more fond of their ornaments than of their Idols See the notes on Exod. 32. 3. and rings and tablets all jewels of gold and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD 23 And every man with whom was found blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen and goats hair and red skins of rams and badgers skins brought them 24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORDS offering and every man with whom was found shittim-wood for any work of the service brought it 25 And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands and brought that which they had spun both of blue and of purple and of scarlet and of fine linnen 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom m This word seems better to agree with the following than with the foregoing word they spâ—… with wisdom i. e. with skill and art spun goats hair 27 And the rulers brought onyx-stones and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breast-plate 28 And * chap. 30. 23. spice and oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense 29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses 30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel See * chap. 31. 2. the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah 31 And he hath filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship 32 And to devise curious works to work in gold and in silver and in brass 33 And in the cutting of stones to set them and in carving of wood to make any manner of cunning work 34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach n To wit others to work under him for the work required many hands and it is a peculiar gift of God to be apt to teach which every skilful man hath not both he and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work of the ingraver and of the cunning workman and of the embroiderer in blue and in purple in scarlet and in fine linen and of the weaver even of them that do any work and of those that devise cunning work CHAP. XXXVI 1 THen wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary a Or of the holy place to wit of the Tabernacle so called by a Prolepsis and Synecdoche according to all that the LORD had commanded 2 And Moses called b God had qualified them before but that is not sufficient without a call Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it 3 And they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary to make it withal And they brought yet unto him free-offerings every morning c Which time they chose as the first and
ye shall break it 34 Of all meat which may be eaten that on which such water cometh e The meaning is that flesh or herbs or other food which is dressed in water to wit in a vessel so polluted shall be unclean not so if it be food which is eaten dry as bread fruits c. the reason of which difference seems to be this that the water did sooner receive the pollution in it self and convey it to the food so dressed shall be unclean And all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean 35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcass falleth shall be unclean whether it be oven or ranges for pots they shall be broken down for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you 36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit †Heb. a gathering together of 〈◊〉 wherein there is plenty of water f Of which no solid reason can be given whilest such unclean things remained in them but onely the will of the lawgiver and his merciful condescension to mens necessities water being scarce in those countries and for the same reason God would have the ceremonial law of sacrifices to be offered to God give place to the moral law of mercy towards men shall be clean but ‖ Or â—…e that 〈◊〉 that which toucheth their carcass shall be unclean 37 And if any part of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown g Partly because this was necessary provision for man and partly because such seed would not be used for mans food till it had received many alterations in the earth whereby such pollution was taken away See Ioh. 12. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 36. it shall be clean 38 But if any water be put upon the seed h The reason of the difference is partly because wet seed doth sooner receive and longer retain any pollution and partly because such seed was not fit to be sown presently and therefore that necessity which justified the use of the dry seed which was speedily to be sown could not be pretended in this case and any part of their carcass fall thereof it shall be unclean unto you 39 And if any beast of which ye may eat die i Either of it self or being killed by some wild beast in which cases the blood was not poured forth as it was when they were killed by men either for food or sacrifice he that toucheth the carcass thereof shall be unclean until the even 40 And * chap. 1â—… 1â—… 22. 8. Ezek. 4. 14. 44. 31. he that eateth of the carcass of it k To wit unwittingly for if he did it knowingly it was a presumptuous sin against an express law Deut. 14. 21. and therefore punished with cutting off Numb 15. 30. shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even he also that beareth the carcass of it shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even 41 And every creeping thing l Except those before expresly excepted above ver 29 30. that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination it shall not be eaten 42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly m As worms and snakes and whatsoever goeth upon all four n As â—…oads and divers serpents or whatsoever †Heb. doth â—…tiply feet hath more feet o To wit more than four as caterpillars c. among all creeping things that creep upon the earth them ye shall not eat for they are an abomination 43 * chap. 20. 〈◊〉 Ye shall not make your †Heb. souiâ—… selves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth neither shall ye make your selves unclean with them that ye should be defiled thereby 44 For I am the LORD your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and * chap. 19. 2. and 20. 7. 〈◊〉 1. 15 16. ye shall be holy p By which he gives them to understand that all these cautions and prohibitions about the eating or touching of these creatures was not for any real uncleanness in them all being Gods good creatures but onely that by the diligent observation of these rules they might learn with greater care to avoid all moral pollutions and to keep themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and particularly from all familiar and intimate converse with notorious sinners for I am holy neither shall ye defile your selves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth 45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God ye shall therefore be holy for I am holy 46 This is the law of the beasts and of the fowl and of every living creature that †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moveth in the waters and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth 47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten CHAP. XII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel saying If a * chap. 15. 〈◊〉 woman have †Heb. 〈◊〉 conceived seed and born a man-child then * Luk. 2. 〈◊〉 she shall be unclean a Not for any filthiness which was either in the conception or in bringing forth but to signifie the universal and deep pollution of mans nature even from the birth and from the conception seven dayes b For so long or thereabouts nature is employed in the purgation of most women according to the dayes of the separation for her infirmity c i. e. For her monethly infirmity And it may note an agreement therewith not onely in the time Levit. 15. 19. but in the degree of uncleanness which was such that she defiled every thing she touched c. shall she be unclean From uncleanness contracted by the touching or eating of external things he now comes to that uncleanness which ariseth from our selves 3 And in the * Gen. 17. 12. Luk. 1. 59. and 2. 21. Joh. 7. 22. eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised d Which law is here repeated because the womans uncleanness lasting for 7 days was one though not the onely reason why the childs circumcision was put off till the eighth day 4 And she shall then continue e Heb. sit i. e. abide as that word is oft used as Gen. 22. 5. and 34. 10. or tarry at home not go into the Sanctuary in the blood of her purifying f In her polluted and separated estate for the word blood or bloods signifies both guilt as Gen. 4. 10. and uncleanness as here and elsewhere See Ezek. 16. 6. And it is called the blood of her purifying because by the expulsion or purgation of that blood which is done by degrees she is purified three and thirty dayes she shall touch no hallowed thing g She shall not eat any part of the
been stopped in great measure either by the grossness of the humour or by some obstruction in parts that it cannot run freely as it did but onely droppeth it is his uncleanness 4 Every bed whereon he lieth that hath the issue is unclean and every †Heb. vessel thing c Heb. vessel by which the Hebrews understand all sorts of houshold-stuffe whereon he sitteth shall be unclean 5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sate that hath the issue shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 7 And he that toucheth the flesh d That is any part of his body the word flesh being taken otherwise here than v. 2. As the same word is frequently used in Scripture in differing significations in the same chapter and sometimes in the same verse as Matth. 8. 22. of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 8 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean then he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 9 And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean 10 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue and hath not rinsed his hands in water e This may be understood either 1. Of the person touching if he that hath an issue toucheth another with unwashen hands Thus most take it But why then should it be limited to his hands for if he had touched him by any other part as suppose by kissing him he had defiled him though his hands had been washed Or rather 2. Of the person touched to whom the washing of his hands is prescribed as an easier way of cleansing himself if speedily used but if that was neglected or delayed a more laborious course was enjoyned him And thus the Syriack interpreter understands it he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 12 And the * chap. 6. 28. and 11. 32 33. vessel of earth that he toucheth which hath the issue shall be broken and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water 13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue f When his issue is not onely stopped in part or for a season but hath wholly ceased then * chap. 14. 10. he shall number to himself seven dayes for his cleansing g To wit for the use of the ceremonies prescribed in such cases See Numb 19. 11 12. and wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in running water and shall be clean h i. e. Admitted to converse with men and with God in publick ordinances 14 And on the eighth day he shall take to him * chap. 14. 2â—… two turtle doves or two young pigeons and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and give them unto the priest 15 And the priest shall offer them the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt-offering and the priests shall make an atonement for him i Not as if this was in it self a sin but onely a punishment of sin though oft-times it was sinful as being a fruit of a mans intemperance and immoderate lust See Levit. 14. 12. before the LORD for his issue 16 And if * Deut. 23. 〈◊〉 any mans seed of copulation go out from him k Not through weakness of the parts as that ver 3. but in his sleep which is called nightly pollution which though involuntary might arise from some lustful dream or imagination But if it was voluntary and by a mans own procurement when awake it was esteemed abhominable and a degree of murder See Gen. 38. 9. then he shall wash all his flesh in water and be unclean until the even 17 And every garment and every skin whereon is the seed of copulation shall be washed with water and be unclean until the even 18 The woman also with whom man l Or The man to wit that had such an issue which is plainly to be understood out of the whole context For though in some special cases relating to the Worship of God men were to forbear the use of the marriage-bed as Exod. 19. 15. and 1 Sam. 21. 4. yet to affirm that the use of it in other cases did generally defile the persons and made them unclean till even is contrary to the whole current of Scripture which affirm the marriage-bed to be undefiled Heb. 13. 4. to the practise of the Jews which is a good comment upon their own laws and to the light of nature and reason shall lie with seed of copulation they shall both bathe themselves in water and be unclean until the even 19 And * chap. 12. â—… if a woman have an issue and her issue in her flesh be blood m Heb. And a woman when she shall have an issue of blood and because that might be at her nose or other parts he addes and her issue shall be in her flesh i. e. in her secret parts as the word flesh is taken ver 2. So it notes her monethly disease she shall be †Heb. in her separation put apart n Not out of the camp as the lepers and some others but from converse with her husband and others and from access to the house of God seven dayes o For sometimes it continues so long and it was but decent to allow some time for purification after the ceasing of her issue and whosoever p To wit of grown persons For the infant to whom in that case she might give suck was exempted from this pollution by the greater law of necessity and by that antecedent law which required women to give suck to their own children toucheth her shall be unclean until the even 20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean 21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sate upon shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 23 And if it be on her bed or on any thing whereon she sitteth when he toucheth it he shall be unclean until the even 24 And if any man lie with her at all and her flowers be upon him he shall be unclean seven dayes q If he did this unwittingly but if the Man and Woman did
immoralities and such as the precepts of Noah reached to and such as the laws of nature and nations obliged them to And therefore the toleration of such actions was not onely against reason of state and the interest of the commonwealth of Israel and dangerous to the infection and destruction of the Israelites by the imitation of such examples but also against the light of nature and laws of humanity that sojourn in Israel that giveth any of his seed unto Molech c Or to any other Idol for the reason of the law equally concerns all See Levit. 18. 21. he shall surely be put to death the people of the land shall stone him with stones 3 And I will set my face against that man d i. e. Deal with him as an enemy and make him a monument of my justice either by punishing him immediately and eminently when the Magistrate cannot or will not do it or by adding to his corporal punishments my curse upon his soul and name See Lev. 17. 10. and will cut him off from among his people e From the number of his people of what nation or kindred soever he was or from the land of the living because he hath given of his seed unto Molech to defile my sanctuary f Which was done by this wickedness either because such persons did for the cover of their Idolatry come into Gods Sanctuary as the rest did See Lev. 15. 31. or because the Sanctuary was and was said to be defiled by gross abominations committed in that city or land where Gods Sanctuary was or because by these actions they did pronounce and declare to all men that they esteemed the sanctuary and service of God abominable and vile by preferring such odious and pernicious Idolatry before it and to prophane my holy Name g Partly by despising it themselves and partly by disgracing it to others and giving them occasion to blaspheme it and to abhor the true religion because they saw it deserted and condemned by those that best knew it and once embraced it 4 And if the people of the land do any wayes hide their eyes from the man h i. e. Wink at his fault and forbear to accuse and punish him Compare Act. 17. 30. when he giveth of his seed unto Molech and kill him not 〈◊〉 5 Then I will set my face against that man and * Exod. 20. 5. against his family i i. e. Either 1. his posterity whom God threatned to punish for their fathers Idolatry Exod. 20. Or 2. his people as that word is used Ier. 8. 3. Mic. 2. 3. to wit the people of that land who by their connivance make themselves guilty of his sin ver 4. Or 3. his disciples and followers who are oft called the sons or children of their masters And so it may be seem to be explained in the following words all that go a whoring after him as the first clause which concerns the head or chief person himself I will set my face against that man is explained by these words I will cut him off and will cut him off and all that go a whoring after him to commit whoredom with Molech from among their people 6 And * chap. 19. 31. the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them k To seek knowledge or counsel or help from them I will even set my face against that soul and will cut him off from among his people 7 * chap. 11. 44. 19. 2. 1 Pet 1. 16. Sanctifie your selves therefore and be ye holy for I am LORD your God 8 And ye shall keep my statutes and do them I am the LORD which sanctifie you l i. e. Who separated you from all nations and from their impurities and Idolatries to be a peculiar people to my self and therefore I will not suffer you to follow their examples Or who really sanctify you and give you my grace to do what I require i. e. to keep my statutes Or the argument is this Those idols and Idolatries will defile you and make you worse but I onely and my service will sanctify you and make you better 9 * Exod. 21. 1â—… Deut. 2â—… 16. Prov. 20. 20. Mat. 15. 4 For m Or surely as that praticle chi is oft used as Iob 8. 6. and 20. 20. So there needs no dispute about the connexion or what this is a reason of every one that curseth n Which is not meant of every perverse expression but of bitter reproaches or imprecations his father or o Heb. and put for or as hath been noted before his mother shall be surely put to death he hath cursed his father or his mother his blood shall be upon him p He is guilty of his own death he deserves to die for so unnatural a crime 10 And * Deut. 22. 22. Joh. 8. 4 5. the man that committeth adultery with another mans wife even he that committeth adultery with his neighbours wife the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death 11 * chap. 18. 8. And the man that lieth with his fathers wife hath uncovered his fathers nakedness both of them shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them 12 * chap. 18. 15. Deut. 27. 23. And if a man lie with his daughter in law both of them shall surely be put to death they have wrought confusion q By perverting the order which God hath appointed and mixing the blood which God would have separated and making the same off-spring both his own immediate child and his grandchild their blood shall be upon them 13 * chap. 18. 22. If a man lie also with mankind as he lieth with a woman both of them have committed an abomination they shall surely be put to death r Except the one party was forced by the other See Deut. 22. 25. their blood shall be upon them 14 And * chap. 18. 17 if a man take a wife and her mother it is wickedness s i. e. Abominable and extraordinary wickedness as the singularity of the punishment sheweth they shall be burnt with fire both he and they t Either or both or all of them if they consented to it that there be no wickedness among you 15 * chap. 18. 23. Deut. 27. 21. And if a man lie with a beast he shall surely be put to death and ye shall slay the beast u Partly for the prevention of monstrous Births partly to blot out the memory of so loathsome a crime and partly that by so severe a punishment of that creature which was onely a passive instrument to mans sin men might be assured that a more dreadful punishment than corporal death was reserved for them if they repented not 16 And if a woman approach unto any beast and lie down thereto thou shalt kill the woman and the
the children of Israel that they bring a At their common charge because it was for their common good and service This command was given before Exod. 27. 20. unto thee pure oil-olive beaten for the lights †Heb. to 〈◊〉 to ascend to cause the lamps to burn continually 3 Without the vail of the testimony b i. e. Which was before the Ark of the Testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation shall Aaron c Either by himself or by his sons Exod. 25. 37. order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually it shall be a statute for ever in your generations 4 He shall order the lamps upon * Exod. 31 the pure d So called partly because it was made of pure gold partly because it was to be oft dressed and always kept clean candlestick before the LORD continually 5 And thou e By the Priests or Levites whose work it was to prepare them 1 Chron. 9. 32. shalt take fine flour and bake twelve * Exod. 〈◊〉 cakes f Representing the twelve tribes thereof two tenth-deals g i. e. Two Omers See Levit. 23. 13. shall be in one cake 6 And thou shalt set them in two rows h Not one above another but one besides another as the frankincense put upon each ver 7. shews six on a row upon the pure table i So called because it was covered with pure Gold Exod. 25. 24. and because it was always to be kept very pure and clean by the care of the Priests before the LORD 7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense k Unmixed and uncorrupted or of the best sort upon each row that it may be on the bread l Or to the bread or for the bread to wit to be burnt before the Lord instead of the bread which could not conveniently be offered to God in that manner And this was done every time that the bread was changed for a memorial m For that part which properly belonged to God whereas the rest belonged to the Priests See on Levit. 2. 2. even an offering made by fire unto the LORD 8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD n When it was called the shew-bread Heb. the bread of faces or of presence i. e. the bread which was put upon the Table in the Lords presence continually being taken o Such supplements are not unusual Thus in the floor 1 King 22. 10. is put for sitting in the floor 2 Chron. 18. 9. and burdens 2 Chron. 2. 18. for carrying burdens 1 King 5. 15. And these cakes are said to be received from or offered by the children of Israel because they were bought with the mony which they contributed as may be seen Nehem. 10. 32 33. as Iudas is said to purchase the field Act. 1. 18. which was purchased by his money Maâ—… 27. 7. from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant p By vertue of that compact made between me and them by which they are obliged to keep this amongst other commands and they so doing I am obliged to be their God and to bless them And this may be here called an everlasting covenant not onely because it was to endure as long as the Iewish religion and policy stood but also because this was to stand there everlastingly or continually as is here said and therefore the new cake were first brought before the old were taken away 9 And * Exod. 29. 33. chap. 8. 31. 1 Sam. 21. 6. Mat. 12. 4. it q i. e. The old bread now to be taken away shall be Aarons and his sons and they shall eat it in the holy place for it is most holy unto him of the offerings r Or as one or being one of the offerings c. in regard of the incense which was offered by fire and that for or in stead of the bread as was said on ver 7. and therefore the bread was reputed as if it had been so offered of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute 10 And the son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian s This circumstance seems noted partly to shew the danger of marriages with persons of wicked principles or practises wherein the children as one wittily and truly observes like the conclusion do commonly follow the worse part and are more easily taught by word or example to do ten things agreeable to their corrupt natures than one thing contrary to it and partly by this severity against him who was a stranger by the father and an Israelite by the mother to shew that God would not have this sin to go unpunished amongst his people whatsoever he was that committed it went out t To wit out of Egypt being one of that mixed multitude which came out with the Israelites Exod. 12. 38. It is probable this was done when the Israelites were near Sinai among the children of Israel and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together u This is added to shew that provocation to sin is no justification of sin in the camp 11 And the Israelitish womans son †Or named Numb 1. 17 blasphemed the Name of the LORD x The words of the Lord or of Iehovah are here conveniently supplied out of v. 16. where they are expressed but here they are omitted for the aggravation of his crime he blasphemed the name so called by way of eminency that name which is above every name that name which a man should in some sort tremble to mention which is not to be named without cause and without reverence For which reason the godly Iews did many times rather understand than express the name of God as Mark 14. 62. the right hand of power for of the power of God as it is Luk. 22. 69 and the blessed for the blessed God Mat. 26. 63. Mark 14. 61. and cursed y Not the Israelite onely but his God also as appears from ver 15 16. and they z Either the people who heard him or the inferiour Magistrate to whom he was first brought brought him unto Moses a According to the order settled by Iethro's advice Exod. 18. 26. and his mothers name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan. 12 And they * Numb 15. 34. put him in ward †Heb. to exâ—…und unto them according to the â—…uth of the LORD that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them b For God had onely said in general that he would not hold such guiltless i. e. he would punish them but had not declared how he would have them punished by men 13 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp and let all that heard him * Deut. 13. 9. â—…nd 17. 7. lay their hands upon his head c Whereby
Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonite in all their burdens and in all their service and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens 28 This is the service of the families of the sons of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation and their charge shall be under the hand g Under his conduct and direction Thus the hand of Hige Esâ—…h 2. 3. is his care and custody of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest 29 As for the sons of Merari thou shalt number them after their families by the house of their fathers 30 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them every one that entreth into the †Heb. warfare service to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation 31 And * chap. 3. 36. this is the charge of their burden according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation * Exod. 26. 15. the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof and the pillars thereof and sockets thereof h Which were as the feet upon which the pillars stood of which see Exod. 38. 27. 32 And the pillars of the court round about and their sockets and their pins and their cords with all their instruments and with all their service and by name i Every part and parcel therefore shall be put in an inventory which is required here rather than in the foregoing particulars partly because these were much more numerous than the former partly because being meaner things and such as might easily be supplied they might otherwise have been neglected and partly to teach us that God esteems nothing small in his worship and service and that he expects his will should be observed in the minurest circumstances ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden 33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest 34 And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbred the sons of the Kohathite after their families and after the house of their fathers 35 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old every one that entreth into the service for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation 36 And those that were numbred of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty 37 These were they that were numbred of the families of the Kohathites all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses 38 And those that were numbred of the sons of Gershon throughout their families and by the house of their fathers 39 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old every one that entreth into the service for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation 40 Even those that were numbred of them throughout their families by the house of their fathers were two thousand and six hundred and thirty 41 These are they that were numbred of the families of the sons of Gershon of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD 42 And those that were numbred of the families of the sons of Merari throughout their families by the house of their fathers 43 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old every one that entreth into the service for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation 44 Even those that were numbred of them after their families were three thousand and two hundred k Here appears the wisdom of Divine providence that whereas in the Kohathites and Gershonites whose burdens were fewer and easier there were but about a third part of them which were fit for service the Merarites whose burdens were more and heavier had above one half of them fit for this work 45 These be those that were numbred of the families of the sons of Merari whom Moses and Aaron numbred according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses 46 All those that were numbred of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbred after their families and after the house of their fathers 47 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old every one that came to do the service of the ministery and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation 48 Even those that were numbred of them were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore l Which number was much inferiour to any other Tribe for the reasons mentioned on Numb 3. 39. 49 According to the commandement of the LORD they were numbred by the hand of Moses every one according to his service and according to his burden thus were they numbred of him as the LORD commanded Moses CHAP. V. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp a In which the people dwelâ—… as afterward cut of the cities and towns that they might not converse with others and infect them every * Lev. 13. 3 46. leper and every one that hath â—…n * Lev. 15. 2. issue b To wit of genital seed in men or of blood in women in their seasons and whosoever is defiled by the * chap. 9. 6 10. and 19. 11. and 31. 19. dead c i. e. By the touch of the dead See Levit. 21. 1. Numb 6. 6. 3 Both male and female shall ye put out without the camp shall ye put them that they defile not their camps d By which caution God would intimate the possibility and danger of mens being made guilty by other mens sins and the necessary duty of avoiding intimate converse with wicked men in the midst whereof I dwell e By my special and gracious presence and therefore the permission of such impurities is the greater injury and provocation to me as being done in my sight and reflecting dishonour upon my Name 4 And the children of Israel did so and put them out without the camp as the LORD spake unto Moses so did the children of Israel 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 6 Speak unto the children of Israel * Lev. 6. 3. when a man or a woman shall commit any sin that men commit f Heb. any sins of men i. e. either 1. of common infirmity or such sins as men commit through humane frailty for if this were done knowingly and willingly a greater punishment was appointed See Lev. 6. 5 6. Or rather 2. sins against men or belonging to men to wit deceits or wrongs whereby other men are injured of which he manifestly speaks as appears from ver 7 8.
