others by it and therefore they most need this remedy 19 A brother offended r To wit by his Brothers unkindness or injury is harder to be won s Or is stronger which is sufficiently understood by the mention of a strong City to which he is compared such Ellipses being frequent in the Hebrew as hath been noted before than a strong city t Which is hardly to be conquered and their contentions are like the bars of a castle u Which are very strong and not to be broken and make the castle strong and hardly to be won The truth of this assertion is confirmed by the testimony of Aristotle and other learned Authors who affirm the same thing and the reason of it is evident because the nearness of the Relation greatly heightens the provocation and Love abused frequently turns to extream hatred 20 * Ch. 12. 14. 13. 2. A mans belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth x Wise and edifying discourses tend to the comfort and satisfaction of the Speaker as well as to the good of the Hearers and with the encrease of his lips shall he be filled 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue y Are brought upon men by the good or bad use of their tongues and they that love it z Either 1. The Tongue that love and use much talking which is oft censured as a sin and a cause of mischief See Prov. 10. 19. Iam. 1. 19. Or 2. The use of their tongue in either of those ways which are plainly supposed in the former clause of the verse they who do not only speak well which a wicked man may somtimes do or speak ill which a good man may possibly do but do love and therefore accustom themselves to speak well or ill shall eat the fruit thereof a Shall receive either good or evil according to the quality of their Speeches 22 * Ch. 19. 14. Whoso findeth a Wife b Either 1. Simply a Wife for a Wife though she be not the best of kind is to be esteemed a blessing being useful both for society of life Gen. 2. 18. and for the mitigation of a mans cares and troubles and for the prevention of sins Or 2. Good Wife one that deserves the Name and performs the duty of that Relation a wise and worthy Wife as this word may seem to imply being deduced from the Hebrew word isch which somtimes notes a man of Eminency And this limitation and explication of the word may be gathered both from the following commendations which would hardly be given to a bad Wife and from the usage of Scripture in which this Ellipsis is frequent as a path or way is put for a good path or way Psal. 119. 1. Prov. 15. 10. an answer for a good answer Prov. 15. 23. a King for a good King Prov. 16. 10. 29. 4. a name for a good name Prov. 22. 1. Eccles. 7. 1. c. findeth a good thing c A singular Blessing and obtaineth favour of the LORD d Obtaineth her not by his own Wit or Art or Diligence but by Gods good Providence towards him which ordereth that and all other events as it pleaseth him 23 The poor useth intreaties e Humbly begs the favour of rich men as his necessities and occasions require it but the rich answereth * Jam. 2. 3. roughly f Speaketh proudly and scornfully either to the poor or to others that converse with him being puffed up with a conceit of his Riches and of his self-sufficiency 24 A man that hath friends g Heb. A man of friends either 1. Who desires the friendship of others Or 2. Who professeth friendship to others must shew himself friendly * Ch. 17. 17. and there is a friend that sticketh closer h To him that desires and needs his help who is more hearty in the performance of all friendly Offices than a brother CHAP. XIX 1 * Chap. 28. 6. BEtter is the poor that walketh in his integrity a Who is upright in his words and actions than he that is perverse in his lips b That useth to speak wickedly which proceeds from a wicked heart and is usually attended with an evil Life and is a fool c Is an Hypocrite or a wicked man for this is opposed to the upright man in the former clause yea though he be rich which is implied from the same clause 2 Also that the soul d Which is the principal cause and director of all mens actions be without knowledg e Without Wisdom or Prudence to discern his way and what and how he ought to act in his several cases and concernments it is not good f It is very evil and pernicious and he that hasteth with his feet g That rashly and headily rusheth into actions without serious consideration So two vices are here censured the want of Knowledg and the neglect or diâ—…use of Knowledg in a mans actions sinneth 3. The foolishness of man perverteth his way h Either 1. enticeth him to sin Or rather 2. Crosseth and blasâ—…eth his designs and enterprises and brings losses and miseries upon him and his heart fretteth against the LORD i He ascribes his unhappiness not to his own sin and folly which is the true cause of it but to God and his Providence against which he unjustly murmurs 4 * Ch. 14. 20. Wealth maketh many friends but the poor is separated from his neighbour k Is disowned and forsaken by those who are most obliged to help him 5 * Ver. 9. Exod. 23. 1. Deut. 19. 16 19. Ch. 6. 19. 21. 28. A false witness shall not be †Heb. held innocent unpunished l Though he escape the observation and punishment of men yet he shall not avoid the judgment of God and he that speaketh lies m That accustometh himself to lying either in judgment or in common conversation shall not escape 6 Many will entreat the †Heb. face favour of the prince n Or as others of the liberal or bountiful man which comes to the same thing for Kings were antiently called Benefactors Luk. 22. 25. and every man is a friend o Not sincerely as daily experience shews but in shew or profession or in the outward expressions of it whereby they may oblige him to †Heb. a man of gifts him that giveth gifts 7 * Ch. 14. 20. All the brethren p His nearest and dearest Relations who are oft called Brethren in Scripture by a common Synecdoche of the poor do hate him q i. e. Despise and shun him as men do any thing which they hate and as the following words explain it how much more do his friends r His former companions who in his prosperity professed friendship to him go far from him he pursueth them with words
contentions and other miscarriages and would doubtless take occasion thence to disparage the true Religion And it must be remembred that these are the words not of Abram but of Moses who knowing that the Canaanites were then speedily to be turned out of the Land intimates that the case was otherwise in Abrams days when the Canaanites were possest and were likely to continue the Possessors and Lords of the Land 8. And Abram said unto Lot g The elder and wiser and worthier person relinquisheth his own right to his inferiour for peace sake leaving us a noble example for our imitation Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and h Or or between c. and for or as Exod. 21. 17. and Psal. 8. 5. compared with Mat. 15. 14. Heb. 2. 6. for there was no strife between Abram and Lot though he feared it might pass from the feet to the head my herds-men and thy herds-men for we be †Heb. men brethren See Chap. 11. 27. Exod. 2. 13. Act. 7. 26. Brethren i i. e. Both by nature near kinsmen as the word brother is oft used and in the Faith and Religion too amongst whom contentions are very indecent and scandalous 9. Is not the whole land before thee k i. e. Open to thy view and free to chuse which part thou pleasest as thou canst agree with the owners I give thee full power to chuse before me See a like phrase Gen. 20. 15. and 34. 10 21. and 47. 6. separate thy self I pray thee from me if thou wilt take l This and the following supplement are easily gathered both from the words of this and the 11 verse and from the nature of the thing And the Hebrew Language being a concise or short language such supplements are frequently necessary and very usual Compare 2 Chron. 10. 12. with 1 King 12. 11. and 2 Sam. 23. 8. with 1 Chron. 11. 11. the left hand then I will go to the right or if thou depart to the right hand then I will go to the left 10. And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan m A great plain so called because there the pleasant River Iordan divided it self into divers little streams or rivulets which having no visible out-let into the Sea by degrees and in several places insinuated themselves into the Earth which made it very fruitful and excellent for Lot's purpose But this lovely plain was afterwards transformed by divine vengeance into a filthy Lake or dead Sea Gen. 19. that it was well watered every where before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha even as the garden of the LORD n i. e. Either 1. Like that famous Garden of Eden which God himself planted Gen. 2. 