the Lots were promiscuously put together and out of which they were severally taken to Jehojaâ—…ib the second to Jedajah 8 The third to Harim the fourth to Seorim 9 The fifth to Malchijah the sixth to Mijamin 10 The seventh to Hakkoz the eighth to * Neh. 12. 4 17 Luke â—… 5. Abijah 11 The ninth to Jeshua the tenth to Shecaniah 12 The eleventh to Eliasâ—…ib the twelfth to Jakim 13 The thirteenth to Huppah the fourteenth to Jeshebeab 14 The fifteenth to Bilgah the sixteenth to Immer 15 The seventeenth to Hezir the eighteenth to Aphses 16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah the twentieth to Jehezekel 17 The one and twentieth to Jachin the two and twentieth to Gamul 18 The three and twentieth to Delajah the four and twentieth to Maaziah 19 These were the orderings of them in their service h In this Order and Method they were to come to perform the Offices of the Temple i. e. To come into the Temple every Sabbathday and to continue there all the Week long until the next Sabbath when they were relieved by others as the Manner was See 2 King 11. 5. 1 Chron. 9. 25. to come into the house of the LORD according to their manner i under Aaron their father k i. e. Under the Inspection and Direction of the High-priest whom he calls Aaron because he represented his Person and executed his Office and also came out of his Loyns and their father because of the Authority which by Gods Appointment he had over them and that Love Reverence and Obedience which they owed to him as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him 20 And the rest of the sons of Levi l Either such as were onely Levites and not Priests or rather such as were not named or numbred before in this or the former Chapter were these Of the sons of Amram * Ch. 23. 16 Shebâ—…el Shubael of the sons of Shubael Jehdejah m Who being as it seems an Eminent Person or having a very numerous Family was not reckoned with or under his Fathers Family but was accounted as a distinct Head of another Family 21 Concerning Rehabiah n The Son of Eliezer ch 23. 17. of the sons of Rehabiah the first o By Birth or Place was Jeshiah 22 Of the Izharite * Ch. 23. 18. Shelomith Shelomoth p Called also Shelomith ch 23. 18. of the sons of Shelomoth Jahath 23 And the sons of * Ch. 23. 19. 26. 31. Hebron Jeriah the first q Which word is fitly supplied both out of the rest of this verse the second third and fourth having a manifest reference to the first and out of 1 Chron. 23. 19. 26. 31. where it is expressed Amariah the second Jahaziel the third Jekameam the fourth 24 Of the sons of Uzziel Michah of the sons of Michah Shamir 25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah of the sons of Isshiah Zechariah 26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi the sons of Jaaziah r The Son either of Mahli or rather of Mushi last named for Mahli's Posterity comes v. 28. Beno 27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah Beno s Whose Name is here repeated with his Brethren because he was the First-born and Head of the rest who were all reckoned with and under his Family as if they had been Branches of it and Shoham and Zaccur and Ibri 28 Of Mahli came Eleazar * Ch 23. 22. who had no sons 29 Concerning Kish t Another of Mahli's Sons as appears from 1 Chron. 23. 21. the son of Kish was Jerahmeel 30 The sons also of Mushi Mahli and Eder and Jerimoth These were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers 31 These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of Aaron u i. e. Answerable for Number and Order to those of the Priests so as there should be a several course of the Levites for each course of the Priests This is expressed concerning the Singers ch 25. and the like is implied concerning the Porters ch 26. and is here sufficiently intimated concerning those Levites which were employed in other Sacred Ministrations in the presence of David the king and Zadok and Ahimelech and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites even the principal fathers over against their younger brethren x The Lots of the Elder and Younger Brethren were promiscuously put together and the order was settled as the Lots came forth without any regard to the Age or Dignity or Number of the Persons or Families the youngest Family having the first Course if they had the first Lot c. CHAP. XXV 1 MOreover David and the captains of the host a Both of the Civil and Sacred Host to wit all the Princes of Israel with the Priests and the Levites whom David gathered together ch 23. 2. for this very end that in their Presence and with their Approbation and Consent all these things might be established who are here fitly called the Captains of the Host for the Princes were under David the Chief Captains or Commanders of the Militia or Trained Bands of the Kingdom and as the Levites are called an Host and the Lords Host Numb 4. 