†Heb. found us befallen us u All the wandrings and afflictions of our parents and of us their children which doubtless have come to thine ears 15 How our fathers went down into Egypt and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time and the Egyptians vexed us and our fathers 16 And * Exod. 3. 7. when we cryed unto the LORD he heard our voice and sent an angel x To wit the Angel of the covenant Christ Jesus who first appeared to Moses in the bush Exod. 3. 2. and afterward in the cloudy pillar who conducted Moses and the people out of Egypt and thorough the wilderness as appears from Exod. 14. 19. and 23. 20. and 33. 14. 1 Cor. 10. 4. For though Moses may be called an Angel or messenger a title given to Phinehas Iudg. 2. 1. and to the Prophets 2 Chrâ—…n 36. 16. and to Haggai Hag. 1. 13. yet it is not probable that he is meant partly because Moses was the person that sent this message partly because there was no reason why he should express himself by such a dark and doubtful title to them and partly because another angel besides and above Moses did conduct them and the mention hereof to the Edomites was likely to give more authority and efficacy to their present message and hath brought us forth out of Egypt and behold we are in Kadesh y i. e. Near the city Kadâ—…sh the particle in being oft so used as we have shewed a city in the uttermost of thy border 17 Let us pass I pray thee through thy coâ—…ntrey we will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards neither will we drink of the water of the wells z Or pits which any of you have digged for your private use to wit without paying for it ver 19. Deut. 2. 6. but onely of the waters of common rivers which are free to all passengers and will not be prejudicial to thee we will go by the kings high-way we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed thy borders 18 And Edom said unto him Thou shalt not pass by me a i. e. Through my country as thou desirest I will not suffer thee to do so which was an act of common policy to secure themselves from so numerous an host lest I come out against thee with the sword 19 And the children of Israel said unto him b i. e. Their messengers replyed unto them what here follows We will go by the high-way and if I and my cattel drink of thy water then I will pay for it c For water was a scarce commodity in those parts I will onely without doing any thing else go through on my feet 20 And he said Thou shalt not go through And Edom came out against him with much people and with a strong hand 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border d But permitted them to go by their border Deut. 2. 4 8. Iudg. 11. 18. and furnished them with victuals for their money Deut. 2. 29. wherefore Israel turned away from him e According to Gods command Deut. 2. 5. 22 And the children of Israel even the whole congregation journeyed from * chap. 33. 37. Kadesh and came unto mount Hor f Whose inhabitants were thence called Horims Deut. 2. 12. and Esau the Horite Gen. 36. 20. 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor by the coast of the land of Edom saying 24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel because ye rebelled against my †Heb. mouth word g This was one but not the onely reason God would not have Moses and Aaron to carry the people into Canaan for this reason also to signifie the insufficiency of the Mosaical law and Aaronical Priesthood to make them perfectly happy and the necessity of a better and so to keep the Israelites from resting in them so as to be taken off from their expectation of Christ and from the entertainment of him when he should come at the water of Meribah 25 * chap. 33. 38. Deut. 32. 50. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up unto mount Hor 26 And strip Aaron of his garments h To wit of his Priestly garments Exod. 28. 2. Levit. 8. 7 8 9. in token of his resignation of his office See the like Isa. 22. 15 19 20 21. and put them upon Eleazar his son i By way of admission and inauguration of him to his office and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people and shall die there 27 And Moses did as the LORD commanded and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation k That their hearts might be more affected with their loss of so great a pillar and that they all might be witnesses of the translation of the Priesthood from Aaron to Eleazar and therefore might give him the honour due to him 28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his son and * Deut. 10. 6. 32. 50. Aaron died there l To wit in mount Hor. Obj. He died in Mosera Deut. 10. 6. Ans. Mosera was the general name of the place where that station was and mount Hor is a particular place in it where he died and was buried also Deut. 10. 6. in the top of the mount and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount 29 And when all the congregation saw m i. e. Understood by the relation of Moses and Eleazar and by other signs So seeing is used Gen. 42. 1. Act. 7. 12. that Aaron was dead they mourned for Aaron thirty dayes n The time of publick and solemn mourning for great persons See Deut. 34. 8. even all the house of Israel CHAP. XXI 1 AND when * chap. 33. 40. †Heb. the Canaanite king of Arad Josh. 12. 14. Judg. 1. 16. King Arad the Canaanite a Or rather the Canaanite King of Arad for Arad is not the name of a man but of a city or territory as may seem from Ios. 12. 14. Iudg. 1. 16. if at least this was the same place with that And he seems to be called a Canaanite in a general sence as the Amorites and others sometimes are which dwelt in the south b To wit of Canaan as appears from Numb 33. 40. towards the east and near the dead Sea heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies c Not of those spies which Moses sent to spie the land Numb 13. 17. for that was done 38 years before this and they went so privately that the Canaanites took no notice of them nor knew which way they came or went but of the spies which he himself sent out to observe the marches and motions of the Israelites But the words
Be it so that I have slain a man and that a young man why do you concern your selves in it It is to my own wounding and hurt not to yours I must suffer for it not you Some take this to be a sorrowful confession of his bloody crime q. d. I have murdered a man to my wounding c. i. e. to my utter ruine or to the wounding and grief of my Heart and Conscience But this seems not to agree either with the quality of Cains Family or with the temper of Lamechs Person or with the scope of the Holy Ghost in this place which is to describe not the vertues but the crimes of that wicked race According to the Marginal Translation the sense may be this fear not for me for if any man though in his youth and strength should assault me and give me the first wound he should pay dearly for it and though I were wounded and weakned the remainders of my strength would be sufficient to give him his deaths wound The words also may be otherwise rendred the particle chi being taken interrogatively as it is Isa. 29. 6. and 36. 19. and elsewhere Have I slain a man to my wounding and or or a young man to my hurt i. e. that thereby I should deserve such a mortal wound or hurt to be inflicted upon me by way of retaliation You have therefore no cause of fear either for my sake or for your own 24. If Cain shall be avenged o If the slaughter of Cain shall be punished in him that shall kill him whosoever he be seven-fold truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold p i. e. My death shall be much more certainly and severely revenged by God upon any man that shall murder me These words may be either 1. A profane scoffe q. d. Since Cain my Father and pattern in murther was so far from being punished by the hand of God that he had a special protection from him that no man should dare to touch him I whose murther is not so hainous as his was shall not fare worse than he and therefore have no reason to fear either God or Men. Or 2. An argument or ground of his security q. d. I am not onely secured by my own puissance but by God's Providence which certainly will be more watchful over me who have not committed any such horrid crime than over him that killed his own innocent Brother 25. And Adam knew his Wife again and she bare a Son and called his name †Heb. Sheth Seth q She gave the name but not without Adams consent Gen. 5. 3. For God said she r By divine inspiration hath appointed me another seed s Note that the word Seed is used of one single person here and Gen. 21. 13. and 38. 8. Which confirms the Apostles argument Gal. 3. 16. in stead of Abel t To succeed his Father Adam as Abel should have done in the Priesthood and Administration and care of Holy things in the Church of God whom Cain slew 26. And to Seth to him also there was born a Son and he called his name †Heb. Enosh Enos u Which properly signifies a miserable man to note the great wickedness and wretchedness of that Generation which the Hebrew Writers generally observe then began men ‖ Or to call themselves by the name of the Lord. to call upon the Name of the LORD x To pray unto God to Worship God in a more publick and solemn manner Praying being here put for the whole Worship of God as Gen. 12. 8. and 26. 