10. The like comparison we meet with Isa. 51. 3. Ezek. 28. 13. and 31. 8. Or 2. Like some excellent Garden for excellent things are thus expressed as the host of God 1 Chron. 12. 22. i. e. a great host Cedars of God Psal. 80. 10. like the land of Egypt o A Land of eminent fertility by the influence of that great River Nilus Antiently celebrated as the Granary of other Countries See Ezâ—…k 31. as thou comest unto Zoar p i. e. To Bela Gen. 14. 2. afterwards called Zoar Gen. 19. 22. and here so called by a Prolepsis But these words are not to be joyned with the words immediately going before as if Egypt was commended for its fertility in that part of it from which men go to Zoar but with the more remote words and the sense is as the words of the Text are transplaced and rendred by some that the plain of Iordan was before the Lord destroyed it and its Cities Sodom and Gomorrha watered every where even to Zoar or even until thou comest i. e. till a man come to Zoar. i. e. all the way which leads from the place where Abram then was to Zoar. And such transpositions are not unusual as we shall see hereafter 11. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan And Lot journyed East q Heb. From the East Or Eastward as the Hebrew particle mâ—… is sometimes used See Gen. 2. 8. 2 Sam. 2. 2. compared with 1 Chron. 13. 6. and they separated themselves the †Heb. a man 〈◊〉 his brother one from the other 12. Abram dwelt in the Land of Cannaan and Lot dwelt in the Cities of the plain and pitched his Tent toward Sodom 13. But the men of Sodom were * Ezek. 16. 49. wicked and sinners before the LORD r Eminent noted and impudent sinners See Gen. 18 20. Ezek. 16. 49. which is here added as a secret reproof to Lot who was either careless in his enquiry into the dispositions and manners of those among whom he intended to fix his abode which for many reasons he should have searched ouâ—… Or he was willing to expose himself to all the hazards which he might incurre by their Neighbourhood and familiarity 〈◊〉 the sweetness and fertility of the Soil An errour which is frequently committed by men in the choice of their Habitations and which oft costs them dear as it did Lot in the following story exceedingly 14. And the LORD said unto Abram after that Lot was separated from him s To Comfort him now when he was alone and in a worse soil than Lot had chosen Lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art North-ward and South-ward and East-ward and West-ward 15. For all the Land which thou seest t Object Abram could see but a little part of the Land Answ. 1. He might now possibly be upon a Mountain from whence he might have a large prospect every way 2. He gave him all that he saw but not onely that but also the rest of the Land and therefore he bids him walk through and view the whole Land ver 17. * Chap. 12. 7. and 26. 4. Deut. 34. 4. to thee u Quest. How was the Land given to Abram when it is expresly said He i. e. God gave him none inheritance in it no not so much as to set his foot on Acts 7. 5. Ans. 1. God gave Abram the right to it though not the actual possession of it until the time that God appointed â—… As God gave the right of the Kingdom to David but not the possession till Sauls Death 2. God explains himself to thee and to thy Seed i. e. to thee that is to thy Seed and that for thy sake the particle and being put oft for that is as 1 Chron. 21. 12. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 13. Eph. 1. 3. and in many other places as we shall see will I give it and to thy seed for ever x Quest. How for ever when after some hundreds of years they were turned out of it Answ. 1. This promise was made to them upon condition of their Obedience which is oft expressed in other places as
providence of God until the Lord Jesus did come Since which time those characters are miserably confounded Which is no small argument that the Messias is come 3. To set bounds both to the insatiable avarice of some and the foolish prodigality of others that the former might not wholly and finally swallow up the inheritances of their brethren and the latter might not be able to undo themselves and their posterity for ever which was a singular priviledge of this Law and People and ye shall return every man unto his family r From whom he was gone being sold to some other Family either by himself or by his Father 11 A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you ye shall not sow s Though it come immediately after a seventh year wherein also this was forbidden to you neither reap that which groweth of it self in it nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed 12 For it is the jubilee it shall be holy unto you t So it was because it was sequestred in great part from worldly employments and dedicated to God and to the exercise of holy joy and thankfulness and because it was a type of that holy and happy Jubilee which they were to expect and enjoy by and under the Messias ye shall eat the increase thereof u Such things as it produced of it self For the year before nothing was sowed out of the field x Whence they in common with others might take it as they needed it but must not put it into barns See ver 5. and Exod. 23. 11. 13 In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession 14 And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour or buyest ought of thy neighbours hand ye shall not oppress one another y Neither the seller by requiring more nor the buyer by taking the advantage from his brothers necessities to give him less than the worth of it 15 According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbour and according unto the number of years of the fruits z Or Of years of fruits or of fruitful years for there were some unfruitful years to wit such wherein they were not allowed to sow or reap c. he shall sell unto thee 16 According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it For according to the number of the years of the fruits a Or For the number of the fruits The meaning is he selleth not the land but onely the fruits thereof and that for a certain time doth he sell unto thee 17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another but thou shalt fear thy God for I am the LORD your God 18 Wherefore ye shall do my statutes and keep my judgments and do them and ye shall dwell in the land in safety 19 And the land shall yield her fruit and ye shall eat your fill and dwell therein in safety 20 And if ye shall say What shall we eat b A like objection See Exod. 34. 23 24. the seventh year behold we shall not sow nor gather in our increase 21 Then I will command †i. e. Give Commanding is oft used in Scripture either for the performance of promised blessings as Deut. 28. 8. Psal. 111. 9. and 133. 3. or for the execution of threatned judgements as Isa. 5. 6. Amos. 9. 4. both being acts of Gods providential will as the command is of his legislative will my blessing upon you in the sixth year and it shall bring forth fruit for three years c Not compleatly but in great part to wit for that part of the sixth year which was between the beginning of harvest and the beginning of the seventh year for the whole seventh year and for that part of the eighth year which was before the harvest which reached almost until the beginning of the ninth year And by this expression we may understand the meaning of that eminent passage of Christs being three days and three nights in the grave to wit one whole day and part of two days Of which more if God please in its proper place This is added to shew the equity of this command As God would hereby try their Faith and exercise Obedience so he gave them an eminent proof of his own exact providence and tender care over them in making provisions suitable to their necessities Albeit it be also probable that divers of them especially such as were more solicitous or distrustful of Gods providence did lay up something of the fruits of former years against this time 22 And ye shall sow the eighth year and eat yet of old fruit d Of the sixth year principally if not solely until the ninth year until her fruits e i. e. The fruits of the eighth year come in ye shall eat of the old store 23 The land shall not be sold ‖ Or to be quite cut off †Heb. for cutting off for ever f Or absolutely and properly so as to become the propriety of the buyer Or to the extermination or utter cutting off to wit of the seller from all hopes and possibility of Redemption for the land is mine g Procured for you by my power given to you by my meer grace and bounty and the right of propriety reserved by me and to be disposed of by you onely to such persons and in such manner as I shall have ordained for ye are * Psal. 119. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 11. strangers and sojourners with me h i. e. In my land or houses thus he is said to sojourn with another that dwells in his house Thus the poor decayed Israelites and the strangers are said to live with them i. e. with the other Israelites to wit in the land or houses here ver 35 36 40 45. Or before me in my sight or in my account Howsoever in your own or other mens opinions you pass for Lords and Proprietors yet in truth according to which my judgment always is you are but strangers and sojourners not to possess the land for ever but onely for a season and to leave it to such as I have appointed for it 24 And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption i i. e. A right of redemption in the time and manner following for the land 25 If thy brother be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his possession k To wit in the fields but not in cities ver 29. and if any of his kin come to redeem it l Or If the redeemer come being near akin to him to whom the right of Redemption belonged Ruth 3. 2 9 12. Ier. 32. 7. who in this act was an eminent Type of Christ who was made near akin to us by taking our flesh that he might perform the work of Redemption
when the Iews would not exceed 39 stripes 2 Cor. 11. 24. least through mistake or forgetfulness or eagerness they should go beyond their bounds which they were commanded to keep but they were not obliged to go to the utmost extent of them lest if he should exceed and beat him above these with many stripes then thy brother g Who though faulty and chastized yet still is thy brother by nation and probably by religion too should seem vile unto thee h i. e. Should be made contemptible to his brethren either by this cruel usage of him as if he were a slave or brute beast or by the desormity or infirmity of body which excessive beating might produce 4 * 1 Cor. 9. 9. 1 Tim. 5. 18. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn i As the Gentiles used to do having divers devices to keep them from eating when they trod out the corn which they did in those parts and times by oxen Hos. 10. 11. either immediately by their hoofs Isa. 28. 28. Mich. 4. 13. or by drawing carts or other instruments over the corn Isa. 25. 10. and 28. 27. and 41. 15. Amos 1. 3. Hereby God taught them humanity and kindness even to their beasts that served them Prov. 12. 10. and much more to their servants or other men who laboured for them and especially to their Ministers 1 Cor. 9. 9. †Heb. thresheth 5 * Mat. 22. 24. Mar. 12. 19. Luk. 20. 28. If brethren k Strictly so called as is evident from ver 7. Gen. 38. 8. Ruth 1. 15. Mat. 22. 24 25. dwell together l Either 1. strictly in the same house or family which is not probable because the married brother may be presumed to have left his fathers house and set up a family of his own Or 2. more largely in the same town or city or at least countrey This is added for a releif of their consciences that if the next brother had removed his habitation into remote parts or were carried thither into captivity which God foresaw would be their case then the wife of the dead had her liberty to marry to the next kinsman that lived in the same place with her and one of them m Either 1. the first and eldest of them as it was practised Gen. 38. 6 c. and expounded Mat. 22. 25. one being oft put for the first as Gen. 1. 5. and 2. 11. Hag. 1. 1. Mark 16. 2. And the chief care was about the first-born who were invested with singular priviledges and were types of Christ. Or 2. any of them for the words are general and so the practise may seem to have been Ruth 3. and the reason of the law may seem to be in a great measure the same which was to keep up the distinction as of tribes and families that so the Messias might be discovered by the family from which he was appointed to proceed so also of inheritances which were divided among all the brethren the first-born having onely a double portion die and have no child n Heb. no son But son is oft put for any child male or female both in Scripture and other authours and therefore the Hebrew no son is rendred no child here as it is in effect Mat. 22. 24. Mark 12. 19. Luk. 20. 28. And indeed this caution was not necessary when there was a daughter whose child might be adopted into the name and family of its grandfather the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger o i. e. To one of another family as that word is oft used her ‖ Or next kinsman husbands brother shall go in unto her p Except he was married himself as may appear by other Scriptures and by the reason of the thing and as some adde from the phrase of dwelling together to wit in their fathers family and take her to him to wife and perform the duty of an husbands brother unto her 6 And it shall be that the first-born which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother q Shall be called and reputed his son See Ruth 4. 17. which is dead that his name be not put out of Israel r That a family be not lost So this was a provision that the number of their families might not be diminished 7 And if the man like not to take his ‖ Or next kinsmans wife brothers wife then let his brothers wife go up to the gate unto the elders and say * Ruth 4. 7. My husbands brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name s To revive his brothers name and memory in Israel he will not perform the duty of my husbands brother 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak unto him t To convince him of the duty and perswade him to it and if he stand to it u If he obstinately refuse it and say I like not to take her 9 Then shall his brothers wife come unto him in the presence of the elders and loose his shoe from off his foot x Partly as a sign of his resignation of all his right to the woman and to her husbands inheritance for as the shoe was a sign of ones power and right Psal. 60 8. and 108. 9. so the parting with the shoe was a token of the alienation of such right and that he would not and henceforth might not enter upon his brothers land and partly as a note of infamy to signify that by this unnatural and disingenuous action he was unworthy to be amongst free-men and fit to be reduced to the condition of the meanest servants or captives who used to go bareâ—…oot Isa. 20. 2 4. and spit in his face y As a return of his contempt upon himself See Numb 12. 14. Isa. 50. 6. Mat. 26. 67. and 27. 30. This was not done Ruth 4. either because he was not a brother but a remoter kinsman and so deserved less shame or because Ruth did not prosecute him to the utmost but freely consented to this exchange and shall answer and say So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up z A phrase oft used for the procreation of children and the increase of a family See Gen. 16. 2. Exod. 1. 21. 1 King 11. 38. 1 Chron. 17. 25. his brothers house 10 And his name a i. e. His person names being oft put for persons and his posterity also So it was a lasting blot shall be called in Israel The house of him that hath his shoe loosed 11 When men strive together one with another and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him and putteth forth her hand and taketh him by the secrets 12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand b Partly because of the great mischief she did to him
