saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel a That I may fully and finally satisfie all their scruples and take away all pretence and cause of murmuring and take of every one of them b Not of every person but of every Tribe as it follows a rod c Either an ordinary walking staff or rather that staff or rod which the Princes carried in their hands as tokens of their dignity and authority as may be gathered from Numb 21. 18. compared with Psal. 110. 2. Ier. 48. 16 17. according to the house of their fathers d i. e. According to each family proceeding from the Patriarch or father of that tribe of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods write thou every mans e i. e. Every princes for they being the first-born and the chief of their tribes might above all others pretend to the Priesthood if it was communicable to any of their tribes and besides each Prince represented and acted for all his tribe so that this was a full decision of the whole question And this place seems to confirm what was before observed that not onely Korah and the Levites but also those of other Tribes contested with Moses and Aaron about the Priesthood as that which belonged to all the congregation they being all holy as they said Numb 16. 3. name upon his rod. 3 And thou shalt write Aarons name f Rather than Levi's name for that would have left the controversie undecided between Aaron and the other Levites whereas this would justifie the appropriation of the Priesthood to Aarons family upon the rod of Levi for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers g i. e. There shall be in this as there is in all the other Tribes onely one rod and that for the head of their Tribe who is Aaron in this Tribe whereas it might have been expected that there should have been two rods one for Aaron and another for his competitours of the same Tribe But Aarons name was sufficient to determine both the Tribe and that branch or family of the Tribe to whom this dignity should be affixed 4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony h i. e. Before the Ark of the testimony either mediately close by the vail behind which the Ark stood or rather immediately within the vail in the most holy place close by the Ark as may be gathered by comparing this place with ver 10. and with Heb. 9. 4. * Exod. â—… â—… where I will meet with you i And manifest my mind to you for the ending of this dispute 5 And it shall come to pass that the mans rod whom I shall choose shall blossom and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel whereby they murmure against you 6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel and every one of their princes gave him †Heb. 〈◊〉 one priâ—… 〈◊〉 for one 〈◊〉 a rod a-piece for each prince one according to their fathers houses even twelve rods and the rod of Aaron was among their rods h i. e. Was laid up with the rest being either one of the twelve as the Hebrews affirm or the thirteenth as others think 7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness 8 And it came to pass that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness l Into the most holy place which he might safely do under the protection of Gods command though otherwise none but the High-priest might enter there and that once in a year and behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded and brought forth buds and bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds m This being as Iosephus with great probability affirms a staffe of an almond tree as the rest also were 9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel and they looked and took every man his rod. 10 And the LORD said unto Moses * Heb. 9. â—… Bring Aarons rod again before the testimony to be kept for a token against the †Heb. 〈◊〉 of rebelies rebels and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me that they die not n For if after all these warnings and prohibitions backâ—… with such miracles and judgments they shall usurp the Priesthood they shall assuredly die for it 11 And Moses did so as the LORD commanded him so did he 12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying Behold we die we perish we all perish o Words of consternation arising partly from the remembrance of these severe and repeated judgments partly from the threatning of death upon any succeeding murmurings partly from the sence of their own guilt and weakness which made them fear least they should relapse into the same miscarriages and thereby bring the vengeance of God upon themselves 13 Whosoever cometh any thing near p i. e. Nearer than he should do an errour which we may easily commit unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die shall we be consumed with dying q Will God proceed with us in these severe courses according to his strict justice will he shew us no mercy nor pity till all the people be cut off and destroyed with dying one after another CHAP. XVIII 1 AND the LORD said unto Aaron Thou and thy sons and thy fathers house with thee shall bear * Lev. 18. 25. the iniquity of the sanctuary a i. e. Shall suffer the punishment of all the usurpations or pollutions of the Sanctuary or the holy things by the Levites or any of the people because you have authority and power from me to keep them all within their bounds and I expect you use it to that end Thus the people are in good measure secured against their fears expressed Numb 17. 12 13. Also they are informed that Aarons high dignity was attended with great burdens having not onely his own but the peoples sins to answer for and therefore they had no such reason to envy him as they might think if the benefits and encumbrances and dangers were equally considered and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood b i. e. Of all the errours committed by your selves or by you permitted in others in things belonging to your Priesthood 2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi the tribe of thy father bring thou with thee that they may be * See Gen. 29. 34. joyned unto thee and minister unto thee c About sacrifices and offerings and other things according to the rules and limits I have prescribed them The Levites are said to minister to Aaron here to the Church Numb 16. 9. and to God Deut. 10. 8. They shall not contend with thee for superiority as they have
is said to come down either 1. because the Altar stood upon raised ground to which they went up by an insensible ascent Compare Exod. 20. 26. Or 2. because it was nearer the Holy place and the Holy of holies which was the upper end from offering of the sin offering and the burnt-offering and peace-offerings 23 And Moses z Who went in with Aaron to direct him and to see him perform those parts of his office which were to be done in the holy place about the lights and the table of shew-bread and of the altar of Incense upon which part of the blood of the sacrifices now offered was to be sprinkled according to the law Levit. 4. 7 16 17. and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation and came out and blessed the people a i. e. Prayed to God for his blessing upon the people as this phrase is explained Numb 6. 23 c. and particularly for his gracious acceptation of these and all succeeding sacrifices and for his signification thereof by some extraordinary token which accordingly happened and the glory of the LORD b Either a miraculous brightness shining from the cloudy pillar as Exod. 16. 10. Numb 14. 10. Or a glorious and visible discovery of Gods gracious presence and acceptance of the present Ministery and service as it follows appeared unto all the people 24 And * Gen. 4. 4. 1 King 18. 38. 2 Chron. 7. 1. there came a fire c In token of Gods acceptation and approbation of the Priesthood now instituted and the sacrifices now offered and consequently of others of the like nature See the like instances Iudg. 6. 21. and 13. 19 20. 1 Chron. 21. 26. And this fire now given was to be carefully kept and not suffered to go out Levit. 6. 13. and therefore was carried in a particular vessel in their journeys in the wilderness out from before the LORD d Or from the face or presence of the Lord i. e. from the place where God was in a special manner present either 1. from heaven as 1 King 18. 38. 2 Chron. 7. 1. which is oft called Gods dwelling-place as Deut. 26. 15. Isa. 63. 15. Or 2. from the Holy of holies where also God is said to dwell 2 King 19. 15. 2 Chron. 6. 2. Psal. 80. 1. And what is done before the Ark is said to be done before God as 1 Chron. 13. 8 10. 16. 1. c. And this may seem more probable by comparing this with Levit. 10. 2. and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat which when all the people saw they shouted e As wondering at rejoycing in and blessing God for this wonderful and gracious discovery of himself and of his favour to them therein and fell on their faces CHAP. X. 1 AND * Numb 3. 4. and 26. 61. 1 Chron. 24. 2. Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron took either of them his censer and put fire therein and put incense thereon and offered strange fire a So called as not appointed for nor belonging to the present work fire not taken from the Altar as it ought but from some common fire before the LORD b Upon the Altar of incense which he commanded them not c For seeing Moses himself neither did nor might do any thing in Gods worship without Gods command which is oft noted of him for these to do it was a more unpardonable and inexcusable presumption Besides not commanding may be here put for forbidding as it is Ier. 32. 35. Now as this was forbidden implicitly Lev. 6. 12. especially when God himself made a comment upon that text and by sending fire from heaven declared of what fire he there spake so it is more than probable it was forbidden expresly though that be not here mentioned nor was it necessary it should be 2 And there went out fire from the LORD d From heaven or rather from the Sanctuary See chap. 9. 24. and devoured them e Destroyed their lives for their bodies and garments were not consumed as it appears from v. 4 5. Thus the sword is said to devour 2 Sam. 2. 26. Thus lightning many times kills persons without any hurt to their bodies or garments and they died before the LORD 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is it that the LORD spake f Though the express words be not recorded in Scripture where onely the heads of Sermons and Discourses are contained yet it is probable they were uttered by Moses in Gods name Howsoever the sence and substance of them is in many places See Exod. 19. 22. and 29. 43. Levit. 8. 35. saying I will be sanctified g This may note either 1. their duty to sanctifie God i. e. to demean themselves with such care and reverence and watchfulness as becomes the holiness of the God whom they serve and of the worship in which they are engaged whence he leaves them to gather the justice of the present judgment for their gross neglect herein Or 2. Gods purpose to sanctifie himself i. e. to declare and manifest himself to be an holy and righteous God by his severe and impartial punishment of all transgressors how near soever they are to him in them that come nigh me h i. e. Who draw near to me or to the place where I dwell and are admitted into the holy place whence others are shut out It is a description of the Priests See Exod. 19. 22. Levit. 21. 17. Ezek. 42. 13 14. and before all the people I will be glorified i As they have sinned publickly and scandalously so I will vindicate my honour in a publick and exemplary manner that all men may learn to give me the glory of my soveraignty and holiness by an exact conformity to my laws and Aaron held his peace k Partly through excessive grief which is sometimes signified by silence as Isa. 47. 5. Lam. 2. 10. and principally in acknowledgment of Gods justice and submission to it Compare Psal. 39. 10. Ezek. 24. 17. He murmured not nor replied against God nor against Moses wisely considering that their sin was directly against God and in that which is most dear and honourable in Gods account to wit in his worship and that Gods honour ought to be dearer to him than his sons and that this being the first violation of the law newly given and committed by those who should have been the strictest observers and assertors of it did deserve a very severe punishment 4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan l For Aaron and his sons had scarce finished their consecration-work and were employed in their holy ministrations from which they were not to be called for funeral solemnities See Lev. â—…1 1 c. the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron * See Exod. 6. 18. Numb 3. 19. and said unto them Come near carry your brethren m i. e. Kinsmen as that word is
thine enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing o Then especially take heed because that is a time and state of confusion and licentiousness when as one said the Laws of God and Man cannot be heard for the noise of arms and because the success of thy arms and enterprizes depends upon Gods blessing which wicked men have no reason to expect and because thou dost then carry thy life in thy hand and therefore hast need to be well prepared for Death and Judgment 10 If there be among you any man that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night p Of which see Levit. 25. 4 16 17. or by uncleanness of any like kind one kind being here as oft put for all then shall he go abroad out of the camp q Qu. Why doth this uncleanness oblige a man to go out of the Camp when it did not oblige him to such a removal Levit. 15 Aâ—… 1. It is not unreasonable if they were obliged to greater strictness and purity when they were undertaking so difficult and dangerous a work 2. There is a manifest reason of the difference because in their houses they had private Chambers where they could in such cases keep themselves from converse with others whereas in the Camp their conveniencies were so small and their occasions of action so many that it was very hard for his fellow-Souldiers that continued with him in the same Tent or part of the Camp to avoid the touching of him which yet was infectious Levit. 15. 7 22. he shall not come within the camp 11 But it shall be when evening †Heb. turneth â—…ward cometh on he shall wash himself with water and when the sun is down he shall come into the camp again 12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp whither thou shalt go forth abroad q To wit to ease thy self as it follows v. 13. 13 And thou shalt have a paddle r The nature of which may be known from the use which here follows upon thy weapon and it shall be when thou †Heb. fittest 〈◊〉 wilt ease thy self abroad thou shalt dig therewith and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee s Partly to prevent the annoyance of our selves or others partly to preserve and exercise Modesty and Natural honesty and principally that by such outward rites they might be inured to the greater reverence of the Divine Majesty and the greater caution to avoid all real and moral uncleanness especially now when it was most necessary so to do 14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp t Either because the Ark was commonly present with them or at least some of the Holy Instruments which were pledges of Gods presence or because God had promised to go forth with them when they ingaged in a just and necessary war to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy camp be holy that he see no †Heb. nakedâ—…s of anything unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee 15 * Sam. 30 15. Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee u This is not to be understood universally as if all servants that flee from their masters though without any sufficient cause or colour of justice might be detained from them by any person to whom they fled for refuge for this is apparently contrary to all the Laws of Religion and Justice and Charity and would open a door to infinite disorders and mischiefs but it is to be understood 1. Of the Servants of Strangers because it follows v. 16. he shall dwell with thee even among you which shews that he had dwelt with and belonged to another people 2. Of such as belonged to the Canaanites or other neighbouring Nations because if he had lived in remote Countries it is not probable that he would flee so far to avoid his Master or that his Master would follow him so far to recover him And for the Canaanites this sentence was most just because both they and theirs were all forfeited to God and to Israel and whatsoever they enjoyed was by special indulgence And for the other Neighbours it may seem just also partly because some of them were within the larger limits of the land belonging to Israel by Gods grant or deed of gift Gen. 15. 18. Ios. 1. 4. partly because by their hostile carriages they had given Israel a right to much more of theirs than a few Servants that might possibly run away from their Masters and especially because both Masters and Servants of these and other Nations are unquestionably at the dispose of the Lord their Maker and Soveraign Ruler 3. Of such as upon enquiry appear to have been unjustly oppressed by their Masters as is implyed by that phrase of his making an escape which supposeth a deliverance from danger or vexation Now it is not strange nor unjust if the great God who hates all Tyranny and stiles himself the refuge of the Oppressed doth interpose his authority and help to rescue such persons from their cruel Masters who otherwise would be too strong for them 4. Of such as came to them out of a desire to embrace the true Religion which possibly his Master perceiving indeavoured by force to restrain him from as it may be probably thought from his chusing and liking to live among the Israelites expressed v. 16. Now if this great and supreme Master to whom all other Masters are but Servants and they and theirs are absolutely in his power shall receive and protect one that gives up himself to his service against the will of the under-Master who in this case rebels against his Soveraign Lord what shadow is there of injustice in the case 16 He shall dwell with you even among you in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates where it †Heb. is good for him liketh him best thou shalt not oppress him e Taking advantage from his low and afflicted condition to be unreasonable or injurious to him 17 There shall be no ‖ or Sodomitess whore f No common prostitute such as were tolerated and encouraged by the Gentiles and used even in their Religious worship of the daughters of Israel g Not that such practises were allowed to the strangers among them as is evident from many Scriptures and reasons but that it was in a peculiar manner and upon special reasons forbidden to them as being much more odious in them than in strangers Though the words may be rendred among the Daughters and so in the following clause among the sons for the Hebrew Mem is sometimes used in that sence as Numb 32. 22. Psal. 31. 12. and so it notes that none of that sort should be permitted among them whether Jews or Strangers nor a Sodomite h Or buggerer who defileth
and dissimulation which therefore many Princes have used for this very reason But saith he God needs no such Artifices he can do whatsoever he pleaseth by his Absolute Power and hath no need to use lyes to accomplish his Will partly to shew that Israel should be no loser by Saul's loss as he might vainly imagine because he had saved them from their Enemies on every side chap. 14. 47. For not Saul but God was the Strength and Protector of Israel and he would continue to save them when Saul was lost and gone and partly to assure Saul that God would Execute this Threatning because he wanted not strength to do it and none could hinder him in it * Num. 23. 19. 2 Tim. 2. 1â—… Tit. 1. 2. will not lie k nor repent l i. e. Nor ehange his Counsel which also is an effect of weakness and imperfection either of Wisdom or Power for he is not a man that he should repent 30 Then he said I have sinned yet honour me now I pray thee before the elders of my people and before Israel m Here â—…e plainly discovers his Hypocrisie and the true motive of this and his former Confession he was not solicitous for the Favour of God but for his Honour and Power with Israel and turn again with me that I may worship the LORD thy God 31 So Samuel turned again after Saul n Not to Worship the Lord with him for that he did not and therefore it is here mentioned that Saul onely Worshipped the Lord but for two other reasons First That the People might not upon pretence of this Sentence of rejection immediately withdraw all Respect and Obedience to their Sovereign whereby they would both have sinned against God and have been as Sheep without a Shepherd Secondly That he might rectify Saul's Error and execute Gods Judgment upon Agag and Saul worshipped the LORD 32 ¶ Then said Samuel Bring ye hither to me Agag the king ‡ Heb. of Amalek of the Amalekites and Agag came unto him delicately o Or in Delights or in his Ornaments i. e. He came not like an Offendor expecting the Sentence of Death but in that Garb and Gesture which became his Quality And Agag said p Or for Agag said This being the reason why he came so Surely the bitterness of death is past q I who have escaped Death from the hands of a Warlike Prince in the fury of Battel shall certainly never suffer Death from an old Prophet in time of Peace 33 And Samuel said * Num. b 14. 45. As thy sword hath made women childless r Whereby it appears that he was a cruel Tyrant and Guilty of many Bloody Actions and that towards Gods People though it be not related elsewhere And this seems to be added for the fuller vindication of Gods justice and to shew that although God did at this time remember and revenge a Crime committed by this Mans Ancestors 400 Years ago yet he did not punish an Innocent Son for his Fathers Crimes but one that allowed and persisted in the same evil courses so shall thy mother be childless among women And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces s This he did by Diâ—…ine instinct and in pursuance of Gods express and particular Command above v. 3. which being sinfully neglected by Saul is now executed by Samuel See the like example 1 King 18. 40. But these are no presidents for private Persons to take the Sword of Justice into their hands For we must live by the Laws of God and not by extraordinary examples before the LORD t Either before the Ark which it seems Saul carried with him in this as he did in his former expedition chap. 14. 18. or before Gods Altar or in the publick Assembly in Gilgal 34 ¶ Then Samuel went to Ramah and Saul went up to his house to * Chap. 11. 4. Gibeah of Saul 35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul u i. e. To visit him either in token of Respect or Friendship or to seek Counsel from God for him or to give Counsel to him Seeing is put for Visiting here and 2 King 8. 29. Otherwise he did see him afterwards chap. 19. 24. Though indeed it was not Samuel that came thither with design to see Saul which is implied in the Phrase here but Saul went thither to see Samuel and that accidentally until the day of his death nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul u i. e. To visit him either in token of Respect or Friendship or to seek Counsel from God for him or to give Counsel to him Seeing is put for Visiting here and 2 King 8. 29. Otherwise he did see him afterwards chap. 19. 24. Though indeed it was not Samuel that came thither with design to see Saul which is implied in the Phrase here but Saul went thither to see Samuel and that accidentally and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel x Partly for Saul's sake whose sad condition he lamented and partly for Israel's sake whose estate he feared might by this means be doubtful and dangerous CHAP. XVI AND the LORD said unto Samuel How long wilt thou mourn for Saul a And pray for his Restitution which the following words imply that he did seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel b The manifestation of my peremptory Will should make thee submit to my pleasure Fill thine horn with oyl c Which was used in the Inauguration of Kings as chap. 10. 1. and 1 King 1. 39. But here it is used in the Designation of a King though David was not actually made King by it but still remained a Subject as is evident from chap. 24. 6. And the reason of this Anticipation was partly the comfort of Samuel and other good men against their great fears in case of Saul's Death of which they expected every day to hear and partly the assurance of David's Title which otherwise would have been very doubtful For the prevention of which doubts it was very meet that the same Person and Prophet who had Anointed Saul might now upon Gods rejection of Saul Anoint David to succeed him upon his Death and because Samuel was now not far from his Death and was to die before Saul it was fit that David's Anointing should be hastned and done before its proper time and go I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have provided me ‡ Heb. for me a king d This Phrase is very Emphatical and implies the difference between this and the former King Saul was a King of the Peoples providing he was the Product of their inordinate and sinful desires they desired him for themselves and for their own glory and safety as they supposed but this is a King of my own providing one that I have spied out one of that Tribe to which I have allotted the Kingdom Gen. 49. 10. A
his men were oft exposed to was no small favour and priviledge which Nabal was bound both in justice and gratitude and prudence to requite 8 Ask thy young men and they will shew thee wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes for we come in a good day l i. e. In a day of Feasting and Rejoycing when men are most chearful and liberal when thou maist relieve us out of thy abundance without damage to thy self when thou art receiving the Mercies of God and therefore obliged to pity and relieve distressed and indigent Persons Deut. 12. 12. and 14. 26 29. and 15. 7. give I pray thee whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants m To us who have been and still are ready to serve and guard thee and thine Or the word Servants may be onely used as a word of respect frequently used in Scripture where Inferiors speak to Superiors especially when they be suppliants and beg some favour and to thy son n So he calls himself to shew that respect and affection which he bore to Nabal as being elder and wealthier than himself and of the same Tribe with himself and a Branch of so worthy a Family as Nabal's was David 9 And when Davids young men came they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David and ‡ Heb. rested ceased 10 ¶ And Nabal answerd Davids servants and said Who is David o What relation or obligation have I to David and who is the son of Jesse There be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master p Hereby he taxeth both David as one revolted from and risen up against Saul his Lord and Master and his Soldiers as Runagates from their Masters and Creditors c. See chap. 22. 2. 11 Shall I then take my bread and my water q He speaketh thus either because in those hot and dry parts Water was scarce and precious or Water is here put for any kind of Drink as Bread is oft taken for all sorts of Meat and my ‡ Heb. slaughter flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be 12 So Davids young men turned their way and went again and came and told him all those sayings 13 And David said unto his men Gird ye on every man his sword r Having resolved and sworn to revenge himself of Nabal as is expressed verse 21 22. And they girded on every man his sword and David also girded on his sword and there went up after David about four hundred men and two hundred abode by the stuff s See chap. 17. 22. and 30. 24. 14 ¶ But one of the young men told Abigail t Wisely considering the mischievous effects likely to follow so churlish a message Nabals wife saying Behold David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master and he ‡ Heb. flew upon them railed on them 15 But the men were very good unto us and we were not ‡ Heb. shamed hurt neither missed we any thing as long as we were conversant with them when we were in the fields 16 They were a wall u i. e. A defence against wild Beasts and Robbers and Enemies unto us both by night and day all the while we were with them keeping the sheep 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do for evil is determined against our master and against all his houshold x Which it was easie to guess either from some threatning expressions which David's men used or from the consideration of David's great power and that rage which so high a provocation was likely to produce in Military Persons for he is such a son of Belial that a man cannot speak to him y To wit without hazard to himself and therefore I acquaint thee rather than him with this matter 18 ¶ Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves z Which she did without his leave and against his mind because it was a case of apparent necessity for the preservation of her self and Husband and all the Family from imminent ruin And surely that real and urgent necessity which dispenseth with Gods positive commands might well dispense with the Husbands right in this case and two bottles of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched corn and an hundred ‡ Or 〈◊〉 clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs and laid them on asses 19 And she said unto her servants Go on before me behold I come after you a For she knew she could quickly overtake them but she told not her husband Nabal 20 And it was so as she rode on the asse that she came down by the covert of the hill b In the lower part and under the shadow of the Hill or of the Trees that grew upon it so that David did not see her till she met him and behold David and his men came down c To wit from another opposite Hill against her and she met them 21 Now David had said d Either in his journey or as soon as he heard that reproachful answer Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow e Whom he thought unworthy to be named for his barbarous ingratitude and churlishness hath in the wilderness so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him and he hath requited me evil for good 22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David f i. e. Unto David himself But because it might seem ominous and unnatural to Curse himself therefore by a Figure called Euphemismus instead of David he mentions David's Enemies See 1 Sam. 20. 16. The words may be thus rendred So and more also let God do for the Hebrew Lamed being very oft so used the Enemies of David i. e. Let God work for them and give them as much Prosperity and Success as Nabal hath hitherto had Or let God utterly destroy their Enemies and especially my self the chief of them if I do not destroy this man if I leave of all that pertain unto him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall g i. e. Any of the Males for they onely do so and of them this Phrase is manifestly understood 1 King 14. 10. and 21. 21. and 2 King 9. 8. And men not wholly barbarous have generally spared Women in such cases Qu. Why then was Abigail so much concerned and afraid Answ. Partly from humanity and the horror of so general and dreadful a Slaughter of her Family and nearest Relations and partly because when the Sword was once drawn she knew not where it would rest nor whether she should escape for she knew nothing of this limitation of David's threatning till she came to him 23 And when Abigail saw David she hasted and lighted off the ass and fell before