23. and elsewhere because of their Number and Order in Holy Ministrations so these Priests and Levites were the Captains and Governours of the rest separated b i. e. Distributed them into their several Ranks and Orders Which though chiefly done by David as a Prophet and by Divine Direction as hath been oft observed yet is here imputed in part to the Captains of the Host because it was done with their Concurrence and Approbation to the service of the sons of * Ch. 6. 33 39. 2 Chr. 29. 30. Asaph and of * ver 5. Heman and of * 2 Chr 35. 15. Jeduthun c i. e. To the Service of God under the Conduct and Command of these Persons who should prophecy d i. e. Praise God by singing the Psalms of David of which see on ch 16. 7. and other sacred Songs made by themselves who were Prophets in some sort or by other Prophets or Holy Men of God Or this Action of theirs is called prophecying because it had been formerly performed by the Prophets and the Sons of the Prophets of which see 1 Sam. 10. 5. 19. 20. 2 King 3. 15. 1 Chron. 15. 19. with harps with psalteries and with cymbals and the number of the workmen e Of the Persons employed in this Sacred Work according to their service was 2 Of the sons of Asaph Zaccur and Joseph and Nethaniah and ‖ Otherwise called Iesharelah ver 14. Asarelah the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph f i. e. Under his Oversight and Direction which prophesied †Heb. by the hands of the king according to the order of the king g In such Manner and Order as David appointed 3 Of
which see the Notes on Deut. 17. 8. between law and commandment statutes and judgments x When any Debates or Differences shall arise about the meaning of any of Gods Laws one party possibly putting this and the other a quite differing sence upon the same place or one alledging one place and the other another place which may seem to clash with it ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD y Ye shall not onely give a Righteous Sentence for what is past but ye shall admonish the Offender and others to take better heed to themselves and their ways for the future and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren this do and ye shall not trespass z So you shall not bring Guilt and Wrath upon your selves and others which otherwise you will certainly do 11 And behold Amariah the chief priest is over you a Shall be your President to direct and assist you in all matters of the LORD b In spiritual or Ecclesiastical Matters and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael the ruler of the house of Judah c Either 1. the Prince or chief Ruler under the King of the Tribe of Judah which is called the house of Iudah 2 Sam. 2. 4 7 10. 1 King 12. 21 23. â—… Chron. 28. 4. Jer. 13. 11. Ezek. 4 6. Or 2. The Ruler of the Kings House which also seems to be called the house of Iudah 2 Chron. 22. 10. and more fully the Kings House of Iudah Jer. 22. 6. And who so fit to manage the Kings Matters as the Ruler of the Kingshouse for all the kings matters d For Civil Causes or Controversies which might arise either between the King and his People or between Subject and Subject which may be called the Kings Matters because it was a principal part of his Office to see them justly decided also the Levites shall be officers before you e They shall be at your command to see your just Sentences executed which work was fitly committed to the Levites as persons who might add their Instructions to the Corrections and might work the Guilty to an acknowledgment of their Fault and a submission to their Punishment And so this is an Argument to encourage the Judges to proceed couragiously and vigorously in their Work because they had the Levites to stand by them and assist them †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deal couragiously and the LORD shall be with the good f i. e. Shall protect and bless good Judges in their doing of Good and Just Things CHAP. XX. 1 Iâ—… came to pass after this also that the children of 〈◊〉 and the childrâ—…n of Ammon and with them †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 othâ—…r beside the Ammonites a To wit the people that dwelt in Mount Seir who were now Confederate with them as appears from v. 10 22 23. Or This is the Name of a Peculiar People called either Mehumin of whom you read 2 Câ—…ron 26. 