Ior. 34. 7. Ezek. 13. 9 20. Amos 7. 15. Absalom i e. having used some though it is probable but cold and remiss endeavours to pursue after Absalom and to fetch him from his Grandfathers to receive condign punishment he now gave over thoughts of it Thus the same Verb and that in the same conjugation is used in the same manner 1 King 3. 1. he made an end of building It is to be Objected That the Hebrew Verb is of the Feminine Gender and therefore doth not agree with King David which is Masculine It may be Answered That Enallage of Genders is a most frequent Figure and as the Masculine Gender is sometimes applied to Women when they do some manly and gallant Action as Exod. 1. 21. So the Feminine Gender is sometimes used of Men when they shew an effeminate tenderness in their disposition which is the case here as some Learned Hebricians have noted for he was comforted concerning Amnon seeing he was dead CHAP. XIV NOw Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the kings heart was toward Absalom a He desired to see him but was ashamed to show kindness to one whom Gods Law and his own Conscience obliged him to punish and wanted a fair pretence which therefore Ioab gave him 2 And Joab sent to Tekoah b A City of Iudah 2 Chron. 11. 5 6. One of Ierusalem was not convenient lest the King might know the person or search out the business And besides this Woman seems to be of great eminency for her Wisdom as the following discourse manifests and fetcht thence a wise woman c Rather than a Man because Women can more easily express their passions and do sooner procure pity in their miseries and an answer to their requests and said unto her I pray thee feign thy self to be a mourner and put on now mourning apparel and anoint not thy self with oil d As they used to do when they were out of a Mourning state See Ruth 3. 3. Matth. 6. 17. but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead 3 And come to the king and speak on this manner unto him so Joab put the words in her mouth 4 ¶ And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance and said ‡ Heb. save Help O king 5 And the king said unto her What aileth thee And she answered I am indeed a widow-woman e One of them who most need thy compassion and assistance and whom thou art by Gods Law obliged in a singular manner to protect and relieve and mine husband is dead 6 And thy handmaid had two sons and they two strove together in the field and there was ‡ Heb. no deliverer between them none to part them f And therefore there is no witness either that he killed him or how he killed him whether from some sudden passion and great provocation or in his own necessary defence or otherwise but the one smote the other and slew him g As the avengers of Blood report 7 And behold the whole family is risen against thine handmaid and they said Deliver him that smote his brother that we may kill him h According to the Law Numb 35. 19. Deut. 19. 12. for the life of his brother whom he slew and we will destroy the heir also i So they plainly discover that their prosecution of him was not so much from love of Justice as from a covetous desire to deprive him of the Inheritance and to transfer it to themselves which self-interest might justly render their Testimony suspected Or perhaps these words are not spoken as the express words of the prosecutors who can hardly be thought so directly to express a sinister design as the Womans Inference or Comment upon what they were doing for this would be indeed the result of it though they did not so in express words thereby to lie to represent her case as the more deserving pity and so they shall quench my coal which is left k The poor remainder of my light and comfort by whom alone my hopes may be revived and repaired and shall not leave to my husband l She names him rather than her self because Children bear the names of their Fathers not of their Mothers neither name nor remainder ‡ Heb. upon the face of the earth upon the earth 8 And the king said unto the woman Go to thine house and I will give charge concerning thee m That thy cause may be justly and truly examined and thy Son preserved from their unjust and malicious proceedings 9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king My lord O king the iniquity be on me and on my fathers house and the king and his throne be guiltless n The sense is either first this If I do not inform thee aright and thou thereby beest drawn to give an unrighteous sentence on my behalf I am willing to bear the whole blame of it before God and Men I acknowledge thou art wholly innocent in the case Compare Gen. 27. 13. Or Secondly this If through thy forgetfulness or neglect of this my just cause my adversaries prevail and destroy my Son my desire is that God would not lay it to the Kings charge but rather to me and mine so the King may be exempted thereby Whereby she both insinuates her great esteem of and affection for the King thereby winning upon him to compass her design and withal implies that such an omission of the Kings will bring guilt upon him and yet most prudently and decently orders her Phrase so as not to seem to blame or threaten the King Compare Exod. 5. 16. 2 Sam. 20. 16. This sense seems best to agree with David's answer which shews that she desired some further assurance of the Kings care and justice in her concern 10 And the king said Whosoever saith ought unto thee bring him to me and he shall not touch thee o i. e. So as to hurt or molest thee by pursuing thy Son any more 11 Then said she I pray thee let the king remember the LORD thy God p The sense is either first Make mention as this Hebrew Verb is oft rendred of the name of the Lord thy God to wit in an Oath i. e. Swear to me by God That thou wilt protect me and my Son against the revenger of Blood For so David did in compliance with this desire of hers Onely she was forced to express her mind in more general and ambiguous terms because it had been presumption and rudeness for her in plain terms to desire the Kings Oath as if she durst not trust his word yet withal she insinuates her meaning so plainly that the King understood it and yet so handsomly and elegantly that the King was much pleased with her Wisdom and thereby inclined to grant her request Or Secondly this Remember the
utterly lost as to them and enjoyed by others See Eccles. 2. 21. For otherwise that there are future rewards after death is asserted by Solomon elsewhere as we have seen and shall hereafter see for the memory of them is forgotten b To wit amongst living men and even in those places where they had lived in great power and glory as was noted Ch. 8. 10. 6 Also their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished b They neither love nor hate nor envy any Person or thing in this World but are now altogether unconcerned in all things done under the Sun neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun c In any worldly thing By which limitation he sufficiently insinuates his belief of their portion in the other World 7 Go thy way d Make this use of what I have said * Ch. 8. 1â—… eat thy e Thine own the fruit of thy own labours not what thou takest unjustly from others bread f Necessary and convenient food By which he excludes excess with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart g Chearfully and thankfully enjoy thy comforts avoiding all distracting care and grief for the occurrences of this World for God now accepteth thy works h Is gracious to thee hath blessed thy labours with success and alloweth thee a comfortable enjoyment of his blessings 8 Let thy garments be always i In all convenient times and circumstances for there are times of mourning Eccles. 3. 4. 7. 2. Compare Prov. 5. 19. white k Decent and splendid as far as is suitable to thy condition The Eastern People of the best sort used white Garments especially in times of rejoycing as Esth 8. 15. Compare Revel 3 4 5. 6. 11. But by this whiteness of Garments he understands a pleasant and chearful conversation and let thy head lack no ointment l Which upon joyful occasions was poured upon men Heads Amos. 6. 6. Luk. 7. 46. Ioh. 12. 3. 9 †Heb. see or enjoy life Live joyfully with the wise whom thou lovest m So he limits him to lawful delights Whereby it is evident that Solomon doth not speak this in the Person of an Epicure as some understand it all the days of the life of thy vanity n Of this vain and frail life Which expression he industriously useth to moderate mens affections even towards lawful pleasures and to mind them of their duty and interest in making sure of a better life and more solid comforts which he hath given thee under the sun all the days of thy vanity * Ch. 2. 10. 24. 3. 1â—… 5. 18. for that is thy portion o Allowed to thee by God and the best part of worldly enjoyments in this life p By which addition he is again admonishing him of seeking another portion in the future life and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do q What thou hast opportunity and ability to do in the duties of thy calling and in order to thy comfort and benefit do it with all thy might r With unwearied diligence and vigour and expedition Whereby he again discovers that he doth not persuademen to an idle and sensual life but onely to a sober enjoyment of his comforts in God's fear and with an industrious prosecution of his vocation for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the †Heb. 〈◊〉 So Gr. grave s Thou canst neither design nor act any thing there tending to thy own comfort or advantage Therefore slip not thine onely season whither thou goest 11 I returned and saw t This may have some respect to the foregoing Verse For having pressed men to labour with all their might he now adds by way of caution that yet they must not be confident of their own strength as if they were sure of success by it but in all and above all to look up to God for his blessing without which all their endeavours will be vain But it seems chiefly to be added either 1. as another instance of the liberty and power of God's Providence in the disposal of humane affairs of which he spake above v. 1 2 3. Or 2. as another of the vanities of this present life under the sun that the race u Either ability to run or success and victory in running is not to the swift nor the battle x The victory in Battle to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding y Who yet are most likely both to get and to keep riches nor yet favour z Good acceptance and love from men to men of skill a Who know how to manage themselves and all affairs whereby they are necessary and serviceable to others and therefore most likely to find favour in their eyes but time and chance happeneth to them all b There are some times or seasons unknown and casual to men but certain and determined by God in which alone he will give men success 12 For man also knoweth not his time c To wit the time of his death or of some other sore distress which God is bringing upon him Which is opposed to the time of success mentioned in the foregoing Verse and man is said to be ignorant both of the one and of the other as the fishes that are taken in an evil net d That whilst they are sporting and feeding themselves are suddenly and unexpectedly ensnared to their ruine and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men * 〈◊〉 29. 6. 〈◊〉 12. 20 snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them e When they are most careless and secure 13 This wisdom have I seen f I have observed this among many other instances and effects of Wisdom Which he seems to add for the commendation of Wisdom notwithstanding its insufficiency for Man's safety and happiness without God's blessing also under the sun and it seemed great unto me g I judged it very praise-worthy though others despised it as it follows 14 There was a little city h It matters not whether this was a real History or onely a parable to represent the common practices of men in such cases and few men within it and there came a great king against it and besieged it and built great bulwarks against it 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdom delivered the city yet no man remembred that same poor man i He was soon neglected and his great service so far from being recompenced according to its merit that both it and he were quite forgotten Which may be noted as another great vanity 16 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 1â—…
again may be referred to the servant that when he returned again he would not carry Isaac along with them 3. He might reasonably suppose that Isaac must go once thither to fetch his Wife for her coming so suddenly to him was an unexpected thing but he would not have him promise that when he had done so once he should go thither again to live there with her 7 The LORD God of heaven * chap. 12. 1. which took me from my Fathers house and from the land of my kindred and which spake unto me and that sware unto me saying * chap. 12. 7. and 13. 15 and 15. 18 and 26. 4. Unto thy seed will I give this land he shall send his angel before thee * To direct and succeed thee in this enterprize Compare Exod. 14. 19. and 23. 20. and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence k I doubt not of the success He might say so either by rational conjecture both from the nature of the thing and from the constant course of Gods Providence blessing him in all his concerns or by particular assurance and inspiration from God 8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee then thou shalt be clear from this my oath l From the obligation of this oath and from the penalties of the violation of it onely bring not my son thither again 9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and sware to him concerning that matter 10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master and departed ‖ Or and. for all the goods of his master were in his hand m i. e. In his power to take without particular orders what he thought fit and necessary either for his own use or for the promotion of the present business and he arose and went to Mesopotamia unto the * chap. 27. 43. City of Nahor ‖ Which was Haran by comparing Gen. 28. 10. and 29. 4. 11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening even the time †Heb. that women which draw water go forth that women go out to draw water 12 And he said O LORD God of my master Abraham I pray thee send me good speed this day and shew kindness n Or Mercy He makes no mention of himself nor of the merits of his master but he ascribes even temporal blessings and much more eternal Salvation meerly to Gods mercy unto my master Abraham 13 Behold * Vers. 43. I stand here by the well of water and * chap. 29. 9. Exod. 2. 18. the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water 14 And let it come to pass o That this was not a rash and vain fancy but a special expectation and confidence wrought in him by Gods spirit appears both by the eminent prudence and godliness of this person and by the exact correspondency of the event with his prayer and by parallel examples as Iudg. 6 36. 1 Sam. 6. 7. and 14. 8. that the damsel to whom I shall say let down thy pitcher I pray thee that I may drink and she shall say drink and I will give thy camels drink also let the same be she that thou hast appointed p Heb. evidently pointed out or exactly searched out as a person meet for him for thy servant Isaac and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master 15 And it came to pass before he had done speaking that behold Rebekah came out who was born to Bethuel son of * chap. 11. 29. Milcah the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother with her pitcher upon her shoulder q According to the manner of the first and purest ages of the World wherein humility and diligence not as in this degeneration of the World Pomp and Idleness were the Ornaments of that Sex and Age. See Gen. 18. 6. and 29. 9 19 20. Exod. 2. 16. Prov. 31. 27. 16 And the damsel was †Heb. good of countenance very fair to look upon a virgin * Numb 31. 17. neither had any man known her r i. e. She was a Virgin not onely in Title and shew but in Truth for no man had known her i. e. corrupted her and she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up 17 And the servant ran to meet her and said Let me I pray thee drink a little water of thy pitcher 18 And she said drink my Lord s For his retinue shewed him to be a person of more than ordinary quality and she hasted and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink 19 And when she had done giving him drink she said I will draw water for thy camels also until they have done drinking 20 And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough and ran again unto the well to draw water and drew for all his camels 21 And the man wondring at her t i. e. At the wonderful providence of God and the eminent answer of his prayer held his peace to wit that he might know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not 22 And it came to pass as the camels had done drinking that the man took u i. e. Gave to her as that word of taking or receiving is oft used as Gen. 12. 19. Exod. 18. 12. and 29. 25. Psal. 68. 18. compared with Eph. 4. 8. a golden ‖ Or jewel for the forehead ear-ring x So the word signifies Gen. 35. 4. Exod. 32. 2 3. Or jewels for the forehead which hung down from the forehead to the nose or between the eyes So the word is used ver 47. Ezek. 16. 12. of half a shekel weight and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold 23 And said y Or For he had said For it is probable he enquired who she was before he gave her those presents whose daughter art thou tell me I pray thee is there room in thy fathers house for us to lodge in 24 And she said unto him I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah z So she signifies that she was Nahors Daughter not by his Concubine but by his lawful and principal Wife which she bare unto Nahor 25 She said moreover unto him we have both straw and provender enough and room to lodge in 26 And the man bowed down his head and worshipped the LORD a Giving thanks to God for his marvellous assistance hitherto and begging the continuance of his presence and blessing 27 And he said blessed be the LORD God of my Master Abraham who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth b i. e. Who hath shewed his mercy in promising all manner of blessings and his truth in performing his promises at