private or retired and quiet life without noise and numerous attendants and meddle not with the Affairâ—… of the Court and Kingdom CHAP. II. NOW the days of David drew nigh that he should die and he charged Solomon his son saying 2 â—… go the way of all the earth a i. e. Of all men upon the Earth Compare Ios. 23. 14. Heb. 9. 27. be thou strong b For to govern his People according to the Law of God as it here follows requires great fortitude or strength of mind to Arm himself against the subtil devices and evasions of some against the flatteries and importunities of others against terrors and dangers from revengeful men and especially against himself and his own weakness or partiality through fear or favour and against all those evil thoughts and passions to which the temptations of their great wealth and glory and uncontrollable power naturally expose them See Prov. 16. 32. therefore and shew thy self a man c In manly wisdom and courage and constancy though thou art but young in years 1 Chron. 22. 5. 3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God d i. e. What God hath charged or commanded thee to do the act being put for the object as is usual to walk in his ways to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses e Which the Prince was enjoyned to transcribe and read Deut. 17. 18. that he might govern his own and his peoples actions by it that thou mayest * Deut. 29. 9. Josh. 1. 7. ‖ Or do wisely prosper f Or behave thy self prudently for the word signifies both Hereby he intimates That Religion is the truest Reason of State and that all true Wisdom and good success depends upon Piety in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thy self 4 That the LORD may confirm his word g i. e. Fulfil his promise the condition upon which it was suspended being performed which he spake concerning me saying * Psal. 132. 12. If thy children take heed to their ways h i. e. Diligently observe all their actions to order them according to Gods word to walk before me i To live as those that have God before their eyes and indeavour to approve themselves to him in truth k Not onely in pretence and shew but truly and sincerely with all their heart and with all their soul l i. e. Universally freely and â—…ervently * 2 Sam. 7. 12. there shall not ‡ Heb. be cut off from thee from the throne fail thee said he a man on the throne of Israel m The Succession shall be continued in thy Line without any interruption 5 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me n i. e. Against me Either First Directly and immediately how insolently and imperiously he hath carried himself towards me from time to time trampling upon my Authority and Commands when they thwarted his humor or interest provoking my spirit by his words and actions See 2 Sam. 3. 39. and 19. 7. Or Secondly Indirectly in what he did against Abner and Amasa whose death was a great injury to David as it was a breach of his Laws and Peace a contempt of his Person and Government a pernicious example to others of his Subjects upon the like occasions a great scandal and dishonour to him as if Ioab had been onely David's instrument to effect what he secretly desired and designed whereby the hearts of his People either were or might have been alienated from him and inflamed against him and the wounds which were well-nigh healed might have been widened again and made to bleed afresh and o Or even the following branches being added as an explication of the foregoing to shew what and how he acted towards or against David Or and particularly as his other miscarriages so these especially what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel unto * 2 Sam. 3. 27. Abner the son of Ner and unto * 2 Sam. 20. 10. Amasa the son of Jether whom he slew and ‡ Heb. put shed the blood of war in peace p He flew them as if they had been in the state and act of War when there was not onely a Cessation of Arms but also a treaty and agreement of Peace of which also they were the great procurers and promoters and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins and in his shoes that were on his feet q This is added to note his impudence and impenitency that although by his perfidions manner of killing them when he pretended to embrace them he stained his own Garments with their Blood yet he was not ashamed of it but gloried in it and Marched boldly along with the Army with the same Girdle and Shoes which were sprinkled with their Blood See 2 Sam. 20. 10. 6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom r i. e. What in Reason and Justice thou seest fit For tho I was forced to forbear him when it was in a manner out of my power to punish him yet I never forgave him and therefore do thou wisely and severely examine all his actions and particularly this last Rebellion and punish him according to his demerits and let not his hoar head go down to ‡ Heb. hell So Gr. the grave in peace s Though he be old having been the General of the Army 40 Years yet do not suffer him to die a Natural death but cut him off by the Sword of Justice 7 But shew kindness unto the sons of * 2 Sam. 19. 31. Barzillai the Gileadite t Quest. Why doth he not require the like kindness to Mephibosheth the Son of his dear Ionathan Ans. Either he and his were now extinct or by their after miscarriages had forfeited his favour and let them be of those that eat at thy table for so u i. e. With such kindness either as I cannot express as the Particle so is else where used or as I command thee to shew to them they x i. e. Barzillai and his Sons for though Barzillai onely be mentioned 2 Sam. 17. 27. yet his Sons doubtless were instrumental in the business especially Chimham 2 Sam. 19. 37 38. came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother 8 And behold thou hast with thee y i. e. In thy power as that Phrase is oâ—…t used * 2 Sam. 16. 5. Shimei the son of Gera a Benjamite of Bahnrim which cursed me with a ‡ Heb. strong grievous curse z Or reproached me with bitter reproaches 2 Sam. 16. 7 8. which David could not but deeply resent from him though as it was an affliction sent from God he patiently submitted to it in the day when I went to Mahanaim but he came down to meet me at
Behold my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian o A stranger and one of that Nation who are the implacable Enemies of Gods people whom therefore my Master should not have had so much regard to as to the Lords Prophets who better deserved and more needed the money which he offered than Naaman himself did in not receiving at his hand that which he brought but as the LORD liveth I will run after him and take somewhat of him p He Swears that he might have some pretence for the action to which he had bound himself by his Oath not considering that to Swear to do any wicked action is so far from excusing it that it makes it much worse 21 Sâ—… Gehazi followed after Naaman and when Naamaâ—… saw him running after him he lighted down from the chariot to meet him q Thereby testifying his great respect to the Prophet his Master and said ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 peace Is all well 22 And he said All is well my master hath sent me r This was a very unlikely Story but Naaman was not willing to question it but glad of the opportunity of shewing his gratitude to the Prophet saying Behold even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets give them I pray thee a talent of silver and two changes of garments 23 And Naaman said Be content take two talents and he urged him s Who at first refused it upon a pretence of modesty and obedience to his Masters command and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of garments and laid them upon two of his servants and they bare them before him 24 And when he came to the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 places tower t A safe and private place which he chose for that purpose and where possibly he hid and kept other things which he had got by such like frauds and artifices he took them from their hand and bestowed them in the house and he let the men go u Before they came within sight of his Master and they departed 25 But he went in and stood before his master and Elisha said unto him Whence comest thou Gehazi and he said Thy servant went ‡ Heb. not â—…ther or â—…ther no whither 26 And he said unto him Went not mine heart with thee x Did not my mind being enlightned by Gods Spirit discern what thou saidst and didst when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee Is it a time y Was this a â—…it season for this action I had but newly and obstinately refused his Gifts for great reasons of which see on ver 16. and now thou hast given him cause to think that I was a â—…sed and wicked Impostor who vain-gloriously refused in Publick what I inwardly and greedily desired and sought onely a sitter place and opportunity to take and that all our Religion is but an Imposture and that the God who owns such a vile wretch for his Prophet as thou hast represented me to him is not so Holy and Righteous as we pretend to receive money and to receive garments and oliveyards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants z Which Gehazi intended to purchase with this money and therefore the Prophet names them 〈◊〉 inform him That he exactly knew by Divine Inspiration not onely Gehazi's outward Actions but even his most secret Intentions 27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed for ever ‖ i. e. For some Generations or for a long time as that World is oft used and as may be thought by comparing this with Exod. 20. 55. and 34. 7. And he went out from his presence ‡ Being confounded with the sense of his guilt and shame and misery and banished from the company of others by God's Law Levit. 13. and 14. a leper as white as snow * Which is the worst kind of Leprosie and noted by Physitians to be incurable See Exod. 4. 6. Numb 12. 10. 2 Chron. 26. 19 20. Nor was this Punishment too severe for Gehazi's Wickedness which was great and various horrid Covetousness which is Idolatry the Prophanation of God's Name by a Wicked Oath downright Theft deliberate and impudent Lying and that to a Prophet which was in a manner a lying to the holy Ghost like theirs Acts 5. 3. A desperate contempt of God's Omniscience Justice and Holiness an horrible Reproach fastned upon the Prophet and his Religion and a mischievous Scandal given to Naaman and all other Syrians that might hear of it CHAP. VI. AND the sons of the prophets a Either at Bethel or Iericho or rather at Gilgal as may seem from its nearness to the River of Iordan ver 2. said unto Elisha Behold now the place where we dwell with thee b Or before thy face i. e. under thy inspection and direction where thou dost frequently dwell with us Or to thy face which may be joyned with the following Words and so the sense may be this It is apparent to thy view that this place is too strait for us is too strait for us c The number of the Prophets increasing by the gracious Providence of God and by the Ministry and Miracles of Elijah and Elisha 2 Let us go we pray thee unto Jordan d i. e. To the Woods near Iordan which were near to them See on ver 1. and take thence every man a beam e i. e. A piece of Timber for the Building Hence it may be gathered That although the Sons of the Prophets principally devoted themselves to Religious Exercises such as Prayer and Praising of God and the studying of Gods Word and Instructing of others and waiting for Divine Revelations yet they did sometimes employ themselves about Manual Arts which now they might be forced to through the Iniquity of the times and let us make us a place there where we may dwell And he answered Go ye 3 And one said Be content I pray thee and go with thy servants And he answered I will go 4 So he went with them And when they came to Jordan they cut down wood 5 But as one was felling a beam the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ax head f The Iron fell from the Wood. fell into the water and he cried and said Alas master for it was borrowed g He was the more concerned partly because he was now forced to be idle and useless to them in the common Work and partly because it was his Friends loss who now was likely to suffer for his kindness and as Justice obliged him to restore it so his Poverty disenabled him from it 6 And the man of God said Where fell it and he shewed him the place and he cut down a stick and cast it in thither and the iron did swim 7 Therefore said he Take it up to thee and he put out his hand
