shall not always continue but shall be destroyed in which words God threatens the drowning of Mankind by the floud of waters What we render strive is by the ancient Versions rendered by a word that signifies to continue or abide And what is rendred with Man in the Hebrew signifies as well in Man And then it will be easie to understand the importance of these words by comparing chap. 7.22 where it is said That all in whose nostrils was the breath of life Hebr. the breath of the spirit of life died Compare Gen. 2.7 Eccles 12.7 Heb. 12.9 For that he also is flesh i. e. For that he is a depraved mortal creature addicted to the works of the flesh Jud. v. 16 19. An hundred and twenty years i. e. So much time Men shall be allowed before the coming of the Floud to repent in Thus the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the Ark was a preparing 1 Pet. 3.20 Besides the World did not want a Preacher of Righteousness among them 2 Pet. 2.5 This warning began twenty years before the Birth of Japhet of whose Birth we have an account v. 10. in its due place For what is said chap. 5.32 is there added to complete the Genealogy which is the subject of that Chapter 4. Giants i. e. Not onely Men of great stature Numb 13.32 33. but of insolent tempers v. 5 11. and consequently such as struck a terror upon Men of smaller size and strength After that i. e. After that Race of Men last mentioned Mighty men i. e. Men of great power and force Of renown Or of great fame for their exploits in the wicked World 5. Every imagination c. i. e. All the secret thoughts and purposes of his mind were always bent upon Evil. Not onely the practices of Men were Evil as it is said that God saw that the wickedness of Man was great but the principles from whence those actions flowed were generally corrupted also 6. It repented God cannot properly be said to Repent 1 Sam. 15.29 The Scripture speaks in the language of the children of men as the Jews commonly express it and attribute many things to God which strictly speaking belong not to him Because when Men undoe what they had done they are said to repent God after this manner of Men is said to repent when he destroyeth that which he had made This in God does not imply any alteration or defect And it grieved him at his heart Or He was displeased and angry as the word in the Hebrew is observed to signifie See Gen. 34. v. 7. at the Evil heart of Man of which mention is made in the end of verse 5. 8. Found grace That is obtained favour Compare Heb. 11.7 9. Perfect in his generations i. e. He was an upright and sincere Man and unblameable in the midst of a wicked and ungodly World 11. The Earth That is the Inhabitants of it ch 11. v. 1. Violence Or Rapine They were irreligious toward God and unjust to one another 12. All flesh i. e. The whole Race of Mankind Compare Isai 40.5 with Psal 78.39 His way Or course of living But especially Religion which is the way of serving God and to happiness and is called the way Act. 22.4.18.26 14. Gopher-wood The Chaldee renders it by a word that signifies Cedar Whatever the Wood were it is certain that it was Wood fit for this purpose And the word in the Hebrew language seems to imply that the Wood was of a bituminous or pitchy nature which yet for the greater security was to be pitched within and without 15. Cubits Supposing a Cubit to be but a foot and half which hath been a commonly received opinion we shall not have any just cause to think that the Ark wanted any capacity for the reception of those creatures and that provision which was to be lodged there But we are not obliged to believe this common opinion which supposeth a Cubit to be but 18 inches Allowing it to be somewhat more than 21 the capacity of the Ark will be much greater But of this matter they who please may consult Dr. Cumberland's Book printed 1686. 16. A window Or a light possibly of some strong and Diaphanous stone to give light into the Ark. See the Note on Gen. 8.6 In a cubit c. i. e. Thou shalt raise the top of the Ark one Cubit that the Cover of it being sloping may the better conveigh the waters falling upon it Door By which Noah and his family and the living creatures were to enter With lower c. The Lower story was probably for the greater beasts The second for stowage of provision The third for Noah's family and the fowls and perhaps some of the smaller creatures 18. Covenant The word in this place signifies a promise to preserve Noah and his family c. though it generally signifie a mutual compact or agreement v. 19. And thus sometimes this word signifies See Numb 18.19 and chap. 25.12 13. 19. Two of every sort Not that there shall be but two of any sort compare ch 7. v. 2. but there must be two at least viz. male and female of every kind v. 20. 22. So did he Compare Heb. 11.7 CHAP. VII The ARGUMENT Noah and his Family by God's direction enter into the Ark The living Creatures do so likewise The time when the Floud began the great increase the effects and continuance of it 1. AND the LORD said unto Noah Come thou and all thy house into the ark for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation 2. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens the male and his female and of beasts that are not clean by two the male and his female 3. Of fowls also of the air by sevens the male and the female to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth 4. For yet seven days and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth 5. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him A. M. 1656. 2349. 6. And Noah was six hundred years old when the floud of waters was upon the earth 7. And Noah went in and his sons and his wife and his sons wives with him into the ark because of the waters of the floud 8. Of clean beasts and of beasts that are not clean and of fowls and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth 9. There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark the male and the female as God had commanded Noah 10. And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the floud were upon the earth 11. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life in the second month the seventeenth day of the month the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up and the windows of heaven were opened
12. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights 13. In the self-same day entered Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth the sons of Noah and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them into the ark 14. They and every beast after his kind and all the cattel after their kind and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind and every fowl after his kind every bird of every sort 15. And they went in unto Noah into the ark two and two of all flesh wherein is the breath of life 16. And they that went in went in male and female of all flesh as God had commanded him and the LORD shut him in 17. And the floud was forty days upon the earth and the waters increased and bare up the ark and it was lift up above the earth 18. And the waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the earth and the ark went upon the face of the waters 19. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth and all the high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered 20. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail and the mountains were covered 21. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth both of fowl and of cattel and of beast and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth and every man 22. All in whose nostrils was the breath of life of all that was in the dry land died 23. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground both man and cattel and the creeping things and the fowl of the heaven and they were destroyed from the earth and Noah onely remained alive and they that were with him in the ark 24. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days 1. RIghteous c. i. e. Sincerely just Compare Luk. 16.15 Rom. 2.29 and Gen. 6.9 2. Clean beast i. e. Allowed for Sacrifice Compare chap. 8.20 Many things established afterwards in the Law of Moses obtained before that Law and were generally practised by the Worshippers of God v. g. Sacrifices Gen. 4.3 4.8.20.13.18 paying of Tithe Gen. 14.20 Circumcision Gen. 17.11 The Right of Primogeniture Gen. 25.33 Making Vows Gen. 28.20 ch 34.6 Marrying the Brothers's wife Gen. 38.8 And those things which Moses forbad were some of them forbidden before his Law As the eating of Bloud and Murder which was a capital Crime before the Law Gen. 9.4 6. And there is no doubt but that the difference of clean and unclean Beasts with respect to Sacrifice was known and observed before the Law of Moses and before the Floud Nor have we any cause to question but that the same were reputed clean before the Law which were declared to be so in the Law of Moses If so the number of Creatures that went into the Ark by Sevens was small and their provision being proportionable could not take up much room For by the Law of Moses onely Beeves and Sheep and Goats of the Beasts And Turtle-doves and Pigeons of the Fowls were allowed for Sacrifice Levit. 1.3 10 14. chap. 22.19 By sevens It is an opinion very ancient and commonly received that seven in number or three pairs for increase and a single one for Sacrifice is meant by this expression But yet it is probable that seven pairs or couples are meant by it because it follows here The male and his female And this latter sence is much confirmed by the Hebrew expression different from what follows of the Beasts not clean which were to be taken by two and also from v. 9 and 16. where the clean Beasts are said to have gone in two and two i. e. by pairs or couples See chap. 6.19 20. 3. Of fowls c. i. e. Of the clean by sevens as before of the unclean two and two as the Greek hath it here 4. For yet seven days i. e. Seven days hence as appears by comparing verse 10. The Earth The Fish of the Sea were exempted from destruction 6. Six hundred years c. This was from the Creation of the World the year One thousand six hundred fifty and six A. M. 1656. 2349. See chap. 5. Not as the Greek have it Two thousand two hundred forty and two 9. Two and two See the Note above on verse 2. 10. After seven days When Noah was now entered into the Ark. See v. 4. 11. Second month i. e. The second month of the year This answers to our October For Tisri or September was accounted the first month of the year The Ecclesiastical year among the Jews began indeed in March but this beginning of the year did not commence till after the Israelites came out of Egypt and that deliverance was the occasion of it Exod. 12.2 The Civil year began as of old in September Compare 1 Kings 8.2 with the Chaldee Paraphrast there Noah by this means had the advantage of gathering the fruits of the Earth Great deep viz. Which contained the Waters under the Earth Deut. 8.7 The depth of the Earth being stored with Waters Psal 33.7 Compare 2 Pet. 3.5 Windows of Heaven That is the Clouds from whence the Rain came in very great plenty Compare Psalm 78.23 and Mal. 3.10 12. Rain i. e. The violent Rain mentioned just before 14. Fowl and Bird The difference between these seems to be this That the word which we render Fowl denotes the larger kind and what we render Bird the smaller Gen. 15.9 10. Levit. 14.4 Or at least the first comprehends the larger sort Sort Or Wing as it is in the Hebrew text Some have feathered Wings others have more gristly and skinny ones which is one way of distinguishing the several sorts of Birds 16. The Lord shut him in That is God did probably by the Ministery of an Angel fasten and secure the door of the Ark into which Noah was entred from the danger from the Waters as well as against the attempts of those that might else have broken in upon him Compare 2 Kings 2.4 5. 17. The Floud i. e. The vehement Rain mentioned verse 12. 20. Fifteen cubits That is two and twenty foot and an half allowing a Cubit to contain but one foot and an half which is here but supposed but by no means granted See the Note on ch 6. v. 15. and consequently above the stature of the tallest of Men. 23. They that were with him They were in all but eight persons 24. Prevailed i. e. They kept above the surface of the Earth without decreasing to which sence it is rendred by the Greek They did not increase so long See chap. 8.3 An hundred and fifty days This space of time includes the forty days mentioned v. 12. so long it was before the Waters were abated Compare chap. 8. v. 3 4. CHAP. VIII The ARGUMENT After an hundred and fifty days from the beginning of the Floud the waters are abated The time and place of the resting of the Ark. Noah sends
