unto the Lord to prosper him in his business and that by such a sign he might know the Damosel God had appointed for his Masters Son and this sign he found pointed him clearly to Rebecca These things being all true and real he desired them that they would please to deal kindly and uprightly with his Master and to let him have a direct answer concerning this great and weighty matter that he might know whether to turn to the right hand or to the left that is that if they consented not he might somewhere else look for a Wife for his young Master Then Laban who as 't is like had the managing of all their affairs his Father being old spake in the Name of them all and told the Servant that the thing seemed to proceed from the Lord and from his all-wise Providence and therefore they could not speak unto him either good or bad Good reasons they had none against this motion and bad they would not urge so that they had nothing to say against it And therefore he should have their free consent to have Rebecca for his Masters Son provided she were willing seeing God had declared his good pleasure therein by pointing Her out to him by that sign When Eliezer heard this he worshipped God bowing himself to the ground Then he presented Rebecca with some rich picces of Gold and Silver plate and with rich Suits of apparel and presented her Mother also and her Brother with rich Gifts All things having thus prosperously succeeded Eliezer and his Company were now willing to eat and drink with Laban which having done they reposed themselves there that night Then rising early the next Morning Eliezer like a man that seriously minded his business desired them to hasten him away with his young Mistress Her Mother and Brother were not willing so soon to part with her but desired that she might stay with them at least ten days before she went But Eliezer was impatient of so long a stay and therefore intreated them that seeing the Lord had so eminently prospered him in his business hitherto he might now hasten home to his Master They replied They would call Rebecca and see what she said to it Rebecca expressing a modest willingness to go provided it might be with their good liking They said They saw the thing was of God and therefore she should go Then solemnly blessing her and praying that she might be the Mother of thousands of Millions that is of an innumerable Posterity who might possess the Gates of their Enemies they forthwith sent her away with Deborah her Nurse and some young Maids to attend her Rebecca with Her Attendants being thus committed to the Care of Eliezer they began their Journey towards Canaan and after some days travel they drew near to Beersheba where Abraham and Isaac dwelt It being now Eventide Isaac was walking in the Fields to pray and meditate His walk was in the way (n) Veniebat ea via qua itur ad puteum that leads to the Well Lahai-roi where on a sudden lifting up his eyes he saw the Camels coming towards him Rebecca seeing him at some distance ask'd Eliezer who He was and he telling her it was Isaac his young Master she immediately lighted off from her Camel and took a Veil and covered her face in token of modesty and subjection When they met the Servant told Isaac all that had happened and presented Rebecca to Him Isaac joyfully receiv'd and welcom'd Her and forthwith conducted her into his Mother Sarahs Tent (o) Women it seems had their Tents apart see Ch. 31.33 which it seems at her death about three years before had been reserv'd with its Furniture for his Wife And soon after He took her for his Wife by solemn marrying of her and loved her exceedingly and was highly pleased with Her So that the great grief he had before lien under for his dear Mothers death was now well mitigated and abated by the Comforts he had in his new Wife Ch. 24. whole Chapter SECT XV. ABraham having thus happily dispatched that weighty business of his Sons marriage he took to himself another Wife (p) Non libidine motus sed amore prolis ex divino instinctu ut ex eo semen inter gentes quoque multiplicaretur by name Keturah when he was about 140 years old For though forty years before that time his body was as it were dead Rom. 4.19 as to any humane likelihood of begetting Children yet God who strengthen'd him then to beget Isaac did it seems now renew that Masculine vigor and strength to him to make good his Promise of multiplying his Seed Ch. 17. 5. in others also though principally in Isaac that he inabled him to beget six Sons of Keturah in his old age To these he gave portions as he had done before to Ishmael the Son of Hagar being his Children by his Concubines (q) By this it appears that not only they were called Concubines who as Hagar were taken after a man was married to be as it were partner-wives or by-wives for the right of the Bed and propagation of Children though not solemnly betrothed nor taken with Dowry nor to be partners in the Government of the Family but to be subject to the lawful Wife and their Children were not to inherit except the Father pleased as Bilhah's and Zilpah's did extraordinarily becoming heads of Tribes I say not only such as these were called Concubines but second Wives taken after the first was dead were so called because their Children had no right of Inheritance and before his death sent them away into the East-Country into part of Arabia a good way off from Isaac the Heir of the Promise whom he made the sole and full heir of all his remaining Estate thus testifying his Faith that only Isaac and his Seed should enjoy the Land of Canaan Chap. 25. from 1. to 7. SECT XVI REbecca continued 19 years barren after her Marriage but at last upon Isaac's prayer who had prayed many years for her the Lord was intreated to bless her with power to Conceive and she conceived Twins who strugling in her Womb she said If it be so why am I thus that is if it be so that I am indeed with child why am I thus what is the reason I feel such a strange and extraordinary and painful strugling in my Womb more than other women do that are in my Condition Hereupon she betook her self either by her own private prayer or by some Prophet to inquire of the Lord what the meaning of it should be The answer she received was That she had two Sons in her Womb that should be the heads of two several Nations viz. Edomites and Israelites that these two Nations should differ very much one from the other They should be divided in habitation and should differ very much in their Laws Religion and Manners that Esau for some time should be greater than Jacob
raise up the Name of the dead upon his Inheritance that it may not be cut off from among his Brethren and from the Gate of his Place that is from among the Inhabitants of Bethlehem who daily go in and out at the Gates of the City and upon all civil Occasions resort thither as to their place of Judicature Hereupon the Elders and all the people there present declared that they were all Witnesses to these Transactions And so they wished Boaz all happiness with Ruth whom he intended to take for his Wife praying unto the Lord that she might be to him what Rachel * Here Rachel is named before Leah because she was Jacob's true and lawful wife Leah was fraudulently put upon him and Leah which two did build the House of Israel were to Jacob viz. that she might be very loving and comfortable to him and might bear him many Children as they did that thereby the Israel or Church of God might be increased Then speaking to Him they said As for thy self we heartily wish thou mayest do worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem We heartily wish thy House may be like the House of Pharez †See Sect. 35. of Chap. 3. that is as Pharez of whose Stock thou art was blessed in his Posterity though his Mother was a Stranger and not of the Stock of Israel so that his Children and Childrens Children have been most honourable in the Tribe of Judah so we wish that thou maist be blessed in thy Children begotten of this poor Stranger and that they may still uphold the Honour of that House So Boaz took Ruth to wife and God gave her to conceive and she bare him a Son Upon this the Women congratulated Naomi saying Blessed be the Lord who hath not left thee this day without a Kinsman a pious Kinsman indeed who hath raised up Seed to his Kinsman thy Son deceased and let his Name be famous in Israel for it He will comfort and revive thee and restore thee as it were to a new life He will be a Nourisher of thy old age and make thee as it were young again For Ruth thy beloved Daughter-in-law who is better to thee than seven Sons hath now born him * Vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poterit verti peperit ei scil vindici Pronomen enim affixum saepe ponitur Et exponendum est per dativum separatum Capel a Son which must needs be matter of great joy to him Then Naomi took the Child and laid him in her Bosom and became a dry-Nurse to him And the Women her Neighbours said There is a Son born to Naomi because this Son of Ruth was to raise up the Name of her deceased Husband Mahlon the Son of Naomi and to be accounted his Son rather than the Son of Boaz. However they gave their advice that his Name should be called Obed importing that they hoped he would be very serviceable to his Mother and Grand-Mother Indeed every where in the Genealogies Obed is reckoned the Son of Boaz but that is because there it is fit the line should be drawn according to the natural Descents that we may truly know the Ancestors of whom Christ came without any respect to this legal Ordination This Obed was the Father of Jesse who was the Father of David The principal end of setting down this Genealogy †By the Genealogy of David set down in the end of this Book 't is manifest it was written after David's time unless that were added to the Book in succeeding times by some other Author here seems to be to shew the truth of Jacob's Prophesie concerning Christ's coming of the Tribe of Judah and therefore it begins with Pharez Juda's Son and so descendeth to David of whose Stock it was also known that the Messiah was to come Ruth Ch. 4. whole Chapter SECT CXXXVI WE return now to the History of the Judges When Ebud was dead the Children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord. Vnder none of the Judges did they enjoy so long a peace as in the days of Ehud as we may see Ch. 3.30 viz. 80 years And now we shall shew how ill they requited the Lord for so great a Mercy As standing waters are wont to putrifie so they were corrupted by their long Peace and by degrees fell off from God unto Idolatry as they formerly had done Upon this God gave them up into the hands of Jabin King of Canaan that is of those Canaanites that dwelt in the Northern parts Successor to that Jabin slain by Joshua whose chief City Hazor he burnt Josh 11.1 10 11 12. yet this Son or Successor of his it seems re-inforcing himself recovered from the Israelites that part of Land and Territory that lay about Hazor and repairing the City reigned there as his Predecessors had done And now at last not contented with his own Kingdom he made War against the Israelites in general and brought them into Subjection to him and cruelly oppressed them in Revenge no doubt of what Joshua had formerly done against that Kingdom and City The Text says He mightily oppressed them vers 3. which Expression is no where used concerning any other Bondage the Children of Israel were under and he oppressed them a long while viz. twenty years Third Oppression under Jabin twenty years and this Oppression must needs be the more grievous to them because they were brought under the Canaanites that accursed Nation whom God promised to cast out before them and would have done it had not they by their grievous Sins prevented their own Mercies And observable it is that whereas their first Bondage under Cushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia continued but seven years the next under Eglon continued eighteen years and this under Jabin continued twenty years Thus we see when lighter Corrections did no good the next were sorer and of longer continuance and because they abused God's Mercy and readiness to withdraw his Hand when they cried unto him therefore he continued the next Judgments longer upon them But to go on The Captain of Jabin's Host was Sisera who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles in the lot of Naphtali whither many of the Canaanites in the timâ— of Israels prevailing fled as unto a place of Strength and there fortified themselves Jabin had a great Army and 900 Chariots of Iron and continuing to Oppress Israel very sorely they cried unto the Lord and humbled themselves Deborah the Third Judge and He was at length pleased to hear their Cry and send them a Deliverer It seems at this time * Namely whilst Jabin oppressed them so that those 20 years or within 〈◊〉 those 40 yâ—ars of Dâ—brorah vers 31. Populum judicabat sine Principatu tamen Jus populo dixit litesque composuit sed absque jurisdictione sive potestate judiciariâ Quia Prophetissa mulier prudens erat sponte populus ad eam controversias suas detulit Judices
Canis enim si fuerit obvia nec immolari poterat imo nec redimi quidem of being sacrificed according to the Law he would offer it up for a Burnt-Offering unto Him Howsoever if it were a thing fit it should be hallowed and consecrated unto Him Jephtah having made this Vow and now engaging with the Children of Ammon the Lord was pleased to deliver them into his hands and he smote them with a very great slaughter and had the chase of them a long way and so the Children of Ammon were subdued that day before the Children of Israel Jephtah now after this great Victory returning to his own house at Mizpeh his Daughter his only Child accompanied with other young Virgins came out to meet him with Timbrels and Dances and chearful Tripudiations according to the Custom of those days wherein Women and Maids after great Victories us'd to sing Songs of Triumph see Exod. 15.20 Judges 5.1 1 Sam. 18.6 When Jephtah saw Her he rent his Clothes expressing thereby the bitterness of his Grief and cried out alas My Daughter thou hast brought me very low and thou art one of them that trouble me Thou art now unwittingly a cause of much sorrow and affliction to me For I have made a Vow to God concerning whatsoever should first come forth to meet me and I cannot reverse it (e) This he speaks not knowing it seems that the Law of God gave him liberty in this case to have redeemed his Daughter with thirty Shekals of silver Levit. 27.4 'T is probable he then told her more particularly the substance of his Vow She tells him That if he had made such a Vow and by that Vow she must be consecrated to God and live a Virgin all her days She freely submitted to it and should do it the more willingly because God had given him so great a Victory over their Enemies And this seems to be the meaning of this passage For we cannot rationally think that Jephtah commended for his Faith Heb. 11.32 should offer his Daughter for a Burnt-Offering seeing that would have been much more odious to the Lord than to have offered to Him Swines blood or a Dogs-head Isa 65.4 and was expresly forbidden by Him as most abominable Deut. 12.31 Jephtah's Daughter therefore being devoted to serve God in a state of Virginity she desires she might have two months time to go up and down in the Mountains with some young Virgins her Companions that in those unfrequented and solitary places she might express her grief and lamentation that she must live and die a Virgin * She speaks not of bewailing her approaching death or being sacrific'd but her Virginity and consequently Barrenness leaving no Posterity behind her which was in those days esteemed one of the greatest of earthly Infelicities When the two months of her Lamentation were ended she returned to her Father who did not redeem her according to the Law Levit. 27.4 but consecrated her to God to serve him as a Virgin in the single life And so she lived a Virgin as her Father had vowed and she consented And the Daughters of Israel went four days in a year to Her partly to Condole with her and partly to Comfort and Chear her up in this her solitary Condition Judg. Ch. 10. from 10. to the end Judg. Ch. 11. whole Chapter SECT CXLV AFter this great Victory obtained by Jephtah the men of Ephraim having passed over Jordan turned Northward into the Land of Gilead and envying Jephtah and the Gileadites the glory of this Victory they began to quarrel with Him that he had not call'd them to assist * Upon the same account they quarrelled with Gideon Ch. 8. him when he went to fight against the Children of Ammon And they were so hot that they threatned to burn his house over his head and they gave the Gileadites opprobrious Language calling them Fugitives of Ephraim as if that half-Tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan had been no better than Fugities that were run away from them and the meer Refuge and Scum of Ephraim and Manasseh within Jordan And it seems these proud Ephraimites told them That they viz. the men of Gilead were no way to be compar'd with them and therefore ought not to have undertaken a business of such Importance as this War was without first acquainting them with it and desiring their assistance Jephtah tells them He and his people were at great strife with the Children of Ammon about the Land that the Israelites possessed on that side Jordan And he had sent to the men of Ephraim as being their Brethren and Confederates to desire their Aid and Assistance but they had not thought fit to grant it to them Hereupon he gathered together what Forces he could and trusting in God He put his life in his hand and resolved to expose it to the utmost danger in so good a Cause and so went out to fight against the Ammonites and the Lord delivered them into his hands And this being the true state of this business I pray you says he what cause have you to come out in this War-like manner against us who are your Brethren But though Jephtah had reason on his side yet it did nothing move as it seems these haughty Ephraimites Hereupon He immediately gathered together all the men of Gilead that could on so short warning be got together and fell suddenly upon them and gave them a great overthrow and then the Gileadites to prevent those that escaped in the Fight from getting into their own Country took the Fords of Jordan before them and when any straglers came to those Fords to get over the Gileadites to try whither they were Ephraimites or of other Tribes as 't is like they pretended to be made them pronounce Shibboleth The Ephraimites could not pronounce the aspirate but said Sibboleth which was a pronunciation it seems they were accustomed and habituated unto Thereupon they slew them and many of them were here slain So that there were slain in the battel and chase and at these Fords of Jordan forty two thousand of the Ephraimites Jephtah having judged Israel six years died and was buried in one of the Cities of Gilead Judg. Ch. 12. from 1. to 8. SECT CXLVI AFter Jephtah Ibzan of Bethlem judged Israel Ibzan the Ninth Judge He had thirty Sons and thirty Daughters by divers Wives His Daughters he sent out of his own Family bestowing them upon Husbands in other Families and he took in thirty Daughters for his Sons to be Wives to them He judged Israel seven years About the fifth year of his Government the Israelites did evil again in the sight of the Lord and he gave them into the hands of the Philistines which Thraldom lasted forty years The sixth Oppression under the Philistines Judg. 13.1 And indeed Jephtah's slaying forty two thousand of the Ephraimites Ch. 12.6 must needs be a great weakning to the Israelites in those parts and possibly