thee i i. e. Bestir himself to help thee as being his faithful friend and servant whom he could not in honour or justice forsake whereas now he shews a deep sleep and wholly neglects thee and turneth a deaf Ear to all thy prayers which sheweth what opinion he hath of thee and make the habitation k i e The concerns of thy house and family An usual Metonymy of thy righteousness l Either 1. which thou hast goâ—… and managed with righteousness so he calls it by way of supposition if it were so God would prosper thee accordingly But because thou doest not prosper it gives us cause to suspect that thou hast got thy estate by fraud and oppression Or 2. Which thou shalt now manage with justice and not wrongfully as thou hast done prosperous 7. Though thy beginning was small yet thy latter end should greatly encrease m The seâ—… se is either 1. Though thou hadst possessed but very little at first yet God would have wonderfully blessed and increased thy estate Whereas now God hath brought thee down from a great estate almost to nothing Which is an evidence of his displeasure and thy hypocrisy Or 2. Though the beginning of thy future fortunes or tho what thou hast left be now very small yet if thou dost repent and seek God it shall vastly increase 8. * Deut. 4. 32. Chap. 15. 18. For enquire I pray thee of the former age n i. e. Of our predecessors who had the advantage of longer life and more experience besides more frequent revelations from God than we have Who also will be more impartial Judges of this cause then we may be thought to be Inform thy self from them by the instructions which they left either in word or writing what their opinion was about the manner of Gods dealings with men and prepare thy self to the search of their Fathers o Do not slightly but seriously and industriously search the antient Records 9. For * See ch 7. 6. Gen. 47. 9. 1 Chro. 29. 15. Psal. 39. 5. 144. 4. we are but of yesterday p But lately born and therefore have but little knowledge and experience as it follows and know †Heb. not nothing because our days upon earth are a shadow q This is meant either 1. Of their lives in particular which were far shorter than the lives of their ancestors the Patriarchs whose long lives gave them opportunity to know and see the course of Gods providence towards Good and bad men and the differing ends and issues of their lives Or 2. Of mens lives in general Which being very short mens observation reacheth but to very few events in comparison of those which may be known by the records and testimony of all former ages 10. Shall not they teach thee r Assuredly they will inform thee that it is as we say Not partially but sincerely speaking their inward thoughts Not rashly but from deep consideration Not by hearsay from others but their own knowledge and experience and tell thee and utter words out of their hearts s 11. Can the rush †Heb. lift up it self grow up without mire t i. e. If it be not in moist and miry ground This and what follows hementions as it were in the person of those antients to whom he had referred him of whom he saith that they would give him such instructions as these can the flagg u Or the grass or the meadâ—… as this word is used Gen. 41. 2. i. e. The grass of a meadow But our translation seems the best because it is compared with other herbs grow without water 12. * Psal. 129. 6. Jer. 17. 6. Whilest it is yet in his greenness x Whereby it promiseth long continuance and not cut down y Though no man cut it down it withered of itself and will save a man the labour of cutting or plucking it up It gives not a man so much warning that he can cut it down in time as other green things do but suddenly withered it withereth before any other herb z i. e. Sooner than other herbs or in their presence or they surviving in which sense it seems to be said that Ishmael died in the presence of his brethren Gen. 25 18. The rest of the herbs looking upon it and admiring this sudden change For actions of sense and understanding are oft ascribed to lifeless creatures both in Scripture and in other Authors 13. So are the paths of all that forget God a i. e. Of wicked men who are branded with this same character Psal. 9. 17. 50. 22. Or Hypocrites as the next words explain it who are described by their first and fundamental miscarriage which is that they forget i. e. neglect forsake and despise for so this phrase is commonly understood as Deut. 6. 2. 8. 11 c. 32. 18. Ier. 2. 32. 23. 27. God i. e. his presence and commands and worship and providence and therefore break forth into manifold sins But by their paths he doth not understand the course of their actions or manner of their living but the events which befall them called their paths objectively because they are the paths of God or the methods of his providence or manner of his dealing with them Now this may be accommodated to the foregoing similitude in this manner such is the prosperity of wicked men because it wants the solid foundation of their piety and of Gods promise and blessing consequent thereupon it quickly vanisheth into nothing and the * Ch. 11. 〈◊〉 18. 14. 〈◊〉 112. 10. 〈◊〉 1â—… 25. Hypocrite's hope shall perish b i. e. He shall lose what he hoped for hope being oft put for its object even uninterrupted and abiding felicity and with it all hope of restitution 14. †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose hope shall be cut off c i. e. Whose wealth and outward glory which is the matter of his hope and trust shall be cut off i. e. suddenly and violently taken away from him Whose hope shall be iâ—…k some or tedious to him by the succession of earnest expectation and great disapointment and whose trust shall be †Heb. a Spider's 〈◊〉 Isa. 59. 5 6. a Spiders web d Which though it be formed with great art and industry and may do much mischief to others yet is most sleâ—…der and feeble and easily swept down or pulled in peices and unable to defend the spider that made it The application is obvious 15. * Chap. 27. 18. He shall lean upon his house f i. e. He shall trust to the multitude and strength of his Children and servants and to his wealth all which come under the name of a mans house in Scripture-use but it shall not stand g i. e. Not be able to uphold itself nor him that trusted to it he shall hold it fast h Or
I am not free from his terrour and therefore cannot and dare not plead my cause boldly with him and so have nothing else to do but to ease my self by receiving my complaints as he doth in the next words Oth. thus But I am not so with my self i. e. I am in a manner besides my self distracted with the terrours of God upon me Or rather thus For I am not sâ—… with my self or in my own Conscience as I perceive I am in your eyes to wit an Hypocrite and ungodly man So this is a reason why he could speak to God without slavish fear because he was conscious to himself of his own Integrity I have a good Conscience within my self and therefore could use boldness in speaking to God provided he would not deal with me in strict justice but upon the terms of grace and mercy which he hath proposed to sinners and with allowance to humane Infirmities CHAP. X. 1. MY * Chap. 7. 16. soul is ‖ Or câ—…t off while I live weary of my life a So the sense is My Soul is weary of dwelling in this rotten and miserable Carkass Or I am from my heart or with my very soul weary of my life and therefore I may be excused if I complain Or My soul is cut off while I live i. e. I am dead whilest I live I am in a manner buried alive I will leave my complaint upon my self b So the sense is I will complain and the burden or hazard of so doing I will take upon my self and be willing to bear it I must give my sorrows vent let come on me what will as he saith Chap. 13. 13. But the words may be read interrogatively Shall I then or how can I then leave my complaint i. e. give over complaining within or concerning as the Hebrew al oft signifies my self Or they may be rendred thus I will strengthen as this Verb signifies Neh. 3. 8. my complaint against my self whereby he implies that he would not complain against God so as to accuse him of injustice but only against himself or against his own life or concerning my self i. e. I must renew and encrease my Complaints as God renews and encreases my Sorrows I will speak in or of the bitterness of my soul c My extream misery forceth my complaints from me 2. I will say unto God Do not condemn me d Or pronounce me not to be a wicked man as my Friends do neither deal with me as such as I confess thou mightest do by thy soveraign power and in rigorous justice O discover my Integrity by removing this stroke for which my Friends so highly censure and condemn me shew me wherefore e i. e. For what ends and reasons and for what sins for I am not conscious to my self of any peculiar and eminent sins by which I have deserved to be made the most miserable of all Mortals thou contendest with me 3. Is it good unto thee f Dost thou take any pleasure in it Hast thou any advantage or honour by it Dost thou think it right and just and becoming the Ruler of the World that thou shouldest oppress g By thy absolute and irresistible power without any regard to that justice and equity and clemency by which thou usest to govern mankind that thou shouldest despise h i. e. Shew thy contempt of them either by denying them common favour and protection or by destroying them †Heb. the labour of thine hands the work of thine hands i Which every Workman loves and maintains and shine upon the counsel of the wicked k i. e. By the Methods of thy Providence seem to favour the courses and practises of wicked men to whom thou givest prosperity and success whilest thou frownest upon me and other good men This may have reference either to Iob's Friends whose ungodly censures God seemed to approve by continuing Iob's Afflictions upon him Or to the Chaldeans and Sabeans who had succeeded in their wicked attempts upon Iob But it seems to be more generally meant of wicked men 4. Hast thou eyes of flesh l i. e. Of a man who is called flesh as Gen. 6. 13. Isa. 40. 6. or * 1 Sam. 16. 7. seest thou as man seeth m Man seeth outsides onely and judgeth by appearances and is liable to many mistakes and cannot search out secret faults without forcing men by cruel usage to accuse themselves But thou needest none of these Arts thou seest mine heart and mine uprightness which my Friends do not see who therefore are more excusable in charging me with hypocrisie But thou knowest all things thou needest not examine me by Tortures as thou now doest v. 6. For thou knowest that I am not wicked as he saith v. 7. and therefore do not thou deal with me as if I were wicked 5. Are thy days as the days of man are thy years as mans days n Man's time is short and uncertain and therefore he must improve his time whilest he hath it and diligently search out the Crimes of Malefactors and punish them whilest he may lest by Death he lose the opportunity of doing justice and the criminal get out of his power But it is not so with thee thou art eternal and unchangeable and seest at one view all mens hearts and all their actions present and to come and therefore thou doest not need to proceed with me in this manner by making so long and so severe a scrutiny into my heart and life 6. That thou * Ch. 14. 16. enquirest after mine iniquity and searchest after my sin o Keeping me so long as it were upon the Rack to compel me to accuse my self as men sometimes do 7. †Heb. iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou knowest that I am not wicked p i. e. An Hypocrite or an ungodly man as my Friends account me and therefore deal not with me as such and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand q The sense is either 1. Thou dost not need to keep me fast in thy Prison lest I should make an escape or any should rescue me out of thy hands which none can do Therefore take off thy hand from me Or 2. If thou doest not help and deliver me none else can do it Therefore do not thou fail me which considering God's merciful Nature is a good Argument If any man oppress another he may have relief from thee who art higher than his Oppressor Eccles. 5. 8. But thou art the supreme and uncontrollable Ruler of the World and therefore thou must needs do right Gen. 18. 25. And therefore do not thou oppress me See above Verse 3. 8. Thine hands †Heb. 〈◊〉 paiâ—…s 〈◊〉 have made me and fashioned me together round about r i. e. All of me all the faculties of my soul and all the parts of my body which are now over-spread with Sores and Ulcers I
2. by God who deals with me according to his Soveraign Power and exact and rigorous Justice and not with that equity and benignity which he sheweth to the generality of men and hath promised to good men such as he knoweth me to be but I am not heard I cry aloud but there is no Judgment n God will not hear my Cause nor pass Sentence which I might reasonably expect from him but he quite neglects me and hath utterly forsaken me and left me in the hands of the Devil and wicked men See the like Complaints of other good men in the like case of desertion Psalm 13. 2. 22. 2. 88. 15. Lament 3. 8. Habak 1. 2. 8. He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass o i. e. So that I know not what to say or do and can see no means nor possibility of getting out of my troubles and he hath sâ—…t darkness in my paths p So that I cannot discern my way or what course I should take 9. He hath stript me of my glory q i. e. Of my Estate and Children and Authority and all my Comforts and taken the crown r i. e. All my Ornaments from my head 10. He hath destroyed me on every side s i. e. In all respects and to all intents and purposes my Person and Family and Estate and I am gone t i. e. I am a lost and dead man Going is oft put for dying as Gen. 15. 2. Psalm 39. 13. and * 〈◊〉 24. 20. mine hope u i. e. All my hopes of the present life as he oft expresseth it but not of the life to come as appears from Iob 13. 15 16. 19. 25 c. hath he removed like a tree x Which being once plucked up by the roots never groweth again 11. He hath also kindled his wrath against me y He hath stirred up his wrath against me of his own accord without any provocation of mine humane infirmity excepted and * 〈◊〉 13. 24. 〈◊〉 2. 5. he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies z i. e. He useth me as harshly as if I were an inveterate Enemy of God and of all goodness though he knoweth I am and have ever been an hearty lover and servant of him 12. * 〈◊〉 6. 4. His troops a i. e. My Afflictions which are but God's Instruments and Souldiers marching under his Conduct come together and raise up their way b Either 1. cast a Bank or Trench round about me as an Army doth when they go to besiege a place Or rather 2. make a Causeway or raised Path as Pioneers usually do in low and waterish grounds for the march of an Army God removes all Impediments out of the way and lays me open to all manner of mischief against me and encamp round about my tabernacle 13. * 〈◊〉 31. 11. 38. 11. 69. â—… 88. 8 18. He hath put my brethren c i. e. My Kindred and Friends who might and should have supported and comforted me in my Distress far from me d Either 1. in place because they seared or disdained or at least neglected to visit or succour me Or 2. in their affections which are far from me when their bodies are present with me as I find in you But this also I ascribe to God he hath alienated your hearts from me and mine acquaintance verily are estranged from me 14. My kinsfolk have failed e To wit to perform the offices of humanity and friendship which they owe to me and my Familiar friends have forgotten me f i. e. Neglect and disregard me as much as if they had quite forgotten me 15. They that dwell in mine house g Who by reason of their Sex commonly have and should have more tender and compassionate hearts than men And therefore this is God's doing who hath hardned their hearts against me and my maids h count me for a stranger i Regard my Commands and Concerns no more than a strangers I am an alien in their sight k The same thing repeated through vehemency of passion because this lay very heavy upon him f Heb. The sojourners of my house i. e. such as had formerly sojourned with me whether strangers widows and fatherless whom by the Law of Charity and Hospitality he entertained Or hired Servants who had for a good while their habitation and subsistence in his Family 16. I called my servant l To do some servile office about me for my ease or relief and he gave me no answer m He passed by as if he had been deaf because he loathed and feared to come near to me though I entreated him n To my Commands I added humble and earnest Desires Either 1. with gentle and moving speeches Or rather 2. with my own mouth and not by a proxy with my mouth o. 17. My breath is strange to my wife p Who by reason of the stink of my breath and sores denied me her company though I entreated for the Childrens sake of †Heb. my 〈◊〉 mine own body q By these pledges of our mutual and matrimonial tye and affection the Children which came out of my Loyns and were begotten by me upon her body But divers render the words thus and I entreated the children of my own body i. e. Either some of Iob's younger Children who by reason of their tender years were kept at home with their Father when their elder Brethren and Sisters were gone abroad to the Feast or some of his Grand-children by those grown Sons and Daughters for such also oft come under the name of children But this sense seems not so proper partly because according to that Translation here is mention onely of Iob's entreating them but not a word of their denying his request which is the onely matter of his present Complaint and partly because according to the former Translation it is a great and just aggravation of his Wifes unkindness and exactly answers to the foregoing Verse where the Servants perverseness is aggravated in the same manner and by part of the same words 18. Yea ‖ Or the wicked young children r despised me I arose s To wit for my Seat to shew my respect to them though they were my inferiours to shew my readiness to comply with that mean and low condition into which God had now brought me Or I stood up for so this word sometimes signifies I did not disoblige or provoke them by any uncivil and uncomely carriage towards them but was very courteous to them and yet they make it their business to rail against me as you also do and they spake against me Or Fools the most contemptible persons 19. * Psal. 41. 9. 55. 13 14 20. All †Heb. the men of my secret my inward friends t Heb. the men of my secret my Intimates and Confidents