His resisting the importunity of his Mistress is an Example of Vertue never to be forgotten He was then a Servant in a strange Country He was tempted by an imperious Woman If he complied he wou'd be sure of Concealment and of Rewards he wou'd be sure to enjoy his Place and be advanced If he resisted he wou'd however be sure to be accused and treated as a Criminal and must expect to be deprived of his Place of his Liberty of his Fame and perhaps of his Life too Yet all this prevails not He will rather submit to Chains to Ignominy to Death than be guilty of so foul a Crime and Sin against God V. We have also in this Book the severest Examples of God's displeasure and wrath against the Wickedness of Men. And two instances we have that are very awakening that of the Floud which over-whelmed an ungodly World and the over-throw of Sodom and Gomorrha for their Wickedness There 's nothing wanting in this Book to recommend it to the study and care of the well-disposed Reader It serves greatly to advance Piety and true Wisdom It gives the best account of the Origin of the World and of the Primitive Condition of Mankind It shews how we fell from God and shews us the way of our Recovery by the Messiah 'T is stored with conspicuous Examples of Piety and Vertue and gives us an occasion to adore the Power the Wisdom the Justice and Goodness and Providence of the great Creator of Heaven and of Earth NOTES ON THE Book of GENESIS CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT This Chapter gives an account of the Creation of the World and the several parts of it as also of the order in which they were made and distinguished with the use and intention of them Here is also a particular account of the Creation of Man in the Image of God and of the food which his Creator appointed him 1. 4004. 1. IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth 2. And the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters 3. And God said Let there be light and there was light 4. And God saw the light that it was good and God divided the light from the darkness 5. And God called the light Day and the darkness he called Night and the evening and the morning were the first day 6. And God said Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters 7. And God made the firmament and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament and it was so 8. And God called the firmament Heaven and the evening and the morning were the second day 9. And God said Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear and it was so 10. And God called the dry land Earth and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas and God saw that it was good 11. And God said Let the earth bring forth grass the herb yielding seed and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind whose seed is in it self upon the earth and it was so 12. And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after his kind and the tree yielding fruit whose seed was in it self after his kind and God saw that it was good 13. And the evening and the morning were the third day 14. And God said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years 15. And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so 16. And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the stars also 17. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth 18. And to rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darkness and God saw that it was good 19. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day 20. And God said Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven 21. And God created great whales and every living creature that moveth which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind and every winged fowl after his kind and God saw that it was good 22. And God blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiply and fill the waters in the seas and let fowl multiply in the earth 23. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day 24. And God said Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind cattel and creeping thing and beast of the earth after his kind and it was so 25. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind and cattel after their kind and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind and God saw that it was good 26. And God said Let us make man in our image after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattel and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth 27. So God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him male and female created he them 28. And God blessed them and God said unto them Be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth 29. And God said Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed to you it shall be for meat 30. And to every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the air and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth wherein there is life I have given every green herb for meat and it was so 31. And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good And the evening and the morning were the sixth day 1. IN the beginning 1. 4004. That is in the beginning of time Heb. 1.10 Created That is made out of nothing Heb. 11.3 or gave a being to things which had no such being before The Heaven and the Earth or the World In the Scripture-phrase the Heaven and Earth are used to express what is otherwise called the World or Universe God that made the World and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Act. 17.24 See
every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food the tree of life also in the midst of the garden and the tree of knowledge of good and evil 10. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden and from thence it was parted and became into four heads 11. The name of the first is Pison that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah where there is gold 12. And the gold of that land is good there is bdellium and the onyx-stone 13. And the name of the second river is Gihon the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia 14. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria And the fourth river is Euphrates 15. And the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it 16. And the LORD God commanded the man saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die 18. And the LORD God said It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an help-meet for him 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name thereof 20. And Adam gave names to all cattel and to the fowl of the air and to every beast of the field but for Adam there was not found an help-meet for him 21. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in stead thereof 22. And the rib which the LORD God had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man 23. And Adam said This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of man 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh 25. And they were both naked the man and his wife and were not ashamed 1. ALL the Host of them That is all that with which they were replenished and adorned The Sun Moon and Stars are called the Host of Heaven Deut. 4.19.17.3 Isa 34.4 And the Angels are so likewise 1 King 22.19 Luk. 2.13 Compare Psal 103.21 2. Ended Or had ended And so it follows He rested That is he ceased from works of Creation 3. Blessed the seventh day and sanctified it That is he set it a-part to an holy and separate use that he might therein be worshipped and acknowledged as the great Creator of the World 4. These are the generations c. i. e. This is the account of the generation or original c. In the day That is in the time So day is used in the Scripture-way of speaking Thus On the day that I smote every first-born in the land of Egypt Numb 8.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die v. 17. Compare Luk. 19.42 2 Cor. 6.2 5. And every plant of the field before c. That is as God made the Earth and the Heavens v. 4. so he also made every plant of the field and every herb For these plants and these herbs were not as yet in the Earth when that was first made but were as well as the other creatures made by God And that God did create the plants and herbs and that they were not at first the natural productions or growth of the Earth nor yet the effect of man's husbandry appears from this That they were made by God's Command chap. 1.11 on the third day 1. Before God had sent any rain upon the Earth And 2. before Man was made to till the ground chap. 2.15 6 7. But there went up a mist c. That is after this 1. the ground was watered v. 6. And 2. Man was formed of the dust of the ground v. 7. Breathed c. i. e. God the Father of Spirits bestowed life upon this lump of clay The Spirit of God hath made me says Elihu and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life 8. Planted Or had planted before he made Man whom he put in the Garden which he had planted as it is probable on the third day chap. 1.11 9. The tree of life That Tree the fruit whereof being eaten by Man would preserve him from death and diseases Life in the Scripture-phrase implies prosperity and freedom from Evils 1 Sam. 25.6 1 King 1.25 Exod. 20.12 Compared with Deut. 5.16 Eph. 6.3 1 Thess 3.8 And the tree of knowledge c. So called from the Event Man by Eating the fruit of this Tree made a sad experiment of the difference between his happy state of innocence and his miserable condition which ensued upon his fall Gen. 3.7 10. And a river c. Moses gives us an account of a certain place that did really exist and we are assured of this because he gives account of its Situation v. 8. its Store with which it was replenished v. 9. the River which watered it and the Name of its several Heads v. 10 11. and the Countries which these Heads did compass or border upon v. 11 12. A particular description of this place from the account which Moses gives may not be expected in these short Notes The inquisitive Reader will find this Argument handled at large in Sir W. Raleigh's History of the World Book I. ch 3. who placeth it in that Country where Babylon afterwards was 17. Thou shalt surely die i. e. Thou shalt be liable to death and misery Compare 1 King 2.37 Exod. 10.17 1 Sam. 25.37 2. Cor. 11.23 18. Not good That is not convenient or fit whether we consider the individual or the propagation of the kind Gen. 1.28 Eccl. 4.9 Prov. 18.22 Meet for him Of his own Kind fit for his Conversation and ready to help and assist him 19. Formed i. e. had formed chap. 1. 24 25. Every foul of the air See the Note on chap. 1.20 Brought them viz. both Sexes says Josephus 20. Gave Names In which he shewed his Dominion and Power Ps 147.4 5. and his Wisdom also in giving Names agreeable v. 19. Not found viz. In that great variety of Creatures which were brought to him and to whom he gave Names 21. One of his ribs Hereupon Adam said This is now bone of my bones v. 23. 23. Now That is for this once Hebr. for she should be otherwise produced afterward 24. Therefore shall c. i. e. Considering this first Original of the Woman there is no relation whatsoever either so ancient or so near as that of Man and Wife They were before Father and Mother Brother or Sister