by Moses to their Father Numb 10. 31 32. and whence they might remove either to avoid the Society or Molestation of the Neighbouring Canaanites or out of love to the children of Iudah whom they went to or to avoid temptations to Luxury and exercise themselves in self-denial and contempt of the present evil World and the Lusts thereof as may be thought from Ier. 35. 6 c. Or for some other cause unknown to us at this distance and they In the Southern part of the Land of Canaan where Arad was Numb 21. 1. u i. e. Some of them for others of them dwelt in the contrary quarter in the most Northern part of the Land went and dwelt among the people x Heb. that people to wit those Children of Iudah that lived there 17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother y According to his Promise v. 3. and the Laws of Justice and Gratitude and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath and utterly destroyed it and the name of the city was called Hormah z Either 1. The same place so destroyed and called Numb 21. 3. and so what was there Vowed â—… here Executed Or 2. Some other place called by the same Name upon the like occasion which was frequent among the Hebrews This seems more probable 1. Because this was but one City that divers Cities Numb 21. 2 3. 2. Because that seems to have been done in Moses his time though Interpreters generally think otherwise of which see my Notes there 18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof and Askelon with the coast thereof and Ekron with the coast thereof a The principal Cities of the Philistines Qu. How could this be when among the people leâ—…t to try Israel are the five Lords of the Philistines Judg. 3. 3 Ans. It is onely said that they took the Cities and probably contented themselves with making them Tributary but it is not said that they slew the people as they ought to have done and as it is said of the other Cities here v. 5 8 17 25. And the people being thus spared did by Gods Just Judgment recover their strength and expel the Iews out of their Cities as we find afterwards It is further observable that Ekron here taken was one of Dan's Cities Ios. 19. 43. and it was attempted and taken here by Iudah and Simeon partly out of love to their Brother Dan and partly to secure their new Conquests and other adjoining Territories from such potent Neighbours 19 And the LORD was with Judah and ‖ Or he 〈◊〉 the mountain he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain but could not b Because of their unbelief whereby they doubted and distrusted Gods power to destroy those who had Chariots of Iron and so gave way to their own fear and sloth whereby God was provoked to withdraw his helping hand from them and so they were really made impotent as they were unwilling See Ios. 17. 16. drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had charets of iron 20 * Numb 14. 24. Josh. 14. 9 13. and 15. 13. And they gave Hebron unto Caleb as Moses said and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak c Above mentioned v. 10. 21 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin d See on Ios. 15. 36. in Jerusalem unto this day 22 ¶ And the house of Joseph e i. e. The Tribe of Ephraim as appeaars from their opposition to the Tribe of Manasseh v. 27. they also went up against Bethel and the LORD was with them 23 ¶ And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel now the name of the city before was * Gen. 28. 19. Luz 24 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city and they said unto him Shew us we pray thee the entrance into the city f On which side it is weakest that we may best invade and take it and * Josh. 2. 12 14. we will shew thee mercy 25 And when he shewed them the entrance into the city they smote the city with the edge of the sword but they let go the man and all his family g Together with his Estate as the following Verse manifests 26 And the man went into the land of the Hittites h Where the Hittites seated themselves after they were driven out of Canaan which seems to be Northward from Canaan and near unto it See 1 King 11. 1. 1 Chron. 1. 17. and built a city and called the name thereof Luz which is the name thereof unto this day 27 ¶ * Josh. 17. 11 12 13. Neither did Manasseh i i. e. That half of this Tribe which dwelt in Canaan drive out the inhatants of Beth-shean k A place near Iordan Ios. 17. 11. and her ‡ Heb. daughters towns nor Taanach l Of which see Ios. 1â—… 21. and 17. 11. and her towns nor the inhabitants of Dor m A great City with large Territories See Ios. 11. 2. and 12. 23. and 17. 11. and her towns nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns nor the inhabitants of Megiddo n A Royal City See Ios. 12. 21. and 17. 11. and her towns but the Canaanites would dwell in that land 28 And it came to pass when Israel was strong that they put the Canaanites to tribute and did not utterly drive them out 29 ¶ * â—…sh 16. 10. Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer o Which they possessed till Solomons time 1 King 9. 16. among them 30 ¶ Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron nor the inhabitants of Nahalol but the Canaanites dwelt among them and became tributaries 31 ¶ Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho nor the inhabitants of Zidon nor of Ahlab nor Achzib nor Helbah nor Aphik nor of Rehob 32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitants of the land for they did not drive them out 33 ¶ Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath but he dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitants of the land nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh p A place differing from that Bethshemesh Ios. 15. 10. and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them 34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley q i. e. Into the Plain Countrey which was the occasion of that Expedition for the getting of new quarters of which we read Ios. 19. and Iudg. 18. 35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Ajalon and in Shaalbim yet the hand of the house of Joseph r i. e. Of the Ephraimites who helped their Brethren the Danites against the Amorites and
Zerubbabels which are mentioned here v 19. Mat. 1. 12. Luk. 3. 27. of which see the Notes on those places and Shenazar Jecamiah Hoshama and Nedabiah 19 And the sons of Pedajah were Zerubbabel and Shimei and the sons of Zerubbabel Meshullam and Hananiah and Shelomith their sister n i. e. Sister to the two last named Sons of Zerubbabel to wit by both Parents and therefore named before the other five v. 20. who were her Brethren by the Father but not by the Mother 20 And Hashubah and Ohel and Berechiah and Hazadiah Jushab-hesed five o Either of Zerubbabel or of Meshullam as is gathered from hence that the Sons of Hananiah Brother to Meshullam v. 19. are â—…med v. 21. and therefore those v. 20. are presumed to be the Sons of Meshullam But that is no necessary Inference for Meshullam possibly had no Sons and therefore he passeth from him to Hananiah v. 21. 21 And the sons of Hananiah Pelatiah and Jesajak the sons of Rephajah the sons of Arnan the sons of Obadiah the sons of Shecaniah p All these Men both Parents and their Sons here blended together are mentioned as the Sons of Hananiah and Branches of the Royal Stock 22 And the sons of Shechaniah Shemajah and the sons of Shemajah * 〈…〉 Hattush and â—…geal and Baâ—…iah and Neariah and Shaphat six q To wit including the Father But the Hebrew word Shishah which is rendred six may be the proper Name of one of the Sons of Shemajah who may be so called because he was the sixth Son 23 And the sons of Neariah r Who alone is here mentioned because his Elder Brethren probably died without Issue Elioenai and †〈…〉 Hezekiah and Azrikam three 24 And the sons of Elioenai were Hodajah and Eliashib and Pelajah and Akkub and Johanan and Dalajah and Anani seven CHAP. IV. THe sons a i. e. The Posterity For onely Pharez was his immediate Son But they are all mentioned here onely to shew Shobals Descent from Iudah of whom he intended to speak more particularly of Judah * 〈◊〉 38. 29. â—… 12. Pharez Hezron and ‖ 〈…〉 Carmi and Hur and Shobal 2 And ‖ Reajah b Callâ—… Haroch ch 2. 52. of whom see there the son of Shobal begat Jahath Or 〈◊〉 â—… 52. and Jahath begat Ahumai and Lahad These are the families of the Zorathite c Of whom see 〈◊〉 ch 2. 5â—… 3 And these were of the father of Etam d Etam is the Name either of a Man or of a Place of which see below v. 32. 2 Chron. 11. 6. Whose Inhabitants descended from him The Name of this Father is not here expressed Jezreel and Ishma and Idbash and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi 4 And Penuel the father of Gedor and Ezer the father of Hushah These are the sons of Hur the first-born of Ephratah e Either they are other Sons besides those mentioned ch 2. or there is some variation in their Names which is most frequent among the Hebrews as hath been oft proved the father of Beth-lehem f This Title is here given to the Father and ch 2. 51. to Salma his Son who had it either with or after his Father See the Notes on ch 2. 51 52. 5 And * Ch. 2. 〈◊〉 Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives Helah and Naarah 6 And Naarah bare him Ahuzam and Hepher and Temeni and Haahashtari These were the sons of Naarah 7 And the sons of Helah were Zereth and Jezoar and Ethnan g Understand here and Coz out of the beginning of the following Verse The like Ellipses we have in the end of v. 13. and of ch 7. v. 18. 