thâ—… were ‖ Or dark as thâ—… night solitary fleeing into the wilderness †Heb. yesternight in former time desolate and wast 4. Who cut up mallows i Or Purslain or Salt or bitter herbs as the word seems to import which shews their extream necessity by the bushes k Or by the shrubs nigh unto which they grew Or with the barks of trees as the Vulgar Latine renders it and juniper l Possibly the word may signifie some other Plant for the Hebrews themselves are at a loss for the signification of the Names of Plants roots for their meat 5. They were driven forth from among men m As unworthy of humane society and for their beggery and dishonesty suspected and avoided of all men they cried after them as after a thief n Giving one another warning of their danger from them 6. To dwell in the clifts of the valleys in †Heb. 〈◊〉 caves of the earth and in the rocks 7. Among the bushes they brayed o Like the wild Asses Iob 6. 5. for hunger or thirst under the nettles p Which seem not proper â—…or that use This Hebrew word is used but twice in Scripture and it is acknowledged both by Iewish and Christian Writers that the signification of the Hebrew words which express Plants or Beasts or Stones c. is very uncertain and therefore this is by others and may well be understood of some kind of Thorns And so this is the same thing with the bushes in the former Branch of the Verse under which they hid themselves that they might not be discovered when they were sought out for justice they were gathered together 8. They were children of fools q Either 1. the genuine Children of foolish Parents their Children not only by Birth but by Imitation as they onely are esteemed the children of Abraham who do the works of Abraham Iohn 8. 39. Or 2. Fools by a common Hebraism as the sons of men are put for men and the children of wisdom for wise men c. yea children of †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 base men r Heb. men without name i. e. without any degree of Credit or Reputation as men of name is put for renowned persons Gen. 6. 4. they were viler than the earth s Which we tread and spit upon and are not willing to touch 9. * Chap. 17. 6. Psal. 35. 15. 69. 12. I am 3. 14 â—…3 And now am I their song t The matter of their song and derision They now rejoyce in my Calamities because formerly I used my authority to punish such Vagrants and Miscreants yea I am their by-word 10. They abhor me they flee far from me u In contempt of my person and loathing of my sores †Heb. 〈◊〉 witâ—…old 〈◊〉 spittle from 〈◊〉 facâ—… and spare not to spit in my face x Not literally for they kept far from him as he now said but figuratively i. e. they use all manner of contemptuous and reproachful expressions and carriages towards me not only behind my back but even to my face 11. Because he y To wit God for it follows He afflicted me which was God's work hath loosed my cord z Either 1. He hath slackned the string as this word sometimes signifies of my Bow and so rendred my Bow and Arrows useless either to offend others or to defend my self i. e. He hath deprived me of my strength or defence So this is opposed to that expression Chap. 29. 20. Or 2. He hath taken away from me that power and authority wherewith as with a Cord I bound them to the good behaviour and kept them within their bounds The like expression is used in the same sense Iob 12. 18. and afflicted me a When they perceived that God who had been my faithful Friend and constant Defender had forsaken me and was become mine Enemy they presently took this advantage of shewing their malice against me they have also let loose the bridle b They cast off all former restraints of law or humanity or modesty and gave themselves full liberty to speak or act what they pleased against me before me c They durst now do those things before mine eyes which formerly they trembled lest they should come to my ears 12. Upon my right hand d This Circumstance is noted either because this was the place of Adversaries or Accusers in Courts of Justice Psal 109. 6. Zach. 3. 1. Or to shew their boldness and contempt of him that they durst oppose him even on that side where his chief strength lay rise e To wit in way of contempt and opposition or to accuse and reproach me as my Friends now do as one who by my great but secret wickedness have brought these miseries upon my self the youth f Heb. Young striplings who formerly hid themselves from my presence Chap. 29. 8. they push away my feet g Either 1. properly they trip up my heels Or rather 2. Metaphorically they endeavour utterly to overwhelm my goings and to cast me down to the ground and they raise up against me the ways h i. e. Cawseways or Banks So it is a Metaphor from Souldiers who raise or cast up Banks against the City which they besiege Or they raise up a Level or smooth the Path by continual treading it they prepare and contrive and use several methods to destroy me of their destruction i Either 1. passively so the sense is they raise or heap upon me i. e. impute to me the ways i. e. the causes of their ruine They charge me to be the Author of their ruine Or rather 2. actively of that destruction which they design and carry on against me Which best suits with the whole Context wherein Iob is constantly represented as the Patient and wicked men as the Agents 13. They mar my path k As I am in great misery so they endeavour to stop all my ways out of it and to frustrate all my counsels and courses of obtaining relief or comfort And although Iob had no hopes of a temporal deliverance or restitution yet he could not but observe and resent the malice of those who did their utmost to hinder it Or the sense is They prevent all my ways putting perverse and false constructions upon them censuring all my conscientious discharges of my duty to God and men as nothing but craft and hypocrisie they set forward my calamity l Increasing it by their bitter Taunts and Invectives and Censures Or they profit by or are pleased and satisfied with my calamity It doth them good at the heart to see me in misery they have no helper m This is added as an aggravation of their malice they impudently persisted in their malicious designs against me though none encouraged or assisted them therein Or even they who had no helper who were themselves in a forlorn and miserable
say c It is a defective speech and may be thus supplied Thus it was or God thus left you to your own weakness and mistakes and impertinent discourses lest ye should say c. i. e. lest you should ascribe the conquering or silencing of Iob to your own wisdom age and experience Or lest you should â—…astingly 〈◊〉 We have discovered and said all that can or nâ—…d â—…e said in the Cause the sum and substance of the thing that which may fully and finally end the Controversie which is contained in the fâ—…lowing words We have found out wisdom God thrusteth him down not man d These are alledged by Eâ—…ihu in the person of 〈◊〉 three Friends or as their words The sense is The 〈◊〉 judgments which are upon Iob have not been brought upon him by man solely and originally for then there might have been some ground for Iob's complaints there might have been injustice or cruelty in them but immediately by the hand of God of that God who being Omniscient and just and true and mercifull would never have dealt thus hardly with Iob if he were not an Hypocrite and guilty of some very grâ—…ss though secret 〈◊〉 which is the ground-work of our discourses But â—…aith Elâ—… this Argument doth not satisfie me and therefore bear with me if I seek for better 14. Now he hath not †Heb. 〈◊〉 directed his words against me e I am not engaged in this discourse by any provoking words of Iob as you have been which hath drawn forth your passions and byassed your judgments but meerly from zeal for the vindcation of God's honour and love to truth and justice and a â—…cere desire to administer to Iob matter both of conviction and of comfort neither will I answer him with your words f i. e. with such words or arguments as yours either weak and impertinent or fierce and opprobricus 15. They g i. e. Iob's three Friends of whom he speaks sometimes in the second and here in the third person directing his speech to Iob and the Auditors of this disputation were amazed h They stood mute like persons amazed not knowing what to reply to Iob's arguments and wondring at his bold and confident assertions of his â—…ntegrity and of his interest in God under such sad and manifest tokens of God's just displeasure against him they answered no more i Although Iob gave them just occasion to reprove and confute him for his intemperate speeches and presumptuous and irreverent expressions concerning God †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they left off speaking 16. When I had waited for they spake not but stood still and answered no more k Which he repeats as a strange and unreasonable thing that they should be silent when they had such obligations to speak for the vindication both of God's justice and of their own truth and reputation 17. I said I will answer also my part l I will take my turn and speak what they have omitted I also will shew mine opinion 18. For I am full of †Heb. 〈◊〉 matter m i. e. I have many things to say in this cause †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit within me n Either my own Spirit or Soul which is wholly dissatisfied with what hath been hitherto spoken and clearly apprehends what may silence Iob and end the dispute Or God's Spirit which he hath put in me the Spirit of Understanding which hath discovered the truth of the matter to me and the Spirit of Zeal which urgeth me to plead God's Cause against Iob. constraineth me o Forceth me to speak It is a Metaphor from a man or woman whose Belly is full with Wind or with a Child and is never at rest till it be emptied and eased of its burden 19. Behold my belly p i. e. My mind or heart which is oft called a man's belly as Iob 15. 35. Psalm 40. 8. Hab. 3. 16. Ioâ—… 7. 38. is as wine q As new Wine pent up close in a Bottle as the following words explain and determine it The Wine is here put for the Bottle in which it is by a common Metonymy which †Heb. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles r i. e. Bottles of new Wine by the same general Figure for otherwise old Bottles are most apt to burst Matthew 9. 17. 20. I will speak †Heb. 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may be refreshed s That I may ease my mind of those thoughts which now oppress it I will open my lips and answer t I will not utter impertinent words but solid answers to Iob's arguments 21. Let me not I pray you accept any mans person u Do not expect that I should out of fear or respect to any of you speak partially but bear with my free and plain dealing with you all neither let me give flattering titles unto man z. x As I shall not censure and reproach Iob as an Hypocrite or profane person which you have done so neither shall I flatter him but faithfully reprove him for his exorbiâ—…ant speeches of God 22. For I know not to give flattering titles y i. e. I have neither skill nor will to flatter Iob or any man so as to debauch my Conscience or corrupt the Truth or speak falsly for his sake in so doing z i. e. If I should be guilty of that sin God would quickly and â—…orely punish me â—…or it Or without this supplement My Maker will quickly take me away to wit out of this world I dare not â—…atter any man because I consider I must shortly die and go to judgment to give an account of all my words and actions my maker would soon take me away CHAP. XXXIII 1. WHerefore Job I pray thee a Perceiving the errour of Iob's Friends and that by their violent and opprobrious speeches they had exasperated Iob's mind and thereby hindred the success of their discourses he applies himself to him in milder ways and treats him kindly thereby to gain his attention and affection that his words might have more acceptance with him hear my speeches and hearken to all my words b Not only to what may please thee but also to what may convince and reprove thee 2. Behold now I have opened my mouth c Now I have begun to speak and intend with thy good leave to proceed in my discourse with thee my tongue hath spoken †〈…〉 in my mouth d Heb. in or with my paâ—…ate for both Tongue and Palate are Instruments of Speech and that a man should speak plainly and distinctly which he designed to do it is necessary that his Tongue should oft-times touch the Palate or Roof of the mouth 3. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart e I shall not speak passionately or partially as one resolved