and were one Flesh at first They shall be one flesh i. e. They two shall be one see Matt. 19.5 as they were at the first Creation And here is a good Argument against Polygamy and Divorces 25. Were not ashamed viz. Because they were innocent and had done nothing as yet to be ashamed of CHAP. III. The ARGUMENT The Woman is beguiled by the Serpent and eats the forbidden fruit the Man also did eat it They are thereupon charged by God and together with the Serpent subjected to misery The Messias is promised The first cloathing of Mankind and their casting out of Paradise 1. NOW the Serpent was more subtil then any beast of the field which the LORD God had made and he said unto the woman Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden 2. And the woman said unto the Serpent We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden 3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye die 4. And the Serpent said unto the woman Ye shall not surely die 5. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil 6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat 7. And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig-leaves together and made themselves aprons 8. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden 9. And the LORD God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou 10. And he said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid my self 11. And he said Who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat 12. And the man said The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat 13. And the LORD God said unto the woman What is this that thou hast done And the woman said The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat 14. And the LORD God said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattel and above every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel 16. Vnto the woman he said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee 17. And unto Adam he said Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eat of it cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life 18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the field 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return 20. And Adam called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all living 21. Vnto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins and cloathed them 22. And the LORD God said Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever 23. Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken 24. So he drove out the man and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life 1. THE Serpent was more subtil That is the Serpent was naturally a more subtil creature than the other beasts Gen. 49.17 Matt. 10.16 And therefore a fitter instrument for the Devil who made use of him see the Note on v. 15. and also a more perfect resemblance of his Craft and Wiliness 2 Cor. 2.11.11.14 Rev. 12.9 Yea hath God said c. The Devil in these words seems to question the kindness of God in that he did not permit unto Man the eating of every Tree in the Garden 2 3. And the Woman c. The Woman assures him of the great indulgence of God who permitted unto Man the free use of all the Trees of the Garden and had onely forbidden them to eat of the fruit of that Tree in the midst of the Garden called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil chap. 2. v. 17. and to touch it under pain of death Touch it The bare touching it was not expresly forbid nor is there any just cause to think That the importance of the word Touch here It may rather import the same with Eat which goes before or the free use which was allowed of the fruit of the other Trees v. 2. The Hebrew word is not restrained to bare touching Gen. 26.11 Jer. 12.14 4. Ye shall not surely die As before he called in question God's kindness to Man so he does here deny his Veracity or Truth and deserve the character which our Saviour gives him of a Liar Joh. 8.44 5. Your eyes shall be opened c. As the Devil tempted her before with the hope of indemnity so he doeth here with a promise of a greater degree of knowledge and an advancement to the Divine likeness For by opening the Eyes is meant the obtaining a greater degree of knowledge And 't is but a Metaphorical expression taken from the body and applied to the mind See Isai 42.7 As Gods c. Or as Angels who are God's Ministers and greatly excell in knowledge and this sence is confirmed by what follows knowing good and evil which expression comprehends all knowledge as all things knowable are in some sence good or evil Thus the Woman of Tekoah says unto David As an Angel of God so is my Lord the King to discern good and bad 2 Sam. 14.17 i. e. To discern all things For thus she expresseth her self v. 20. My Lord is wise according to the wisdom of an Angel of God to know all things that are in the
of all the goods of his Master in his hand i. e. He took not onely ten Camels but of the rest of Abraham's goods which were under his trust and care See v. 53. and ch 39. v. 4. Mesopotamia It signifies a place in the midst of Rivers and denotes that part of Syria largely taken called for that reason Aram-naharaim The place is called Padan-aram ch 25. v. 20. City of Nahor i. e. The City where he dwelt viz. Haran Compare ch 27.43 and ch 28.10 and ch 29.4 14. Let it come to pass c. This was not said without the Divine direction which Abraham had before assured him of v. 7. See the like cases in Judg. 6.17 37. 1 Sam. 14.9 16. Virgin This is sufficiently explained by what follows 22. Of half a shekel weight See the Note on ch 20.16 and Exod. 38.26 23. Lodge in As he did before v. 17. so he now makes trial of her hospitality and kindness a vertue very agreeable to his Master's practice ch 18. v. 4 5. 26. Worshipped This is more than bowing of the head and implies at least the prostration of the whole body v. 52. Exod. 4.31 Compare Matt. 8.2 with Luk. 5.12 28. Her Mother's house Or apartment The Women had in those times their separate tents and abiding-places See the Note on chap. 23. v. 2. 32. He ungirded i. e. Laban or Laban's Servants says Josephus See the like manner of speech ch 37.28 36. All that he hath Having made him his Heir ch 21.10 12. and ch 25.5 6. 50. Laban and Bethuel Laban the Son is named before his Father and v. 55. without him It is probable that Bethuel left the management of affairs to Laban himself being aged and infirm and not much concerning himself in the affairs of his House 53. Precious things viz. Out of that store mentioned v. 10. 57. Enquire at her mouth i. e. Ask her consent as to this sudden departure 59. Her Nurse viz. Deborah chap. 35.8 60. Sister So she was to Laban and being of that family might well be called by reason of her Consanguinity a Sister to the rest of her kindred 63. To meditate Or to pray the Hebrew word will well bear that sense Compare Psal 102. v. 1. which yet does not exclude Meditation accompanying it 65. Therefore she took a veil As the manner was for Women to do upon their marrying in token of subjection See 1 Cor. 11.10 and the Notes upon Gen. 20.16 67. Sarah's Tent Which she had apart by herself See v. 28. His Mother's death This happened three years before as appears by comparing Gen. 17.7 with ch 23. v. 1. and chap. 25. v. 20. CHAP. XXV The ARGUMENT The Posterity of Abraham by Keturah Abraham disposeth of his Goods dies and is buried God bâ—â—sseth Isaac The Posterity of Ishmael his Death and the place of his Posterity's abode Rebekah is barren Isaac prays for her She conceived and brought forth Jacob and Esau A very different account given of them Esau sold his birth-right to Jacob. 1. THen again Abraham took a wife and her name was Keturah 2. And she bare him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah 3. And Jokshan begat Sheba and Dedan And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim 4. And the sons of Midian Ephah and Epher and Hanoch and Abidah and Eldaah all these were the children of Keturah 5. And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac 6. But unto the sons of the concubines which Abraham had Abraham gave gifts and sent them away from Isaac his son while he yet lived eastward unto the east country 7. And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived an hundred threescore and fifteen years 2183. 1821. 8. Then Abraham gave up the ghost and died in a good old age an old man and full of years and was gathered to his people 9. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite which is before Mamre 10. The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth there was Abraham buried and Sarah his wife 11. And it came to pass after the death of Abraham that God blessed his son Isaac and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi 12. Now these are the generations of Ishmael Abraham's son whom Hagar the Egyptian Sarah's hand-maid bare unto Abraham 13. And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael by their names according to their generations the first born of Ishmael Nebaioth and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam 14. And Mishma and Dumah and Massa 15. Hadar and Tema Jetur Naphish and Kedemah 16. These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names by their towns and by their castles twelve princes according to their nations 17. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael an hundred and thirty and seven years and he gave up the ghost and died and was gathered unto his people 18. And thy dwelt from Havilah unto Shur that is before Egypt as thou goest towards Assyria and he died in the presence of all his brethren 19. And these are the generations of Isaac Abraham's son Abraham begat Isaac 20. And Isaac was fourty years old when he took Rebekah to wife the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-Aram the sister to Laban the Syrian 21. And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife because she was barren and the LORD was intreated of him and Rebekah his wife conceived 22. And the children strugled together within her and she said If it be so why am I thus And she went to enquire of the LORD 23. And the LORD said unto her Two nations are in thy womb and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger then the other people and the elder shall serve the younger 24. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled behold there were twins in her womb 2168. 1836. 25. And the first came out red all over like an hairy garment and they called his name Esau 26. And after that came his brother out and his hand took hold on Esau's heel and his name was called Jacob and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them 27. And the boys grew and Esau was a cunning hunter a man of the field and Jacob was a plain man dwelling in tents 28. And Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29. And Jacob sod pottage and Esau came from the field and he was faint 30. And Esau said to Jacob Feed me I pray thee with that same red pottage for I am faint therefore was his name called Edom. 31. And Jacob said Sell me this day thy birth-right 32. And Esau said Behold I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birth-right do to me 33. And Jacob said Swear to me this day and he sware
son were told to Rebekah and she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said unto him Behold thy brother Esau as touching thee doth comfort himself purposing to kill thee 43. Now therefore my son obey my voice and arise flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran 44. And tarry with him a few days untill thy brother's fury turn away 45. Vntill thy brother's anger turn away from thee and he forget that which thou hast done to him then I will send and fetch thee from thence why should I be deprived also of you both in one day 46. And Rebekah said to Isaac I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth such as these which are of the daughters of the land what good shall my life do me 2245. 1760. 1. OLD He was at this time One hundred thirty six or One hundred thirty seven years old And that may be thus collected He was at the birth of Jacob sixty years old ch 25.26 Jacob was now at his going to Padan-Aram which may justly be suposed to happen soon after he had received his Father's blessing v. 42 43. Seventy-six or Seventy-seven years old And that may be thus collected He served Laban Twenty years ch 31.38 Fourteen years for his two Daughters and after that Six years for his Cattel ch 31.41 Joseph was born when Jacob had served Laban Fourteen years ch 30.25 with ch 31.41 And that was the Ninetieth or Ninety-first year of Jacob's life as will appear by comparing ch 41.46 with ch 47.9 and ch 45.6 By which it will appear that when Jacob was One hundred and thirty years old Joseph was Thirty-nine or at the most in his Fortieth year 2. Death A sufficient Motive to put him upon doing what he intended to do in his life It is very certain however that he lived after this Forty-three or Forty-four years See ch 35.28 with the Note on the foregoing Verse 3. Quiver The Chaldee renders it Sword Our word HANGER answers to the Hebrew word 4. That I may eat That c. i. e. That being first refreshed and having made this trial of thy Obedience I may be the more fitted and disposed to pronounce the Blessing upon thee My Soul c. Or that I may bless thee See v. 7 10. Bless thee i. e. Fore-tell and implore the Divine blessing upon thee and constitute thee the Heir of the Promises made to Abraham Compare ch 48.9 15 16. and ch 49.28 Isaac here seems not to be aware of what God had declared to Rebekah ch 25.23 7. Before the Lord i. e. In his presence and by his authority with assurance that he will confirm it v. 33. and Heb. 11.20 12. A Curse A Curse was afterward solemnly to be denounced against him who set light by his Father and mis-lead the blind Deut. 27.16 18. 