and his land before thee begin to possess that thou mayest inherit his land 32 * Num. 21. 23. Then Sihon came out against us he and all his people to fight at Jahaz 33 And the LORD our God delivered him before us and we smote him and his sons and all his people 34 And we took all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed g By Gods command these being a part of those people who were devoted by the Lord of Life and Death to utter destruction for their abominable wickedness See Deut. 7. 2. and 20. 16. the †〈…〉 men and the women and the little ones of every city we left none to remain 35 Onely the cattel we took for a prey unto our selves and the spoyl of the cities which we took 36 From Aroer h Which was in the border of Moab but now in the hands of the Amorites which is by the brink of the river of Arnon and from the city that is by the river i Heb. In the river wherewith it was encompassed Numb 21 15 28. Ios. 12. 2. and 13. 9. He speaks exclusively for this was Ar which now was in the Moabites Jurisdiction above v. 9. even unto Gilead there was not one city too strong for us the LORD our God delivered all unto us 37 Onely unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not nor unto any place of the river * â—…en 32. 22. Jabbok k i. e. Beyond Iaâ—…ok for that was the border of the Ammonites Ios. 12. 2. Obj. Half the land of the Ammonites is said to be given to the tribe of Gad Ios. 13. 27. Answ. This is true of that half of it which the Amorites had taken from them but not of the other half which yet was in the possession of the Ammonites nor unto the cities in the mountains l The mountainous Country of the Ammonites nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us m Heb. commanded us commanding is put for forbidding here as Gen. 2. 16. and 3. 11. Levit. 4. 2. Deut. 4. 23. The words may be thus rendred Concerning which the Lord gave us command or charge to wit that we should not meddle with them as was said before So it is only an ellipsis of the preposition which is very frequent CHAP. III. 1 THen we turned and went up the way to Bashan and * Num. 21. 33. c. chap. 29. 7. Og the King of Bashan came out against us he and all his people to battel at Edrei 2 And the LORD said unto me Fear him not a Though he be of so frightful a look and stature ver 11. for I will deliver him and all his people and his land into thy hand and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto * Num. 21. 24. Sihon King of the Amorite which dwelt at Heshbon 3 So the LORD our God delivered into our hands * Num. 21. 33. Og also the King of Bashan and all his people and we smote him until none was left to him remaining 4 And we took all his cities at that time there was not a city which we took not from them threescore cities all the region of Argob b A Province within Bashan or at least subject and belonging to Bashan as appears from ver 13. and 1 King 4. 13. called Argob possibly from the name of a man its former Lord and owner the kingdom of Og in Bashan 5 All these cities were fenced with high walls gates and bars c Which may encourage you in your attempt upon Canaan notwithstanding the fenced cities which the spies told you of and you must expect to find besides unwalled towns a great many 6 And we utterly destroyed them as we did unto Sihon King of Heshbon utterly destroying the men women and children of every city 7 But all the cattel and the spoil of the cities we took for a prey to our selves 8 And we took at that time out of the hand of the two Kings of the Amorite the land that was on this side Jordan d So it was when Moses wrote this book but afterward when Israel passed over Iordan it was called the land beyond Iordan from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon e 9 Which Hermon the Zidonians call Sirion and the Amorite call it Shenir f Elsewhere called mount Gilead and Libanus or Libanon and here Shenir and Sirion and by abbreviation Sion Deut. 4. 48. Which several names are given to this one mountain partly by several people and partly in regard of several tops and parts of it whence Scâ—…nir and Hermon are mentioned as distinct places Cant. 4. 8. 10 All the cities of the plain and all Gilead f Gilead is sometimes taken largely for all the Israeâ—…ites possessions beyond Iordan and so it comprehends Bashan but here more strictly for that part of it which lies in and near mount Gilead and so it is distinguished from Bashan and Argob and * â—…osh 12. 5. â—…d 13. 11. all Bashan unto Salchah and Edrei cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan 11 For only Og King of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants g The other giants of Bashan were destroyed before and therefore when Og was killed the Israelites work was done behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron is it not in * 2 Sâ—…m 12. 26. Jer. 49. 2. Rabbath of the children of Ammon i Where it might now be either because the Ammonites in some former battel with Og had taken it as a spoil or because after Ogs death the Ammonites desired to have this monument of his greatness and the Israelites permitted them to carry it away to their chief city nine cubits was the length thereof and four cubits the breadth of it after the cubit of a man k To wit of ordinary stature So his bed was four yards and an half long and two yards broad 12 And this land which we possessed at that time from Aroer which is by the river Arnon and half mount Gilead and * Num. 32. 33 Josh. 13. 8. c. the cities thereof gave I unto the Reubenite and to the Gadite 13 And the rest of Gilead and all Bashen being the kingdom of Og gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh all the region of Argob with all Bashan which was called the land of giants 14 * 1 Chro. 2. 2â—… Jair the son of Manasseh took all the countrey of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri l Or Geshurites a people towards the North of Canaan 2 Sam. 3. 3. and 15. 8. See also Ios. 13. 13. and Maachathi m Of whom see 2 Sam. 3. 3. and 10. 6. and called them after his own name Bashan * Num. 32. 41. Havoth-Jair unto this day n This must be put among those other passages which were not written by Moses but added by those holy men who
discourses or diffamations against her and bring up an evil name upon her and say I took this woman and when I came to her I found her not a maid 15 Then shall the father of the damsel and her mother take and bring forth the tokens of the damsels virginity x i. e. The linnen cloth or sheet as is expressed v. 17. which in the first congress was infected with blood as is natural and usual But because this is not now constant the enemies of Scripture take occasion to quarrel with this Law as unreasonable and unjust and such as might oppress the innocent and hence take occasion to reject the Holy Scriptures It were much more reasonable for these men either to expound this place metaphorically of producing those proofs and testimonies of her virginity which should be as satisfactory as if that cloth were produced as some of the Iews understand it or modestly to acknowledge their own Ignorance in this as they are forced to do in many other things and not impudently to conclude it is insoluble because they cannot resolve it But there is no need of such general answers many things may be particularly said for the vindication of this â—…w 1. That it was necessary for that people because of their hard-heartedness towards their Wives and their levity and desire of change of Wives 2. That either this tryal or at least the proof of her Virginity was to be taken presently after the day of marriage and that proof was to be admitted afterwards upon occasion 3. That this Law was seldom or never put in execution as the Iews note and seems to be made for terrour and caution to Husbands and Wives as many other Laws have been in like cases 4. That that God who gave this Law did by his Providence govern all Affairs and rule the Tongues and Hearts of Men and therefore would doubtless take care so to order matters that the innocent should not suffer by this means which he could prevent many wayes 5. That there is a great difference in times and climates Who knows not that there are many things now by our Moderns thought uncertain or false which by the Antient Physitians were thought and affirmed to be true and certain in their times and Countreys and that many signs of Diseases and other things do generally hold true in those more Southernly and warmer parts of the World which are many times deceitful in our Northern and colder Climates 6. That this very way of tryal of Virginity hath been used not onely by the Iews but also by the Arabians and Egyptians as is affirmed by divers Learned Writers among whom yet it was more doubtful and hazardous than among the Iews who might promise to themselves that God would guide the execution of his own Law to a just and good issue 7. That this sign if it were uncertain in persons of riper years yet it may be reasonably thought certain and constant in Virgins of young and tender age and that the Jews did ordinarily marry their Daughters when they were about 12 or 13 years old as is confessed as making haste to roll away that reproach which they thought to be in an unmarried state unto the elders of the city in the gate 16 And the damsels father shall say unto the elders I gave my daughter unto this man to wife and he hateth her 17 And â—…o he hath given occasions of speech against her saying I found not thy daughter a maid and yet these are the tokens of my daughters virginity and they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city 18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him x Either 1. By the following muâ—…ct Or 2. By severe reproofs which that word oft signifies Or 3. By stripes as is expressed Deut. 25. 2 3. Which is not strange considering how pretious a thing ones good Name is of which he endeavoured to deprive his Wife 19 And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver and give them unto the father of the damsel y Because this was a reproach to his family and to himself because such a miscarriage of his Daughters would have been ascribed to his evil education because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel and she shall be his wife he may not put her away all his dayes z Which seems to have been his design in this false accusation and therefore that liberty of a divorce which is permitted to others Deut. 24. 1. shall be denied to him 20 But if this thing be true and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel 21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her fathers house and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die a Qu. Why should she die when her crime was onely Fornication which was not punished in a woman with death Exod. 22. 16 17 Answ. Because there was not onely Fornication in this case as Exod. 22 but this was accompanyed with deep dissimulation and injury to her Husband in the false profession of Virginity and it might be presumed that she committed this folly after she was betrothed to him and therefore so obstinately denyed it as knowing the danger of it in that case Or God ordered it thus for the honour and custody of the matrimonial bed from all defilement that she who being defiled before she was married or betrothed and therefore not punishable by death yet if she should presume to carry her defilement into the married estate with a pretence of Virginity she should then be put to death because she hath wrought folly in Israel to play the whore in her fathers house so * Chap. 13. 5. shalt thou put evil away from among you 22 * Lev. 20. 10. If a man be found lying with a woman marryed b If he be convicted of this fault though not taken in the very act to an husband then they shall both of them die both the man that lay with the woman and the woman so shalt thou put away evil from Israel 23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband c For by this betrothing she had actually engaged her self to another man and was in some sort his Wife and therefore is sometimes so called as Gen. 29. 21. Mat. 1. 20. and a man find her in the city and lie with her 24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city and ye shall stone them with stones that they die the damsel because she cried not d And therefore is justly presumed to have consented to it being in the city and the man because he hath humbled his neighbors wife so thou shalt put away evil from among you 25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field and the man ‖ Or take strong â—…old of heâ—… force her
who were desirous to be Spectators of this wonderful work ‡ Heb. â—…ing host came after the ark the priests l Which is rightly supplied here from v. 4. going on and blowing with the Trumpets 10 And Joshua commanded the people saying Ye shall not shout m Because shouting before the time appointed would be ineffectual and so might give them some Discouragement and their Enemies matter of insulting nor †make any noise with ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 your voice 〈◊〉 be heard your voice neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth until the day I bid you shout then shall ye shout 11 So the Ark of the LORD compassed the city going about it once and they came into the camp and lodged in the camp 12 And Joshua rose early in the morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD 13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually and blew with the trumpets and the armed men went before them but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD the priests going on and blowing with the Trumpets 14 And the second day they compassed the City once and returned into the camp so they did six days 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early about the dawning of the day and compassed the city after the same manner seven times only on that day they compassed the city seven times 16 And it came to pass at the seventh time when the priests blew with the trumpets Joshua said unto the people Shout n To testifie your faith in Gods promise and thankfulness for this glorious mercy and to encourage your selves and Brethren and to strike a terror into your Enemies for the LORD hath given you the city 17 And the City shall be †accursed o i. e. Devoted to utter Destruction Levit. 27. 21 29. Deut. 12. This he spake by instinct or direction from God as is evident from 1 King 16. 34. even ‡ Or 〈◊〉 it and all that are therein to the LORD p Partly because the first-fruits were appropriated to God partly lest the soldiers being glutted with the Spoil of this rich City should grow â—…ensual and sluggish in their work and partly to strike the greater terror into the rest of their Enemies only Rahab the harlot shall live she and all that are with her in the house because * Chap. 2. â—… she hid the messengers that we sent 18 And ye * Deut. 7. 26. 13. 17. in any wise keep your selves from the accursed thing lest ye make your selves accursed when ye take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel a curse q By provoking God to punish them for your sin in which they may be one way or other involved or at least upon the occasion of your sin for to speak properly God will not the case of Adams sin only excepted punish one man for the sin of another as he hath oft declared but the whole Camp having sins of their own God might take what occasion he saw fit to inflict this Punishment and trouble it 19 But all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron r Except that of which Images were made which were to be utterly destroyed Exod. 32. 20. Deut. 7. 