25. and in many other places According to the marginal version the sense is this Then when the World was universally corrupt and had forsaken God and his service good men grew more valiant and zealous for God and did more publickly and avowedly own God and began to distinguish and separate themselves from the ungodly World and to call themselves and one another by the Name of God i. e. the Sons Servants or Worshippers of God as they are expresly called and that as it seems upon this occasion Gen. 6. 2. And in this sense this phrase is elsewhere taken as Isa. 43. 7. and 44. 5. and 65. 1. Some render the place thus Then began Men to profane the name i. e. the Worship of the Lord by Idolatry or Superstition But this seems neither to agree with the Hebrew phrase nor to suit with this place where he speaks of the posterity of Seth who were the Holy Seed and only Church of God then in the World CHAP. V. 1. THis is the * 1 Chron. 1. 1. book a i. e. The List or Catalogue as this word is taken Nehem. 7. 5. Matth. 1. 1. as it is also put for any short writing as for a bill of Divorce as Deut. 24. 1 2. of the Generations of Adam b i. e. His posterity begotten by him the word being passively used But he doth not here give a compleat list of all Adams Children but only of his godly Seed which preserved true Religion and the Worship of God from Adam to the Flood and from whose Loins Christ came Luke 3. In the day that God Created Man c This is here repeated to note the different way of the production of Adam and of his posterity his was by creation from God theirs by Generation from their Parents in the likeness of God made he him d See Gen. 26. 27. 2. Male and Female created he them e See Gen. 1. 26. Math. 19. 4. Mark 10. 6. and blessed them f With power to propagate their kind and with other blessings See Gen. 1. 28. and called their Name Adam g Which name is given both to every man as Gen. 9. 6. Psal. 49. 20. and to the first man as Gen. 2. 23. and to the whole kind both the Man and the Woman who are called by one name to shew their intimate Union and Communion in all things in the day when they were created 3. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years h After he was created in which time he begat other Sons and Daughters as appears from what was said before and begat a Son in his own likeness after his image i Either 1. In regard of the natural frame of his Body and Soul But this was so evident of it self that the mention of it had been frivolous Nor is there any reason why that should be said of Seth rather thâ—…n of Cain or Abel Or 2. In regard of his corruption q. d. a weak sinful mortal man like himself For Adams image is here plainly opposed to the likeness of God wherein Adam is said to be created ver 1. And this is fitly said of Seth to signifie that although he was a worthy and good man and Adam excepted the most eminent person of the whole Church of God yet he no less than wicked Cain was begotten and born in sin
forty years with the wonderful raising up of Moses who together with Aaron were to be instruments of their deliverance and accordingly after the inflicting ten dreadful Plagues upon Pharaoh brought them into the Wilderness through the Red Sea wherein Pharaoh his heart being hardned under all these Plagues and all his host pursuing of them were drowned God having first instituted the Passeover as an abiding Sacrament to bring to their remembrance in after times this great deliverance In their conduct through the Wilderness God gave them the signal mark of his presence in the pillar of a Cloud and the pillar of fire who notwithstanding their great and reiterated murmurings gave them food both bread and flesh from Heaven and drink out of the rock and when they were come to mount Sinai he there gave them the Moral Law beside other both Politick and Ecclesiastical Ordinances Afterwards the breaking of the Tables being occasioned by the Idolatry of the golden Calf God graciously renewed his Covenant with them There being also a Tabernacle and Ark and other things to be made by God's command the bounty of the People in order to the making and furnishing thereof is here set down which being finished the Tabernacle is anointed and filled with the glory of God CHAP. I. 1 NOW these are the names of the * Gen. 46. 8. Exod. 6. 14. children of Israel which came into Egypt a This list is here repeated that by comparing this small root with so vast a company of branches as grew upon it we may see the wonderful Providence of God in the fulfilling of his promises every man and his houshold b His Children and Grandchildren as the word house is taken Ruth 4. 11. 2 Sam. 7. 11. 1 King 21. 29. came with Jacob. 2 Reuben Simeon Levi and Judah 3 Issachar Zebulun and Benjamin c Who though the youngest of all is placed before Dan Naphtali c. because these were the Sons of the handmaidens 4 Dan and Naphtali Gad and Asher 5 And all the souls that came out of the †Heb. thigh loyns of Jacob were * Gen. 46. 27. seventy souls d Including Iacob and Ioseph and his two Sons See Gen. 46. 26 27. and Deut. 10. 22. Or if they were but sixty nine they are called seventy by a round number of which we shall have many instances for Joseph was in Egypt already 6 And Joseph died and all his brethren and all that generation e i. e. All that were of the same age with Ioseph and his brethren 7 * Act. 7. 17. And the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly and multiplied f Here are many words and some very emphatical to express their incredible multiplication and waxed exceeding mighty g This may relate either to their numbers which greatly added to their strength or to their constitution to note that their off-spring was strong as well as numerous Atheistical wits cavil at this story and pretend it impossible that out of seventy persons should come above six hundred thousand men within two hundred and fifteen years Wherein they betray no less ignorance than impiety For to say nothing of the extraordinary fruitfulness of the Women in Egypt who oft bring forth four or five Children at one birth as Aristot. notes Hist. animal 7. 4. nor of the long lives of the men of that age nor of the plurality of Wives then much in use nor of the singular blessing of God upon the Hebrews in giving them Conceptions and Births without Abortion All which are but very reasonable suppositions the probability of it may plainly appear thus suppose there were only 200 years reckoned and onely fifty persons who did beget Children and these begin not to beget before they be twenty years old and then each of them beget onely three Children Divide this time now into ten times twenty years In the first time of 50 come 150. In the second of 150 come 450. Of them in the third come 1350. Of them in the fourth 4050. Of these in the fifth 12150. Of these in the sixth 36450. Of them in the seventh 109350. Of them in the eighth 328050. Of theâ—… in the ninth 984150. And of them in the tenth 2952450. It it be objected that we read nothing of their great multipâ—…tion till after Iosephs death which some say was not above 50 years before their going out of Egypt it may easily be replyed 1. This is a great mistake for there were above 140 years between Iosephs death and their going out of Egypt as may appear thus It is granted that the Israelites were in Egypt about 210 or 215 years in all They came not thither till Ioseph was near 40 years old as is evident by comparing Gen. 41. 46. with Gen. 45. 6. So there rests onely 70 years of Iosephs Life which are the first part of the time of Israels dwelling in Egypt and there remain 145 years being the other part of the 215 years 2. That the Israelites did multiply much before Iosephs death though Scripture be silent in it as it is of many other passages confessedly true cannot be reasonably doubted But if there was any defect in the numbers proposed in the first 55 years it might be abundantly compensated in the 145 years succeeding And so the computation remains good and the land was filled with them 8 Now there arose up a new King g i. e. Another King one of another disposition or interest or Family for the Kingdom of Egypt did oft pass from one Family to another as appears from the History of the Dynaâ—…es recorded in antient writers over Egypt which knew h Or acknowledged not the vast obligations which Ioseph had laid not onely upon the Kingdoms of Egypt and the King under whom Ioseph lived but upon all his Successors in regard of those vast additions of wealth and power which he had made to that crown This phrase notes his ungrateful disowning and ill requiting of Iosephs favours For words of knowledge in Scripture commonly include the affections and actions as men are oft said not to know God when they do not love nor serve him and God is said not to know men when he doth not love them not Joseph 9 And he said unto his people * Psal. 105. 24. Behold the people of the children of Israel are moe and mightier than we i This was not a true but an invidious representation and aggravation of the matter the better to justifie the severities which he designed 10 Come on * Act. 7. 19. let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to pass that when there falleth out any war k Which was not unusual in that countrey they joyn also unto our enemies and fight against us and so get them up out of the land l Which they might easily learn from some of the Hebrews that they were in