8 And Coz begat Anub and Zobebah and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum 9 And Jabez h One of the Fathers of the Families of Aharhel last mentioned was more honourable than his brethren i For Courage and especially for true and servent Piety expressed in the following Petition and his mother called his name ‖ That is sorrowful Jabez saying Because I bare him with sorrow 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel k When he was undertaking some great and dangerous Service saying †Heb. If thoâ—… wilt c. Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed l I trust not to my own or Peoples Valour but onely to thy Blessing and Help and enlarge my coast m Drive out these Wicked and Cursed Canaanites whom thou hast commanded us to root out and therefore I justly beg and expect thy Blessing in the Execution of thy Command and that thine hand might be with me n To protect and strengthen me against my Adversaries and that thou wouldest †Heb. Do 〈◊〉 keep me from evil o Or work with for so the Hebrew Prefix Mem is sometimes used as Cant. 1. 2. 3. 9. Isa 5. 7 8. evil i. e. so restrain and govern it that it may not grieve me p That it may not oppress and overcome me which will be very grievous to me The consequent put for the antecedent and more is understood than is expressed He useth this Expression in allusion to his Name which signifies grief q. d. Lord let me not have that Grief which my Name implies and which my Sin deserves And God granted him that which he requested 11 And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir which was the father of Eshton 12 And Eshton begat Beth-rapha and Paseah and Tehinnah the Father of ‖ Or the City of Nahash Irnahash These are the men of Rechah q From these are sprung the present Inhabitants of Rechah a Town not elsewhere mentioned 13 And the sons of Kenaz r The Son either of Chelub v. 11. or of his Son Eshton v. 12. and the Father of Iephaâ—…neh and consequently Calebs Grandfather v. 15. Whence Caleb is called a Kenezite Numb 32. 12. Othniel and Serajah and the sons of Othniel ‖ Or Hathath and Menâ—…thai who begat c. Hathath s Understand and Meonothai out of v. 14. See above on v. 7. 14 And Meonothai begat Ophrah and Serajah begat Joab the father * Nehem. 11. 35. of the ‖ Or Inhabitants of the Valley c. valley t i. e. Of the Inhabitants of the Valley of ‖ That is Craftsmen Charashim for they were Crastsmen 15 And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh Iru Elah and Naam and the sons of Elah ‖ Or Uâ—…naz even Kenaz u Another Kenaz differing from that Kenaz v. 13. Or his Name might be Uknaz 16 And the sons of Jehaleleel x The Son of Kenaz or Uknaz last mentioned Ziph and Ziphah Tiria and Azareel 17 And the sons of Ezra y The Son of Azareel last named were Jether and Mered and Epher and Jalon and she bare z She i. e. Bithiah bare unto
†Heb. 〈◊〉 Abishai his brother and they set themselves in aray against the children of Ammon 12 And he said If the Syrians be too strong for me then thou shalt help me but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee then I will help thee 13 Be of good courage and let us behave our selves valiantly for our people and for the cities of our God and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight 14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battel and they fled before him 15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled they likewise fled before Abishai his brother and entred into the city Then Joab came to Jerusalem 16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel they sent messengers and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the ‖ That is â—… 〈◊〉 river and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 1â—… 〈◊〉 Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them 17 And it was told David and he gathered all Israel and passed over Jordan and came upon them and set the battel in aray against them so when David had put the battel in aray against the Syrians they fought with him 18 But the Syrians fled before Israel and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots and forty thousand footmen c How this agrees with 2 Sam. 10. 18. see in the Notes on that place and killed Shophach the captain of the host 19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel they made peace with David and became his servants neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more CHAP. XX. 1 ANd * Sam. 11. 1. 〈◊〉 â—…t the 〈◊〉 of the â—… it came to pass that †after the year was expired at the time that kings go out to battel Joab led forth the power of the army and wasted the country of the children of Ammon a Of this first verse see my Notes on 2 Sam. 11. 1. and of v. 2 3. on 2 Sam. 12. 30 31. and of the rest of this Chapter on 2 Sam. 21. 15 c. where also an Account is given of the seeming Differences between this and that Relation and came and besieged Rabbah but David tarried at Jerusalem and Joab smote Rabbah and destroyed it 2 And David * â—… Sam. 11. 12 â—… took the crown of their king from off his head and found it †Heb. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to weigh a talent of gold and there were precious stones in it and it was set upon Davids head and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city 3 And he brought out the people that were in it and cut them with saws and with harrows of iron and with axes even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem 4 And it came to pass after this * 2 Sam. 21. 18. that there ‖ Or 〈◊〉 †Heâ—… 〈◊〉 arose war at ‖ Or Geâ—… Gezer with the Philistins at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew ‖ 〈◊〉 Sippai that was of the children of ‖ 〈◊〉 21. 18. the giant and they were subdued 5 And there was war again with the Philistins and Elhanan the son of ‖ Or Raâ—…es 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. 19. â—… 〈◊〉 â—…1 20. 〈◊〉 slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite whose spear-staff was like a weavers beam 6 And yet again * 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was war at Gath where was †a man of great stature whose fingers and toes were four and twenty six on each hand and six on each foot and he also was †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the son of the giant 7 But when he ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defied Israel Jonathan the son of ‖ Shimea Davids brother slew him 8 These were born unto the giant in Gath and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16. 9. they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants CHAP. XXI 1 ANd * â—… Sam 24. 1 â—… ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22. 〈◊〉 Satan stood up a Heb. stood to wit before the Lord and his Tribunal to accuse David and Israel and to beg Gods permission to tempt David to number the People Standing is the Accusers posture before Mens Tribunals and consequently the Holy Scripture which useth to speak of God and of the things of God after the manner of men to bring them down to our Capacities elsewhere represents Satan in this posture as 1 King 22. 21. Zech. 3. 1. And so this agrees with 2 Sam. 24. 1. where the Lord is said to move David i. e. to give Satan Commission or Permission to move him for otherwise God tempteth no man Jam. 1. 13. But of this and of this whole Chapter and of the Variations and seeming Contradictions between this Narrative and that in Samuel see my Notes on 2 Sam. 24. against Israel and provoked David to number Israel 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people Go number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan and bring the number of them to me that I may know it 3 And Joab answered The LORD make his people an hundred times as many mo as they be but my lord the king are they not all my lords servants why then doth my lord require this thing why will he be †〈◊〉 â—… tresâ—… Gr. a cause of trespass to Israel b Or why will he be or why should this be a trespass or a cause of trespass or an occasion of punishment for Hebrew words signifying sin are oft used to note the punishment of Sin or a desolation or a cause of desolation or destruction for the verb whence this noun proceeds is oft used in that Sense to or against Israel Why wilst thou provoke God by this sin to punish Israel Thus he speaks because God commonly punisheth the People for the sins of their Rulers because they are for the most part guilty of their sins in one kind or other or at least God takes this occasion to punish People for all their Sins 4 Nevertheless the kings word prevailed against Joab wherefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem 5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and one hundred thousand men that drew sword and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword 6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them c Partly for the following Reason and principally by Gods special and gracious Providence to these two Tribes to Levi because they were devoted to his Service and to Benjamin because they were the least of all the Tribes having been almost extinct