Caleb's request to Joshua Hebron given to him Othniel's marriage Sect. 111. Seven Tribes desire a stop may be put to the division of the land Sect. 112. The first Sabbatical year Sect. 113. A solemn Feast of Tabernacles kept Sect. 114. The Camp and Tabernacle remove to Shiloh Sect. 115. The seven Tribes reproved Their lots Sect. 116. Joshua's Inheritance Sect. 117. Cities set apart for the Levites Sect. 118. Israel's possession of Canaan Sect. 119. The Reubenites and Gadites commended and blest Their Altar Ed. Sect. 120. The Elders of Israel called together by Joshua His speech to them Sect. 121. The Tabernacle removed to Sechem Joshua's Exhortation to the Israelites Joseph's bones solemnly inter'd Joshua's and Eleazar's death Sect. 122. The Book of Judges Sect. 123. Bezek taken Adonibezek's usage Sect. 124. The settlement of the Kenites Sect. 125. Hormah and other Cities taken Sect. 126. Bethel taken Luz built The Canaanites remain Sect. 127. An Angel appears to them in an humane shape and reproves them The people weep Sect. 128. Micah's Idolatry His Priest Sect. 129. The Danites carry away Micah's Idol Laish taken Sect. 130. The wickedness of Gibeah The Levites Concubine Sect. 131. A Convention at Mizpeh The War against Benjamin Sect. 132. Six hundred Benjamites in Rimmon The Virgins surprized at Shiloh Sect. 133. Israel for their sins given up into the hands of Cushan King of Mesopotamia Othniel delivers them His conquest of Cushan and death Sect. 134. Ehud kills Eglon. Shamgar delivers the people from the Philistines Sect. 135. The History of Ruth Sect. 136. Jabin oppresseth Israel Deborah and Barak Sisera slain Sect. 137. Deborahs Song Sect. 138. The Midianites oppress Israel Gideon's vision He throws down Baals Altar The Fleece dry and wet Sect. 139. Gigeon's army diminished The dream of the Barley Cake He destroys the Midianites slays their Kings Ephramites expostulate with him Sect. 140. The people offer Gideon to make him King His Ephod and death Sect. 141. Baal-berith Abimelech's Tyranny His death at Thebez Sect. 142. Tola's Government and death Sect. 143. Jair the Gileadite Sect. 144. Ammon invades Israel Jeptha's victory and vow Sect. 145. Jeptha subdues the Ephraimites His death Sect. 146. Ibzan judges Israel Manoah's vision Samson born Sect. 147. Elon and Abdon Sect. 148. Samson marries a Philistine Honey in the Lions Carcass Samson's Riddle He burns the Philistines Corn. Slays many of them Sect. 149. Breaks the bonds with which he was bound En Hakkore Sect. 150. Samson taken with Dalilah His locks cut and eyes put out He pulls down Dagons house and dies Sect. 151. Eli judges Israel Hannahs prayer Samuel born Sect. 152. Hannahs Song Samuel left with Eli. Sect. 153. The wickedness of Eli's Sons A Prophet comes to Eli. Sect. 154. Samuel call'd He denounces judgment against Eli. Sect. 155. The Philistines invade Israel The Ark of God taken Hophni and Phinehas slain Eli's death Sect. 156. The Ark carried in triumph Dagon broke The Philistines plagued The Beshemites smitten Sect. 157. The Ark at Kirjath-jearim The meeting at Mizpeh The Philistines overcome Sect. 158. Samuel made Judg. His Circuit He builds an Altar Sect. 159. Samuel's Sons very wicked The people desire a King Sect. 160. Kish sends his Son Saul to seek his Asses Samuel meets him Saul Prophesies Sect. 161. Saul taken by lot The manner of the Kingdom Sect. 162. Nahash besieges Jabesh-Gilead He requires to put out their right eyes The place relieved by Saul and the Kingdom renewed Sect. 163. Samuel shews the people their sin in asking a King Extraordinary Thunder Sect. 164. Saul raiseth forces to go against the Philistines He sacrificeth Samuel declares his rejection of God Sect. 165. The passage at Michmash Saul and his Armour-bearer take a fort of the Philistines The confusion of the Philistines Army thereupon Jonathan eats honey Saul's Sons Sect. 166. Saul sent to destroy Amalek He spareth Agag and the best Cattel Agag slain by Samuel Sect. 167. Samuel sent to Jesse the Bethlemite Jesse's Sons pass before him David taken and anointed Sect. 168. Saul's Phrensie David plays on his Harp to him Sect. 169. David leaves the Court. The Philistines invading Israel bring a Giant with them David visits his Brethren He slays Goliah Jonathan entirely loves him and makes a Covenant of friendship with him David is highly applauded Sect. 170. Saul's hatred of and designs against him David escapes to Ramah Sect. 171. David flies to Jonathan who intercedes with his father for him Jonathan and David renew their Covenant Sect. 172. David flies to Nob. He eats of the shew-bread given him by Ahimelech And takes Goliah's Sword His several removals Doegs malice Eighty five Priests slain by him David's Enterview with Saul Samuel's death Nabal's churlishness Michal being given to Phalti David marries Abigal He flies to Hachilah thence to Achish Achish going against Israel dismisseth him Saul and the Witch of Endor David defeats the Amalekites Saul and his sons slain Sect. 173. Mephibosheth's fall Sect. 174. David hath news of Saul's death He mourns The Amalekite slain Sect. 175. David's Funeral Elegy for Saul and Jonathan Sect. 176. David goes to Hebron Is there anointed Sect. 177. Abner makes Ishbosheth King Sect. 178. David marries the King of Geshur's daughter Sect. 179. War between David and Ishbosheth Abner's Challenge to Joab that twelve of a side might fight Asahel slain Sect. 180. The War continues David's six Sons Sect. 181. Abner strongly upholds Ishbosheth's side and Joab David's Michal returned to David Abner treacherously slain by Joab Sect. 182. Baanah and Rechab murder Ishbosheth Sect. 183. David made King of Israel A list of the Tribes Sect. 184. David takes Zion Hiram's Embassie to him Sect. 185. The Philistines encamp at Rephaim Their defeat Sect. 186. The Ark removed Vzzah slain Obed-Edom blest David removes the Ark to Zion and dances before it Michal scoffs Sect. 187. Levites appointed to attend the Ark. A Psalm appointed by David to be sung Sect. 188. David designs to build a Temple Nathan's message from the Lord to him about it Sect. 189. David's several wars with the bordering enemies His great Officers Sect. 190. David's kindness to Mephibosheth His orders to Ziba Sect. 191. David's Embassie to Nahash King of Ammon The base usage of his Embassadors The Ammonites and Syrians vanquished Sect. 192. Rabbah besieged David's Adultery Vriah slain Sect. 193. Rabbah taken David assumes the Crown His severe usage of the conquered Sect. 194. David's repentance His Child dies Solomon born Sect. 195. Ammon ravisheth Tamar Absalom murders him Sect. 196. The woman of Tekoa Absalom's return Sect. 197. Absalom's Conspiracy Sect. 198. David flies Several Remarkables during his absence from Jerusalem Sect. 199. A famine Saul's sons are hang'd Sect. 200. War with the Philistines Four Giants Sect. 201. David's Triumphant Song Sect. 202. David's Prophesie Sect. 203. David's Worthies Sect. 204. David's Militia Sect. 205. The people number'd Of three judgments propounded David chooses the Plague
viri mulieres inhabiles essent ad Concubitum illudque fuisse omnibus manifestum Notum est etiam Daemones ligamine conjuges saepe fraudasse ut se mutuo potiri non possent Forte muliebria loca obserata erant aut Coarctata Rivet they lay under was removed Gen. 20. whole Chapter SECT XI GOd having now visited Sarah with so much mercy as to give her power and strength to conceive upon her belief of his gracious Promise (k) Hereupon Isaac is said to be born by Promise Gal. 4.23 28. Heb. 11.11 and her full time being come she brought forth a Son to Abraham he being an 100 and she 90 years of age And as God had appointed Abraham Circumcised him on the eighth day and called his Name Isaac Ch. 17. 19. and Sarah greatly rejoyced and said God hath made me to laugh and others that hear of this thing will laugh also and rejoyce with me For says she Who would have thought that I should have born a Son or given suck (l) V. 7. Given Children suck the plural number for a singular sometimes used in Scripture see Ch. 46.7 23. Numb 26.8 in my old age So the Child grew and at a fit time was weaned and at his weaning Abraham made a great Feast a properer time for it as may be supposed than at his Birth or Circumcision At this Feast Sarah espied Ishmael now about 17 or 18 years old (m) Compare Ch. 17.24 25. 21.5 mocking and jeering at Isaac and possibly calling Him their young Master who forsooth must be heir of all whereas by right of Primogeniture He supposed the Inheritance belonged unto him and possibly his Mother Hagar might have some hand in it also by incouraging him therein And this mocking 't is like was accompanied with some expressions of hatred and bitterness of Spirit so that the Apostle calls it a Persecution Gal. 4.29 Sarah at this was so incensed that she said to Abraham doubtless by the motion of Gods Spirit for God himself afterwards confirms the Sentence Cast (n) Her saying was not only passionate but prophetical out this Bondwoman and her Son for he shall not be Heir (o) Under this Inheritance Heaven was figured with my Son This was very greivous to Abraham who was very loth to part with Hagar and Ishmael But God by a vision in the night commanded him to hearken to Sarah in this thing and the rather no doubt that Hagar and Ishmael by the misery of being cast out might be brought to a sense of their sin who in mocking at Isaac had in a sort despised the blessed Seed promised in him And the more to dispose Abraham to a willingness hereunto God tells him That in Isaac his Seed should be called (p) In Isaaco i. e. per Isaacum vocabitur h. e. existet tibi semen nempe illud numerosissimum quod tibi promisi praecipuè Christus that is from Isaac not from Ishmael shall spring the Messias and that numerous seed he had promised to him who shall be called the true Seed of Abraham and Gods own peculiar people with whom he will establish his Covenant Abraham therefore giving Hagar some bread and victuals and a bottel of Water to refresh her in her travel thorow the Wilderness towards Egypt he dismiss'd her and her Son When she came into the Wilderness she lost her way so that the bottel of Water being spent and her Son sick and fainting for thirst and she not able to supply him despairing of his life she left him under a bush and went and sat her self at a small distance from him as being loth to see him die and she lift up her voice and wept Upon this an Angel of God called unto her and ask'd her what she meant to take on in that sort having had experience of Gods Fatherly Care over her before and he bad her not to fear or be discouraged for God had heard the voice of the Youth who doubtless cryed no less than his mother in this their great extremity and bad her lift him up and hold him in her hand for God would make of him a great Nation Then the Angel shewed her a Well of water hard by which she did not see before and there she fill'd her bottel and gave her Son to drink He being refreshed thereby and rescued from this present danger of perishing by thirst God was afterwards very favourable to him and blessed him according to his promise with temporal things and He grew up and became an Archer that is a valiant Hunter and a Warrior shooting with the Bow used in War And he dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran next adjoyning to the desert of Sinai and his Mother chose (q) Observe the right of Parents yea of Mothers alone in bestowing their Children in Marriage an Egyptian Woman as her self was for a Wife for him About that time Abimelech spake to Abraham saying I perceive God doth wonderfully bless thee and therefore I desire to make a Covenant with thee and that thou wilt swear to me to deal kindly with me and my Children and Childrens Children and the Inhabitants of this Land wherein thou sojournest according to the kindness thou hast here received Abraham readily consented to it knowing that it was his Posterity only that was in time to come actually to enjoy that promised Land and that he himself was to live there only as a Stranger and Sojourner therefore he was willing to give him his Oath that as for himself he would no way hurt either him or his Son or his Sons Son But before he did it he expostulates with Him about a Well of Water of great use in that dry Country which he had digged and Abimelech's Servants had by violence taken from him Abimelech protests himself wholly ignorant thereof Then Abraham made a great Present to him of Sheep and Oxen by way of gratitude for the great kindness he had received from him And so they made a Covenant one with another And to prevent future Controversie about this Well Abraham gave him seven Ew-lambs as a valuable consideration and desires that they might be as a testimony (r) So an heap of stones made a witness Ch. 31. 48. that the Well though before taken from him was now acknowledged to be His And because at this Well they both sware and made a Covenant Abraham called the Place Beersheba (s) As Abraham dwelt here and made this Covenant and digged this Well so Isaac afterwards dwelt here and made a Covenant and digged this Well again and renews the Name Ch. 26.23 33. And Jacob dwelling there with his Father went thence to Laban in Haran and going into Egypt with all his Family comes thither and here Sacrifices and hath a Vision afterwards it was a Seat of some Solemn Idolatry Amos 8.14.5.5 that is the Well of the Oath Abraham now looking upon himself as like to settle here he planted
of that time which 't is like was at first prescribed to them by God but when it was prescribed doth not appear and was confirmed afterwards by an express Law see Deut. 25.5 6. Ruth 1.11 Math. 22.24 and this was to preserve the Preheminence of the First-born as a Type of Christ otherwise and in any other case the Brothers marrying of the dead Brothers Widow was forbidden Levit. 18.16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy Brothers Wife it is thy Brothers nakedness And this Law seems to be of a moral nature and perpetually binding and hereupon Herod was reproved by John Baptist for marrying his Brother Philips Wife but the former was prescribed to the Jews only upon that particular reason before mentioned and being only a temporary exception or dispensation from a perpetual Precept concern'd only their peculiar state and with it it is at an end But Onan though he married her as his Father injoyn'd him yet wickedly envying the honour of his dead Brother he resolved not to be the Father of any Child that should be reputed His Brothers and not his own and therefore rather than he would raise up seed unto his Brother he spilt his seed on the ground For which great wickedness God cut him off with sudden Vengeance Onan being dead his third Son Selah was to marry her but Judah it seems fearing the like ill hap to him which had befallen his elder Brothers and suspecting perhaps some fault in her or that some unluckiness followed her he perswades her to go to her Fathers House and there continue till his Son Shelah was grown up pretending to her He should then marry her but intending no such thing Shortly after Judah's own Wife the Daughter of Shuah died and when his mourning for her was over he went up to his Sheep-Shearers at Timna at which time they used to feast and rejoyce with their Friends Tamar understanding this and perceiving how Judah had dealt with her as to Selah she putting off her Widows Apparel and putting on a Veil and disguising her self she sat in an open place in the way to Timna where Judah was to pass both to tempt and be tempted Judah not knowing her thus veiled and taking her for an Harlot he applies himself to her accordingly and promises to send her a Kid from his Flock for a Reward She as it seems whispering or changing her voice and tone that he might not discern who she was consents to him on condition he would give her a Pledge viz. his Signet his Bracelets and his Staff that he would perform what he promised Hereupon He lay with her and she conceived by him and went her way and took her Widows Apparel again Judah sends the Kid to her by his friend intending to take up his Pledge But he not finding her Judah said Let her take it and keep it to her self lest by overmuch inquiry after her my folly with her be discovered so much are men more afraid of shame before men than of sinning against God About three months after it was told Judah that Tamar was with child by Whoredom When He heard this He was very angry and said Bring her forth and let her be burnt that is let her be carried before the Magistrate that so she may be punished as an Adulteress with burning according to the Law of the Country (g) It seems it was either law or practise even among the Canaanites to punish Adultery with death and sometimes with fire In such detestation have some Heathens had that sin see Jer. 29.22 23. So Moses's Law after Deut. 22.22 23. condemned them to be stoned and a Priests Daughter for Fornication to be burnt Levit. 