Moses or his God 2. Because he thought it an hard and long work to remove so vast a number of frogs and that Moses might use divers Ceremonies as the Magitians did in his addresses to God which would require some considerable time And he said Be it according to thy word that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God 11 And the frogs shall depart from thee and from thy houses and from thy servants and from thy people they shall remain in the river only 12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cryed unto the LORD k Though he was assured that the frogs would depart at his word yet he would use the means appointed by God for the accomplishment of it because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh l Or as the place is fitly rendred by others because of the word or matter of or about the frogs which he had given or propounded to Pharaoh Because he had given his word both for the thing and the time of it he prayed more earnestly lest God should be dishonoured and Pharaoh have occasion of triumph The Hebrew verbs to put and to give are frequently exchanged as appears by comparing 1 King 10. 9. with 2 Chron. 9. 8. and Isa. 42. 1. with Mat. 12. 18. 13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses and the frogs died out of the houses m A short speech for they died and were removed out of c. as appears from the next verse It being frequent in the Hebrew tongue under one verb expressed to understand another agreeable to it See Examples in the Hebrew Gen. 43. 33 34. Exod. 18. 12. and 25. 2. Prov. 25. 22. out of the villages and out of the fields 14 And they gathered them together upon heaps n Which doubtless they cast into their rivers or pits c. though that be not here mentioned God would not instantly and wholly take them away both to convince them of the truth of the miracle and to make them more sensible of this judgment and more fearful of bringing another upon themselves and the land stank 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite * chap. 7. 14. he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 16 And the LORD said unto Moses Say unto Aaron o God it seems gave him no warning because he shewed himself in the very last plague to be both perâ—…idious and incorrigible Others think he was forewarned though that be not here expressed Stretch out thy rod and smite the dust of the land that it may become lice p So the Hebrew word is rendred by all the Iewish and most other Interpreters But it is probable that what is said of the locusts Exod. 10. 14. was true of these that they were much more loathsome and troublesome then ordinary throughout all the land of Egypt 17 And they did so for Aaron stretched out his hand with his roâ—… and smote the dust q Which was not fit matter to produce lice and therefore shews this work to be divine and miraculous of the earth and it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in man and in beast all the dust of the â—…d * i. e. A great part of it the word all being commonly so understood in Scripture 〈◊〉 became lice throughout all the land of Egypt 18 And the Magicians did so r i. e. Indeavoured to do so Thus to enter Mat. 7. 13. is put for striving to enter Luk. 13. 24. Thus men are said to deliver Gen. 37. 21. to fight Ios. 24. 9. to return Ios. 10. 15. when they onely attempted or endeavoured to do so And therefore when it is said in any of the plagues that the Magicians did so it is not to be understood that they really did the same thing but that they indeavoured to do so and that they did something which looked like it with their inchantments to bring forth lice but they could not s It was as easie for them to produce lice as frogs but God hindred them partly to confound them and their devilish arts and to shew that what they did before was onely by his permission and partly to convince Pharaoh and the Egyptians of their vanity in trusting to such impotent Magicians and in opposing that God who could controll and confound them when he pleased so there were lice upon man and upon beast 19 Then the Magicians said unto Pharaoh This is * 1 Sam. 6. 9. the finger t Which is either Synecdochically for the hand as it is Exod. 31. 18. Psal. 8. 3. and 144. 1. or metaphorically for the power or vertue as Luk. 11. 20. compared with Mat. 12. 28. of God u Of that supreme God whom both the Egyptians and other heathen idolaters acknowledged as superiour to all men and Idols and Devils This they said lest they should be thought inferiour to Moses and Aaron in magical art But hereby they own the soveraign God to be on Israels side and yet like the Devils they proceed to fight against him And Pharaohs heart was hardened and he hearkened not unto them x Either to his Magicians of whom he last spake or rather to Moses and Aaron as the following words shew For relatives oft belong to the remoter antecedents as Gen. 19. 13. 1 Sam. 7. 17. Mark 2. 13. as the LORD had said 20 And the LORD said unto Moses Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh lo he cometh forth to the water and say unto him Thus saith the LORD let my people go that they may serve me 21 Else if thou wilt not let my people go behold I will send ‖ Or a 〈◊〉 of noisome beasts c. swarms of flies y Heb. a mixture of insects or flies as appears from Psal. 78. 45. which were of various kinds as bees wasps gnats hornets c. infinite in their numbers and doubtless larger and more venemous and pernicious than the common ones were upon thee and upon thy servants and upon thy people and into thine houses and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies and also the ground whereon they are 22 And * chap. 9. 4 26. and 10. 23. and 12. 13. I will sever in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there to the end that thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth z Either 1. of the wâ—…e earth and consequently of Egypt that I am not oâ—…ly the Lord of Israel but of thee and thy dominions too God is here spoken of after the manner of earthly Princes who use to reside in the midst of their Kingdomes that they may more conveniently rule and influence them Or rather 2. of Goshen the words being properly thus rendred that I the Lord am in the midst of
of parenthesis and now he returns to the story and sets down the last words which Moses spake to Pharaoh for a final parting Thus saith the LORD About Midnight will I go out g God is said to go out or go forth or come down c. by way of condescension to the custom and capacity of men when he doth any eminent act of power either in way of Justice or mercy into the midst of Egypt 5 And all the first-born of the land of Egypt shall die from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne h Either now actually ruling with his father as Solomon did even whilest David lived 1 King 1. 34. or more probably he that is to sit the present time for the future he whose right this is by the custom of Egypt and by the law of Nations even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill i The poor captive slave that was in the prison as it is chap. 12. 29. and there did grind at the Mill. In those times and places they had diverse Mills which were not turned about by wind or water as ours are but by the hands of their servants who for that purpose stood behind the mill and so with hard labour turned it about See Iudg. 16. 21. Isa. 47. 1 2. Lam. 5. 13. and all the first-born of beasts 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt such as there was none like it nor shall be like it any more 7 * chap. 8. 22. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue k In stead of those loud cries of the Egyptian families there shall be so great a tranquillity among the Israelites that even the dogs which are sensible of and awaked and provoked by the least noise shall not be stirred up by them against man or beast that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel 8 And * ch 12. 31 33. all these thy servants l Thy Courtiers and great Officers who now are so insolent and obstinate shall come down unto me ‖ Both by their own inclination and necessity and in thy name and by thy command and bowe down themselves unto me saying Get thee out and all the people that †Heb. that is at thy feet follow thee m That are under thy conduct and command as this or the like expression is used Iudâ—… 4. 1â—… 1 King 20. 1â—… 2 King 3. 9. Isa. 41. 2. and after that I will go out and he went out from Pharaoh in †Heb. heat of anger a great anger n Not so much for the affront offered to himself as for his incurable rebellion against God Compare Mark 3. 5. 9 And * chap. 3. 19. the LORD said unto Moses Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that * chap. 7. 3. my wonders may be multiplyed in the land of Egypt 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh and the LORD hardened Pharaohs heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land CHAP. XII 1 AND the LORD spake a Had spoken before the three days darkness as may appear by comparing ver 3. and 6. of this chapter with chap. 11. 