word is used 1 Chroâ—… 21. 14. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 15. and thy belly to swell y Suddenly and violently till it burst which the Iews note was frequent in this and like cases as Exod. 32. 20. And it was a clear evidence of the truth of their religion 22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels to make thy belly to swell and thy thigh to rot and the woman shall say Amen amen z i. e. So let it be if I be guilty The word is doubled by her as an evidence of her innocency and ardent desire that God would deal with her according to her desert 23 And the priest shall write these curses a Wherewith she cursed her self to which peradventure her name was added in a book b i. e. In a scroll of parchment which the Hebrews commonly call a book as Deut. 24. 1. 2 Sam. 11. 14. Isa. 39. 1. and he shall blot them out with the bitter water c Or rase or serape them out and cast them into the bitter water Whereby it was signified that if she was innocent the curses should be blotted out and come to nothing and if she were guilty she should find in her the effects of this water which she drunk after the words of this curse had been scraped and put in 24 And he shall cause the woman to drink d To wit after the jealousie-offering was offered as is affirmed ver 26. the bitter water that causeth the curse and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter 25 Then the priest shall take the jealousie-offering out of the womans hand and shall wave the offering before the LORD and offer it upon the altar 26 And the priest shall take an handful of the offering even the memorial thereof e Of which see Lev. 2. 2. and burn it upon the altar and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water 27 And when he hath made her to drink the water then it shall come to pass that if she be defiled and have done trespass against her husband that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter and her belly shall swell and her thigh shall rot and the woman shall be * Deut. 28. 37. Psal. 83. 9. 11. Jer. 24. 9. and 29. 18 22. and 42. 18. Zech. 8. 13. a curse among her people 28 And if the woman be not defiled but be clean then she shall be free f To wit from these bitter curses and miseries and shall conceive seed g i. e. Shall bring forth children as the Iews say in case of her innocency infallibly she did yea though she was barren before or shall be as capable of bearing children as other women 29 This is the law of jealousies when a wife goeth aside to another in stead of her husband and is defiled 30 Or when the spirit of jealousie cometh upon him and he be jealous over his wife and shall set the woman before the LORD and the priest shall execute upon her all this law 31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity h Which he should not have been if he had either dissembled or indulged her in so great a wickedness and not endeavoured to bring her either to repentance or punishment See Mat. 1. 19. or cherished suspitions in his breast and thereupon proceeded to hate her or cast her off Whereas now whatsoever the consequent is the husband shall not be blamed or censured either for bringing such curses and mischiefs upon her or for defaming her if she appear to be innocent and this woman shall bear her iniquity i i. e the punishment of her iniquity whether she was false to her husband or by any light and foolish carriage gave him occasion to suspect her to be so CHAP. VI. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When either man or woman a For both sexes might make this vow if they were free and at their own dispose for otherwise their parents or husbands could disanul the vow Numb 30. 4. and in that case they sinned in taking Gods name in vain and vowing what they could not perform shall ‖ Or make themselves Nazarites separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite b Whereby they did sequester themselves in a great part from worldly employments and enioyments that they might intirely conâ—…ecrate themselves to Gods service and this either for their whole life time of which see Iude. 13. 5. and 16. 17. 1 Sam. 1. 11. Luk. 1. 15. or for a less and limited space of time of which in this chapter to separate themselves unto the LORD 3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink c Which was forbidden him for greater caution to keep him at the further distance from wine and shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes nor eat moist grapes or dried c Which was forbidden him for greater caution to keep him at the further distance from wine b Least they should either inflame or dispose him to luxury and consequently to the breaking of his vow or cloud his reason and thereby occasion some mistake or miscarriage in the rules to which he had bound himself Compare Lev. 10. 9. 4 All the dayes of his ‖ Or Nazariteship separation d Which were sometimes more sometimes fewer as he thought fit to appoint shall he eat nothing that is made of the †Heb. of the vine of the wine vine-tree from the kernels even to the husk 5 All the dayes of the vow of his separation there shall no * Judg. 13. 5. 1 Sam. 1. 11. rasor e Nor scissers or other instrument to cut off any part of his hair This was appointed partly as a sign of his mortification to wordly delights and vain affectation of outward beauty which is promoted by the polling or cutting off the hair partly as a testimony of that purity which hereby he professed because the cutting off the hair was a sign of uncleanness as appears from ver 9. and Levit. 14. 8 9. partly that by the notorious length of his hair he might be constantly minded of his vow and the exquisite holiness it required and that others might thereby be admonished and stirred up to the imitation of his holy example and partly that he might reserve his hair entirely for God to whom it was to be offered ver 18. come upon his head untill the dayes be fulfilled in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall be holy f i. e. Wholly consecrated to God and his service whereby he shews that inward and substantial holiness was the great thing which God required and valued in these and consequently in other rites and ceremonies
the rulers of tens or hundreds or the like who as they did many of them partake with the people in other rebellions so probably were involved in this guilt Now these are to be hanged up as other malefactours and condemned persons were Deut. 21. 23. 2 Sam. 21. 6. before the LORD n To the vindication of Gods honour and justice against the sun o i. e. Publickly as their sin was publick and scandalous and speedily before the Sun go down But withal this phrase may signifie that these also must be taken down about sunsetting as other malefactours were Deut. 21. 23. that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel 5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel * Exod. 32. 27. slay ye every one his men p i. e. Those under his charge for as these 70 were chosen to assist Moses in the government so doubtless the care and management of the people was distributed among them by just and equal proportions that were joyned unto Baal-Peor 6 And behold q This was done either 1. Before Gods command to Moses and by him to the Judges ver 4 5. such transpositions and disorders being not unusual in sacred story Or rather 2. In the order it is related to wit when Moses had given the charge to the Judges and as it may seem before the execution of it otherwise it is probable he would not have been so bold and foolish to have run upon present and certain ruin when the examples were fresh and frequent before his eyes one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren r i. e. Into the camp of the Israelites or to his Friends and Relations in his tent whither he carried her ver 8. for his or their fleshly satisfaction a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses s An argument of intolerable impudence and contempt of God and of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation t i. e. The rulers of the congregation with divers of the people of the children of Israel who were weeping u Bewailing the abominable wickedness of the people and the dreadful judgments of God and imploring Gods mercy and favour before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 7 And * Psal. 106. 30. when Phinehas the * Exod 6. 25. son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest saw it he rose up from amongst the congregation and took a javelin in his hand 8 And he went after the man of Israel into the ‖ Or brothel tent x Or Brothel-house For since they gave way to such leud practises no doubt they singled out convenient places for their wickedness and thrust both of them through y Which is no warrant for private persons to take upon them the execution of justice upon any though the greatest malefactors because Phinehas was himself a man in great authority and power and did this after the command given by Moses to the rulers to slay these transgressours and in the very sight and no doubt by the consent of Moses himself and also by the special instinct and direction of Gods spirit the man of Israel and the woman through her belly z Or in her brothel-house for the word is the same before used and translated tent and it may be called hers because she chose or used that place for her wicked purposes as the rest doubtless did other places of like nature so the plague a Either the pestilence or some other sudden and grievous mortality was stayed from the children of Israel 9 And * 1 Cor. 10. 8. those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand b Object They were but 23000. 1 Cor. 10. 8. Answ. The odde thousand here added were slain by the Judges according to the order of Moses the rest by the immediate hand of God but both sorts died of the plague the word being used as oft it is for the sword or hand or stroke of God 10 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 11 * Psal. 106. â—… Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel while he was zealous c Fervent and resolute and valiant for my sake d For my satisfaction and vindication among them that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousie 12 Wherefore say Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace e i. e. The covenant of an everlasting priesthood as it is expounded v. 13. which is called a covenant of peace partly with respect to the happy effect of this heroical action of his whereby he made peace between God and his people and partly with regard to the principal end and use of the Priestly office which was constantly to do that which Phinehas now did even to mediate between God and Men to obtain and preserve his own and Israels peace and reconciliation with God by offering up sacrifices and incense and prayers to God on their behalf Numb 16. 47 48. as also by turning them away from iniquity which is the onely peace-breaker and by teaching and pressing the observation of that Law which is the onely bond of their peace Mal. 2. 5 6 7. 13 And he shall have it and his seed after him f Quest. What advantage had he by this promise seeing the thing here promised was due to him by birth Answ. 1. The same blessing may be oft-times promised as the Kingdom was to David and the renewing of this promise might feem convenient here to signifie that bloodshed was so far from polluting him and thereby casting him out of the Priesthood that it was a mean to confirm him in it 2. This promise secured him and his against divers contingences which otherwise have been befallen him or them as that he should live longer than his father else he could not have been the High-priest that he should be preserved from those blemishes which might have rendred him uncapable of the Priesthood which were many that he should have a seed and they such as were fit for that office even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood g i. e. To continue as long as the Law and Commonwealth of the Jews did Quest. How was this verified seeing the Priesthood went from Eleazars to Ithamars line in Eli and three or four of his Successours Answ. 1. This promise as others of the like nature was conditional and therefore might be made void and of none effect by the miscarriages of Phinehas his sons as it seems it was and thereupon a like promise was made to Eli of the line of Ithamar that he and his should walk before the Lord to wit in the office of High-Priest for ever which also for his and their sins was made void 1 Sam. 2. 30. Answ. 2. That was but a short interruption and not considerable in
so long a succession for the Priesthood returned to Phinehas his line in the time of Solomon 1 King 2. 26 27 34. 1 Chron. 24. 3. and continued in that line till the captivity of Babylon as is evident and afterward too 1 Chron. 6. 4. Ezra 7. 1 5. even untill Christs time for any thing which appears to the contrary because he was zealous for his God and made an atonement for the children of Israel 14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain even that was slain with the Midianitish woman was Zimri the son of Salu a prince h This is added as a proof of Phinehas his zeal that he durst venture upon so great a person who was likely to have many avengers of his blood of †Heb. 〈◊〉 father a chief house i Heb. Of the house of his Father Every Tribe was divided into great Housholds called the houses of their Fathers Numb 1. 2. and he was the Prince or chief of one of these though not of the whole Tribe Of the Tribe of Simeon which seems to have been too much influenced by his and other such examples so that for 59300. which were numbred Numb 1. 22 23. there were now onely 22200. Numb 26. 14. among the Simeonites k. 15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur l One of the Kings or Princes of Midian Numb 31. 8. Ios. 13. 21. he was head over a people and of a chief house m Or and over her fathers house in Midian 16 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 17 * Vex the Midianites n And why not the Moabites who were as guilty ver 1. Answ. 1. Because God will reserve to himself a liberty of punishing or sparing according to his own good pleasure 2. God had a kindness for the Moabites for Lots sake Deut. 2. 9. 3. God punished the Moabites in another manner partly by his own immediate hand whereby it is probable he cut off those Moabitish women that were guilty of this fact partly by a particular and dreadful kind of excommunication Deut. 23. 3. and partly by impunity which in its consequences is commonly worse and more pernicious than any or all temporal punishments which none that believes the Bible can deny 4. It is probable the Midianites were most guilty as in perswading Balak to send for Balaam as may be gathered from Numb 22. 4 7. So in the reception of Balaam after Balak had dismissed him Numb 31. 8. and in further consultation with him and in contriving the means for the executing of this wicked plot and smite them o i. e. Kill them in which words as there is a command to war against them so there is a promise of success chap. 31. 2. 18 For they vex you with their wiles p For under pretence of Kindred and Friendship and Leagues yea and Marriages which they offered to them instead of that War which the Israelites expected from them they sought onely an opportunity to insinuate themselves into their familiarity and execute their hellish plot of bringing that curse upon the Israelites which they had in vain attempted to bring another way wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi q By drawing you both to spiritual and corporal whoredome the daughter of a prince of Midian their sister r In a large sense to wit their Countrey woman which was slain in the day of the plague for Peors sake CHAP. XXVI 1 AND it came to pass after the plague a Last mentioned chap. 25. 8 9. that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar b Who his father being dead was High-priest the son of Aaron the priest saying 2 Take the sum c They were numbred twice before Exod. 30. 11 12. and Numb 1. 1 2. Now they are numbred a third time partly to demonstrate the faithfulness of God both in cutting all those off whom he had threatned to cut off Numb 14. 29. and in a stupendious increase and multiplication of the people according to his promise notwithstanding all their sins and the sweeping judgments inflicted upon them and partly to prepare the way for the equal division of the Land which they were now going to possess of all the congregation of the children of Israel * from twenty years old and chap. 1. 3. upward throughout their fathers house all that are able to go to war in Israel 3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab d See Numb 22. 1. and 33. 48. by Jordan near Jericho e See Numb 22. 1. saying 4 Take the sum of the people f Which words are easily supplied and necessarily to be understood from ver 2. from twenty chap. 1. 1. years old and upward as the LORD * commanded Moses and the children of Israel which went forth out of the land of Egypt 5 * Gen. 46. 8. Exod. 6. 14. â—… Chro. 5. 1. Reuben the eldest son of Israel the children of Reuben Hanock of whom cometh the family of the Hanochite of Pallu the family of the Palluite 6 Of Hesron the family of the Hesronite of Carmi the family of the Carmite 7 These are the families g i. e. The chief houses which were subdivided into divers lesser families of the Reubenite and they that were numbred of them were fourty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty h Whereas in their last numbring they were 46500 Numb 1. 21. for Korahs conspiracy as well as other provocations of theirs had cut off many of them 8 And the sons i For son of which change of the number See Gen. 21. 7. and 46. 7. of Pallu Eliab 9 And the sons of Eliab Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram this is that Dathan and Abiram which were * chap. 16. 2. famous in the congregation who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah when they strove against the LORD 10 And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah k According to this translation Korah was not consumed by fire with his 250 men Numb 16. but swallowed up by the Earth But others rather think he was devoured by the fire of which see on Numb 16. 32 35. and render these words and the things of Korah or belonging to Korah to wit his tent and goods and family children excepted as here follows Which interpretation receives strength by comparing this place with Numb 16. 32. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them to wit Dathan and Abiram as is manifest from ver 24 25 27. up and their houses and all the men that appertained unto Korah which variation of the phrase plainly shews that Korah himself was not swallowed up with them but onely his men and his tabernacle which is mentioned there together with the tabernacles
person was not in her Father's house she was unquestionably bound by it but being now freed from her Husband and returned to her Father it was doubtful whether she was not returned to the same state of subiection in which she was before and consequently unable to make or perform a vow without her Fathers consent as she was before which is here denyed wherewith they have bound their souls shall stand against her 10 And if she vowed in her husbands house x i. e. If she that now is a Widow or divorced made that vow whilest her Husband lived with her as suppose she then vowed that if she was left a Widow she would give such a proportion of her estate to pious or charitable uses of which vow she might repent when she came to be a Widow and might believe or pretend she was free from it because that vow was made in her Husbands life time which is here granted in case her Husband then disallowed it but denyed in case by silence or otherwise he consented to it And thus this Law is sufficiently distinguished from that above v. 6 7 8. or bound her soul by a bond with an oath 11 And her husband heard it and held his peace at her and disallowed her not then all her vows shall stand and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand 12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning the bond of her soul shall not stand her husband hath made them void and the LORD shall forgive her 13 Every vow and every binding oath to afflict the soul y i. e. Her self by fasting which oft goes under that name as Levit. 16. 29 31. and 23. 27 32. Isa. 58. 5. by watching or the like And these words are added not for limitation for it is manifest from v. 5 8 10 12. that the power of Parents and Husbands was more general and large but for amplification to shew that the Husband had this power not onely in those vows which concerned himself or his estate but also in those which might seem onely to concern her own person or Body And the reason hereof is because the Wives person or body being the Husbands right she might not do any thing to the injury of her Body without his consent her husband may establish it or her husband may make it void 14 But if her Husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day then he establisheth all her vows or all her bonds which are upon her he confirmeth them because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them 15 But if he shall any wayes make them void after that he hath heard them z And approved them by his silence from day to day if now after that time spent he shall upon further thoughts dislike and hinder it which he ought not to do then he shall bear her Iniquity †Her non-performance of her vow shall be imputed to him not to her 16 These are the statutes which the LORD commanded Moses between a man and his wife between the father and his daughter being yet in her youth in her fathers house CHAP. XXXI 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 * Chap. 2â—… â—… Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites a For their malicious designs and practices against Israel both by hiring Balaam to curse them and by sending their Women to insnare them The Moabites also were guilty but God out of his own good pleasure and in kindness to Lot was pleased to spare them the rather because the measure of their Iniquity was not yet full afterwards shalt thou * Chap. 2â—… be gathered unto thy people 3 And Moses spake unto the people saying Arm some of your selves unto the war and let them go against the Midianites and avenge the LORD b For the affront and injury which they offered to God partly by their own Idolatry and lewdness and partly by seducing Gods people into Rebellion against him Gods great care was to avenge the Israelites v. 2. and Moses his chief desire was to avenge God rather than himself or the people Withal he doth hereby insinuate that God and his people have the same cause the same Friends and Enemies of Midian 4 †Heb. A thousand of a tribe a 〈◊〉 of a tribe Of every tribe a thousand throughout all the tribes of Israel shall ye send to the war 5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel a thousand of every tribe c To prevent Emulations or divisions twelve thousand armed for war d God would send no more though it is apparent that the Midianites were numerous and strong because he would try and exercise their trust in him and because he would hereby give them an earnest of their Canaâ—…nitish Conquests 6 And Moses sent them to the war a thousand of every tribe them and Phinehas e Who had the charge not of the Army as General an Office never committed to any Priest in all the Old Testament but of the Holy Instruments c. as is here expressed and was also sent to encourage and quicken and confirm them in their good enterprize It is not here mentioned who was the general whether Iosua as some think because he is not named amongst those who went out to meet the returning host though that might be for other reasons or some other Prince nor is it worth while to determine the son of Eleazar the Priest to the war with the holy instruments f Either 1. the Ark with the things belonging to it which before the building of the Temple they did sometimes carry into the War for the encouragement of their Army See Numb 14. 44. Ios. 6. 9. 1 Sam. 4. 4. and 14. 18. But why then is it thus ambiguously expressed seeing in all the other places it is called by its proper Name Nor is the Ark ever so called in Scripture Or 2. The Trumpets as it here follows the words being thus to be read the Holy Instruments that is the Trumpets for and is oft times put exegetically for that is or to wit as Gen. 13. 15. 1 Chron. 21. 12. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 13. Zach. 1. 4. and 9. 9 c. Or rather 3. The Holy Breast-plate wherein was the Urim and Thummim which was easily carryed and used and very useful in War upon many emergent occasions See 1 Sam. 23. 9. and 30. 7. and the trumpets to blow g Which were to be used in war as well as in the service of the Tabernacle See Numb 10. 9. 2 Chron. 13. 12. in his hand 7 And they warred against the Midianites as the LORD commanded Moses and they slew * See Judg. 6. 33. all the males h Namely all whom they took in that War Or all who lived in
those parts for it is probable and was then very usual some colonies of them were sent forth to remoter places which therefore had no hand either in their former sin or in this present raine of whom we read after this Iudg 6. And herein they did according to Gods own order concerning such people Deut 20. 13. only their fault was that they did not consider the special reason and great obligation which they had to involve the Women in the destruction for which reason Moses blames them afterward v. 15 16. 8 And they slew the Kings of Midian i Called Dukes or Princes of Sihon Ios. 13. 21. because they were subject to him while he lived but upon his death they resumed their Kingly power besides the rest of them that were slain namely * Josh. 13. 21. Evi and Rekem and Zur k The Father of Cozbi Numb 25. 15. and Hur and Reba five Kings of Midian Balaam also l Obj. he was gone and returned to his own place Numb 24. 25. which was Aram or Mesopotamia Numb 23. 7. Answ. Either he did go thitherward but in his journey made some stay in Midian where he was overtaken by divinevengeance or understanding the success of his wicked counsel left with Balaam in the sin and slaughter of the Israelites he returned partly to enjoy the reputation and reward of his counsel which he had lost before and partly to employ his Hellish arts against Israel now they were as he thought forsaken by their God and exposed to his malice Here Balaam dies the death of the wicked and not of the righteous as he desired Numb 23. 10. the son of Beor they slew with the sword And the children of Israel took all the Women of Midian Captives and their little ones and took the spoil of all their cattel and all their Flocks and all their goods 10 And they burnt all their cities m Partly to blot out the Name and Memory of so lewd and vile a people partly least any of the Israelites should be tempted to settle there and so be discouraged in their progress to Canaan and partly least they should be possessed by other people who might prove as bad Neighbours to them as these would have been wherein they dwelt and all their goodly castles with fire 11 And they took all the spoil and all the prey both of men and of beasts 12 And they brought the captives and the prey and the spoil unto Moses and Eleazar the Priest and unto the Congregation of the children of Israel unto the camp at the plains of Moab which are by Jordan near Jericho 13 And Moses and Eleazar the Priest and all the Princes of the congregation went forth to meet them without the camp n Partly to put respect upon them and congratulate with them for their happy success and partly to prevent the pollution of the Camp by the untimely entrance of the Warriours into it 14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host o Because they had spared those who were most criminal and who by the law of God and of nature were worthy of Death with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds which came from the †Hebr. host of war battel 15 And Moses said unto them Have ye saved * Sâ—… Deut. 20. 23. 1 Sam. 15. 3. all the women alive 16 Behold * Chap. 25. 2. these caused the children of Israel through the * Chap. 24. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 15. counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor and * Chap. 25. 9. there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD 17 Now therefore * Judg. 21. 11. kill every male among the little ones p Which they were forbidden to do to other people Deut. 20. 14. except the Canaanites to whom this people had equalled themselves by their horrid crimes and therefore it is not strange nor unjust that God the supream Lord of all mens lives who as he gives them so may take them away when he pleaseth did equal them in the punishment and kill every woman that hath known man q Partly for punishment because the guilt was general and though some of them only did prostitute themselves to the Israelites yet the rest made themselves accessary by their consent or concurrence or approbation and partly for prevention of the like mischief from such an adulterous generation by lying with †Hebr. a male him 18 But all the women children that have not known a man r To wit carnally See on Gen. 48. 1. and 19. 8. Levit. 18. 22. by lying with him keep alive for your selves s Either to sell them as slaves to others or to use them as Servants to your selves or to marry them when you have prepared and instructed them 19 And do ye abide without the camp seven dayes s According to the Law Levit. 15. 13. and Numb 19. 11 12. whosoever hath killed any person and * Chap. 19. 11 c. whosoever hath touched any slain purify t With the water of sprinkling Numb 19. 9. both your selves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day 20 And purifie all u To wit your spoil and prey See Levit. 8. 15. and 14. 49. your raiment and all that is †Heb. Instrument or vesseâ—… of skins made of skins and all work of goats hair x All which had contracted some ceremonial uncleanness either from the dead Bodies which wore them or the tents or houses where they were in which such dead Bodies lay or from the touch of the Israelitish Souldiers who were legally defiled by the slaughters they made and all things made of wood 21 And Eleazar the Priest said unto the men of war which went to the battel This is the ordinance of the Law which the LORD commanded Moses 22 Only the gold and the silver the brass the iron the tin and the lead 23 Every thing that may abide the fire ye shall make it go thorow the fire and it shall be clean nevertheless it shall be purified * Chap. 19. 9 17. with the water of separation and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water 24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and ye shall be clean and afterward ye shall come into the camp 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 26 Take the sum of the prey †Heb. Of the captivity that was taken both of man and of beast thou and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation 27 And * Josh. 22. 8. 1 Sam. 30. 24. divide the prey into two parts between them that took the war upon them who went out to battel and between all the congregation y The Congregation hath some share because the Warriours went in the name of all and because all
my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel and * chap. 27. 1. Josh. 17. 3. my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother b i. e. Our kinsman one of our Tribe Ios. 17. 2 3. unto his daughters 3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the other Tribes of the children of Israel then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and shall be put to the inheritance of the Tribe †Heb. unto whom they shall be whereunto they are received c For their inheritance will pass to their children who will be of another Tribe by their fathers side which alone is considered â—…n this place so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance 4 And when the * Lev. 2â—… 10. jubile of the children of Israel shall be d Which God appointed principally for this end to preserve the inheritances in the hands of the Tribes and Families to which they were first given then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the Tribe whereunto they are received so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers 5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the LORD saying The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well e Their plea is just and reasonable God did not take particular care about every occurrence that happened or might happen but left divers things to be found out by humane prudence which being his own gift it was meet there should be opportunities left for the exercise of it and God thought fit to approve and ratifie the prudent and profitable inventions of men by his own law or sanction as in the case of Iethro Exod 18. of Zelophehads Daughters Num. 27. and here of their brethren But it is observable that God allowed this onely in civil affairs but never in the matters of his worship where he utterly forbids it 6 This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad saying Let them †Heb. 〈◊〉 marry to whom they think best only to the family of the tribe of their father f They seem hereby to be confined not only to the same Tribe but also to the family of their Tribe as appears from the reason of the Law for God would have the inheritance of Families as well as Tribes kept intire and unmixed and this was one reason of that Law of marrying the Brothers wife Deut. 25. And although the next verse may seem to thwart this interpretation the reason of this Law being there given that inheritances might not go from Tribe to Tribe yet ver 8. confirms it where the very same phrase is repeated and that more emphatically that such shall marry one of the family of the Tribe of her Father and this further reason and restriction is added that they may enjoy every man the inheritance not onely of his Tribe but of his Fathers to wit belonging to his fathers family shall they marry 7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe for every one of the children of Israel shall †Heb 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers 8 And every daughter that possesseth an inheritance g By which clause it seems this Law was not general to forbid every woman to marry into another Tribe as may be reasonably concluded from the practise of so many Patriarchs Kings Priests and other holy men who have married women of other Tribes yea sometimes of other Nations which it is not likely they would have done if this had been a transgression of Gods Law but restrained to heiresses or such as were likely to be so See 1 Chron. 23. 22. But if they had brethren it is probable they were free to marry into any Tribe yet so that if their brethren dyed their punishment was that the inheritance went from them to the next a kin of their fathers Tribe and Family And the principal reason why God was solicitous to preserve tribes and families unmixed was that the Tribe and Family too out of which the Messiah was to come and by which he should be known might be evident and unquestionable in any tribe of the children of Israel shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers 9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance 10 Even as the LORD commanded Moses so did the daughters of Zelophehad 11 * chap. 〈◊〉 For Mahlah Tirzah and Hoglah and Milcah and Noah the daughters of Zelophehad were married unto their fathers brothers sons h It is uncertain whether brothers or sons be taken strictly and properly or more large as those words are oâ—…t used in Scripture 12 And they were married †Heb. to 〈◊〉 that were families into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father 13 These are the commandments and the judgments which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho ANNOTATIONS ON DEUTERONOMIE The ARGUMENT MOses in the two last Months of his life rehearseth what God had done for them and their frequent murmurings rebellions and constant ingratitude he begs to enter into the Land but is permitted onely to see it he forbiddeth any communion with the Nations for several reasons Chap. 7. He gives a short repetition of those sundry Laws Moral Ceremonial Iudicial and Military which he had given them from whence this Book is called Deuteronomy Then after many Exhortations he prophecieth of Christ afterwards he shews how matters of War are to be managed and giving many other particular directions with reference to Duties Conditions and Persons of both Sexes he pronounceth blessings on the obedient and Curses on the Disobedient he then gives a charge for the laying up and reading of the Law at certain times and every seven years to be solemnly read before all the people he composeth a Song for common use comprizing the wonderful things here mentioned he prophecieth of Christs coming and the calling of the Gentiles seeth the Land and dyeth leaving Josnua after he had consecrated him to succeed CHAP. I. 1 THese be the words which Moses spake a These are the Laws Counsels and Admonitions delivered by Moses from God to Israel which are here repeated for the instruction and obligation of those who by reason of their tender years were uncapable either of understanding them or of entring into Covenant with