truth the baseft part of the whole Body of the People 16 * Chap. 3. 12. For ‖ Or they that 〈◊〉 them blessed the leaders h Their Governours both Civil and Ecclesiastical and especially the latter their Teachers even the false Prophets last mentioned Or they that bless or praise them to wit the false Prophets that flatter them in their wicked Ways with Hopes and Promises of Peace as their manner was Ier. 6. 14. 28. 9. Both ways the sence is the same of this people cause them to err i Either compelling them by Power or deceiving them by false Doctrines and evil Counsels and Perswasions and ‖ Or they that are called blessed of them they that are led of them are †Heb. swallowed up destroyed k Shall certainly perish nor will it excuse them that they followed the Counsel and Conduct of their Leaders 17 Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men l Shall not rejoyce over them to do them good as he doth to his People Isa. 62. 5. Zeph. 3. 17. will not have mercy or pity on them as the next Clause explains it but will abhor and utterly destroy them for more is here intended than is expressed as Prov. 17. 21. neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows m Who are the special Objects of his Care and Pity Deut. 16. 11 14. 24. 19 20. and much less upon others for every one n Not precisely for there were Seven thousand Elect Persons among them when they seemed to Elijah to be universally corrupt 1 Kings 19. 18. but the Body or generality of the People is an Hypocrite o For though they professed to worship and serve the true God yet indeed they had forsaken him Or a prophane person as this Word is rendred Ier. 23. 15. as also Isa. 32. 6. and an evil doer p Elsewhere called a worker of iniquity as Iob 31. 3. Psal. 5. 5. Mat. 7. 23. one that gives up himself to a constant course and custom of sinning and every mouth speaketh ‖ Or villany folly q i. e. Wickedness which is commonly called folly They are not ashamed to proclaim their own Wickedness and the Corruption of their Hearts breaketh forth into ungodly Speeches for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still 18 For wickedness burneth r i. e. Shall burn you as it follows shall devour Your iniquity shall be your ruine as God threatens Ezek. 18. 30. as the fire * Chap. 10. 17. it shall devour the briers and thorns s Either 1. the Wicked who are oft compared to briers and thorns as 2 Sam. 23. 6. Isa. 27. 4. or rather 2. the low and mean Persons for these are opposed to the thickets of the forest in the next Clause and shall kindle in the thickets of the forrest t In the Wood where the Trees are tall and stand thick having their Boughs entangled together which makes them more ready both to catch and to spread the Fire and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke u Sending up Smoke like a vast Furnace Heb. with heighth or pride of smoke i. e. with aspiring Smoke which in that case riseth high and spreadeth far and filleth all the neighbouring Air. 19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is * Chap. 8. 22. the land darkned x Either with the Smoke last mentioned or with Misery Or burnt up as the LXX Chaldee and Arabick Interpreters render it and the people shall be as the †Heb. meat fewel of the fire no man shall spare his brother y They shall destroy one another as they did in their Civil Wars which were frequent among them The name brother is oft largely used among the Hebrews even of the remoter Kindred yea of the Fellow-members of one City or Tribe or Nation 20 And he shall †Heb. cut snatch z Every one shall greedily and violently seise upon any Provisions that come in his way Which implies either great Scarcity or insatiable Covetousness as is manifest from the next Clause on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied * Chap. 49. 26. they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm a Either 1. properly so it notes extreme Famine in which case men are apt to eat their own Flesh. Compare Ier. 19. 9. Or 2. metaphorically which seems best to suit with the following Verse the Flesh of his Brethren by Nation and Religion which are as it were our own Flesh and are so called Isa. 58. 7. Zech. 11. 9. and consequently the Flesh of their Arm is in a manner the Flesh of our own Arm. And one Tribe was to another as an Arm i. e. a Support or Strength which is called an arm 2 Chron. 32. 8. Ier. 17. 5. and elsewhere 21 * Chap. 11. 13. shall eat Manasseh Ephraim b Though more near and dear one to another than any other Tribe being both Sons of Ioseph and Ephraim Manasseh and they together shall be against Judah c Which might be accomplished either before Sbalmaneser took Samaria or afterwards For though the Israelites were miserably destroyed at that time yet they were not utterly rooted out Of which see my Notes on Isa. 7. 8. For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still CHAP. X. WO unto them that * Psal. 58. 1. 94. 20. decree unrighteous decrees a Unto those Magistrates who make unjust Laws and give unjust Sentences and ‖ Or to the writers that write grievousness that write b Either 1. the Scribes who were assistant to the Magistrates and oft times did promote or execute such Decrees or 2. the unjust Magistrates whose Decrees were usually written So the same thing is repeated in other Words Onely this writing may note their Obstinacy or Perseverance in their unjust Decrees and their proceeding to the Execution of them grievousness c Grievous things such unjust Decrees as cause Grief and Vexation to their Subjects which they have prescribed 2 To turn aside the needy from Judgment d Or from their right as it is in the next Clause or from obtaining a just Sentence because they either denied or delayed to hear their Causes or gave a wrong Sentence and to take away the right from the poor e Whom I have in a special manner committed to your Care of my people f Of Israelites who profess themselves to be my People and whom I did take into Covenant with my self and therefore this is an injury not onely to them but to me also that widows may be their prey and that they may rob the fatherless 3 And * Job 31. 14. what will ye do g To save
peeled and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto a nation meted out and trodden under foot whose land the rivers have spoiled to the place of the Name of the LORD of hosts the mount Zion CHAP. XIX * Jer. 46. 13. Ezek. 29. 30. THE burden of Egypt a Some Learned men conceive that what was said more generally and darkly in the foregoing Chapter is here more particularly and clearly explained to be meant of Egypt it being usual for the Prophets to mix obscure and plain Passages together and to clear the one by the other Others understand that Chapter of Ethiopia and this of Egypt But this Controversie must be decided by an exact confideration of all the Passages of the former Chapter Behold the LORD rideth b As a General in the Head of his Army or as Judge riding Circuit to execute Judgment upon a swift cloud c Which Phrase sheweth that the Judgment shall come speedily unexpectedly and unavoidably And Clouds being very unusual in Egypt the Appearance of a Cloud was a kind of Prodigy and a Prognostick of some grievous Calamity and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall be moved d From their Seats and from their former Reputation Or shall hake or tremble So far shall they be from helping the Egypians as they expect that they shall tremble for themselves which divers of the Egyptian Gods being living Creatures might properly do at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it e They shall lose all their ancient Strength and Courage for which they had been Famous formerly 2 And I will †Heb. mingle set the Egygtians against the Egyptians f I will raise Civil Wars among them and they shall fight every one against his brother and every one against his neighbour city against city and kingdom against kingdom g For although all Egypt was now one Kingdom and under one King yet not many years after this time it was divided into twelve several Kingdoms between whom there were many and cruel Wars as is related by the Historians of those Times and particularly by Herodotus and Diodorus 3 And the spirit h Either 1. their Courage But of that he spake v. 1. Or 2. their Understanding as it is explained in the next Clause for the Word spirit is oft put for the Reasonable Soul as Eccles. 