25. are †consecrated unto the LORD s Being first made to pass through the fire Numb 31. 22 23. ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 they shall come into the treasury of the LORD t To be employed wholly for the service or uses of the Tabernacle not to be applied to the use of any private person or Priest 20 So the people shouted when the Priests blew with the Trumpets and it came to pass when the people heard the sound of the Trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout that * Heb. 11. 30. the wall fell down †flat so that the people went up into the ‡ Heb. under 〈◊〉 city every man straight before him and they took the City 21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the City both man and woman young and old u Being commanded to do so by the Soveraign Lord of every mans life and being informed by God before that the Canaanites were abominably wicked and deserved the severest Punishments As for the Infants they were guilty of Original sin and otherwise at the disposal of their Creator as the clay is in the hands of the Potter but if they had been wholly innocent it was a great favour to them to take them away in infancy rather than reserve them to those dreadful Calamities which those who survived them were liable to and ox and sheep and ass with the edge of the sword 22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country Go into the harlots house x Which together with the wall upon which it leaned was left standing either by a special favour of God to her or for the reason alledged upon v. 6. and bring out thence the woman and all that she hath * Chap. 2. 14. Hebr. 11. 31. as ye sware unto her 23 And the young men that were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brethren and all that she had and they brought out all her †kindred and left them ‡ Heb. families without the camp of Israel y Till they were cleansed from the impurities of their Gentile state and instructed in the Iewish Religion and solemnly admitted into that Church in the usual way to which Rahabs good Counsel and Example had doubtless very much prepared them and this stupendious work of God confirmed their purposes 24 And they burnt the city with fire and all that was therein only the silver and the gold and the vessels of brass and of iron they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD 25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive z For that general commanding of rooting out the Canaanites seems to have had some exception in case any of them had sincerely and seasonably cast off their Idolatry and Wickedness and submitted themselves to the Israelites as we shall see hereafter and her fathers houshold and all that she had and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day because she hid the messengers which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho 26 ¶ And Joshua adjured them a Or made them to swear caused the people or some in the name of all to swear for the present and succeeding Generations and to confirm their Oath by a Curse at that time saying * 1 King 16. 34. Cursed be the man before the LORD b i. e. From Gods presence and by his sentence as they are said to cast lots before the Lord Josh. 18. 8 10. i. e. expecting the Decision from God He intimates that he doth not utter this in a Passion or
judgeth of all things by Events were now enraged against Gaal suspecting him guilty either of Treachery or Cowardize or ill Conduct and besides they thought the expulsion of Gaal would sweeten and satisfie Abimelech and make him give over the War against them But though they were offended with Gaal yet Zebul's interest was not so considerable with them that he could prevail with them either to kill Gaal and his Brethren or to yield themselves to Abimelech and therefore he still complies with the People and waits for a fairer opportunity though in vain that they should not dwell in Shechem 42 And it came to pass on the morrow that the people went out into the field f Either First to renew the Fight and avenge themselves for their last loss the great God hardening their hearts to their Destruction and the accomplishment of his Word delivered to them by Iotham But here is not one word about the Peoples Arming or Resisting or Fighting as there was before v. 39. but only of their Slaughter v. 43 44. Or Secondly to their usual and then proper Imployments about their Lands for though their Vintage was past the Seed-time was now come and other things were to be done in the Fields Or Thirdly Upon some solemn occasion not here expressed possibly to make a solemn Procession or perform some other Rites in the Fields to the honour of their god Baal-berith as the manner of the Heathen was to make supplication to him for his help and for better success or onely to go for that end to the house of their god Baal-berith which is thought to have been in the Fields as may seem from v. 27 46. on a Mountain upon the East side of the City and they told Abimelech 43 And he took the people and divided them into three companies g Whereof he kept one with himself v. 44. and put the rest under other Commanders and laid wait in the field and looked and behold the people were come forth out of the city and he rose up against them and smote them 44 And Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood in the entring of the gate of the city h To prevent their Retreat into the City and give the other two Companies opportunity to Cut them off and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields and slew them 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day and he took the city and slew the people that was therein and beat down the city and sowed it with salt i Not to make the place barren as salt will do for then he would have sowed the Fields not the City but in token of his detestation and desire of their utter and irrecoverable Destruction for Salt is the symbole or sign of Perpetuity Compare Numb 18. 19. Deut. 29. 23. 2 Chron. 13. 5. Zeph. 2. 9. 46 ¶ And when all the men of the tower of Shechem k A strong place belonging to the City of Shechem and made for its defence or security but without the City It is thought this was that Millo which was confederate with Shechem in their design against Abimelech v. 6. which also Iotham Cursed with Shechem v. 20. and that Curse is noted to have its Effect v. 57. And this place may be called the Tower of Shechem either because those who possessed and defended it were sent from Shechem Or because it was built and kept for the safe-guard of Shechem heard that they entred into an hold of the house of the god of Berith l Or Baal-berith v. 4. Hither they fled out of the Town belonging to it fearing the same event with Shechem and here they thought to be secure partly by the strength of the place as the Temples of Idols were oft-times built in the highest and strongest Places as the Capitol at Rome and the Temple at Ierusalem and such this place seems to have been because they laid their Treasure here v. 4. Partly by the Religion of it thinking that either their god would Protect them there or that Abimelech would spare them there if not out of piety to that god yet out of thankfulness for the benefit which he received thence v. 4. 47 And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together into that place 48 And Abimelech gate him up to mount Zalmon m A place so called from its shadiness because there were many Trees there he and all the people that were with him and Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees and took it and laid it on his shoulder and said unto the people that were with him What ye have seen ‡ Heb. I have done me do make haste and do as I have done 49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough and followed Abimelech and put them to the hold and set the hold on fire upon them so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also about a thousand men and women 50 ¶ Then went Abimelech to Thebez n Another Town near to Shechem and as it seems within its Territory and encamped against Thebez and took it 51 But there was a strong tower within the city and thither fled all the men and women o All that were not slain in the taking of the Town or they all forsook the Town and retired to their strong hold and all they of the city and shut it to them and gat them up to the top of the tower p Which was flat and plain after their manner of Building 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower and fought against it and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire 53 And a certain woman * Sam. 11. 21 cast a piece of a milstone q Such great stones no doubt they carried up with them whereby they might defend themselves or offend those who Assaulted them Here the Justice of God is remarkable in suiting the Punishment to his Sin He slew his Brethren upon a stone v. 5. and he loseth his own life by a Stone upon Abimelech's head and all to brake his skull 54 Then * So 1 Sam. 31. 4. he called hastily unto the young man his armour-bearer and said unto him Draw thy sword and slay me that men say not of me A woman slew him r Which was esteemed a matter of disgrace and his young man thrust him through and he died 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead they departed every man unto his place 56 ¶ Thus God rendred the wickedness of Abimelech which he did unto * Judg. 9. 5. Ruth 4. 10. his father s In rooting out as far as he could the name and memory and remainders of his Father in slaying his seventy brethren 57 And all the evil of
25. 2. whether Edomites or others Or Secondly the Mehunims a People living near the Arabians of whom 2 Chron. 26. 7. For in the Hebrew the Letters of both Names are the same onely the one is the Singular the other the Plural Number Or Thirdly The Midianites whose Oppression he would not omit it being usual for one and the same Person or Persons to have two Names although the Midianites may be comprehended under the Amalekites with whom they were joyned Iudg. 6. 3 33. Or Fourthly Some other people now unknown and not expressed elsewhere in Scripture did oppress you and ye cried to me and I delivered you out of their hand 13 * Deut. 28. 20. Ier. 2. 13. Yet ye have forsaken me and served other gods wherefore I will deliver you no more s To wit except you Repent in another manner than you yet have done which when they performed God suspends the execution of this Threatning Compare Ier. 18. 7. 14 Go and * Deut. 32. 37 38. Ier. 2. 28. cry unto the gods which ye have chosen t You have not been forced to Worship those gods by your Oppressors and Tyrants but you have freely chosen these gods before me let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation 15 ¶ And the children of Israel said unto the LORD We have sinned do thou unto us whatsoever ‡ Heb. is good in thine eyes seemeth good unto thee u Do not give us up into the hands of these cruel Men but do thou chastise us with thine own hand as much as thou pleasest to wit if we be not more faithful and constant to thee than we have hitherto been deliver us onely we pray thee this day 16 And they put away the ‡ Heb. gods of strangers strange gods from among them x This was an evidence of the sincerity of their sorrow that they did not only confess and bewail their Sins but also forsake them and loath themselves for them and served the LORD and * Isa. 63. 9. his soul ‡ Heb. was shortned was grieved y Not properly or as to inward affection for God being infinitely happy is not capable of grieving but figuratively and as to outward expression He acted towards them like one that felt their Sufferings he had pity upon them repented of his severe Proceedings against them and quite changed his carriage towards them and punished their Enemies as sorely as if they had grieved and injured his own person for the misery of Israel 17 Then the children of Ammon were ‡ Heb. cried together gathered together and encamped in Gilead and the children of Israel assembled themselves together and encamped in Mizpeh z That Mizpeh which was beyond Iordan in Gad or Manasseh of which see Gen. 31. 49. Iosh. 18. 26. Iudg. 10. 17. and 11. 11 29 34. There were other Cities of that name in Scripture 18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon he shall * Chap. 11. 8. be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead CHAP. XI NOW * Heb. 11. 32. called Jephte Jephthah the Gileadite a So called either from his Father Gilead Ios. 17. 1 2. or from the Mountain or City of Gilead the place of his birth or abode was a mighty man of valour and he was the son of ‡ Heb. a woman an harlot an harlot b i. e. A Bastard for though such were not ordinarily to enter into the Congregation of the Lord Deut. 23. 2. Yet God can dispence with his own Laws and hath sometimes done honour to base-born persons so far that some of them were admitted to be the Progenitors of the Lord Jesus Christ. and Gilead c One of the Children of that Ancienter Gilead Numb 32. 1. Iosh. 17. 1. begat Jephthah 2 And Gileads wife bare him sons and his wives sons grew up and they thrust out Jephthah and said unto him Thou shalt not inherit in our fathers house for thou art the son of a strange woman 3 Then Jephthah fled ‡ Heb. from the face from his brethren and dwelt in the land of Tob d The name either of the Land or Territory or of the Man who was the Owner or Ruler of it This place was in or near Gilead as appears by the speedy intercourse which here was between Iephthah and the Israelites and there were gathered * Judg. 9 4. 1 Sam. 22. 2. vain men e Idle persons who desire to get their living rather by Spoil and Rapine than by honest and diligent Labour These evil minded persons Iephthah managed well employing them against the Enemies of God and of Israel that bordered upon them and particularly upon Parties of the Ammonites which made the Israelites more forward to chuse him for their Chieftain in this War to Jephthah and went out with him f When he made excursions and attempts upon his and their Enemies 4 ¶ And it came to pass ‡ Heb. after days in process of time g Heb. after some days or after a year days being oft put for a year as hath been shewed after that year mentioned Iudg. 10. 8. The Ammonites had vexed and oppressed them Eighteen Years and now that the Israelites begin to make Opposition they commence a War against them Or some time after Iephthah had been banish'd and after he had taken up Arms and given them some disturbance Or after the Israelites assembled together as is said Iudg. 10. 18. that the children of Ammon made war against Israel 5 And it was so that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah h By direction or instinct from God who both qualified him for and called him to the office of a Judge See Iudg. 12. 7. Heb. 11. 32. Otherwise they might not have chosen a Bastard Deut. 32. 2. Unless we will say that there being no other person among them fit for and willing to this Work necessity dispensed with this Law as it did with other positive Laws as those of the Sabbath and Sacrifices out of the land of Tob. 6 And they said unto Jephthah Come and be our Captain i They say not our King for the experience of Abimelech's kingship had cooled their Appetite in that particular but our Captain that we may fight with the children of Ammon 7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead * Gen. 26. 27. Did not ye hate me and expel me out of my fathers house k And deprive me of all share in my Fathers Goods which though a Bastard was due to me This Expulsion of him was the act of his Brethren but he here ascribes it to the Elders of Gilead either because some of them were among these Elders as is very probable from the dignity of this Family or