7. and so there is onely a Transposition of two Letters in the Hebrew word which is not unusual in that Language or 〈◊〉 as the LXX Interpreters render this Word or 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 as it is in the Hebrew the two first Letters being not Prefixes as they are commonly made but part of the Word or proper Name of that People who as it may seem now dwelt in Mount Seir being either of the Old Stock of the Edomites or another Nation since come in their stead or mixed with them Others render the Place thus for as the Hebrew vau is oft taken with them i. e. with the Moabites were the Ammoâ—… or children of Ammon Which may be distinctly noted either to shew the largeness of the Confederacy in which not onely the Moabites were ingaged who dwelt nearer Jehoshaphats Kingdom but the Ammonites also who lived at a greater distance from him Or to intimate that the Ammonites being possibly instigated by the Syrians their next Neighbours were the first Beginners and chief Promoters of the War and engaged both the Moabites and the Inhabitants of Mount Seir in their Quarrel â—…ame against Jehoshaphat to battel 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat saying There cometh a great multitude against theâ—… from beyond the sea b To wit the Dead Sea beyond which Mount Seir lay on this side Syria c Or and from Syria largely so called and so it includes the Moabites and Ammonites And it may be thus expressed to intimate that they came by the Instigation of the Syrians who thought by this means to revenge themselves of Jehoshaphat for joyning with Ahab against them and behold they be in Hazâ—…zon-tamar which is Engedi 3 And Jehoshaphat â—…eared d Partly from Humane Frailty and partly from the Remembrance of his own Guilt and the Wrath of God denounced against him for it ch 19. 2. and set †〈…〉 himself to seek the LORD e The Phrase notes his settled Resolution Seriousness and Earnestness in it and the preparing and fixing his Heart for it and proclaimed a fast f Partly in token of his Humiliation and Penitence for his Sins and partly to make himself and his People more Fervent in their Prayers throughout all Judah 4 And Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the LORD even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD 5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD g Largely so called i. e. in one of the Courts of the Temple even in the Court of the People and upon that Braâ—…en Scaffold which Solomon had erected for such a Purpose 2 Chron. 6. 13. before the new court h i. e. Besides and before the Priests Court for there were but two Courts belonging to the Temple as is noted 2 King 21. 5. 23. 12. And Jehoshaphat stood in the one which must be that of the People and before the other which therefore can be no other than that of the Priests which is called the New Court because it â—…ad been lately renewed when the Altar was renewed ch 15. 8. as the Command of Love is called a new Command Joh. 13. 34. 〈◊〉 Ioh. 2. 8. because it was so solemnly renewed and revived and reinforced by Christ. 6 And said O LORD God of our fathers art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms oâ—… the heathen and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee 7 Art not thou our God †〈…〉 who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel and gavest it to the â—…eed of Abraham * 〈◊〉 â—… 23. thy friend for ever i i. e. To whom thou hast engaged thy self by Covenant to be his Friend and the Friend of his Seed for ever and therefore we trust thou wilst not forsake us his Posterity 8
the son of his old age d Being born when Iacob was Ninety one years old Such Children are commonly best beloved by their Parents either because such are a singular blessing of God and a more then common testimony of his favour and a mercy least expected by them and therefore most prized or because they have more pleasing conversation with them and less experience of their misbehaviour of which the elder oft times are guilty whereby they alienate their Parents affections from them The antient Translations Chaldee Persian Arabick and Samaritan render the words thus a wise or prudent son old age being oft mentioned as a token of prudence one born old one wise above his years one that had a gray head as we say upon green shoulders This may seem the more probable both because Ioseph was indeed such a Child and gave good evidence of it in a prudent observation of his brethrens trespasses and a discreet choice of the fittest remedy for them and because the reason here alledged seems proper and peculiar to Ioseph whereas in the other sense it belongs more to Benjamin who was younger then Ioseph and cost his Mother dearer and therefore might upon that account claim a greater interest in his Fathers affections and he made him a coat of many ‖ Or pieces Judg. 5. 30. 2 Sam. 13. 18. colours e Probably made of threds of divers colours interwoven together Compare 2 Sam. 13. 18. This he gave him as a token of his special love and of the rights of the first-born which being justly taken from Reuben he conferred upon Ioseph 1 Chron. 5. 1. 4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more then all his brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him f Their hatred was so deep and keen that they could not smother it as for their own interest they should have done but discovered it by their churlish words and carriages to him 5 And Joseph dreamed a dream g Which it is probable he did not understand for then he would never have told it to them who as he knew very well were likely to make an evil construction and use of it and he told it his brethren and they hated him yet the more 6 And he said unto them Hear I pray you this dream which I have dreamed 7 For * chap. 42. 