4. And the mention of it was put off by him till this place aswell that he might not interrupt the history of all the plagues as that he might give the whole institution of the Passeover together unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying 2 This month b The first moneth after the vernal Equinox called Abib Exod. 13. 4. and 23. 1â—… Deut. 16. 1. and Nisan Neh. 2. 1. Esth. 3. 7. containing part of our March and part of April shall be unto you the beginning c Heb. the head which I conceive notes not so much the order which is more plainly mentioned in the following words as the eminency of it that it shall be accounted the chief and principal of all moneths as the Sabbath hath been called by some the queen of days And justly must they prefer this moneth before the rest whether they looked backward to their prodigious deliverance from Egypt therein or forward to their spiritual redemption by Christ and to the acceptable year of the Lord Luk. 4. 19. for in this very moneth our Lord Jesus suffered Ioh. 18. 28. of months it shall be the first month of the year unto you d Heretofore your first moneth for all affairs hath been Tisri which in part answers to our September and is the first moneth after the Autumnal Equinox and so it shall be to you still as to civil affairs as it appears from Exod. 23. 16. and 34. 22. and Levit. 25. 8 9 10. but as to Sacred and Ecclesiastical matters this shall henceforth be your first moneth 3 Speak ye unto all the Congregation of Israel saying in the tenth day e Partly that they might have the lamb ready for the Sacrifice and might not be distracted about procuring it when they should be going to use it partly that by the frequent contemplation of the lamb as a sign appointed by God they might have their saith strengthned as to their approaching deliverance and afterwards might have their minds quickned to the more serious consideration of that great deliverance out of Egypt and of that more glorious deliverance from Hell by Christ the true Passeover which should be offered for them partly to teach the Church in all ages how necessary a thing preparation is to the solemn duties and exercises of Religion and partly to signifie that Christ should be first set apart and separated to the Ministry which was done 3 or 4 Prophetical days i. e. years before his death and afterwards offered Most of which reasons being perpetual it may seem this usage was so too and not for the first passeover onely of this month they shall take to them f Into their houses where the Iews tell us he was tied to the beds post every man a lamb g Or Kid ver 5. for the same word signifies both though a lamb was commonly used and a kid onely in case of the want of a lamb and the Chaldee and LXX do almost constantly translate the Hebrew word lamb And Christ is seldom or never typified by a kid but generally by a lamb as he is called Ioh. 1. 29. partly for his innocency meekness patience c. but principally with respect to this 〈◊〉 lamb in stead whereof he was in due time to be offered whence he is called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5. 7. according to the house of their fathers * Or kid a †A â—…amb was to be disposed of to every house or family according to its quantity or the numbers of persons in it as the next verse explains it The several families are called the
and second command concerning the same thing It may rather seem that these are other chains fastened to the breast-plate as it follows whereas those chains ver 14. seem to have been fastened to the ephod to those ouches made in it for that purpose ver 13. And whereas these chains also are fastened in the said ouches ver 25. two several chains may well enough be fastened in divers parts of each of the ouches and there seems to be this difference between the chains those chains mentioned ver 14. are said to be fastened onely at one end even to the ouches of the Ephod whence they might hang down loosely whereas these are manifestly fastened at both ends ver 24 25. of wreathen work of pure gold 23 And thou shalt make upon the breast-plate two rings of gold and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breast-plate 24 And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breast-plate 25 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod before it f i. e. In the fore-part of the Ephod or before him i. e. the High-priest in his fore-part upon his breast 26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold and thou shalt put them upon the two ends g To wit upon the lower ends for there were other rings put upon the upper ends ver 23 24 25. of the breast-plate in the border thereof which is in the side of the ephod inward h i. e. In the inner side of the Ephod under which these rings were hid for the Ephod was double ver 16. 27 And two other rings i To answer the two rings in the breast-plate that by all these the breast-plate might be the better fastened to the Ephod of gold thou shalt make and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath k In the lower part of the ephod or in that part of it which is under the lowest part of the breast-plate towards the forepart thereof l Towards the breast over against the other coupling thereof m i. e. Over against the ouches on the shoulder-pieces where the upper part of the breast-plate was fastened to the Ephod above the curious girdle of the ephod 28 And they shall bind the breast-plate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod and that the breast-plate be not loosed from the ephod 29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breast-plate of judgment upon his heart n Partly to admonish the High-priest of that dear affection he should have to his people and with what ardency he should pray for them and principally to represent the tender compassions of Christ the great high-priest towards his people and how mindful he is of them and of all their concerns even when he is in the holy of holies that is in heaven where he remembers them still and uncessantly intercedes for them when he goeth in unto the holy place o i. e. Into the most holy place the positive degree being put for the superlative for a memorial before the LORD continually 30 And * Deut. 33. 8. Ezra 2. 63. Neh. 7. 65. thou shalt put in the breast-plate of judgement the Urim and the Thummim p The words confessedly signify light or illuminations and perfections which may be understood either of two differing things the one noting the knowledge the other the perfection to wit of vertues and graces which were required in the High-priest and which were in Christ in an eminent degree and from him alone communicated to his people or of one and the same thing noting perfect light or illumination by a figure called Hendyadis oft used in Scripture as Deat 16. 18. Mat. 4. 16. compared with Iob 10. 20. Ioh. 3. 5. Act. 17. 25. compared with Gen. 2. 7. Which may seem probable 1. because the great use of this instrument was to give light and direction in dubious and difficult cases and not to confer any other perfection upon any person 2. because sometimes both these words or things are expressed onely by one of them and that is by Urim Numb 27. 21. 1 Sam. 28. 6. which signifies lights And the name seems to be given from the effect because hence the Israelites had clear light and perfect or certain direction in dark and doubtful matters But the great question is What this Urim and Thummim was and in what manner God answered by it Which God having on purpose concealed from us and not set down the matter or form of it as he hath done of all the other particulars it may seem curiosity and presumption for men solicitously to enquire and positively to determine Many conceive it was nothing else but the twelve precious stones wherein the names of the 12 Tribes were engraven and that the answer of God was composed out of those letters which either shew more brightly or thrust themselves further outward than the rest did Which seems a frivolous and ungrounded conjecture both because all the letters of the Alphabet were not there and so all answers could not be given by them and because it was shut up within the duplicature of the breast-plate and therefore could not be seen by the High-priest and there is not a word to signifie that he was to take it out thence and look upon it but rather the contrary is evident And that this Urim and Thummim are not the same thing with those 12 stones may be easily proved 1 because the stones were set and ingraven in the breast-plate ver 17 21. this was only put into it which is a word of quite different and more loose and large signification and therefore probably doth not design the same thing 2. It is not likely that in such a brief account of the sacred utensils the same command would be repeated again especially in more dark and general words than it was mentioned before And how could Moses now put it in when the workmen had fastened it there before Or why should he be required to put it in the breast-plate when it was fastened to it already and could not without violence be taken from it 3. because the stones were put in by the workmen Exod. 39. 10. the Urim and Thummim by Moses himself Lev. 8. 8. It is objected that where the stones are mentioned there is no mention of Urim and Thummim as Exod. 39. and that where the Urim and Thummim are mentioned there is no mention of the stones as Lev. 8. 8. which shews they were one and the same thing But that is not necessary and there is an evident reason of both those omissions of the former Exod. 39. because he mentions onely those things which were