21.9 For in regard of the promise that Judah had made of his third Son Selah to her for an Husband and she had accepted of it she was in the case of a betrothed Woman and so her fault was to be reputed Adultery for which Crime no less punishment was thought fit even before the Law was given Judah herein bewrays his own partiality in his own sin and inhumane cruelty in thus judging her to fire and the fruit of her Womb yet unborn and that before he had heard what she could say for her self never minding how unjustly he had dealt with her in not giving Shelah to her and possibly being willing to rid her out of the way because he was unwilling to match Shelah to her But Tamar being brought forth sent to her Father-in-law the Signet Bracelets and Staff affirming that by the Man to whom those belonged she was with Child Judah being thus convicted did not shuffle as many would have done in such a case but being conscious of his Crime he acknowledges those things to be His and thus she convicts by his own Seal entangles him with his own Bracelets and beats him with his own staff He now acknowledges she was more Righteous than himself because he had fail'd to give his Son Shelah to her which if he had performed her Chastity might possibly have bin preserved And thus the cause fell when the Prosecutor was turned from charging her to accuse himself wherein he testifi'd his Repentance and as an evidence thereof he ceas'd from offending in that kind again with her and wherein he had done amiss resolved to do so no more see Job 34.32 Shelah was after married and probably to Tamar See Numb 26.20 Tamars time of travail now drawing nigh behold Twins were in her Womb. Her travail was very painful and perillous by the strife of the Twins in her body and by that God seem'd to Chastize her for her great offence One of the Children putting forth his hand which was not according to the ordinary course of Nature the Midwife bound a Scarlet thread upon it by that mark to discover him from the other saying This comes forth first for so she perswaded her self it would be But He drawing in his hand again behold his Brother came out Then she said How is it that thou art first broken forth This breach is thine or thou art first broken forth into the World and hast put back thy Brother and thou shalt bear the name of it and shalt be called Pharez which signifies a breach Then came forth the other with the Scarlet thread whom they called Zarah (h) Zarah signifies risen or sprung up as the Sun is said to rise from a word signifying to appear because he first appeared and in part came forth first All these things seem here so punctually related to shew the birth of Pharez who was one of our Saviours Progenitors and to intimate to us that it is of meer Grace that one of Judah's Family the fruit of Incest was chosen to be the Stock from whom the Messiah should Spring as also to assure us that Christ will not reject great Sinners who repenting of their Sins fly unto him for pardon seeing he would as to his humane Nature descend of such as
asks Who among them and how many of them did they desire should go Moses tells him They would go up All with their Old and with their Young with their Wives Sons and Daughters with their Flocks and with their Herds For they must make use of some of them for Sacrifice and of part of these Sacrifices they must keep a Riligious Feast unto the Lord. Pharaoh being angry at this motion that they should desire their Children should go also whom he intended to keep as Hostages for their coming back he said in a passion I wish you might find no more savour from God than you are like to find from me in this your Suit to let your Children go also Look to it if you will presume to go in this manner at your own peril be it I shall never consent that you should All go But as for you that are men grown I care not if I permit you to go For that was all as I understood (t) Pharaoh either mislook or perverted the words of Moses and Aaron For they demanded they might all go but they desiring at first that they might go to Sacrifice to the Lord it seems Pharaoh thought that only the men meant to go and not the Women and Children also that at first you desired Moses and Aaron not accepting of this Pharaoh caused them to be driven out of his presence Then Moses stretched forth his Rod over the Land of Egypt and the Lord sent an East-wind which blew very fiercely all day upon that Land and the next morning it brought a vast Army of Caterpillars and Locusts very grievous such as had never been seen there before nor are like ever to be again and they were so many that they in a manner covered the face of the Earth where there was any Herbage and by flying so many together like a Cloud they in a manner darkned the Air and they devoured all the Corn and Grass and Herbs that the Hail had left See Psal 78.46 and Psal 105.34 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in hast and said to them I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you in using you as I have done However pardon the wrong that I have done you and once more intreat the Lord to be favourable to me and remove this deadly Plague from me which consumes and destroys all and is like to bring a grievous and general Famine upon us And Moses went out and intreated the Lord for Pharaoh and the Lord sent a strong West-wind that carried the Grashoppers and Locusts away and cast them into the Red-Sea where they all perished But though this dreadful Judgment was removed yet Pharaoh's hardness was not for he would not yet let the people go Ch. 10. from vers 1. to 21. The Month Abib otherwise called Nisan answering to part of our March and part of our April which before had been the seventh Month as we shewed before was from this time forward made the first Month (u) In rememberance of their miraculous Deliverance out of Egypt they were appointed to begin the Year with this Month. Yet this account was afterwards kept only in Ecclesiastical Affairs For the Jubilees and such other Civil affairs it began as it had done before Lev. 25.8 9 10. of the year and upon the tenth day of this Month or a little before was instituted the Feast of the Passover In Commemoration of God's passing over them and not involving them in the Common Plague that smote the Houses of the Egyptians Touching which Passover several Laws and Directions are given to Moses 1. Concerning the Sacrifice it self or the matter of the Feast viz. a Lamb or Kid of the first year a Male without blemish 2. This must be set apart on the tenth day (x) No mention made of separating the Paschal Lamb from the Flock four days before the Feast in other places where the Passover is commanded of this Month. Thus it was ordered at this time that it might be in readiness and not to seek when they were encumbered with business about their going away 3. If one Houshold was too little for a Lamb they were to joyn the next Houshold to them and they were to make their account proportionably to the Lamb and to the persons that were to eat of it taking care that there might not be too few nor too many for it (y) Which number Josephus reckons to be ten men besides women and children 4. They were to keep the Lamb to the 14th day of the same Month. 5. Every Master of a Family of all the Congregation of Israel whom it especially concerned was appointed to kill it on the 14th day between the two Evenings (z) About that time our blessed Saviour the true Paschal Lamb was put to death Mat. 27.46 that is between our three a Clock in the Afternoon and Sun-set (a) The natural day from Sun to Sun the Jews divided into four parts The first from Sun-rising to nine in the fore-noon called the third hour The second from nine to twelve called the sixth hour The third from twelve to three in the afternoon called the ninth hour The fourth from three in the afternoon to Sun-setting called the twelfth hour 6. They were to strike and sprinkle with a bunch of Hyssop dipped in the bloud (b) To direct the Faith of the Israelites to the bloud of their great Redeemer thereof the two side-posts and upper door-posts of the door of the House where they did eat it (c) This seems peculiar to the Passover in Egypt 7. None of them were to go out of the House where they did eat it till the morning 8. They were not to break a bone of it 9. They were not to eat it raw or sodden but roasted with fire And they were to rost it whole Head and Leggs with the appurtenance that is the inwards being first taken out and washed 10. They were to eat it with unleavened (d) Leaven haing two Properties to sowr and puff up might well signifie malice and pride which must be laid aside Bread and bitter Herbs 11. They were to eat it with their Loins girded their Shooes on their feet and their Staff in their hand like men in hast and ready to be gone and march out of Egypt (e) These Ceremonies were peculiar to that Passover in Egypt 12. They were to let nothing of it remain unto the morning but if any thing were left after they had eaten it was to be burnt with fire These things being observed by them Moses tells them The Lord intended to pass by all the Houses of the Israelites where the Paschal-Lamb was thus eaten and the doors thus sprinkled but He would smite by his holy Angel all the First-born of the Land of Egypt both of Men and Beasts that remained And he would then execute Judgment on all the Gods of Egypt that is either some such notable Judgment or
still enjoy her But the Lord Orders That when himself was set free he should not think under that pretence to deprive his Master of her that was his lawful Servant but should rather endure the continuing of his own Bondage than part from his Wife And this liberty given to a Servant set free to go away and leave his Wife behind him was not an approbation of his forsaking of her but at most only a part and branch of that scope wherein this people were left to themselves for the hardness of their hearts as our Saviour speaks in another Case Math. 19.8 And it was also a great fault in an Israelite if he married a Wife of another Nation and Religion For such Marriages were never pleasing to God But if the Servant shall declare that he loves his Master his Wife and his Children and therefore he will not go free Then his Master shall bring him to the Judges (r) V. 6. before the Gods see Psal 82.1 6. that is before the Magistrates and prove it fairly and openly that it was his Servants free and voluntary act to continue with him And then he shall bring him to the door of his House and bore his Ear thorough with an Awl to shew thereby That he was made fast to that House and tied to serve and obey the Master of it all his life unless the Year of Jubilee fell in the mean time and then all Hebrew Servants were absolutely set free together with their Children Lev. 25.40 41. Exod. 21. from 2. to 7. 2. Concerning buying Women-Servants If an Israelite through extream Poverty should sâ—ll his Daughter under age with intention that she should marry him that buys her if He that buys Her shall afterwards dismiss Her without marrying of Her it shall be upon better terms then he may dismiss an ordinary Servant If she please not her Master so that he doth not betroth (s) Si exosa fuit in oculis heri sui ita at non ducat eam The true reading is so that he doth not betroth her to himself Dr. Willer her to himself then shall he suffer another viz. one of her friends to redeem her but he shall not have power to sell her to a Stranger seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her failing her in that which she expected at his hands And if he shall betroth her to his Son he shall deal with her after the manner of Daughters that is he shall give her a Dowry convenient and all other Priviledges of a free-woman But if having betrothed her to himself he do not in dislike cast her off but yet takes to himself another Wife besides Her however he shall not deny Her Food and Raiment and Câ—njugal Conversation (t) Debitum conjugale 1 Cor. 7.3 If he perform none of these three things unto Her viz. Neither to betroth her to himself nor to his Son nor suffer her to be redeemed she shall go out free without paying any thing at all from vers 7. to 12. 3. He that smiteth a man willingly and maliciously so that he dies shall be surely put to death but if he did not lie in wait for him nor had any intention to kill him but God by his secret Providence delivered (u) Quae putant homines casu fieri providentia Dei fiunt Where a man intendeth not to kill and yet killeth God may be said to deliver him into his hand him into his hand so that he shew him unwittingly and unwillingly then the Lord appointed a place whether he should flee viz. while they were in the Desert to the Altar of Burnt-Offering which was in the outward Court of the Tabernacle but when they came into Canaan to the Altar and Cities of Refuge But if a man came presumptuously upon his Neighbour to slay him with guile he shall be taken from the Altar if he flee thither and put to death See 1 Kings 2.25 v. 12 13 14. 4. He that smiteth his Father or Mother and so likewise he that curseth or maliciously revileth his Father or Mother shall be surely put to death (x) See Prov. 30.17 Vers 15 17. 5. He that stealeth a man (y) See Deut. 24.7 and selleth him or if he be found in his hands he shall be surely put to death vers 16. 6. If two men strive together and one smite the other with a Stone or with his Fist yet so as he presently dies not but only keeps his Bed if he rise again and walk abroad with his Staff then he that smote him shall not be put to death but he shall pay for the loss of his time and shall satisfie him for the damage he sustained by being disabled to go about his business and employment so long and shall take care that he be perfectly healed and cured and shall pay for it vers 18 19. 7. If an Israelite shall so strike his Man-Servant or Maid-Servant namely such as were Strangers (z) For Hebrew-Servants there is another Law given Lev. 25.39 of another Nation and bought with his money that either of them die immediately under his hand he shall be left to the wisdom of the Judges to be punished as they shall see cause But if the Servant so stricken continue a day or two alive it is to be presumed (a) Si virgâ castigavit praesumitur non eo animo percussisse ut occideret at si telo aut gladio percussisset habitus erit homicida Rivet his Masters intention was not to kill him seeing he was purchased with his money and no man would willingly be the occasion of his own loss And if he die afterwards the loss of the Servant shall be deemed sufficient punishment His Master shall not be further punished seeing he had power to Chastise him being bought with his money and make him obey him by force vers 20 21. 8. If a Woman with child come in to help her Husband or Friend when another is fighting with Him or to part them and do casually receive some hurt and by that means miscarries yet so as neither the Woman nor the Child dies or is maimed in this case the party that was the cause of the Womans miscarrying shall pay or suffer what the Womans Husband shall lay upon him provided it be judged fit by the Judges in whose power it shall be to determine whether his demand be reasonable or no. But if any great mischief have happened either to the Mother or Child thereby then Life shall go for Life Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth Hand for Hand Foot for Foot Burning for Burning Wound for Wound Stripe for Stripe So that this Law directs Magistrates in the ordering of publick Punishments to proceed according to the Law of Retaliation * Lex Talionis permissa est duro populo sed charitas fidelium mitigatrix est hujus legis Lippoman and to punish those who had voluntarily done any hurt to their Neighbours according to the