6 9. and 43. 26. and 44. 14. behold we were binding sheaves in the field h A secret insinuation of the occasion of Iosephs advancement which was from his counsel and care about the Corn of Egypt and lo my sheaf arose and also stood upright and behold your sheaves stood round about i This was a posture of ministry and service as is manifest both from Scripture and from common usage and made obeisance to my sheaf 8 And his brethren said to him shalt thou indeed reign over us or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us and they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words ‖ For his relation of his dreams which they imputed to his arrogancy 9 And he dreamed yet another dream k That the repetition of the same thing in another shape might teach them that the thing was both certain and very observable and told it his brethren and said Behold I have dreamed a dream more and behold * chap. 46. 29. the Sun and the Moon l These were not mentioned in the first dream because in the event his brethren onely went at first to Egypt and there worshipped him as afterwards his father went with them Obj. His father did not worship him in Egypt Ans. 1. He did worship him mediately by his sons who in their fathers name and stead bowed before him and by the presents which he sent as testimonies of that respect which he owed to him 2. It is probable that Iacob did before the Egyptians pay that reverence to his son which all the rest did and which was due to the dignity of his place As the Roman Consul was commended by his Father for requiring him to alight from his horse as the rest did when he met him upon the way and the eleven stars made obeisance to me 10 And he told it to his father and to his brethren and his father rebuked him m Not through anger at Ioseph or contempt of his dream for it follows he observed it but partly lest Ioseph should be puffed up upon the account of his dreams and principally to allay the envy and hatred of his brethren and said unto him What is this dream that thou hast dreamed shall I and thy mother ‖ Either 1. Rachâ—… who was now dead and therefore must rise again and worship thee whence he may seem to infer the idleness of the dream because the fulfilling it was impossible or rather 2. Leah his step-mother one that filled his mothers place being now Iacobs onely wife and the mother of the Family and thy brethren indeed come to bowe down our selves to thee to the earth 11 And his brethren envied him but his father * Dâ—… 7. 28. Luk. 2. 19 51. observed the saying n The words of Ioseph or the thing the dream which he told well knowing that God did frequently at that time signifie his mind by dreams and perceiving something singular and extraordinary in this dream and especially in the doubling of it 12 And his brethren went to feed their fathers flock in Shechem o In the parts adjoyning to Shechem in the lands which he had purchased there Gen. 33. 19. Let none think strange that he should send his sheep so far from him both because that land was his own and because his sheep being exceeding numerous and he but a stranger in the land was likely to be exposed to many such inconveniencies Compare Gen. 30. 36. One may rather wonder that he durst venture his sons and his cattel there where that barbarous massacre had been committed chap. 34. 25. But those pastures being his own and convenient for his use he did commit himself and them to that same good Providence which watched over him then and ever since and still kept up that terrour which then he sent upon them Besides Iacobs Sons and Servants made a considerable Company and the men of Shechem being universally slain others were not very forward to revenge their quarrel where there was any hazard to themselves in such an enterprize 13 And Israel said unto Joseph Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem Come and I will send thee unto them p Having kept him for some time at home and supposing that length of time had cooled their heats and worâ—… out their hatred he now sends him to them and he said Here am I. 14 And he said to him Go I pray thee †Heb. see the peace of thy brethren c. see whether it be well with thy brethren