3. 21. 12. 7. and for the Thoughts of the Mind as Prov. 29. 11. Ezek. 13. 3. of Egypt †Heb shall be emptied shall fall in the midst thereof and I will †Heb. swallow up destroy the counsel thereof and they shall seek to the idols i As not knowing what to do without the help of an higher Power and to the charmers and to them that have familiar spirits and to the wizards 4 And the Egyptians will I ‖ Or shut up give over into the hand of a cruel lord and a fierce king k Either 1. of the King of Assyria or Chaldaea or 2. of those twelve petty Kings the Singular Number being put for the Plural or 3. of Psammetichus who being at first one of those twelve Kings waged War with the rest and subdued them and conquered all the Land of Egypt and ruled it with rigour shall rule over them saith the LORD the LORD of hosts 5 And the waters shall fail from the sea l Which may be understood either 1. Metaphorically of the taking away of their Dominion or Commerce c. or rather 2. Properly as may be gathered from the following Words and Verses For as the River Nilus when it had a full Stream and free Course did pour forth a vast quantity of Waters by its seven famous Mouths into the Sea so when that was dried up which is expressed in the next Clause those Waters did truly and properly fail from the Sea So there is no need of understanding by sea either the River Nilus or the great Lake of Moeris which after the manner of the Hebrews might be so called and the river m To wit Nilus upon whose Fulness and Overflow both the Safety and the Wealth of the Land depended as all Authors agree and therefore this was a very terrible Judgment shall be wasted and dried up n Not totally but in a very great measure as such Phrases are commonly used 6 And they shall turn the rivers far away o Which is to be taken Impersonally as such Expressions are very frequently for the rivers those small Rivolets by which the Waters of Nilus were conveyed and distributed into several Parts of the Land shall be turned far away as they must needs be when the great River Nilus which fed them was dried up and the brooks of defence p The several Branches of the River Nilus which were a great Defence to Egypt as is well known shall be emptied and dried up the reeds and flags q Which were very useful to them for making their Boats which were absolutely necessary in that Country and divers other things shall wither r As they commonly do for want of Water 7 The paper-reeds s Which by a Needle or other fit Instrument were divided into thin and broad Leaves which being dried and fitted were used at that time for Writing as our Paper is and consequently was a very good Commodity by the brooks by the mouth of the brooks and every thing sown by the brooks t And much more what was sown in more dry and unfruitful places shall wither be driven away †Heb. and shall not be and be no more 8 The fishers also shall mourn u Because they could catch few or no Fish by which Trade they got their Living Which also was a great Plague to the People whose common Diet this was because out of Superstitious Conceits they killed and eat but few Living Creatures as appears both from Sacred and Profane Writers and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish 9 Moreover they that work in fine flax x That make fine Linen which was one of their best Commodities of which see 1 Kings 10. 28. Prov. 7. 16. Ezek. 27. 7. and they that weave ‖ Or white works net-works shall be confounded 10 And they shall be broken in the †Heb. foundations purposes thereof y i. e. Of Egypt or of the Egyptians They shall lose their Ends aâ—…d Hopes for the Fishes in them shall die for want of Water all that make sluces and ponds †Heb. of living things for fish 11 Surely the princes of Zoan z The chief City in which the King and Court frequently resided See Psal. 78. 12. are fools the counsel of the wise counsellers of Pharoah is become brutish a Exceeding foolish and destructive to themselves how say ye
for chariot and we will fight against them in the plain and surely we shall be stronger than they And he hearkned unto their voice and did so 26 And it came to pass at the return of the year that Benhadad numbred the Syrians and went up to Aphek l Not that in Iudah of which Iosh. 13. 4. and 15. 53. but that in Asher of which Iosh. 19. 30. Iudg. 1. 31. nigh unto which was the great Plain of Galilee And this seems to be one of those Cities which Benhadad's Father had taken from Israel ver 34. Here also the Syrians might Retreat if they should be worsted ‡ Heb. to the War with Israel to fight against Israel 27 And the children of Israel were numbred and ‖ Or were Victualled were all present m i. e. All the Forces of the Israelites were here gathered together to oppose the Syrians so if those had been Conquered all had been lost and went against them n Being perswaded and encouraged so to do partly to prevent the Mischiefs of a Siege in Samaria and the waste of all the rest of their Country and partly by the remembrance of their former Success and an expectation of the same Assistance from God again and the children of Israel pitched before them o Probably upon some Hilly Ground where they might secure themselves and watch for Advantage against their Enemies which may be the reason why the Syrians â—…rst not Assault them before the Seventh Day ver 29. like two little flocks of kids p i. e. Few and Weak and Heartless being also for conveniency of Fighting and that they might seem to be more than they were divided into Two Bodies but the Syrians filled the country 28 ¶ And there came a man of God and spake unto the king of Israel and said Thus â—…aith the LORD Because the Syrians have said q Which he knew either by common Report strengthned by their present choice of a Plain Ground for the Battel or rather by Revelation from God who discovered their secret Counsels 2 King 6. 12. The LORD is God of the hills but he is not God of the valleys therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand and ye shall know that I am the LORD r To wit The Universal Lord of all Places and Persons and Things 29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days and so it was that in the seventh day the battel was joyned and the children of Israel â—…low of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day 30 But the rest fled to Aphek in the city and the wall s Or the walls the Singular Number for the Plural than which nothing more frequent of the City or of some great Castle or Fort in or near the City in which they were now Fortifying themselves or of some part of the City where they lay Which might possibly happen through Natural Causes but most probably was Effected by the Mighty Power of God then sending some sudden Earthquake or violent Storm of Wind which threw down the Wall or Walls upon them or doing this by the Ministry of Angels Which cannot be incredible to any Man except to him that denies the Truth of all the Miracles Recorded in the Old and New Testament which being Attested many of them by Iews and Heathens it is the height of Folly and Impudence to deny For if ever Miracle was to be Wrought now seems to have been the proper time and season for it when the Blasphemous Syrians denied the Soveraign and Infinite Power of God and thereby in some fort obliged him for his own Honour to give a Proof of it and to shew That he was the God of the Plains as well as of the Mountains and that he could as effectually Destroy them in their strongest Holds as in the open Fields and make the very Walls to whose strength they trusted for their Defence to be the Instruments of their Ruine But it may be further observed that it is not said That all these were killed by the fall of this Wall but onely that the wall fell upon them Killing some and Wounding others as is usual in those Cases Nor is it necessary that the Wall should fall upon every Individual Person but