13. Vpon me She was well assured that the Blessing would be his and speaks prophetically here as the Chaldee intimates and had sufficient ground for this assurance as appears by comparing ch 25.23 15. Goodly raiment i. e. Such as were not of common use and were in Rebekah's keeping The Hebrew Doctors tell us that the First-born had Sacerdotal Robes before the Priesthood was setled It is certain that these garments had a pleasing smell v. 27. 19. I am Esau This practice of Jacob is by no means to be imitated by us 27. Of a field Not of a barren and empty field but of a field replenished with the fruits of the Earth which send forth a good smell Cant. 2.19 It is said a field which the Lord hath blessed and that is a fruitfull field The Greek and Vulgar render it a full field 28. Therefore God give thee Or And God give thee or will give thee as it is in the Hebrew It is a Prophecy as well as Prayer Great plenty is expressed by the dew of Heaven the fatness of the Earth and plenty of Corn and Wine And great Power and Dominion by let people serve thee v. 29. and be Lord over thy brethren c. Compare ch 25.23 These Blessings are from God Prov. 10.22 Whose special favour to Jacob's Race is farther expressed by Cursed be every one that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee 33. Trembled He was greatly astonished and speaks as such when he says Who where is he 39. Dwelling The Vulgar renders it Blessing It referrs to his habitation or seat See v. 28. and ch 36.6 7 8. The fatness Or of the fatness If the place be duly considered as in the Hebrew and well compared with the Context Isaac must mean that his Dwelling should be barren and consequently removed from the fatness of the Earth 40. By thy sword c. Thou shalt defend thy Country by thy Sword and not enjoy the peace which Jacob shall Deut. 33.27 28. His yoke This was verified 2 Kings 8.20 and was to be fulfilled when Jacob's posterity transgressed as the Chaldee intimates 41. At hand So he thought See the Note on v. 2. 42. Comfort himself In hope of recovering his birth-right by killing his Brother 44. Few days This proved to be Twenty years 45. Both They might kill one another However the Murtherer ought to die c. 9. 6. 46. Daughters of Heth See ch 26.34 35. She takes this occasion to send Jacob away CHAP. XXVIII The ARGUMENT Isaac blesseth Jacob and warns him against marrying any daughter of the Canaanites He sends him to Padan-Aram Esau marries Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Jacob's vision of a ladder The promise made to Abraham is renewed to him The stone of Beth-el The vow of Jacob. 1. AND Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him and said unto him Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan 2. Arise go to Padan-Aram to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother 3. And God Almighty bless thee and make thee fruitfull and multiply thee that thou mayst be a multitude of people 4. And give thee the blessing of Abraham to thee and to thy seed with thee that thou mayst inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger which God gave unto Abraham 5. And Isaac sent away Jacob and he went to Padan-Aram unto Laban son of Bethuel the Syrian the brother of Rebekah Jacob's and Esau's mother 6. When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan-Aram to take him a wife from thence and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge saying Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan 7. And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and was gone to Padan-Aram 8. And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father 9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son the sister of Nebaioth to
35.24 Esther 6.2 Bow the knee They were to do homage to Joseph as to the second person in the Kingdom as one who was the Father of the King and Country ch 45.8 The Chaldee renders it This is the Father of the King 44. I am Pharaoh i. e. I am King Pharaoh was the common Name of the King as Ptolomy was in after-times Gen. 12.15 And as the Ptolomies were distinguished by other additional or proper Names so were the Pharaohs also Thus we read of Pharaoh-necoh 2 Kings 23.9 compare Jer. 44.30 And thus were the Caesars among the Romans distinguished from one another Pharaoh in this place implies the Soveraign authority as is implied by what follows Without thee shall no man lift up his hand c. i. e. No man shall have power to do any thing without his leave at least not against his will 45. Zaphnath-paaneah A revealer of secrets says Josephus Priest Or Prince and Governor of On or Heliopolis say the Greek He might be both Prince and Priest ch 14.18 47. By handfulls i. e. In great abundance v. 49. CHAP. XLII The ARGUMENT Jacob sendeth his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn Joseph chargeth them as being Spies They make their Answer They are imprisoned and set at liberty upon condition that they would bring Benjamin into Egypt Their remorse for their former ill usage of Joseph Simeon is left in Egypt as a pledge The rest are sent back with Corn and their Money in their Sacks of Corn. They relate to Jacob what had befallen them who is not willing to send Benjamin 1. NOW when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt Jacob said unto his sons Why do ye look one upon another 2. And he said Behold I have heard that there is corn in Egypt get you down thither and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die 3. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt 4. But Benjamin Joseph's brother Jacob sent not with his brethren for he said Lest peradventure mischief befall him 5. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came for the famine was in the land of Canaan 6. And Joseph was the governor over the land and he it was that sold to all the people of the land and Joseph's brethren came and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth 7. And Joseph saw his brethren and he knew them but made himself strange unto them and spake roughly unto them and he said unto them Whence come ye And they said From the land of Canaan to buy food 8. And Joseph knew his brethren but they knew not him 9. And Joseph remembred the dreams which he dreamed of them and said unto them Ye are spies to see the nakedness of the land you are come 10. And they said unto him Nay my lord but to buy food are thy servants come 11. We are all one man's sons we are true men thy servants are no spies 12. And he said unto them Nay but to see the nakedness of the land you are come 13. And they said Thy servants are twelve brethren the sons of one man in the land of Canaan and behold the youngest is this day with our father and one is not 14. And Joseph said unto them That is it that I spake unto you saying Ye are spies 15. Hereby ye shall be proved by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence except your youngest brother come hither 16. Send one of you and let him fetch your brother and ye shall be kept in prison that your words may be proved whether there be any truth in you or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies 17. And he put them all together into ward three days 18. And Joseph said unto them the third day This do and live for I fear God 19. If ye be true men let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison go ye carry corn for the famine of your houses 20. But bring your youngest brother unto me so shall your words be verified and ye shall not die And they did so 21. And they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us 22. And Reuben answered them saying Spake I not unto you saying Do not sin against the child and ye would not hear therefore behold also his blood is required 23. And they knew not that Joseph understood them for he spake unto them by an interpreter 24. And he turned himself about from them and wept and returned to them again and communed with them and took from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes 25. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn and to restore every man's money into his sack and to give them provision for the way and thus did he unto them 26. And they laded their asses with the corn and departed thence 27. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn he espied his money for behold it was in his sack's mouth 28. And he said unto his brethren My money is restored and lo it is even in my sack and their heart failed them and they were afraid saying one to another What is this that God hath done unto us 29. And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan and told him all that befell unto them saying 30. The man who is the lord of the land spake roughly to us and took us for spies of the country 31. And we said unto him We are true men we are no spies 32. We be twelve brethren sons of our father one is not and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan 33. And the man the lord of the country said unto us Hereby shall I know that ye are true men leave one of your brethren here with me and take food for the famine of your housholds and be gone 34. And bring your youngest brother unto me then shall I know that you are no spies but that you are true men so will I deliver you your brother and ye shall traffick in the land 35. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks that behold every man's bundle of money was in his sack and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money they were afraid 36. And Jacob their father said unto them Me have ye bereaved of my children Joseph is not and Simeon is not and ye will take Benjamin away all these things are against me 37. And Reuben spake unto his father saying Slay my two sons if I bring him not to thee deliver him into my hand and I will bring him to thee again 38. And he said My son shall not go down with you for his brother is dead and he is
reckoned here as coming with Jacob but as all the Souls of his House or Family 28. Judah Who had given a good proof a little before how he was concerned for his Father ch 45.18 To direct his face i. e. To shew him the way 2298. 1706. 30. Now let me die since Jacob had now obtained his desire Compare ch 45.28 and Luk. 2.29 32. Shepherds Joseph is not ashamed of his Brethren s Employment but freely acquaints Pharaoh with it though he knew that the Egyptians detested Shepherds 34. That ye may dwell in the land of Goshen In a fruitfull Country and toward the Confines of Canaan to which they were to return Far from the snares of the Court and out of the way of the Egyptians which hated them and detested that Employment For every Shepherd c. The soft Egyptians hated Men of that hardy Employment and possibly upon account of some loss from that sort of Men and upon the score of their own Superstition they detested the Employment See the Note on ch 43.32 CHAP. XLVII The ARGUMENT Joseph presents five of his Brethren to Pharaoh Jacob also appears before him The Famine encreaseth The Egyptians for Corn part with their Money and Cattel and their Land The Land of the Priests was exempted A fifth part of the encrease of the Land is reserved for Pharaoh Jacob's Age. He sweareth Joseph to bury him with his Fathers 1. THen Joseph came and told Pharaoh and said My father and my brethren and their flocks and their herds and all that they have are come out of the land of Canaan and behold they are in the land of Goshen 2. And he took some of his brethren even five men and presented them unto Pharaoh 3. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren What is your occupation And they said unto Pharaoh Thy servants are shepherds both we and also our fathers 4. They said moreover unto Pharaoh For to sojourn in the land are we come for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan now therefore we pray thee let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen 5. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph saying Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee 6. The land of Egypt is before thee in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell in the land of Goshen let them dwell and if thou knowest any man of activity amongst them then make them rulers over my cattel 7. And Joseph brought in Jacob his father and set him before Pharaoh and Jacob blessed Pharaoh 8. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob How old art thou 9. And Jacob said unto Pharaoh The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years few and evil have the days of the years of my life been and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage 10. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from before Pharaoh 11. And Joseph placed his father and his brethren and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt in the best of the land in the land of Rameses as Pharaoh had commanded 12. And Joseph nourished his father and his brethren and all his father's houshold with bread according to their families 13. And there was no bread in all the land for the famine was very sore so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine 14. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the corn which they bought and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house 15. And when money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan all the Egyptians came unto Joseph and said Give us bread for why should we die in thy presence for the money faileth 16. And Joseph said Give your cattel and I will give you for your cattel if money fail 17. And they brought their cattel unto Joseph and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses and for the flocks and for the cattel of the herds and for the asses and he fed them with bread for all their cattel for that year 18. When that year was ended they came unto him the second year and said unto him We will not hide it from my lord how that our money is spent my lord also hath our herds of cattel there is not ought left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands 19. Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes both we and our land buy us and our land for bread and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh and give us seed that we may live and not die that the land be not desolate 20. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh for the Egyptians sold every man his field because the famine prevailed over them so the land became Pharaoh's 21. And as for the people he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof 22. Onely the land of the priests bought he not for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them wherefore they sold not their lands 23. Then Joseph said unto the people Behold I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh lo here is seed for you and ye shall sow the land 24. And it shall come to pass in the increase that you shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh and four parts shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for them of your housholds and for food for your little ones 25. And they said Thou hast saved our lives let us find grace in the sight of my lord and we will be Pharaoh's servants 26. And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day that Pharaoh should have the fifth part except the land of the Priests onely which became not Pharaoh's 27. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the country of Goshen and they had possessions therein and grew and multiplied exceedingly 28. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years 29. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die and he called his son Joseph and said unto him If now I have found grace in thy sight put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh and deal kindly and truly with me bury me not I pray thee in Egypt 30. But I will lie with my fathers and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying-place And he said I will do as thou hast said 31. And he said Swear unto me And he sware unto him And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head 1. GOshen See the Note on chap. 45.10 2. Some of his brethren
veil i. e. In the Holy Place before the Veil which was between that and the Holy of Holies ch 26.33 Mercy-seat Ch. 25.17 Where I will meet with thee I will be known unto thee there say the Greek 7. Sweet incense Heb. Incense of spices A Symbol of fervent and devout Prayers Ps 141.2 Rev. 5.8 and 8.3 When the Priest went in to offer Incense the People prayed without Luk. 1.10 8. Lighteth Or Setteth up Heb. Causeth to ascend At even Heb. Between the two evens Perpetual Without intermission which recommends to us constant times of Prayer at least every Morning and Evening 9. Strange incense i. e. Incense of another Composition than what is appointed v. 34. Nor burnt-sacrifice c. Which were to be offered upon the Altar of Brass appointed for that purpose 10. Make an atonement c. By the Blood of the Sin-offering he shall cleanse it from the pollution which it contracts because of the transgressions of the People Lev. 16.16 18. Once in the year That is on the day of Expiation the tenth day of the seventh Month Lev. 16.29 Most holy Ch. 23.37 12. When c. Num. 1.2 5. Their number Heb. Them that are to be numbered A ransom for his soul Or For his Life This was an homage paid to God as an acknowledgement of his redeeming them No plague As happened in David's time after he had numbred the People 13. After the shekel of the sanctuary Possibly in the Sanctuary the Standards were kept by which other Weights and Measures were to be examined though some have thought that the Expression implies a difference between the Common and Sacred Shekel A shekel c. Lev. 27.25 Num. 3.47 Ezek. 45.12 15. The rich c. Riches being of no account with God Give more Heb. Multiply Give less Heb. Diminish 18. The altar That is the Brazen-altar 20. That they die not viz. By the hand of God as Aaron's Sons did Lev. 20.2 23. Principal spices The best of the kind 24. Of the sanctuary See v. 13. An hin Vid. Ch. 29.40 25. An oyl Which signifies the Gifts of the Holy Spirit Act. 10.38 Luk. 4.21 Apothecary Or Perfumer 26. Thou shalt â—noint And by that means set apart to an holy use 29. Sanctifie Or By this means set a side to a Separate and Holy use 30. Anoint Aaron ' c. Who were by this anointing set apart to the Priesthood as by the Holy Spirit the Ministers of God are enabled to discharge their Office 31. This shall be The Jews understand it of this very Oyl which was made by Moses and not thâ—â— we read of repeated afterwards 33. Stranger i. e. Whoever is not a Priest or a King 34. Stactâ— The fatness or sweet Gum of a certain Balsamick-tree The Hebrew word imports dropping Onycha This was a certain Claw or sweet Hoof which was used in Perfumes says Maimon Galbanum This says Maimon is a Gum of a Tree in Greece like black Honey and is of a strong smell 35. Tempered Heb. Salted 36. Put of it before c. That is Offer it upon the golden Altar 37. To your selves c. i. e. To your own use v. 38. CHAP. XXXI The ARGUMENT Bezaleel and Aholiab are chosen by God and fitted for building the Tabernacle and all things belonging thereunto The observation of the Sabbath is pressed upon the Israelites Moses receives two Tables of Stone written by God 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. See I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah 3. And I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship 4. To divise cunning works to work in gold and in silver and in brass 5. And in cutting of stones to set them and in carving of timber to work in all manner of workmanship 6. And I behold I have given with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom that they may make all that I have commanded thee 7. The tabernacle of the congregation and the ark of the testimony and the mercy-seat that is thereupon and all the furniture of the tabernacle 8. And the table and his furniture and the pure candlestick with all his furniture and the altar of incense 9. And the altar of burnt-offering with all his furniture and the laver and his foot 10. And the clothes of service and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office 11. And the anointing oyl and sweet incense for the holy place according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do 12. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 13. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel saying Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctifie you 14. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people 15. Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest holy to the LORD whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death 16. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant 17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed 18. And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai two tables of testimony tables of stone written with the finger of God 2. I have called by name i. e. I have particularly chosen and designed Vid. Esa 43.1 Son 1 Chron. 2.20 Of Hur Ch. 17.12 and 24.14 3. Spirit of God i. e. The gifts of the Spirit which follow 1 Cor. 12.4 8. 4. To devise cunning works To teach the Artificers says the Chaldee 5. Stones This the Chaldee understands truly of precious Stones See ch 28.21 7. Furniture Heb. Vessels 8. Pure candlestick Made of pure Gold and by the Priest's daily care to be kept clean and pure 10. Clothes of service These Clothes of Service as they stand here distinguished from the Priest's Holy Garments may possibly referr to those Clothes and Coverings which are mentioned Num. 4.7 8 9 11 12. 13. Verily my sabbaths c. Tho' this work were to be done as God had appointed yet not on the Sabbath Day A sign between me and you a token or acknowledgment that I am your God and that you worship the Creator of Heaven and Earth The Sabbath was afterward commanded as a Memorial of their Deliverance
the great Stature of Og. After the cubit of a man That is according to the Cubit of a Man grown up and of an usual size which is about half a yard 12. The Cities Numb 32.33 Josh 13.8 c. 14. Havoth-jair Numb 32.41 15. Gilead viz. The half of it See verse 12. Vnto Machir That is to his Posterity 16. Half the valley For the right understanding of this place it is to be considered that the Hebrew word here translated Valley signifies sometimes a Valley and sometimes a River and in the latter sense is rendred in this Verse in the words immediately foregoing The river Arâ—â—â— And so it ought to be rendred here and so it is rendred by the Greek and Vulgar Latin in this place And what we render half the Valley imports as much as to the middle of the River viz. Emphatically of the River just before mentioned Their Land extended from Gilead unto the middle of the River Arnon The truth of this appears from other places viz. Josh 12.2 We have an account of the same place being the place where Sihon dwelt who is there said to have ruled from Aroer which is upon the bank of the river Arnon and from the middle of the river which last are the same words in the Hebrew which we find here rendred by half the Valley and from half Gilead Again Deut. 2.36 the same place is described viz. From Aroer which is by the brink of the river of Arnon and from the city that is by the river viz. Ar of Moab which stood within the River and which was a City they were not permitted to invade even unto Gilead And the border even unto the river Jabbok These words seem to be Elliptical The sense is And the border was even unto the river Jabbok 17. Vnder Ashdoth-Pisgah Or under the Springs of Pisgah or the Hill 18. Ye shall pass over c. Numb 32.20 Meet for the war Heb. Sons of power 20. Return Josh 22.4 21. Commanded Numb 27.18 24. Thy greatness and thy mighty hand viz. In giving us the Conquest over such powerfull Enemies as Sihon and Og. 25. I pray thee let me go over c. It is not unreasonable to suppose that Moses should think the Threatning of God reversible and it must needs be very desirable by him to see that Land which had been so long ago promised so much expected and so greatly vilified by them that had been sent from Kadesh-barnea to search the Land But besides this it may be said that he had a desire especially to see that place where God would choose to dwell which the Jews affirm is meant by the goodly Mountain as well as the remoter Parts of the promised Land in which was Lebanon 26. Was wroth Numb 20.12 chap. 1.37 27. Pisgah Or the Hill See Numb 27.12 Behold it This was a favour not granted to the Men that searched and that murmured 28. Charge Give him Commission to execute my Will Encourage i. e. Give him assurance of success 29. Beth-peor Or the house of Peor The name of a Place or City so called CHAP. IV. The ARGUMENT The Israelites are exhorted to Obedience by several great Motives Such as their own Interest and the Reasonableness of it They are particularly warned against Idolatry and that very powerfully They are obliged to teach the Law unto their Children Three Cities of Refuge are set a part by Moses 1. NOW therefore hearken O Israel unto the statutes and unto the judgments which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you 2. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you 3. Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal-peor for all the men that followed Baal-peor the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you 4. But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day 5. Behold I have taught you statutes and judgments even as the LORD my God commanded me that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it 6. Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these statutes and say surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people 7. For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for 8. And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day 9. Onely take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons 10. Specially the day that thou stood'st before the LORD thy God in Horeb when the LORD said unto me Gather me the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their children 11. And ye came near and stood under the mountain and the mountain burnt with fire unto the midst of heaven with darkness clouds and thick darkness 12. And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude onely ye heard a voice 13. And he declared unto you his covenant which he commanded you to perform even ten commandments and he wrote them upon two tables of stone 14. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it 15. Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire 16. Lest ye corrupt your selves and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure the likeness of male or female 17. The likeness of any beast that is on the earth the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air 18. The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth 19. And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven and when thou seest the sun and the moon and the stars even all the host of heaven shouldest be driven to worship them and serve them which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven 20. But the LORD hath taken you and brought you forth out of the iron furnace even out of Egypt to be unto him a people of inheritance as
which I give them to possess it 32. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left 33. You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you that ye may live and that it may be well with you and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess 1. SAid unto them By their principal Men their Elders or Heads of their several Tribes See chap. 29.10 For Moses must be supposed to have spoken to the whole Congregation of all Israel after the same manner in which they are said to speak to him viz. By the Heads of their Tribes and by their Elders as is expressed in v. 23. of this Chapter where he says Ye came near unto me not that all the Men of Israel did so for it follows by way of Explication even all the Heads of your Tribes and your Elders Keep and do them Heb. Keep to do them This is the great End of their hearing and learning them 2. The LORD c. Exod. 19.5 3. With our fathers viz. With Abraham Isaac and Jacob. It is not said that God did not enter into Covenant with them but that he made not this Covenant with them viz. this at Horeb. Here God did more largely reveal his Will and thereupon solemnly entred into Covenant with the People and their Posterity as appears from the following words 4. Face to face i. e. Clearly and distinctly Numb 12.18 though not in any visible shape ch 4.12 5. I stood between the LORD and you viz. as a Mediator and at your request v. 27. to teach you the Statutes which were given after the Ten Commandments 6. I am the LORD Exod. 20.2 c. with the Notes on that Chapter Levit. 26.1 Psal 81.10 Bondage Heb. Servants 9. Visiting Exod. 34.7 10. And shewing mercy Jer. 32.18 12. Keep It is Remember Exod. 20. but that was in order to the keeping of it 14. Sabbath Gen. 2.2 Heb. 4.4 15. Therefore c. i. e. Thou art obliged upon the account of that Redemption which is mentioned as an argument to Obedience of these Laws v. 6. and Exod 20.2 as well as in Memory of the Creation to observe this day of rest 16. And that it may go well with thee These words are here added to what we read Exod. 20.12 as a farther motive to Obedience and we find the Apostle takes notice of it Eph. 6.3 Upon the whole Obedience to this Precept hath the promise not onely of a long but an happy Life 17. Thou shalt not kill Matt. 5.21 18. Neither c. Luk. 18.20 19. Neither Ro. 13.9 21. Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife c. The words in this Verse contain the same Precept which we find in Exod. 20.17 It is delivered with some variety The most considerable is this That whereas Exod. 20.17 the coveting the Neighbour's House is first forbidden and then the coveting his Wife here on the other hand is first forbid the desire of his Wife and then the coveting his House c. which is a good argument that this Verse as also Exod. 20.17 to which it answers contains but one Commandment however some Men to serve their Ends have divided it into two For if it were two we could not distinguish between the Ninth and Tenth the one being first in one and the other in the other place Nor is it to be supposed that Moses would put the Tenth before the Ninth See the Note on Exod. 20.17 22. He added no more i. e. He did not deliver the following Laws which we find in Exod. ch XXI XXII c. as he did these Moral Precepts by an audible voice and the solemn manner in the midst of the Fire c. but he delivered them to Moses who imparted them to the People 24. We have heard Exod. 19.19 And he liveth Ch. 4.33 It appears that this was a case not to be parallelled and that though they had escaped hitherto yet they were very fearfull for the future v. 25 26. See Judg. 6.22 23. 25. Hear Heb. Add to hear 27. Speak thou unto us Exod. 20.19 29. O that there were such an heart c. These words do fully assure us that their Obedience and the happiness which would thence accrue to them were things greatly pleasing and acceptable to God the most sincere lover of Souls CHAP. VI. The ARGUMENT An Exhortation to the Fear and Love of the One true God and to Obedience to his Laws and Instruction of their children They are warned not to forget God in their Prosperity and particularly against Idolatry 1. NOW these are the commandments the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God commanded to teach you that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it 2. That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God to keep all his statutes and his commandments which I command thee thou and thy son and thy son's son all the days of thy life and that thy days may be prolonged 3. Hear therefore O Israel and observe to do it that it may be well with thee and that ye may increase mightily as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee in the land that floweth with milk and honey 4. Hear O Israel The LORD our God is one LORD 5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might 6. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up 8. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes 9. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates 10. And it shall be when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give thee great and goodly cities which thou buildedst not 11. And houses full of all good things which thou filledst not and wells digged which thou diggedst not vineyards and olive-trees which thou plantedst not when thou shalt have eaten and be full 12. Then beware lest thou forget the LORD which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage 13. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his name 14. Ye shall not go after other gods of the gods of the people which are round about you 15. For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee and destroy thee from off the face of the earth 16. Ye shall not tempt the LORD
shalt sanctifie unto the LORD thy God thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock nor shear the firstling of thy sheep 20. Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose thou and thy houshold 21. And if there be any blemish therein as if it be lame or blind or have any ill blemish thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God 22. Thou shalt eat it within thy gates the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike as the roe-buck and as the hart 23. Onely thou shalt not eat the blood thereof thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water 1. AT the end of every seven years Levit. 25.2 4. Or in the Seventh year compare Levit. 25.4 and Exod. 23.11 Or last year of the seven as appears from v. 9. which is as much the End of the Seven as the First is the Beginning Exod. 21.2 Thus what was done in the third year is said to be at the end of three years chap. 14.28 2. Of the release The Jews do with great reason tell us that there was a two-fold Release viz. A Release of Lands of which see Exod. 23.10 11. And a Release of Money or Personal Debts of which this place is to be understood as appears from the following words Every creditor Heb. Master of the lending of his hand that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it It is not said he shall absolutely remit it He would then be rather esteemed a Donor than a Creditor Nor does the word in the Hebrew import an absolute Remission and an abandoning of all Title and Claim but an Intermission onely See Exod. 23.11 And it follows here He shall not exact it c. That is he hath no power to recover it this Seventh year when by reason the Land was not sown the Debtor was disabled from raising Money because it is a Release or Year of intermission of God's appointment 3. Of a foreigner That is of one who is not of the Jewish Nation and so not a Brother v. 2. 4. Save when there shall be no poor among you The Marginal reading is rather to be followed viz. To the end that there be no poor among you The shewing Mercy and Forbearance is a means to prevent the encrease of poor Men And therefore this Release would contribute to the keeping Men from extreme Poverty and by their Obedience to God's Laws they would in great measure keep it off also And though it is much their duty to order it so that there might be few or no Poor yet God who fore-saw that they would fail in their Obedience does fore-tell that there would always be Poor among them v. 11. 6. Thou shalt lend Chap. 28.12 And shalt consequently be rich And thou shalt reign over many For the rich ruleth over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender Prov. 22.7 8. But thou shalt open thine hand Matt. 5.42 Luk. 6.34 A bountifull supply is here Commanded which is expressed by what is sufficient for his need in the following words 9. Thought Heb. Word Wicked Heb. Belial The year of release is at hand viz. When it will not be in his power to exact v. 2. 11. The poor shall never cease c. And therefore there will never want Objects of their Compassion and Tryals of their Inclination that way 12. If thy brother i. e. One of thine own Nation as it follows See Exod. 21.2 Jer. 34.14 Be sold unto thee See Exod. 21.2 with the Note on that place Six years That is six complete years from the first entring upon the Service 15. And thou shalt remember c. This is a powerfull Motive to encline us to shew Mercy The Example of God's Mercy and the Sense of our Obnoxiousness to Sufferings do strongly move where they are duly considered 17. Then thou shalt take an awl c. See Exod. 21.6 with the Note upon that place And also unto thy maid servant thou shalt do likewise That is thou shalt let her go free in the Seventh year v. 12. Nor shall she go away empty but thou shalt furnish her liberally out of thy flock c. v. 14. For we find Moses returns to the same matter mentioned v. 12. in the words which follow v. 18. 18. A double hired servant Both because he served so long a time which is more than usually hired Servants do and without Hire or Wages 19. All the firstlings c. This is to be understood of a second sort of Firstlings of which see the Note on chap. 12.17 For of the First-born which were due to the Priest these words cannot be meant if we duly consider what is said Exod. 22.30 and compare it with what follows here See Exod. 34.19 21. If there be Levit. 22.20 chap. 17.1 Ecclus. 35.12 23. Onely c. See chap. 12.16 23. CHAP. XVI The ARGUMENT Of the Passeover and Feast of Unleavened Bread Of the Feast of Weeks and that of Tabernacles Every Male is to appear at the place which God should choose three times a year Of Judges and Justice Groves and Images are forbidden 1. OBserve the month of Abib and keep the passeover unto the LORD thy God for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night 2. Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passeover unto the LORD thy God of the flock and the herd in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there 3. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith even the bread of affliction for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in hast that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life 4. And there shall be no leavened-bread seen with thee in all thy coasts seven days neither shall there any thing of the flesh which thou sacrificed'st the first day at even remain all night untill the morning 5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the passeover within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee 6. But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in there thou shalt sacrifice the passeover at even at the going down of the sun at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt 7. And thou shalt rost and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose and thou shalt turn in the morning and go unto thy tents 8. Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God thou shalt do no work therein 9. Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn 10. And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a