it was with the first child but the rest were reputed his own 9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his and it came to pass when he went in unto his brothers wife that he spilled it on the ground lest that he should give seed unto his brother l Two things are here noted 1. The sin it self which is here particularly described by the Holy Ghost that men might be instructed concerning the nature and the great evil of this sin of self-pollution which is such that it brought upon the actor of it the extraordinary vengeance of God and which is condemned not onely by Scripture but even by the light of Nature and the judgment of heathens who have expresly censured it as a great sin and as a kind of murder Of which see my Latin Synopsis Whereby we may sufficiently understand how wicked and abominable a practice this is amongst Christians and in the light of the Gospel which lays greater and stricter obligations upon us to purity and severely forbids all pollution both of Flesh and Spirit 2. The cause of this wickedness which seems to have been either hatred of his brother or envy at his brothers name and honour springing from the pride of his own heart 10 And the thing which he did †Heb. was evil iâ—… the eyes of the Lord. displeased the LORD m An expression noting a more then ordinary offence against God as 2 Sam. 11. 27. wherefore he slew him also n This just but dreadful severity of God is noted both for the terrour of such like transgressors and to provoke love and thankfulness to God in those whom he useth more indulgently 11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in Law Remain a widow at thy fathers house o Whither he sent her from his house that Shelah might not be insnared by her presence and conversation till Shelah my son be grown p So he dismisseth her with a pretence of kindness and a tacit promise of marriage to her which he never intended to keep as the following words imply for he said q Or rather but he said for the Hebrew chi oft signifies but as Gen. 45. 8. Psal. 37. 20. Eccl. 2. 10. and 6. 2. So here is an opposition between what he said to Tamar and what he said to himself or in his own heart as that word said is oft used He intimated to her that he would give Shelah to her but he meant otherwise and said in himself I will not do it Leâ—…t peradventure he die also as his brethren did r Imputing the death of his two sons either to her fault or to her unluckiness rather than to his own or his sons miscarriages and Tamar went and dwelt in her fathers house 12 And †Heb. the days were multiplyed in process of time s When many days had passed and Shelah though grown was not given to Tamar the daughter of Shuah Judahs wife died and Judah was comforted and went up unto his Sheep-shearers t To feast and rejoyce with them at that time as the manner was then and afterwards See 1 Sam. 25. 36. to Timnath u A place not far from Adullam of which see Ios. 15. 57. he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite 13 And it was told Tamar saying Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep 14 And she put her widows garments off from her and covered her with a vail x As harlots used to do in those modester ages of the World when they had not learnt to outface the Sun nor to glory in their villanies and wrapped her self and sate in †Heb. the door of eyes or of Enajim an open place y Where she might be soonest discovered by Passengers This is noted as the practice of Harlots Prov. 7. 12. and 9. 14. Ier. 3. 2. Ezek. 16. 24 25. which is by the way to Timnath for she saw that Shelah was grown and she was not given unto him to wife 15 When Judah saw her he thought her to be an harlot because she had covered her face z And was doubtless careful not to discover her self by her voice 16 And he turned unto her by the way and said Go to I pray thee let me come in unto thee for he knew not that she was his daughter in law and she said What wilt thou give me that thou mayest come in unto me 17 And he said I will send thee †Heb. a kid of the goats a kid from the flock and she said Wilt thou give me a pledge till thou send it 18 And he said What pledge shall I give thee And she said Thy signet and thy bracelets a Or handkerchief or girdle or any other ornament made of twisted thread which the Hebrew word signifies and thy staff that is in thine hand and he gave it her and came in unto her and she conceived by him b God so ordering things by his Providence that his sin might be discovered And this and other such horrid crimes committed sometimes by the Patriarchs and other eminent persons it hath pleased God for divers wise and holy reasons to leave upon record partly to discover how great and deep the corruption of mans nature is and that even in the best partly to oblige all men to an humble sence of their own infirmity and to a diligent application of themselves to God for his gracious succors and to a greater circumspection and watchfulness to prevent those evils in themselves partly to encourage even the greatest sinners to repentance and the hope of Pardon and partly for the just punishment and obduration of incorrigible sinners who make such sad examples matter of their delight and imitation 19 And she arose and went away and laid by her vail from her and