all Obligation or Temptation of doing them any harm though it were in his own just and necessary defence 13 And they spake unto him saying No but we will bind thee fast and deliver thee into their hand but surely we will not kill thee And they bound him with two new cords and brought him up from the rock t i. e. From the Cave or Hole in the Rock in which he had secured himself out of which he was first brought up and then carried down from the Rock to the Plain 14 ¶ And when he came unto Lehi the Philistines shouted against him u For Joy and Triumph because they had now their great Enemy as they supposed in their hands and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire and his bands ‡ Heb. were melted loosed x Heb. were melted i. e. were dissolved as things are which are melted in the fire from off his hands 15 And he found a ‡ Heb. moist new y And therefore more tough and strong jaw-bone of an ass and put forth his hand and took it and slew a thousand men therewith 16 And Samson said With the jaw-bone of an ass ‡ Heb. an heap two heaps heaps upon heaps with the jaw-bone of an ass have I slain a thousand men z This though it might seem difficult yet is not at all impossible or incredible especially seeing the Learned affirm of the Asses of Syria that they were larger and stronger than ours and so consequently were their Bones And withal it must be acknowledged that there was something extraordinary and Miraculous in this as there was unquestionably in Samson's strength and so all the difficulty vanisheth 17 And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking that he cast away the jaw-bone out of his hand and called that place ‖ That is the lifting up of the jaw-bone or casting away of the jaw-bone Ramath-Lehi a And by contraction Lehi v. 14. it being usual so to contract Proper Names as Salem is put for Ierusalem Psal. 76. 3. Sheba for Beersheba Ios. 19. 2. and many other 18 ¶ And he was sore athirst b So as he was ready to faint and die with Thirst which was natural from his excessive toil and heat partly sent by God that by the experience of his own Impotency he might be forced to ascribe the Victory to God onely and not to himself and called on the LORD and said Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant and now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised c Wilt thou not finish what thou hast begun Wilt thou undo what thou hast done 19 But God clave an hollow place d i. e. By cleaving a place made it hollow an expression like that Isa. 47. 2. grind Meal i. e. Grind Corn into Meal and that Psal. 74. 15. thou didst cleave the Fountain i. e. cleave the Rock so as to make a Fountain in it that was in ‖ Or Lehi the Jaw e In the Jaw-bone which he had used which God could easily effect either by causing the Jaw-bone to send forth Water as the Rock formerly did the Miracle being in effect the same though in a differing subject causing a Spring to break forth in Lehi or in that Leâ—…i mentioned before v. 14. for Lehi is both the name of a place and signifies a Iaw-bone and there came water thereout and when he had drunk his spirit came again and he revived wherefore he called the name thereof ‡ That is the well of him that called or cried En-hakkore f i. e. The Fountain of him that cryed for Thirst or that called upon God for Deliverance i. e. the Fountain or Well which was given in Answer to my Prayer which is in Lehi unto this day g According to this Translation Lehi is the name of a place and not a Iaw-bone because it seems improbable that a Jaw-bone should continue there so long which every Traveller might take away and would be forward enough to carry a Fountain with them in those hot Countries although it is not incredible that Passengers would generally forbear to meddle with or remove so great a Monument of Gods Power and Goodness or that the same God who made it instrumental to so great a wonder should add one circumstance more to wit fix it in the earth as a Testimony to Posterity of the Truth of this glorious work But these words may be otherwise rendred thus which Fountain was in that Iaw-bone and for the following words unto this day they may not be joined with the words next and immediately foregoing as if the Fountain was there to this day but with the former words he called c. and so the sense may be this That it was so called unto this day and the place may be thus read he called the name thereof or the name thereof was called such active verbs being frequently put passively and impersonally The Well or Fountain of him that called or cryed which was in Lehi unto this day 20 And he judged Israel h i. e. He pleaded their Cause and avenged them against the Philistinees in the days of the Philistines i i. e. Whilst the Philistines had the Power and Dominion from which he was not fully to deliver but onely to begin to deliver them as it was foretold Iudg. 13. 5. From this place it is manifest that in the computation of the times of the Judges the years of Servitude or Oppression are not to be separated from the years of the Judges and added to them but are comprehended within them which proposition is of great importance for clearing this difficult part of Scripture-Chronology and for justifying that account of times given 1 King 6. 1. twenty years CHAP. XVI THen went Samson to Gaza a A chief City to make some new attempt upon the Philistins whom he feared not either in their Cities or in their Camps having had such large experience of his own strength and of God's Assistance Possibly he came in thither by Night unknown and unobserved till afterwards and saw there ‡ Heb. a woman an harlot an harlot b Going into an House of Publick Entertainment to refresh himself as the manner was Ios. 20. 1. He there saw this Harlot which implies that he did not go thither upon so evil a Design but accidentally saw her there and by giving way to Lustful looks upon her was ensnared by her and went in unto her 2 And it was told the Gazites saying Samson is come hither And they compassed him in and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city and were ‡ Heb. sileâ—…t quiet all night saying In the morning when it is day we shall kill him
they were grown would ye stay for them from having husbands o It is unreasonable for me to expect it or for you to perform it nay my daughters for ‡ Heb. I have 〈◊〉 bitterâ—… it grieveth me much for your sakes p That you are left without the comfort of Husbands or Children that I must part with such dear and affectionate Daughters and that my circumstances are such that I cannot invite nor incourage you to go along with me For her condition was so mean at this time that Ruth when she came to her Mothers City was forced to Glean for a living Chap. 2. 2. that * Job 19. 21. the hand of the LORD is gone out against me 14 And they lift up their voice and wept again and Orpah kissed her mother in law q i. e. Departed from her with a kiss as the manner was Gen. 31. 28. 1 King 19. 20. but Ruth clave unto her 15 And she said Behold thy sister in law is gone back unto her people and unto her gods r Which she saith partly to try Ruths sincerity and constancy partly that by upbraiding Orpah with her Idolatry she might consequently turn her from it and partly that she might intimate to her that if she went with her she must embrace the True God and Religion * See Jos. 24. 15. 2 King 2. 2. Lâ—… 24. 28. return thou after thy sister in law 16 And Ruth said ‖ Or be not against me Intreat me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee for whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God s I renounce those Idols which my Sister hath returned to and I will Worship no other God but thine who is indeed the onely True God 17 Where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried the LORD do so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me 18 When she saw that she ‡ Heb. strength â—…ed her self was stedfastly minded to go with her then she left speaking unto her 19 ¶ So they two went until they came to Bethlehem and it came to pass when they were come to Bethlehem that all the city was moved about them and ‖ That is the women they said Is this Naomi t Is this she that formerly lived in so much Plenty and Honour Oh how marvellously is her condition changed that she is returned in this forlorn and desolate condition 20 And she said unto them Call me not ‖ That is pleasant Naomi u Which signifies pleasant or chearful or amiable call me ‖ That is bitter Mara x Which signifies bitter or sorrowful for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me 21 I went out full y With my Husband and Sons and a plentiful Estate for our support and the LORD hath brought me home again empty why then call ye me Naomi seeing the Lord hath testified against me z i. e. Hath born witness as it were in Judgment and given Sentence against me and declared my Sin by my Punishment and the Almighty hath afflicted me 22 So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter in law with her which returned out of the countrey of Moab and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest CHAP. II. AND Naomi had a kinsman of her husbands a mighty man of wealth of the family of Elimelech and his name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi Let me now go to the field and glean a Which was permitted to the Poor and the Stranger Deut. 24. 19. both which she was nor was she ashamed to confess her Poverty nor would she eat the bread of idleness whereby she sheweth her self to be a prudent and diligent and vertuous woman as she is called Ruth 3. 11. ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace b For though it was their duty to permit this Levit. 19. 9. and 23. 22. yet either she was ignorant thereof or thought that being a Stranger it might be grudged or denied to her or at least that it became her modestly and humbly to acknowledge their kindness herein And she said unto her Go my daughter 3 And she went and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers and her ‡ Heb. hap haâ—…pened hap was c For it was indeed a chance in reference to Second Causes but ordered and designed by Gods Providence to light on a part of the field belonging unto ‖ Called Mat. 1. 5. Booz Boaz who was of the kindred of Elimelech 4 ¶ And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers The LORD be with you and they answered him The LORD bless thee d They expressed and professed their Piety even in their civil Conversation and worldly Transactions which now so many are ashamed of and call it Hypocrisie or vain Ostentation thus to do 5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers Whose damsel is this 6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi e i. e. That came with Naomi when she came back for otherwise as Ruth did not go from thence so she could not properly be said to come back out of the countrey of Moab 7 And she said I pray you let me glean f She did not boldly intrude her self but modestly ask leave of us and gather after the reapers amongst the ‖ Or handfuls sheaves so she came and hâ—…h continued even from the morning until now g She is not retired through idleness for she hath been diligent and constant in her labours that she tarried a little in the house h Not in Naomi's house as many understand it as may be gathered from v. 18 19. but in the little House or Tent which was set up in the Fields at these times and was necessary in those hot Countries where the Labourers or others might retire for a little repose or repast at fit times Being weary with her continued labours she comes hither to take a little rest 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth Hearest thou not my daughter Go not to glean in another field neither go from hence but abide here fast by my maidens i Not by the young Men to avoid both occasion of sin and matter of scandal Herein he shews his Piety and Prudence 9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap and go thou after them have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee k So as to offer any incivility or injury to thee Touching is oft taken for hurting Gen. 26. 11. Psal. 105. 15. and when thou art athirst go unto the vessels and drink of that which the young men have
her Head in token both of her subjection 1 Cor. 11. 5 6 10. and appropriation to him being hereby as it were hid from the Eyes of others See Gen. 20. 16. and also of that Protection which he oweth to her See Ruth 2. 12. for thou art ‖ Or one that hath right to redeem a near kinsman 10 And he said Blessed be thou of the LORD my daughter for thou hast shewed more kindness p Both to thy deceased Husband the continuance of whose Name and Memory thou preferrest before the satisfaction of thy own Lust and to thy Mother-in-law whose Commands thou hast punctually obeyed even with thy own hazard in so doubtful an Enterprize in the latter end than at the beginning in as much as thou followedst not young men q To seek thy Marriage either here or in thy own Country as thou wouldst have done if thou hadst not preferred Obedience to Gods Command before the pleasing of thy self whether poor or rich 11 And now my daughter fear not r Think not that I Despise and Reject thee because I do not immediately comply with thy Desire I will do to thee all that thou requirest s i. e. Marry thee upon the Condition here following for all the ‡ Heb. gate city of my people doth know that thou art a vertuous woman 12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13 Tarry this night and it shall be in the morning that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman t i. e. Take thee to Wife to raise up Seed to his Brother as he ought to do well let him do the kinsmans part but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee as the LORD liveth lie down until the morning 14 ¶ And she lay at his feet until the morning and she rose up before one could know another u i. e. While it was yet so Dark that one Person could not discern another Or before one did know the other i. e. before they were carnally known to one another And he said Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor x He takes care to preserve not only his Conscience towards God but his Reputation and hers also among men 15 Also he said Bring the ‖ Or sheet or apron veil that thou hast upon thee and hold it And when she held it he measured six measures z Known and usual Measure It is not determined how large those Measures were but this the Nature of the thing shews that they were no larger than one Woman could carry in her Veil or Apron of barley and laid it on her and she went into the city y Or the apron such as women ordinarily wear 16 And when she came to her mother in law she said Who art thou my daughter ‖ Either First She did not distinctly know who she was because it was Dark and so calls her Daughter only in general as Elder Women call the Younger But she could as easily have discerned who she was as what her Age was Or Secondly This is not a Question of doubting but of wonder as if she had said Art thou in very deed my Daughter I can hardly believe it How comest thou hither in this manner and thus early and she told her all that the man had done to her 17 And she said These six measures of barley gave he me for he said to me Go not empty to thy mother in law 18 Then said she Sit still my daughter until thou know how the matter will fall for the man will not be in rest until he have finished the thing this day CHAP. IV. THEN went Boaz up to the gate a The place where Controversies were decided and the People Assembled and where they used to go out and come in to the Town where he was most likely to find his Kinsman and sate him down there and behold the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by unto whom he said Ho such an one b Doubtless Boaz both knew his Name and called him by it but it is omitted by the Holy Writer partly because it was unnecessary to know it and Principally in way of contempt as is usual and as a just punishment upon him that he who would not preserve his Brothers Name might lose his own and lie buried in the Grave of perpetual Oblivion turn aside sit down here c I have some Business of Importance with you And he turned aside and sate down 2 And he took ten men d To be Umpires or Witnesses between them for though two or three Witnesses were sufficient yet in weightier Matters they used more And ten was the usual Number among the Iews in Causes of Matrimony and Divorce and Translation of Inheritances who were both Judges of the Causes and Witnesses of the Fact See 1 King 21. 8. of the elders of the city and said Sit ye down here And they sate down 3 And he said unto the kinsman Naomi e Both Naomi and Ruth had an Interest in this Land during their Lives but he mentions only Naomi partly because all was done by her direction to which Ruth wholly submitted her self and partly lest the mention of Ruth should raise a suspicion of the necessity of his Marrying Ruth before he had given his Answer to the first Proposition that is come again out of the country of Moab selleth a parcel of land f Which she might do because of her Poverty Levit. 25. 25. which was our brother Elimelechs 4 And ‡ Heb. I said I will uncover thine ear Reveal in thine ear I thought to advertise thee saying Buy it before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people g Before this Assembly that it may be Legally and Firmly made over to thee If thou wilt redeem it redeem it but if thou wilt not redeem it then tell me that I may know for there is none to redeem it besides thee and I am after thee And he said I will redeem it 5 Then said Boaz What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess the wife of the dead h According to the Law Deut. 25. 5 c. Matth. 22. 24 c. to raise up the name of the dead i To revive his Name which was lost and Buried with his Body by raising up a Seed to him to be called by his Name upon his inheritance 6 ¶ And the kinsman said I cannot redeem it for my self lest I mar mine own inheritance k Either First Because having no Children of his own he might have one and but one Son by Ruth who though he should carry away his Inheritance yet should not bear his Name but the Name of Ruths Husband