1. THou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock or sheep wherein is blemish or any evil-favouredness for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God 2. If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee man or woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God in transgressing his covenant 3. And hath gone and served other gods and worshipped them either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven which I have not commanded 4. And it be told thee and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently and behold it be true and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought in Israel 5. Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman which have committed that wicked thing unto thy gates even that man or that woman and shalt stone them with stones till they die 6. At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death 7. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterward the hands of all the people so thou shalt put the evil away from among you 8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood between plea and plea and between stroke and stroke being matters of controversie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose 9. And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites and unto the judge that shall be in those days and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment 10. And thou shalt do according to the sentence which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee 11. According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee to the right hand nor to the left 12. And the man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God or unto the judge even that man shall die and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel 13. And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously 14. When â—hou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee and shalt possess it and shalt dwell therein and shalt say I will set a king over me like as all the nations that are about me 15. Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the LORD thy God shall choose one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee thou mayest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy brother 16. But he shall not multiply horses to himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way 17. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away neither shall be greatly multiply to himself silver and gold 18. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites 19. And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the LORD his God to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them 20. That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel 1. WHerein is blemish Of which see Levit. 22.20 with the Note on the 22th verse 2. In transgressing his covenant It is evident from v. 3. that Idolatry is the Wickedness supposed here to be wrought and is called The transgressing the covenant of the Lord and the Idolater may be said to transgress the Covenant of the Lord as he breaks his Faith given to God and renounceth his Authority and Service at once 3. Which I have not commanded That is which I have forbid It is usual that such negative Expressions as this in the Scripture Phrase should imply more than the bare words amount to and they do sometimes imply the contrary â— Cor. 10.5 Jer. 7.31 Prov. 10.2 6. At the mouth of two witnesses These must be Competent and Credible and must be therefore neither Children nor Fools nor Men of ill fame nor Mad-men but such as are capable of taking an Oath and such as cannot justly be suspected not to fear it 7. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him This is very reasonable in itself and serves to convince the People of the truth of their Evidence and was also a great restraint upon the Witnesses themselves who if they bore false witness would also be obliged to shed innocent Blood The hands of all the people In a matter of this nature all the People were obliged to testifie their detestation of Idolatry and their readiness to root it out 8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment These words belong to the Inferior and Subordinate Magistrates in their Cities They are supposed here to be at a loss in some difficult cases viz. such as follow Between blood and blood That is in the case of Murther whether it were voluntary or accidental Betweeen plea and plea That is in Causes depending between the Plaintiff and Defendant Between stroke and stroke That is in the case of Wounds inflicted by one Man upon another Exod. 21.20 22. 9. The priests the Levites That is the Priests of the Levitical Race as the Vulgar renders it who made a considerable part of the Sanhedrin or great Council of the Nation And unto the judge Or to wit unto the judge The Hebrew Particle which we render and is sometimes onely to be understood exegetically as in 1 Sam. 28.3 Zech. 9.9 2 Sam. 2.15 And the Greek Particle which answers to it and is here used by the LXXII is used in this sense in the New Testament Rom. 15.6 1 Cor. 2.10 Col. 1.3 1 Thess 1.3 The judge i. e. The Sanhedrin which tho' it consisted of many persons was yet the sole Judge of these doubtfull cases and yet with respect to the Members thereof is expressed by Judges Deut. 19.17 18. 10. Thou shalt do c. These words are directed to the Inferior Magistrates who are obliged to put in execution what the Sanhedrin determines and the parties concerned were obliged to
and thy daughters shall be given into another people and thine eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all the day long and there shall be no might in thine hand 33. The fruit of thy land and all thy labours shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up and thou shalt be onely oppressed and crushed alway 34. So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 35. The LORD shall smite thee in the knees and in the legs with a sore botch that cannot be healed from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head 36. The LORD shall bring thee and thy king which thou shalt set over thee unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known and there shalt thou serve other gods wood and stone 37. And thou shalt become an astonishment a proverb and a by-word among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee 38. Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field and shalt gather but little in for the locust shall consume it 39. Thou shalt plant vine-yards and dress them but shalt neither drink of the wine nor gathar the grapes for the worms shall eat them 40. Thou shalt have olive-trees throughout all thy coasts but thou shalt not anoint thy self with the oyl for thine olive shall cast his fruit 41. Thou shalt beget sons and daughters but thou shalt not enjoy them for they shall go into captivity 42. All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume 43. The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high and thou shalt come down very low 44. He shall lend to thee and thou shalt not lend to him he shall be the head and thou shalt be the tail 45. Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee and shall pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed because thou hearknedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee 46. And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seed for ever 47. Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things 48. Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee 49. The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far from the end of the earth as swift as the eagle flieth a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand 50. A nation of fierce countenance which shall not regard the person of the old nor shew favour to the young 51. And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattel and the fruit of thy land until thou be destroyed which also shall not leave thee either corn wine or oyl or the increase of thy kine or flocks of thy sheep until he have destroyed thee 52. And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates until thy high and fenced walls come down wherein thou trustedst throughout all thy land and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land which the LORD thy God hath given thee 53. And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters which the LORD thy God hath given thee in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee 54. So that the man that is tender among you and very delicate his eye shall be evil towards his brother and toward the wife of his bosom and towards the remnant of his children which he shall leave 55. So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat because he hath nothing left him in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in all thy gates 56. The tender and delicate woman among you which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness her eye shall be evil towards the husband of her bosom and towards her son and towards her daughter 57. And towards her young one that cometh out from between her feet and towards her children which she shall bear for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates 58. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearfull name THE LORD THY GOD 59. Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance 60. Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt which thou wast afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee 61. Also ever sickness and every plague which is not written in the book of this law them will the LORD bring upon thee until thou be destroyed 62. And ye shall be left few in number whereas ye were at the stars of heaven for multitude because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God 63. And it shall come to pass that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good and to multiply you so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you and to bring you to nought and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it 64. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people from the one end of the earth even unto the other and there thou shalt serve other gods which neither thou nor thy fathers have known even wood and stone 65. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind 66. And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life 67. In the morning thou shalt say Would God 〈◊〉 were even and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 68. And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships by the way whereof I spake unto thee Thou shalt see it no more again and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bond-men and bond-women and no man shall buy you 1. SET thee on high c. i. e. He will make thee more prosperous than other Nations as appears from what follows to v. 15. 2. Overtake thee Without thy pursuit of them they shall be thy portion by the good providence of God Matt. 6.33 3. Blessed shalt c.