made by the workmen whereas the Urim and Thummim seems to have been made immediately by God or by Moses with Gods direction of the latter Lev. 8. because the stones are implyed in the breast-plate as a part of it and being fastened to it whereas there he onely mentions what was put in by Moses himself There are other conjectures as that it was the name Jehovah or some visible representations c. But such conjectures are easily denied as affirmed It is therefore more modest and reasonable to be silent where God is silent than to indulge our selves in boundless and groundless fancies It may suffice us to know that this was a singular piece of Divine Workmanship which the High-priest was obliged to wear upon solemn occasions as one of the conditions upon which God engaged to give him answers Which answers God might give to him either by inward suggestion to his mind or by a vocal expression to his ear But which of those ways or whether by any other way it is needless now to search and impossible certainly to discover and they shall be upon Aarons heart when he goeth in before the LORD and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel q A short speech As the testimony is oft put for the ark of the testimony so is the judgment here for the breast-plate of judgment i. e. that breast-plate which declared the judgment or oracle or mind of God to the Israelites in those cases which they brought to the Lord. upon his heart before the LORD continually r i. e. At all times when he shall appear before the Lord in the holy-place 31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod s Not the Ephod it self for that was prescribed before ver 6. but a long and loose robe called the robe of the Ephod because it was worn next under it and was girded about the High-priests body with the curious girdle of the Ephod all of blue 32 And there shall be an hole in the top of it in the midst thereof it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it as it were the hole of an habergeon that it be not rent 33 And beneath upon the ‖ Or Skirts hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates t The figures of Pomegranates but flat and embroidered of blue and of purple and of scarlet round about the hem thereof and bells u By the sound whereof the people might be admonished of the work which the Priest was employed in and thereby be provoked to joyn their affections and devotions with his These pomegranates and bels might note either 1. the qualifications of the Priest who was both to declare or give forth the sound of pure and wholesome doctrine and to adorn his doctrine with the fragrancy and fruitfulness of a good conversation Or 2. The glorious atchievements of Christ who caused the sound of his doctrine to be heard by all men and offered up himself as a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. of gold between them round about 34 A golden bell and a pomegranate a golden bell and a pomegranate upon the hem of the robe round about 35 * Ecclesiastic 45. 9. And it shall be upon Aaron to Minister and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD and when he cometh out that he die not u For his disobedience or carelesness For though the matter might seem small in it self yet it was an errour in Gods worship wherein God is more severe than in other things and it was an errour of the High-priest who had more knowledge of Gods mind herein and was obliged to more care and diligence not onely for himself but for the influence of his bad example upon the people 36 And thou shalt make a plate x Like an half coronet reaching as the Iews say from ear to ear of pure gold and grave upon it like the engravings of a signet HOLINESS TO THE LORD y To mind the Priest of his special consecration to God and of that singular â—…oliress which was required of him as at all times so especially in his approaches to God It might also represent Christ who is called the holy one of God and who is a crowned Priest or both King and Priest 37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace z The words may be rendered thou shalt put it on or bind it as the vulgar renders it with a blue lace to wit upon the mitre as it follows that it may be upon the mitre upon the fore-front of the mitre it shall be 38 And it shall be upon Aarons forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things a Either 1. that he being consecrated to God for this end that he should take care as far as he could that both persons and things presented to God should be holy or agreeable to the mind of God might bear the punishment for any miscarriage committed therein which he could have prevented Or rather 2. that he being an holy person and appointed by God to make a typical reconciliation for the 〈◊〉 of the people and to intercede for them might take away or obtain from God the pardon of their iniquity wherewith even their holy things are defiled if God should severely mark what is amiss in them Which sence the last words of the verse favour And the High-Priest was herein eminently a Type of Christ who properly and truly bare and took away the iniquity of his peoples holy things by his sacrifice and intercession which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts b i. e. Shall separate or consecrate unto God in all their offerings or gifts If there be any thing amiss either in the thing offered or in the manner of offering God upon the Priests intercession will pardon it and it shall be alwayes c i. e. At all times of his solemn appearance before God upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the LORD 39 And thou shalt embroider the coat d This was a loose and large garment made with sleeves worn under the Ephod reaching down to the seet which was girt with a girdle Lev. 8. 7. of fine linen and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen and thou shalt make the girdle of needle-work 40 And for Aarons sons thou shalt make coats e Not of woollen Ezek. 44. 17. but of linnen Exod. 39. 27. These were Ephods 1 Sam. 22. 18. and thou shalt make for them girdles and bonnets shalt thou make for them for glory and for beauty 41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother and his sons with him and * chap. 29. â—… and 30. 30. shalt anoint them and †Heb. fill their hand consecrate them f Heb. fill their hands i. e. present them to God with part
workmen here spoken of but by others How then comes this to be mentioned here Ans. 1. The shew-bread may be here put for the vessels for the receiving of the shew-bread by an usual Metonymy of the adjunct the thing contained put for the thing containing as treasures are put for the place where the treasures are put Psal. 135. 7. Mat. 2. 11. and 12. 35. and the gifts or offerings of God for the treasury where they were put Luk. 21. 4. Hence Tremellius renders this place and the vessels of the shew-bread Obj. All the vessels of the Table are mentioned before of which this was one Ans. It is not unusual after a general expression comprehending all distinctly to name one eminent member of that kind such as this unquestionably was the table being made principally for this use Thus Mark 16. 7. Tell my disciples and Peter Like examples are in 2 Sam. 2. 30. 1 King 11. 1. Psal. 18. the Title Act. 1. 14. and in other Authors And for the particle Vau and which may seem to imply that these were things of another kind and not any vessels of the Table that is oft put for especially as Ios. 2. 1. Mark 16. 7. and so onely notes an eminent thing of the same kind as hath been said Ans. 2. Though God did not prescribe the making of the shew-bread yet he mentions it together with the table Exod. 25. 30. and therefore it is conveniently mentioned with the table in this place also where Moses to shew his exactness and fidelity doth punctually repeat the same things to the people which he had received in command from God In like manner the oil which fed the light of the lamps is mentioned here in the next verse because the lighting of the lamps was prescribed Exod. 25. 37. 14 The candlestick also for the light and his furniture and his lamps with the oil for the light 15 * 〈…〉 And the incense altar and his staves and the anointing oil and the sweet incense and the hanging for the door at the entring in of the Tabernacle 16 * chap. 27. 1. The altar of burnt-offering with his brazen grate his staves and all his vessels the laver and his foot 17 The hangings of the court his pillars and their sockets and the hanging for the door of the court 18 The pins of the tabernacle and the pins of the court and their cords 19 The clothes of service to do service in the holy place the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priests office 20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses 21 And they came every one whose heart stirred him up k i. e. Whose heart being desirous and ready to serve God ingaged his hand to offer what he had to his service and every one whom his spirit made willing and they brought the LORDS offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation and for all his service and for the holy garments 22 And they came both men and women as many as were willing-hearted and brought bracelets and ear-rings l Obj. Aaron had goâ—… these from them for the making of the calf Exod. 32. Ans. Though the generality of the people did then part with their ear-rings yet there was a considerable number who did not as being unsatisfied with that Idolatrous design and it may seem that the women would not part with theirs being more fond of their ornaments than of their Idols See the notes on Exod. 32. 