put on the garments of her widowhood 20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite to receive his pledge from the womans hand but he found her not 21 Then he asked the men of that place saying Where is the harlot that was ‖ Or in Enajim openly by the way side And they said There was no harlot in this place 22 And he returned to Judah and said I cannot find her and also the men of the place said That there was no harlot in this place 23 And Judah said Let her take it to her Lest we †Heb. become a contempt be ashamed b Note that fornication was esteemed sinful and shameful amongst the heathens behold I sent this kid and thou hast not found her 24 And it came to pass about three months after that it was told judah saying Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot and also behold she is with child by whoredom and Judah said Bring her forth c To the Magistrate from whom she may receive her sentence and deserved punishment Iudah had
having been injured by the Midianites all were to have some share in the reparations but the Warriours who were but 12000 have a far greater share than others of their brethren because they underwent greater pains and dangers 28 And levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war which went out to battel one soul z i. e. one person as it follows here and ver 30. of five hundred both of the persons and of the beeves and of the asses and of the sheep 29 Take it of their half and give it unto Eleazar the priest for an heave-offering of the LORD a In thankfulness to God for their preservation and good success 30 And of the children of Israels half thou shalt take one portion of fifty b Whereas the former part was one of 500 the reason of the difference is partly because this was taken out of the peoples portion whose hazards being less than the others their gains also in all reason were to be less partly because this was to be distributed into more hands the Levites being now numerous when the Priests were but few of the persons of the beeves of the asses and of the ‖ Or goats sheep of all manner of beasts and give them unto the Levites * chap. 3. 7 8 25 31 36. which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD 31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses 32 And the booty being the rest of the prey c All which was now left of the prey It is so expressed because they took more but some of the persons were since killed ver 17. and some of the cattel was spent for the necessary provisions of the army which the men of war had caught was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep 33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves 34 And threescore and one thousand asses 35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all of women that had not known man by lying with him 36 And the half which was the portion of them that went out to war was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep 37 And the LORDS tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen 38 And the beeves were thirty and six thousand of which the LORDS tribute was threescore and twelve 39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred of which the LORDS tribute was threescore and one 40 And the persons were sixteen thousand of which the LORDS tribute was thirty and two persons 41 And Moses gave the tribute which was the LORDS heave-offering unto Eleazar the priest as the LORD commanded Moses d Either now upon his consulting of God in the case or formerly in general rules and laws for such occasions such as Numb 18. 8. 42 And of the children of Israels half which Moses divided from the men that warred 43 Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep 44 And thirty and six thousand beeves 45 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred 46 And sixteen thousand persons 47 Even of the children of Israels half Moses took one portion of fifty both of man and of beast and gave them unto the Levites which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses 48 And the officers which were over thousands of the host the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds came near unto Moses 49 And they said unto Moses Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our †Heb. 〈◊〉 charge and there lacketh not one man of us 50 We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD what every man hath †Heb. soâ—… gotten of jewels of gold chains and bracelets rings ear-rings and tablets to make an atonement for our souls e For their error noted ver 14 15 16. and withal for a memorial as it is said ver 54. or by way of gratitude for such a stupendious assistance and deliverance as appears from the word therefore in the beginning of this verse and from ver 49. before the LORD 51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them even all wrought jewels 52 And all the gold of the †Heb. 