Either greater or smaller sacrifices all being comprehended under the two most eminent kinds See on Levit. 22. 20 21. wherein is blemish or any evil-favouredness for that is an abomination b i. e. Abhominable as Deut. 18. 12. unto the LORD thy God 2 * chap. 13. â—… If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee man or woman c The weakness and tenderness of that Sex shall not excuse her sin nor prevent her punishment that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God in transgressing his covenant d i. e. In Idolatry as it is explained v. 3. which is called a transgressing of Gods Covenant made with Israel partly because it is a breach of their faith given to God and of that Law which they covenanted to keep and principally because it is a dissolution of their matrimonial Covenant with God a renouncing of God and his worship and service and a chusing other Gods 3 And hath gone and served other gods and worshipped them either the * chap. 4. 1â—… sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven e Those glorious creatures which are to be admired as the wonderful works of God but not to be set up in Gods stead nor worshipped as Gods see Iob 31. 26. By condemning the most specious and reasonable of all Idolatries he intimates how absurd a thing it is to worship stocks and stones the works of mens hands which I have not commanded f i. e. I have forbidden to wit Exod. 20. Such negative expressions are oft emphatical and imply the contrary as Prov. 10. 2. and 17. 21. and 24. 23. 4 And it be told thee g By any person thou shalt not sleight so much as a rumour or flying report of so gross a crime and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently ‖ By sending messengers examining witnesses c. and behold it be true and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought in Israel 5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman which have committed that wicked thing unto thy gates even that man or that woman and * Lev. 2â—… â—… shalt stone them with stones till they die 6 * Num. 35. 30. Chap. 19. 15. Matth. 18. 16. Joh. 8. 17. â—… Cor. 13. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 19. Heb. 10. 28. At the mouth h i. e. Upon the Testimony delivered upon oath before the Magistrates of two witnesses or three witnesses i To wit credible and competent witnesses The Jews rejected the Testimonies of Mad-men Children Women Servants familiar Friends or Enemies persons of dissolute lives and evil fame shall he that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death 7 * Chap. 13. 9. The hand of the witnesses shall be first upon him k Either laid upon his head to design the person or stretched out to throw the first stone at him God thus ordered it partly for the caution of witnesses that if they had through malice or wrath accused him falsely they might now be afraid to imbrue their hands in innocent blood partly for the security and satisfaction of the people in the execution of this punishment to put him to death and afterward the hand of all the people l Who being all highly and particularly obliged to God are bound to express their zeal for his honour and service and their detestation of all persons and things so highly dishonourable and abominable to him so thou * Chap. 13. 5. shalt put the evil away from among you 8 * Jer. 32. 27. 2 Chro. 19. 10. †Heb. If a matter be bidden from thee chap. 30. 11. 2 Sam. 13. 2. If there arise a matter too hard for thee m He speaks to the inferiour Magistrates who were erected in several Cities as appears by the opposition of these to them at Ierusalem If faith he that thou hast not skill or confidence to determine so weighty and difficult a cause in judgment between blood and blood n i. e. In capital causes in matter of bloodshed whether it be wilful or casual murder whether punishable or pardonable by those laws Exod. 21. 13 20 22 28. and 22. 2. Numb 35. 11 16 19. Deut. 19. 4 10. between plea and plea o In civil causes or suits between plaintifs and defendants about words or Estates and between stroke and stroke p i. e. Either 1. In Ceremonial causes between plague and plague between the true leprosie which is oft times called the plague and the seeming and counterfeit leprosie which was oft times hard to determine And under this as the most eminent of the kind may seem to be contained all ceremonial uncleannesses But this seems not probable 1. Because the final determination of the matter of leprosie is manifestly left to any particular Priest Levit. 13. and 14. 2. because the person suspected of leprosie was not to be brought to Ierusalem to be tryed there but was to be shut up in his own city and house Levit. 13. 4 5. and the Judges at Ierusalem neither could nor would determine his case without once seeing the person 3. Because the case of leprosy was not hard or difficult as those causes are said to be but plain and evident and so particularly and punctually described that the Priest needed onely eyes to decide it Or rather 2. In Criminal Causes concerning blows or wounds inflicted by one man upon another and to be requited to him by the sentence of the Magistrate according to that law Exod. 21. 23 24 25. wherein there might be many cases of great difficulty and doubt about which see the Annotations there being matters of controversie q i. e. Such things or matters of blood and pleas and strokes being doubtful and the Magistrates divided in their opinions about it for if it was a clear cause this was not to be done Some make this an additional clause to comprehend these and all other things thus as if he had said and in general any words or matters of strifes or contentions within thy gates then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall chuse r To wit to set up his Worship and Tabernacle or Temple there because there was the abode both of their Sanhedrim or chief Councel which was constituted of Priests and civil Magistrates who were most able to determine all controversies and of the High-Priests who were to consult God by Urim Numb 27. 21. in great matters which could not be decided otherwise 9 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites s i. e. Unto the great councel which it is here denominated from because it consisted chiefly of the Priests and Levites as being the best Expositors of the Laws of God by which all those Controversies
e Which was to be examined and determined by the consideration of all the circumstances and lie with her then the man onely that lay with her shall die 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death for as when a man riseth against his neighbour and slayeth him even so is this matter f Not an act of choice but of force and constraint 27 For he found her in the field and the betrothed damsel cried g Which is in that case to be presumed charity obliging us to believe the best till the contrary be manifest and there was none to save her 28 * Exod. 22. 16. If a man h i. e. An unmarried man as appears 1. From his obligation to marry the person he abused which it is not probable would have been imposed upon him 2. Because if the man had been married this had been adultery and so had been punished with death find a damsel that is a virgin which is not betrothed and lay hold on her i Which notes some kind of force or artifice whereby she was overpowred whereas Exod. 22. 16. she was enticed which implies consent and therefore the man doth here receive a greater punishment because he used hostile violence towards her which was the greater sin and lie with her and they be found 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsels father fifty shekels of silver k Besides the dowry as Philo the Learned Iew notes which is here omitted because that was common and customary and because it might easily be gathered out of Exod. 22. 16. it being sufficient here to mention what was peculiar to this case and she shall be his wife l To wit if her Father consent to it which is to be supposed out of Exod. 22. 16. it being not likely that the Father should lose his paternal right of disposing his Child when she was in some sort forced rather than when she was inticed because he hath humbled her he may not put her away all his dayes m Which others were suffered to do Deut. 24. 1. and he who inticed the maid Exod. 22. 16. was not prohibited to do 30 * Lev. 18. 8. A man shall not take n To Wife So this respects the state and the next branch speaks of the act onely his fathers wife o His Mother in law See Levit. 18. 8. and 20. 11. 1 Cor. 5. 1. nor discover his fathers skirt p i. e. The skirt of the Mothers Garment i. e. the nakedness which is here called his fathers skirt because his Father and Mother were one flesh or because his Father alone had the right to uncover it The phrase is taken from the ancient custome or ceremonie of the Bridegrooms spreading the skirt of his Garment over the bride to signifie his right to her and authority over her and his obligation to the marriage duty See Ruth 3. 9. Ezek. 16. 8. CHAP. XXIII 1 HE that is wounded in the stones a Heb. wounded by compression or attrition or contusion to wit of the stones which was the course the Gentiles took with Infants to make them Eunuchs And these Eunuchs and Bastards v. 2. seem to be not onely those of other Nations as some understand it without any foundation for such restriction but also of the Israelites the reason of this law being the same in all to wit that God would bring into disgrace those heathenish practices of making Eunuchs and getting Bastards which doubtless he would especially do among his own people or hath his privy members out off shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD b Which phrase cannot be understood so that they might not come into the Church or Holy Assemblies to worship God to pray or hear c. because Proselytes of any Nation were admitted to common Church-priviledges no less than the Jews as is evident from Exod. 12. 48. Levit. 22. 18. Numb 9. 14. and 15. 14. It were absurd to think that any of the Israelites for such a natural or involuntary defect should be shut out from all Gods ordinances nor so that they were to be put out of the muster-roll of Gods people or to lose the Priviledges common to all Israelites to wit the benefit of the year of release or Jubile which it is not probable the Israelites were to forfeit meerly for this unculpable imperfection but either 1. That they should not be incorporated into the Body of Israel by marriage for so this phrase may seem to have been understood by the whole Congregation of Israel Nehem. 13. 1 2 3 23 24 25. Although at that time the Government was in part in the hands of such persons as are here mentioned v. 3. or of their children seeing it is apparent from Ezra 10. that many Priests and Levites and other Officers and Rulers of Israel were married to strange Women whose issue are by this Law excluded from all share in the Government and for that among other reasons Nehemiah separated them from Israel by vertue of the Law here following Or 2. That they should not be admitted to Honours and Offices either in the Church or Common-wealth of Israel and so the congregation of the Lord doth not here signifie as commonly it doth the body of the people but the society of the Elders or Rulers of the people who as they represent the whole Congregation and act in their name and for their service and good so they are sometimes called by the name of the Congregation as Numb 35. 12 24 25. Ios. 20. 6 9. 1 King 8. 5. compared with v. 1 2 3. and 1 Chron. 13 1 2 4. and 29. 1 10 20. compared with 1 Chron. 28. 1. and 29. 6. and of the congregation of God as it is in the Hebrew of Psal. 82. 1. Howsoever seeing they are oft called the congregation they may very well be called in a special manner the congregation of the Lord because they were appointed by God and act in his name and stead and for his work and service and did also oft assemble near the Tabernacle where God was eminently present Add to this that this Hebrew word Kahal generally signifies a Congregation or Company of men met together and therefore this cannot so conveniently be meant of all the body of the people which could never meet in one place but of the chief Rulers which frequently did so Nor is it strange that Ennucâ—…s are excluded from government partly because such persons are commonly observed to want that courage which is necessary for a Governour Exod. 18. 21. and partly because as such persons ordinarily were despicable so the Office and Authority in their hands was likely to be exposed to the same contempt 2 A bastard c So the word is commonly rendred and so it notes a person base-born or born in Fornication or Adultery or by
that * Josh. 8. 32. thou shalt set thee up great stones and plaister them with plaister b For conveniency of writing upon them 3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law c Either 1. all the words of this book of Deuteronomy But that seems too large for this place Or 2. the blessings and curses here following But they are mentioned as a different thing Or 3. the law properly so called i. e. the sum and substance of the precepts or laws of Moses especially such as were moral and general as may be guessed from the following part of the chapter where the curses pronounced against all that confirm not all the words of this law to do them are particularly applied unto the transgressours of moral laws onely ver 15 16 c. And especially the Decalogue which oft goes under that name Compare Ios. 8. 32. c. when thou art passed over that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee a land that floweth with milk and hony as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee 4 Therefore it shall be when ye are gone over Jordan that ye shall set up these stones which I command you this day in mount Ebal ‖ The mount of cursing Here the law is written to signify that a curse was due to the violatours of it and that no man could expect justification or blessing from the works of the law by the sentence whereof all men are justly accursed as being all guilty of the transgression of it in one kind and degree or other Here the sacrifices are to be offered to shew that there is no way to be delivered from this curse but by the blood of Christ which all these sacrifices did typifie and by Christs being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. and thou shalt plaister them with plaister 5 And there thou shalt build an altar unto the LORD thy God an altar of stones * Exod. 20. 25 Josh. 8. 31. thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them 6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones d i. e Rough not hewed nor polished and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God 7 And thou shalt offer peace-offerings and shalt eat there and rejoyce before the LORD thy God 8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly e So as to be easily read by all 9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel saying Take heed and hearken O Israel this day thou art become the people of the LORD f By thy solemn renewing of thy covenant with me thy God 10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God and do his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day 11 And Moses charged the people the same day saying 12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizzim g Obj. In Ios. 8. 33. they stood over against mount Gerizim Ans. 1. Both are true they who stood upon the one mount stood over against the other 2. These words may be rendered beside or near to as the Hebrew al oft signifies mount Gerizim which might be over against it to â—…less the people h Whence it appears that the blessings also were pronounced as well as the curses though they be not here mentioned See Ios. 8. 33. when ye are come over Jordan Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Joseph and Benjamin i All these were the children of the free-free-women Leah and Rachel to shew both the dignity of the blessings above the curses and that the blessings belong onely to those that are Evangelically such as this is expounded and applied Gal. 4. 22 c. even to those that receive the Spirit of adoption and liberty Ioseph is here put for both his sons and tribes Manasseh and Ephraim which are here reckoned as one tribe because Levi is here numbred but when Levi is omitted as it is where the division of the land is made there Manasseh and Ephraim pass for two tribes 13 And * chap. 11. â—… these shall stand upon mount Ebal †Heb. â—…r â—… cursing to curse k He saith to bless the people ver 12. but here onely to curse not expressing whom either because he was loath to mention the people as objects of the curse or because he presumed and hoped that though some particular persons might deserve the curse yet the generality of the people would keep out of the reach of it or to intimate that though the blessing was peculiar to the people of Israel yet the curse was indefinite and common to all nations as may appear from the particular sins here numbred which are such as made the Gentiles guilty and abominable to God as is elsewhere affirmed See Lev. 18. 28. Reuben Gad and Asher and Zebulun Dan and Naphtali l Four of these are the children of the bondwomen to shew that the curse belongs to those of servile and disingenuous spirits and carriages to God With these are joyned Reuben who by his shameful sin fell from his dignity Gen. 49. 4. and Zabulon as the youngest of Leahs children who was necessarily to be joyned with those that the numbers might be equal 14 And * Dan. 9. 11. the Levites m i. e. Some of the Levites to wit the Priests which bare the Ark as it is expressed Ios. 8. 33. for the body of the Levites stood upon mount Gerizim v. 12. But these stood in the valley between Gerizim and Ebal looking towards the one or the other mountain as they pronounced either the blessings or the curses as may be gathered from Ios. 8. 33. shall speak and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice n So as they might be heard by a great number of the people by whom the rest were informed and directed by some signal when they should answer 15 * Exod. 20. â—… 23. and 34. 1â—… Lev. 19. 4. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image o Under this particular he understands all the gross violations of the first Table as under the following branches he comprehends all other sins against the second Table as is manifest from hence that there are other sins not here mentioned which are as sinful as these and will as certainly expose a man to the curse as any of the rest an abomination unto the LORD the work of the hands of the craftsmen and p Or although as that particle sometimes signifies putteth it in a secret place q He takes special notice of such partly to shew the folly of those men who think to hide their sins by this means and partly to deter men from such practises which men could not see nor punish by making them their own condemners and executioners and all the people shall
wife of his bosom and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave 55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat because he hath nothing left him in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates 56 The tender and delicate woman among you which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness her eye shall be evill r i. e. Unmerciful she will desire or design their destruction for her food towards the husband of her bosom and towards her son and towards her daughter 57 And towards her †Heb. after-birth young one s Heb. after-birth that which was loathsome to behold will now be pleasant to eat and together with it she shall eat the child which was wrapt up in it and may be included in this expression that commeth out from between her feet and towards her children which she shall bear t Or which she shall have born i. e. her more grown children for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates 58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful Name u i. e. Thing or Person to wit this glorious God Names are oft put for things as 1 King 5. 3. Psal. 20. 1. and 115. 1. Act. 4. 12. Eph. 1. 21. and for persons as Act 1. 15. Revel 3. 4. THE LORD THY GOD 59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance 60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the * Chap. 7. 1â—… diseases of Egypt which thou wast afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee 61 Also every sickness and every plague which is not written in the book of this law them will the LORD †bring upon thee until thou Heb. cause to ascend be destroyed 62 And ye * Chap. 4. 27. shall be left few in number whereas ye were * Chap. 10. 22. as the stars of heaven for multitude because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God 63 And it shall come to pass that as the LORD rejoyced over you to do you good and to multiply you so the LORD * Pro. 1. 26. Isa. 1. 24. will rejoyce over you to destroy you x His just indignation against you will be so great that it will be a pleasure to him to take vengeance on you For though he doth not delight in the death of a sinner in it self yet he doth doubtless delight in the glorifying of his justice upon incorrigible sinners seeing the exercise of all his attributes must needs please him else he were not perfectly happy and to bring you to nought and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it y Which was no ordinary land but a most pleasant land a land of promise a token of Gods favour and a pledge of their eternal inheritance which was a great aggravation of their loss of it 64 And the LORD * Lev. 26. 33. Neh. 1. 8. Jer. 16. 13. shall scatter thee among all people from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth and there thou shalt serve other gods which neither thou nor thy fathers have known even wood and stone 65 And * Amos 9. 4. among these nations shalt thou find no ease neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest z Ye shall have no settlement in the land whither you are banished but there you shall be tossed about from place to place and sold from person to person or Cain-like wander about like a Vagabond but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind 66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee a Either because thou art in the hands of thy enemies that have power and want not will to destroy thee or because of the terrors of thy own mind and the guilt of thy conscience making thee to fear even where no great cause to fear is and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life 67 * Job 7. 4. In the morning thou shalt say Would God it were even and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 68 And the LORD * Jer. 44. â—… Hos. 8. 13. and c. 3â—… shall bring thee into Egypt again b Whence he hath now so gloriously delivered thee as repenting of all his kindness to thee and resolved to undo what he hath done for thee And the remembrance of what they endured in Egypt could not but make the thoughts of returning thither again very terrible to them with ships c Which was literally fulfilled under Titus when multitudes of them were carryed thither in Ships and sold there for Slaves as Iosephus relates And this expression seems to mind them of that time when they went over the Sea without ships God miraculously drying up the Sea before them c. which now they would have occasion sadly to remember by the way d Or to the way the Hebrew Bâ—…th here signifying to as it doth Gen. 11. 4. Levit. 16. 22. Psal. 19. 5. and 91. 12. Isa. 9. 8. And the way seems hot to be meant here of the usual road-way from Canaan to Egypt which was wholly by land but to be put for the end of the way or journey even the land of Egypt for to this and not to the road-way between Canaan and Egypt agree the words here following whereof I spake unto thee thou shalt see it i. e. Egypt no more again And so that way is put for to that land in a place parallel to this where the very same words are used Deut. 17. 16. to which this place palpably alludes whereof I spake unto thee * Chap. 1â—… 16. Thou shalt see it no more again and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bond-men and bond-women and no man shall buy you e Either because the number of you captives shall be so great that the market shall be glutted with you or because you shall be so loathsome and contemptible that men shall not be willing to have you for slaves And this was the condition of the Iews after the destruction of Ierusalem as Iosephus the Iew hath left upon record CHAP. XXIX 1 THese are the words of the covenant a These are the terms or conditions upon which God hath made i. e. renewed Covenant with you
the people did Deut 1. and it is most probable he had Gods Command and Direction in it for the encouragement of himself and his Army in their present Enterprize †secretly e With reference not to his Enemies which being the constant and necessary practice of all Spies was needless to be mentioned but to the Israelites without their knowledg or desire And this seems added by way of opposition unto the like Action Deut 1. where it was done with the peoples privity and upon their motion and therefore an Account was given not only to Moses but also to the Congregation whereas here it was given to Ioshua only v. 23. which was a good Caution to prevent the Inconveniency which possibly might have arisen if their Report had been doubtful or discouraging ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 saying Go view the land even Jericho f i. e. The land about Iericho together with the City Heb. The land and Iericho i. e. especially Iericho So and is used 2 Sam. 2. 30. 1 King 11. 1. Psal. 18. 1. They obeyed Ioshua's Command even with the hazard of their own lives considering that they were under the protection of divine Providence which could very easily many ways secure them or being willing to sacrifice their lives in their Countreys service and they went and * Heb. 11. â—… Jam. 2. 2â—… came into an harlots g So the Hebrew word is used Iudg. 11. 1. and 16. 1. 1 King 3. 16. Ezek. 23. 44 and so it is rendred by two Apostles Heb. 11. 31. Iam. 2. 25. such she either now was or formerly had been and such a persons house they might come to with less observation than to an Hostess as some render it or to a publick Victualling-House And such a course of life was very common among the Gentiles who esteemed Fornication to be either no sin or a very small and trivial one Or lay down as the same word is rendred v. 8. intended and composed themselves to rest but they were disturbed and hindred from their Intentions upon the following Discovery house named * Matth. 1. â—… Rahab and †lodged h there ‡ Heb. â—… â—… 2 And it was told the King of Jericho saying Behold there came in men hither to night i This evening by comparing this with v. 5. of the children of Israel to search out the Country 3 And the King of Jericho sent unto Rahab saying Bring forth the men that are come to thee which are entred into thine house for they be come to search out all the country 4 And the woman took the two men and hid them k Or But the Woman had taken and had hid them to wit before the Messengers came from the King as soon as she understood from her Neighbours or common Rumor that there was a suspicion of the matter and guessed that search would be made And this is justly mentioned as a great and generous act of Faith Heb. 11. 31. for she did apparently venture her life upon a stedfast perswasion of the Truth of Gods Word and Promise given to the Israelites and said thus There came men unto me but I wist not whence they were l Her Answer contained in these and the following words was palpably false and therefore unquestionably sinful howsoever her intention was good therein See Rom. 3. 8. But it is very probable she being an Heathen might think what some Christians have thought and said That an officious Lie is not unlawful Or at worst this was her Infirmity which was graciously pardoned by God and her Faith was amply rewarded 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate m Either of her house or rather of the City which was shut at a certain time when it was dark that the men went out whither the men went I wot not pursue after them quickly for ye shall overtake them 6 But * See 2 Sam. 17. 19. she had brought them up to the roof n Which was plain after the manner See Deut. 22. 8. Mat. 10. 27. Act. 10. 9. Mark 2. 4. of the house and hid them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order upon the roof o That they may be dried by the heat of the Sun 7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the foords p Or passages i. e. The usual places where people used to pass over Iordan whether by Boats or Bridges or rather because of the shallowness of the River which a little after this swelled higher as the History will tell us and as it is very usual for Rivers to do and assoon as they which pursued after them were gone out they shut the gate q Of the City partly for their security against their approaching Enemies and partly to prevent the escape of the Spies if peradventure Rahab was mistaken and they yet lurked in the City 8 And before they were laid down r To rest or sleep as they intended being now after the departure of the Searchers come from their hiding-place to their resting place she came up unto them upon the roof 9 And she said unto the men s Qu. How could they understand one the other Ans. 1. The Hebrew and the Canaan or Phoenician Languages have a very great resemblance and are thought to be but differing Dialects of one and the same Tongue as the learned prove by a multitude of words which are common to both of them Or 2. some of the Hebrews had either out of curiosity or by Ioshua's order and direction learnt that Language for this or other such like Occasions I know that the LORD hath given you the land and that * Gen. 35. 5. your terror t i. e. The dread of you See Exod. 23. 27. and 34. 24. Deut. 11. 25. and 28. 7. is fallen upon us and that all the inhabitants of the land †Heb. melt faint because of you 10 For we have heard how the LORD * Exod. 14. 21. Chap. 4. 23. dried up the water of the Red-sea for you when ye came out of Egypt and what ye did unto the two Kings of the Amorites that were on the other side Jordan * Numb 21. 24 34. Sihon and Og whom ye utterly destroyed 11 And assoon as we had heard these things * Exod. 15. 14. our hearts did melt u i. e. Was dissolved lost all consistency and courage This Phrase is oft used as Deut. 1. 28. and 20. 8. Iosh. 5. 1. and 7. 5. neither †did there remain any ‡ Heb. rose there up any more spirit in any man more courage in any man because of you for * Chap. 5. 1. the LORD your God he is God in heaven above and in the earth beneath x He can do whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven and Earth whereas our Gods are inclosed in Heaven and can do nothing to us upon Earth
Territory or Kingdom of Hazor which might now be restored to its former largeness and power Ios. 11. 10. the names of Cities being oft put for their Territories as Zorah a City Ios. 15. 33. is put for the Fields belonging to it Iudg. 13. 2. in which Sampson's Parents lived Iudg. 13. 25. and 16. 31. and 18. 2. the captain of whose host was * 1 Sam. 12. 9. Sisera which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles c So called because it was much frequented and inhabited by the Gentiles either by the Canaanites who being beaten out of their former Possessions seated themselves in those Northern parts or by other Nations coming thither for Traffick or upon divers occasions as Strabo notes of those parts whence Galilee where this was is called Galilee of the Gentiles 3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD for he had nine hundred charets of iron and twenty years he mightily oppressed d More than the former Tyrants partly from his malice and hatred against the Israelites and principally from Gods Just Judgment the growing punishment being most suitable to their aggravated wickedness the children of Israel 4 ¶ And Deborah ‡ Heb. a woman a prophetess a prophetess e As there were Men-Prophets so there were also Women-Prophetesses as Miriam Exod. 15. 20. Huldah 2 King 22. 14. and divers others but the word Prophets or Prophetesses is very ambiguous in both Testaments sometimes being used of persons extraordinarily Inspired by God and endowed with a power of working Miracles and foretelling things to come and sometimes of Persons endowed with special though not miraculous gifts or graces for the better understanding of and discoursing about the Word and Mind of God for praising of God or the like of which see 1 Chron. 25. 1. 1 Cor. 11. 5. and 14. 1 3 4 c. And of this sort were the Sons of the Prophets or such who were bred in the Schools of the Prophets who are oft called Prophets as 1 Sam. 10. 5 10 11 12. See also 1 King 18. 4. and 19. 10. And because we read nothing of Deborah's miraculous actions peradventure she was only a Woman of eminent Holiness and Prudence and Knowledg of the Holy Scriptures by which she was singularly qualified for the Judging of the People according to the Laws of God If it be alledged that she foresaw and foretold the following Victory so did all the Sons of the Prophets foresee and foretel Elijah's translation 2 King 2. 3 5. which yet were not extraordinary Prophets the wife of Lapidoth f Or a Woman of Lapidoth and so Lapidoth is not the name of a man but of the place of her Birth or Abode she judged Israel g i. e. Determined Causes and Controversies arising among the Israelites as is implied v. 5. And this Iabin might suffer to be done especially by a Woman and the frequent discharge of this part of the Judges Office whereby she gained great Power and Authority with the People did notably though not observed by the Tyrant prepare the way for her sliding into the other part of her Office which was to defend and rescue the People from their Enemies at that time 5 And she dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethâ—…el in mount Ephraim and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment h To have their Suits and Causes determined by her â—…ence 6 And she sent and called i By vertue of that power which God had given her and the people owned in her * Heb. 11. 32. Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali k So called to distinguish it from other places of that name one in Iudah Ios. 15. 23. and another in Issachar 1 Chron. 6. 72. and said unto him Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded l i. e. Assuredly God hath commanded thee this is not the fancy of a weak Woman which peradventure thou maist despise but the Command of the great God by my Mouth Which Command of God and the following assurance of Success the might either gâ—…her from the general rules of Scripture and the common course of Gods gracious Providence which was always ready to succour them when they cryed to God or receive by instinct or direction from God saying Go and draw m Or go for so this word is oft used as Gen. 37. 28. Iudg. 20 37. Iob 〈◊〉 33. Heb. 〈◊〉 to wit thy self or thy feet toward mount Tabor n A place most fit for his purpose as being in the borders of divers Tribes and having a large Plain at the top of it where he might conveniently Marshal and Discipline his Army and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun o Theâ—…e she names partly because they were nearest and best known to Barak and therefore soonest brought together partly because they were nearest to the Enemy and therefore must speedily be Assembled or else they were likely to be hindred in their Design whilst the other Tribes being at more distance had better opportunity of gathering Forces for their succour and partly because these had most smarted under this Oppressor who was in the heart of their Countrey and therefore were most forward in the present Service but these are not named exclusively as appears by the concurrence of some other Tribes as is reâ—…ed Iudg. 5. 7 And I will draw unto thee p By my secret and powerful Providence ordering and over-ruling his inclinations that way to the * 〈◊〉 â—… â—… â—… river Kishon Siâ—…era the captain of Jabins army with his charets and his multitude and I will deliver him into thine hand 8 And Barak said unto her if thou wilt go with me then I will go but if thou wilt not go with me then I will not go q His offer to go with her shews the truth of his Faith for which he is praised Heb. 11. 32. but his refusal to go without her shews the weakness of his Faith that he could not trust Gods bare word as he ought to have done without the Pledge of the Presence of his Prophetess whom he thought God would preserve and deliver and himself for her sake 9 And she said I will surely go with thee notwithstanding the journey r Heb. the 〈◊〉 i. e. the course or practise as the way is taken Numb 22. 32. that thou takest shall not be for thine honour for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman s Either 1. Iâ—…el or rather 2. Deborah who being as it were the â—…dg and chief Commandress of the Army the Honour of the Victory would be ascribed to her But for Iael her Fact would have been the same though Barak had gone into the Field without Deborah And Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh 10 ¶ And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh
LORD smote Benjamin before Israel and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men i This is the Total Sum whereof the particulars are related v. 44 45. and for the odd hundred not there mentioned they were killed in other places not their expressed all these drew the sword 36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah 37 And the liers in wait hasted and rushed upon Gibeah and the liers in wait ‖ Or made a long sound with the trumpet drew themselves along k Or extended themselves i. e. whereas before they lay close and contracted into a narrow compass now they spread themselves and Marched in Rank and File as Armies do Or marched or went Heb. drew their Feet So this Verb is oft used as Gen. 37. 28. Exod. 12. 21. Iudg. 4. 6. Iob 21. 33. and smote all the city with the edge of the sword 38 Now there was an appointed ‖ Or time sign between the men of Israel ‡ Heb. with and the liers in wait that they should make a great ‡ Hebr. elevation flame with smoke to rise up out of the city 39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battel Benjamin began ‡ Heb. to smite the wounded to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons for they said Surely they are smitten down before us as in the first battel 40 But when the flame began to rise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke the Benjamites looked behind them and behold the ‡ Heb. the whole consumption flame of the city ascended up to heaven 41 And when the men of Israel turned again the men of Benjamin were amazed l Because of their great disappointment and the present danger wherewith they were surrounded on every side for they saw that evil ‡ Heb. touched them was come upon them 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness but the battel overtook m i. e. The Men of Battel or War The abstract for the concrete as Poverty 2 King 24. 14. Pride Psal. 36. 11. Deceit Prov. 12. 25. Dreams Ier. 25. 9. Election Rom. 11. 7. are put for Persons that are Poor Proud Deceitful Dreamers Elect. them and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them n So the sence may seem to be this That the Israelites did not only kill the Inhabitants of Gibeah and all the Benjamites that came into the Field against them 600 excepted but in the midst of them or together with them they killed also the rest of the Benjamites who when they saw their Army was wholly Destroyed made haste to flee out of their several Cities or Towns that so they might escape the Sword which was coming towards them But the words may be rendred thus And them who were of the other cities to wit of Benjamin i. e. who abode in their own Cities and did not go up to Gibeah they Destroyed in the midst of them i. e. in their several Cities or in the midst of it i. e. of every City for so it is said v. 48. where it is said That they smote the men of every City But this I submit to the Learned 43 Thus they enclosed the Benjamites round about and chased them and trode them down ‖ Or from Manuchah c. with ease o Without great difficulty Now that God gave them his presence and assistance they easily did that which before they found too hard for them Or unto Menuchah or as far as Maâ—…uchah a place so called See 1 Chron. 2. 52. Ier. 51. 59. ‡ Heb. unto over against over against Gibeah towards the sun-rising 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men p To wit in the Field or Battel all these were men of valour 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon and they gleaned q i. e. They cut off the remainders in the pursuit and spared none A Metaphor from those who gather Grapes or Corn so clearly and fully that they leave no relicks for those who come after them of them in the high-ways five thousand men and pursued hard after them unto Gidom and flew two thousand men of them 46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand r Besides the odd hundred expressed ver 35. but here only the great number is expressed the less being omitted as inconsiderable which way of numbring is frequent in Scripture as Iudg. 11. 26. 2 Sam. 5. 5. and in other Authors and in vulgar use as when they are called the 70 Interpreters who in truth and exactness were 72. Here are also a thousand more omitted because here he speaks onely of them who fell in that third day of Battel See on v. 15. men that drew the sword all these were men of valour 47 * Chap. 21. 13. But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon and abode in the rock s In a Cave within that Rock where they Fortified themselves and fetched in Provision as they had opportunity which they could easily do when the heat of the Battel was over and the Israelites were not solicitous to pursue them further Rimmon four months 48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin t Having destroyed those that came to Gibeah and into the field now they follow them home to their several habitations and smote them with the edge of the sword as well the men u Comprehensively taken so as to include women and children If this seem harsh and bloody either it may be ascribed to Military Fury or rather it may be justified partly from that high guilt brought upon the whole Tribe in which it is no wonder if their Infants suffered which was not unusual in such cases as Numb 31. 17. 1 Sam. 15. 3. Iâ—…s 7. 15. partly from that Command of God in a Parallel case Deut. 13. 15. and partly from that Solemn Oath by which they had Anathematised or devoted to Death all that came not up to Mizpeh Iudg. 21. 5. which none of the Benjamites did for which cause also they destroyed all the Men Women and Children of Iabesh-Gilead Judg. 21. 10. of every city as the beast and all that ‡ Heb. was found came to hand also they set on fire all the cities that ‡ Heb. were found they came to CHAP. XXI NOw the men of Israel had sworn a In the beginning of this War after the whole Tribe had espoused the quarrel of the Men of Gibeah Iudg. 20. 13 14 in Mizpeh saying There shall not any of us
give his daughter unto Benjamin to wise b They do not as some suppose here swear the utter extirpation of the Tribe which fell out beyond their expectation Iudg. 21. 3 6. but only not to give their Daughters to those Men who should survive justly esteeming them for their harbarous Villany to be as bad as the worst of Heathens with whom they were forbidden to Marry In this Case the Benjamites might have Married among themselves if any of their Men and Women were left alive 2 And the people came to the house of God c Partly to mourn for the common loss and partly to ask counsel from God about the repairing of it and abode there till even before God and lift up their voices and wept sore 3 And said O LORD God of Israel Why is this come to pass in Israel that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel d Why hast thou given them up to such wickedness and us to such rage that the whole Tribe should be in a manner lost Hence it appears that they did not swear to root them all out as is further manifest from the different matter and words of this Oath ver 1. which only denied them their Daughters in Marriage and that concerning the people of other Tribes who joyned not with them in this business which was that they should be put to death v. 5. And their sparing of those 600 Men in the Rock Rimmon v. 13 14. plainly shews that they were not obliged by any Oath or Vow to extirpate them 4 And it came to pass on the morrow that the people rose early and built there an altar e Not for a Monument of the Victory as some say but for Sacrifices as the next words shew Qu. What need was there of this when the ordinary Altar was there to which also they seem to be restrained Deut. 16. 2 Answ. They are not there restrained to one Altar but to one place of Worship as is expressed and therefore there might be in that place more Altars than one when the Multitude of Sacrifices so required which was the case 1 King 8. 64. and probably at this time when all the Tribes being met they had many Sacrifices to offer some in common for all and some peculiar to every Tribe Nay other Altars might be and oft-times were Erected in other places by Divine Direction or Dispensation as Iudg. 6. 24 26. 1 Sam. 7. 9 17. and 11. 15. and 16. 2 5. and offered burnt-offerings and peace offerings 5 And the children of Israel said Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD for they had made a great oath f i. e. A solemn Oath joyned with some terrible Execration against the Offenders herein concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh saying He shall surely be put to death g Because by refusing to execute the Vengeance due to such Malefactors they were justly presumed guilty of their Crime and therefore liable to the same Punishment as was the case of that City that would not deliver up an Idolater dwelling among them to Justice 6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother h Not for the War which was just and necessary and good but for their immoderate severity in the Execution of it and for the dreadful consequences of it and said There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day 7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives 8 And they said What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD And behold there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead i A City in Gilead and in the Tribe of Manasseh of which see 1 Sam. 11. 1 3 9 c. and 31. 11 c. to the assembly 9 For the people were numbred and behold there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there 10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest and commanded them saying Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword with the women and the children k Who in such publick and scandalous Crimes were for the greater Terrour of such Transgressors and prevention of the like Sins oft involved in the same Punishment with the men as Deut. 13. 15. Ios. 7. 24 c. 11 And this is the thing that ye shall do * Numb 31 Ye shall utterly destroy every male and every woman that ‡ Heb. knoweth the lying with man hath lien by man l But not the Virgins as appears from the next Verses It is questionable whether they were not obliged to destroy these also by vertue of their Oath and of Gods express Command concerning Devoted Persons such as these certainly were that they should surely be put to death Levit. 27. 29. which was also particularly enjoyned and practised in such Cases as Deut. 13. Ios. 7. c. But the natural and necessary duty of preserving a Tribe from total Ruine might seem to render the case difficult and doubtful and incline their Opinions as well as their Affections to the more favourable side And it may be the Lord whom they were here consulting with upon all their occasions gave them a Dispensation thus to do though that be not expressed which is the case of many other things which were done though not Recorded as this very Oath was omitted in its proper place and had not been Recorded if this extraordinary occasion had not been offered 12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred ‡ Heb. young women Virgins young virgins m Not Married yet marriageable it is probable there were other and younger Virgins but whether they were slain or spared Scripture determines not and the Learned do not agree But these could not serve the present and urgent occasion and therefore he takes notice onely of these 400 which were of riper Age. that had known no man by lying with any male and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh which is in the land of Canaan 13 And the whole congregation sent some ‡ Heb. and â—…pake and called to speak to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon and to call ‖ Or proclaim peace peaceably unto them 14 And Benjamin n The poor remainders of the Tribe of Benjamin came again at that time and they gave them wives which they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead and yet so they sufficed them not 15 And the people repented them for Benjamin o Were yet more grieved upon this unhappy disappointment for they supposed here would have been Wives sufficient for them because that the LORD had made a breach p The Benjamites were the onely
and so by preserving another Mans Name he should lose his own Or Secondly Because as his Inheritance would be but very little increased by this Marriage so it might be much diminished by being divided amongst his many Children which he possibly had already and might probably have more by Ruth redeem thou my right l Which I freely Renounce and Resign to thee to thy self for I cannot redeem it 7 * Deut. 25. 〈◊〉 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing for to confirm all things m i. e. In all Alienation of Lands So that it is no wonder if this Ceremony differ a little from that Deut. 25. 9. because that concerned only one Case but this is more general Besides he pleads not the Command of God but only ancient Custom for this Practice a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbour n He who relinquished his right to another plucked off his own Shoe and gave it to him This was Symbolical and a significant and convenient Ceremony as if he said Take this Shoe wherewith I used to go and tread upon my Land and in that Shoe do thou enter upon it and take possession of it and this was a testimony in Israel o This was admitted for sufficient Evidence in all such Cases 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz Buy it for thee so he drew off his shoe 9 ¶ And Boaz said unto the elders and unto all the people Ye are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelechs and all that was Chilions and Mahlons of the hand of Naomi 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess the wife of Mahlon have I purchased to be my wife to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place p i. e. From among the Inhabitants dwelling within the Gate of this City which was Bethlehem-Iudah ye are witnesses this day 11 And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said We are witnesses The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah q Amiable and Fruitful Those two are singled out partly because they were of a Foreign and Heathenish Original and yet ingrafted into Gods people as Ruth also was and partly because of that singular Fertility which God vouchsafed unto them above their Predecessors Rachel and Leah Rachel is placed before Leah because she was his most Lawful and only Intended and Chosen and best-Beloved Wife which two did build the house r i. e. Increase the Posterity See Gen. 16. 2. Exod. 1. 21. of Israel and ‖ Or get 〈◊〉 riches or power do thou worthily in Ephratah s Two Names of one and the same Place of which see on Ruth 1. 2. and ‡ Heb. proclaim thy name be famous in Bethlehem s Two Names of one and the same Place of which see on Ruth 1. 2. 12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez t As honourable and numerous as his Family was whom though he also was Born of a stranger God so far Blessed that his Family was one of the five Families to which all the Tribe of Iudah belonged and the Progenitor of the Inhabitants of this City * Gen. 38. 〈◊〉 1 Chron. â—… â—… Matth. 1. 3. whom Tamar bare unto Judah of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman 13 ¶ So Boaz took Ruth u Which he might do though she was a Moabite because the Prohibition against Marrying such is to be restrained to those who continue in the Heathenish estate as is evident from the reason of it Whereas Ruth as a sincere Proselyte and Convert to the God and Faith of Israel and she was his wife and when he went in unto her x i. e. Had Conjugal Converse with her See Gen. 6. 4. the LORD gave her conception y i. e. Strength to Conceive and Retain Seed and in due time she bare a son 14 And the women said unto Naomi Blessed be the LORD which hath not ‡ Heb. caused to cease unto thee left thee this day without a ‖ Or redeemer kinsman z Which is understood Either First Of the Son new Born Or rather Secondly Of Boaz For the Name of Goel which is Translated Kinsman or Redeemer is never that I know of given to the Child Born but always to the Person Begetting him of his Brother's or near Kinsman's Wife And whereas it is Objected That there was no Cause for this Congratulation at this time in reference to Boaz because that was done divers Months before this time It may be Replied That the Memory of that generous Action was revived upon this occasion and therefore is fitly mentioned as the foundation of this Childs Birth and this happy effect justly leads them to the Cause and Original of it which was this that Boaz had shewed himself to be a Kinsman or Redeemer not only in Name and Title as the other Kinsman was v. 6. but in Truth and Reality The words may be rendred Which hath not made or suffered thy Kinsman to fail to thee i. e. To neglect or refuse the performance of his Duty to thee and thine as the other Kinsman did that his name may be famous in Israel a Heb. and his Name shall be famons in Israel for this Noble and Worthy Action wherein he gave so great an Example of Piety Charity Humility and self-Denial 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life b i. e. Of the comfort of thy life which was in a great measure dead and gone and ‡ Heb. to nourish a nourisher of ‡ Heb. thy gray hairs thine old age for thy daughter in law which loveth thee which * 1 Sam. 1. 8. is better to thee than seven sons hath born him c To wit a Son the Pronoun for the Noun understood which is frequent in the Hebrew Tongue Or Hath born to him i. e. to thy Kinsman to wit a Son which is easily understood and so the Pronoun affix is put for the separate of which there are Instances as Ios. 15. 19. 1 King 19. 21. Iob 31. 37. Ezek. â—…9 3. 16 And Naomi took the child and laid it in her bosom and became nurse unto it 17 And the women â—…er neighbours gave it a name d i. e. They gave her advice about the Name for otherwise they had no power or right to do so saying There is a son born to Naomi and they called his name Obed e A servant to wit to thee to nourish and comfort and assist thee which Duty Children owe to their Progenitors he is the father of Jesse the father of David 18 ¶ Now these are the generations of Pharez * 1 Chron. 2.
4. Matth. 1. 3. Pharez begat Hezron 19 And Hezron begat Ram and Ram begat Amminadab 20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon and Nahshon begat ‖ Or Salmah Salmon 21 And Salmon begat Boaz and Boaz begat Obed 22 And Obed begat Jesse and Jesse begat David f How can this be a true Genealogy seeing by this means four Persons take up three hundred and eighty years which were between Salmon and David and consequently every one of them must beget a Son when he was very old Ans. 1. It is not certain that each of these was the immediate Parent of him whom he is said to beget for sometimes Grand-Fathers are said in Scripture to beget their Grand-Children to wit by the Intervention of their immediate Sons whereof Instances have been given And sometimes in Genealogies whole Generations are omitted as may appear by Ezra 7. 2. compared with 1 Chron. 6. 3. and by Matth. 1. 8. which might be done here for divers reasons now unknown 2. There are many Examples even in profane Writers both Ancient and Modern of Persons that have not only lived 120 and 130 years and upwards but have been Vigorous and have begotten Children at above 100 years old and of Women that have conceived and born Children at the age of 50 60 yea 70 years And therefore if it were so in these more ancient times when men were longer-lived and under the Law when long Life was expresly promised to the Obedient and in Persons of strong Constitutions and sober Conversations such as some of these are known to have been and the others may justly be presumed to be such it is not strange nor in the least incredible I. SAMUEL The ARGUMENT IT is not certainly known who was the Pen-man of this Book or whether it was Written by one or more hands nor is it of any great Importance For since there are sufficient Evidences that God was the chief Author of it it matters not who was the Instrument As when it appears that such a thing was really an Act of Parliament or of the Council-Table it is not considerable who was the Clerk or which was the Pen that Wrote it And this is the less material in such Historical Books wherein there is but little which concerns the Foundation of Faith and Good Life and therefore it was not necessary to Name the Writer of them It may abundantly suffice that there were in these times divers Prophets and Holy Men of God as Samuel and Nathan and Gad and David himself who might each of them Write some part of this and the following Book But if any man will out of perversness doubt or deny that these Wrote it yet this I suppose no Discreet and Impartial man will deny that it is wholly Incredible that such Books should be Written in their Times and Recommended to the Church as a Part of the Holy Scriptures and so received by the succeeding Generation without their Approbation who had so great a Power and Authority in the Church and Common-wealth of Israel CHAP. I. NOW there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim a Called Ramah v. 19. and here is the dual number Ramathaim i. e. double Ramah probably because it consisted of two parts whereof the one might be called the Old City the other the New both being united into one and the additional Title of Zophim which signifies Watch-Towers or Watch-Men may note either the height of its Scituation which made it fit for that use or that the Prophets who are called Watch-men as Ezek. 3. 17. had a School or College there of mount Ephraim and his name was * 1 Chro. 6. 27 34. Elkanah the son of Jeroham the son of Elihu the son of Tohu the son of Zuph an Ephrathite b i. e. One of Bethlehem-Iudah Ruth 1. 2. to wit by his Birth and Habitation though by his Original a Levite Thus divers Iews by Nation are called Medes Elamites Cretians c. Act. 2. 9 10 11. because they were Born and Bred there 2 And he had two wives c As divers other good Men had in those Ages And it is probable that he took a second Wife to wit Peninnah because Hannah who being first Named seems to have been his first Wife was Barren the name of the one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah and Peninnah had children but Hannah had no children 3 And this man went up out of his city * Deut. 1â—… 6. ‡ Heb. from days to days Lev. 25. 29. yearly d To wit at one of the Solemn Feasts which probably was the Passeover when he not only went up himself but carried his Wife and Children with him Compare v. 7. Or at the appointed days or times Heb. from days to days or from time to time i. e. at the three Solemn Feasts when he together with all other Males were obliged to go to worship God in the place appointed and at other times when he as a Levite was to go thither in his course to worship and to sacrifice e Not in his own Person which the Levites could not do but by the Priests in which sence David and Solomon and Absalom are said to offer Sacrifices 2 Sam. 15. 8. 1 King 8. 63. 1 Chron. 21. 26. unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh f Where the Tabernacle had long been and now was See Ios. 18. 1. Iudg. 18. 31. and 21. 19. and the two sons of Eli Hophni and Phinehas the priests of the LORD were there g Or were the Priests of the Lord there to wit under their Father Eli who is generally conceived to have been the High-Priest but being very Old and Infirm 1 Sam. 4. 15. and unfit for service his Sons Ministred in his stead being as it were second Priests See 2 King 25. 18. And this Clause seems to be added to shew that this good Man did not run into that Vulgar Error of neglecting his Duty of Offering to God for the wickedness of the Priests Of which see chap. 2. 17 24. 4 ¶ And when the time was that Elkanah offered he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters portions h To wit out of the Sacrifice of his Peace-Offerings the greatest part whereof fell to the Offerer and was eaten by him and his friends or guests before the Lord Levit. 3. and 7. Deut. 12. 12. and 16. 11. and out of this he gave them all Parts or Portions as the Master of the Feast used to do to Guests 5 But unto Hannah he gave ‖ Or a 〈◊〉 portion a worthy portion i Or an Honourable or Select part such as the Master of the Feast usually gave to the Person most Respected or Beloved See Gen. 43. 34. 1 Sam. 9. 23 24. for he loved Hannah k With a singular and eminent Love Compare Gen. 29. 30. but the LORD had shut up her womb 6 And her adversary l
Isa. 51. 21. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink m To wit this day See above v. 7 8. but have poured out my soul n Have been breathing forth the Griefs and Perplexities and Desires of my Soul The like Phrase is Iob 30. 16. Psal. 62. 8. and 142. 2. before the LORD 16 Count not thine hand-maid for a daughter of Belial o For such a wicked Monster as a Drunken Women is for out of the abundance of my ‖ Or meditation complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto p The oppression of my spirits hath forced me to speak and that so liberally at this time for the ease of my sinking heart 17 Then Eli answered and said Go in peace q I recal my Censure and give thee my Blessing and wish thee Peace i. e. a quiet and composed mind free from whatsoever it is that Grieves and Oppresses thee and withal good Success and Prosperity in what thou desirest for Peace is a very comprehensive word among the Hebrews and the God of Israel grant r Or will grant for it may be either a Prayer or a Prediction which he might deliver either from the consideration of Gods known goodness and readiness to hear Prayers or he might be directed to say so by a special instinct of Gods Spirit which sometimes was given to the High-Priests even when they were wicked men as Iohn 11. 51. and much more when they were Holy Men as Eli was And some add that he was a Prophet thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him 18 And she said Let thine hand-maid find grace in thy sight s That favourable Opinion and good Will and gracious Prayer which thou hast expressed on my behalf be pleased to continue towards me So the woman went her way and did eat and her ‖ Or heaviness was no more See Job 9. 27. Hebr. countenance was no more sad t Her heart being cheared by the Priest's comfortable words and especially by God's Spirit setting them home upon her and assuring her that both his and her Prayers should be heard quickly appeared in her countenance Heb. her indignation or vexation as the word Face is sometimes understood as Gen. 32. 20. Psal. 21. 9. and 34. 16. was no more i. e. it vanished away 19 ¶ And they rose up in the morning early u Partly for their Journey and partly for Prayer as it follows for which this was a very fit and usual time Psal. 5. 3. 119. 147. and worshipped before the LORD and returned and came to their house to Ramah and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife and the LORD remembred her x i. e. Manifested his remembrance of her by the effect 20 Wherefore it came to pass ‡ Heb. in the revolution of days when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived that she bare a son x So the sence is When the usual time from the Conception to the Birth was past she brought forth her Son Heb. In or After the Revolution or Expiration of some Days Hannah Conceived and in due time bare a Son So the meaning is That although her Husband knew her Conjugally at his return and God was mindful of her and intended in his time to give her his Blessing yet she did not Conceive at first but after some days or time afterwards and called y i. e. She called not doubting of her Husbands consent to the Name The Names of Children were given to them sometimes by the Fathers and sometimes by the Mothers See Gen. 4. 1 26. and 5. 29. and 21. 3. and 19. 37 38 c. his name ‖ That iâ—… asked of God Samuel saying Because I have asked him of the LORD 21 And the man Elkanah and all his house z i. e. His Wife Penimah and his Children which are oft-times called a Mans House in Scripture Hannah only and her Child excepted as it here follows went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice a That Solemn Sacrifice which was offerd up once every Year probably the Paschal Lamb which is oft called a Sacrifice as Exod. 12. 27. and 34. 25. and his vow b By which it appears though it was not expressed before that he heard and consented to her Vow which was necessary to make it Obligatory Numb 30. and that he added a Vow of his own of some singular Sacrifice to be offered if God answered his Prayers 22 But Hannah went not up c To wit that Sacred Anniversary-Feast to which she went up before but now did not because she could not with satisfaction to her Mind and Conscience appear before the Lord Empty or without paying her Vow nor bring her Child thither to God and then carry him away from God to her own House Nor did she Sin by not going up for the Women were not obliged to go up at the Solemn Feasts but the Men only Exod. 23. 17. for she said unto her husband I will not go up until the child be weaned d Not only from the Breast and the Milk which was done within Two or Three Years at most but also from the Mothers Knee and Care and from Childish Food till the Child be something grown up and fit to do some Service in the Tabernacle for it seems that as soon as he was brought up he Worshipped God v. 28. and presently after Ministred to Eli 1 Sam. 2. 11. And this may further appear from the very Nature of the Vow which must needs design a Service and an Advantage to the Tabernacle and not a Burden and Encumbrance as it would have been if a Young Child had been brought up to it and left upon it and then I will bring him that he may appear before the LORD and there abide for ever e That when once he is presented to the Lord he may continue in his Service as long as he liveth as is said v. 28. 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her Do what seemeth thee good tarry until thou have weaned him onely the LORD establish his word f Either First The word of God made known to them by Eli above v. 17. which being delivered by Gods High-Priest and that in answer to his and his Wives Prayers he took to be a kind of Oracle sent from God But that word was already fulfilled in the Birth of a Son Or Secondly Some other Word or Message from God to Elkanah or his Wife concerning Samuel for such Revelations were frequent in those Ages of the Church and were oft vouchsafed by God concerning such Children as were extraordinary Persons or in a special manner Devoted to God as concerning Isaac Gen. 18. and Sampson Iudg. 13. 3 4. and Iohn Baptist Luk. 1. 13 14 c. and others And so it might be here though it were not mentioned before there being many such things in Scripture omitted in their proper places which afterwards are
expressed or implyed upon other occasions Or rather Thirdly It may be rendered his matter or thing i. e. the Business concerning the Child that which thou hast Promised or Vowed concerning him that he may grow up and be accepted and employed by God in his Service and that he when he is fully grown may not break thy Vow but confirm it so the woman abode and gave her son suck until she had weaned him 24 ¶ And when she had weaned him she took him up with her with three bullocks g Either First One to be offered at that time the other two presented to the Priest whether for his own use or to be offered afterwards as he saw fit Or Secondly One for a burnt-offering the Second for a sin-offering the Third for a peace-offering of which they might all Feast together for all these sorts seem expedient for this work and time and one ephah of flour h For the meat-offerings belonging to the principal Sacrifices which to each Bullock were three tenth-deals or three tenth parts of an Ephah as appears from Numb 15. 9. and 28. 12 and so nine Homers or nine parts of the Ephah were spent and the tenth part was either a separate meat-offering or given to the Priest and a bottle of wine i For drink-offerings according to the manner and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh and the child was young 25 And they slew a bullock k Either First One of the three at the present reserving the rest for the future Or Secondly The three bullocks mentioned v. 24. to which the Article here added in the Hebrew seems manifestly to relate there being no one Bullock there singled out to which it can belong And so it is only an Enallage of the Singular Number for the Plural which is frequent and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said O my lord l A form of Speech to engage favourable attention as thy soul liveth m The usual Form of an Oath as Gen. 42. 15. 1 Sam. 17. 55. and 20. 3. As surely as thou livest Which asseverations seem necessary because this was some Years after it and was quite forgotten by him my lord I am the woman that stood by thee here praying unto the LORD 27 For this child I prayed and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him 28 Therefore also I have ‖ Or 〈◊〉 him whom I have 〈◊〉 by petition 〈◊〉 the LORD lent him to the LORD n Or given him c. i. e. do now give or offer him for she did not lend him for a time with a purpose or right to require him again The words may be rendred thus And I also asked him or made my self to ask him an usual Hebraism for the Lord i. e. I Prayed for this Child not only for my self and to take away my reproach but especially that I might have a Child to Serve and Devote to the Lord. And so the following words as long as he liveth are not to be joyned with this foregoing Clause but with those which come next after them and that whole Clause may be thus rendred as a consequent upon the former And or therefore all the days in which he is or shall be he is or shall be lent or given to the Lord or as one begged for the Lord and for his Service and therefore justly given to him as long as he liveth ‖ Or he 〈◊〉 I have â—…ed by petition shall be returned he shall be lent o Or rendred or used as one given in my Prayer for this was the condition of my Prayer that he should be the Lords to the LORD And he p Not Eli who is not mentioned but v. 25. and then only passively not as speaking or doing any thing nor Elkanah of whom here is no mention but young Samuel who is the subject spoken of in this and the foregoing Verse and who was capable of worshipping God in some sort at least with External Adoration of which see on v. 22. And so the Particle there is Emphatical signifying that hereby he entred himself into the worship and service of God in that place to which he was Devoted by his Parents and now did Devote himself worshipped the LORD there CHAP. II. AND Hannah prayed a i. e. Praise God which is a part of Prayer Col. 4. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 1. so it is a Synecdochical expression and said * See Luk. 1. 46. c. My heart rejoiceth b Or leapeth for joy for the words note not only inward joy but also the outward Demonstrations of it in the LORD c As the Author and the Matter of my joy that he hath heard my Prayer and accepted my Son for his Service mine horn is exalted d My strength and glory which are oft signified by an Horn as Psal. 89. 17 24. and 92. 10. are advanced and manifested to my Vindication and the Confusion of mine Enemies in the LORD my mouth is enlarged e i. e. Opened wide to pour forth abundant Praises to God and to give a full answer to all the reproaches of mine Adversaries whereas before it was shut through Grief and Confusion over mine enemies f i. e. More than theirs or so as to get the Victory over them as she saith afterwards Here she manifests her great Prudence and Piety and Modesty that she doth not name Peninnah but only her Enemies in the general because I rejoyce in thy salvation g Because the matter of my joy is no trivial or Worldly thing but that strange and glorious Salvation or Deliverance which thou hast given me from my own oppressing Care and Grief and from the Insolencies and Reproaches of mine Enemies in giving me a Son and such a Son as this who shall be serviceable to God and to his People in helping them against their Enemies which she Presaged as may be guessed from v. 10. 2 * Deut. 32. 4. Psal. 56. 8. and â—…9 6 8. There is none holy as the LORD h None so perfectly unchangeably and constantly Holy as God hath shewed himself to be in this Act of Grace to me whereby he hath both checked the Proud and Mighty and Pleaded the Cause of his Afflicted Servants that trusted in Him and also Fulfilled his Promise in giving me a Son whom he hath Sanctified by his Grace to his Service all which are the proper Effects of Gods Holiness for there is none beside thee i Not onely none is so holy as thou art but in truth there is none Holy which word is easily understood out of the former clause besides thee to wit intirely or independently but onely by participation from thee Or as none have any holiness like thine so none have any Being besides thee unless by derivation from thee neither is there any rock like our God k Thou onely art a sure