tells him that he is not to judge of God by present appearance because though God may for a season hide his Face and delay to give him an answer yet he will certainly do him right yet judgment is before him d i. e. Before God or in his presence or at his Tribunal or in all his ways and administrations And judgment is put for Justice or just judgment as it is Job 8. 3. Psal. 37. 28. 99. 4. and oft elsewhere So the sense is God is and will shew himself to be just in all his ways and therefore thou dost wickedly in reflecting upon God justice Or yet judge thy self before him instead of accusing God condemn thy self acknowledge thy sins and then thou mayst hope for Mercy Compare 1 Cor. 11. 31. therefore trust thou in him e In stead of murmuring against him put thy trust in him Repent of what is past and humble thy self under God'â—… hand and do not despond for the future but waâ—…t upon God patiently in his way till deliverance come to thee for it will certainly come if thou dost not hinder it 15. But now because it is not so f i. e. Because Iob doth not acknowledge God's justice and his own sins and wait upon God in his way for Mercy according to the last advice given to him v. 14. ‖ That is God he g To wit God to whom this great work of visiting is ascribed every where in Scripture hath visited in his anger h i. e. Hath laid grievous afflictions upon him all which is too little to bring Job to compliance with God yet ‖ That is Job he knoweth it not i Job is not sufficiently sensible of it so as to be humbled under God's hand in great extremity k Or though which Particle is sometimes understood of which examples have been before in great extremity or abâ—…dance to wit of afflictions Though Job hath hitherto been and still is exercised with very sore Calamities yet they have not brought Job to the knowledge of God and of himself But this Verse is and may be rendred thus Aâ—…d now know that his i. e. God's angâ—…r hath visited thee little or nothing to wit in comparison of what thou hast deserved and mightest reasonably expect neither hath 〈◊〉 known i. e. judged or punished as this word is used Prov. 10. 9. and elsewhere thee in or according to as the prefix 〈◊〉 is sometimes used 〈◊〉 great abâ—…dance to wit of thy sins And therefore thy complaints against God are very unrighteous and unâ—…easonable 16. Therefore l Hence it is manifest doth Job open his mouth in vain m i. e. Four forth his complaints without any success and gets no â—…ase by â—…hem he multiplieth words without knowledge n Thereby discovering his ignorance of God and of himself CHAP. XXXVI 1. ELihu also proceeded and said 2. Suffer me a little a Give me thy patient attention but a little longer and I have done and I will shew thee †Heb. that there are yet words for God that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf b That I have not said all that can be said to justifie God's proceedings against thee 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar c i. e. From remote times and places and things I will not confine my discourse to thy particular case but will justifie God by declaring his great and glorious works of Creation and Providence both in the Heaven and Earth and the manner of his dealing with men in other Parts and Ages of the World for these are the chief Heads of the following Discourse and therefore the best comment upon this general expression and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker d I will acknowledge that which is true that God is righteous He adds the words my Maker either 1. as an argument or evidence of God's righteousness partly because it is not likely that God should be unjust to his own Creatures since even men are not only just but kind to their own Works and Relations and partly because the Work of Creation gave unto God an absolute right and power to dispose of Job as he saw fit as the Potter hath power over the Clay Rom. 9. 21. and therefore there was no foundation for unrighteousness nor any temptation upon God to do it and partly because Man's Maker must needs be a Being of all possible perfection and therefore one of perfect righteousness Or 2. as a motive or obligation upon him to plead God's cause I do not engage my self in this Controversie out of a pragmatical or contentious humour nor out of any prejudice or ill will to thee but meerly from the sense of my duty to my blessed Creator Withal he reflects upon Job as guilty of great folly and ingratitude in contending with him in or by whom he lived and moved and had his being 4. For truly my words shall not be false e I will not speak any thing against my own Conscience nor against Truth either to flatter God or to vex thee as thou supposest thy other Friends have done Chap. 13. 7. and elsewhere * Ch. 37. 16. he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee f This is meant either 1. of God Thou hast to do with a God of perfect Knowledge by whom all thy words and actions are weighed and therefore hast need to be more wary and circumspect in thy expressions and behaviour Or rather 2. of himself as the former part of the Verse is And he speaketh of himself in the third Person for modesty's sake He speaks not of absolute but of comparative Perfection And whatsoever perfection of Knowledge he had he doth not ascribe it to himself but to God's Spirit Chap. 32. 8. And the meaning may be this Thou hast not to do with a Novice but with one who hath accurately considered and though God's grace doth fully understand these matters Therefore hearken to me But the word rendred perfect signifieth also sincere or upright or right And this may seem best to agree with the former Clause wherein he saith that he would not speak what he knew to be â—…alse and now he adds that he was and would be upright in the use of his knowledge or in the delivery of his Opinion in this matter and not be 〈◊〉 by any passion or prejudice either to speak otherwise than he thought or to judge otherwise than he should 5. Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any g His greatness doth not make him as it doth men to scorn or despise or oppress the meanest Though he may do what he pleaseth and none can hinder him yet he will not use it to do any Man wrong as Job seemed to inâ—…nuate Chap. 10. 3. 19. 7. 23. 13. * Chap. 9. 4. 12. 13 16. 37. 23. he is mighty in strength and †Heb. heart wisdom
have not wickedly departed from my God q i. e. I have not knowingly and wilfully forsaken God and broken his Laws as wicked men do Which he adds by way of Correction and Explication lest the former or following Clauses should be interpreted as a Profession of such a perfect and Sinless righteousness whereby he might in strict Justice be justified by and before God which he elsewhere utterly disowns Psal. 130. 3. and 143. 2. and which David especially towards the end of his days when this Psalm was Composed as the Title shews could not pretend to without great Arrogancy and Falshood as having been guilty of those great Sins of Murder and Aduâ—…tery and many other Errors as he confesseth Psal. 19. 12. and oft elsewhere 22. For all his * Psal. 10. â—… judgments were before me r i. e. Before the Eyes of my Mind I diligently studied and Considered them that I might govern my whole Life by them and I did not * put away his statutes from me s i. e. Out of my view as ungodly men do who like not to retain God nor his Word in their Hearts or Thoughts 23. I was also ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Job 11. 4. upright before him t I did not pretend Religion before men for my own Ends but did approve my Heart and ways to the all-seeing God and I kept my self from mine iniquity u i. e. From that sin which I was most inclined or tempted Either 1. From my Hereditary and natural Corruption so far that it should not have Dominion over me nor break forth into any Presumptuous or Scandalous sins Or rather 2. From the sin of killing Saul which might be called his sin because this might seem most agreeable and desireable to him both as a Man and as a Souldier and as anointed to be King as being a likely way both to revenge and to preserve and to advance himself to which also he might seem to be both invited by the fair Opportunity which Providence had put into his Hand 1 Sam. 24. 4. and 26. 8. and necessitated by Saul's implacable Malice and his own perpetual and extream Dangers and Distresses and to which he was so strongly tempted by his own followers in the place now quoted 24. Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands †Heb. before his eyes in his Eye-sight 25 With the merciful man thou wilt shew thy self merciful with an ‖ Or perfect upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright x Or sincere to wit in performing what thou hast Promised to such Persons this being a great part or act of Sincerity when â—…nes Deeds and Words or Professioâ—…s agree together as on the contrary for those that deal Hypocritically and wickedly with thee thou wiâ—…st make them to know thy 〈◊〉 of Promise as it is expressed Numb 14. 34. The Sence of the Verse Thou meâ—…est to every one the same measure which he meteth out to others and givest to him the Fruit of his own doings and therefore thou wilst perform mercy and truth to those who are merciful and true to others as through thy mercy I have been 26. With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure y Free from the least mixture or appearance of unrighteousness or unfaithfulness or unkindness or simply and sincerely such as thou usest and hast promised to be to them that are such for Purity is oft put for Sincerity and with * 〈◊〉 16. â—…3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the froward thou wilst shew thy self froward z Or pervâ—…rse i. e. Thou wilst Cross him and Walk contrary to him as thou hast threatned Levit. 26. 23 24. See also Prov. 3. 34 Man's perversness here is moral and sinful but God's perversness is judicial and penal 27. For thou wilt save the afflicted people a Such as I and my poor followers were but wilt bring down high looks b i. e. Proud Persons who discover the pride of their Hearts by their haughty looks and Carriages Psal. 101. 5. Prov. 6. 17. such as mine Enemies were 28. For thou wilt light my ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 candle c Or thou dost light or hast lighted my Candle i. e. given me Safety and Comfort and Prosperity and Glory and Posterity also all which are oft signified by a Candle or a Light as Esth. 8. 16. Iob 21. 17. and 29. 3. Psal. 97. 11. and 132. 17. c. the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness 29. For by thee I have ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 run through a troop d i. e. Broken through the armed Troops of mine Enemies and by my God have I leaped over a wall e I have scaled the Walls of their strongest Cities and Castles and so taken them 30. As for God his * 〈◊〉 12. 4. 〈◊〉 4. 37. 〈◊〉 15. 3. way is perfect f His Counsel and Providence though it may sometimes be dark and hard to be understood yet is always wise and just and every way perfect or unblameable the word of the LORD is * 〈◊〉 126. 〈◊〉 140. Pro. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tryed g The truth of God's promises is certain and approved by innumerable Experiences and mine among the rest he is a buckler to all those that trust in him 31. For who is God save the LORD h It must needs be as I have said because our Lord is the only God and therefore there is none neither God nor Creature that can hinder him from accomplishing his own word and work or from defending those that trust him He is unchangeable and invincible Or this is an Amplification as God is what I have now described him to be so he only is such and there is no other God or Rock in which they may safely trust or * Deut. 32 39. â—… 〈◊〉 â—… 2. 〈◊〉 â—…6 8. 〈◊〉 â—…5 5. who is a Rock save our God! 32. It is God that girdeth me with strength i That gives me strength both of Mind and Body for Battel It is a Metaphor taken either from a Military Girdle or from a Common Girdle wherewith their loose Garments were girt about them whereby they were rendred fitter for any Action and maketh my way perfect k i. e. Perfectly plain and smooth and clear from Impediments as Pioneers use to prepare the way for the March of an Army He guideth me in all my Counsels and enterprizes so that I neither miss my way nor stumble in it nor come short of my end 33. He maketh my feet like hinds feet l i. e. Most swist and nimble As he made me wise in Counsel and Contrivance which he elsewhere saith so he made me speedy and Expeditious in the Execution Which are the two great Excellencies of a Captain He gave me great Agility either to fâ—…ee and escape from mine Enemies when prudence required it or to pursue them
promised v. 21. both because such righteous Persons howsoever they may meet with Affronts and Injuries from Men are under the special Care and Favour of God in this Verse and those who do the Evils there forbidden shall find to their cost that God is their Enemy v. 16. and his ears * Neh. 8. 3. are open unto their cry 16. * Jer. 44. 11. Am. 9. 4. The face l i. e. His Anger oft called his Faâ—…e as Levit. 17. 10. and 20. 5. Ier. 44. 11. Lam. 4. 16. because Anger discovers it self in the Face of the LORD is against them that do evil m i. e. Whose common Course and study and business it is to do Evil For else 〈◊〉 is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles. 7 20. to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth n Heb. They cry to wit the righteous as is manifest both from the Nature of the thing and from v. 15. where they are so called and with which this Verse is to be continued the 16th Verse coming in by way of parenthesis as is very usual in many places of Scripture m Utterly to deprive both them and their Children of that Worldly Happiness which is the only thing that they desire and seek by their wicked Courses 17. The righteous cry o and the LORD heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles 18. The LORD is nigh p Ready to hear and succour them though by the severe Course of his Providence towards them he seems to themselves and others to stand afar off as David complains Psal. 10. 1. †Heb. to the 〈◊〉 of Heart unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be †Heb. Contrite of Spirit of a contrite spirit q By which he understands Either 1. Those whole Spirits are oppressed and even broken with the greatness of their Calamities But this may be and frequently is the Lot of wicked Men. And therefore in this Sence and to such Persons this Proposition and Promise is not true Or rather 2. Those whose Hearts or Spirits are truly and deeply humbled under the hand of God and the Sence of their sins and God's displeasure for them which was David's Case Psal. 6. 1. c. and 32. 3 4. whose proud and self-willed Hearts are subdued and made obedient to God's Will and submissive to his Providence For to all such and to such onley this Promise is verified 19. * 2 Tim. 3. 11 12. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the LORD delivereth him out of them all 20. He keepeth all his bones r i. e. All the Parts and Members of their Bodies which are Synecdochically expressed by the Bones which are the stay and strength of the rest not one of them is broken s God will not suffer any Mischief to be al him though he may be oft afflicted yet he shall not be destroyed But these Words though they are here spoken of the righteous Mâ—…n in general of whom they are true in a 〈◊〉 Sence yet they had a further meaning in them being designed by the Spirit of God which Dictated to David not onely the Matter but the very Words and Expressions to signifie a great Mystery that none of Christ's Bones should be broken to which purpose they are alledged Ioâ—… 19. 36. 21. * Psal. â—…4 23. Evil t Either 1. The Evil of sin his own wickedness though designed against others shall destroy himself Or 2. The Evil of Misery When the afflictions of good Men shall have an happy Issue theirs shall end in their total and final Destruction shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous u That persecute them and Plot their Ruine which is an Evidence that they hate them whatsoever they may pretend to the contrary ‖ Or shall be 〈◊〉 shall be desolate 22. * Psal. 97. 10. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants x i. e. Their Lives or their Persons from the malicious Designs of all their Enemies and from Desolation or utter Ruine as it follows and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate PSAL. XXXV The ARGUMENT This Psalm was Penned by David when he was sâ—…andred and persecuted by Saul and his Servants as is manifest from the whole Body of it A Psalm of David 1. PLead * Psal. 43. 1. 119. 154. Lam. 3. 58. my cause O LORD a Seeing I am unable to right my self and the Magistrates refuse to do me Justice be thou my Patron and Protector with them that †Heb. implead me strive with me fight against them that fight against me 2. Take hold of shield and buckler b Therewith to cover and defend me Comp. Psal. 91 4. Prov. 2. 7. and stand up for mine help 3. Draw out also the spear c Thy offensive Weapons He alludes to the practise of Soldiers in Battel and stop the may d In which they are marching directly and furiously against me But divers Interpreters both Hebrews and others take this Hebrew word for a Noun and render it a Sword Or as the Word may signifie a close Weapoâ—… For the Psalmist here representing God as a man of War and accordingly furnishing him with other Weapons it seems not probable that he would omit this Weapon which was most constantly and universally used against them that persecute me say unto my soul e i. e. Unto me Either 1. By thy Spirit assuring me of it Or 2. By thy Providence effecting it for God's saying or speaking is oft meant of his doing because his Word is sufficient for the doing of whatsoever he pleaseth I am thy salvation 4. * Psal. 4â—… 15 â—…0 3. Let them be confounded f i. e. Frustrated in their wicked Designs and hopes against me Concerning this and the like and following Imprecations which may seem strange and severe it must be Considered 1. That they did not proceed from any passionate or revengeful Spirit in David towards his Enemies from which how free he was appears not onely from his own Words here v. 12 13 14. but from the whole Course of his Life and the frequent Instances mentioned in his History of his meek and merciful Carriage to his Enemies when they were in his Power from his Zeal for God and for Piety and Justice to which they shewed themselves to be constant and implacable Adversaries and by the Direction of the Prophetical Spirit of God wherewith he was indued which Spirit did exactly know the Condition of his Enemies and that those against whom they are Levelled were hardened and â—…ncurable 2. That they contain nothing but a Prayer to God that he would accomplish his own Threatnings and execute his own Law of Retaliation of Eye for Eye and Tooth for Tooth and so bring upon them the Evils which they designed against him Which
the same Violence and Cruelty and Injustice that Thieves use * Ezek. 22. 12. 〈◊〉 4. 18. 〈◊〉 3. 11. every one loveth gifts g i. e. Bribes given to pervert Justice which are severely forbidden Deut. 10. 17. 27. 25. and followeth after rewards h Pursuing them with all eagerness and by all means possible they * Jer. 5. 28. 〈◊〉 7. 10. judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them i They are so far from doing them Justice that they will not so much as give them a fair Hearing of their Cause because they cannot make their way to them by Gifts 24 Therefore saith the Lord the LORD of hosts the mighty One of Israel Ah * Deut. 28. 63. I will ease me k Heb. I will comfort my self ease my Mind and satisfie my Justice by taking vengeance as the next Clause explains this The same Expression is used in the same sense Ezek. 5. 13. of mine adversaries l Of the Israelites who though they have called themselves my Children and Friends yet by their Temper and Carriage towards me have shewed themselves to be mine Enemies and avenge me of mine enemies 25 And I will turn my hand upon thee m To chastise thee again which God threatned that he would not do v. 5. but now promiseth that he will do it not in fury or so as utterly to destroy them but in mercy and with moderation so as to purge them as it here follows and †Heb. accordâ—…ng to pureâ—… * Jer. 6. 29. â—… 9. 7. Mal. 〈◊〉 purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tin n I will purge out of thee and destroy those wicked Men that are incorrigible and infectious to others and for those of you that are curable I will by my Word and by the Furnace of Affliction purge out all that Hypocrisie and Corruption that yet remains in you and requires so sharp a Cure 26 And I will restore thy judges o I will give thee such Princes and Magistrates as at the first p Heb. As thou hadst in the beginning either 1. of thy Common-wealth such as Moses and Ioshua or 2. of thy Kingdom such as David and thy counsellers q Thy Princes shall have and hearken to wise and faithful Counsellors which is a singular Blessing to a Prince and People as at the beginning afterward * Zech. 8. â—… thou shalt be called q To wit justly and truly thou shalt be such for to be called is oft put for to be as Isa. 4. 3. 61. 6. Mat. 5. 9. The city of righteousness the faithful city 27 Zion r The Iews that live in or near Zion and worship God in Zion shall be redeemed s Shall be delivered from all their Enemies and Calamities with judgment t Or by judgment i. by Gods righteous Judgment purging out those wicked and incorrigible Iews who by their Sins hindred the Deliverance of the People and punishing and destroying their unmerciful Enemies who kept them in cruel Bondage as he did to the Babylonians whereby he made the way open for their deliverance and ‖ Or they that return of her her converts u Heb. her returners those of them who shall come out of Captivity into their own Land with righteousness x Or by righteousness i. e. either by my Faithfulness in keeping my Promise of delivering them after seventy years or by my Goodness for both these come under the name of righteousness in Scripture-use 28 And y Or rather But as that Particle is oft used for here is a manifest opposition the * Job 31. 3. Psal. 1. 6. 5. 6. 73. 27. 92. 9. 104. 35. †Heb. breaking destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together z Though I will deliver my People from the Babylonish Captivity yet those of them who shall still go on in their wickedness shall not have the benefit of that Mercy but are reserved for a more dreadful and total destruction and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed 29 For they shall be ashamed a Not with an ingenuous and penitential shame for the Sin but with an involuntary and penal shame for the disappointment of their hopes which they had in their Idols of the ‖ Or gods Chap. 57. 5. â—…r idols oaks which ye have desired b Which after the manner of the Heathen you have consecrated to Idolatrous Uses that under them you might worship your Idols as they did Ezek. 6. 13. Hos. 4. 13. See also Isa. 57. 5. Ier. 2. 20. 3. 6. and ye shall be confounded for the gardens c In which as well as in the Groves they committed Idolatry of which we read Isa. 65. 3. 66. 17. that ye have chosen d To wit for the Place of your Worship which is opposed to the Place which God had chosen and appointed for his Worship 30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth and as a garden that hath no water e As you have sinned under the Oaks and in Gardens so you shall be made like unto Oaks and Gardens not when they are green and flourishing but when they wither and decay 31 And the strong f Either 1. your Idols which you think to be strong and able to defend you as appears by your Confidence in them or 2. the strongest Persons among you who think to secure themselves against the threatned danger by their Wealth or Power or Wisdom and much more they that are weak and helpless shall be as tow g Shall be as suddenly and easily consumed by my Judgments as Tow is by Fire ‖ Or and his work and the maker of it h The Maker of the Idol who can neither save himself nor his Workmanship Or his work either all that he doth or can do or that which he hath done his wicked course of Life shall bring him to ruine as a spark and they shall both burn together and none shall quench them CHAP. II. THe word a Or the matter or thing as this Hebrew word commonly signifies the Prophecy or Vision that I saiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem 2 And b Or Now as this Particle is rendred 1 Sam. 9. 1. Ezra 1. 1. c. * Mic. 4. 1 c. it shall come to pass in the last days c In the Times of the Messias or the Gospel as the generality both of Jewish and Christian Writers understand it and as may further appear both from the use of this Phrase in this sence Ier. 48. 47. 49. 39. Ezek. 38. 8 16. Dan. 10. 14. Hos. 3. 5. Act. 2. 17. Heb. 1. 2. 1 Ioh. 2. 18. and from the Conversion of the Gentiles here promised which was not to be till that time
and this is favoured by the sequel where they seem to particularize those sins in the following verses 13 In transgressing s Properly we rebel against God so the word is ch 1 2. and have persisted in our Rebellion and lying t Being true to none of their Engagements Vows and Promises some make transgressing here and lâ—…ing to be one and the same thing inasmuch as in their transgressing of the Law of God they did break their solemn engagement to God upon Mount Sinai Exod. 19. 8. 24. 3. and elsewhere frequently which is a down â—…ight lying against God For wherein do we more lye to God than in a persidious withdrawing from him So that by transgressing here he doth mean not a breach of one or another of the Laws of God but their being as it were fugitives that would be under no yoke against the LORD and departing u i. e. Turning from God to Idols away from our God speaking x As it were talking of little else one among another but how to oppress their Neighbours and apostatize from God oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering y i. e. First contriving and forging in their heart false accusations to the ruine of their Neighbour and false Worship to the dishonour of God laying the contrivance so that it might be effectual and then uttering it or venting themselves one to another in their discourses thereby encouraging each other in their perverse ways see v. 3. and whereas it is said from the heart it notes a resoluteness in their wickedness being a great deal worse than now and then to deal falsly upon some occasion or temptation from the heart words of falshood z They are called words of falshood both with reference to men and to signifie slanders and false accusations as also to God and so signifie their dealing falsly with God as an Adulteress doth with her Husband hence Idolaters are called the seed of falshood ch 57. 3 4 5. and it is said from the heart to shew that when they dealt with men in ways of fraud it was from the heart but when they spake with God it was but from the lip He now enumerates some of those particular sins they proâ—…ss themselves to be convinced of whereby he doth not mean the sins of some particular persons or some slight sins but a general deâ—…ection and corruption of the whole body 14 And judgment is turned away backward a He speaks here of the Sentences and Decrees in courts of Judicature which are carried quite contrary to Right and Justice God denies you Justice as you have denied help to others and justice standeth afar off b Iâ—… notes the same thing with the former to shew that Justice and Judges are far asunder for truth is fallen c A Metaphor taken from a feeble person that wants support without which he falls thus Truth hath none to support or patronize it the same only otherwise expressed with v. 16. Truth is cast upon the ground and Justice trampled under foot in the street d i. e. in publick and equity cannot enter e No such thing will be admitted in their Courts all corrupt so that all Equity and Justice is violently kept off by the authority of the great ones 15 Yea truth faileth f q. d. Truth is more than fallen which he had said in the former verse It faileth For being onely fallen it may recover itself again but failing notes the loss of its very Vitals As being every where neglected in Court in City in Country in inferiour as well as superiour Ranks in the Streets in the Gates in the Markets in the Fairs in all publick places of commerce the condition much like that under the Beast coming out of the Earth Rev. 13. 11. c. See Ps. 10. 7. 8. c. All things are amiss neither Judgment or Justice or Truth is to be found among us but Fraud and Deceiâ—… vet none troubled at it and he that departeth from evil g That separateth himself from evil things and Persons will not be as vile as others ‖ Or is accounted 〈◊〉 maketh himself a prey h Or is accounted mad is laughed at that talks of Justice so some Iosephus tells us that immediately before the destruction of Ierusalem it was matter of scorn to be religious Though there be no solid ground for nor need of that marginal reading yet is it a truth The Translators reach the meaning by Prey The wicked like wild Beasts endeavouring to devour such as are not as bad as themselves where Wickedness rules Innocency is oppressed in bargaining as buying and selling they that are simple and innocent are outwitted by the crafty and fraudulent as not willing or rather daring to oppose fraud with fraud but to do all things in sincerity and the LORD saw it i i. e. Took notice of it 't is spoken of God after the manner of men as Gen. 11. 5. 18. 21. and many other places and †〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it displeased him k â—… d. If you would know why God is so angry with you it is for such things as these the Lord takes notice of it and it is a great evil in his eye that there was no judgment 16 And he saw that there was no man l Viz. To intercede which is supplied from the following words or no man to help in such a case to shew himself and appear in such a corrupt state in the behalf of equity as ver 4. the like circumstances we have Ezek. 22. 29 30. or none fit to intercede and wondred m Heb. â—…istomen was amazed astonished as it were not knowing what to do This notes both Gods sollicitousness about their condition and their hypocrisie as if God took no notice of them together with their dulness and blockishness in not concerning themselves about it especially considering they had been a people so well instructed and yet under the guilt of such gross sins should be no more sollicitous about pardon which God would readily have granted if any such could have been found Ier. 5. 1. that there was no intercessour * Psal. 98. 1. Ch 63. 5. therefore n Or Yet as it is used ch 7. 14. 51. 21. his arm brought salvation unto him o This may relate 1. To the parties thus oppressed Or 2. To God as that either 1. He would do his work without help from any other ch 51. 5. Or 2. He would avenge himself his own honor thus the word is used 1 Sam. 25. 26. and this may and seems to be the meaning of the next clause Or 3. He had made provision for the maintaining his own righteous cause and peoples interest this sense that phrase so like this favours ch 63. 5. Salvation unto me and his * Ch. 42. 21. 63. 5. righteousness p Viz. His Justice q. d.