3. and rings and tablets all jewels of gold and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD 23 And every man with whom was found blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen and goats hair and red skins of rams and badgers skins brought them 24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORDS offering and every man with whom was found shittim-wood for any work of the service brought it 25 And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands and brought that which they had spun both of blue and of purple and of scarlet and of fine linnen 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom m This word seems better to agree with the following than with the foregoing word they spâ—… with wisdom i. e. with skill and art spun goats hair 27 And the rulers brought onyx-stones and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breast-plate 28 And * chap. 30. 23. spice and oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense 29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses 30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel See * chap. 31. 2. the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah 31 And he hath filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship 32 And to devise curious works to work in gold and in silver and in brass 33 And in the cutting of stones to set them and in carving of wood to make any manner of cunning work 34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach n To wit others to work under him for the work required many hands and it is a peculiar gift of God to be apt to teach which every skilful man hath not both he and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work of the ingraver and of the cunning workman and of the embroiderer in blue and in purple in scarlet and in fine linen and of the weaver even of them that do any work and of those that devise cunning work CHAP. XXXVI 1 THen wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary a Or of the holy place to wit of the Tabernacle so called by a Prolepsis and Synecdoche according to all that the LORD had commanded 2 And Moses called b God had qualified them before but that is not sufficient without a call Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it 3 And they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary to make it withal And they brought yet unto him free-offerings every morning c Which time they chose as the first and
second year of Asa king of Judah and reigned over Israel two years k Not compleat as appears from v. 28. and 33. 26 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin l i. e. In the worship of the Calves which his Father had made 27 ¶ And Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house m i. e. Of the Tribe which is oft called an house as Iudg. 10. 9. Psal. 135. 20. Hos. 1. 7. of Issachar conspired against him and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon which belonged to the Philistines n Who taking advantage of the division between Israel and Iudah had retaken this Town which belonged to the Tribe of Dan Ios. 19. 44. and belonged to the Levites Ios. 21. 23. upon whose departure to Iudah 2 Chron. 11. 14. the Kings of Israel seized their Towns and Lands to their own use as was noted before which made them so much concerned for this Town to besiege both now and many Years after this time chap. 16. 15. for Nadab and all Isaael laid siege to Gibbethon 28 Even in the third year of Asa n How this agrees with 2 Chron. 16. 1. see in the notes there king of Judah did Baasha slay him o Which he did not to fulfil God's Threatning but onely to advance himself and therefore this is called Murder Chap. 16. 7. and reigned in his stead 29 And it came to pass when he reigned that he smote all the house of Jeroboam he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed until he had destroyed him according unto * Chap. 14. 10. the saying of the LORD q So God over ruled Baasha's ambition and cruelty to fulfil his own Counsel and Prediction which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite p i. e. Any of the Males of that Family See Deut. 20. 16. Iosh. 10. 40. 30 Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned and which he made Israel sin r So that same wicked Policy which he used to Establish the Kingdom in his Family proved his and their Ruine which is very frequently the event of ungodly Counsels by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger 31 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel * See above 14 19. 32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days 33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah * And reigned twenty and four years 34 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin CHAP. XVI THen the word of the LORD came to Jehu a A Prophet of whom see more 2 Chron. 19. 2. and 20. 34. the son of Hanani b Who also was a Prophet 2 Chron. 16. 7. against Baasha saying 2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust c Out of a low and mean Estate See 1 Sam. 2. 8. Psal. 113. 7. Quest. How is Baasha's Exaltation to the Kingdom ascribed to God when he got it by treachery and cruelty Answ. Though that way or manner of Invading the Kingdom was from himself and his own wicked heart yet the Translation of the Kingdom from Nadab to Baasha simply considered was from God who by his Decree and Providence ordered it and disposed of all occasions and of the hearts of all the Soldiers and People so that Baasha should have opportunity of Executing God's Judgment upon Nadab and such success thereupon that he should get a present and quiet Possession of the Kingdom Nay the very act of Baasha to wit the Killing of his Master Nadab was an act of Divine Justice foretold and appointed by God Chap. 14. 10. And if Baasha had done this in obedience to God's Command and with a single Design to Execute God's Vengeance threatned against him it had been no more a Sin than Iehu's act in Killing his Master King Iehoram upon the same account 2 King 9. But that Baasha did this meerly to gratifie his own Pride or Covetousness or Malice this was not from God but from himself and therefore is charged upon him as Murder here ver 7. and made thee prince over my people Israel and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam and hast made my people Israel to sin to provoke me to anger d See on 1 King 14. 9. with their sins 3 Behold I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house and will make thy house like * Chap. 15. 29. the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat 4 * Chap. 14. 11. Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat 5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did and his might * 2 Chro. 16. 1. are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 6 So Baasha slept with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah and Elah his son reigned in his stead 7 And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD e The meaning is The Message which came from the Lord to Iehu ver 1 c. was here delivered by the hand i. e. the Ministry of Iehu unto Baasha Iehu did what God commanded him in this matter though it was not without apparent hazard to himself against Baasha and against his house even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands in being like the house of Jeroboam and because he * Chap. 15. 29. and 2 King 10. 17. killed him f i. e. Nadab who though he be not expressed yet is sufficiently understood 1. By the manifest reference which these words have to the Murder committed by Baasha which was done upon Nadab onely ch 15. 28. 2. By the foregoing words the house of Ieroboam i. e. His Posterity which was Nadab Quest. Why doth God punish him for doing God's Work Answ. 1. Though God appointed That Ieroboam's Family should be cut off yet he did not give Baasha Commission to do it nor had declared how or by whom he would do it 2. Baasha did this not to fulfil God's Will but his own Lusts. See on ver 2. 8 In the twentieth and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah two years g One compleat and part of the other ver 10. which in Scripture-account is reckoned for a Year See above 7. 15. and 15. 25. 9 And his