Priest should have come to him and his by descent because he was the eldest Son of Eleazar Aaron's eldest Son yet that it should not be removed to another Family for want of Issue that was of Gods special goodness and is here promised as the reward of Phineas's zeal Yet we must not understand this Promise so absolutely but that his Posterity might by their sins for a time deprive themselves of this Dignity as it afterwards fell out when Eli was made High Priest who was of the Family of Ithamar see 1 Chron. 24.3 God having thus manifested his favour to Phineas for this heroick act of zeal which was counted to him for righteousness Psal 106.31 and having punished his own people for their sins he now decrees Vengeance against their Enemies And accordingly he commands the Israelites forthwith to vex the Midianites that is to make War upon them which Command implyed also a promise of Victory For their newly professed Friendship towards them was but feigned and they plotted their ruine according to the Counsel of Balaam and distressed them with their wiles and devices though not with War neither need it seem strange that the Israelites are not commanded to War against the Moabites * Nondum completa erat mensura Moabitarum as well as the Midianites because God had expresly forbidden them Deut. 2.9 And 2ly Because the Midianites seem to have had the chief hand in this mischief as seems probable from Balaam's stay among them Numb 25. whole Chapter SECT LXXXI GOd now to shew unto Moses how tender he was of his own people and how severe against all those that did seek to hurt them he commands him to make War and to avenge his Quarrel upon the Midianites (x) Scopus enim Midianitarum fuit ut a Domini culta per filias suas avellerent Israelitas in Idololatriam impingerent quae vero Duâ— maxime injuriosa Jans who had been the occasion of so much mischief to them And when that was done he tells him He should be gathered to his godly fore-Fathers long since dead that is to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Moses hereupon having received as it seems particular directions from God that he should send out but 12 thousand of the Israelites against them that the hand of God in the Victory might more eminently appear see Judg. 7.2 and should take them equally out of every Tribe one thousand that no one Tribe might exalt it self above another for this Victory He accordingly did so and appointing Joshua as 't is probable for General he likewise sent Phineas with them to encourage them who had lately manifested his zeal against that Midianitish Harlot Ch. 25.6 with one of the holy Instruments that is a silver Trumpet in his hands see Ch. 10.2 Hereupon these twelve thousand of the Israelites ingaging with the Midianites they slew all the Males of them that they could lay their hands on (y) Many of them running for â—efuge into other Countries escaped for the present and afterwards in the time of Gideon returned and vexed the Israelites see Judg. 6. and among them five Kings of Midian who were formerly as it seems Vassals to Sihon and therefore are called only Dukes of Sihon Josh 13.21 but Sihon himself being sometime before slain it seems they became now absolute Kings among whom was Zur the Father of Cozbi whom Phineas slew Ch. 25.15 Balaam also fell with them in this battel who being their Counsellor in sin became now a Partner with them in their punishment As for the Midianitish-Women and Children the Israelites took them Captives and burning their Cities and Castles they carried away great Spoils of their Goods and Cattel All these Captives and Spoils they brought to Moses and to the Camp of Israel now encamped in the Plains of Moab Moses was angry with the Officers of the Army for saving the Women alive who had before insnared the people and therefore above all others should have been slain He thereupon gives order undoubtedly by Gods special direction that all the male Children (z) Etiam parvulos ad majorem detestationem facinoris Parentum in ipsis punitionem ne parvuli Parentum necem ulciscerentur should be put to death as also all the Women that were of years fit for the knowledge of Man only the Women-Children should be spared to wit to make them Servants or Wives if they would learn the knowledge of the true God Moses also injoyns the Souldiers to abide out of the Camp seven days to purifie themselves their Captives and Spoils and shews them the manner how it must be done namely Gold and Silver and such things as could pass thorow the fire * Duo credita vim habere purgandi ignis exurendo aqua eluendo Grot. should be purified by fire and they themselves should be cleansed with the water of separation see Ch. 19.11 c. And Eleazar tells them That God had given Moses an express Commandment concerning these things which himself as the Lords High Priest was to make known unto them and to see them observed accordingly Moreover the Lord Commands Moses That the Prey taken in this Expedition which was very great viz. of Beasts and Women-kind 800 and 40 thousand should be divided into two equal parts the one for those that went out to the War which were twelve thousand and the other for the rest of the people that stayed at home which were a vast multitude as appears Ch. 26.51 And further that he should levy a Tribute for the Lord out of both parts which He being the Inheritance of the Priests and Levites intended for them see Gen. 14.20 orders him to take out of their part that went to War but one in 500 either of Persons or Cattel but out of the othâ—r part one in 50. And accordingly the smaller levy out of their half that went to War was given to Eleazar that is to him and the rest of the Priests who being but few had therein a liberal share But the greater levy out of the peoples half was given to the Levites because they were many So that the Levites had one in 50 the Priests only one in 500 the same proportion being observed here that was observed in their Tythes the Levites having the Tythes or Tenths of the people and the Priests but the tenth of their Tythes see Numb 18.21 These things thus done the Captains of Israel numbred their Souldiers and found that they missed not a man which might sufficiently shew them that it was the Lords doing that the Midianites were thus vanquished and might be a great encouragement to them resolutely to go on and to fight the residue of the Lords battels They therefore having besides the Cattel above mentioned which were brought to a common Stock gotten every man for himself very rich spoils of Jewels Bracelets and Chains of Gold c. in testimony of their great thankfulness to
his Brother nay the Wife of his bosom and his remaining Children any share of the Child he shall eat having nothing else left to feed upon in that Extremity The tender and delicate woman * Contigerunt iis ad literam in obsidione Samariae 4 Reg. 6. v. 29. in obsidione Jerusalem per Babilonios Threnorum 2. v. 20. in Romanâ apud Josephum Threnorum 2. dicuntur parvuli ad mensuram palmae comesti i. e. etiam imperfecti per aborsum abjecti Et tales videntur vocari hic illo versu 57 illuvies secundarum nempe proles adhuc secundis seu secundinis sordibus involuta ideo immundissima abominanda potius quam ad cibum expetenda Jans among them that would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness she should grudge the Husband of her bosom and her Children grown up any share of her young Children which she should eat in secret in that extream Famine from vers 15. to 58. He further tells them That if they did not set themselves to fear the glorious God V. 58. That thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God by the Name of God is to be understood the Lord Himself whose Name is Jehovah He would make their Plagues wonderful and would bring upon them and their Children great Plagues and Sicknesses and of long continuance yea the strange evil Diseases wherewith God plagued the Egyptians of which they were so much afraid should cleave unto them yea more Plagues should fall on them then are written in this Book And whereas they were as the Stars of Heaven for multitude they should be so wasted and destroyed that they should come to be but few in number And as the Lord formerly rojoyced over them to do them good and to multiply them so now He would rejoyce in their destruction and the execution of his Justice upon such Despisers of his Mercy and they should be plucked off from the Land which God gave them for an Inheritance viz. Canaan and so should lose the Pledge of their Adoption which would be a sad sign to them that their heavenly Father had disinherited them and cast them off And they should be dispersed and scattered abroad into many Nations and in their exile they should be inticed or forced to worship Wood and Stone and among those Nations they should find no ease or rest but should be hurried from place to place so that their hearts should tremble †Judaea tremen Juv. Satyr 6. and their eyes fail with extream weeping and their minds be fill'd with sorrow and vexation And they should be in continual doubt and fear both day and night of losing their lives which must needs make their condition exceeding grievous to them In the morning they should wish it were even and at even they should wish it were morning thorow the terrors of their minds and by reason of the dismal things they should see with their eyes And the Lord would cause them to be carried again by Ships into Egypt whither he had said they should return no more * God promised they should not return again thither on condition they were Obedient see Ch. 17.16 The Lord hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way that is into that Country This was verified when the Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem were carried in Ships to Egypt and there fold for Slaves †There were then 97 thousand Captives of the Jews but they were so vile and contemptible that many would not proffer any money for them even to be their Slaves and none would buy them with an intent to set them at liberty from vers 58. to the end Chap. XXX He further declares to them That when in their exile they shall reflect upon the experience they had of Gods blessing them so eminently while they continued Obedient and how severely He punished them when they were Disobedient and shall thereupon truly repent and seriously turn unto the Lord both they and their Children and shall serve the Lord with all their Heart and Soul then the Lord will have compassion on them and will turn their Captivity and gather them from all the Nations under Heaven whither he had scattered them and from thence will fetch them back to their own Country see Neh. 1.9 And He will Circumcise †Promissio haec est spiritualium beneficiorum per Christum Conser Rom. 2.29 Col. 2.11 12. their hearts and the hearts of their Children that is will purge them of their Corruptions by the Grace of his Spirit and renew them and incline them to a ready Obedience to his Will that it may go well with them And his Curses shall fall on their Enemies and on those that persecuted them But they shall be blessed in the fruit of their Bodies of their Cattel and of their Land and these blessings shall be given them in mercy and shall tend to their good and not their hurt And the Lord will rejoce over them to do them good as he rejoyced over their Fathers And lest any of them should object and say they would willingly obey the Commandments of the Lord if they knew them He tells them That the directions he had given them concerning the way and means of Salvation by Faith in the Messias and the moral Law which he had given them as the rule * Loquitur de tota in genere Dei Doctrina quae Evangelium sub se Comprehendit ut clare ostendit Paulus Rom. 10.8 of their Obedience they could not pretend to be ignorant of Neither were those things hidden from them so that the knowledge of them need be fetched down from Heaven or from some remote Country for them for they were sufficiently revealed to them the word was very nigh them in their mouths and in their heart It was plainly reveal'd to them frequently read and expounded to them by the Levites so that they could not but talk of it and remember it And if they were obedient to this Law they should be happy but if they turned from the Lord to worship other gods and serve them they should not prolong their days in the Land which they were now going to possess He calls Heaven and Earth to witness that he had dealt faithfully with them He had on the one side set life before them with all manner of blessings attending it if they would be Obedient and on the other side death and misery if they were Disobedient He exhorts them to choose the one and to avoid the other and to cleave to the Lord with all their hearts for He was their life and the length of their days that is as He is the giver of life so He is the maintainer and prolonger of it And that they might injoy the fore-mentioned Chap. XXIX Blessings and escape the Curses He calls them now to
Thummim whither they should go up any more against the Benjamites The Lord bids them go up for to morrow he would deliver the Benjamites into their hands The Israelites having this Promise from God undoubtedly were much encouraged thereby however they resolved not to neglect any good means to obtain the Victory but by Policy and Military Stratagems to get all advantage they could of their Enemies Accordingly they divided their Army into three parts the one was laid in Ambush in the Medows of Gibeah vers 33. the second was sent against Gibeah with Orders that they should presently fly before the Benjamites that so they might draw them far off from the City vers 30 31. and the third which was the main body was to stay at Baal-tamar and to renew the battel when the Benjamites came thither in pursuit of the Israelites that fled before them Things being thus ordered that part of the Army that was to make the first On-set upon the Benjamites and then presently to fly and give back * See a like Stratagem in the taking of Ai Josh 8. marched up against the City and accordingly flying when the Benjamites came out against them the Benjamites eagerly pursued them and killed about thirty men and thought they should have cut them down as they did before But being drawn a good way off from the City the Ambush arose being ten thousand men and suddenly took the City and set it on fire which when they had done they put themselves between the City and the Army of the Benjamites to hinder their retreat The Benjamites that pursued the Israelites little thought of this or that evil was so near them For on a suddain the flying Israelites turned head and with the main body of the Army that stayed at Baal-tamar renewed the battel with great Courage and Violence The Benjamites looking back saw the smoke of the City ascending at which being much terrified they fled before the Israelites who destroyed eighteen thousand †V. 15. The Children of Benjamin were twenty six thousand and seven hundred Of these the Israelites slew when they prevailed against them twenty five thousand and one hundred v. 35. six hundred of them only saved themselves in Rimmon It seems therefore that the other thousand was slain in the two first battels wherein the Benjamitâ—s overcame the Israelites for 't is not like they could conquer them in two battels without some loss of them in the chase those that came out of the Cities to assist the Israelites hemming them in on every side vers 42. and vers 44. and five thousand more of them they killed in the High-ways as they found them in the pursuit scattered here and there vers 45. and two thousand more they slew at Gidom vers 45. and the odd hundred * Vers 46. Here the greater or round number is only expressed and not the odd 100. which is not expressed in particulars was slain as it seems some in one place and some in another so that of the Benjamites there fell that day twenty five thousand and one hundred six hundred of them only escaping who fled to Rimmon a City built on a Rock betwixt Gibeah and Bethel and abode there four months The Israelites not satisfied with the slaughter of the men of Gibeah and the Benjamites that came to fight in their Defence they fell upon all other Cities in that Tribe because they had sent Aids and had assisted their Brethren in this War and in their Rage slew Man Woman and Child and even the very Beasts and setting fire on their Cities spared no living thing that came in their way being transported with Fury that the Benjamites had undertaken the Defence of so horrible a Villany and that they had slain no less then forty thousand of the Israelites in this War Thus when the Lord had made use of Benjamin to execute his Justice upon Israel for not punishing Idolatry and for their other sins He then uses Israel to punish Benjamin for not delivering the men of Gibeah up to justice Judg. 20. whole Chapter SECT CXXXII THe Israelites having thus destroyed all the Men Women and Children of Benjamin excepting only those six hundred that fled to Rimmon they now began to consider into what a strait they had brought themselves For having slain all the Women of Benjamin and having made a Vow that none of them should give their Daughters in marriage to the Men of that Tribe either those six hundred men must take themselves Wives from the Heathens which was unlawful and the holy Seed would be thereby polluted or else a Tribe must perish from Israel and so their Body Politick which God had formed would be dismembred or themselves must break an Oath which they had solemnly taken in the presence of God Being exceedingly perplexed about this matter they thereupon went with their whole Army to the House of God in Shiloh there to bewail their Case and to inquire of the Lord what they should do in these Difficulties They rose therefore early the next morning and built there an Altar and offered thereon Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings because the Altar in the Tabernacle was not sufficient for the Offering up such a vast multitude of Sacrifices as were now brought in by the people after they had prevailed against the Benjamites see a like thing done 1 Kings 8.64 and the rearing Altars upon such extraordinary Occasions was not unlawful see Exod. 20.24 Then they began to consider what City or Town in all their Tribes had sent none to help them against the Benjamites For there had been a solemn Oath sworn by them all at Mizpeh before they engag'd in this War and it was taken with a severe Execration against any that should break it that whatsoever City or Town did not come in to help and assist them in this Quarrel should be destroyed Upon inquiry they found that Jabesh-Gilead on the other side Jordan had sent none to their assistance Hereupon they sent twelve thousand valiant men to destroy that City giving them order that they should destroy all the Men and all the Women thereof that had known man but the Virgins that were marriageable they should spare not doubting but of those there would be enough found to make Wives for the six hundred Benjamites But it seems there were were only four hundred such found in that City So that there being not Wives enough for them the Israelites much blamed themselves that they had in their rage destroyed all the Benjamitish-Women see vers 22. These four hundred Virgins being brought to Shiloh the Israelites sent a kind Message to the Benjamites at Rimmon to come to them who accordingly coming they gave to four hundred of them these four hundred Virgins to make them Wives wherein they conceived that they broke not their Oath because they were not their own Daughters But these being not enough for the remaining Benjamites the Israelites much repented their