〈◊〉 offering offering that they offered up to the LORD of the captains of thousands and of the captains of hundreds was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels 53 For the men of war had taken spoil every man for himself 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD CHAP. XXXII 1 NOW the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattel and when they saw the land of Jazer a A city and country taken from the Amorites Numb 21. 32. and the land of Gilead b A mountainous country famous for pasturage Ier. 50. 19. Mich. 7. 14. that behold the place was a place for cattel 2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses and to Eleazar the priest and unto the princes of the congregation saying 3 Ataroth c Different from that Ataroth Iosh. 16. 2 7. which was on the other side of Iordan and Dibon and Jazer and Nimrah d Called Beth-nimrah ver 36. and Ios. 13. 27. and the waters of Nimrim Isa. 15. 6. and Heshbon and Elealeh and Shebam e Which is thought to be the same place called Baal-meon ver 38. and Beth-meon Ier. 48. 23. and Nebo and Beon f 4 Even the countrey * ch 21. 〈◊〉 which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel g And given to them for a possession in the same manner as he will give the land of Canaan is a land for cattel and thy servants have cattel 5 Wherefore said they if we have found grace in thy sight let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession and bring us not over Jordan h To wit to give us our possession there but let this land on this side Iordan be our whole possession 6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben Shall your brethren go to war and shall ye sit here i In ease and peace whilest your brethren are ingaged in a bloody war Their words were ambiguous and Moses thought this to be an act of unbelief and sloth and self-self-love and policy 7 And wherefore †Heb. break discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them 8 Thus did your fathers when I * chap. 13. 3. sent them from Kadesh-barnea * Deut. 1. 22.
other Idolatrous Nations as appears from 1 King 11. 2. Ezra 9. 2. Neb. 13. 23. so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you and destroy thee suddenly 5 But thus shall ye deal with them ye shall * 〈◊〉 23. 24. destroy their altars and break down their †〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 images and cut down their groves d Which Idolaters planted about the Temples and Altars of their Gods Hereby God designed to take away whatsoever might bring their Idolatry to remembrance or occasion the reviving of it and burn their graven images with fire 6 * 〈◊〉 14. 2. 〈◊〉 19. For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God * Exod. 1â—… 5. 〈◊〉 3. 2. 〈◊〉 2. 9. the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all the people that are upon the face of the earth 7 The LORD did not set his love upon you nor choose you because ye were moe in number than any people for ye were the sewest of all people e To wit at that time when God first declared his love to you and choice of you for his 〈◊〉 people which was done to Abraham For 〈◊〉 had but one Son concerned in this choice and covenant to wit 〈◊〉 and that was in his hundredth year and 〈◊〉 was 60 years old ere he had a Child and then had onely two Children and though Jacob had 12 Sons yet it was a long time ere they made any considerable increase Nor do we read of any great multiplication of them till after 〈◊〉 death Exod. 1. 6 â—… 8 But because the LORD loved you f i. e. Because it pleased him to love you it was his free choice without any cause or motive on your part Compare Deut. 10. 15. 1 Sam. 12. 22. 〈◊〉 44. 3. and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt 9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God he is God the faithful God g True to his word and constant in performing all his promises * Exod. 20. 6. which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations 10 And repayeth them that hate him h Not onely those who hate him directly and properly for so did few or none of the 〈◊〉 to whom he here speaks but those who hate him by construction and consequence those who hate and oppose his People and Word and Image those who presumptuously and wilfully persist in the breach of Gods Commandements as appears from v. 9. where the love of God to which this hatred is opposite is described and expressed by the keeping of his commandements to their face i i. e. Openly and so as they shall see it and not be able to avoid it to destroy them he will not be slack k To wit so as some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slackness 2 Pet. 3. 9. so as to delay it beyond the fit time or season for vengeance yet withal he is long-suffering and slow to anger as that and other places inform us to him that hateth him he will repay him to his face 11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I command thee this day to do them 12 * Lev. 2â—… 3. chap. 28. 