and so by preserving another Mans Name he should lose his own Or Secondly Because as his Inheritance would be but very little increased by this Marriage so it might be much diminished by being divided amongst his many Children which he possibly had already and might probably have more by Ruth redeem thou my right l Which I freely Renounce and Resign to thee to thy self for I cannot redeem it 7 * Deut. 25. 〈◊〉 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing for to confirm all things m i. e. In all Alienation of Lands So that it is no wonder if this Ceremony differ a little from that Deut. 25. 9. because that concerned only one Case but this is more general Besides he pleads not the Command of God but only ancient Custom for this Practice a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbour n He who relinquished his right to another plucked off his own Shoe and gave it to him This was Symbolical and a significant and convenient Ceremony as if he said Take this Shoe wherewith I used to go and tread upon my Land and in that Shoe do thou enter upon it and take possession of it and this was a testimony in Israel o This was admitted for sufficient Evidence in all such Cases 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz Buy it for thee so he drew off his shoe 9 ¶ And Boaz said unto the elders and unto all the people Ye are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelechs and all that was Chilions and Mahlons of the hand of Naomi 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess the wife of Mahlon have I purchased to be my wife to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place p i. e. From among the Inhabitants dwelling within the Gate of this City which was Bethlehem-Iudah ye are witnesses this day 11 And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said We are witnesses The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah q Amiable and Fruitful Those two are singled out partly because they were of a Foreign and Heathenish Original and yet ingrafted into Gods people as Ruth also was and partly because of that singular Fertility which God vouchsafed unto them above their Predecessors Rachel and Leah Rachel is placed before Leah because she was his most Lawful and only Intended and Chosen and best-Beloved Wife which two did build the house r i. e. Increase the Posterity See Gen. 16. 2. Exod. 1. 21. of Israel and ‖ Or get 〈◊〉 riches or power do thou worthily in Ephratah s Two Names of one and the same Place of which see on Ruth 1. 2. and ‡ Heb. proclaim thy name be famous in Bethlehem s Two Names of one and the same Place of which see on Ruth 1. 2. 12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez t As honourable and numerous as his Family was whom though he also was Born of a stranger God so far Blessed that his Family was one of the five Families to which all the Tribe of Iudah belonged and the Progenitor of the Inhabitants of this City * Gen. 38. 〈◊〉 1 Chron. â—… â—… Matth. 1. 3. whom Tamar bare unto Judah of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman 13 ¶ So Boaz took Ruth u Which he might do though she was a Moabite because the Prohibition against Marrying such is to be restrained to those who continue in the Heathenish estate as is evident from the reason of it Whereas Ruth as a sincere Proselyte and Convert to the God and Faith of Israel and she was his wife and when he went in unto her x i. e. Had Conjugal Converse with her See Gen. 6. 4. the LORD gave her conception y i. e. Strength to Conceive and Retain Seed and in due time she bare a son 14 And the women said unto Naomi Blessed be the LORD which hath not ‡ Heb. caused to cease unto thee left thee this day without a ‖ Or redeemer kinsman z Which is understood Either First Of the Son new Born Or rather Secondly Of Boaz For the Name of Goel which is Translated Kinsman or Redeemer is never that I know of given to the Child Born but always to the Person Begetting him of his Brother's or near Kinsman's Wife And whereas it is Objected That there was no Cause for this Congratulation at this time in reference to Boaz because that was done divers Months before this time It may be Replied That the Memory of that generous Action was revived upon this occasion and therefore is fitly mentioned as the foundation of this Childs Birth and this happy effect justly leads them to the Cause and Original of it which was this that Boaz had shewed himself to be a Kinsman or Redeemer not only in Name and Title as the other Kinsman was v. 6. but in Truth and Reality The words may be rendred Which hath not made or suffered thy Kinsman to fail to thee i. e. To neglect or refuse the performance of his Duty to thee and thine as the other Kinsman did that his name may be famous in Israel a Heb. and his Name shall be famons in Israel for this Noble and Worthy Action wherein he gave so great an Example of Piety Charity Humility and self-Denial 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life b i. e. Of the comfort of thy life which was in a great measure dead and gone and ‡ Heb. to nourish a nourisher of ‡ Heb. thy gray hairs thine old age for thy daughter in law which loveth thee which * 1 Sam. 1. 8. is better to thee than seven sons hath born him c To wit a Son the Pronoun for the Noun understood which is frequent in the Hebrew Tongue Or Hath born to him i. e. to thy Kinsman to wit a Son which is easily understood and so the Pronoun affix is put for the separate of which there are Instances as Ios. 15. 19. 1 King 19. 21. Iob 31. 37. Ezek. â—…9 3. 16 And Naomi took the child and laid it in her bosom and became nurse unto it 17 And the women â—…er neighbours gave it a name d i. e. They gave her advice about the Name for otherwise they had no power or right to do so saying There is a son born to Naomi and they called his name Obed e A servant to wit to thee to nourish and comfort and assist thee which Duty Children owe to their Progenitors he is the father of Jesse the father of David 18 ¶ Now these are the generations of Pharez * 1 Chron. 2.
is dead 19 But when David saw that his servants whispered David perceived that the child was dead therefore David said unto his servants Is the child dead And they said He is dead 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel and came into the house of the LORD n i. e. To the Tabernacle to confess his Sin before the Lord and to own his Justice in this stroke and the other threatnings and to deprecate his great and just displeasure and to acknowledge Gods rich mercy in sparing his own Life and to offer such Sacrifices as were proper and required in such cases Nor did David transgress that Law Numb 19. 14. in going thither before the Seven Days were expired For neither is there the same reason of a Tent and of a dwelling House where the several Rooms of the House are as distinct as several Tents nor is it here said that David was in the same Room or in the same House where the Child died and worshipped then he came to his own house and when he required they set bread before him and he did eat 21 Then said his servants unto him What thing is this that thou hast done thou didst fast and weep for the child while it was alive but when the child was dead thou didst rise and eat bread 22 And he said While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept * See Isa. 33. 1. Jon. 3. 9. for I said Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live o For God's threatning of the Child's Death might be conditional as that was of Ninevehs Destruction Ionah 3. 4. 23 But now he is dead wherefore should I fast p Seeing Fasting and Prayer cannot now prevail with God for his Life can I bring him back again I shall go to him q Into the state of the Dead in which he is and into Heaven where I doubt not I shall find him but he shall not return to me 24 And David comforted Bath sheba his wife r Who was now much dejected both for her former Sin which she truly Repented of as may be gathered from Prov. 31. 1 2 3 c. and for the loss of that Child which was very dear to her and which might seem to be the onely tie of David's Affection to her which being now dead she might think that David would utterly cast her off and leave her to that Shame and Punishment which she had deserved and went in unto her s To wit into her Chamber or Bed and lay with her and * Matt. 1. 6. she bare a son and * 1 Chron 〈◊〉 9. he called his name Solomon and the LORD loved him t i. e. The Lord declared to David that he loved his Son notwithstanding the just cause which David had given to God to alienate his Affections from him 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet and he called his name ‖ That is beloved of the Lord. Jedidiah because of the LORD u Either because of the Lord's love to him as the Name signifies or because the Lord commanded him to do so 26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon and took the royal city x i. e. That part of the City where was the Kings Palace where he ordinarily resided though now it seems he was retired to a strong Fort. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said I have fought against Rabbah and have taken the city of waters y The same Royal City so called because it either stood beside the River or was encompassed with Water both for defence and delight Although the Words are by some Learned Men rendred thus I have taken or intercepted or cut off water from the city Which well agrees both with the words eth being here put for meeth which is frequent as Gen. 4. 1. and 44. 4. Exod. 9. 29 c. and with the Relation of Iosephus the Iew who saith The Conduits of Water were cut off and so the City was taken And with a Relation of Polybius concerning the same Ciry which was taken afterwards by Antiochus in the same manner by cutting off Water from the City 28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it z For having taken one part of the City he concluded the remaining part of it could not long stand out lest I take the city and ‡ Heb. my name be called upon it it be called after my name a Lest I have the Honour of taking it Thus he seeks to engratiate himself with the King by pretending great care for his Honour and Interest 29 And David gathered all the people together b Either because Ioab needed more help for the Storming of the City or at least for the Prosecution of the Victory and Execution of Justice upon the whole Land or because he would have them all to partake of the spoil of the City which was there in great abundance v. 30. the rather because they were all exposed to the hazard of utter Ruine in case the Ammonites had prevailed against them and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it 30 * 1 Chron. 20. 2. And he took their kings crown from off his head the weight whereof was a talent of gold c Or rather the price whereof c. For as the Hebrew Shekel signifies both a Weight and a piece of Money of a certain price so also may mishkal as proceeding from the same Root And in general the same Words both in Hebrew Greek and Latine are promiscuously used to signifie either Weight or Price as is well known to the Learned And the addition of pretious stones which are never valued by the Weight of Gold makes this signification here most proper and probable Moreover the Weight might seem too great either for the King of Ammon or for David to wear it upon his Head Although if this were meant of the Weight it might be said that this was not a Crown to be worn ordinarily but meerly to be put on upon the King's Head at his Coronation or upon Solemn occasions as here where this was done in token of the Translation of this Kingdom to David and it may be it was held up or supported by two Officers of State that it might not be too burdensome to him and after a little while taken off with the precious stones and it was set on Davids head and he brought forth the spoil of the city ‡ Heb. very great â—… in great abundance 31 And he brought forth the people that were therein d The words are indefinite and therefore not necessarily to be understood of all the people for it had been Barbarous to use Women and Children thus but of the Men of War and especially of those who had been the
for David d He that wisheth David good success against Sheba and against all Rebels Whereby he implies that though this Fact of his was done against the Kings Command yet it was for his Interest and Defence let him go after Joab 12 And Amasa wallowed e Heb. rolled himself being in the Pangs of Death yet having so much Life left as to move himself a little though not to raise himself up from his place in blood f In his own blood which was shed there in the midst of the high-way and when the man saw that all the people g To wit the Soldiers which were upon their March stood still h Wondering at the Spectacle and enquiring into the Author and occasion of it he removed Amasa out of the high-way into the field i Perceiving that it both incensed them against Ioab and hindred the Kings present Service and cast a cloth upon him when he saw that every one that came by him stood still 13 When he was removed out of the high-way all the people went on after Joab to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri ¶ 14 And he k Either 1. Ioab who pursued Sheba through all the Tribes as far as Abel Or rather 2. Sheba who was last mentioned who Marched from Tribe to Tribe to stir them up to Sedition and to him the following words seem best to agree went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel and to Beth-maachah l Or rather to Abel even to Bethmaachah i. e. unto Abel-beth-maachah as this place is called here in the Hebrew text ver 15. and 1 King 15. 20. 2 King 15. 29. to distinguish it from other Abels and to signifie that this was that Abel which was in the Tribe of Napthali in the Northern border of Canaan towards that part of Syria called Maachah 2 Sam. 10. 8. and all the Berites m Such as lived in the City or Territory of Beeroth of Benjamin Iosh. 18. 25. who being of the same Tribe if not City with Sheba and his greatest Acquaintance and Friends or being most Implacable against David adhered to Sheba and followed him through all the Tribes of Israel and they n to wit the Tribes of Israel i. e. a considerable Number of them as might well be expected when the discontents were so high and general were gathered together and went also after him o i. e. After Sheba 15 And they p i. e. Ioab and his Army which is easily understood both from the foregoing and following Verses came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah and they cast up a bank against the city q From whence they might either batter the Wall or shoot at those who defended it against them who should Assault it See 2 King 19. 32. Ier. 32. 24. and 33. 4. Otherwise they threw down the bank of the City which they had raised up to Defend the City on the weakest side and ‖ Or it stood against the outmost Wall it stood in the trench r i. e. The Bank stood in or near to the Trench or the Wall of the City so that the City was in great danger of being taken Otherwise the City stood within the Trench or Wall being Defended onely by a single Trench or a weak Wall the Bank which was raised up there to Defend it being thrown down and all the people that were with Joab †battered the wall to throw it down ‡ Heb. marred to throw down 16 ¶ Then cried a wise woman out of the city Hear Hear say I pray you unto Joab Come near hither that I may speak with thee 17 And when he was come near unto her the woman said Art thou Joab And he answered I am he Then she said unto him Hear the words of thine handmaid And he answered I do hear 18 Then she spake saying ‖ Or They plainly speak in the beginning saying Surely they will ask of Abel and so make an end They were wont to speak in old time saying They shall surely ask counsel at Abel and so they ended the matters s According to this Translation the sence is This City which thou art about to Destroy is no mean and contemptible one but so honourable and considerable for its Wisdom and the Wise People in it that when any differences did arise among any of the Neighbours they used Proverbially to say We will ask the Opinion and Advice of the Men of Abel about it and we will stand to their Arbitration and so all parties were satisfied and Disputes ended But there is another Translation in the Margent embraced also by some others which seems to be the best They i. e. The Citizens of this City plainly or commonly spake among themselves in the beginning to wit when Sheba and his Men first came into the City and they were informed That Ioab was pursuing him saying Surely they will ask of Abel and so make an end i. e. They will peaceably Expostulate the business with us and enquire Why we received Sheba into our City and whether we would deliver him up into their hands and would inform us of the reason of their Hostile Attempt upon us and offer to us Conditions of Peace which by Gods Law Deut. 20. 10. they were to do even to strange and much more to Israelitish Cities So she doth both modestly reprove Ioab for the neglect of his Duty and oblige him to the Performance of it 19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel t Or I to wit the City of Abel in whose Name and Person she speaks this am one of the peaceable and faithful Cities of Israel Whatsoever Sheba may design whom we have innocently received into our City before we well understood the matter We of this City abhor the thoughts of Warring and Rebelling against the King as having had no hand in Absalom's late Rebellion which is probable enough considering both their Scituation in the utmost Borders of the Land very remote from the Seat of that Civil War and their open Profession of their Peaceableness and Fidelity or Loyalty to the King which had been Impudent if they had been so lately Involved in the last War and Rebellion thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother u i e. A Mother City for great Cities are commonly called Mothers as lesser Towns or Villages subject to them and depending upon them for Direction and Defence are called their Daughters as Ezek. 16. 27 46. in Israel why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD x i. e. A considerable part of that Land which God hath chosen for his peculiar Possession The Destruction which thou art about to bring upon us is an injury also to Israel and to the God of Israel 20 And Joab answered and said Far be it far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy 21 The matter is not