grosly abused and which as they might think would be rejected and abhorred by God himself and therefore they would not contribute to the Priests Sin and the corruption of Gods Worship but judged it better to neglect the thing than to expose it to the Priests depravation wherein yet they Erred as we see v. 24. 18 ¶ But Samuel ministred h i. e. Performed his Ministration carefully and faithfully not corrupting nor abusing it as Eli's Sons did before the LORD i In Gods Tabernacle or as in Gods presence sincerely and regularly with Gods approbation Compare Gen. 17. 1. 2 Chron. 26. 4. being a child * Exod. 〈◊〉 girded with a linnen Ephed k A garment used in Gods Service and allowed not onely to the inferior Priests and Levites but also to eminent persons of the People as 2 Sam. 6. 14. and therefore to Samuel who though no Levite was a Nazarite and that from his Birth 19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat l Suitable to his Age and Stature to be worn ordinarily for coats were their usual Garments See Gen. 3. 21. and 37. 3. 2 Sam. 15. 32. Cant. 5. 3. Dan. 2. 21. Luk. 3. 11. and 9. 3. and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice m Knowing that he could not yet do much service she would not have him too burdensome to the Tabernacle and therefore she yearly provided him with a Coat which was the chief and upper Garment and under that his other Garments possibly are comprehended 20 ¶ And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife m As their Superiour and Gods High-Priest he Blessed them in Gods Name and they received his Blessing by Faith which made it effectual v. 21. and said The LORD give thee seed n i. e. A Child or rather Children as the Event shewed of this woman for the ‖ Or Pâ—… which see â—…ed c. loan which is lent to the LORD o Or for the petition i. e. the thing desired to wit the Child which she thy Wife asked of the Lord or for the Lord as Chap. 1. 28. to whom accordingly she hath given them And therefore as she asked him not so much for her self for she seldom sees him as for the Lord to whose service she hath wholly devoted him So now I pray that God would give you other Children for both your comfort and enjoyment And they went unto their own home 21 And the LORD visited p To wit in Mercy and with his Blessing as that Word is used Gen. 21. 1. Exod. 13. 19. Ier. 15. 15. not in anger as it is taken Exod. 32. 34. Levit. 26. 16. Hannah so that she conceived and bare three sons and two daughters and the child Samuel grew q Not onely in Age and Stature but especially in Wisdom and Goodness as Luk. 1. 15. Or was magnified or grew great famous and acceptable as v. 26. before the LORD r Not onely before men who might be deceived but in the presence and judgment of the All-seeing God 22 ¶ Now Eli was very old s And therefore unfit either to manage his Office himself or to make a diligent inspection into the Carriage of his Sons in holy Administrations which gave them opportunity for their Wickedness and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel t Whom they injured in their Offerings and alienated from the Service of God and how they lay with the women that ‡ Or â—…bled by 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 Exod. 38. â—… Numb 4. 〈◊〉 and 8. 24. assembled u Or warred which expression is used of them either because they came to the Service and Worship of God in the Tabernacle which is often called a warfare or because they came in considerable Numbers and due order like to an Army at the door x The place where all the People both Men and Women waited when they came up to the Service of God 1 Sam. 1. 9 12. Luk. 1. 10. because they could not have admittance into the Tabernacle and because the Altar on which their Sacrifices were offered was by the door Hence it seems probable that these Women were not such as devoted themselves to the Service of God and of his Tabernacle either by Fasting and Prayer c. Or by Sowing Spinning c. which if then there were any such had their Stations not at the door but in divers places allotted to them round about the Tabernacle but of such as came up to Worship God at his Tabernacle as Women oft-times did with their Husbands as here Hannah did and the Blessed Virgin Mary Luke 2. 41. or with their Parents And this Exposition may receive strength from Exod. 38. 8. where the very same Phrase is used and that when the great Tabernacle was not yet built and so there was no occasion for any Women to come to the other less Tabernacle then used save onely to Pray or offer Sacrifices of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 23 And he said unto them Why do ye such things y As those above mentioned v. 13. and v. 22. Eli's Sin in this matter was not onely that he reproved them too gently and generally and sparingly but especially that he contented himself with a Verbal Rebuke and did not restrain them as is said Chap. 3. 13. and inflict those Punishments upon them of putting them out of their Priests Office and cutting them off from Gods People which such high Crimes deserved by Gods Law and which he as Judge and High-Priest ought to have done without all respect of persons for ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hear 〈◊〉 words of 〈◊〉 I hear of your evil dealings by all this people z That dwell here or come hither to Worship 24 Nay my sons for it is no good report a Words too mild for such Diabolical Actions that I hear ye make the LORD's people ‖ Or to cry 〈◊〉 to transgress b Either 1. The Women that by your instigation were drawn to folly Or 2. others who are easily brought to follow your pernicious example Or 3. Other persons of Pious and honest Minds whom therefore he calls the Lords people by way of distinction from the children of Belial who were so highly offended with the great dishonour done to God and to his Worship and with the horrible Wickedness of the Priests that upon that occasion they were hurried into the other Extreme and lived in the neglect and contempt of their own indispensable duty of offering Sacrifices because they came through the Priests hands 25 If one man sin against another c By doing any injury ‡ Heb. God shall judge him Gr. They shall pray for him to the Lord. the judge shall judge him d The Magistrate shall by his Sentence end the difference and both Parties shall acquiesce in his Determination and so the Breach shall be
Ior. 34. 7. Ezek. 13. 9 20. Amos 7. 15. Absalom i e. having used some though it is probable but cold and remiss endeavours to pursue after Absalom and to fetch him from his Grandfathers to receive condign punishment he now gave over thoughts of it Thus the same Verb and that in the same conjugation is used in the same manner 1 King 3. 1. he made an end of building It is to be Objected That the Hebrew Verb is of the Feminine Gender and therefore doth not agree with King David which is Masculine It may be Answered That Enallage of Genders is a most frequent Figure and as the Masculine Gender is sometimes applied to Women when they do some manly and gallant Action as Exod. 1. 21. So the Feminine Gender is sometimes used of Men when they shew an effeminate tenderness in their disposition which is the case here as some Learned Hebricians have noted for he was comforted concerning Amnon seeing he was dead CHAP. XIV NOw Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the kings heart was toward Absalom a He desired to see him but was ashamed to show kindness to one whom Gods Law and his own Conscience obliged him to punish and wanted a fair pretence which therefore Ioab gave him 2 And Joab sent to Tekoah b A City of Iudah 2 Chron. 11. 5 6. One of Ierusalem was not convenient lest the King might know the person or search out the business And besides this Woman seems to be of great eminency for her Wisdom as the following discourse manifests and fetcht thence a wise woman c Rather than a Man because Women can more easily express their passions and do sooner procure pity in their miseries and an answer to their requests and said unto her I pray thee feign thy self to be a mourner and put on now mourning apparel and anoint not thy self with oil d As they used to do when they were out of a Mourning state See Ruth 3. 3. Matth. 6. 17. but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead 3 And come to the king and speak on this manner unto him so Joab put the words in her mouth 4 ¶ And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance and said ‡ Heb. save Help O king 5 And the king said unto her What aileth thee And she answered I am indeed a widow-woman e One of them who most need thy compassion and assistance and whom thou art by Gods Law obliged in a singular manner to protect and relieve and mine husband is dead 6 And thy handmaid had two sons and they two strove together in the field and there was ‡ Heb. no deliverer between them none to part them f And therefore there is no witness either that he killed him or how he killed him whether from some sudden passion and great provocation or in his own necessary defence or otherwise but the one smote the other and slew him g As the avengers of Blood report 7 And behold the whole family is risen against thine handmaid and they said Deliver him that smote his brother that we may kill him h According to the Law Numb 35. 19. Deut. 19. 12. for the life of his brother whom he slew and we will destroy the heir also i So they plainly discover that their prosecution of him was not so much from love of Justice as from a covetous desire to deprive him of the Inheritance and to transfer it to themselves which self-interest might justly render their Testimony suspected Or perhaps these words are not spoken as the express words of the prosecutors who can hardly be thought so directly to express a sinister design as the Womans Inference or Comment upon what they were doing for this would be indeed the result of it though they did not so in express words thereby to lie to represent her case as the more deserving pity and so they shall quench my coal which is left k The poor remainder of my light and comfort by whom alone my hopes may be revived and repaired and shall not leave to my husband l She names him rather than her self because Children bear the names of their Fathers not of their Mothers neither name nor remainder ‡ Heb. upon the face of the earth upon the earth 8 And the king said unto the woman Go to thine house and I will give charge concerning thee m That thy cause may be justly and truly examined and thy Son preserved from their unjust and malicious proceedings 9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king My lord O king the iniquity be on me and on my fathers house and the king and his throne be guiltless n The sense is either first this If I do not inform thee aright and thou thereby beest drawn to give an unrighteous sentence on my behalf I am willing to bear the whole blame of it before God and Men I acknowledge thou art wholly innocent in the case Compare Gen. 27. 13. Or Secondly this If through thy forgetfulness or neglect of this my just cause my adversaries prevail and destroy my Son my desire is that God would not lay it to the Kings charge but rather to me and mine so the King may be exempted thereby Whereby she both insinuates her great esteem of and affection for the King thereby winning upon him to compass her design and withal implies that such an omission of the Kings will bring guilt upon him and yet most prudently and decently orders her Phrase so as not to seem to blame or threaten the King Compare Exod. 5. 16. 2 Sam. 20. 16. This sense seems best to agree with David's answer which shews that she desired some further assurance of the Kings care and justice in her concern 10 And the king said Whosoever saith ought unto thee bring him to me and he shall not touch thee o i. e. So as to hurt or molest thee by pursuing thy Son any more 11 Then said she I pray thee let the king remember the LORD thy God p The sense is either first Make mention as this Hebrew Verb is oft rendred of the name of the Lord thy God to wit in an Oath i. e. Swear to me by God That thou wilt protect me and my Son against the revenger of Blood For so David did in compliance with this desire of hers Onely she was forced to express her mind in more general and ambiguous terms because it had been presumption and rudeness for her in plain terms to desire the Kings Oath as if she durst not trust his word yet withal she insinuates her meaning so plainly that the King understood it and yet so handsomly and elegantly that the King was much pleased with her Wisdom and thereby inclined to grant her request Or Secondly this Remember the
2 Chron. 1. 12. I will as certainly give them as if I had actually done it for future certain things are oft expressed in Scripture in the past time as is well known to all thee that which thou hast not asked both riches and honour so that there ‖ Or 〈◊〉 not been shall not be i So it is true of all the succeeding Kings of Israel of whom he speaks Or hath not been as it is in the Hebrew and so it may be true of all the Kings that then were or had been in the world whereof none was like to him to wit in all the things here mentioned and wherein he is compared with them which is not onely in Riches but also in Wisdom and in Honour or Renown any among the kings like unto thee all thy days k To wit of thy life Whereby he signifies that these gifts of God were not temporary and transient as they were in Saul but such as should abide with him whilst he lived 14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways l This caution God gives him lest his great Wisdom should make him proud or careless or presumptuous as if he were out of all danger and to oblige him to more care and circumspection to avoid the snares and mischiefs to which so much prosperity and glory would probably expose him and withal to justify himself in case he should afterwards alter the course of his Providence towards Solomon and that when men are surprized with Solomon's dreadful fall they might know it was no surprizal to God but that he did foresee it and would over-rule it to his own Glory one way or other to keep my statutes and my commandments * Chap. 15. 5. as thy father David did walk then I will lengthen thy days 15 And Solomon awoke and behold it was a dream m i. e. He perceived that it was a Dream not a vain Dream wherewith men are commonly deluded but a Divine Dream assuring him of the thing which he knew partly by a Divine impression and inspiration thereof in his mind after he was awakened and partly by the vast alteration which he presently found within himself in point of Wisdom and Knowledge and he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD n Which was there in the City of David 2 Sam. 6. 17. before which he presented himself in way of Holy Ministration and Adoration which may be noted by the word stood Or that word may note his abode there for some considerable time as the offering of so many Sacrifices required and offered up burnt-offerings o Chiefly for the expiation of his and his peoples sin through the Blood of Christ manifestly signified in these Sacrifices and offered peace-offerings p Solemnly to praise God for all his Mercies and especially for giving him a quiet and fixed possession of the Kingdom and for his Glorious appearance to him in a Dream and for the great promise therein made to him and the actual accomplishment of it since wrought in him and made a feast to all his servants 16 ¶ Then came there two women that were harlots q Or Victuallers for the Hebrew word signifies both See on Ios. 2. 1. And possibly they might be both this by their open profession and the other by their secret practice not that they were common Harlots for neither would Solomon have tolerated such nor durst such have presented themselves before so wise and just a Ruler nor do such use either to bring forth Children or to have such a tender care of and affection to them as these express Yet that they were unmarried persons and so guilty of Fornication seems most probable both because there is no mention of any Husbands whose office it was if there were any such to contest for their Wives and because they lived a solitary life in one House unto the king r Haply they had presented their Cause to the Inferior Courts who could not determine and therefore now they bring it to the King as the Supreme Magistrate and famous for his Wisdom and stood there before him s Desiring and expecting his Sentence in the case 17 And the one woman said O my lord I and this woman dwell in one house and I was delivered of a child with her in the house 18 And it came to pass the third day t So they could not be distinguished by their Age. after that I was delivered that the woman was delivered also and we were together there was no stranger with us in the house u Therefore no Witness on either side and although there might be some sensible difference to an exact observer between the features of the two Children yet it is not probable that was much minded by the Neighbours for though civil Women might assist them both in their Child-births yet it is not likely they would afterwards converse much with them as being persons of suspected fame and the features of the Children especially for so few days night easily be so like that it was difficult to discern the one from the other And the Testimonies of the Women were of equal credit i. e. of none at all save we two in the house 19 And this womans child died in the night because she over-laid it x And so smothered it which she justly conjectures because there were evidences of that kind of death but no appearance of any other cause thereof 20 And she arose at midnight y When I was asleep as she reasonably and truly concluded and took my son from beside me z Either because the really desired the comfort of a Child to be educated by her and owned as hers or because she would not be thought guilty of the Childs death for which she knew not how severely Solomon would punish her while thine handmaid slept a As the might well know because had she been awake she had discovered and prevented her design and laid it in her bosome and laid her dead child in my bosome 21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck behold it was dead but when I had considered it in the morning behold it was not my son which I did bear 22 And the other woman said Nay but the living is my son and the dead is thy son and this said No but the dead is thy son and the living is my son Thus they spake before the king b Both peremptorily and vehemently affirmed the same thing oft repeating the same words 23 Then said the king The one saith This is my son that liveth and thy son is the dead and the other saith Nay but thy son is the dead and my son is the living 24 And the king said Bring me a sword and they brought a sword before the king 25 And the king said c With seeming sincerity and earnestness though with a
design far above the reach of the two Women or of the People present who probably with admiration and horror expected the execution of it Divide the living child in two and give half to the one and half to the other 26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king for * Hos. 11. 8. her bowels ‡ Heb. were hot yerned upon her son and she said O my lord give her the living child and in no wise slay it but the other said Let it be neither mine nor thine but divide it 27 Then the king answered and said Give her the living child and in no wise slay it she is the mother thereof d As is evident from her Natural and Motherly affection to the Child which she had rather have alienated and given away from her than destroyed 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged and they feared the king for they saw that the wisdom of God e Either great and eminent Wisdom as the Cedars or mountains of God are the highest and most eminent of the kind or Divine Wisdom with which God had inspired him for the better government of his People was ‡ Heb. in the midst of him in him to do judgment f To assist him in Wisely examining and Justly determining the causes and controversies of his people CHAP. IV. SO king Solomon was king over all Israel a This is spoken with respect to his Successors who were Kings onely over a part and that the smallest part of it Or in reference to the times of Division and Rebellion under David when part went after David and part after Ishbosheth or part after Absalom or Zeba or Adonijah but now all Israel were united under Solomon and adhered to him not onely a part of them especially since the death of Adonijah and Ioab who may be suspected to have watched an opportunity of revolting and the confinement of Abiathar and of Shimei if not his death also who could now have little or no interest or opportunity of setting up a party against Solomon their principals being taken away to whom they were but accessaries nor in probability any design to attempt it 2 And these were the princes which he had b i. e. The chief Rulers or Officers belonging to him Azariah the son c Or the Grand-son by comparing this with 1 Chron. 6. 8 9. of Zadok d Either Zadok the Priest 1 Chron. 6. 8 9. or some other of that name ‖ Or the chief officer the priest e So he was the second Priest or the Priest that attended upon Solomon's person in Holy Offices and Administrations But when this Sacred Writer professeth to give an account of Solomon's Princes Why should he put the second Priest or Solomon's Domestick Priest in the first place Or why should he be mentioned distinctly from his Father who was generally present with Solomon and could easily either by himself or some other fit person or persons appointed by him manage all the Kings Sacred concerns Or why is he named before his Father Others therefore render this Hebrew word Prince as it is used Gen. 41. 45. and 47. 22 26. Exod. 2. 16. 2 Sam. 8. 18. So he was either the chief in Dignity the first Prince and the highest Officer in the State next to the King or the chief Minister of State by whom the great Affairs of State were managed and prepared for the Kings consideration c. 3 Elihoreph and Ahiah the sons of Shisha ‖ Or secretaries scribes f i. e. Secretaries of State He chose two whereas David had but one either because he observed some inconveniencies in trusting all those matters in one hand or because he had now much more employment than David had this being a time of great Peace and Prosperity and his Empire enlarged and his correspondencies with Foreign Princes more frequent Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud the ‖ Or remembrancer recorder g Of which see on 2 Sam. 8. 16. 4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests h i. e. The High-Priests to wit successively first Abiathar and then Zadok Quest. Why is Abiathar named when he was deposed Ans. First Because it is ordinary for persons to retain the Names and Titles of those places which in reallity they have lost Secondly Because though he was deposed from the High-Priesthood yet he was a Priest and the Chief of one of the Priestly Families and as Zadok was joyntly named with Abiathar when Abiathar alone was the High-Priest as 2 Sam. 8. 17. and 20. 25 so now Zadok and Abiathar are joyned although the High-Priesthood was rested in Zadok alone Thirdly Possibly Abiathar though he was deposed from the Supreme Priesthood yet upon his serious repentance and by the intercession of his Friends was restored to the execution of the Priestly Office and put into that place which Zadok enjoyed when Abiathar was High-Priest Fourthly Some say that here is mention made of all Solomon's Chief Officers both such as now were and such as had been and such as were afterwards as they gather from v. 11. and 15. where two persons are named who Married two of Solomon's Daughters which could not be till many Years after this time 5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers i Or Overseers or Surveyors to wit over those twelve Officers named ver 7 c. where this Hebrew word is used who were all subject and to give up their accounts to him Though the word signifies any Governors or Commanders of the higher sort as 1 King 5. 16. 2 Chron. 8. 10. and Zabud the son of Nathan k The Prophet who had been so highly instrumental in Solomon's Establishment in the Throne was principal officer l Possibly President of the Kings Council The Hebrew word is Cohen which ver 2. is rendred Priest whence some read this place thus Zabud the son of Nathan the Priest or the Minister as the word properly signifies and that Title well enough agrees to a Prophet or the Prince for the Prophet Nathan was a man considerable both for his quality and for his honour and esteem with the King was the kings friend and the kings friend m Either his special favourite both for his Fathers sake and for his own having it seems been brought up with him or his confident with whom he used to communicate his most secret counsels 6 And Abishar was over the houshold n Steward of the Kings Houshold and * Chap. 5. 14. Adoniram the son of Abda was over the ‖ Or levy tribute o To wit the personal Tribute or the Levy of men as appears by comparing this with chap. 5. 13 14. it being very sit that there should be some one person to whom the chief conduct or inspection of that great
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
Heathen Authors as Porphyrius Plutarch and others and partly to oblige the Israelites to quit the siege out of compassion or as despairing to Conquer at least without greater loss of men than it was worth him who was resolved to defend himself and City to the utmost extremity that should have reigned in his stead and * Amos 2. 1. offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall y That the besiegers might see it and be moved by it and there was ‡ Heb. great repentance upon Israel great indignation against Israel z Or great trouble or repentance upon Israel i. e. the Israelitish King and people who was the first cause of the War and had brought the rest into confederacy with him were greatly afflicted and grieved for this barbarous action and resolved to prosecute the War no further and so withdrew their Forces as also did their Allies and returned to their several Homes Which they were the more willing to do because the Kingdom and Countrey of Moab were so ruinated both as to their Men and Cities or Villages and Lands that they were all secure of any great annoyance from it and they departed from him and returned to their own land CHAP. IV. NOw there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets a Who though they were wholly devoted to Sacred employment were not excluded from Marriage no more than the Priests and Levites unto El sha saying Thy servant my husband is dead and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD b His poverty therefore was not procured by his idleness or prodigality or rather wickedness but by his Piety because he would not comply with the Kings way of worship and therefore lost all worldly advantages and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bond-men c Either to use them as his slaves or to sell them to others according to his Law Of which see Exod. 21. 2. Levit. 25. 39. Isa. 50. 1. Matth. 18. 25. 2 And Elisha said unto her What shall I do for thee d How shall I relieve thee who am my self poor Tell me what hast thou in the house e Which may contribute to the Payment of thy Debts or at least to the satisfaction of thy Creditors who may perchance deal favourably with thee through my persuasion And she said Thine hand-maid hath not any thing in the house save a pot of oil f Which was useful for divers things about the Service of God and health or delight or ornament and other uses of men See Iudg. 9. 9. 3 Then he said Go borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours even empty vessels ‖ Or 〈◊〉 not borrow not a few 4 And when thou art come in thou shalt shut the door upon thee g Partly that none may hinder thee from minding thy work of filling and removing the Vessels which will require attention and diligence partly that thou alone maist enjoy the benefit of it partly lest any of thy Creditors should break in upon thee and seize upon thy borrowed Vessels before they are filled partly that thy mind being freed from distraction may be wholly employed in Prayer and Praising of God and partly that it may be manifest that this is the work of God alone and upon thy sons and shalt pour out h Out of the Pot in which God multiplied the Oil from time to time into all those vessels and thou shalt set aside that which is full 5 So she went from him and shut the door upon her and upon her sons who brought the vessels to her and she poured out 6 And it came to pass when the vessels were full that she said unto her son i To one of them for she had two v. 1. Bring me yet a vessel And he said unto her There is not a vessel more And the oil stayed k To teach us that we should not waste any of Gods Good Creatures and that God would not work Miracles unnecessarily 7 Then she came and told the man of God and he said Go sell the oil and pay thy ‖ Or creditor debt and live thou and thy children of the rest l First do Justice to others and then take care of thy self and Children 8 ¶ And ‡ Heb. there was a day it â—…ell on a day that Elisha passed to Shunem m A City in Issachar near Mount Carmel Ios. 19. 17 18. whither the Prophet frequently went where was a great woman n For Estate or Birth and Quality See Gen. 24. 35. 1 Sam. 25. 2. and she ‡ Heb. laid â—…old on him constrained him o By her importunate desire to eat bread p To take his repast there And so it was that as oft as he passed by he turned in thither to eat bread 9 And she said unto her husband Behold now I perceive that this is an holy man of God q A Prophet as Iudg. 13. 6. and that of eminent Holiness by our kindness to whom we shall procure a blessing to our selves which passeth by us continually 10 Let us make a little chamber I pray thee on the wall r That he may be free from the noise of Family-business and enjoy that privacy which I perceive he desireth for his Prayers and Meditations and let us set for him there a bed and a table and a stool and a candlestick s He will not be troublesome or thargeable to us he cares not for rich Furniture or costly Entertainment and is content with bare necessaries and it shall be when he cometh to us that he shall turn in thither 11 And it fell on a day that he came thither and he turned into the chamber and lay there 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant Call this Shunammite And when he had called her she stood before him s i. e. Before the Prophet in the door of his Chamber as it is said ver 15. The relation seems to be a little perplexed but may be thus conceived It is in this Verse recorded in the general That the Prophet sent Gehazi to call her and that the came to him upon that call then follows a particular description of the whole business with all the circumstances first of the message with which Gehazi was sent when he went to call her and of her answer to that message ver 13. and of Gehazi's conjecture thereupon ver 14. and then of her coming to the Prophet at his call which is there repeated to make way for the following passages 13 And he said ‖ Or had said unto him Say now unto her Behold thou hast been careful for us with all this care What is to be done for thee t Where with shall I recompence all thy care and kindness to me and my Servant Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king or to the captain