encouraged the Philistines to invade their Land soon after Jephtah's death At this time there was a certain man of Zorah of the Family of the Danites whose Name was Manoah and his Wife was barren (f) Sarah Rebecca Rachel the Wife of Manoah Hanna the Shunamite Elizabeth long barren Women had at last notable Children To her the Son of God (g) He is called by Manoah Elohim vers 22. by his Wife Jehovah vers 23. Himself saith his Name is Secret or Wonderful which is one of the Names given to Christ Isa 9.6 the great Angel of the Covenant appeared who in those times often appeared in humane shape and told her She should conceive and bare a Son but she must not drink Wine or strong Drink * Non tam ad robur haec spectant quam ad Sanctimoniam nor eat any unclean thing such as were forbidden to the Nazarites either while she was with Child of him or while she gave him Suck because all that time he was to have his nourishment from her and God appointed he should be from his Conception a Nazarite unto him and no Razour should come upon his head and he should begin h to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of their Oppressors The woman came and told her Husband That a Man of God had appeared to her whose Countenance was very Venerable and full of Majesty like that of an Angel and wrought in her a kind of astonishment and fear But he neither told her Whence he came nor what was his Name Manoah hearing this earnestly prayed unto the Lord that this Man of God might come to them again (k) The work of shaking off the Yoke of the Philistines was begun by Sampson and was carried on afterwards in the days of Eli Samuel Saul till at length they were perfectly subdued by David and might teach them what they should do unto the child that should be born to them Shortly after the Angel appeared again unto the Woman as she sate in the field She ran and call'd her Husband who coming to him askt him if he was the man of God that had before appeared unto his Wife and had told her those things concerning the child that should be born to them He said he was Manoah upon this crys out let thy words come to pass and if it will be so I pray thee shew us how we should order the child when he is born The Angel answers let thy wife abstain from all those things which I forbad her while she is with child and while she giveth suck viz. wine strong drink and eating any unclean thing and afterwards let her take care that her son refrain from them also seeing God hath extraordinarily called him and appointed him to be a Nazarite to himself to whom by the Law all these things are forbidden Therefore what hath forbidden to thy Wife thy Son must also abstain from seeing they are forbidden to her only for his sake Manoah not knowing he was an Angel desires him that he would please to stay a little while till they could make ready a Kid to entertain him and express their respects to him See Gen. 18.8 19.3 The Angel tells him he should not eat with him If he would needs be at that cost to provide a Kid he should bestow it in such a way as would be more acceptable to God and profitable to himself namely by offering it as a Sacrifice unto God to express his thankfulness for so great a benefit as God had now promised unto him Then Manoah humbly desires to know his name that when that which he had told them should come to pass they might do him honour and might make report to others concerning his skill in foretelling future things that so he might be highly honoured as a Prophet of the most High The Angel replies Why askest thou after my name seeing it is secret that is not to be search'd into or Wonderful and Incomprehensible Isa 9.6 My name says he is not to be too curiously inquir'd into but I shall make known my self presently to thee by my wonderful actions So Manoah took a Kid and a Meat-offering and offered it upon a Rock that was hard by to the Lord. 'T is true neither the person sacrificing nor the place where this Sacrifice was offered were warrantable by the Law but the Angels command was sufficient warrant for both And it came to pass when the flame ascended from off the Altar the Angel ascended up to Heaven in the flame which wonderful sight discovered to Manoah and his Wife that he was the Angel of the Covenant the Son of God who does present our prayers and services before the Lord and procures them to be graciously accepted by him Manoah and his Wife seeing this fell on their faces to the ground and he said to his Wife we shall surely die because we have seen God He fears according to an ancient opinion that ran among them see Judg. 6.22 Exod. 33.20 that they must die because they had seen such a vision of which they were most unworthy His Wife comforts him saying If the Lord intended to kill us surely he would not have received a Burnt-offering and a Meat-offering at our hands And he hath testified his acceptance of it by ascending in the flame of it to carry it up as it were to Heaven with him and to present it unto God for us Further she argues if God had intended to kill them he would not have promised them a Son who should begin to save Israel nor would he have given her directions how she should order her self and the child when he was born These arguments 't is like satisfied Manoah So shortly after the Woman conceived and bare a Son and called his name Sampson and the child grew and the Lord blessed him and indued him with admirable strength of body courage of mind and all other gifts requisite for those high services he intended him for And when he was very young in the Camp of the Danites which they had formed to withstand the incursions of the Philistines the Spirit of God began at times to move and excite him to strange and admirable exploits even beyond the ordinary courage and strength of man Ch. 12. from 8 to 11. Ch. 13. whole Chapter SECT CXLVII AFter Ibzan Elon a Zebulonite judged Israel ten years Elon 10th Judg. After him Abdon of Pyrathon * Benaiah Davids Worthy was born here 2 Sam. 23.30 Abdon 11 Judg. that lay Westward of Samaria and Sechem on a high Mountain formerly inhabited by the Amalekites and called by their name judged Israel eight years He had forty Sons and thirty Grandsons that rode upon Ass-colts which shewed them to be persons of Dignity and Estate Ch. 12. from 11 to the end SECT CXLVIII SAmson being now about twenty years of age Samson 12th Judg. goes down to Timnah a City in the Tribe of Dan but at
people that were therein and killed them and Samson himself with them So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those he slew in his life His Bretheren and all the house of his Father hearing of his death came down and took his dead body and brought it up and buried it in his Fathers burying place between Zorak and Eshtaol the Philistines by the over-ruling Providence of God not opposing it whose pride and power by this fatal blow given to their Princes and so many of their people was much abated and pulled down so that they thought this was no fit time to provoke the Israelites by denying them such a thing Judg. Ch. 16. whole Chapter SECT CLI First Book of Samuel WE are now come to the first Book of Samuel which contains an History of eighty years forty in the time of Eli in the four first Chapters and forty in the times of Samuel and Saul in the rest of the Book so that the History of these three persons together with some part of the History of David is the chief matter of this Book The two Books of Samuel are thought to be written by Samuel Nathan and Gad one after another 1 Chron. 29.29 yet some passages in these Books may seem to intimate that they were written in latter times as 1 Sam. 5.5 and Ch. 30.25 2 Sam. 6.8 These two Books of Samuel are stiled by the Septuagint and several others the first and second Book of the Kings the first containing all the History of King Saul and part of the History of King David both whom Samuel anointed by Gods appointment and the second the History of King Ishbosheth shortly and of King David at large After Samsons death Eli the High-Priest in whom the High-Priesthood was translated from the stock of Eleazar the Eldest Eli 13 Judg. to the posterity of Ithamar the younger Son of Aaron executed the Office of a Judg in Civil causes and judged Israel forty years He was extraordinarily both High-Priest (a) How he came to be High-Priest we cannot say that Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar Aaron's second Son appears from hence Abiathar who was deposed from being High-Priest by Solomon was of the posterity of Eli 1 King 2.27 and of Abimelech who was the Son of Abiathar it is expresly said 1 Chron. 24.3 that he was of the Sons of Ithamar How the High-Priesthood came to be transferred from the posterity of Eleazar to Eli who was of the house of Ithamar cannot be cleared by any place of Scripture we may conjecture that it so fell out because the High-Priests of Eleazars family had some way or other highly provoked God by their evil courses in the days of the former Judges This was the Series of the High-Priests as appears 1 Chron. 6.4 Aaron Eleazar Phineas Abishua Bukki Uzzi from Uzzi the High-Priesthood was translated to Eli to whom succeeded Achitob to him Achias to him Ahimelech to him Abiathar who was deposed from the Priesthood by Solomon 1 King 2.27 that he might perform the word of the Lord that he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh 1 Sam. 2.31.35 and Judg a good and famous man though faulty in being too indulgent to his Children as we shall see afterwards In his time and under his Government Samuel was born whose History we come now to describe His Father was Elkanah a Levite of the family of the Kohathites of the posterity of of Korah 1 Chron. 6.22 23. who dwelt in Ramathaim-Zophim in Mount Ephraim He had two wives probably Hannah was his first wife and she being barren he afterwards took Peninnah who was fruitful Though the Lord allowed not Polygamy yet he was pleased to tolerate it for a time and possibly the Jews did conceive that Gods promise to Abraham of multiplying his seed as the stars of the heaven did imply a dispensation for them to have more wives than one The Tabernacle was now at Shiloh and there had continued since the seventh year of Joshua Ch. 18.1 thither went Elkanah yearly that is at those three solemn Feasts wherein all the males were bound to appear before the Lord Deut. 16.16 He might possibly go at other times as a Levite to do service in his course but he failed not to go up at those great Solemnities and it seems several of his family used to go up with him yea the women also such was their devotion though not bound thereunto by the Law At those great Feasts he gave to Peninnah and all her Sons and Daughters portions of the Peace-offerings which he offered to the Lord according to the ancient manner of Feasts of which see Gen. 43.34 but unto Hannah who was his best beloved he gave a larger and better portion and possibly of the choicest and best of the Sacrifices Peninnah was angry at this and thereupon quarrelled with and provoked Hannah and upbraided her for her barrenness as an effect of the Lords displeasure against her and as Elkanah did thus continually express his great love to Hannah when he went yearly with his family to the House of God so Peninnah persisted from time to time to vex her with her provocations and possibly upbraided her with her fruitless seeking to God so earnestly at those times for a child this greatly troubled Hannah in so much that she mourned and wept and did not care to eat as others did especially not with any joy and chearfulness as they were bound to do at those solemn Feasts Elkanah perceiving it asked her why she so grieved and wept and so mourned in a time when she ought to have rejoiced 'T is true says he the Lord hath not afforded thee Children but am not I who love thee so dearly better to thee than ten Sons (b) In concorde matrimonio plus boni est quam in ipsa faecunditate Gr. But when Elkanah and his family had eaten and drunk together with whom Hannah sate she being in bitterness of soul went out and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore and she said O Lord of Hosts if thou wilt please to look on the affliction of thy hand-maid and wilt give unto me a man-child I will give him unto thee all the days of his life (c) As to the power of her Vow we must understand that she only vowed to do what in her lay that it might be thus if the Child had no defect either in body or mind and was willing when he came to the years of discretion to take upon him the Vow and provided that her Husband consented thereunto without which the Womans Vow was of no force Numb 30.8 Indeed it is evident in the sequel of Samuels story that he did not always continue in the Tabernacle see Ch. 7.16 but went from year to year in Circuit and judged Israel And hence it seems probable that after he became Judg in Israel he was by special dispensation from God freed from this Vow of
old heavy and corpulent and falling down backward he broke his neck and died having judged Israel forty years Samuel the 14th Judg. His daughter-in-law Phinehas's wife was with child and ready to be delivered who when she heard those dismal tidings of the taking of the Ark the death of her father-in-law and husband she bowed her self and the pains of travel came upon her and being delivered yet so as she was ready to expire the women about her sought to comfort her telling her that she had borne a Son but she regarded it not only named the child Iehabod that is where is the glory (c) v. 22. Quod capta esset Arca Dei illud imprimis eam cruciabat nam domesticam calamitatem publicae postponebat Eliciamus hinc documentum lamentandi potius spiritualia dona quam temporalia Mendoz. intimating that the Ark being taken b which was the sign of Gods presence the glory was departed from Israel and so she gave up the Ghost 1 Sam. Ch. 4. whole Chapter SECT CLVI THE Philistines having taken the Ark they carried (a) Illa lex de non tangenda Area ad solos Israelitas spectavit unde Philistini Arcam tangentes non dederunt poenas quia culpam non contraxerunt Mendoz. it undoubtedly with great Triumph to Ashdod since call'd Azotus Act. 8.40 and placed it in the Temple of Dagon their God presenting it as a captive before their Idol by whose help possibly they perswaded themselves they had overcome the Hebrews and their God yet possibly they had some kind of reverence for it and therefore feared to offer any violence to it or to open it or take forth the Tables of the Law that were in it but however that was they placed it near unto Dagon The Priests of Dagon rising early the next morning and coming to see how the Ark and their Idol had agreed together they found that Dagon was fallen on his face to the earth before the Ark whereby the Lord did discover to them what a vain Idol their Dagon was and that the God of Israel was the only true Almighty God and that he had cast down their Idol-god in his own Temple The Priests took their Idol and set it up again and no doubt used all their skill to fasten it and make it sure from falling any more But coming again the next morning they found their Dagon fallen again upon his face to the ground before the Ark and his head and both the palmes of his hands (e) Gravius secunda vice mutilatur Dagon ut sic intelligerent Azotii veri Numinis potentiam Idoli sui vanitatem Fag cut off and cast at the threshold of the House only the stump and lower part of him was left intire Their Dagon being thus broken to pieces the Priests could not set him up again nor conceal his ruin from the people as possibly before they had done they might see now that it was not by any Casualty but by the will and power of God that he was thus thrown down But though God had cast the head and hands of Dagon to the threshold that so they might as it were be despised and trodden upon by those that came into that house yet the Priests and the people of Ashdod were so superstitious (d) Nulla Miracula satis magna sunt ad animum impium emendandum citra Dei spiritum P. Martyr even to the time when this History was written that they would not so much as tread on the threshold of that Temple accounting it sanctified by the touch of the head and hands of their Idol And thus by the over-ruling Providence of God even their superstition became a means to perpetuate the memory of this wonderful work of God in confounding their Idol which otherwise might in some short time have been forgotten The Lord having thus clearly discovered to the men of Ashdod that their Dagon was a vain Idol and that the God of Israel whose Ark they had boldly surprized was the only true God which he had sufficiently demonstrated first by casting down their Idol before his Ark and at last by breaking it in pieces yet notwithstanding they continued as superstitiously devoted to their Idol as they were before and were not afraid still to detain the Ark of God in captivity Therefore the Lord resolved to punish them severely for it and accordingly his hand was heavy upon the City of Ashdod and upon the Coasts thereof and he destroyed and wasted their land by sending multitudes of Mice among them Ch. 6.5 and smote them with the Emerods a disease not only painful but as the Psalmist intimates Psal 78.66 disgraceful also and to many of them mortal as appears from v. 10. The men of Ashdod seeing in what a sad condition they were they openly said the Ark of the God of Israel should not abide among them for they plainly saw that his hand was heavy upon themselves by inflicting this strange disease upon them and that it had been heavy also upon Dagon their God wherefore they convened the Lords of the Philistines to consult together what course was fit to be taken in this case These Lords agreed that the Ark should be carried from thence to Gath another of their five principal Cities situate upon an hill near unto the Sea see Amos 6.2 resolving thereby to try whither it was the presence of the Ark that had caused those plagues or whither they came by any other accident The Ark being brought to Gath God smote the inhabitants thereof both small and great with Emerods in their secret parts hereupon they sent away the Ark to Ekron another of the principal Cities of the Philistines when it was come thither the Ekronites cry'd out they have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to bring upon us the same plagues that they have been plagued with because of it And it fell out accordingly for immediately there was a deadly destruction throughout the City possibly some mortal contagion reigned among them and the men that died not of that plague were yet smitten with the Emerods so that the cry of the city went up to heaven hereupon they also convened the Lords of the Philistines and desired them to send away the Ark to its own place viz. to the land of the Israelites that they might not be destroyed by reason of it But these Lords being very loth to part with so glorious a Trophie of their victory desired yet to try a little further and therefore sent it after this to Gaza and Askelon as appears Ch. 6.4 17. which Cities felt the same plagues by reason of the Ark which the other had done Thus the Ark of the Lord was in the Country of the Philistines seven months (a) Miruâ— hic stupor quod tam diu in suo consilio pertinaces haereant tot hominum funere suam insaniam tueri vellent Sanctius but they being at last