so but a man of mount Ephraim y Qu. How can this be so when he is called a Benjamite ver 1. Answ. Either he was a Benjamite by Birth but dwelt in the Tribe of Ephraim as many did upon several occasions dwell out of their own Tribes or mount Ephraim was a place in Benjamin which might be so called either because it was upon the Borders of Ephraim and looked towards it or from some notable Action or Event of the Ephraimites in that place Comp. Chap. 18. 6. Sheba the son of Bichri ‡ Heb. by 〈◊〉 Name by name hath lift up his hand z i. e. Taken up Arms or raised Rebellion against the king even against David deliver him onely and I will depart from the city And the woman said unto Joab Behold his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall a Which she undertook because she knew the present temper and great fears of the Citizens and Soldiers too and that considering their evident and extream Danger they were generally desirous of Peace from which they were restrained onely by Sheba's Authority and Interest and therefore did not doubt by God's Blessing upon her Wise Counsel to effect it as indeed she did And it is not unlikely that this Woman might be a Governess in that City For though this Office was commonly performed by Men yet were not the Women wholly Excluded but sometimes Imployed in the Government As we see in Deborah who Judged Israel Iudg. 4. 4. And Queen Athalia 2 King 11. 22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom b Prudently Treated with them about it either severally or joyntly as she saw fit representing to them the certainty and nearness of all their Ruine if they did not speedily comply with her Desires and certain Deliverance if they did and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and cast it out to Joab and he blew a trumpet and they c Ioab and his Army which Besieged them †retired from ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 scattered the city every man to his tent and Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king 23 ¶ Now * Chap. 〈◊〉 Joab was over all the host of Israel d The good success of this and of former Expedition under the conduct of Ioab had so fixed his Interest in the Army and others of David's fastest Friends that the King could not without danger to the publick weal displace him and Benajah the son of Jehoiadah was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites 24 And Adoram was over the tribute e The receiver and manager of the Kings publick Revenue See on 1 King 4. 6. and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was ‖ Or remembranceâ—… recorder f See 2 Sam 8. 16. 25 And Sheba was scribe and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests g See 2 Sam. 8. 17. and 15. 35. 26 And Ira also the Jairite h So called from his birth or dwelling in the Countrey of Iair in Gilead Numb 32. 41. Iudg. 10. 4. was ‖ Or a prince a chief ruler i Either the President of the Kings Council or his Chief Minister as the Hebrew word Cohen signifies of State instead of Ahitophes or in some other very high place near the Kings Person Compare 2 Sam. 8. 18. where this title is given to David's Sons the Chief of which were now cut off And these things are here repeated with some alteration to shew that David was now fully reestablished in his former Estate about David CHAP. XXI THen a When Either First After Absalom's and Sheba's Rebellion as it is here related Or rather Secondly In some other time before It is well known and confessed that the Particle then doth not always note that the thing was done in that order in which it is mentioned but is oft of an indefinite signification as also that the Scripture in its Histories and Relations doth not always observe the order of time but the order of things putting that after which was done before as occasion requires And so it seems to be here The things related here and chap. 24. are by the most and best Interpreters conceived to have been done long before Absalom's Rebellion And this opinion is not without sufficient grounds First This Particle then is here explained in the days i. e. during the Life and Reign of David which general and indefinite words seem to be added as an intimation that these things were not done after the next foregoing passages for then the Sacred Writer would rather have added after these things or some such expression as it is 2 Chron. 32. 1. and in many other places Secondly Here are divers passages which it seems very improbable to ascribe to the last Years of David's Reign such as these First That Saul's sin against the Gibeonites should so long remain unpunished And indeed that this was done and Saul's seven Sons hanged by David's order before that time seems plainly to be intimated by that passage 2 Sam. 16. 8. where he is charged with the blood of the house of Saul for which there was not the least colour till this time Secondly That David should not remove the Bones of Saul and Ionathan to their proper place here v. 12 13 14. till that time Thirdly That the Philistines should wage War with David again and again v. 15 c. so long after he had fully subdued them chap. 8. 1. and that David in his old age should attempt to fight with a Philistine Giant or that his people should suffer him to do so Fourthly That David should then have so vehement a desire to number his people chap. 24. 1 c. which being an act of youthful heat and vanity seems not at all to agree with his old age nor with that state of deep humiliation and great affliction in which he then was And the reason why these matters are put here out of their proper order is plainly this because David's sin being once related it was very convenient that David's punishments inflicted for it should immediately succeed this being very frequent in Scipture-story to put those things together which belong to one matter though they happened at several times And this is the more considerable because it tends to the clearing of that great difficulty 2 Sam. 15. 7. there was a famine in the days of David three years year after year and David ‡ Heb. sought the face of c. enquired of the LORD b Concerning the reason of his displeasure and this judgment And the LORD answered It is for Saul and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites c Which was not onely an act of cruelty but also of perfidiousness and perjury because it was a direct and publick violation of that Solemn Oath given to them for their security by Ioshua and the Princes in the name of all the Israelites of that
2 Chron. 1. 12. I will as certainly give them as if I had actually done it for future certain things are oft expressed in Scripture in the past time as is well known to all thee that which thou hast not asked both riches and honour so that there ‖ Or 〈◊〉 not been shall not be i So it is true of all the succeeding Kings of Israel of whom he speaks Or hath not been as it is in the Hebrew and so it may be true of all the Kings that then were or had been in the world whereof none was like to him to wit in all the things here mentioned and wherein he is compared with them which is not onely in Riches but also in Wisdom and in Honour or Renown any among the kings like unto thee all thy days k To wit of thy life Whereby he signifies that these gifts of God were not temporary and transient as they were in Saul but such as should abide with him whilst he lived 14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways l This caution God gives him lest his great Wisdom should make him proud or careless or presumptuous as if he were out of all danger and to oblige him to more care and circumspection to avoid the snares and mischiefs to which so much prosperity and glory would probably expose him and withal to justify himself in case he should afterwards alter the course of his Providence towards Solomon and that when men are surprized with Solomon's dreadful fall they might know it was no surprizal to God but that he did foresee it and would over-rule it to his own Glory one way or other to keep my statutes and my commandments * Chap. 15. 5. as thy father David did walk then I will lengthen thy days 15 And Solomon awoke and behold it was a dream m i. e. He perceived that it was a Dream not a vain Dream wherewith men are commonly deluded but a Divine Dream assuring him of the thing which he knew partly by a Divine impression and inspiration thereof in his mind after he was awakened and partly by the vast alteration which he presently found within himself in point of Wisdom and Knowledge and he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD n Which was there in the City of David 2 Sam. 6. 17. before which he presented himself in way of Holy Ministration and Adoration which may be noted by the word stood Or that word may note his abode there for some considerable time as the offering of so many Sacrifices required and offered up burnt-offerings o Chiefly for the expiation of his and his peoples sin through the Blood of Christ manifestly signified in these Sacrifices and offered peace-offerings p Solemnly to praise God for all his Mercies and especially for giving him a quiet and fixed possession of the Kingdom and for his Glorious appearance to him in a Dream and for the great promise therein made to him and the actual accomplishment of it since wrought in him and made a feast to all his servants 16 ¶ Then came there two women that were harlots q Or Victuallers for the Hebrew word signifies both See on Ios. 2. 1. And possibly they might be both this by their open profession and the other by their secret practice not that they were common Harlots for neither would Solomon have tolerated such nor durst such have presented themselves before so wise and just a Ruler nor do such use either to bring forth Children or to have such a tender care of and affection to them as these express Yet that they were unmarried persons and so guilty of Fornication seems most probable both because there is no mention of any Husbands whose office it was if there were any such to contest for their Wives and because they lived a solitary life in one House unto the king r Haply they had presented their Cause to the Inferior Courts who could not determine and therefore now they bring it to the King as the Supreme Magistrate and famous for his Wisdom and stood there before him s Desiring and expecting his Sentence in the case 17 And the one woman said O my lord I and this woman dwell in one house and I was delivered of a child with her in the house 18 And it came to pass the third day t So they could not be distinguished by their Age. after that I was delivered that the woman was delivered also and we were together there was no stranger with us in the house u Therefore no Witness on either side and although there might be some sensible difference to an exact observer between the features of the two Children yet it is not probable that was much minded by the Neighbours for though civil Women might assist them both in their Child-births yet it is not likely they would afterwards converse much with them as being persons of suspected fame and the features of the Children especially for so few days night easily be so like that it was difficult to discern the one from the other And the Testimonies of the Women were of equal credit i. e. of none at all save we two in the house 19 And this womans child died in the night because she over-laid it x And so smothered it which she justly conjectures because there were evidences of that kind of death but no appearance of any other cause thereof 20 And she arose at midnight y When I was asleep as she reasonably and truly concluded and took my son from beside me z Either because the really desired the comfort of a Child to be educated by her and owned as hers or because she would not be thought guilty of the Childs death for which she knew not how severely Solomon would punish her while thine handmaid slept a As the might well know because had she been awake she had discovered and prevented her design and laid it in her bosome and laid her dead child in my bosome 21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck behold it was dead but when I had considered it in the morning behold it was not my son which I did bear 22 And the other woman said Nay but the living is my son and the dead is thy son and this said No but the dead is thy son and the living is my son Thus they spake before the king b Both peremptorily and vehemently affirmed the same thing oft repeating the same words 23 Then said the king The one saith This is my son that liveth and thy son is the dead and the other saith Nay but thy son is the dead and my son is the living 24 And the king said Bring me a sword and they brought a sword before the king 25 And the king said c With seeming sincerity and earnestness though with a
For Pharaoh king of Eggpt had gone up and taken Gezer a Not now but long before this time and presently after the Marriage of his Daughter as is most probable and it is here mentioned onely as the occasion of Solomon's Building it Possibly the Canaanites of this place had been guilty of some Hainous Crime and because Solomon thought not fit to destroy them himself he desired Pharaoh to do it for him or Pharaoh might offer his Service therein for his Daughters advantage and burnt it with fire and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the City and given it for a present unto his daughter Solomons wife 17 And Solomon built Gezer and Beth-horon the nether b In Benjamin Ios. 18. 13 14. and Bethoron the upper which is added 2 Chron. 8. 5. a City in the Tribe of Ephraim Ios. 16. 5. possibly bordering upon Benjamin and â—…igh unto the lower Bethoron which alone may be here mentioned either because it was the more famous place or be cause it needed more reparations 18 And Baalath c In the Tribe of Dan Ios 19. 40 44. and Tadmor d Supposed to be called Tamar Ezek. 47. 19. in the wilderness in the land e This Clause may belong either first to all the places above-mentioned which are here declared to be in the Land of Canaan But so that Clause may seem superfluous for none would easily think that he would Build much out of his own Land Or rather Secondly To Tadmor which otherwise being in that Wilderness which was the border of the Land might have been presumed to have been out of the Land 19 And all the cities of store f To lay up Arms and Ammunition for War and Corn or other Provisions against a time of scarcity See Exod. 1. 11. that Solomon had and cities for his charets and cities for his horsemen and ‡ Heb. the desire of Solomon which he desired that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon g Either in the Mountain of Lebanon which being the Border of his Land he might Build some Forts or a Frontier City in it Or in the House of the Forest of Lebanon of which see chap. 7. 2. and in all the land of his dominion 20 And all the people that were left of the Amorites Hittites Perizzites Hivites and Jebusites which were not of the children of Israel 21 Their children * Judg. 1. 21 27 29. that were left after them in the land whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bond-service h He used them as Bond-men and imposed Burdens and Bodily Labours upon them See 2 Chron. 2. 18. Hence some think they are called Solomon's servants Ezra 2. 55 58. Quest. Why did not Solomon destroy them as God had commanded when now it was fully in his power to do so Ans. First The command of destroying them Deut. 7. 2. did chiefly if not onely concern that Generation of Canaanites who lived in or near the time of the Israelites entring into Canaan Secondly That Command seems not to be Absolute and Universal but conditional and with some exception for those who should submit to them and embrace the True Religion as may be gathered both from Ios. 11. 