amongst others his obstinate cleaving to the Idolatry of the Calves and the Whoredoms and Witchcrafts of his Mother Iezabel 2 King 9. 22. and the Wickedness of his People which was the true and proper cause of this and all their Calamities and lays the blame of all upon Elisha either supposing that he who had the Spirit of Elijah resting upon him had brought this Famine by his Prayers as Elijah had formerly done 1 King 17. 1. or because he had encouraged them to withstand the Syrians by promising them help from God in due time or because he would not by his intercession to God and the working of a Miracle deliver them from these Calamities as he easily could have done But he did not consider that the Prophets could not work what Miracles and when they pleased but onely as far as God saw fit whose time was not yet come otherwise it was Elisha's Interest as well as theirs to be freed from this distress 32 But Elisha sat in his house u In the House where he Iodged for he had no House of his own having forsaken all when he followed Elijah 1 King 19. 20 21. and the elders x So they might be called Either First From their age Or rather Secondly From their office which was either Ecclesiastical or Civil so they were either the Sons of the Prophets or rather some Godly men who were then in some Power and Office either in the Court or Army or City as may seem probable from what he requires of them And though Ioram was a wicked King and most of his Officers probably like himself yet there were some of them whom Elisha's Holy Life and Powerful Ministry and Glorious Miracles and the great and publick benefits procured by him had won to God and to the True Religion at least to the profession of it among which Iehu might be one and these were here sitting with him either to receive comfort and counsel from him in this distressed time or rather to solicite him to use his Power with God for their relief which accordingly he doth and in compliance with them not out of any fear of the King from which he very well knew by frequent experience and certain assurance that God both could and would deliver him he gives the following answer chap. 7. 1. sat with him and the king sent a man from before him y Or one of them who stood before his face one of his Guard or some other Officer to take away his head as it follows but ere the messenger came to him he said to the elders z Being admonished by God of his danger See ye how this son of a murderer a The genuine Son of that wicked Ahab the Murderer of the Lords Prophets 1 King 18. 4. and 21. 9. whose son he is not by Birth onely but also by his Manners and Bloody disposition Compare Ioh. 8. 44. This expression may seem very harsh and unfit nor is it to be drawn into imitation by others but it must be considered that he was an extraordinary Prophet intrusted with a Power in some sort superior to that of Ioram and had Authority to controle and rebuke him in the Name of the King of kings hath sent to take away mine head b To kill me before he hear what I have to say Look when the messenger cometh shut the door and hold him c Not the King but the Messenger who was last mentioned that he may not break in upon me and take away my life before the King comes fast at the door Is not the sound of his masters feet behind him d You shall not need to hold him long for the King is just at his heels coming as is probable either to recall his rash and furious sentence or at least to debate the matter with the Prophet and to procure relief 33 And while he yet talked with them behold the messenger came down unto him e To wit to the Door where also we are to understand that he was held fast that he could not come at the Prophet till the King came as the Prophet had commanded them to do and he said f Either 1. The Messenger in the Kings name and words Or Secondly The King himself who though not here named may be presumed to be present both by the Prophets prediction of his speedy coming and by the presence of the lord on whose hand the king leaned chap. 7. 2. Behold this evil g This dreadful Famine which is now so extream that Women are forced to eat their own Children is of the LORD h He hath inflicted it and for ought that I see he will net remove it Thus he lays all the blame upon God not as he ought upon his own and his Mothers wickedness which provoked God who doth not willingly afflict to send this heavy Judgment upon him what should I wait for the LORD any longer i Thou bidst me wait upon God for help but I perceive I may wait long enough before deliverance comes I am weary with waiting I can wait no longer CHAP. VII THen Elisha said a Either to the Messenger to be reported to the King or rather to the King being then come to him as it is expressed ver 18. and to his Courtiers who were come with him ver 2. Hear ye the word of the LORD Thus saith the LORD b The Lord whom you have so highly offended and at present despise and refuse to wait upon of his own meer Grace and Bounty hath sent you the glad tidings of your deliverance To morrow about this time shall a measure c Heb. Seah a Measure containing six Cabs or 144 Egg-shells or about a Peck and a Pottle of our Measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel d Compare this with chap. 6. 25. and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria 2 Then ‡ Heb. a lord which belonged to the King leaning upon his hand a lord on whose hand the king leaned e When he walked See chap. 5. 18. answered the man of God and said Behold if the LORD would make windows f Through which he could Rain down Corn as once he did Manna in heaven might this thing be And he said Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shalt not eat thereof g A just punishment for such peremptory unbelief whereby he made not onely the Prophet but even God himself in whose Name it was evident Elisha said and did this and other things a lyar 3 ¶ And there were four leprous men at the entring in of the gate h To wit of the City out of which they were shut by virtue Gods Law Lev. 13. 46. and 14. 3 either the dwelling-place of the Lepers was near the Gate or they were come very near the Gate for fear of the Syrians and they said one to another Why sit
Shall I ‡ Heb. live Chap. 1. 2. recover of this disease 10 And Elisha said unto him Go say unto him Thou mayest certainly recover howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die p Here is no contradiction for the first words contain an answer to Benhadad's question ver 8. Shall I recover this disease To which the answer is thâ—…u mayest or shalt recover i. e. notwithstanding thy Disease which is not morâ—…l and shall not take away thy life The later words contain the Prophets explication of or addition to that answer which is that he should die not by the power of his Disease but by some other cause But it is observable that in the Hebrew Text it is lo the Adverb which signifies not which though most affirm to be put for lo the Pronoun signifying to him yet others take it as it lies and Translate the words thus Say thou shalt not recover for the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die Or according to the former reading the first words may be taken Interrogatively say unto him Shalt thou indeed recover as thou dost flatter thy self no which negation is implied in the very question and gathered from the following words for the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die 11 And he setled his countenance ‡ Heb. and â—…et it stedfastly q The Prophet fixed his eyes upon Hazael until he was ashamed r Either till the Prophet was ashamed to look any longer upon him or till Hazael was ashamed as apprehending that the Prophet suspected or discerned something extraordinary and of an evil and shameful nature in him The Hebrew words are ambiguous and may indifferently â—…e referred to either of them but they seem more properly to belong to Hazael because it follows by way of distinction the man of God wept and the man of God wept 12 And Hazael said Why weepeth my lord And he answered Because I know * Chap. 10. 32. and 13. 3. Amos 1. 3. the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel s So here was a double cause of his Grief and Tears the evil of sin in Hazael and the evil of suffering upon Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt * Chap. 15. 16. Hos. 13. 16. Amos 1. 13. dash their children and rip up their women with child 13 And Hazael said But what is thy servant a dog t Either so vile and unworthy as this expression is used 2 Sam. 3. 8. and 9. 8. or so impudent for which Dogs are noted or so fierce and barbarous and inhumane Compare Psal. 22. 16 20. and 59. 6. that he should do this great thing And Elisha answered The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria u And when thou shalt have power in thy hand thou wiltst discover that bloody disposition and that hatred against Gods People which now lies hid from others and possibly from thy self and therefore with the Kingdom thou wiltst inherit their cruel â—…ons 14 So he departed from Elisha and came to his master who said to him What said Elisha to thee And he answered He told me that thou shouldest surely recover x He represents the Prophets answer by halves that by his Masters security he might have the fitter opportunity to execute his Treasonable design 15 And it came to pass on the morrow that he took a thick cloth and dipt it in water and spread it on his face y Pretending it may be to cool his immoderate heat with it but applying it so closely that he choaked him therewith by which Artifice his Death seemed to be Natural there being no signs of a violent Death upon his Body And this he the more boldly attempted because the Prophets Prediction made him confident of the success so that he died and Hazael reigned in his stead z Having the favour of the People and of the Men of War 16 ¶ And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah * 2 Chr. 21. 4. Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah ‡ Heb. reigned began to reign a Iehoram was first made King or Vice-Roy by his Father divers Years before this time to wit at his expedition to Ramoth-Gilead as was noted before which Dominion of his ended at his Fathers return But now Iehoshaphat being not far from his Death and having divers Sons and fearing some competition and dissention among them makes Iehoram King the second time as David did Solomon upon the like occasion 1 Chron. 29. 22. which is the thing here related But of this see more in the Notes on 2 King 1. 17. and 3. 1. 17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign and he reigned eight years b Part with his Father and part by himself alone in Jerusalem 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel c After his Fathers Death as did the house of Ahab for * Ver. 26. the daughter of Ahab d Athaliah ver 26. This unequal Marriage though Iehoshaphat possibly designed it as a mean of Uniting the two Kingdoms under one Head and in the True Religion is here and elsewhere noted as the cause both of the great wickedness of his Posterity and of those sore Calamities which befel them was his wife and he did evil in the sight of the LORD 19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servants sake * 2 Sam. 7. 13. as he promised him to give him alway e Heb. all days until the coming of the Messiah as it is elsewhere limited and explained for so long and not longer this Succession might seem necessary for the making good of Gods Promise and Covenant made with David But when the Messiah was once come there was no more need of any Succession and the Scepter might and did without any inconvenience depart from Iudah and from all the succeeding Branches of David's Family because the Messiah was to hold the Kingdom for ever in his own Person though not in so gross a way as the carnal Iews imagined but in a Spiritual manner a ‡ Heb. candle or lamp light f i. e. A Son and Successor Of this Phrase see on 1 King 11. 36. and to his children 20 ¶ In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Iudah g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had been from David's time 2 Sam. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… King 22. 47. and made a king over themselves 21 So Joram went over to Zair and all the chariots with him and he rose by night and smote the Edomites which compassed him about and the captains of the chariots and the people h i. e. The common Soldiers of the Edomites herein following the example of their Captains fled into
agreement with me by a present u To redeem your selves from all the Calamities of a close Siege and that Death which certainly will follow on them Or procure or purchase a blessing from me i. e. a blessed Peace whereby you may be delivered out of your distressed and cursed condition and receive from me the Blessings of Protection and Provision which your King cannot give you and come out to me and then eat ye every man of his own vine x Upon these terms I will give you no Disturbance but quietly suffer each of you to enjoy his own Possessions and every one of his fig-tree and drink ye every one the waters of his ‖ Or pit cistern 32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land y i. e. A fruitful and pleasant Land Because he could not conceal from them his intentions of transplanting them into another Land which he had already discovered in his dealing with the Israelites and other Nations he assures them they shall be no losers by it and shall onely change their place but not their condition and comforts which they should enjoy in that Land no less than in their own a land of corn and wine a land of bread and vineyards a land of oil-olive and of honey that ye may live and not die and hearken not unto Hezekiah when he ‖ Or 〈◊〉 perswadeth you saying The LORD will deliver us 33 * Iâ—…a 10. 10. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria 34 Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad z Of which see Ier. 49. 23. where are the gods of Sepharvaim a Of which see Chap. 17. 24. Hena and Ivah b The names either 1. Oâ—… Idol-gods But why should onely these two be named and not the Gods of the other places here mentioned Or rather 2. of Cities or Countries as is manifest from Chap. 19. 13. where those words are repeated among other places whose Kings are there mentioned and where they are rendred of Henah and Ivah as they should be here also the words in the Hebrew being the very same have they c i. e. Either the gods here mentioned which together with other Idols were Worshipped in Samaria Or 2. Their gods which is easily understood from the foregoing words delivered Samaria out of mine hand 35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries that have delivered their countrey out of mine hand that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand 36 But the people d i. e. Either these Three Men this Word being sometimes used of a very few men as 1 Sam. 9. 24. Or rather the people that were with them upon the wall ver 26. to whom he spake and from whom he expected an answer held their peace and answered him not a word for the kings commandment was saying Answer him not e Which was wisely ordered partly lest by their words they should either betray their Fears or provoke their Enemies to greater Injuries or Blasphemies or give them some advantage or direction for their further Proceedings and partly that by this Instance of Obedience and Calmness he might see the resolution of the People to cleave unto their King and the vanity of his Attempts to seduce them to a defection from him 37 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah which was over the houshold and Shebna the scribe and Joash the son of Asaph the recorder to Hezekiah * Isa. 36. 22. with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rab-shakeh CHAP. XIX AND * Isa. 37. 1. it came to pass when king Hezekiah heard it that he rent his clothes and covered himself with sack cloth and went into the house of the LORD 2 And he sent Eliakim which was over the houshold and Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests covered with sack cloth to * Luk. 3. 4. called Esaias Isaiah the prophet the son of Amos. 3 And they said unto him Thus saith Hezekiah This day is a day of trouble and of rebuke a Either 1. From God wherein God rebukes and chastens us sorely Or rather 2. From the Assyrian who Reviles and Reproacheth us for his business here is to complain not of God but of the Assyrian and ‖ Or provocation blasphemy for the children are come to the birth and there is not strength to bring forth b We are like a poor Travelling Woman in great Extremity and having no strength left to help her self and to bring forth her Infant into the World We have attempted to deliver our selves from the Assyrian Yoke and had carried on that work to some maturity and as we thought brought it to the Birth but now we have no might to finish unless thou assist us We have begun an happy Reformation and are hindred by this insolent Assyrian from bringing it to perfection See 2 Chron. 32. 1. 4 It may be c He speaks doubtfully because he knew not whether God would not deliver them all up into the Assyrians hand as he and his people deserved But sometimes this is not a word of doubt but of good hope as Numb 22. 33. Iosh. 14. 12. the LORD thy God d To whom thou art dear and precious He saith not our God because he seemed to have forsaken and rejected them and they by their Designs had forfeited all their Interest in him will hear e i. e. Will shew by his Actions that he hath heard them with just Indignation all the words of Rab-shakeh whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God and will reprove the words f Or rather will reprove him An Ellipsis of the Pronoun which is frequent in the Hebrew Tongue for the words as the Syriack and Arabick and Caldee render it which the LORD thy God hath heard wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant g This he mentions as an Argument to stir up Isaiah to pray and to move God's Compassion towards them That they were but a small Remnant either of God's People of whom Ten Tribes were now lost or of the Kingdom of Iudah which had been greatly wasted and depopulated in the days of Ahaz and now lately by this Assyrian ver 13. that are ‡ Heb. sound left 5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah 6 ¶ And Isaiah said unto them Thus shall ye say to your master Thus saith the LORD Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me 7 Behold I will send a blast upon him h Heb. a wind a Storm or Tempest by which name God's Judgments are oft called i. e. a violent and sudden and terrible Stroke namely That miraculous Destruction of his Army of which ver 35. Although the place
as it follows but by vehement perswasions and denunciations of Gods further Judgments upon him if he did not depart Some suppose that the Earthquake mentioned Amos 1. 1. Zech. 14. 5. happened upon this occasion as another token of Gods displeasure against this unparallel'd arrogancy yea himself * 〈◊〉 6. 12 hasted also to go out because the LORD had smitten him 21 * 〈◊〉 15. 5. 〈◊〉 13. 26 〈◊〉 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death r God would have this Leprosy to be incurable as a lasting monument of his Anger against such presumptuous Invaders of the Priests office and dwelt in a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †several house being a leper s As he was obliged to do by Law Levit. 13. 46. which he durst not now resist being under the hand and stroke of God and under the fear of further and worse plagues if he did so for t So the following words are a reason of the former he dwelt in a several house because he might not come into the Temple or Courts nor consequently into any publick Assembly or the society of others Or and therefore as the Hebrew Chi oft signifies and the Particle and is oft understood So it is an inference from the next foregoing words He was a Leper and therefore he was cut off c. He who could not content himself with Gods allowance but usurped the Priests place and office is now deprived of the priviledge of the meanest of his People A just and most suitable Judgment he was cut off from the house of the LORD and Jotham his son was over the kings house judging the people of the land 22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah first and last did Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz write 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings for they said He is a leper and Jotham his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XXVII 1 JOtham * 2 Kin 15 32 c. was twenty and five years old when he began to reign and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem his mothers name also was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Uzziah did howbeit he entred not into the temple of the LORD a To wit to offer Incense But seeing this was commendable how is this mentioned as an exception from the foregoing Character that he did as his Father did in that which was right c. Answ. It is an exception onely from the last clause where also one word may be supplied out of the foregoing words as is most usual in Scripture thus He did according to all that his father Uzziah did then it fitly follows howbeit c. i. e. except in his miscarriages And the people did yet corruptly 3 He built b i. e. Repaired it for it was built before ch 11. 5. the high-gate c 〈◊〉 wise called the New gate Jer. 36. 10. of the house of the LORD and on the wall of ‖ Or the 〈◊〉 â—…r Ophel d A Tower upon 〈◊〉 the wall of Jerusalem which probably he fortified as his Father 〈◊〉 done other Towers ch 2. 6. 9. he built much 5 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites e Who it seems endeavoured to shake off the yoke which from Davids time had been put upon them and prevailed against them And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver and ten thousand measures of wheat and ten thousand of barley †Heb. this So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him both the second year and the third 6 So Jotham became mighty because he ‖ Or established prepared his ways d Or directed his ways i. e. his counsels and actions by the rule of Gods Law before the LORD his God 7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham and all his wars and his ways lo they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah 8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem 9 And Jotham slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XXVIII 1 AHaz * 2 Kin. 16. 〈◊〉 was twenty years old when he began to reign and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD like David his father 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made also molten images for Baalim a To worship his Baalim or false gods in and by them 3 Moreover he ‖ Or offered sacrifice burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom and burnt * Lâ—…v 18. 21. his children in the fire after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel 4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places and on the hills and under every green tree 5 Wherefore the LORD his God b God was his God though not by Covenant and Grace and special Relation which Ahaz had renounced yet by his Soveraign Dominion over him For God did not forfeit his Right by Ahaz his denying it delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria and they smote him and carried away a great multitude of them captives and brought them to †Heb. Darmesek Damascus and he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel who smote him with a great slaughter 6 For * 2 Kin. 15. 2â—… Isa. â—… â—… Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day which were all †Heb. sons of valour valiant men because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers 7 And Zichri a mighty man of Ephraim slew Maasejah the kings son and Azrikam the governour of the house and Elkanah that was †Heb. the second to the king next to the king 8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand women sons and daughters and took also away much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria 9 But a prophet of the LORD was there whose name was Oded and he went out before the host that came to Samaria and said unto them Behold * Psal. 69. 26. Isa. 10. 5. 47. 6. Ezek. 2. 12 15. 26. 2. Obad. 10. c. Zech. 1. 15. because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah he hath delivered them into your hand and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven c i. e. In a most high and fierce manner An usual Hyperbole withal signifying that their Rage did cry aloud and
thirty priests garments 71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver 72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold and two thousand pound of silver and threescore and seven priests garments 73 So the priests and the Levites and the porters and the singers and some of the people and the Nethinims and all Israel dwelt in their cities and when the seventh month came the children of Israel were in their cities CHAP. VIII 1 AND all * 〈◊〉 3. 1. the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water-gate a Of which see Nehem. 3. 26. and they spake unto Ezra * Ezra 7. 6. the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded to Israel 2 And Ezra the priest b Who came 12 or 13 years before Nehemiah to Ierusalem and either carried there or went back to Babylon being forced to do so by the Kings command or indispensable occasions and then returned again with Nehemiah brought the law before the congregation both of men and women and all †〈…〉 that could hear with understanding c i. e. And such children as were come to years of understanding upon the first day of the seventh month 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water-gate †〈…〉 from the morning until mid-day before the men and the women and those that could understand and the ears of all the people were attententive unto the book of the law 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a 〈…〉 pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose and beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anajah and Urijah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on his right hand and on his left hand Pedajah and Mishael and Malchiah and Hashum and Hashbadana Zechariah and Meshullam d Partly to declare their consent and concurrence with Ezra in what he said and did and partly that they or some of them might bear a part in the work 5 And Ezra opened the book in the †〈…〉 fight of all the people for he was above all the people and when he opened it all the people stood up e Either in reverence to Gods Word of which see Num. 11. 32. Iudg. 3. 20. Or that they might hear his words the more distinctly or rather because they observed that Ezra composed himself to prayer or thanksgiving which is here generally declared but doubtless was more particularly and largely expressed in that assembly as appears by their answering Amen amen to his prayer 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD the great God and all the people answered Amen amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground 7 Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah Jamin Akkub Shabbethar Hodijah Maaseiah Kelita Azariah Jozabad Hanan Pelaiah and the Levites caused the people to understand the law f As well the words which being Hebrew now needed to be translated into the Chaldee or Syriack language which was now and henceforth the common language of that people who together with their religion had also in a great part lost their language as also the sense and meaning of them they expounded the mind and will of God in what they read and applied it to the peoples present condition as they saw fit as the manner of the Prophets generally was And hence the people were so deeply affected with 〈◊〉 and the people stood in their place g i. e. In their several places and stations into which the company seems to have been distributed for conveniency of hearing it not being likely that so vast a Congregation could distinctly hear one mans voice Or by their stations i. e. by the several stations of the Levites persons last named who seem to have had several scaffolds by comparing this with ch 9. 4. upon which they stood as Ezra did upon his pulpit v. 4. 8 So they read h To wit Ezra and his companions successively or severally l. in the book in the law of God distinctly and gave the sense i The meaning of the Hebrew words which they expounded in the common language and caused them to understand the reading k i. e. That which they read to wit the holy Scripture the action being put for the object as vision is oft put for the thing seen and hearing for the thing heard and fear for the thing feared So they gave them both a translation of the Hebrew words into the Chaldee and an exposition of the things contained in them and of the duty incumbent upon the people by vertue of them the declaration whereof was a great part of the Priests work Mal. 2. 7. 9 And Nehemiah which is ‖ Or the governour Ezra 2. 63. the Tirshatha and Ezra the priest the scribe and the Levites that taught the people said unto all the people * Num. 29. 1. Deut. 16. 14 15. This day is holy unto the LORD your God l To wit as a day of feasting and thanksgiving to God and rejoycing in his mercies for otherwise even fasting days were holy to God in the general though not in the sense here meant mourn not nor weep for all the people wept m when they heard the words of the law n Out of a deep sense of their great guilt and of their extream danger by reason of it 10 Then he said unto them Go your way eat the fat and drink the sweet n Feast before the Lord as the duty of the day obligeth you to do and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared o For the relief of your poor brethren who else must mourn whilest you rejoyce See of this duty and practice Deut. 16. 11 14. Esth. 9. 19. for this day is holy unto our LORD p Being the feast of trumpets Levit. 23. 24. and the beginning of this joyful month wherein so many days of feasting and thanksgiving were to be observed neither be ye sorry for the joy of the LORD is your strength q i. e. Rejoycing in God in the manner prescribed in his word or serving him with cheerfulness and thankfulness which is your duty alwaies but now especially will give you that strength both of mind and body which you greatly need both to perform all the duties required of you and to indure and oppose all the crafty counsels and malicious designs of your enemies against you whereas this dejection of mind and excessive grief if you indulge it will both oftend God and damp your spirits weaken your very bodies make you unfit for Gods service or for your own necessary occasions and so an easy prey to your enemies 11 So the Levites stilled all
against them partly from his rage against Mordecai and partly from Mordecai's reason of this contempt because he was a Iew which as he truly judged extended itself to all the Jews and would equally ingage them all in the same neglect and hatred of his person that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus even the people of Mordecai 7 In the first month that is the month Nisan in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus * Chap. 9. 24. they cast Pur that is the lot before Haman from day to day from month to month h The diviners cast lots according to the custom of those ancient and eastern people what day and what month would be most lucky not for his success with the King of whose compliance with his request he made no doubt but for the most effectual and universal extirpation of the Jews to the twelfth month i Wherein appears both his implacable malice and unwearied diligence in seeking vengeance of them with so much and so long trouble to himself and Gods singular providence in disposing the lot to that time that so the Jews might have sufficient space of time to get the decree reversed as they did that is the month Adar 8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus There is a certain people k Mean and contemptible not worthy to be named scattered abroad and dispersed among the people l Who therefore if tolerated may poyson all thy subjects with their pernicious principles and whom thou mayest easily crush without any great noise or difficulty in all the provinces of thy kingdom m For though many of their brethren were returned to their own land yet great numbers of them stayed behind either because they preferred their ease and worldly commodities before their spiritual advantages or because they wanted conveniency or opportunity for a remove which might happen from divers causes and * 〈◊〉 4 13. 〈◊〉 16. 20. their laws are divers from all people n They have peculiar and fantastical rites and customs and religion and therefore are justly offensive to all thy people and may either infect them with their conceits or occasion great dissensions and distractions among them neither keep they the kings laws o As is manifest by Mordecai's bold contempt of thy late Edict concerning me which being done by him as a Iew the whole nation are involved in his crime and are prepared to do so when they have occasion therefore it is not †〈…〉 for the kings profit to suffer them p To live in his kingdom I do not seek herein so much my own revenge as thy service 9 If it please the king let it be written q Let there be a written Edict from the King †〈◊〉 to deâ—… that they may be destroyed and I will †〈◊〉 weigh pay ten thousand talents of silver r Whether these were Hebrew or Babylonish or Graecian talents we cannot certainly know But whichsoever they were it was a vast sum to be paid out of his own estate which he was willing to sacrifice to his revenge to the hands of those that have the charge of the business s Either 1. Of this business to wit of destroying the Jews which as soon as they have procured to be done I will pay the mony into their hands that by them it may be paid into the Kings Exchequer Or rather 2. Of the Kings business or of the treasures as is implied in the following words I will pay it to the Kings receivers that they may put it into the Kings treasures to bring it into the kings treasuries 10 And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it unto Haman t That he might keep it as a badge of his supreme authority under the King and that he might use it for the sealing of this decree which now he desired or of any other as hereafter he should see fit Compare ch 8. 2 8. and Gen. 41. 42. the son of Hammedatha the Agagite the Jews ‖ 〈◊〉 oppresâ—… enemy u So he was both by inclination as he was an Amalekite and especially by this malicious and destructive design and resolution 11 And the king said unto Haman The silver is given to thee x Keep it to thy own use I do not desire it I accept thy offer for the deed the people also to do with them as it seemeth good to thee 12 Then were the kings ‖ Or secretaries scribes y This he did so speedily though it was a year before the intended execution lest the King should change his mind either by his own clemency or by the persuasion of others called on the thirteenth day of the first month and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the kings lieutenants and to the governours that were over every province and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof and to every people after their language in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written and sealed with the kings ring 13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the kings provinces to destroy to kill to cause to perish all Jews both young and old * 〈◊〉 little children and women in one day even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month Adar and to take the spoil of them for a prey z Which was to oblige them to the greater severity and readiness to execute this Edict for their own advantage 14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people that they should be ready against that day 15 The posts went out being hastened by the kings commandment ‖ Either by this Decree made in the Kings name or by some particular and succeeding command which Haman could easily obtain from the King and the decree was given in Shushan the palace and the king and Haman sat down to drink but the city Shushan †Not only the Jews but a greater number of the Citizens either because they were related to them or engaged with them in worldly concerns or out of humanity and compassion towards so vast a number of innocent people now appointed as sheep for the slaughter or out of a fear either of some sedition and disturbance which might arise by this means or of some damage which might accrue to themselves or friends who happily under this pretence might be exposed to rapine or slaughter or of a publick judgment of God upon them all for so bloody a decree was perplexed CHAP. IV. 1 WHen Mordecai perceived all that was done Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry a Partly to express his deep sense of the mischief coming upon his people partly to move