this expression may have respect to Iob's distempered and calamitous condition wherewith he was so overwhelmed that he either had not strength or could not take heed to spit out his spittle as he should have done but swallowed it down as sick and melancholy persons often do nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle e 20. I have sinned f Although I am innocent and free from those crâ—…ing sins for which my friends suppose thou hast sent this uncommon judgment upon me yet if thou beest strict to mark what is amiss I freely confess that I am a sinner and therefore obnoxious to thy justice and I humbly beg thy pardon for it as it follows vers 21. And therefore accept of this Confession what shall I do unto thee g to satisfie thy Justice or regain thy Favour I can do nothing to purchase or deserve it and therefore implore thy mercy to pardon my sins O thou preserver of men h O thou who as thou wast the Creator of man delightest to be and to be called the Preserver and Saviour of men and that waitest to be kind and gracious to men from day to day as occasion requires do not deal with me in a way contrary to thy own Nature and Name and to the manner of thy dealing with all the rest of Mankind Oth. O thou Observer of men thou who dost exactly know and diligently observe all mens inward motions and outward actions and therefore if thou shalt be severe to mark mine iniquities as thou seemest to be I have not what to say or do unto thee Compare Iob 9. 3 15 29. 14. 4. Into which thou wiltst shoot all the Arrows of thy indignation why * Chap. 16. 12. Psal. 21. 12. Lam. 3. 12. hast thou set me as a mark against thee so that I am a burden to my self i i. e I am weary of my self and of my life being no way able to resist or endure the assaults of so potent an Adversary 21. And why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away mine iniquity k Seeing thou art so gracious to others so ready to preserve and pardon them why may not I hope for the same favour from thee for now shall I sleep in the dust l If thou doest not speedily help me it will be too late I shall be dead and so uncapable of those blessings which thou usest to give to men in the land of the living and thou shalt seek me in the morning but I shall not be m i. e. When thou shalt diligently seek for me that thou maiest shew favour to me thou wilt find that I am dead and gone and so wilt lose thy opportunity Help therefore speedily CHAP. VIII 1. THen answered Bildad the Shuhite and said 2. How long wilt thou speak these things and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind a i. e. Boisterous and violent swelling and furious opposing all persons and things that stand in thy way not sparing either God or men 3. * Gen. 18. 25. Deut. 32. 4. Cap. 34. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 7. Dan. 9. 14. Rom. 3. 5. Doth God b Heb. The mighty God as this word signifies the Almighty or Alsufficient God as the next name of God here implies These Names are emphatically used to prove that God cannot deal unjustly or falsly with men because he hath no need of it nor temptation to it being self-sufficient for his own happiness and being able by his own invincible power to do whatsoever pleaseth him unless men will impudently say that God doth falsly for meer love to falshood without any necessity of it or advantage to himself by it than which nothing can be more absurd and ridiculous for this makes him worse than the vilest of men who act unjustly and falsly because they cannot otherwise accomplish their designs pervert judgment c i. e. Overthrow the course of Justice in giving judgment or judge unrighteously No this is inconsistent with God's Nature which is essentially and necessarily just and with his Office of Governour of the World Gen. 18. 25. or doth the Almighty pervert justice 4. If thy children have sinned against him d What though thou wast in a great measure innocent thy Children upon whom a great part of these Calamities fell might be guilty of great sins and therefore God is not unrighteous in these proceedings and he have cast them away †Heb. in the hand of their transgressions for their transgression e Or Hath expelled or cast them out to wit out of the world or out of his favour as a man gives his Wife a Bill of Divorce of which this word is used by means Heb. by the hand which is oft so used of their wickedness Or hath left them in the hand of their sin to wit to be punished by it and for it Comp. Num. 32. 23. Your sin shall find you out 5. * Chap. 11. 13. 22. 23. If thou f But God hath spared thee whom he might justly have destroyed with thy Children and thou art yet capable of his favour if thou seek for it And therefore cease from these causeless and unthankful complaints wouldest seek unto God betimes g Heb. rise early to seek him i. e. if thou wouldest seek him speedily early and diligently See Ch. 5. 8. 7. 18 21. But this may be understood of the time past and this verse being connected with the next may be thus rendred and understood If thou hadst sought for the future tense in the Hebrew is ost put for the past unto God bâ—…tivies as thou didst seem to do Ch. 1. 5. and made supplication to the Almighty If withal thou hadst been pure and upright i. e. If thy prayers had been accompanied with purity and uprightness of heart and life they should have been heard and answered But because thou didst regard iniquity in thy heart therefore God would not hear and did not answer thy prayers but answered thee with a curse instead of a blessing as he useth to deal with Hypocrites and make thy supplication to the Almighty 6. If thou wert pure and upright h If thou wert in truth what thou pretendest and hast been thought by others to be pure and upright i. e. of a sincere heart and blameless life towards God and men But God's severe dealing with thee is an evident token that notwithstanding all thy fair shews thou art but an Hypocrite and secret sinner And this sense may seem to agree both with the same charge brought in against Iob by Eliphaz Ch. 4. 6 7. and with the following discourse particularly with v. 13 20. Or thus If thou wouldest be pure and upright i. e. if thou wouldest joyn Reformation to thy Supplication And this sense may seem best to suit with the foregoing verse according to the common Translation surely now he would awake for
e. To the arguments which I shall produce 7. * â—…p 17. 5. â—… 32. 21. â—… 35. 4. Will ye speak wickedly for God h Will you utter falshoods upon pretence of pleasing God or of maintaining Gods Honour or Justice Doth he need such defences And talk deceitfully for him 8. Will ye accept his Person i Not judging according to the right of the Cause but the quality of the Person as corrupt Judges do Will ye contend k i. e. Wrangle and quarrel with me and cavil at my Speeches and pervert my meaning for God l i. e. That you may gratifie him or defend his Rights 9. Is it good m Will it be to your Credit and Comfort that he should search you out n i. e. Narrowly examine your Hearts and discourses whether you have uttered Truth or Falshood and whether your Speeches proceed from true Zeal for God or from your own Prejudices and Passions and from a desire to curry Favour with him or as one mocketh another do ye so mock him o To wit by covering your uncharitableness and corrupt affections with pretences of Pietâ—… as if God could not discern your Artifices or by pleading his Cause with weak and foolish Arguments which is a kind of Mockery to him and an Injury to his Cause or by seeking to flatter him with false Praises as if he did distribute the things of this world with exact Justice prospering only the good and severely afflicting none but wicked Men. 10. He will surely reprove you p i. e. Punish you as this word is oâ—…t used as hath been once and again observed if ye do secretly q Though it be concealed in your own Breasts and no Eye see it yea though it be so close that your own Minds and Consciences through ignorance or inadvertency or slothfulness do not perceive it yet he who is greater than your Consciences sees and knows it accept Persons 11. Shall not his Excellency r His infinite Wisdom which sees your secret Falshoods and his Justice and Power which can and will punish you for it make you afraid s Of speaking rashly or falsly of his ways and Counsels And his dread fall upon you 12. Your remembrances t Either 1. Actively i. e. your Memorials or your Discourses and Arguments by which you design to bring things to my remembrance So he might possibly allude to that passage Ch. 4. 7 Remember I pray thee c. That and all your other Memento's are like unto ashes i. e. contemptible and unprofitable Heb. are Parables or Speeches of dust or ashes Or 2. Passively all that which is most excellent and memorable in you your Wealth and Dignity and Wit and Reputation or whatsoever it is for which you expect or desire to be remembered it is all but poor despicable dust and ashes And therefore you have just reason to abhor your selves and to dread the Divine Majesty as I now advised you are like unto ashes your Bodies u Though they be not full of sores and boils as mine is yet they are but dust and to dust they shall return as well as mine Heb. Your backs which being the strongest part of the Body is put for the whole Body Or Your Eminences or Excellencies as this word most properly signifies as Hebricians observe so it answers to their memoâ—…bles All those things wherein you do or think that you do excel others are but like Eminencies or Lumps or Heaps of Clay vain and useless things if compared with the Excellencies of God Or Your heights i. e. your losty Discourses are like Clay i. e. without solidity and strength are like to Bodies of Clay 13. †Heb. be silens from me Hold your peace x Do not now interrupt me in my Discourse which peradventure he observed by their gestures some of them were now attempting let me alone that I may speak y That I may freely utter my whole mind and let come on me what will z For the event of my Discourse with God wherewith you threaten me I am willing to submit my self to him to do with me as he pleaseth For I know he will not judge so severely and partially of me or my words as you do but will accept what is good and pass by any circumstantial defects in my Person or Speech as knowing that I speak from an upright Heart 14. Wherefore do I take my Flesh in my Teeth and put my Life in mine hand z According to this Translation the sense seems to be this If you speak truth and God punisheth none but wicked men why doth he bring me whom he Knows to be no Hypocrite as you slaunder me to that extremity of Pain and misery that I am almost constrained to tear and eat my own flesh which is mentioned as the Character of men in great anguish Isa. 9. 