19. and from the History of the Gibeonites Ios. 9. whom Ioshua did not sin in sparing when he had Sworn to do so and Saul did sin in indeavouring to destroy them But if Gods Command had been Absolute the Oaths of Ioshua and of the Princes could not have obliged them nor dispensed with such a Command unto this day 22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon * Lev. 25. 39. make no bond-men but they were men of war and his servants and his princes and his captains and rulers of his charets and his horsemen 23 These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomons work five hundred and fifty i Obj. They were onely 250 in 2 Chron. 8. 10. Ans. First Those might be Officers of another sort for they are not said to be over the work as these are but onely over the people Secondly The 250 were Israelites who are therefore distinctly mentioned in that Book where many things are more exactly noted than in the former and the other 300 were strangers who therefore are neglected in that more accurate account Or Thirdly There was but 250 at one time which is noted there and 250 at another time for it is apparent they did their work by turns and the other 50 either were Superior to all the rest or rather were a reserve to supply the place of any of the 500 when there was occasion which might frequently happen And so this was an act not unbecoming Solomon's Wisdom to make provision for Emergencies which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work 24 ¶ But * 2 Chr. 8. 11. Pharaohs daughter came up out of the city of David unto * Chap. 7. 8. her house which Solomon had built for her then did he build Millo 25 ¶ And three times in a year k i. e. At the three Solemn Feasts Which is not said exclusively as is evident both from 2 Chron. 8. 13. and from the express and oft-repeated Commands of God to offer at other times which it is absurd to think that Solomon not yet fallen into sin should so wickedly and scandalously neglect but because then he did it more Solemnly and more costlily and more publickly whereby it might be presumed that he did so at all other appointed times did Solomon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD and he burnt incense ‡ Heb. upon it upon the altar that was before the LORD so he finished the house l Or so he perfected the house to wit by applying it to the use for which it was made in which the perfection of such things consists Or the house may be put Metonymically for the Work or Service of the House as it is elsewhere commonly used for the things or persons in the House Or the words may be and are rendred thus After that for so the Hebrew Vau oft signifies as Isa. 37. 9 36. Hos. 1. 11. Zech. 12. 2. he finished the house i. e. From the time of the finishing of the House until this time he continued to do so 26 ¶ And * 2 Chr. 8. 17. king Solomon made a navy of ships m Not now in the order in which it is placed in the History but in the beginning of his Reign as appears because the Almug-trees which he used in this Work were brought in this Navy from Ophir chap. 10 11 12. 2 Chron. 9. 10 11. which was a three Years Voyage there ver 22. For Ophir and Tharsis were either the same place or one near to another in Ezion-Geber which is beside Eloth n on the ‡
18. 5. not onely in general but especially in this Threatning which I now deliver in his Name and Authority and not from my own Imagination or Passion Or 2. Who is now present with me and a Witness of what I say and let him punish me severely if I speak not the Truth there shall not be dew nor rain g This was a Prediction but was seconded with his Prayer That God would verifie it as it is Recorded Iam. 5. 17. And this Prayer of his was not voluntary and malicious but necessary and all things considered truly Charitable that by this sharp and long Affliction God's Honour and the Truth of his Word and Threatnings which was now so horribly and universally contemned might be Vindicated and the Israelites whom their present Impunity and Prosperity had hardned in their Idolatry might hereby be awakened to see their own Wickedness and the vanity of their Calves and other Idols and their dependance upon God and the necessity of returning to the True Religion these years h i. e. These following years which were three and an half Luk. 4. 25. Iam. 5. 17. but according to my word i i. e. Until I shall declare That this Judgment shall cease and shall pray to God for the removal of it 2 And the word of the LORD came unto him saying Get thee hence and turn thee East-ward and hide thy self by the brook Cherith k Thus God rescues him from the fury of Ahab and Iezabel who he knew would seek to destroy him Qu. Why did not Ahab seize upon him immediately upon these Words Answ. 1. This must be ascribed to God's over-ruling Providence who hath the hearts of all men in his hands and hath oft protected his Prophets and Servants in such cases 2. He might say this not by word of Mouth but by Letter and Message sent to him as that Word is sometimes used as Exod. 18. 6. that is before Jordan 4 And it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook and I have commanded l i. e. I have Decreed or Appointed Or I shall command i. e. Effectually move them by Instincts and Inclinations which I shall put into them which shall be as forcible with them as a Law or Command is to Men. God is said to command both Brute-creatures as Amos 9. 3. Ionah 2. 10. and sensless things as Iob 38. 11 12. Psal. 78. 23. Isa. 5. 6. and 45. 12. when he causeth them to do the things which he intends to Effect by them the Ravens m Which he names and chuseth for this Work partly to succour the Prophets Faith against human Infirmity by the credibility of the thing theâ—…e being many Ravens in those parts and those delighting to reside near brooks of Water and that sort of Creatures being apt and accustomed to seek Provisions and to carry them away to the places of their abode and partly to shew his care and power in providing for the Prophet by those Creatures which are noted for their greediness in Monopolizing Provision to themselves and for their Malignity and unnaturalness towards their own young that by this strange and noble experiment he might be taught to trust God in those many and great difficulties to which he was likely to be Exposed Obj. The Ravens were unclean Levit. 11. 15. Answ. They were Unclean for Meat but not for the touch But howsoever that Ceremonial Law was over-ruled by necessity and by the Law-givers Dispensation to feed thee there 5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith that is before Jordan 6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh n Not raw but boiled by the Ministry of some Angel or Man and left in some place or places till the Ravens came for it in all which there is nothing incredible considering the Power and Providence of God in the morning o i. e. For Dinner and Supper according to the custom See Gen. 43. 25. Ruth 2. 14. Luk. 14. 12. Act. 10. 9. 10. and bread and flesh in the evening p Heb. at the end of days i. e. Of a year for so the Word days is oft used as by many in Exod. 13. 10. Levit. 25. 29. Numb 9. 22. Iudg. 17. 10. 1 Sam. 1. 3. and 27. 7. And this seems to be a convenient time for the drying up of the Brook which was gradually dried up And so this agrees well with Chap. 18. 1. in the third year of which see the notes there and he drank of the brook 7 And it came to pass ‡ Heb. at the end of days Gen. 4. 3. and 2 Sam. 14. 26 after a while q that the brook dried up r God so ordering it partly for the Punishment of those Israelites who lived near it and had hitherto been refreshed by it partly for the trial and exercise of Elijah's Faith and to teach him to depend upon God alone not on any Creature for his support and partly to shew his own alsufficiency in providing for his People because there had been no rain in the land 8 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto him saying 9 Arise get thee to * Luk. 4. 26. called Sarepta Zarephath s A City between Tyrus and Sidon called Sarepta by St. Luke Chap. 4. 26. by Pliny and others which belongeth to Zidon t To the jurisdiction of that City which therefore was Inhabited by Gentiles See Luk. 4. 25. And God's providing for his Prophet first by an Unclean Bird and then by a Gentile whom the Iews esteemed Unclean was a notable presage of the Calling of the Gentiles and of the Rejection of the Iews and dwell there behold I have commanded u i. e. Appointed or Provided as before ver 4. for that she had as yet no Revelation or Command of God about it appears from ver 12. a widow-woman there to sustain thee 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath and when he came to the gate of the city behold the widow woman was there gathering of sticks and he called to her x Knowing by Divine suggestion that this was the woman designed and said Fetch me I pray thee a little water in a vessel that I may drink 11 And as she was going to fetch it he called to her and said Bring me I pray thee a morsel of bread in thine hand y Which he said onely to try her and to make way for what follows 12 And she said As the LORD thy God liveth z By which she discovers That though she was a Gentile yet she owned the God of Israel as the True God I have not a cake but an handful of meal in a barrel and a little oyl in a cruse and behold I am gathering two sticks a i. e. A few sticks that number being oft used indefinitely for any small number both in Scripture as Hos. 6. 2. and
Heathen Authors as Porphyrius Plutarch and others and partly to oblige the Israelites to quit the siege out of compassion or as despairing to Conquer at least without greater loss of men than it was worth him who was resolved to defend himself and City to the utmost extremity that should have reigned in his stead and * Amos 2. 1. offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall y That the besiegers might see it and be moved by it and there was ‡ Heb. great repentance upon Israel great indignation against Israel z Or great trouble or repentance upon Israel i. e. the Israelitish King and people who was the first cause of the War and had brought the rest into confederacy with him were greatly afflicted and grieved for this barbarous action and resolved to prosecute the War no further and so withdrew their Forces as also did their Allies and returned to their several Homes Which they were the more willing to do because the Kingdom and Countrey of Moab were so ruinated both as to their Men and Cities or Villages and Lands that they were all secure of any great annoyance from it and they departed from him and returned to their own land CHAP. IV. NOw there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets a Who though they were wholly devoted to Sacred employment were not excluded from Marriage no more than the Priests and Levites unto El sha saying Thy servant my husband is dead and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD b His poverty therefore was not procured by his idleness or prodigality or rather wickedness but by his Piety because he would not comply with the Kings way of worship and therefore lost all worldly advantages and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bond-men c Either to use them as his slaves or to sell them to others according to his Law Of which see Exod. 21. 2. Levit. 25. 39. Isa. 50. 1. Matth. 18. 25. 2 And Elisha said unto her What shall I do for thee d How shall I relieve thee who am my self poor Tell me what hast thou in the house e Which may contribute to the Payment of thy Debts or at least to the satisfaction of thy Creditors who may perchance deal favourably with thee through my persuasion And she said Thine hand-maid hath not any thing in the house save a pot of oil f Which was useful for divers things about the Service of God and health or delight or ornament and other uses of men See Iudg. 9. 9. 3 Then he said Go borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours even empty vessels ‖ Or 〈◊〉 not borrow not a few 4 And when thou art come in thou shalt shut the door upon thee g Partly that none may hinder thee from minding thy work of filling and removing the Vessels which will require attention and diligence partly that thou alone maist enjoy the benefit of it partly lest any of thy Creditors should break in upon thee and seize upon thy borrowed Vessels before they are filled partly that thy mind being freed from distraction may be wholly employed in Prayer and Praising of God and partly that it may be manifest that this is the work of God alone and upon thy sons and shalt pour out h Out of the Pot in which God multiplied the Oil from time to time into all those vessels and thou shalt set aside that which is full 5 So she went from him and shut the door upon her and upon her sons who brought the vessels to her and she poured out 6 And it came to pass when the vessels were full that she said unto her son i To one of them for she had two v. 1. Bring me yet a vessel And he said unto her There is not a vessel more And the oil stayed k To teach us that we should not waste any of Gods Good Creatures and that God would not work Miracles unnecessarily 7 Then she came and told the man of God and he said Go sell the oil and pay thy ‖ Or creditor debt and live thou and thy children of the rest l First do Justice to others and then take care of thy self and Children 8 ¶ And ‡ Heb. there was a day it â—…ell on a day that Elisha passed to Shunem m A City in Issachar near Mount Carmel Ios. 19. 17 18. whither the Prophet frequently went where was a great woman n For Estate or Birth and Quality See Gen. 24. 35. 1 Sam. 25. 2. and she ‡ Heb. laid â—…old on him constrained him o By her importunate desire to eat bread p To take his repast there And so it was that as oft as he passed by he turned in thither to eat bread 9 And she said unto her husband Behold now I perceive that this is an holy man of God q A Prophet as Iudg. 13. 6. and that of eminent Holiness by our kindness to whom we shall procure a blessing to our selves which passeth by us continually 10 Let us make a little chamber I pray thee on the wall r That he may be free from the noise of Family-business and enjoy that privacy which I perceive he desireth for his Prayers and Meditations and let us set for him there a bed and a table and a stool and a candlestick s He will not be troublesome or thargeable to us he cares not for rich Furniture or costly Entertainment and is content with bare necessaries and it shall be when he cometh to us that he shall turn in thither 11 And it fell on a day that he came thither and he turned into the chamber and lay there 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant Call this Shunammite And when he had called her she stood before him s i. e. Before the Prophet in the door of his Chamber as it is said ver 15. The relation seems to be a little perplexed but may be thus conceived It is in this Verse recorded in the general That the Prophet sent Gehazi to call her and that the came to him upon that call then follows a particular description of the whole business with all the circumstances first of the message with which Gehazi was sent when he went to call her and of her answer to that message ver 13. and of Gehazi's conjecture thereupon ver 14. and then of her coming to the Prophet at his call which is there repeated to make way for the following passages 13 And he said ‖ Or had said unto him Say now unto her Behold thou hast been careful for us with all this care What is to be done for thee t Where with shall I recompence all thy care and kindness to me and my Servant Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king or to the captain