and partly for the greater illustration of Gods glorious Power and Wisdom and Goodness in giving his People such an admirable and unexpected deliverance Yet God so ordered things that this Letter should be sent in due time before it was too late for there were yet near nine Months to come before that appointed day and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews q That they might understand their Liberty and be encouraged to use it for their own defence and to the lieutenants and the deputies rulers of the provinces r That they should publish and disperse them into all parts that both themselves and others might take notice of the Kings Pleasure and Kindness to the Jews which are from India unto Ethiopia an hundred twenty and seven provinces unto every province according to the writing thereof and unto every people after their language and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language 10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus name and sealed it with the kings ring and sent letters by posts on Horse-back and riders on mules camels and young dromedaries s Which were not employed in the sending of the former Letter but this coming later required more care and speed that the Jews might be eased from the torment of their present Fears and have time to furnish themselves with necessaries for their own defence 11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city †Liberty and authority to gather themselves together and to stand for their life t To stand up and fight for the defence of their Lives against all that should seek to destroy them to destroy to slay and to cause to perish all the power of the people u Either Governours or governed without any exception either of Age Dignity or Sex as it follows and province that would assault them both little ones and women x Which is here added because it was put into the former decree and to strike the greater terrour into their enemies and according to the Laws and customs of this Kingdom whereby Children were punished for their Parents offences which also in some cases was allowed and practised in sacred story Yet we read nothing in the execution of this decree of the slaughter of Women or Children nor is it probable that they would kill their innocent Children who were so indulgent to their Families as not to meddle with the spoil and to take the spoil of them for a prey 12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month Adar 13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was †Heb. â—…ed published unto all people and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their Enemies 14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out being hastened and pressed on by the kings commandment y By his particular and express Command to that purpose and the decree was given at Shushan the palace 15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of ‖ Or violet blue and white and with a great crown of gold z Which the chief of the Persian Princes were permitted to wear but with sufficient distinction from the Kings Crown and with a garment of fine linen and purple and the city of Shushan a Not only Jews but the greatest number of the Citizens who by the Law of Nature written upon their hearts had an abhorrency from bloody Counsels and designs and a compiacency in acts of benignity and Mercy or for other reasons of which see on Chap. 3. 15. rejoiced and was glad 16 The Jews had light b Which is oft put for gladness as 2 Sam. 22. 29. Iob 18. 5 6. Psal. 27. 1. because light is pleasant and disposeth a man to joy whereas darkness inclines a man to sorrow and gladness and joy c This explains the former Metapâ—…or by two words expressing the same thing to note the greatness of the joy and honour d Instead of that contempt under which they had lain 17 And in every province and in every city whithersoever the kings commandment and his decree came the Jews had joy and gladness a feast and a good day e i. e. A time of feasting and rejoicing and thanksgiving and many of the people of the land became Jews for the fear of the Jews f Whom possibly they had irritated by their former threatnings and now gave this evidence of their Repentance that they were willing to submit to that severe precept of Circumcision fell upon them CHAP. IX 1 NOw in the twelfth month that is the month Adar on the thirteenth day of the same when the kings commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them a In that day which was selected by Haman with great Industry and Art as the most lucky day and which their Enemies had oft times formerly thought of and â—…o doubt threatned the Jews with it though it was turned to the contrary that the Jews had rule over them that hated them 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus to lay hand on such as sought their hurt and no man could withstand them b Their Enemies though they did and were allowed to take up Arms against them yet were easily conquered and destroyed by the Jews for the fear of them c Who had such potent Friends at Court and so great a God on their side who by such unusual and prodigious Methods whereof doubtless they had been particularly informed had brought about such a mighty and unexpected deliverance fell upon all people 3 And all the rulers of the provinces and the lieutenants and the deputies and †Heb. those which did the business that belonged to the king officers of the king d Heb. and all them that did the Kings business i. e. Not only the chief persons designed by the foregoing words but all his other Ministers or Officers of what quality soever ‖ Or exâ—…lled Gr. 〈◊〉 helped the Jews because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them 4 For Mordecai was great e i. e. The greatest in Place and Power and Favour with the King both for his near relation to his beloved Queen and for his good service done to him in preserving his Life and managing his Affairs and for those excellent Abilities and Virtues which he discovered in him and especially by the disposition of the heart-ruling God in the kings house and his fame went out throughout all the provinces for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater 5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke
my heart loose to covet and seek after forbidden things which mine eyes have seen which may design either 1. the lust of uncleanness But of that he had spoken v. 1. and reneweth the discourse v. 9. Or rather 2. the lust of Covetousness which is called the lust of the eyes 1 John 2. 16. partly because it is oft caused by sight as Ios. 7. 21. and partly because oft-times all the satisfaction it gives is to please the sight Eccles. 5. 11. And this sin is most legible in the following punishment v. 8. where his loss answers to this evil gain The Phrase notes the common method and progress of sin which is to enter by the eye to the heart Gen. 3. 6. Num. 15. 39. Eccles. 2. 10. 11. 9. and if any blot r Or blemish to wit any unjust gain If I have in my hands or possession any Goods gotten from others by fraud or violence which would be a great scandal and a blot to my reputation hath cleaved to mine hands 8. Then let me sow and let another eat s Let strangers enjoy the fruit of my labours according to God's Curse Levit 26. 16. Deut. 28. 30. yea let my off-spring t As this word is used Iob 5. 25. 27. 14. Or rather my encrease or growths or sprowts i. e. all my Plants and Fruits and improvements For 1. so the word properly signifies 2 So this latter Branch of the Verse explains the former as is most frequent in this and some other Books of Scripture 3. He had not now any Children to be rooted out be rooted out 9. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman u To wit by a strange Woman or rather by my Neighbours Wife as the next words limit it for of a Maid he spoke before v. 1. and this cannot be meant of his own Wife He saith by a woman i. e. either by gazing upon her Beauty so as to be enamoured with it and to lust after her or by her perswasions or allurements Or concerning a woman i. e. concerning impure conversation with a forbidden woman The Phrase is very emphatical taking from himself and others the vain excuses wherewith men use to palliate their sins by pretending that they did not design the wickedness but were meerly drawn in and seduced by the strong inticements and provocations of others All which Iob supposeth and yet nevertheless owns the great guilt of such practises even in that case as well knowing that temptation to sin is no justification of it or if I have laid weight at my neighbours door x Watching for a fit opportunity to defile his Wife Compare Prov. 7 8 9. 10. Then let my wife grind unto another y Either 1. let her be taken captive and made a slave to grind in other mens Mills which was a sore and vile servitude Exod. 11. 5. Iudg. 16. 21. Isa. 47. 2. Mat. 24. 41. Or rather 2. let her be defiled by another man as the next words expound it and as the Hebrews understand it and as this very Phrase is used by very ancient both Greek and Latine Authors Of which see my Latine Synopsis on this place And this is to be cautiously understood not as if Iob desired or would permit a requital in the same kind but onely that if in that case God should give up his Wife to such a wickedness he should acknowledge his justice in it and though with abhorrency of the sin accept of that punishment of it and let others bow down upon her z Another modest expression of a filthy action whereby the Holy Ghost gives us a Pattern and a Precept to avoid not only unclean actions but also all immodest expressions 11. For this a To wit Adultery whether committed by choice and design or by the sollicitation of the Woman v. 9. is an heinous crime yea it is an iniquity to be punished by the Judges b Heb an iniquity of the judges i. e. which belongs to them to take cognizance of and to punish and that with death and that not only by the â—…aw of Moses Deut. 22. 22. but even by the Law of Nature as appears from the known Laws and Customs of Heathen Nations in that case See also Gen. 38. 24. This is opposed to those secret and lesser sins which are only known to and punished by God 12. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction c For this sin would be as a secret but consuming fire wasting my estate and Reputation and Body and Soul too provoking God and enraging the Husband and bringing down some extraordinary Vengeance upon me And therefore the fear of God kept me from this and such like wickedness and would root out all mine encrease d i. e. All my Estate Compare Prov. 6. 27. 13. If I did despise the cause of my man-servant e If I used my power over him to overthrow him or his just rights And seeing it is known that I was so just and kind to them over whom I had such unlimited power it is not probable that I should be guilty of such cruelty to others as you impute to me or of my maid-servant when they contended with me f Either for imposing heavier burdens than they could bear or for not providing for them those supports which their nature and necessity required or for any other plausible cause I heard them patiently and indifferently and did them right even against my self if by any mis-information or passion I had done them any Injury 14. What then shall I do when * Psal. 44 21. God riseth up g To wit to plead the Cause of the Oppressed against the Oppressor and to execute judgment as this Phrase is used Psalm 68 1. Zach. 2. 13. and elsewhere I used my Servant like one who was also my self a Servant and had a Master in Heaven Col. 4. 1. to whom I was to give an account of my carriage to my Servant and to all men and when he visiteth h i. e. When he shall call me to his Tribunal and severely examine all my actions and particularly the Cause between me and my servant what shall I answer him i What Apology shall I make for my self 15. * Chap. 34. 19. Prov. 14. 31. 22. 2. Mal. 2. 10. Did not he that made me in the womb make him k I considered that he was though my Servant yet my Fellow-creature made by the same God and therefore one of God's Subjects whom I could not abuse without the injury of his supream Lord. and ‖ Or did he not fashion us in one womb did not one fashion us in the womb l Heb. Did he not form us in one womb Not in one individual Womb but in a Womb of the same kind in an humane Womb with a Body and Soul of the same nature and quality a reasonable and immortal Creature and made after
to God for all their hard Speeches and unrighteous decrees against him 2. Yea in heart d Or with your Heart with free choice and Consent and not onely by Constraint and out of Compliance with Saul ye work wickedness ye * Psal. 78. 57. weigh the violence of your hands e Or you weigh Violence or injustice with your Hands The Phrase of weighing hath respect to their Office which was to administer Justice which is usually expressed by a pair of Ballances So he intimates that they did great wrong under the pretence and with the Formalities of Justice and whilst they seemed exactly to weigh and consider the true and fit Proportion between the Actions and the Recompences alloted to them they turned the Scale and Partly to curry Favour with Saul and Partly from their own Malice against David pronounced an unjust Sentence against him in the earth f Or in this Land where God is present and where you have righteous Laws to govern you and you profess better things 3. The wicked are estranged g Either 1. Hyperbolically even from their tender years Or 2. Strictly and Properly So the Sence is No wonder they Act so unrighteously for their very Natures and Principles are corrupt even from their Birth They are the wicked off-spring of sinful Parents And this Hereditary and Native corruption though too common to all Men he particularly ascribes to these Men Either because their immediate Parents were such as did not onely Convey a corrupt Nature to them but greatly improved it by wicked Counsel and Example Or because they themselves had improved that stock of Original Corruption and instead of mortifying it had made it their great Design and Constant business to gratifie and obey it from the womb h By actual sins the Fruit of their Original sin †â—… Heb. speaketh of Lyes they go astray * Go astray from the Belly as soon they be born i From their Child-hood as soon as ever they were capable of the Exercise of Reason and the Practise of sinning speaking lyes f To wit from God Eph. 4. 18. and from all Goodness 4. * 〈◊〉 140. 3. Their poison k Their virulent and Malicious Disposition is †〈◊〉 10. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likeâ—… like the poison of a serpent l Partly in it self being natural and inveterate and incurable and Partly in its most pernicious Effects they are like the deaf ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adder that stoppeth her ear 5. Which will not hearken to * 〈◊〉 3. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voyce of charmers charming never so wisely m This similitude doth neither justifie the Practise of Charming which in the very Word here used is Condemned Deut. 18. 11. no more than those which are drawn from unjust Steward Luk. 16. 1. c. and 18. 2. c. and from a Thief Revel 16. 15. nor yet affirm the Truth of what is Reported concerning the Asps or Adders are said to lay one Ear close to the ground and to cover the other with their Tail that so they may avoid the Danger of Enchantment but onely was taken from the common Opinion which he Poetically mentions to this purpose As they commonly say of the Asps or Adders c. such really are these Men Deaf to all my Consels and to the Dictates of their own Consciences and to the Voyce of Gods Law And yet of the Charming or inchanting of Serpents mention is made both in other places of Scripture as Eccles. 10. 11. Ier. 8. 17. and in all sorts of Authors Antient and Modern Hebrew and Arabick and Greek and Latin Of which see my Latin Synopsis And particularly the Arabick Writers to whom these Creatures were best known name some sorts of Serpents among which the Adder is one which they call Deaf not because they are dull of Hearing but as one of them expressly saith because they will not be Charmed 6. * 〈◊〉 4. 10. Break their teeth n Their Power and Instruments of doing Mischief He mentions Teeth Partly because the Adders poison lyes in its Teeth and Partly to make way for the following Metaphor O God in their mouth break out the great teeth o Called the Grinders which are more sharp and strong than the rest and more used in breaking and tearing what they are about to Eat of the young lions O LORD 7. Let them melt away as waters which run continually p As waters arising from melted Snow or great Showers or some other Extraordinary cause which at first run with great force and Noise and throw down all that stands in their way but are suddenly gone and Run away and Vanish and return no more * 〈◊〉 64. 3. when he q To wit any or every one of mine Enemies as appears from the foregoing and following Words bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows let them be as cut in pietes r i. e. Like Arrows broken asunder whilst a Man shoots which can do no hurt 8. As a snail which melteth s Which thrusts forth and seems to Threaten with its Horns but is quickly dissolved For when it goes out of its shell it spends its Vital moisture until by degree it waste away and Perish let every one of them pass away * 〈◊〉 3. 16. like the untimely birth of a woman that they may not see the sun t Which indeavouring violently and unseasonably to break forth from the Womb is choaked in the Attempt and doth not Live to see the Light of the Sun 9. Before your pots can feel the thorns u i. e. The heat of the Fire kindled by the Thorns put under them for that purpose Before your Pots can be thoroughly heated he shall take them x To wit mine Enemies Whose sudden Destruction he describes under this similitude away as with a whirlwind y i. e. Violently and irresistibly †〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 wrath both living and in his wrath z Heb. as Living i. e. Alive as he did Korah Numb 16. the Particle as being here not a Note of similitude but of Truth or Asseveration as it is Ioh. 1 14. and oft elsewhere as hath been noted as in which Proposition is frequently understood Urath i. e. As a Man moved with great Wrath destroys his Enemy without Mercy and is ready to devour him alive if it were possible Or both that which is raw as the Hebrew word Chai signifies Levit. 13. 16. 1 Sam. 2. 15. to wit the raw Flesh which is supposed to be put into the Pot that it may be boyled and the burning Fire There is indeed great Variety of Construction and Interpretation of these Hebrew words which is not strange especially considering the Conciseness of the Hebrew Language and that this is a proverbial Speech nor is it of any great importance because it is not in any great point of Faith and
own brethren slight and despise out of the dust i From a most contemptible and miserable condition Beggers and mourners used to lie in the dust or as it follows upon the dunghil 1 Sam. 2. 8. Lament 4. 5. and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil 8 That he may * 〈◊〉 36. 7. set him with princes k In equal honour and power with them as he did Ioseph David and others even with the princes of his people l Which in Gods account and in truth are far more honourable and happy than the Princes of Heathen and barbarous Nations because their Subjects are more noble and they have Gods special presence and providence among them 9 * Sam. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 to dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 house He maketh the barren woman †〈◊〉 68. 6. to keep house m Heb. to dwell in an house or family or amongst children to wit coming out of her own womb as is clearly implied by the opposition of this to her barrenness And the word house is oft put for children as Exod. 1. 21. Ruth 4. 11. Psal. 115. 10 12. And so it is explained in the next clause and to be a joyful mother of children Praise ye the LORD PSAL. CXIV This Psalm is a solemn commemoration of Israels deliverance out of Egypt and probably it was to be sung amongst others at the celebration of the Passover 1 WHen * 〈◊〉 13. 3. Israel went out of Egypt the house of Jacob from a people of strange language a Which was a great aggravation of their captivity and misery Compare Ier. 5. 15. 2 Judah b Or Israel as it is explained in the next clause one Tribe being put for all which is a common Synecdoche Iudah he mentions as the chief of all the Tribes not onely in number and power but also in dignity in which the Kingdom was to be seated Gen. 49. 10 c. as at this time it actually was and from which the Messias was to spring was his c i. e. Gods which is easily understood from the whole context and from the nature of the thing sanctuary d Or holiness the people of Gods holiness as they are called Isa. 63. 18. or his holy people as Deut. 26. 29. Dan. 8. 24. sanctified or set apart from all the Nations of the World to be his peculiar people and possession and Israel his dominion e In a peculiar manner to be governed by his Laws and honoured with his special presence and favour 3 * Exod. 14. 21. 〈◊〉 77. 16. The sea saw it f To wit this glorious work of God in bringing his people out of Egypt and fled †Josh. 3. 13. 1â—… Jordan was driven back 4 The mountains g Hâ—…rth and Sinai two tops of one mountain and other neighbouring hills or mountains Compare Exod. 19. 18. Psal. 68. 9. Habak 3. 6 10. skipped like rams and the little hills like lambs 5 * 〈◊〉 3. 8. What ailed thee O thou sea that thou fleddest h What was the cause of this unusual motion Such speeches directed to senceless creatures are very frequent both in Scripture and in other Authors and especially in Poetical writings such as this is thou Jordan that thou wast driven back 6 Ye mountains that ye skipped like rams and ye little hills like lambs 7 Tremble thou earth at the presence of the LORD i But why do I ask these questions Ye mountains did no more than what was just and fit at the approach and appearance of the great God yea the whole earth hath reason to tremble and quake upon such occasions at the presence of the God of Jacob. 8 * Exod. 17. 6. Num. 20. 11. Which turned the rock into a standing water the flint into a fountain of waters PSAL. CXV The occasion of this Psalm was to manifest some eminent danger or distress of the people of Israel from some Idolatrous Nations But whether it was that mentioned 2 Chron 20. or what other is but matter of conjecture and not worth our inquiâ—…y 1 NOt unto us O LORD not unto us but unto thy Name give glory a As we intreat thy favour and aid and that thou wouldst work gloriously on our behalf to bring us out of our present straits and extremities so we do not desire this out of a vain-glorious humor as usually men do in such cases that we may get renown by the conquest of our proud and mighty enemies but that thy honour may be vindicated from all their contempts and blasphemies and if thou wilt deliver us we will not arrogate the praise and glory of it to our own worth or valour but onely to thy mercy and truth as it follows for thy mercy and for thy truths sake 2 Wherefore should the heathen say b Why dost thou suffer them or give them any colour or occasion to say or think so by conniving at their wickedness and by giving thy people into their hands * Psal. 423. 10 79. 10. Joel 2. 17. Where is now c He is no where he is lost or at a loss either unable or unwilling or not at leisure to save them their God d Who hath undertaken to be their God and Saviour and whom they onely worship and of whom they use to boast and insult over us and over our Gods 3 * Psal. 135. 6. But our God e Whom notwithstanding your reproaches we are not ashamed to owne for our God is in the heavens f Although he have no visible shape nor bodily presence with us here upon earth as your Idols have which is a certain proof of their baseness and weakness yet he hath a certain and a glorious place where he resideth even the highest heavens where he is cloathed with infinite Power and Majesty and from whence he beholdeth and governeth this lower world and all that is in it he hath done whatsoever he pleased g Or he doth c. By his onely will and pleasure all things were at first made and are still disposed and without this nothing cometh to pass And therefore all your insolencies and injuries and successes against us do not come from an invincible power in you or in your Idols nor from any defect of strength or goodness in our God but onely from hence that it pleased him for many wise and holy reasons to afflict us and to give you prosperity for a time 4 * Deut. 4. 28. Psal. 135. 15. Jer. 10. 3 c. Their idols are silver and gold h Thus glorious and powerful is our God O ye heathens of whom you so boldly ask who and where he is but as for your Gods or Idols they have no power nor worth in them but what is taken from their materials the work of mens hands i As their matter is wholly from the earth so their form or figure they have from the art of man
long and loose garments about their loins and strengtheneth her arms i Putteth forth her utmost strength in her business 18 †Heb. she tasteth She perceiveth that her merchandise is good k She finds great comfort and good success in her labours her candle goeth not out by night l Which is not to be taken strictly but only signifies her unwearied Care and Industry which is oft expressed by labouring day and night or continually 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle m By her own example she provoketh her servants to labour And although in these later and more delicate and luxurious times such mean employments are grown out of fashion among great persons yet they were not so in former ages neither in other Countries nor in this Land whence all Women are to this day called in the language of our Law Spinsters and her hands hold the distaff 20 †Heb. she spreadeth She stretcheth out her hand to the poor n To relieve their necessities Her designs are generous and noble for she labours not only to supply her own and her Houshold necessities or to support her own state much less to feed her Pride and Luxury but that she may have wherewith to supply the wants of others who crave or need her assistance Which also procures Gods blessing upon her Husband and Children and whole Family to whom by this means she brings both Honour and advantage yea she reacheth forth her hands to the needy 21 She is not afraid of the snow o Or of any injuries of the weather for her houshold for all her houshold are cloathed with ‖ Or double garments scarlet p She hath provided enough not only for their necessity and defence against cold and other inconveniences which is here supposed but also for their delight and ornament so that not only her self and Husband and Children but some of the better rank of her servants wear scarlet which was more cheap and familiar in those times and Countries than now it is with us Or as it is rendred in our margent and by divers others are cloathed with double garments which is necessary and customary in cold seasons 22 She maketh her self coverings of tapestry q For the furniture of her house her cloathing is silk and purple r Which was very agreeable to her high quality though it doth not justifie that Luxury in attire which is now usual among persons of far lower ranks both for Wealth and Dignity 23 Her husband is known s Observed and respected not only for his own worth but for his Wife's sake not only for those rich Ornaments which by her care and diligence she provides for him which others of his Brethren by reason of their Wives sloth or luxury are not able to procure but also for his Wisdom in chusing and his Happiness in enjoying so excellent a Wife by whose prudent care in the management of his domestick concerns he hath perfect freedom wholly to attend upon publick affairs in the gates when he sitteth among the Elders of the land t In counsel or judgment 24 She maketh fine linnen and selleth it and delivereth girdles u Curiously wrought of Linnen and Gold or other precious materials Ier. 13. 1. Dan. 10. 5. which in those parts were used both by Men 2 Sam. 20. 8. and by Women Isa. 3. 24. Cant. 7. 1. unto the merchants 25 Strength x Not strength of Body which is no ornament of that sex save only as she preserves her health and strength by Sobriety and Exercise which other Women waste by Intemperance and Idleness but strength of Mind Magnanimity Courage Resolution Activity and honour y Either 1. Her prudent and pious and amiable behaviour in which true Honour principally consists Or 2. That good Name and honourable Esteem which she hath gained amongst all that know her by her virtuous disposition and carriage are her cloathing z These and not her rich Garments mentioned before are her great ornament and glory and she shall rejoice †Heb. in the latter day Gr. in the last days 2 Tim. 3. 1. in time to come a The sense is either 1. In her old Age she reaps the comfort and benefit of her youthful Labours Or rather 2. She lives in constant tranquillity of mind and a confident and chearful expectation of all future events how calamitous soever partly because she hath laid in provisions for a rainy day and chiefly because she hath the comfortable remembrance of a well-spent Life and which follows thereupon a just confidence in Gods gracious Providence and promises made to such persons 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom b She is neither â—…ullenly silent nor full of vain and impertinent talk as many Women are but speaks discreetly and piously as occasion offereth itself and in her tongue is the law of kindness c Her Speeches are not froward and provoking as those of foolish Women frequently are but most obliging and amiable as being guided by Wisdom and Grace and not by inordinate Lusts and Passions And this practice is called a law in her tongue because it is constant and customary and proceeds from an inward and powerful Principle of true Wisdom which in a manner necessitates and constrains her to discourse like her self so that in a moral sense she cannot speak otherwise unless she offer violence to her self or the nature of the thing require sharp and severe Expressions 27 She looketh well to the ways of her houshold d She diligently observeth the management and progress of her domestick business and the whole carriage and conversation of her Children and Servants Whereby also he intimates that she spends not her time in gadding abroad to other Houses and idle Discourses about the concerns of other persons as the manner of many Women is but is wholly intent upon her own house and proper business and eateth not the bread of idleness e That which is got by idleness or without labour 28 Her children f Whose testimony is the more considerable because they have been constant eye-witnesses of her whole carriage and therefore must have seen her misdemeanors if there had been any as well as her Virtues arise up g Either 1. In token of Reverence to her which agrees not to the following clause wherein the same Phrase is understood concerning her Husband Or rather 2. That they may seriously and industriously apply themselves to the work of setting forth her praises as this Phrase is used Gen. 37. 25. Exod. 2. 17. and oft elsewhere For sitting being commonly the posture of idleness men that set about any work are said to rise in order thereunto and call her blessed h Both for her own excellency and for many happy fruits which they have gathered from her wise and godly education her husband also and he praiseth her
was gone she pursued after him so now when Christ was coming or come to her she was ready to wander go aâ—…tray from him according to the common and corrupt disposition and custom of Mankind and therefore he seeks to stop or to reclaim her and to oblige her to return to her first Love and to repent more throughly than she had yet done return l This word is here repeated four times to signifie both Christs passionate Love to her and earnest desire of her return and her backwardness to it which made so many calls necessary O Shulamite m This title signifies either 1. One born in or belonging to Ierusalem called also Salem Ps. 76. 2. Or 2. The Wife of Solomon thus called after her Husbands name see Isa. 4. 1. And as Christ is called by the name of Solomon ch 3. 7 9 11. so the Church is fitly described by the title of Solomons Wife return return that we may look upon thee n That I and my companions and friends may contemplate thy Beauty what will you see o But what do you my friends expect to discover in her Christ proposeth the question that he may give the following answer and that they should take special notice of this as a very remarkable thing in her in the Shulamite as it were the company p Whereby he intimates that this one and onely Spouse was made up of the whole multitude of Believers ‖ Or of Mahanaim of two armies q Either 1. Opposite one against the other and so this may note the conflict between the Flesh and Spirit which is in all the faithful in this Life Or 2. Confederate together and so this may signifie either 1. The recollection and Union of Jews and Gentiles which shall one day be under Christ as their common head Eph. 2. 15. Or 2. The safety and strength of the Church which is compared to an army with banners above v. 4 10. and here to a numerous Host distributed into two Armies Wherein also there may be an allusion to that story Gen. 32. 1. where this very word here rendred two armies is used CHAP. VII The Bridegroom who spâ—…ke the lâ—…st words â—…ere continueth his speech and breaks forth into an elegant and particular dâ—…scription and commendation of the Spouse partly from the parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and partly from her Ornaments In which the same thing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 concerning her description of the Bridegroom that there is 〈◊〉 necessity of a distinct application of 〈◊〉 parcel of it the design being only this to describe the Beauty and Glory of the Church under the representation of a beautiful and noble Woman This also is observable that in the description of Christ she begins at the Head and so goeth downward Ch. 5. 11 c. but Christ in the description of the Spouse proceedeth from the Feet upwards 1 HOw beautiful are thy feet a Which being the chief instrument of our motion from place to place is oft used meâ—…onimically for the motion itself and so may here signifie either the inward motions the workings of the affections or the outward motions the steps or actions of the Life both which are right and amiable in Believers with shoes b Which were anciently evidences of a free and comfortable state whereas slaves and mourners use to go baresoot 2 Sam. 15. 30. Isa. 20. 4. which also in Women of high quality were adorned with Gold and other Ornaments of which see Isa. 3. 18. These may also signifie that the Feet of Believers should be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace Eph. 6. 15. O princes daughter c Both by Birth being born of God and by disposition and deportment agreeable to that quality the joints of thy thighs d Either 1. The hollow place in which the Hip or Thigh-bone moveth and turneth itself Or rather 2. The Hip or Thigh-bone which moveth there for this is more fitly compared to a jewel well set Some understand this of some Ornaments worn by Women upon those parts for the word rendred joints may signifie girdles or any Ornament which encompasseth any part of the Body and the same words which signifie thighs are both in Hebrew and other Languages somtimes used concerning the legs Which being admitted this might seem to be understood of the Brides Garters about her Legs which not unfitly follows the Shoes upon her Feet last mentioned But this sense seems not to suit so well with the following comparison as the former doth are like jewels the work of the hands of a cunning workman e Like jewels orderly and excellently set by a skilful Artist So this signifies the uprightness and decency of her going which depends very much upon the right scituation of the Hip or Thigh-bone which when it is dislocated or disordered causeth a lameness or uncomeliness in going whereby he understands the orderliness and amiableness of her conversation 2 Thy navel is like a round goblet f To which it is not unfitly compared because it is of a round form and hollow and hath windings and circlings in it which wanteth not †Heb. mixture liquor g Thy Navel is not only comely but fruitful For the Navel is the proper instrument of nourishing the Child or Children which are in the Womb. And so this seems to signifie the Churches fruitfulness partly in her self in cherishing and improving all the Graces and good motions of Gods Spirit within her and principally in reference to those many Children which she bears and feeds in her Womb with the wholsom liquor of Gods Ordinances thy belly h In which thy Children are for a time contained and fed is like an heap of wheat i i. e. Of wheat corn round and swelling as it is in Women with child and full of nourishment not only of Liquor as was last said but also of Meat which may note the various provisions which Christ hath laid up in his Church according to the several capacities of her Children Milk for Babes and stronger Meat for those who are grown up set about with lilies k Not for defence which the Church doth not need having the strong God for her Protector but for Ornament and Beauty Whereby is implied that she is not only fruitful but beautiful and that her Children are not only numerous and well fed but also comely and delightful to the Eye as Lilies are and withal pure and innocent in which respect both Christ and the Church are compared to Lilies Cant. 1. 1 2. 3 * Thy two breasts are like two young roes that Ch. 4. 5. are twins l Which is repeated from Ch. 4. 5. where it is explained 4 Thy neck m Of which see on Ch. 4. 4. is as a tower of ivory n Clear and smooth and long and streight and erected thine eyes o Of which see on Ch. 1.