20. 49. 26. and am ready to lay violent hands upon my self Is it so great a crime to complain in this case or at least to enquire into the cause of this unwonted severity But this sense seems not well to suit either with the foregoing or following Verses but to come in abruptly Others therefore render the words thus Why should I take my flesh in my Teeth c. And so this may be either 1. A Reason of his ardent desire of Liberty of Speech because he could hold his Tongue no longer but must needs tear himself to pieces if he had not some vent for his grief So this agrees well both with v. 13. where he desired this freedom and with v. 19. where the same sense is expressed in plainer words Or 2. An Antidote against despair I perceive O my Friends by your Discourses that you intend to drive me to utter Despair if I do not turn to God in another manner than yet I have done Which if it were true I should certainly tear my flesh and violently take away my own Life But I see no reason why I should give way to any such despair or desperate Actions And this also hath a good dependance upon the foregoing words Let come on me what will But I have no reason to fear such Consequences as you suggest nor to despair of a merciful Audience and Relief from God and a good connexion with those which follow v. 15. where he declares his Hope and Confidence in God The Phrase of having ones Life in his hand notes a condition extremely dangerous and almost desperate as Iudg. 12. 3. 1 Sam. 19. 5. 28. 21. Psal. 119. 109. 15. * Psa. 23. 4. Prov. 14. 32. Though he slay me a Though God should yet more and more encrease my torments so that I could bear them no longer but should perceive my self to be at the point of Death and without all hopes of Recovery in this World yet I will trust in him b Or shall I not trust in him Should
to thy Brother whose life thou wast by the Law of God and of Nature obliged to preserve and thy sinful self-love and a carnal fear of some mischief for trouble which might befal thee in the discharge of thy duty and he that keepeth thy soul x God who is the preserver of men Job 7. 20. who daily doth and who onely can keep thee both in and from the greatest dangers And this favour of God may be here mentioned partly as a strong Obligation upon him to preserve him who is made after God's Image and whom God hath commanded him to love and preserve partly as an encouragement to the performance of his duty herein from the consideration of God's special care and watchfulness over those that do their duty and partly to intimate to them the danger of the neglect of this duty whereby they will forfeit God's protection over themselves and expose themselves to manifold dangers and calamities Or as others render it and as the Hebrew Verb is frequently used he that observeth thy Soul that seeth all the secret Thoughts and inward motions of the Heart Which exposition is favoured both by the following words Doth not he know it Which agrees better to God's observing than to his preserving a Man's Soâ—… and by the former clause to which this Translation doth more exactly answer the same thing being here repeated in other words after the manner of these Sacred Writers doth not he know it and shall not he render to every man * Job 34. 11. Ps. 62. 12. Jer. 32. 19. Rom. 2. 6. Rev. â—… 12. according to his works y God will certainly deal with thee as thou hast dealt with him either rewarding thy performance of this duty or punishing thy neglect of it 13 My son eat thou honey z This is not a command but a corcession and is here expressed onely to illustrate the following Verse Honey in those parts was excellent and an usual and acceptable food See Deut. 8. 8. Iudg. 14. 18. 1 Sam. 14. 25. because it is good and the honey-comb which is sweet †Heb. 〈◊〉 thy Palate to thy taste 14 * 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 103. So shall the knowledg of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it a Whereby he implies that there is indeed some difficulty and trouble in the pursuit of Wisdom but that it is abundantly compensated with the sweetness and advantage of it when a Man arrives at it * 〈◊〉 18. then there shall be a reward b Heb. and or also there is a reward It is not onely as good as hony sweet for the present but it is infinitely better bringing a sure and everlasting reward with it and thy expectation shall not be cut off 15 Lay not wait c Do him no injury either by subtil and secret devices or as it follows by manifest violence O wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous d Against his Person or Family or Possessions spoil not his resting place 16 * 〈◊〉 19 〈◊〉 19. For a just man falleth e Either 1. into sin Or rather 2. into calamities of which he evidently speaks both in the foregoing Verse and in the opposite and following branch of this Verse and so this word is used in the next Verse and Psal. 37. 24. Isa. 24. â—…0 Ier. 25. 27. Amos 8. 14. Mic. 7. 8 c. And so this is fitly alledged as a just reason to distuade wicked Men from their unjust attempts against righteous men because they should not succeed in them and although they might by God's permission bring them into some distress for a time yet God would deliver them out of their hands and they should be disappointed of their hopes seven times f i. e. Frequently and riseth up again but * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 2. the wicked shall fall into mischief g Into unavoidable and irrecoverable destruction oft-times in this life and infallibly in the next 17 * 〈◊〉 31. 29. 〈◊〉 15. 〈◊〉 1â—… 5. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth h and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth g To wit into mischief as in the former Verse Please not thy self in his destruction Which plainly shews that the love of our enemies is a Precept of the Old Law as well as of the Gospel See Exod. 23. 4 5. 18 Lest the LORD see it * 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 and †it displease him and he turn away his wrath from him i Understand upon thee which is implied in the Hebrew Phrase such defects being usual in that concise Language Psal. 84. 11. Prov. 19. 1. and oft elsewere This consideration strikes at the root of that sinful and inhumane disposition which is an expectation of safety or advantage to himself by his enemies downfal which saith he by this very mean thou shalt lose for thine enemy shall be raised and thy danger greatly increased by thy provoking both God and him against thee 19 * 〈◊〉 â—… 37. 1. 〈◊〉 23. 17. 〈◊〉 1. ‖ 〈◊〉 keep not 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fret not thy self k Which Translation of the word is confirmed by the Parallel word in the following clause because of evil men l For their present impunity and good success neither be thou envious at the wicked 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man m All his hopes and happiness shall quickly and eternally perish and he shall have no share in those solid Felicities and blessed recompences of a better life which thou shalt enjoy Therefore thou hast no reason to envy him * 〈◊〉 8. 5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 17. 〈◊〉 13. 9. the ‖ 〈◊〉 20. Or 〈◊〉 candle of the wicked shall be put out n All their comfort and glory shall cease 21 My son fear thou the LORD and the king o Honour and obey both God and the King and all in Authority He puts God before the King because God is to be served in the first place and our obedience is to be given to Kings onely in subordination to God and not in those things which are contrary to the will and command of God as is manifest both from plain Scripture as Act. 5. 29. and from the judgment and practice of wise and sober Heathens and meddle not with †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them p Heb. Mix not thy self with them either in their counsels and practices or in familiar conversation that are given to change q That love or use changes that are unstable in their Obedience to God or to the King and are prone to rebellion against either of them Those men that wickedly forsake God and break his Laws are said to change their God Jer. 2. 11. and to change God's judgments and Ordinances Isa. 24. 5. Ezek. 5. 6. 22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth r Who can conceive how sore and sudden it will be the