were not at this time carried into Captivity and certain it is that amongst the Jews there was such a generation from whom the Pharisees in our Saviours time were derived and this was the reason of their not eating excâ—…pt they washed when they came from the Market Mark 7. 4. lest peradventure they should there have touched some Heathen or some person who was legally unclean These are a smoak in ‖ Or 〈◊〉 my nose r Thus they esteemed themselves holier than others though all their holiness lay in these rituals and those too such as God never commanded And indeed those who most exceed in such ritual Holiness lying meerly in a separation from others by the usage of some unwritten traditions come most short in moral and true Holiness For of these God saith These are a smoak in my nostrils a fire that burneth all the day that is a continual provocation to me as smoak is an offence to our Noses Prov. 10. 26. which seemeth to be the sense rather than what some make who make it a threaming of Gods wrath smoaking against them which is sufficiently expressed in the following verses a fire that burneth all the day 6 Behold it is written before me s They may think that I take no notice of these things or if I take any notice I will forget them or at least not enter into judgment with them for them but I as certainly know and will remember them as Princes or great men that record things in writing which they would not forget And they shall know that I know and take notice of and will remember them for I will not keep silence t I will not long neglect the punishment of them though for a while I have delayed it like a man who bites in his wrath for some wise reasons which are known unto himself best Psal. 50. 21. but will recompense even recompense into their bosom u My punishment of them shall be severe and certain but yet it shall be just but a giving them what is their own as they are obnoxious to my Justice Ier. 32. 18. Deut. 7. 10. like the payment of an Ox for an Ox Exod. 21 36. where the same word is used they have been froward against me and I will shew my self froward against them Psal. 18. 26. 7 Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together x Yea and when I reckon with them I will punish them not onely for their personal sins but for the sins of their Parents which they have testified their approbation of by continuing in them and so made them their own by an apish sinful imitation saith the Lord which have burnt incense upon the mountains y Their Fathers burnt Incense upon the mountains there performing to Idols that homage which I obliged them to pay unto me or if any of them pretend it was to me though before an Image yet it was in a way which I directed them not who had appointed them the place where I would be worshipped and blasphemed me upon the hills z So as that instead of blessing they indeed blasphemed me upon the hills instead of speaking well they spake ill of my name worshipping me in a way which I had not appointed and for which they onely took their copy from Idolaters therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom a Therefore I will punish them and that justly as he that rendereth another his due by measure giving measure for measure and weight for weight only they must expect that I should not onely punish the late sins that they have committed of this nature but the forâ—…er sins of this kind which those in this nation that went before this present Generation did commit and the presentage hath continued in the guilt of 8 Thus saith the Lord as the new wine is found in the cluster and one saith destroy it not b These words must be conceâ—…ved as a gracious answer from God to the Prophet saying as Abraham Gen. 18. 23. 25. or as Moses Ex. 32. 11 12 13. pleading Gods covenant with Abraham Isaac and Israel To this God repheth that he intended no such severity the unfaithfulness of men should not make his promise of no effect Rom. 3. 3. His threatning should be made good upon the generality of this people whose Vine was of Sodom and of the fields of Goâ—… Deut. 32. 32. for a * Joel 2. 14. blessing is in it c But yet as in a Vineyard which is generally unfruitful there may be some particular Vine that brings forth fruit or as in a Vine which is full of luxuriant branches that bring forth no fruit there may be here and there a branch that bringeth forth fruit and hath the hopâ—…s of new wins in the câ—…uster and as to such the Gardiner bids his Servant destroy it not or them not for they are fruitful there is in them what speaketh Gods blessing or what may be of use and do us good so will I do for my servants sake d So â—…aith God will I do for my Servants sake that I may not destroy them all either for the sake of my Servants Abraham Isaac and Iacob with whom I anciently made a Covenant or for my Servant Davids sake or for the sake of such as are my Elect at this time amongst them see Ier. 30. 11. Amos 9. 8. that I may not destroy them all 9 And I will bring a seed out of Jacob e No seed beareth a proportion to the tree or plant that it produceth but in comparison with that is very little yet it is enough through the vertue which the God of nature hath put into it to preserve and uphold the species to which it doth relate They are but a remnant saith God that shall be saved see Rom. 11. 5. but a small number that shall come out of the Captivity of Babylon or which I rather chuse they will be but a few that shall believe in my Son yet they shall be enough for my promise to live in this Paul argueth Rom. 11. as the plant yet lives in the seed when the root is pluckt up the leaves dropt off and the Stalk is burnt up so the promise of God lives in a few when the generality of a people for their sins are cast off and destroyed The favour of God to men and the promise of God to good men lived in one family of Lot when the five Cities were burned and in the one family of Noah when the world was drowned the favour and promise of God to Abraham Isaac and Iacob and David lived in the few that returned out of Babylon and in those few who under the Gospel received Christ and believed in him though the generality of them rejected the counsel of God against themselves and out of Judah f God further promiseth to bring out of Iudah an inheritor of his Mountains which the
ye are all children of Israel q The Sons of that Holy man who for one filthy action left an Eternal brand upon one of his own Sons a People in Covenant with the holy God whose Honour you are obliged to vindicate and who hath expresly commanded you to punish all such notorious Enormities give here your advice and counsel 8 ¶ And all the people arose as one man saying We will not any of us go to his tent r i. e. His habitation to wit until we have revenged this Injury neither will we any of us turn into his house 9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah we will go up by lot against it 10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel and an hundred of a thousand and a thousand out of ten thousand to â—…etch victual for the people that they may do when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin accord ing to all the folly that they have wrought s That we may punish them as such a wickedness deserves in Israel t This is added as an aggravation that they should do that in Israel or among Gods peculiar People which was esteemed abominable even among the Heathen 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city ‡ Heb. fellows knit together as one man 12 ¶ And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe u Heb. tribes Either the Plural Number for the Singular or rather tribe is put for family as was noted before as families are elsewhere put for tribes They take a wise and a just course in sending to all the parts and families of the tribe to separate the Innocent from the Guilty and to give them a fair opportunity of preventing their ruin by doing nothing but what their Duty Honour and Interest obliged them to even by delivering up those vile Malefactors whom they could not keep without horrid guilt and shame and bringing the Curse of God upon themselves of Benjamin saying What wickedness is this that is done among you 13 Now therefore deliver us the men the children of Belial which are in Gibeah that we may put them to death and put away evil x Both the Guilt and the Punishment wherein all Israel will be Involved if they do not Punish it from Israel but the children of Benjamin would not hearken y Partly from the Pride of their Hearts which made them scorn to submit to their Brethren or to suffer them to meddle in their Territory partly from a conceit of their own Valour and Military skill and partly from Gods just judgment to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah to go out to battel against the children of Israel 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbred at that time out of the city twenty and six thousand men that drew sword beside the inhabitants of Gibeah which were numbred seven hundred chosen men z Object This agrees not with the following numbers for all that were slain of Benjamin were 25100 men v. 35. and there were only 600 that survived v. 47. which make only 25700. Ans. The other thousand men were either left in some of their cities where they were slain v. 48. or were cut off in the two first Battels wherein it is unreasonable to think they had an unbloody Victory and as for these 25100 men they were all slain in that day i. e. the day of the third Battel as is affirmed v. 35. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men * Chap. 3. 15. left handed a Heb. shut up on their right hand i. e. using their left hand instead of their right every one could sling stones at an hairs breadth and not miss b An Hyperbolical expression signifying that they could do this with great exactness There are many Parallel Instances in Historians of Persons that could throw Stones or shoot Arrows with great certainty so as seldom or never to miss Of which see my Latin Synopsis And this was very considerable and one ground of the Benjamites confidence because in those times they had no Guns 17 And the men of Israel c To wit such as were here present v. 2. for otherwise it is most probable they had a far greater number of men being 600000 before their entrance into Canaan Num. 1. 2. beside Benjamin were numbred four hundred thousand men that drew sword all these were men of war 18 ¶ And the children of Israel d i. e. Some sent in the name of all arose and went up to the house of God e To wit to Shiloh which was not far from Mizpeh where they were and * Chap. 1. 1. asked counsel of God and said Which of us shall go up first to the battel f This they ask to prevent Emulations and Contentions but they do not ask whether they should go against them oâ—… no for that they knew they ought to do by the will of God already revealed nor yet do they seek to God for his help by Prayer and Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all reason they ought to have done but were confident of Success because of their great Numbers and Righteous Cause against the children of Benjamin And the LORD said Judah shall go up first 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah 20 And the men of Israel went out to battel against Benjamin and the men of Israel put themselves in aray to fight against them at Gibeah 21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men g Quest. Why would God suffer them to have so great a loss in so Good a Cause Ans. Because they had many and great Sins reigning amongst themselves and they should not have come to so great a Work of God as this with polluted hands but should have pulled the Beam out of their own Eye before they attempted to take that out of their Brother Benjamin's Eye which because they did not God doth it for them making them by this loss more clearly to see their own Sins and their need of Gods help without which their great Numbers were insignificant and bringing them through the Fire that they might be purged from their Dross it being probable that the great God who governs every stroke in Battels did so order things that their worst and rotten Members should be cut off which was a great Blessing to the whole Common-wealth 22 And the people the men of Israel incouraged themselves h Heb. strengthned themselves partly by supporting themselves with the Conscience of the Justice of their Cause and the hopes of success and partly by putting themselves in better order for
defending themselves and annoying their Enemies and set their battel again in aray in the place where they put themselves in aray the first day i Hereby shewing their freedom from that Heathenish Superstition whereby they might have been apt to have rejected that as an unlucky place Compare 1 King 20. 23 28. 23 And the children of Israel went up and wept k Not so much for their Sins as for their Defeat and Loss as appears by the Sequel before the LORD until even and asked counsel of the LORD saying Shall I go up to battel against the children of Benjamin my brother l They impute their ill Success not to their own Sins as they had great reason to do but to their taking up Arms against their Brethren the Lawfulness whereof they now begin to doubt of But still they persist in their former neglect of seeking Gods assistance in the way which he had appointed as they themselves acknowledge presently by doing those very things which now they Sinfully neglected v. 26. and therefore are again justly punished l God answers to their question but as they did not desire his assistance and success so he doth not promise it And the LORD said Go up against him 24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day 25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men all these drew the sword 26 ¶ Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto the house of God and wept and sat there before the LORD and fasted m Being now sensible of their former slightness and not being truly humbled for their Sins which now they discover to be the true Cause of their ill success that day until even and offered burnt-offerings n To make atonement to God for their own Sins and peace-offerings o Partly to bless God for sparing so many of them whereas he might justly have cut off all of them when their Brethren were slain and partly to Implore his assistance for the future and to give him Thanks for the Victory which now they were confident he would give them before the LORD 27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD p To wit by Urim and Thummim Numb 27. 21. for the ark of the covenant of God was there q In Shiloh where they were now assembled in those days 28 And Phineas the son of Eleazar r This is added to give us some light about the time of this History and to shew it was not done in the order in which it is here placed after Sampson's Death but long before the son of Aaron stood s i. e. Ministred as the word stand oft signifies as Deut. 10. 8. and 18. 7. Prov. 22. 29. Ier. 52. 12. compare with 2 King 25. 8. because standing is the usual posture of Servants before it t i. e. Before the Ark or before his i. e. the Lord's face or presence which shews that he was the high-priest for none else might appear there in those days saying Shall I yet again go out to battel against the children of Benjamin my brother or shall I cease u Which if thou requirest we are willing to do notwithstanding the provocation they have given us and our own Inclination to revenge And the LORD said Go up for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand Now when they had sought God after the due order and truly humbled themselves for their Sins he gives them a full and satisfactory Answer to their Desires 29 And Israel set liers in wait x Though they were assured of the Success by a particular and absolute promise yet they do not neglect the use of means as well knowing that the certainty of Gods purposes or promises doth not excuse but rather require Mans diligent use of all fit means for the accomplishment of them round about Gibeah y i. e. On several sides of it as may be gathered from the following Verses 30 And the children of Israel z i. e. A considerable part of them who were ordered to give the first onset and then to counterfeit flight to draw the Benjamites forth of their strong hold See v. 32. went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day a To wit after the second Battel for the first day after it they spent in perplexing thoughts and going up to the House of the Lord the second in Fasting and Prayer there and this third in the Fight Or this is so called with respect unto the two several foregoing days of Battel and so this was the third day of Battel and put themselves in aray against Gibeah as at other times 31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city b By the dissembled Flight of the Israelites and they began ‡ 〈◊〉 to sinite of the people wounded as at c. to smite of the people and kill as at other times c With the same kind though not the same degree of Success in the high-ways of which one goeth up to ‖ Oâ—… Bethel the house of God and the other to Gibeah in the field d So called to difference it from this Gibeah which was upon an Hill wherefore they are constantly said to ascend or go up against it as v. 23 30. See Ios. 18. 24 28. about thirty men of Israel 32 And the children of Benjamin said They are smitten down before us as at the first But the children of Israel said Let us flee and draw them from the city unto the high-ways 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place e Where they had disposed themselves that they might fall upon the Benjamites when they were drawn forth to a sufficient distance from their City and when they were pursuing that Party mentioned v. 30. and put themselves in aray at Baal-Tamar and the lyers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places f To execute what was agreed upon even to take Gibeah and burn it as they actually did v. 37. even out of the meadows of Gibeah 34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel g Selected out of the main Body which was at Baal-Tamar and these were to march directly to Gibeah on the one side whilst the liers in wait stormed it on the other side and whilst the great Body of the Army laboured to intercept these Benjamites who having pursued the Israelites that pretended to flee now endeavoured to retreat to Gibeah and the battel was sore but they knew not that evil was near them h They were so puffed up with their former Successes that they were insensible of their danger 35 And the