Birds or other ways of Divination which God had severely forbidden See Levit. 19. 26. like the Philistins a Who were infamous for those Practices of which see one Instance 1 Sam. 6. 2. and they ‖ Or aboand with their children c. please themselves b They delight in their Manners and Company and Conversation making Leagues and Friendships and Marriages with them in the children of strangers c Either 1. in the Children begotten by them upon strange Women or rather 2. in strangers as this Phrase is used Neh. 9. 2. Isa. 60. 10. and elsewhere 7 Their land also is full of silver and gold neither is there any end of their treasures d They have heaped up Riches immoderately which was forbidden even to their King Deut. 17. 17. and by wicked Practices they are never satisfied but still greedily pursuing after more and more Wealth making this their chief Business and Joy their land also is full of horses e Which even their King was forbidden to multiply Deut. 17. 16. much more his Subjects neither is there any end of their chariots 8 Their land also is full of idols they worship the work of their own hands f They give that worship to their own Creatures which they deny to me their Creator than which nothing can be more impious and absurd that which their own fingers have made 9 And the mean man boweth down and the great man humbleth himself g Men of all Ranks fall down and worship idols therefore forgive them not h Cut off these incorrigible Idolaters Such an Imprecation is not strange considering the hainousness and inexcusableness of the Crime the singular Condition of the Prophets who spake such things not from any disorderly Passion but by Divine Inspiration and from a fervent Zeal for Gods Glory which ever was and ought to be dearer to them than all the Interests of Men and from a pious Care and Fear lest others should be infected by their Counsel or Example Yet the Words may be taken as a Prediction Thou wilâ—… not forgive them By this I know thou hast determined utterly to destroy them for the Hebrew Particle al is sometimes taken onely for a simple denial as Psal. 121. 3. Prov. 12. 28. 10 Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust i This is spoken ironically and with derision The sence is Such dreadful Calamities are coming upon you that you will be ready to hide your selves in Rocks and Caves of the Earth but all to no purpose for fear of the LORD and for the glory of his majesty k For fear of the glorious and terrible Judgments of God 11 The * Chap. 5. 15. lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down l Judicially as they bowed down voluntarily before their Idols So the Punishment is very suitable to the Sin and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day m His Justice and Power shall be magnified and the Vanity and Impotency of all other gods shall be detected 12 For the day of the LORD n The time of Gods taking vengeance upon Sinners which is called Gods day Isa. 13. 6 9. Ezek. 13. 5. 30. 3. and oft elsewhere of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low 13 And upon all * 〈◊〉 11. 〈◊〉 the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the oaks of Bashan o Either 1. metaphorically upon the highest and proudest Sinners or 2. literally as may seem probable from the following Verses where there is distinct mention made of mountains and hills v. 14. of towers and walls v. 15. of ships and pictures v. 16. Whereby he intimates That the Judgment should be so universal and terrible that it should not onely reach to Men but to things also whether Natural or Artificial in all which there should be manifest Tokens of Gods Displeasure against the Land The cedars and oaks standing in the Mountains shall be either thrown down by furious Winds or Earthquakes or torn in pieces by Thunder and Lightning and the stately Houses built with Cedars and Oaks shall be destroyed 14 And upon all the high mountains and upon all the hills that are lifted up p To which Men used to betake themselves in times of War and Danger It is usual with the Prophets to describe Gods Judgments upon Men by the shaking and smoking of the Mountains the trembling of the Earth and the like 15 And upon every high tower and upon every fenced wall q To which you resorted and trusted for your deâ—…ence 16 And upon all the ships of Tarshish r The Ships of the Sea as that Word is used Psal. 48. 7. whereby you fetched Riches and Precious things from the remote Parts of the World and upon all †Heb. pictures of desire pleasant pictures 17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be made low s This he repeats again partly to assure us of the certainty of it and partly to fix it deeper in mens Minds because they are very backward to believe and consider things of this nature and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day 18 And ‖ Or the idols shall utterly pass away the idols he shall utterly abolish t God will discover the Impotency of Idols to succour their Worshippers and thereby destroy their Worship in the World 19 And they u The Idolatrous Israelites shall go into the * Hos. 10. 8. Luk. 23. 30. Rev. 6. 16. 9. 6. holes of the rocks and into the caves of †Heb. the dust the earth x Their usual Places of retreat in cases of Danger of which see Ios. 10. 16. Iudg. 6. 2. 1 Sam. 13. 6. for fear of the LORD and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth y Either properly or rather figuratively to send dreadful Judgments upon the Inhabitants of the Land 20 * Chap. 30. 22. 31. 7. In that day a man shall cast †Heb. the idols of his silver c. his idols of silver and his idols of gold ‖ Or which they made for him which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles and to the bats z Into the meanest and darkest Places in which Moles and Bats have their abode whereas before they set them up in high and honourable Places where they might be seen and worshipped This great and sudden Change proceeded either from true Repentance which filled them with shame and grief and indignation against themselves and all the Instruments of their Wickedness or from a Conviction of the Vanity of their Idols which afforded them no help in the time of their need or
their Destruction is wholly from themselves Compare Hos. 13. 9. evil unto themselves 10 Say ye f God hath said it and doth now by me say it and you O ye Priests and Levites say it in your Sermons to the People to the righteous That it shall be well with him for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings g Let not them fear for God will be their Safeguard and Portion in the common Calamity 11 Wo unto the wicked h These heavy Judgments are designed against them and shall certainly find them out though here they be mixed with the Righteous it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hand shall be †Heb. done to him given him 12 ¶ As for my people * Ver. 4. children are their oppressours and women i Either 1. properly so called by their Favour and Power with the Rulers or 2. weak and effeminate Rulers such being called Women both in Sacred and Profane Writings rule over them O my people * Chap. 9. 16. ‖ Or they which call thee blessed they which lead thee k Thy Rulers Civil and Ecclesiastical whose Duty it is to shew thee thâ—… right way Or as others They that bless thee i. e. thy false Prophets which flatter thee and speak Peace to thee cause thee to erre and †Heb. swallow up destroy the way of thy paths l Keep thee from the Knowledge or Practice of that Way which leads to thy Salvation and mislead thee into evil Courses by their wicked Counsels or Examples 13 The LORD standeth up m He will shortly and certainly stand up as a Judge to enquire into the Cause and to give Sentence to plead and standeth to judge the people n i. e. To defâ—…nd and deliver them or to judge for them as this Phrase is oft used 14 The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients o The Princes or Rulers as it is explained in the next Clause who are oft called Elders because such were commonly and fitly chosen out of those who were ripe in years of his People and the Princes thereof for ye have ‖ Or burâ—…t up eaten up p Destroyed in stead of preserving and dressing it as you should have done the vineyard q The Church and Commonwealth of Israel which is oft called Gods Vineyard as Psal. 80. 8 14 15. Isa. 5. 1. Ier. 2. 21. c. and here the vineyard by way of eminency or the vineyard which was committed to your care to keep the spoil of the poor r The Goods which you have violently taken away from the Poor is in your houses 15 What mean ye s What Warrant have ye for it How durst you presume to do it that ye beat my people to pieces and grind t Or batâ—…er as the Word is used Exod. 32. 20. Smite them cruelly See Chap. 58. 4. the faces of the poor saith the Lord GOD of hosts 16 ¶ Moreover the LORD saith Because the daughters of Zion u The Women as hitherto he reproved the Men. are haughty and walk with stretched-forth necks x Affecting Stateliness Psal. 75. 5. and to seem tall and †Heb. deceiving with their eyes wanton eyes y Or as others twinkling with their eyes in a lascivious manner walking and ‖ Or tripping nicely mincing as they go z After the manner of loose and wanton Persons and making a tinkling with their feet a By some Ornaments which they wore upon their Shoes 17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head b Will by sending Scabs or by other ways take off the Hair of their Head which is a Womans Glory 1 Cor. 11. 15 and which doubtless ministred to their Pride and Wantonness Others render it He will make bald c. of the daughters of Zion and the LORD will †Heb. make naked discover their secret parts c By giving her into the power of those Enemies that shall either strip her of all her Raiments not leaving her sufficient to cover her Nakedness or otherwise abuse her by such immodest and contemptuous Actions Compare Isa. 47. 3 Ezek. 16. 37. 23 10 26 18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet and their ‖ Or net-works cauls d As for this and the other Hebrew words here following I judge it unnecessary and improper to trouble the English Reader with the differing Interpretations given of them by Learned Men which the Curious may find in my Latin Synopsis It is agreed by all that they were Ornaments used by that People in those Times and made Fewel to their Lusts. And it is of no concernment to the Direction either of our Faith or Manners exactly to understand the Nature and Differences of them And therefore I shall take them as they are in our Translation and their round tires like the moon e There were in ancient Times and at this day there are some Jewels or other Ornaments worn which carry a manifest resemblance to the Moon or Half-moon Compare Iudg. 8. 21 26. 19 The ‖ Or sweet balls chains and the bracelets and the ‖ Or spangled ornaments mufflers 20 The bonnets f These were Ornaments to cover the Head common both to Men as Exod. 39. 28. and to Women as here and the ornaments of the legs and the head-bands and the †Heb. houses of the soul. tablets g Heb. the houses of the soul or of lâ—…fe or of breath Whereby he seems to mean Boxes of excellent Perfumes which are of great efficacy to revive our drooping Spirits and to that end are oft applied to such as are ready to saint away and the ear-rings 21 The rings and the nose-jewels h Which were fastned to the Head and hung down upon the Forehead to the beginning of the Nose Of which see Gen. 24. 22 47. Iudg. 8. 24. c. 22 The changeable suits of apparel and the mantles and the wimples and the crisping-pins i Of Silver or Gold either used to curl the Hair or rather fastned and worn in the Hair which Custom is not altogether disused at this day 23 The glasses k The Looking-glasses as we call them though in truth they were not made of Glass but of bright and burniâ—…ed Bâ—…ass and the fine linen and the hoods and the vails 24 And it shall come to pass that in stead of sweet smell l Those Perfumes mentioned v. 20. there shall be stink m From their scabs mentioned v. 17. or from other ill usages of their Enemies and in stead of a girdle n Which were fine and costly and useful to gird their Garments about them a rent o Either the rending of their Garments for grief or torn and tattered Garments not sufficient to cover their Bodies
and in stead of well-set hair baldness and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth and burning p By the heat of the Sun to which they are now commonly exposed from which they used formerly to guard themselves with great care in stead of beauty 25 Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy †Heb. might mighty in the war 26 And her gates q The Gates of Zion or Ierusalem which by a Figure very usual in Sacred Scripture and all Authors are said to lament to imply the great Desolation of the Place that there should be no People to go out and come in by the Gates or to meet together in the Gates as they used to do shall lament and mourn and she being ‖ Or emptied †Heb. cleansed desolate shall sit upon the ground r Like a mournful Woman bewailing the loss of her Husband and Children CHAP. IV. AND in that day a Of which he hath hitherto been speaking Chap. 2. 3. and still continueth to speak In that calamitous time seven b Many A certain number for an uncertain women shall take hold c Shall sue to him and even lay hands upon him contrary to their Custom and their natural Modesty of one man d Because few Men shall survive that dreadful Stroke They who before were not contented with their own Husbands are now glad of a Seventh part of an Husband saying We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel e We will ease thee of that Charge which otherwise would fall upon thee by Gods Law Exod. 21. 10. onely †Heb. let thy name be called upon us let us be called by thy name f Own us for thy Wives ‖ Or take thou away to take away our * Luk. 1. 25. reproach g Virginity was esteemed a Reproach especially among that People because it was a Token of Contempt from Men and of the Curse of God Children the usual Fruit of Marriage being both an Honour to their Parents before Men and a great Blessing of God especially to that People from some of whose Loins the Messâ—…ah was to spring 2 In that day h About and after that time when the Lord shall have washed away as this time is particularly expressed v. 4. the filth of Zion by those dreadful Judgments now described shall the Branch of the LORD i Either 1. the Church and People of Israel oft called Gods vine or vineyard as we saw before and the Branch of Gods planting Isa. 60. 21. or 2. the Messiah who is commonly defined in Scripture by this Title the Branch Isa. 11. 1. Ier. 23. 5. 33. 15. Zech. 3. 8. whose name is expresly said to be the Branch Zech. 6. 12. of whom not onely Christians but even the Hebrew Doctors understand it For after the foregoing Miseries were brought upon the Iews by the Remainders of the Grecian Empire of which Daniel prophecies so exactly and particularly and afterwards by the Roman Empire the Messiah was born and after that utter Destruction brought upon the Jewish City and Temple and Nation by Titus the Kingdom of the Messiah became beautiful and glorious as it here follows be †Heb. beauty and glory beautiful and glorious and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent k The Land which for the Sins of the People was made barren upon their Repentance and return to Christ shall recover its former Fertility Under this one Mercy he seems to understand all temporal Blessings which together with spiritual and eternal God shall confer upon them and withal to intimate the Fruitfulness of the People the earth or land being oft put for its Inhabitants in Knowledge and Grace and all good works and comely †Heb. for the escaping of Israel for them that are escaped l That shall survive all the forementioned Calamities of Israel 3 And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy m i. e. Shall be really holy as is said Chap. 60. 21. To be called is oft put for to be as Gen. 21. 12. Isa. 1. 26. 44. 5. even every one that is written ‖ Or to life So Gr. among the living n So this is a Restriction of the foregoing indefinite Proposition Not all that are left but a great number of them shall be holy even all that are written c. i. e. all the Elect who are frequently described by this Character that they are written in Gods or the Lambs book or in the book of life or of the living Psal. 69. 28. Dan. 12. 1. Phil. 4. 3. Rev. 3. 5. 13. 8. 17 8. c. But this last Clause of the Verse is by some Learned Interpreters rendred thus all that are in Ierusalem i. e. a very great number of them as such general Expressions are frequently used or the generality of them shall be written unto life i. e. shall be such as are elected unto Salvation through Sanctification Which may deserve consideration So he notes the singular Priviledge of this People at this time above the former Ages in which many were called but few were chosen in Jerusalem o Of the People living in or belonging to Ierusalem 4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion p This shall be accomplished when God hath thorowly cleansed the Iewish Nation from their Sins and shall have purged the blood q The Blood-guiltiness and especially that of killing the Lord of Life their own Messiah of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by * Chap. 32. 15 16. the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning r This is opposed to the former Legal way of Purification which was by Water By the spirit he seems to understand the Holy Spirit of God to which this washing and purging Work is commonly ascribed as 1 Cor. 6. 11. and elsewhere which Spirit did accompany the Preaching of the Gospel and did this Work in part in some of the Iews and will do it more fully in the Body of the Nation And this Spirit may well be called a spirit of judgment because it executes Judgment in the Church and in the Consciences of Men separating the precious from the vile convincing men of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment Ioh. 16. 8 9. manifesting the Secrets of mens Hearts in the Preaching of the Word 1 Cor. 14. 25. accusing and terrifying and punishing some witnessing for and with others and filling them with Peace and Joy in believing hardning some and softning and subduing others to God as this Spirit is particularly promised to do the Iews Zech. 12. 10. And the same Spirit may be fitly called the spirit of burning as he is compared to fire Mat. 3. 11. because he doth burn up and consume the Dross which is in the
Grace or rather 2. all the Good and Great Works which have been wrought for us all our wonderful Deliverances and singular Blessings come from thee And so the Argument is this God hath delivered us formerly upon all occasions and therefore he will still deliver us and give us Peace Which Inference is frequently made by Holy Men in Scripture ‖ Or for us in us l Heb. to or for us 13 O LORD our God * 2 Chron. 12. 8. other lords besides thee m Others besides thee who art our onely Iudge and King and Lawgiver Isa. 33. 22. and besides those Governours who have been set up by thee and have ruled us for thee and in subordination to thee even Foreign and Heathenish Lords such as the Philistins and lately the Assyrians have had dominion over us n Have exercised a Tyrannical Power over us but by thee onely o By thy Favour and Help by which alone and not by our Strength or Merits we have been rescued from their Tyranny will we make mention of thy Name p We will celebrate thy Praise and trust in thee for the future Thou onely hast given us both Ability and Occasion to magnifie thy Name whereas without thy Succour we had gone into the place of Silence where there is no remembrance of thee as is said Psal. 6. 5. 14 They are dead they shall not live they are deceased they shall not rise q Those Tyrants and Enemies are utterly and irrecoverably destroyed so as they shall never live or rise again to molest us Possibly he speaks of the miraculous Destruction of Sennacherib's Army before Ierusalem therefore r That they might be so effectually destroyed thou didst undertake the Work Or rather because as this Particle is used Numb 14. 43. Psal. 42. 6. thou hast c. as it follows hast thou visited and destroyed them and made all their memory to perish s Thou hast destroyed both them and theirs and all the Monuments or Memorials of their Greatness and Glory 15 Thou hast increased the nation t Heb. Thou hast added to the nation Which may be understood either 1. in way of Mercy of adding to their Numbers as our Translation takes it and so we have in effect the same Phrase 2 Sam. 24. 3. The Lord add to the people c. and Psal. 115. 14. in the Hebrew Text The Lord shall add upon or to you or 2. in way of Judgment of adding to their Plagues or Miscries of which we read Rev. 22. 18. in which sence the Phrase is found in the Hebrew Text Psal. 120. 3. What shall be added to thee and in that usual Form of Imprecation The Lord do so to me and more Ruth 1. 17. 1 Sam. 3. 16. c. where it is in the Hebrew The Lord do so to me and add And this sence seems to be favoured by the Context as also by the ancient Greek Translators who render the Words add to them evil or punishments And so the Word adding may be used emphatically and sarcastically God indeed will add to them but what Not Numbers and Power and Glory as they expected but Plagues or Judgments one after another This nation is supposed by the Current of Interpreters to be the People of Israel emphatically called the nation Possibly it may be the Assyrians of whom he spoke in the last Verse But this I propose with submission O LORD thou hast increased the nation thou art glorified u Thy Justice is glorified in their Punishment or Destruction thou hast removed it far unto all the ends of the earth x Which may be understood either 1. of Israel and that either in a way of Mercy Thou hast by destroying the Assyrians enlarged thy People who were shut up in Ierusalem so that now they may go to the remotest parts of the Land or in way of Judgment Thou hast removed thy People out of their own Land and suffered them to be carried Captive to the ends of the Earth Or 2. of the Assyrians Thou hast removed them from Ierusalem which they had besieged and caused them to flee into their own Country which in Scripture-phrase was in the ends of the earth of which see Isa. 5. 26. 13. 5. 16 O LORD in trouble have they y To wit thy People as appears both from the Matter of this Verse and from the following Verses visited thee z Come into thy Presence with their Prayers and Supplications as the next Clause explains it they poured out a Which notes the Plenty or rather the Earnestness of their Prayers as Psal. 42. 4. 142. 2â—… a †Heb. secret speech prayer b Heb. a muttering or lowly speech such as Charmers use and such as Hezekiah used when he was in great distress Isa. 38. 14. Like a crane or swallow so did I chatter I did mourn as a dove and such as is usual in case of great humiliation and dejection of Mind when thy chastning was upon them c When thou wast punishing them for their Sins 17 Like as * Joh. 16. 21. a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain and crieth out in her pangs so have we been d Such was our Anguish and Danger in thy sight e Whilst thou didst onely look upon us like a meer Spectator without affording us the least degree of Pity or Help Or this Phrase notes onely the reality of the Thing God was Witness of this our Misery and knoweth the Truth of what I say O LORD 18 We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind f We have had the Torment of a Woman in Child-bearing but not the Comfort of a Living Child Ioh. 16. 21. for we have brought forth nothing but Wind all our Labours and Hopes were vain and unsuccessful The Prophet here represents their deplorable and desperate Condition before God appeared so eminently to deliver them we have not wrought any deliverance g We found that we were utterly unable to deliver our selves in the earth h Or in the land in our own Country where yet we had far greater Advantages than we could have had elsewhere neither have the inhabitants of the world i The Assyrians or our other Enemies for they are here opposed to God's People fallen 19 Thy dead men shall live k The Prophet here turneth his Speech to God's People and gives them a Cordial to support them in their deep Distress expressed in the foregoing Verse Thy dead Men are not like those v. 14. for they shall not live as I there said but thine shall live You shall certainly be delivered from all your Fears and Dangers Nothing is more frequent both in Scripture and other Authors than for great Calamities to be compared to death and Deliverance from them to life and reviving and resurrection
long-desired Consolation of Israel and will have mercy upon his afflicted 14. But Zion said the LORD hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me b This is an objection against all these glorious predictions and promises hitherto mentioned How can these things be true when the condition of Gods Church is now so sad and desperate as it was when the Iews were Captives in Babylon in which the Prophet here supposeth them to be 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child †Heb. from having compassion that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee c Earthly Parents som times are so unnatural and monstrous but do not entertain such unworthy thoughts of me I will remember thee effectually to bring thee out of Babylon and which is infinitely greater to send my Son into the world to work out eternal redemption for thee 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands d Mine eye and heart is constantly upon thee He alludes to the common practice of men who use to put signs and memorials upon their hand or fingers of such things as they dearly affect and would remember See Exod. 13. 9. Deut. 6. 8. Prov. 6. 21. Cant. 8. 6. Ier. 22. 24. thy walls are continually before me e My thoughts run continually upon the Walls of Ierusalem which are now broken down that I way repair them as soon as ever the set time cometh and then proceed to do far greater things for thee 17. Thy children f Or as others render it thy Builders which is favoured by the next clause where the destroyers are opposed to them Howsoever the sence is the same for her children were her Builders as we read in Ezra and Nehemiah shall make hast thy destroyers and they that made thee waâ—…te shall go forth of thee g Shall be separated and driven from among thee and so shall neither hinder nor annoy thee 18. * Chap. 60. 4. Lift up thine eyes round about and behold all these h To wit the Gentiles as sufficiently appeareth from what hath been already said and from that which followeth The sence is Thy Church shall not onely be restored and established in Ierusalem but it shall be vastly enlarged and adorned by the accession of the Gentiles to it gather themselves together and come to thee i To receive instruction from thee and to be incorporated with thee into one and the same Church as I live saith the LORD thou shalt surely cloth thee with them all as with an ornament k They shall not be a burden as the Gentiles formerly were when they mixed themselves with the Iews but an Ornament iâ—… respect of those excellent gifâ—… and graces wherewith they shall enrich and honour thy Church and bind them on thee as a bride doth 19. For thy waste and thy desolate places l Thy own Land which is now wast and desolate and whereof divers parts lay formerly wast and desolate for want of People to possess and manage them and the Land of thy destruction m Or rather Thy Land of destruction so called because it is 〈◊〉 and shall be exposed to destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away n To wit from thee 20. The children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost o Heb. The Children of thine orbity or barren and Childless-slate Those Children which thou shalt have when thou art grown past the ordinary age and state of Child-bearing as Sarah in that case was made the Mother of a most numerous posterity to which he seems here to allude Those Gentiles which shall be begotten by thee to wit by the Ministry of thy Children Christ and his Apostles when thou shalt be deprived of thine own natural Children when thou shalt become barren and unfruitful as to Conversion of natural Iews when the generallity of the Iews shall cut themselves off from God and from his true Church by their Apostacy from God and by their unbelief and obstinate refusal of their Messiah the other shall say again p Or rather shall yet say though for the present it be otherwise in thine eares The place is too â—…raight for me give place to me that I may dwell 21. Then shalt thou say q Not without admiration in thine heart Who hath begotten me these r Whence or by whom have I this numberless Issue seeing I have lost my children s Seeing it is not long since that I was in a manner left childless and am desolate t Without an Husband being forsaken by God who formerly owned himself for my Husband Isa. 54. 5. Ier. 31. 32. and elsewhere a captive and removing to and fro u Which condition is in many respects a great 〈◊〉 to the proâ—…tion of Children and who hath brought up these x The same thing repeated again to express the miraculousness of this work and the great surprisal of the Iews at it which sheweth that he speaks of the Conversion of the Gentiles Behold I was left alone these where â—…d they been 22. Thus saith the Lord GOD Behold I will lift up mine hand y I will call them to me and command them to do this work as men commonly signifie their calls and commands by this gesture to the Gentiles and set up my standard z As Generals do to gather their Forces together See on Isâ—… 11. 12. to the people a Unto thee or to thy Church and People and they shall bring thy sonnes b Those which shall be thine if not by natural Generation yet by adoption that shall own God for their Father and Ierusalem for their Mother in their †Heb. besome armes c With great care and tenderness as Nurses carry young Infants The sence is even the Heathen shall contribute to the increase and preservation of those Children which shall be begotten to thee and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders d As sick or infirm persons used to be carried See Mark 2. 3. Luke 15. 5. 23. And Kings shall be thy †Heb. nourishers nursing fathers and their †Heb. Princesses queens thy nursing mothers l they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth and * Psal. 72. 9. lick up the dust of thy feet f They shall highly reverence and honour thee and shall most humbly and readily submit themselves unto thee which was not verified in any of the Persian Kings but onely in these Kings who were converted to the Christian Faith and Church The expressions are borrowed from the practice of the Eastern People in their protestations and adorations when they bowed so low as to touch and kiss the ground whereby they did or might seem to lick up the
that wherein God delighted not God accounts that those do not heaâ—… who do not obey his will but they did evil before mine Eyes and chose that in which I delighted not 5 Hear the word of the Lord you that * V. 2. tremble at his word s The Prophet turneth his discourse from denâ—…uncing judgment against the Idolaters and formalists amongst the Jews to such as feared God whose religion is described by a trembling at his word as v. 2. such a turning of the Prophets discourse was ch 50. 10. ch 51. 1. 7. The same words belong not to Saints and presumptuous Sinners your brethren t Your Brethren by Nation or by external profession in Religion tho â—…alse brethren Gal. 2. 4. Thus Paul calls all the rejected â—…ews Brethren Rom. 9. 3. that hated you that cast you out u That either shut you out of their intimate society or which is more probable excommunicate and cast you out of their Synagogues or cast you out of their City and some of you out of the world Iohn 9. 35. 22. Iohn 16. 2. for my names sake x i. e. For my sake for your owning me and adherence to mâ—… law said said * Ch. 5. 1â—… Let the Lord be glorified y Either mocking you as the Jews did Christ 〈◊〉 hanging upon the cross Mat. 27. 43. Luke 23. 35. thus they mocked at David Psal. 42. 3. Or Let the Lord be glorified thinking they did God good service Ioâ—…n 16. 2. but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed z There will come a day when God shall appear and let them know his judgment concerning their violence and rage then you shall have joy and they shall be ashamed 2 Thes. 4. 16 17 18. 6 A voice of noise from the city a The expression of a Prophetical extasy as much as methinks I already hear a voice of noise rather a sad and affrighting noise then the noise of Triumphers as some think yea it comes not from the City only but from the Temple wherein these formalists have so much gloried and reposed so much confidence there is a noise of Soldiers slaying and of the Priests or poor people fled thither shrieking or crying out a voice from the temple a voice of the Lord that rendreth recompence to his Enemies b A voice of the Lord not in thunder which is sometimes called so Psal. 29. 3 4 5 c. but that rendreth recompence to his enemies Thus the noise of Soldiers the roaring of Guns the sounds of Drums and Trumpets are the Voice of the Lord. Thus the Prophet seemeth to express the destruction of the Jews by the Roman Armies as if a thing at that time doing 7 Before she travailed she brought forth before her pain came she was delivered of a man-child c The whole verse is expressive of a great and sudden salvation which God would work for his Church like the delivery of a woman and that of a man-child before her travel and without pain The onely doubt is whether it referreth to the deliverance of the People out of Babylon or the worlds surprizal with the Messiah and the sudden and strange propagation of the Gospel and it is a question not easily determined The delivery of the Jews out of Babylon indeed was without struglings or any pain not like their deliverance from Egypt after the wasting of their enemies by ten successive Plagues but by the kind Proclamation of Cyrus but it seems not to have been sudden only as to the day hour manner for Daniel understood by Books that the time was come Dan. 9. 2. and the people had a prospect of it 70 years before Ier. 25. 12. 29. 10. The Prophecy therefore seems rather to refer to the coming of Christ and the sudden propagation of the Gospel The Popish Interpreters applying it to the Virgin Mary bringing forth Christ is like other of their â—…ond dreams 8 Who hath heard such a thing d The Prophet calls either to the whole world or to such as feared God amongst the Iews to admire God in his stupendious works of Providence either in the easie manner of the deliverance of the Jews out of the Captivity of Babylon without any pain without so much as one throw or else in the erecting of his Gospel Church into which all the Jews that received Christ were gathered as well as the Gentiles making both one Eph. 2. 14. who hath seen such things e Which seems to be meant by the Earths bringing forth in one day as great a work of Providence as if all the women in the world should have brought forth in a day or as if all the plants of the Earth had brought 〈◊〉 their flowers and fruit in one day shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once for as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth children f As soon as the Church of the Jews began to move out of the Captivity of Babylon God put it into the hearts of multitudes to go up Exod. 1. 5 ch 2. 1 2 c. Or as soon as the voice of the Gospel put the Church of the Jews into her Travel in Iohn the Baptists Christ's and the Apostles times it presently brought â—…orth In Iohn Baptist's time the Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force Mat. 11. 12. and it continued so as 3000 were converted at Peters Sermon Acts 2. The Gentiles were the Children of Zion being planted into their stock the law of the Gospel first going out of Zion 9 Shall I bring to the birth and not ‖ Or 〈◊〉 cause to bring forth saith the Lord g The work before spoken of seemeâ—…h not after the manner of men who do things that are great gradually nor in an ordinary course of nature whose motions also bring things by degrees to their perfection but you must consider who it is that speaketh saith the Lord now as is the God so is his strength Again men may undertake things and for want of power not bring them to perfection but shall I do such a thing I have by many prophecies and promises secured you in the expectation of such a thing and shall I not by my Providence effect it I that in the ordinary course of my providence use to give a birth to Women to whom I have given a power to conceive shall I not give a birth to Zion to my people whom by my 〈◊〉 and promises I have made to conceive such hopes and expectations shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb saith thy God h Nor shall Zion once only bring â—…rth but she shall go on teeming her womb shall not be shut she shall every day bring forth more and more children my presence shall be with my Church to that end to the end of the world 10 Rejoyce
the quarters of the World see the Latin Synopsis and the English Annot. large discourses of these particular places to all Nations that had never before heard of God or his true Worship that have not heard my fame neither have seen my glory and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles r And they shall every where preach the Gospel and set up my Gospel-Ordinances and Institutions This was eminently made good upon the Apostles leaving the Jews and turning to the Gentiles Act. 13 46. and more fully after the destruction of Ierusalem when the Believers among the Jews as well as the Apostles went about publishing the Gospel to all People which was the declaring of the Lords glory n By sign here some understand an Ensign as the word signifies Psal. 74. 4. which is a military sign to gather people together by this may be understood Christ Luk. 2. 34. See Isa. 11. 10. or as others the ministry of the Word attended with miracles often called signs these were set up amongst the Jews first then among the Gentiles Others but less probably understand by sign a mark of distinction like that mentioned Ezek. 9. 4. so as saith he some shall escape and not be destroyed and for those that shall escape I will send them to 20 And they shall bring all your brethren s Those who are the Children of Abraham not considered as the Father of the Jewish Nation onely but considered as the Father of many Nations and as the Father of the Faithful or who are the Children of God being believers and receiving Christ and so are your Brethren how contemptible soever you judge them shall be brought out of all Nations for an offering to the Lord God will have no more offerings of Bullocks and Rams or Lambs but of Men and Women reasonable services Rom. 12. 1. he will have an offering up of the Gentiles Rom. 15. 16. for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses and ‖ Or câ—…hes in litters and upon mules and upon swift beasts t And because the Gentiles are many of them far off from Ierusalem and as yet further off from God Eph. 2. 17. God will find out fit means for this end as Horses and Litters and Mules and swift Beasts are to bring Meâ—… and Women long Journeys to my holy mountain Jerusalem saith the LORD u And they shall be brought into the Church which began at Ierusalem and this you may be assured of for the Lord hath said it who cannot ly nor repent as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel unto the house of the LORD x And they shall come with as much joy and gladness with as much sincerity and holiness as the Godly Jews use and exercise when they bring their offerings in clean vessels 21 And * Ex. 29. 6. Ch. 61. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Rev. 1. 6. I will take of them for priests and for Levites y Leâ—…t the Jews being assured that the Tribe of Levi which God anciently chose to minister before him was among them should say Alas if the Gentiles should be brought in where would they have Priests or Levites God here by his Prophet tells them he would provide Priests he would take of them of these converted Heathens for Priests and Levites that is for Gospel-Ministers to teach and to instruct People which was the Priests work of old Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 17. 7 9. Mal. 2. 6. for they are mightily mistaken that think the Priests amongst the Jews had nothing to do but to sacrifice and burn incense which work is ceased saith the Prophet God will find amongst the converted Gentiles those who though they be not of the Tribe of Levi or House of Aaron yet shall they do the true work of Priests and Levites saith the LORD 22 For as * Ch. 65. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 21. 1. the new heavens and the new earth z The new state of the Church to be raised up under the Messias which I will make shall remain before me saith the Lord so shall your seed and your name remain a As I intend that shall abide so there shall be a daily succession of true Believers for the upholding of it for if Believers could fail from the Earth the Church made up of them onely as the true Members of it must fail also This whole verse is onely a promise of the perpetuity of the Gospel Church and the not failing of the additions to it of such as shall be saved till the World shall have an end 23 And it shall come to pass that from †from new moon to his new moon and from sabbath to his sabbath Zech. 14. 16. new moon to another and from one sabbath to another b In the Gospel-Church there shall be as constant and settled a course of Worship though of another nature as ever was in the Jewish Church Christians are not bound to keep the Jewish Sabbaths or New-moons Gal. 4. 10 11. Col. 2. 16. But New Testament Worship is often expressed by Old Testament Phrases The Jews were onely obliged to appear Three times in a year at Ierusalem but saith the Prophet the Gospel-Church shall worship God from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the LORD 24 And they shall go forth c Either the Gentiles or the sincerer part of the Jews shall go forth from their places or from Ierusalem or go out of their graves at the last day and look upon the carkasses of the men that have sinned against me d And look upon the vengeance I have taken upon these vile Idolaters and Formalists for their satisfaction Psal. 58. 10. they shall see none of them alive but they shall see their carâ—…asses for their * Mar. 9. 44 46 48. worm shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched e For the worms that feed on their slain carcasses shall not suddenly dye and the Enemies fire burning up their Habiâ—…ions shall not go out till they be wholly consumed and after this Life and at the day of Judgment they shall go into eternal torments See Mar. 9. 44 46 48. where they will feel a worm of Conscience that shall never die and a fiery Wrath of God upon their Souls and Bodies that shall never go out and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh THis first Volume of the Annotations being now finish'd and the Learned Divines that have undertaken to perfect the said work upon the whole Bible having made considerable progress in the same there are now Proposals made for the second Volume which are to be had gratis at the Shops of T. Parkhurst D. Newman I. Robinson B. Aylmer T. Cockerill and B. Alsop FINIS