most probable and they went to their master So the bands of Syria came no more f Either 1. In such a manner to wit in small Bands or Companies which might be Entrapped as these had been but their next Attempt was by an open and solemn War and a Conjunction of all their Forces which they still ridiculously conceited would be too hard for the King and Prophet and God of Israel notwithstanding their multiplied Experiences to the contrary Or 2. For some considerable time until the Terror of these Examples was got out of their minds into the land of Israel 24 ¶ And it came to pass after this that Benhadad king of Syria g He whom Ahab wickedly and foolishly spared 1 King 20. 42. who now comes to requite Ahab's kindness and to fulfil that Divine Prediction Benhadad was a name very frequent among the Kings of Syria 1 King 15. 18 c. and Chap. 13. 24. 2 King 13. 3 24. If not common to them all See Ier. 49. 27. Amos 1. 4. gathered all his host and went up and besieged Samaria 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria and behold they besieged it until an asses head was sold for fourscore pieces h Supposed to be Shekels and the common Shekel being valued at fifteen pence of English Money this amounts to five pounds A vast price especially for that which had on it so little Meat and that unwholsome and unclean by Law Levit. 11. 13. though necessity might seem to excuse their violation of that Law of silver and the fourth part of a kab i A measure containing 24 Eggs. of doves dung k Which they used not for Fire for he is speaking here onely of the scarcity of Food but for Food Which if it seem incredible it must be considered First That Famine hath constrained People to eat things as improper and unfit for nourishment as this as dry Leather and Mans Dung as is implied Isa. 36. 12. and affirmed by grave Historians Secondly That some Creatures do usually eat the Dung of others 3dly That Doves Dung though it be hotter than ordinary might in other respects be fitter for nourishment than other as being made of the best and purest Grains and having some moisture in it c. Fourthly That this Hebrew word being of an obscure and doubtful signification and no where else used may be and is by Learned Men otherwise rendred and understood either first of the Corn which is found in the Crops of Doves or secondly of the Guts and other inwards of Doves or rather thirdly of a sort of cicer or pease which in the Arabick Language which is near a kin to the Hebrew and from which many words are explained is called Doves Dung for this was a Food much in use amongst the poorer Israelites and was by all esteemed a very course Food and therefore fit to be joyned with an Asses head and a kab was the usual Measure of all sorts of Grains and Fruits of that sort for five pieces of silver 26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall l To give necessary order for the Defence of the City against Assaults and to see if the several Guards were watchful and diligent and if his directions were executed and to observe the motions of the Enemy there cried a woman unto him saying Help my lord O king 27 And he said ‖ Or Let 〈◊〉 the Lord save thee If the LORD do not help thee m Or let not God help thee as some both ancient and late Interpreters render the words So they are words of Impatience and Rage and a formal Curse wishing that God would not help her as he could not as Iosephus amongst others understand it which agrees too well with the Character of the Man an Infidel and Idolater and a wicked Man and at this time in a great Rage as appears from ver 31. Or they may be rendred thus No as this Hebrew Particle is sometimes used as Iob 20. 17. Psal. 34. 5. and 41. 2. and 50. 3. Prov. 3. 3 25. and 31. 4. let the Lord help thee So it may be taken Either First As a direction No do not cry to me but to God for help God help thee for I cannot Or rather Secondly As a prophane scoff No come not to me but go to him to whom Elisha directs you Pray to the Lord you see how ready he is to help you by his suffering you to come to this extremity wait upon God for relief as Elisha adviseth me but I will wait no longer for him ver 33. and I will take a course with Elisha for thus abusing both me and my people with vain hopes Or thus the Lord on whom forsooth thou and I are commanded to wait for help will not help thee as he could easily do and would do if he were so good as Elisha pretends whence then shall I help thee whence shall I help thee out of the barn-floor or out of the wine-press n Dost thou ask of me Corn or Wine which I want for my self 28 And the king said unto her What aileth thee And she answered This woman said unto me Give thy son that we may eat him to day and we will eat my son to morrow 29 So * Deut. 28. 53 57. we boiled my son and did eat him o A dreadful Judgment threatned to them in case of their Apostacy Deut. 28. 56 57. in which they were now deeply plunged Compare Ezek. 5. 10. and I said unto her on the ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 next day Give thy son that we may eat him and she hath hid her son p Either that she might eat him alone or rather that she might save him from Death her Bowels yearning towards him and her hunger being in great measure satisfied 30 ¶ And it came to pass when the king heard the words of the woman that he rent his clothes q Partly in Grief for such an horrid Fact and partly through Indignation at the Prophet ver 31. and he passed by upon the wall and the people r Who were in great numbers upon the Wall either to defend the City or rather to seek for relief from the Soldiers for whose Provisions the King doubtless took special care as it was necessary for the preservation of the place looked and behold he had sackcloth within upon his flesh s Under his inner Garments in token of his sorrow and with a pretence of humiliation which he would shew by outward signs as his Father Ahab had done not without some advantage to himself 1 King 21. 27 28 29. 31 Then he said * Ruth 1. 17. God do so and more also to me if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day t If I do not this day take his head and life This wretched and partial Prince overlooks his own great and various sins and
very young when his Father was slain and the people were not agreed to restore him to his right till his 16th Year chap. 14. 21. 2 Chr. 26. 1. And yet these 11 or 12 Years of inter-Reign in which he was excluded from the exercise of his Regal office some think to be included in those 52 Years which are here ascribed to Azariah's Reign ver 2. which may well be doubted ‡ Heb. reigned began Azariah b Called also Uzziah here and v. 13 30. son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign c Solely and fully to exercise his Regal power 2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign and he reigned two and fifty years d Besides the sixteen Years of his minority last mentioned in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem 3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Amaziah had done e i. e. In the same manner unsincerely and but for a time 4 Save that f Understand this as howbeit chap. 14. 4. the high places were not removed the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places 5 ¶ And the LORD * 2 Chr. 26. 19. smote the king so that he was a leper g The cause whereof see 2 Chron. 26. 16. unto the day of his death and dwelt in a several house h Separated from conversation with others by vertue of that Law Lev. 13. 46. which being the Law of the King of kings bound kings no less than subjects and Jotham the kings son was over the house judging the people of the land i i. e. He governed the Kings Court and whole Kingdom in his name and as his Vicegerent 6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah and all that he did are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah 7 So Azariah slept with his fathers and * 2 Chr. â—…6 〈◊〉 they buried him with his fathers in the city of David and Jotham his son reigned in his stead 8 ¶ In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah k Of which see the Note on ver 2. did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months 9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD as his fathers had done he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh l One of his chief Captains conspired against him and * Job 34. â—…6 Amos 7. 9. smote him before the people m Openly and impudently which he presumed to do either because he remembred that the promise of the Kingdom made to Iehu was confined to the fourth Generation chap. 10. 30. which he observed to be now expired or because he perceived that the people were generally disaffected to their King and favourable to his attempt and slew him and reigned in his stead 11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah behold they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 12 This was * Chap 〈◊〉 the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu saying Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation And so it came to pass 13 ¶ Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calâ—…ed 〈◊〉 Uzziah king of Judah and he reigned ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 of days a full month in Samaria 14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah and came to Samaria and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and slew him and reigned in his stead 15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum and his conspiracy which he made behold they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 16 ¶ Then Menahem smote Tiphsah n Either that Tiphsah mentioned 1 King 4. 24. or another City of that name and all that were therein and the coasts thereof from Tirzah o i. e. All the people dwelling between Tirzah and Tiphsah because they opened not to him p Because they refused to open the Gates of their City to him and to submit to him as Conqueror therefore he smote it and all * Chap. 〈◊〉 the women therein that were with child he ript up q That by this example of severity he might affright all the rest of the people into obedience 17 In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel and reigned ten years in Samaria 18 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 19 And * 1 Chr. 〈◊〉 Isa. 9. 1. Pul the king of Assyria r Called by Heathen Anâ—…hors Pul-Belochus who by the help of Arbaces the Mede vanquished Sardanapalus the last Monarch of Assyria and translated the Kingdom to Chaldaea and was the first King of Babylon and Assyria Arbaces being made King of the Medes and Persians came against the land s To wit of Israel as the context shews and Menahem gave t i. e. Agreed or promised to give as the next Verse explains it Pul a thousand talents of silver that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand u That he might assist him against all that did or should oppose him By which it appears that his cruelty to Tiphsah was so far from establishing him as he expected that it weakned and endangered him so far that he was forced to call in a Foreign Prince to his aid 20 And Menahem ‡ Heb. caused to come forth exacted the money of Israel even of all the mighty men of wealth of each man x i. e. Of each of those wealthy Israelites But as each of these were not equally Wealthy so it is not probable that he taxed them equally Others therefore render it to or for each man i. e. for every Assyrian Soldier which Interpretation is favoured by the placing of the words in the Hebrew Text which differs from that in our Translation fifty shekels of silver to give to the king of Assyria so the king of Assyria turned back and stayed not there in the land 21 ¶ And the rest of the acts of Menahem and all that he did are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 22 And Menahem slept with his fathers and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead 23 ¶ In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria and reigned two years 24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam
unto thee 9. Who knoweth not in all these q Or by all these Brute-creatures that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this r That God by his power and wisdom hath created and ordered all this which is in them or is done by and among them 10. * Num. 16. 22. In whose hand s i. e. At whose absolute disposal it is to give it or take it away when and how it seemeth good to him is the ‖ Or life soul t The Life or the Soul the Principle of Life of every living thing u i. e. Of all unreasonable Creatures of which he spoke v. 7. opposed to man in the last words and the breath x Or the spirit as that word is commonly used i. e. the Immortal Soul which is no less a Creature and in Gods power to dispose of it than the Animal Soul of unreasonable Creatures of †Heb. all flesh of man all mankind 11. * Chap. 34. 3. Doth not the ear try words and the †Heb. pâ—…late Chap. 6. 30. mouth tast his meat y As the Mouth tasteth and thereby judgeth of Meats and as it liketh or disliketh so it receiveth or rejecteth what is put into it so it is the Office of the Ear or rather of the Mind which hears and receives the Opinions and Discourses of others by the Ear not rashly to approve or condemn every thing which it hears but diligently and thoroughly to search and try whether it be true and so to be embraced or false and to be rejected Interpreters are much puzzled about the connexion and design of these words But they seem to be either 1. An Apology for himself why he did not comply with their Opinion and Arguments because they did not suit with his Ear or Mind and though he had considered and tried them he could not discern any weight in them Or rather 2. a Reproof to his Friends that they did so hastily condemn his Person and his Doctrine without a strict and serious enquiry Or 3. a Preface to his following Discourse whereby he invites them to hear and judge of his Words and Arguments more candidly and impartially and not to scorn all that he said because of his present poverty and misery as men aâ—…â—…ase use to do nor to cast away the good for any mixture of bad with it but calmly to weigh and debate things both within and among themselves and with him that they and he too might all agree in disallowing whatsoever should appear to be false and owning of every truth 12. With the ancient is Wisdom and in length of days Understanding z These words contain a concession of what Bildad had said ch 8. 8 9. and a joining with him in that appeal but withal an intimation that this Wisdom was but sinite and imperfect and liable to many mistakes and indeed meer Ignorance and Folly if compared with the divine Wisdom of which he speaks in the next and following Verses And therefore that antiquity which they pretended for their Opinion ought not to be received against the Oracles or Truths of the eternal and most wise God 13. ‖ That is with God With him a i. e. With God the Relative being put for the Antecedent which is easily and necessarily understood out of the scope of the place and all the following Verses is Wisdom b Perfect Wisdom is only in him and all Wisdom in the World cometh from him who giveth to old or young as iâ—… pleaseth him The ancient are not wise without his Giâ—… and Gâ—…ce and with that a younger Man may be wiser than the Ancients 〈◊〉 David was Psal. 119. 100. and strength he hath Counsel and Understanding c Counsel i. e. Practical Wisdom to guide all the Affairs of the World and Understanding or a speculative knowledge of all persons and things Chap. 36. 5. 14. Behold he * Chap. 11. 10. breaketh down d To wit Houses Castles Cities which God designeth to destroy utterly and it cannot be built again he ‖ 〈◊〉 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. shutteth †Heb. upon up e If he will shut up a man in Prison or in any straits or troubles a man and there can be no opening f Without Gods Permission and Providence 15. Behold he withholdeth the waters g Which are reserved in the Clouds that they may not fall upon the Earth and they h i. e. The Waters upon the Earth Ponds and Springs and Brooks and Rivers dry up also he sendeth them out and they overturn the Earth 16. With him is strength and Wisdom i He doth the things here mentioned in the foregoing and succeeding Verses and that both powerfully so as no Creature can resist and hinder him and wisely so as none can prevent and over-reach him The same thing he had said before v. 13. but he repeats it here to prepare the way for the following events which are eminent Instances both of his Power and Wisdom the deceived and the deceiver are his k i. e. From or by him and wholly subject to his disposal That one man deceiveth another and that the other is deceived by him either in Divine or Civil and Worldly things which seem to be principally intended here by comparing the following Verses this is from God and by the conduct of his wise and powerful Providence God giveth to the deceiver more Wit and Knowledge and Art and withal opportunity and all favourable Circumstances for his deceit He also gives less Understanding to the deceived and withdraws from him either wholly or in part that common light of discretion which is his free Gift and he may justly give or take away as he pleaseth and leaves him to his own Ignorance and Errour Pride and Self-conceit and to all those Prejudices Passions and Lusts which commonly corrupt mens Minds and to the Power and Crafts of Satan that grand deceiver He governs the Deceiver and sets bounds to his Deceits to whom and when and how far they shall extend as is manifest from Deut. 13. 1. 1 King 22. 20. Isa. 19. 14. Ezek. 14. 9. Mat. 24. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 11. Rev. 20. 3 8. He also over-rules all this to his own Glory and the accomplishment of his righteous Designs of trying the good and punishing wicked men by giving them up to believe Lies Yet God is not the cause or Author of any error or sin but only the wise and holy Governour and Disposer of it 17. He leadeth Counsellors away spoiled l The wise Counsellors or Statesmen by whom the affairs of Kings and Kingdoms are ordered he leadeth away as Captives in triumph being sâ—…oiled either of that Wisdom which they had or seemed or pretended to have or of that Power and dignity which they had enjoyed and maketh the Judges Fools m Partly by discovering their Folly and partly by infatuating their