resolution concerning his Son what say they shall Jonathan die who hath wrought this great Salvation in Israel Shall he die that is innocent and hath committed no offence that deserveth death Shall he die that is so brave a Prince and worthy of all honour and reward seeing the Lord by him hath given a great and miraculous deliverance to his people when they were in a forlorn and desperate condition As the Lord liveth there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground for he hath wrought with God that is under God and by his help and assistance a great deliverance for us So the people rescued Jonathan that he was not put to death Thus Saul ceased from pursuing the Philistines any further at present and so the rest of them got back to their own Country However Saul being by this glorious victory better confirm'd and setled in the Royal Throne he took upon him the managing of all the affairs of the Kingdom and especially shewed himself very valiant and active in fighting against all the enemies of it particularly against Moab and the children of Ammon bordering on the East of Canaan against Edom bordering on the South against the Kings of Zobah on the North and against the Philistines on the West and though he did not wholly vanquish and subdue them becaused God had reserved that work and the glory of it for David yet he sore vexed them and much weakened them so that they did not with that courage and success fight against Israel as before they had done And all this came to pass through Gods free mercy to his people giving good success to Saul in his Wars though a wicked man for their sakes And besides the forementioned successes Saul gathered a great host and smote the Amalekites as appeareth in the following Chapter and here is spoken of by way of anticipation that his warlike exploits might be summed up together In the next place Saul's Sons are mentioned that followed their Father in the War and like valiant Souldiers lived and died with him as Jonathan Ishui who is called Abinadab Ch. 31.2 and Melchishua Ishbesheth is not here named though now above twenty years of age see 2 Sam. 2 10. possibly because he followed not his Father in the Wars Neither are his Children by Rizpah here mentioned because she was not his Wife but only his Concubine The Daughters he had by his Wife whose name was Ahinoam were Merab and Michal The Captain of his host was Abner his Cousin-german Son to his Uncle Ner. And when he saw any strong or valiant man he took him into his service 1 Sam. Ch. 14. whole Chapter SECT CLXVI SOmetime after Samuel by Gods appointment sendeth Saul to destroy the Amalekites but before he telleth him what God commanded him to do he putteth him in mind of Gods singular favour towards him and the high honour he had exalted him unto that thereby he might move him to perform what God commanded him with the more diligence and chearfulness And though he had formerly failed in his duty yet now remembring what the Lord had done for him he should be sure strictly to observe his Commands and Injunctions Samuel now tells him that the Lord would send him against Ameleck three several times the Lord declared that he would destroy the Amalekites Exod. 17.14 Numb 24.20 and Deut. 25.19 And now Saul is sent to execute that vengeance upon them which the Lord had so long ago at several times threatned and though the present King and subjects of Amalek had been cruel and bloody adversaries to the people of God as Samuel intimates v. 33. As thy sword hath made many women childless so shall thy mother be childless and so deserved to be destroyed for their own sins yet because the Lord would have the Israelites know that he had not forgot the former injury of their Ancestors towards his people though 't was four hundred years since it was done he resolves now to visit it upon them and he mentions one circumstance that greatly aggravated it viz. that when his poor people had been long under a miserable bondage in Egypt and were newly escaped from it yet even then they came out against them and sought to destroy them Nor need it seem strange that the present Amalekites should be utterly destroyed for that which their Ancestors had done so many years before For though God destroys none everlastingly but for their own sins yet with temporal punishments he doth usually punish the Children for the sins of their Ancestors especially when the Children go on in their Fathers steps as by that which is said of Agag v. 33. it seems those Amalekites did Samuel therefore commands Saul from the Lord to go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they had and not to spare Man Woman or Child no not so much as their very Cattle †V. 7. Jumenta Bruta pereunt quippe possessiones organa fulcra gaudia peccantium For he had anathematiz'd and devoted them all to destruction as he did Jericho Saul hereupon gathers a great Army and numbers them in the Plains of Telaim or Telem a City in the Tribe of Judah Josh 15.24 and finds them to be two hundred thousand footmen besides ten thousand men of Judah (a) The men of Judah are reckoned apart from the men of Israel 1. Because they usually had the priviledg of going first against the enemy in any common danger 2. Because the Messias was to come of his Tribe Saul marching his Army and coming near to the chief City of Amalek he sent to the Kenites the posterity of Jethro who lived in Tents see Judg. 4.17 among these Amalekites to depart and get them out from among them if they loved their lives for Jethro and his family had shewed kindness to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt he himself came out with much joy to meet Moses and to congratulate all the goodness which the Lord had shewed to Israel therefore now Saul gave them warning to remove away that they might not suffer with the Amalekites whom God intended at this time to punish for the wrong their Progenitors had done to his people but he was willing to spare the Kenites for the kindness their Ancestors had shewn to them The Kenites accordingly removed from them soon after Saul in the valley of their chief City fought (b) V. 5. Vajareb pugnavit contendit scil cum eo with the Amalekites and discomfited them and took their King Agag prisoner and pursued them from Havilah to Shur which is over against Egypt and destroyed all that came out with Agag to fight against them with all others they could meet with and destroyed also their Cities and Towns But that many of them did escape this slaughter is manifest from Ch. 27.8 and Ch. 30.1 as we shall see afterwards Saul having taken their King whom he should above all the rest have slain he and
sunt si Deus velit P. Martyr seeing he did it in obedience to Gods express command and by his special commission and direction which is enough to dispence with any Oath After this Enterview between Saul and David Saul went home and David and his men betook themselves to the strong hold near Engedi of which before having no confidence †Hereupon he composed the 57 Psalm and the 63. in Saul's faithfulness who had so often after reconciliation returned to his malicious practises 1 Sam. Ch. 23. v. 29. Ch. 24. whole Chapter Samuel now dies having lived as Judge twenty years and eighteen years in the reign of Saul At this time Samuel dies unto which there are two years only wanting to make up those forty years spoken of Act. 13.21 which is likely to be the time between the death of Samuel and Saul After Samuel's death very many of all sorts and conditions assembled together to solemnize his Funeral and bewail their loss of him as of a faithful Prophet who revealed unto them Gods will as also their sin in rejecting his Government which by sad experience they had now found to be much more easie and profitable to them than that of a King and that it had been much better for them to have lived under a Judge of Gods appointing than a King of their own chosing and therefore now they sadly lamented Samuel's death and buried him at Ramah in the ancient burying place of his family 1 Sam. 25.1 10ly Samuel being dead from whom David used to receive both counsel and comfort he now flees with his men from the holds of Engedi to the Wilderness of Paran that lay on the South-border of Judah towards Idumea not far from the desert of Maon It seems there was a man who had his habitation in Maon whose lands and inheritance lay about Carmel a man of great Estate who had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats the mans name was Nabal signifying a fool he was of a churlish nature and ill conditioned and wicked in all his course and conversation though descended of the wise and vertuous and noble family of Caleb so true it is that grace is not intailed nor goeth by inheritance but is Gods free gift which he bestoweth on whom he pleaseth and often denieth to the children of virtuous and religious Parents His wifes name was Abigail signifying the Fathers joy a name well suiting her nature and conditions being a wise vertuous and beautiful woman David heard that Nabal did on such a day shear his sheep at which time it was the custom to make a great feast for their servants and friends hereupon he sent ten young men to him to salute him in his name and to wish all peace * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pax a perfectione nomen habet omnigenam beatitudinem exprimit Glass and happiness to him and his family praying for a blessing from God upon all that he had They tell him they came from David who understood he sheared his sheep that day and it being a good day a time of mirth and feasting and plentiful provision he sent them to desire the favour of some provisions from him for himself and his Souldiers They tell him they had not injured any of his servants nor plundered any of his Cattel though it be usual with Souldiers and men of war so to do when they lay near them in Carmel therefore we pray thee say they give us that which thou hast in readiness and what thou art willing to bestow upon us After this manner spake the young men to him in the name of David without being importunate or insolent or adding any thing more than David had given them in charge Nabal churlishly replied Who is David and who is the Son of Jesse Carrying it as if he had not heard of David before who was so famous for his vertues and good parts for his victory over Goliath and others of Gods enemies for his marriage with the Kings daughter and for the high honour and esteem he had been in with the Kings servants but being now in an afflicted and low condition and out of favour with the King this rich churl in a way of contempt asks who he was And further says he there be many servants now a days that break away from their masters Covertly hereby upbraiding David first for flying from the King his master and standing out in rebellion against him And 2ly for giving entertainment to fugitive servants that were run away from their own masters Further he adds shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be So these young men returned unto David and acquainted him with what Nabal had said David who at other times could with wonderful patience endure all the injuries which Saul had done him being now left to himself and enraged with this reproachful and contumelious answer of Nabal he breaths forth nothing but revenge wherefore he bids his Souldiers gird on their Swords as he girt on his and four hundred of his men following him he resolved to destroy Nabal and all his family Surely says he I have to very good purpose kept all that this fellow hath in the Wilderness so that nothing was missing of all that he had to be thus requited by him Let the Lord so deal with the rest of my enemies as I am resolved to deal with this wicked and ungrateful fellow and let me not prosper if I destroy not all that belong to him by the morning light not leaving him so much as a dog to piss against the wall Thus David being left to himself discovered the inward corruption of his heart and plunged himself into grievous guilt for this was a bloody and unlawful vow (a) In malejuratis fidem rescinde inquit August Nabals churlishness and covetousness though great crimes in themselves were not yet to be punished with death much less was his innocent family to be slain for his offence However David with this bloody purpose marches with his men towards Nabal's house In the mean time one of Nabal's servants fearing that mischief would ensue upon his Masters churlish answer and not daring to intimate so much to him by reason of his froward and perverse disposition he addresseth himself to his Mistress and acquaints her that David had sent messengers to salute their master but he instead of taking it kindly had used them with great contempt and reproach But says he our master had little reason so to do for Davids men were very kind to us when they quartered near us in the Wilderness we were not hurt by them neither missed we any thing of all that belonged to us they were a wall unto us both by day and night and a sure and strong guard to defend and protect us from receiving any hurt or damage either from thieves or wild
with Cymbals of brass and some with Psalteries on * Alamoth signifies young maidens or Virgins and therefore Expositors hereby understand the Treble because their voice is shril and fittest for that part in Musick See Tit. of 46 Psal Symphonia acuta quam virgines edunt argutissime Alamoth singing the Treble and others on Sheminith or an instrument of eight strings playing the bass to make the Musick more excellent and delightful and some of the Priests did blow with Trumpets And Berechiah and Elkanah were appointed to do the office of Door-keepers to keep the people off from pressing upon the Ark and so were Obed-Edom and Jehiah two of them going before and two behind And when the Levites who carried the Ark perceived after they had gone a little way with it that God was with them and did not strike them with death as he did Vzzah but manifested his favour to them so that they went on without interruption see 2 Sam. 6.13 they made a stand and offered Sacrifices to the Lord by way of thankfulness David ordering it to be done by the Priests who no doubt made an Altar there according to the Law Exod. 20.24 David also clothed himself with a robe of white linnen like to a Priests Ephod and girded it to him with a linnen girdle and so also the Levites and Singers were clothed with robes of white linnen and David transported with an holy joy danced before the Ark of the Lord with all his might It was in those days usual to testifie their thankefulness and joy by dancing * See Psal 149.3 150.4 30.11 Exod. 15.20 and so David did here dancing gravely and decently answerable to the Religious Musick and testifying his zeal for God and his Worship with all his might and his thankefulness that the Lord would please to settle the Ark in his City Thus David and all Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with joyful acclamations and singing and the sound of Cornets Trumpets Cymbals Psalteries and Harps And when the Ark came into the City of David in this solemn manner Michal Saul's daughter looking out at a window and seeing David dancing †Pra gaudio immenso David vehementer saltabat ita ut nasutis non judicantibus recte de pio Davidis zelo regiae dignitatis oblitus videretur and playing on his Harp before the Ark she despised him in her heart So they brought the Ark and set it in the place or Tabernacle David had prepared for it and then they offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings before the Lord and then David like a pious Prince blessed the people in the name of the Lord and prayed for their peace and prosperity Then he royally feasted them appointing to each person both man and woman a loaf of bread a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine and so he dismissed them and they departed to their own houses with great content and satisfaction having performed this publick service David then returned to bless his own house viz. to pray with and for his family as he had done for the people But Michal Saul's daughter too much resembling her Father in evil qualities goes out to meet him and being no longer able to suppress her disdainful thoughts she crys out O how glorious was the King of Israel this day who uncovered himself in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants as one of the vain fellows shamelesly uncovereth (a) V. 20. discooperiens se nudatus est non omnino sed quod deposuisset extimam vestem regalem ut Ephod indueret himself intimating that by laying aside his Princely attire and mixing himself with the multitude and dancing and leaping in the open streets as vain fellows use to do he had thereby exposed himself to the scorn and contempt of every girl that came to see the pomp of this removing the Ark. He tells her that what he had done he had done as in the sight and presence of God and for his glory and he could never honour him sufficiently who had chosen and appointed him to be King and Ruler over Israel and had rejected her father and his house And says he I am so far from thinking it a disgrace to me to honour and glorifie my God though among the meanest of his people and making my self therein as it were equal with them that if that be to be vile I will yet be more vile and will be ready to humble and abase my self more that I may glorifie him And as to the Maid-servants of whom thou speakest as if they laughed at this my carriage I doubt not but the more I humble my self for God the more I shall be had in honour of all my servants For God hath promised that those that honour him he will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 Whither Michal was any thing moved with what David said is uncertain but certain it is she got nothing but a curse for this her scorning of him for the Lord adjudged her from henceforth to perpetual barrenness (b) Michal never had any child those 5 Sons mentioned 2 Sam. 21.8 were the Sons of Merab her sister whom Michal brought up for Adriel Merabs husband 1 Sam. 18.19 and are called Michals Sons because she did educate if not adopt them which was looked upon as no small curse among the Hebrew women but must needs be accounted a greater curse in a Kings wife and the daughter of a King who being of a more Illustrious family than any other of David's wives if she had brought forth a Son he might in likelihood have been heir to the Crown 2 Sam. Ch. 6. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 13. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 15. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 16. from v. 1 to 7. SECT CLXXXVII DAvid now deputes certain of the Levites (a) See 1 Chro. 6.31 there the chief mentioned were Asaph Heman and Ethan call'd also Jeduthun these were famous men and chief Singers and withal Prophets and Penmen of some Psalmes 2 Chron. 29.30 to attend upon the Ark of the Lord and to declare and publish his great and glorious acts in their Songs and Hymns and to praise him with their voices and Musical instruments namely such as were appointed for his servic (b) 1 Chron. 16. v. 42. call'd Musical Instruments of God and that constantly every day at the hour appointed Then David who in regard of that Divine skill he had in composing Psalmes was stiled the sweet Singer of Israel 2 Sam. 23.1 delivered to Asaph and his Brethren a Psalm to have a Tune put to it and to be sung in the service of God which is here recorded the several parts whereof were afterwards much enlarged by him and reduced into several Psalmes as we may see Psal 105. 96. the former part of it to v. 23. is part of Psal 105. and the sum of it is to praise the Lord for publick benefits afforded to his
His heart was so overwhelmed with grief and sorrow that he could not speak much now but afterwards he confessed his sin more fully to the whole Church in the 51 Psalm wherein he acknowledges the greatness of his transgression and professes his unfeigned repentance for it And this Psalm he committed to the chief Musician to be sung publickly in the Congregation as one of the Penitential Psalms Nathan perceiving him truly penitent tells him the Lord had put away his sin out of his sight it should not be imputed to him to hinder his eternal blessedness neither should he die by the sudden stroke of some temporal judgment as his sin deserved even according to his own sentence Howbeit says the Lord because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to my enemies to blaspheme and to speak evil of what I have done in raising thee up and favouring thee so highly seeing thou hast committed such heinous sins and they will thereupon blaspheme the Religion I have appointed and the professors of it as though it either taught or favoured such wickedness or at least that the professors of it were all hypocrites making only a shew of godliness and honesty but not practising it see Rom. 2.24 therefore by many severe corrections inflicted on thee I will vindicate my justice and the truth of my Religion against all the reproaches and calumnies of wicked men And pursuant hereunto I will first smite the child begotten by thee in adultery with death Nathan having faithfully delivered his message departed and immediately the child fell sick And though Nathan had told David the child should die yet he apprehending as it seems the threatning to be only conditional and that upon his tears and repentance the sentence might be revers'd (d) As was that of Hezekiahs death and the destruction of Nineveh and though the child if he lived was like continually to grieve them by daily representing to them their sin and shame yet he prayed and fasted and humbled himself greatly both with inward contrition and outward afflicting of his body begging the life of the child (e) Fuisse Davidem liberorum amantissimum non ex hac tantum historia sed ex indulgentia circa Absolomum Adonijam apparet because the innocent babe was threatned with death as a punishment for their sin However as God had threated on the seventh day after he was born or after he fell sick the child died Davids servants at first feared to tell him of it lest they should too much grieve him but upon his strict inquiry they told him he was dead When the will of the Lord was plainly manifested he patiently submitted to it and arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel and went into the house of the Lord the Tent which he had erected for the Ark to worship that he might further bewail and acknowledg his sin before God and beg his pardon and intreat him that he would please to lighten and lessen those punishments he had threatned against his family or at least sanctifie them to him and give him strength and patience to bear them And though he had fasted seven days while the child lay sick taking only some small repast in the evening yet now so earnest he was to ratifie his peace with God that he would not taste any food before he had been at Gods house and then he commanded them to set bread before him and he did eat His servants wondring at this carriage of his as something strange he tells them that whilst the child was alive he fasted and wept hoping that God would reverse the sentence of death passed upon him but now he was dead wherefore says he should I fast I cannot bring him back again I shall go to him viz. into the state of the dead but he shall not return to me into the state of the living Bathsheba being much dejected under a sense of her sin and the displeasure of God threatned against them and begun to be executed in taking away their child David like an indulgent husband laboured to comfort her and went in again unto her and she conceived and bare him a Son whom he by Gods direction called Solomon that is peaceable because the Lord intended when he came to the Crown to give him rest from all his enemies round about and to give peace and quietness to Israel in his days see 1 Chron. 22.9 And the Lord sent Nathan to David to tell him that this his Son should not only be called Solomon but Jedijah that is beloved of the Lord. Thus the Lord manifested his love to Solomon before he had done either good or evil 2 Sam. Ch. 12. from v. 1 to the 26. SECT CXCV. GOD now inflicts upon David many sore and grievous chastisements to punish him for his heinous sins of adultery and murder First Amnon his Eldest Son ravishes his Sister Tamar David had two Children by Maacha the daughter of Talmai King of Geshur viz. Absalom and Tamar and he was sorely punished in them both as we shall see in the sequel of the story Tamar was a very beautiful young woman and Amnon David's Eldest Son by Ahinoam the Jezrelites was smitten with an unlawful love to her but she being a Virgin and carefully kept being David's only Daughter for ought appears among so many Sons he despaired of having an opportunity to satisfie his lust with her whereupon he droop'd (a) Medici morbis aâ—censent eum qâ—i ex amore contrahitur Pallidus in Lyâ—lcen silvis errabat Orion and pin'd away with vexation Amnon had a friend who was his Cousin-german with whom he was very intimate Jonadab by name who though a very subtil man and wise to do evil was no true friend to him for a true friend advises to nothing but that which is good Jonadab perceiving by his carriage that he was rather sick in mind than body said to him Why art thou being the Kings Son lean from day to day surely thou that art the Kings Son yea his Eldest Son and heir to the Crown maist have what thou wilt therefore what is it that thou art troubled about Amnon told him he was in love with Tamar but knew not how to accomplish his desire upon her Jonadab advises him to counterfeit himself sick and when his Father came to see him as undoubtedly he would he should desire him to permit his sister Tamar to come and dress him some meat which he should like better from her hand than any bodies else Amnon accordingly feigns himself sick Indeed it had been better for David and himself too that he had been really sick for a naughty child is better sick than well however it being given out that he was sick his Father came to see him of whom he earnestly desired that his sister Tamar might come to him and make a couple of Cakes for him pretending they would do him more good if they
from their Idolatries to serve the true and living God And hereunto the Psalmist seems to allude Psal 45.10 Hearken O daughter and consider incline thine ear Forget thine own people and thy fathers-house 1 King Ch. 3. v. 1. SECT CCXVII SOlomon was now quietly setled and strengthened in his Kingdom and the Lord was with him and magnified him exceedingly and he loved the Lord and walked in the ways and statutes wherein David his Father walked It seems the people after the Ark and Tabernacle were separated did not think themselves bound to bring their Sacrifices to the Altar at the Tabernacle but did offer them in such places as they thought meetest for such services to wit upon high hills and mountains Indeed the high places of the heathen-Idolaters were always abominable to the Lord and those God commanded the Israelites to destroy and pull down Numb 33.52 But there other high places it seems were thought at this time lawful (a) See 1 Sam. 9.12 c. and Ch. 10.5 13. and accordingly resorted unto but when the Temple was built then all other high places for Gods solemn and prescribed worship and service were counted abominable (b) And in this sin the Ten Tribes lived they made Priests of high places in the mountains and in all the Cities of Samaria and their Altars were as heaps in the furrows of the fields 1 King 13.32 Hos 12.11 Yea Solomon himself in his latter days fearfully offended in permitting this kind of Idolatry 1 King 11.7 8. And Judah it self fell into this sin in Rehoboams reign 1 King 14.23 and in aftertimes they built high-places to Baal and to the Idols of the neighbouring Nations 2 Chron. 25.14 And especially in the reigns of Ahaz Joram and Manasseh It seems Solomon and the people did offer sacrifice and burn incense on such high places as these before mentioned that were devoted to the service of the true God and Gibeon it self where the Tabernacle and Altar now were was accounted the great high place the most famous and most resorted unto Solomon therefore now gathering together the Princes and Rulers and Judges of the land and the chief Captains and Commanders of the people with them he went up to Gibeon there in solemn manner to praise the Lord for his great mercy to him in thus peaceably setling him in the Throne And there on the Brasen Altar made by Moses which he and the great Congregation now with him chose to worship God at rather than any other Altar he offered a thousand burnt-offerings to the Lord in the time he stayed there And in that night after they had made an end of offering those burnt-offerings God appeared to him in a dream Among the manifold ways whereby God of old made known his mind to his people dreams was one And in dreams sometimes men heard a voice and apprehending the sense thereof returned an answer thereunto and the things God so made known unto them were true and certain and his servants to whom he made them known were assured thereof God therefore in such a dream appearing to Solomon and asking him what he should give him He answered O Lord thou hast shewed to David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and righteousness (c) All these must be understood of Davids inward disposition outward conversation as to the general course of his life his frailties and failings still excepted and uprightness of heart and hast reserved for him this great kindness to set his Son upon his Throne after him as it is this day which is a favour thou didst not vouchsafe to Saul And now O Lord thou having graciously made me King instead of my Father I am sensible that I am as it were but a little child and unfit to sway so great a scepter as this is how shall I be able to go out or come in before this great people How shall I be able to lead them or govern them without thine especial direction and assistance I am indeed set up as supream Governour under thee of this vast multitude which thou hast chosen for thy peculiar people and hast so increased them that they are almost innumerable according to thy gracious promise Gen. 15.5 Give therefore thy servant I pray thee an understanding heart that I may rightly discern between good and evil for who is able rightly to judg and govern this great people without wisdom given him from thy self Solomon having thus prayed the Lord was well pleased with the request he had made and said to him Because thou hast not asked for thy self long life nor riches nor victory over thine enemies but hast asked an understanding heart that thou maist rightly govern this people and in hearing causes maist know what judgment to give behold thy request is granted I will give thee a wise and an understanding heart and such a measure of wisdom and knowledg as no King before thee ever attained unto neither shall any after thee be like (a) Some Heathen Monarchs that possibly exceeded Solomon in riches came far short of him in wisdom unto thee see Chap. 4.29 30 31. Moreover I will give thee that which thou didst not ask viz riches and honour so that there shall not be any of the Kings of Israel like unto thee either for riches or glory see 2 Chron. 1.12 And if thou wilt walk in my ways and keep my statutes as thy Father David did I will lengthen out thy days also Then Solomon awoke and perceived that God had indeed appeared to him in this wonderful dream and he returned to Jerusalem with his Nobles and there before the Ark of the Covenant offered up many Burnt-offerings Peace-offerings in way of thankfulness to the Lord for this great and extraordinary kindness manifested to him and he made a great Feast for his Nobles and Officers and the Rulers of the people that were there gathered together 1 King Ch. 3. from v. 2 to 16. 2 Chron. Ch. 1. from v. 1 to 13. SECT CCXVIII SOlomon being now come to Jerusalem a very difficult case was brought before him in the deciding of which he gave a great evidence of that extraordinary wisdom the Lord had furnisht him with There came to him two women that were as it seems Victuallers by profession but secretly Harlots and one of them said to him O my Lord the King this woman and I dwell together in the same house and I was delivered of a child she being present at my Labour and three days after she was delivered of a child also and both our children were boys and we were all alone in the house there was no stranger with us And thus O King it happened as I verily believe and am confident this woman over-laying her own child in the night and awaking and finding it dead by her and being afraid of the disgrace that was like to fall upon her for her carelesness about her child