it is sufficient to justifie this Phrase if it fell upon the main Body of them for the Words in the Hebrew run thus the Wall fell upon 27000 not of the men that are left as we render it but which were left of that great Army fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left and Benhadad fled and came into the city t Either 1. Out of the Fields as the rest of his Army did Which is distinctly and particularly noted of him because he was the most Eminent Person in it and the Head of it Compare the Title of Psal. 18. Or 2. Aâ—… and from the noise and report of that Terrible Fall of the Wall or Walls which possily might be in the outside or Suburbs of the City from whence he â—…led further into the City ‖ Or from chamber to chamber ‡ Heb. unto a chamber within a chamber into an inner chamber u Or a chamber within a chamber where he supposed he might lye hid till he had an opportunity of making an Escape or of obtaining Mercy 31 ¶ And his servants said unto him Behold now we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings x More merciful than others because that Religion which they had professed taught them Humanity and obliged them to shew Mercy let us I pray thee put sackcloth on our loins and ropes upon our heads y As a testimony of our sorrow for undertaking this War and that we have justly forfeited our Lives for it which we submit to their mercy 〈◊〉 and go out to the king of Israel peradventure he will save thy life 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads and came to the king of Israel and said Thy servant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me live And he said Is he yet alive he is my brother z I do not onely freely Pardon him but Honour and Love him as my Brother 33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him and did hastily catch it a Or they took that Word for a good token and made haste and snatched it i. e. that Word from him i. e. from his mouth they repeated the word again to try whether the King would own it or it onely drop't casually from him or made haste to know whether it was from him i. e. Whether he spoke this from his heart or onely in dissimulation or design for it seemed too good news to be true and they said Thy brother Benhadad b Understand liveth for that he enquired after ver 32. Then he said
Go ye bring him then Benhadad came forth to him and he caused him to come up into the chariot 34 And Benhadad said unto him The cities which my father took from thy father c Either 1. From Baasha Chap. 15. 20. whom he calls Ahabs Father because he was his Legal Father i. e. His Predecessor Or 2. From Omri in whose time it seems he made a successful Invasion into the Land of Israel and took some more of the Cities and Aphek amongst the rest though it be not elsewhere Recorded in Scripture I will restore and thou shalt make streets d Or markets c. places where thou mayst either receive the Tribute which I promise to pay thee or exercise Judicature upon my Subjects in case of their Refusal Or outlets as the LXX render it in or into Damascus i. e. Some strong Fort near Damascus which might curb the Kings of Damascus and keep them from Attempting any other Invasion into the Land of Israel for thee in Damascus as my father made in Samaria Then said Ahab I will send thee away with this covenant e He takes no notice of his Blasphemy against God nor of the vast Injuries which his People had suffered from him but onely minds his own Grandure and the advancement of his Power So he made a covenant with him and sent him away 35 ¶ And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour f Or Brother another son of the Prophets in the word of the LORD g In the Name and by the Command of God whereof doubtless he had informed him Smite me h So as to wound me ver 37. He speaks what God commanded him though it was to his own hurt by which obedience to God he secretly Reproacheth Ahab's disobedience in a far easier matter And this Prophet by God's appointment desires that looking like a Wounded Soldier he might have the more free access to the King and discourse with him which it was very hard for a Prophet to obtain that sort of men being hateful to Ahab Chap. 22. 8. and to his Courtiers I pray thee And the man refused to smite him i Not out of contempt of God's Command but most probably in tenderness and compassion to his Brother 36 Then said he unto him Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD behold as soon as thou art departed from me a lion shall slay thee And assoon as he was departed from him a * Chap. 13 â—… lion found him and slew him k If the Punishment seem too severe for so small fault let it be considered 1. That Disobedience to God's Express Command especially when it is delivered by a Prophet is a great Sin and no less than Capital Deut. 18. 19. 2. This fault was much worse in a Prophet who very well knew the Authority of God's Commands and this way or manner of Publishing them 3. We cannot judge of the case because this Man might be guilty of many other hainous Sins unknown to us but known to God for which God might justly Cut him off which God chose to do upon this occasion that by the severity of this Punishment of a Prophets Disobedience proceeding from â—…pity to his Brother he might teach Ahab the greatness of his Sin in spaâ—…ing him through foolish pity whom by the Laws of Religion and Justice and Prudence and common Safety he should have Cut off and what Punishment he might expect for it 37 Then he found another man and said Smite me I pray thee And the man smote him * Heb. smiting and wounding so that in smiting he wounded him 38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way and disgnised himself l That he might sooner gain access to the King and Audience from him See on ver 35. with ashes m Whereby he changed the colour of it Or with a vail or cloth or band as the Hebrew Doctors understand the Word whereby he might seem to have bound up his Wound which probably was in his Face for it was to be made in a very conspicuous place that it might be visible to Ahab and others upon his face 39 And as the king passed by he cried unto the king and he said n This following Relation is not an untruth but a Parable an usual way of Instruction in the Eastern parts and Ancient Times and most fit for this occasion wherein an obscure Prophet was to speak to a great King whos 's Fars were tender and impatient of a downright Reproof and exceeding Partial in his own Cause who by this Artifice is made to condemn himself before he was aware of it and so forced to receive the Prophets just Sentence with more patience and moderation Compare 1 Sam. 12. and 14. Thy servant went out into the midst of the battel and behold a man o My Commander or Superior as the manner of his Expression here following sheweth turned aside and brought a man unto me and said Keep this man if by any means he be missing then shall thy life be for his life p Thou shalt die in his stead as below ver 42. Comp. Exod. 21. 23. or else thou shalt ‡ 〈◊〉 Weigh pay a talent of silver 40 And as thy servant was busie here and there ‡ 〈◊〉 â—…e was 〈◊〉 he was gone And the king of Israel said unto him So shall thy judgment q i. e. Thy Sentence or the Sentence against thee thou must perform the Condition to which thou didst submit Either suffer the one or do the other be thy self hast decided it 41 And he hasted and took the ashes away from his face and the king of Israel discerned him that he was one of the prophets r Either 1. By his Face which was known either to the King or to some of his Courtiers there present Or 2. By the change of the manner of his Address to him which now was such as the Prophets used 42 And he said unto him Thus saith the LORD * Chap. 22. 37. Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man ‡ 〈◊〉 if my 〈◊〉 whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life s Quest. What was the great Sin of Ahab in this Action for which God so severely punisheth him Answ. The great dishonour hereby done to God in suffering so horrid a Blasphemer ver 23. to go unpunished which was contrary to an express Law Levit. 24. 16. Obj. What is this to Benhadad seeing that Law concerned Israelites onely Answ. It reached both to them that were born in the land and as is there expressed unto strangers that were among them and in their Power which was Benhadad's case for God had delivered him into Ahabs hand for his Blasphemy as he promised to do ver 28. by which act of his Providence especially compared with that Law