the Note on Chap. 4.19 29. The secret c. q. d. This severity of God towards his chosen People may be well supposed very amazing and surprizing especially considering his early and many and repeated Mercies to them and their Fathers from time to time his gracious Nature and Promises and his forbearance of others whose Sins were as great and who were not in Covenant with him But we are not too curiously to inquire into the Secrets of God's Providence Rom. 11.33 But on the other hand steadily to apply our selves to obey God's revealed Will as that which more peculiarly belongs to us and is the best preventive of such Calamities as are mentioned v. 23 27 28. CHAP. XXX The ARGUMENT God promiseth Mercy to the truly Penitent The Law of God was plainly laid before them Life and Death are set before them They are vehemently exhorted to be obedient and to be happy 1. AND it shall come to pass when all these things are come upon thee the blessing and the curse which I have set before thee and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee 2. And shalt return unto the LORD thy God and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day thou and thy children with all thine heart and with all thy soul 3. That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity and have compassion upon thee and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee 4. If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee and from thence will he fetch thee 5. And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed and thou shalt possess it and he will do thee good and multiply thee above thy fathers 6. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live 7. And the LOOD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies and on them that hate thee which persecuted thee 8. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD and do all his commandments which I command thee this day 9. And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattel and in the fruit of thy land for good for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good as he rejoiced over thy fathers 10. If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God to â—eep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul 11. For this commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it for off 12. It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it 13. Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it 14. But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it 15. See I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil 16. In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments that thou mayest live and multiply and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it 17. But if thine heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear but shalt be drawn away and worship other gods and serve them 18. I denounce unto you this day and ye shall surely perish and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live 20. That thou mayest love the LORD thy God and that thou mayest obey his voice and that thou mayest cleave unto him for he is thy life and the length of thy days that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give them 1. AND thou shalt call them to mind i. e. Thou shalt consider or come thy self which is the first Step towards Repentance See Luke 15.17 1 King 8.47 If thou he think thy self That is the importance of the Hebrew and so it is rendred 1 Kings 8.47 2. And shalt return Here is a farther Description of true Repentance expressed by returning and by obeying God universally and heartily 3. Turn thy Captivity That is bring back thy Captives as appears from the following words and Captivity is sometimes used for Captives Psal 14.7 4. Vtmost parts of heaven That is the utmost parts of the Earth under the Heaven Behold I will gather them out of all Countries Jer. 32.37 What is expressed by from one end of the heaven to the other Matt. 24.31 is in a parallell place said from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven Mark 13.27 Heaven some times signifies the Air in which we breath Gen. 1.8 6. Circumcise thine heart This is to be understood of that Spiritual Circumcision whereby the filthy Inclination of the Mind to evil is removed and pared away The Chaldee expresseth it by removing the folly of the heart and the Greek by cleansing it Coloss 2.11 Rom. 2.29 9. For good Plenty and Prosperity is to the hurt of evil Men and is onely good to them who are good and is therefore as such promised to them whose heart is circumcised 11. This Commandment viz. Of loving God v. 6. and sincere Obedience to his Revelation v. 8. which are also Evangelical Precepts Rom. 10.6 Not hidden i. e. It is not hard to be understood as those are which are said to be hidden and abstruse Far off Or out of thy reach that thou shouldest need pretend that thou canst not come at it 12. Not in heaven That is it is not looked up as a Secret there but revealed from thence 13. Beyond the Sea i. e. It is not at such a distance as will expose Men to great hazard to come at 14. In thy mouth and in thy heart i. e. It is very near thee indeed as that which thou ownest with thy Mouth and doest with thy Mind assent unto 19. I call heaven and earth c. See the Note on Chap. 4.26 20. He is thy life He is the Author
them with the poison of serpents of the dust 25. The sword without and terrour within shall destroy both the young man and the virgin the suckling also with the man of gray hairs 26. I said I would scatter them into corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men 27. Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and lest they should say Our hand is high and the LORD hath not done all this 28. For they are a nation void of counsel neither is there any understanding in them 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end 30. How should one chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight except their Rock had sold them and the LORD had shut them up 31. For their rock is not as our rock even our enemies themselves being judges 32. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter 33. Their wine is the poison of dragons and the cruel venom of asps 34. Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures 35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence their foot shall slide in due time for the day of their calamity is at hand and the things that shall come upon them make haste 36. For the LORD shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants When he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left 37. And he shall say Where are their gods their rock in whom they trusted 38. Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink-offerings let them rise up and help you and be your protection 39. See now that I even I am he and there is no god with me I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand 40. For I lift up my hand to heaven and say I live for ever 41. If I whet my glittering sword and mine hand take hold on judgment I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me 42. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood and my sword shall devour flesh and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy 43. Rejoice O ye nations with his people for he will avenge the blood of his servants and will render vengeance to his adversaries and will be merciful unto his land and to his people 44. And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people he and Hoshea the son of Nun. 45. And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel 46. And he said unto them Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day which ye shall command your children to observe to do all the words of this law 47. For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life and through this thing you shall prolong your days in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it 48. And the LORD spake unto Moses that self same day saying 49. Get thee up into this mountain Abarim unto mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab that is over against Jericho and behold the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession 50. And die in the mount whither thou goest up and be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered unto his people 51. Because ye trespassed aginst me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel 52. Yet thou shalt see the land before thee but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel 1. GIve ear O ye heavens c. Moses doth in these words what he promised chap. 31.28 call heaven and earth to record against them And this he does in the very entrance and beginning of this Song to raise and awaken in them the greater attention it being a matter of great moment when he solemnly calls upon the Heaven and the Earth to hear Isa 1.2 Compare chap. 4.26 and 30.19 Psal 50.4 Jer. 2.12 and 6.19 2. My doctrine shall drop as the rain That is it shall be fitted to gain its end upon Men that are disposed to receive it as the Rain is for the fructifying the Earth Isa 55.10 11. 1 Cor. 3.6 7 8. 3. I will publish the name of the LORD i. e. I will proclaim as the Hebrew word signifies and is rendred Prov. 20.6 the Divine Perfections and this he does in the following Verse Ascribe ye c. It is your part to magnifie him as ye ought Psal 68.34 4. He is the rock c. i. e. God is the Rock he is stable and immutable and a sure Foundation to rest upon And his Works are without any flaw or fault his dealings with Men are just and unexceptionable he is true and sincere in all his Declarations In a word he is upright and just and one who never swerves from that which is right 5. They have corrupted themselves c. i. e. They have sinned as the Greek and Vulgar have it and have been so far from imitating God whose work is perfect c. that they have been most unlike him their Crimes being of so high a nature that they speak them to be not his peculiar People but a perverse and crooked Generation 6. That bought thee that hath redeemed thee out of Egypt Vid. Exod. 15.16 To this purpose the Psalmist Remember the congregation which thou hast purchased of old the rod of thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed Psal 74.2 This was a great aggravation of their sin that they denied the Lord which bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 Compare Isa 1.3 and 1 Cor. 6.20 Made thee The Hebrew word which we translate made is observed to signifie to advance and so it is rendred 1 Sam. 12.6 and this seems to be the import of it in this place God's creating them is implyed before in that he is said to be their Father Established thee i. e. Fixed and settled thee 8. Divided c. Of which see Gen. ch 10. and chap. 11. He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel i. e. He assigned to the Canaanites and the other Inhabitants of the Land called from them the Land of Canaan such a proportion of Land as would suffice the Israelites to whom it was designed when their Iniquities were full when they were come out of Egypt and were ready to possess it 9. The lot Heb. cord of his inheritance i. e. The Inheritance peculiarly belonging to him