she to avoid that came secretly as I have reason to believe in the dead of the night and took my Son from my bosom whilst I was fast asleep and laid her dead child in my bosom in the room of it for she had rather I suppose have a living child though anothers than her own dead and had rather nurse up my child instead of her own than have it said that by her own carelesness and negligence she had been the cause of the death of her own Son And when I arose in the morning to give my child suck behold I found it dead but when I had better considered of the matter and laid circumstances together I found it was not my Son that I did bear and I hope I shall find so much justice from the King as to return my own child to me again Then the other woman spake for her self and said Nay but my Lord O King let this woman say what she will I do peremptorily affirm that the living child is my Son and the dead is hers Thus they contested before the King both the one and the other challenging the living child for hers the case was very difficult for first both the children were almost of an age 2ly Their features in their infancy might be something alike 3ly No body was by when this fact was done that might give evidence on either side 4ly The mother that challenged the living child confessed she was asleep and so did not see when her child was stollen away 5ly The parties contending for the child were of a like reputation the one deserving no more credit than the other All these things considered the case seem'd so difficult that one would have thought the wit of man could not determine it Solomon having heard what they said on both sides according to the wisdom that God had given him presently call'd for a sword and bad one of his servants take the living child and divide him in twain and give half to the one and half to the other But the woman whose the living child really was found her bowels so yerning upon this that she cried out O my Lord give her I pray thee the child let her take him whole in no case divide him I had rather she should have him whole than that he should be slain But the other woman being of an envious disposition and not willing that her neighbour should enjoy what she wanted she cried out For my part seeing the King hath so determined the matter let the Kings sentence stand let it be neither mine nor hers but let it be divided The King by the different affection that he discerned in these two women quickly perceived which was the true mother and accordingly gave the living child unto her And all Israel heard of the judgment the King had given in this case and all sorts of persons highly honoured him for it for they saw that an extraordinary measure of the wisdom of God was in him that enabled him to give righteous judgment 1 King Ch. 3. from v. 16 to the end SECT CCXIX. HIram King of Tyre as also of Zidon for the Sidonians likewise were his subjects v. 9. had been always a great lover of David and hearing that Solomon his Son was advanc'd to the Throne of Israel he sent his Ambassadours to congratulate him Solomon receiv'd them very kindly and having entertained them for some time by them he sent a message to their Master to this effect He acquaints him that his Father David by reason of the many wars wherein he was almost continually engaged could not build an house for the Lord as he really intended and he supposed his Father had acquainted him with that his intention there being so great a friendship between them but the Lord having now advanc'd him to the Throne in his Fathers room and having given him rest on every side so that he had neither adversary nor evil occurrent to hinder him he resolv'd to fall upon the work and to build an house for the glory of the Lord his God as the Lord had promised unto his Father he should do he therefore requested this favour of him that as he had helped his Father to Timber (a) It seems most of Lebanon was in the land of Tyre though it were the Northern bound of the land of Canaan and though David in his life-time had provided many materials as Cedar-trees and many workmen yet it seems more were wanting which Solomon now takes care to provide wherewith to build his own Palace so he would please to help him also to Timber to build the house that he intended to build for the honour of God For the house says he that I intend to build must be great and magnificent the God for whose Worship I intend it being great above all Gods And indeed who is able to build an house for him seeing the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him It were a vain thing for me to think of building an house for him who is infinite except only to worship him in and that is the end I aim at Send me therefore I pray thee a man skilful to work in Gold and Silver in Brass and Iron in Purple Crimson and Blew and one that can grave that he may join with the cunning men that are here with me in Judah and Jerusalem whom my Father did provide for this purpose See 1 Chron. 22.15 And I pray thee grant me Cedar-trees Firr-trees and Algum-trees for this work and command thy servants to cut them down and hew them for me and I will send my servants to help and assist them therein and I will give thy servants twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat * That is of wheat beaten out of the ear and severed from the chaff we call it clean wheat and as many of barley and twenty thousand baths of wine and as many of oyl for their wages and provision or if this do not like thee I will give whatsoever thy self shall appoint Hiram sent an answer to Solomon and writ to him after this manner It is a great sign and evidence to me that God loves that people because he hath made thee King over them And blessed be the Lord God of Israel who made Heaven and Earth for giving to David such a wise Son and for enduing him with so great a measure of prudence and understanding that he might build an house for the honour of God and for the honour of his Kingdom As for thy request to me concerning Cedar-trees Firr-trees and Timber for that great work behold all thy desires are granted My servants shall cut down and hew out sufficient Timber for thee and I will convey it to thee by Sea in flotes to Joppa or any other place thou shalt appoint I have also sent thee a very skilful and expert artificer whose name is Hiram whose Father was of the Tribe †He is called a Tyrian because he lived there
Prophet had promised from the Lord which was the very next day to be accomplished One of the Kings servants hearing his Master make this construction of the departure of the Syrians replied let us I pray thee take some of the horses that yet remain in the City and go out and see whither the Syrians be indeed fled or no. It will be no great loss if these be taken by the enemy seeing they are already almost consumed by famine as most of the people of the City likewise are The King consenting hereunto they took two of the Kings Chariot-horses and setting riders on them sent them out these scouts rode as far as Jordan and found no enemy between Samaria and it but many evidences of the enemies flight for all the way was full of garments and other furniture which the Syrians had thrown away in their hasty flight So they return'd and brought this word to the King Then the people transported with joy rusht out of the City with all the hast they could make to spoil the Tents of the Syrians and in them they found such plenty of provisions that a measure of fine flower was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel as the Prophet had foretold The King understanding that the people ran so violently out of the City he commanded the Lord on whose hand he leaned to take charge of the Gate to keep them from such a tumultuous running out and to see to it that they might not all run out and leave the City naked This Lord accordingly standing there to keep the people back they were so eagerly bent upon the spoil and to get some provisions for themselves that they ran him down and trode upon him so that he died and thus what the man of God prophesied of him exactly came to pass 2 King 6. from 24 to the end 2 King 7. wh Ch. The Shunamite the seven years famine being now ended returns with her family into her own Country and petitions the King for her house and land which in her absence was as it seems seized upon by the Officers of State for the Kings use * Mos hic fuit in decem tribubus qui alibi reperitur ut qui patria exirent eorum bona confiscarentur Grot. at the very time when she came to present her petition the Providence of God so ordered it that she found the King talking with Gehazi Elisha's servant about the miracles his Master had wrought It seems his Leprosie was not of that sort that did render him unclean or unfit to be conversed * Lex non vetabat leprosos adire alloquii consolari Naaman leprosus Regem accessit Alii volunt Gehazi act◠paenitentia sanatum fuisse with or else upon his repentance as some think God revers'd the sentence against him and had now healed him Whilst he was discoursing about his Masters raising one from the dead he sees this woman come to petition the King whereupon he crys out My Lord O King this is the very woman of whom I spake and this is her son that was restor'd to life by my Master The King asking the woman about it she fully confirm'd it and 't is like told him the several circumstances of it whereupon the King gave order that her lands should be restored to her again with all the profits that had arisen from them in her absence 2 King 8. from v. 3 to 7. Elisha now by some special instinct of Gods Spirit went into the Region †In Regionem Damascenam ut apparet ex versu nono Jun. of Damascus to confirm as 't is probable to Hazael by a second prediction what formerly upon Elijahs anointing of him he did not much believe namely that he should be King of Syria Benhadad the present King of Syria was at this time very sick Josephus thinks his sickness was occasion'd by the shameful flight of his Army from Samaria Ch. 7.6 especially understanding it happened through a causeless fear The King therefore hearing of the Prophets arrival in that Region whose fame was so spread among them by the cure of Naaman and other miracles he had wrought he sent Hazael who was now as it seems his chief Minister of State Naaman being either dead or put by his place for professing the true God of Israel with a present to him and to inquire of him whither he should recover of that sickness Hazael accordingly went to meet him with a noble and large present viz. forty Camels lading of the best provisions of the Country and when he came to him he said Thy Son Benhadad who honours thee as a Son doth his Father hath sent me to thee with this present which he desires thee to accept of and to acquaint him Whither he shall recover of his sickness Whither the Prophet accepted the present is not recorded but he return'd him this short answer That he might recover for any danger from his disease yet the Lord had shewed him that he should certainly die though by some other means and not by his sickness Then the Prophet fixt his eyes stedfastly on Hazael until he began to blush to see him look so earnestly on him and Elisha bursting out into tears Hazael said Why weepeth my Lord He answered Because I know the evil thou wilt do when thou art King of Syria to the people of Israel their strong bolds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword their young childrens brains wilt thou dash out and rip up their women with child Hazael replied Is thy servant a dog that I should ever be guilty of such great horrible barbarity and inhumane cruelty * Fortuna potestat etiam mores ingenium mutant 'T is like he did not think at this time that ever he should do such cruel acts But no man knows the depth of that corruption that is in his heart which will soon discover it self if God leave him to himself See what he afterwards did 2 King 10.32 33. and Ch. 13.3 Elisha replies The Lord hath shewed me that thou wilt be King over Syria and then thou wilt bear the same deadly hatred to the people of Israel which thy Predecessors have done before And the Lord as a just and righteous Judg will permit thee to come into that Throne that thou maist be a scourge to punish the Idolatrous and Rebellious Israelites So Hazael departed from the Prophet and coming to his Master Benhadad told him that the Prophet said He should certainly recover but therein he delivered not to him the true sense of the Prophet Then considering with himself what Elisha had told him viz. that he should be King of Syria and apprehending that if his Master did recover of this sickness it might be difficult for him to attain the Crown and being impatient of delay and unwilling to stay Gods time for the bringing about of that he had promised
in execution he tells him there were a certain people scattered * For though some were returned out of captivity into the land of Judah yet many of them especially of the Ten Tribes did remain dispersed here and there not embracing the liberty proffered them up and down his dominions whose laws were diverse from the laws of his Kingdom and who observ'd not his laws 'T is true in matters of divine worship they did not observe them nor could they do it with a good conscience but otherwise they did observe the laws of the land as which concerned the peace and tranquility thereof See Jer. 29.7 Haman further suggests that it was not for the Kings profit to suffer those Jews to live among his own subjects lest they should draw them from their obedience to him Therefore he intreats the King that his subjects among whom the Jews lived might fall upon them and destroy them And whereas it might be objected that the Jews paid a great tribute which the King would lose if they were destroyed therefore in recompence of that loss he proffers to pay ten thousand talents of silver himself into the hands of the Kings receivers Haman had at this time such an ascendent over the King being his chief favourite that he took off his ring from his hand and gave it unto him therewith impowering him to seal what decree he thought fit to make touching this matter and as for the money he proffered the King bad him keep it to himself telling him that that sum was freely given to him and the people of the Jews also to do with them what seemed good unto him 'T is like the King did not yet understand that his Queen was of the Jewish Nation for that Mordecai advised her to conceal So on the 13th day of the first month the Kings Secretaries were called and the decree concerning the destruction of the Jews was written and sealed and Haman took care to have it presently published and sent to all the Lord Lieutenants and Governours of Provinces authorizing them that they should destroy and kill all the Jews both young and old little children and women in one day viz. the 13th of the last or twelfth month and to take the spoil of them to themselves for a prey And 't is like Haman did expedite the sending out of this decree lest the King by the counsel of others or from some relenting in himself or by some means or other should alter his mind The bloody decree being sent forth the King and Haman sit down to drink so far were they from any remorse or touch of conscience for what they had done but the inhabitants of the City of Shushan were greatly perplexed at it Chap. 3. whole Chapter Mordecai understanding what was done rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes on his head and went into the midst of the City and cried with a loud and bitter cry and in this mournful posture came before the Kings Gate for into it clothed with sackcloth he might not enter the Persian Kings not allowing their Court-pleasures to be interrupted with any thing that had an appearance of sorrow or sadness And in every Province where the decree came there was great mourning among the Jews and fasting weeping and wailing and many lay in sackcloth and ashes Queen Esther understanding the great mourning of Mordecai and his being in sackcloth was much surprized at it and sent to know the reason of it and withal sent him new raiment to cloth him but that raiment being unsuitable to his present condition he would not receive it Mordecai coming to her informed her what Haman had done and what a sum of money he had proffered to the King for liberty to destroy the Jews and what a decree he had obtained of him for their destruction And soon after he sent her a copy of that bloody decree and charged her to go to the King to make supplication to him for her people He now thought it necessary she should make known to him of what stock and Nation she was though before he thought it not convenient that she should do it The Queen sends him word that he could not be ignorant that whosoever whither man or woman came unto the King into the inner Court where was his apartment without being called for was to be put to death except the King shall of his Royal favour hold out his golden scepter to them And she had not been called to come unto the King these thirty days last past and therefore she did not know whither the Kings affection towards her might not be somewhat abated and if so her going to him uncalled might be very hazardous to her But Mordecai the people of God being in so great danger would accept of no excuse but sent her word that she her self must not think to escape more than the rest of the Jews the Kings house could be no protection to her against this bloody decree and Hamans malice For the decree being general against all the Jews without any exception it might reach her as well as others He further tells her that if she altogether held her peace at such a time as this and would not venture her self when all her people were in such extream danger he doubted not but deliverance would arise to them from another place and some other way but as for her and such of her kindred as were about her he believed they would be destroyed for their faint heartedness and cowardize and not affording what help they could to the people of God in their great extremity And lastly he tells her that she should consider that possibly she came to the Kingdom for such a time as this and that the preservation of Gods people was the end God aimed at in advancing her to be Queen Mordecai's words wrought so powerfully on Esther that she resolved to do what he required yet like a pious and prudent Lady she resolved first to use due means for the obtaining the blessing of God upon her endeavours and to that purpose she sends to all the Jews in Shushan desiring them to keep a solemn fast three days together and neither to eat (a) That is not to take their ordinary repasts but to eat sparingly and to afflict their souls by true repentance and humiliation nor drink night nor day and earnestly to seek to the Lord for her And says she I and my maids (b) 'T is like her maids were Jews or such as she had instructed in the true Religion will fast also and so I will go unto the King though it be not according to law and if I perish I perish (c) That is I will embrace my death quietly and contentedly seeing I could not avoid it without failing in my duty Mordecai and the Jews at Shushan did as Esther desired Esth Ch. 4. whole Chapter This being done Queen Esther on the third day having put on her