1. Wherefore it shall come to pass †Heb. because if ye hearken to these judgments and keep and do them that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy l i. e. The Covenant of Mercy or Grace which he out of his own meer grace made with them A figure called 〈◊〉 which he sware unto thy fathers 13 And he will love thee m He will continue to love thee and to manifest his love to thee he will not repent of his love to thee and bless thee and multiply thee he will also bless the fruit of thy womb and the fruit of thy land thy corn and thy wine and thine oyl the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee 14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people * Exod. 23. 26 c. there shall not be male or female barren among you or among your cattel 15 And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness and will put none of the * Exod. 9. 14 and 15. 26. evil diseases of Egypt n Such as the Aegyptians were infested with either commonly as that 〈◊〉 Deut. 28. 2â—… or miraculously and extraordinarily from the hand of the Lord as Exod. 9. 10 15. Compare Exod. 23. 25. Psal. 105. 37. which thou knowest upon thee but will lay them all upon them that hate thee 16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall deliver thee thine eye shall have no pity upon them neither shalt thou serve their Gods for that will be a * Exod. 23. 33. snare o 〈…〉 unto thee 17 If thou shalt say in thine heart These nation are more than I how can I dispossess them 18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them but shalt well remember p Heb. 〈◊〉 i. â—… remember it frequently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for thy encouragement for men are said to forget those things which they do not remember to good purpose what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh and unto all Egypt 19 * chap. 4. â—…4 and 29. 3. The great temptations q The Tryals and Exercises of thy Faith and Obedience to my call and commands which thine eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the stretched-out arm whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid r So as he did to 〈◊〉 and his people mentioned â—… 1â—… 20 * Exod. 23. 28. Josh. 24. 12. Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet s Of which see on Exod. 23. 28. among them until they that are lest and hide themselves from thee be destroyed 21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the LORD thy God is among you a mighty God and terrible 22 And the LORD thy God will †Heb. 〈◊〉 off put out those nations before thee by little and little thou mayest not consume them at once t Or Thou shalt not be able to confâ—…e them at once i. e. in an instant I will not assist thee with my omnipotency to crush them in a moment but will bless thee in the use of ordinary 〈◊〉 and destroy them successively by several battles lest the beast of the field increase upon thee 23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them †Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto thee and shall
stand 2 Chron. 18. 18. Luk. 1. 1â—… to minister unto him and to bless in his name h Either 1. Particularly to pronounce the solemn blessing of God upon the Congregation which was done in Gods name of which see Levit. 9. 23. Numb 6. 23 c. But that work was peculiar to the Priests not common to all the Levites or more generally to bless Either 1. God i. e. to praise him which being a considerable part of the Leviteâ—… work 1 Chron. 10. it is not probable it would be omitted here where their Office is so particularly described Or 2. The people whom they did bless by performance of those holy ministrations for the people and giving those instructions to them to which Gods blessing was promised and usually given and this they did in Gods name i. e. by command and commission from him unto this day 9 * Num. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren the LORD is his inheritance i i. e. The Lords portion to wit tithes and offerings which belong to God are given by him to the Levites for their subsistence from generation to generation as inheritances run according as the LORD thy God promised him 10 And * Exod. 34 28. I stayed in the mount according to the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first time forty dayes and forty nights and the LORD * Exod. 32. 32 33. 33. 17. hearkened unto me at that time also and the LORD would not destroy thee 11 * Exod. 32. 34. 33. 1. And the LORD said unto me Arise †Heb. go in journey take thy journey before the people that they may go in k This shews that God was appeased and reconciled to the people whom therefore he led forwards towards Canaan and possess the land which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them 12 And now Israel * 〈◊〉 6. â—… what doth the LORD thy God require of thee l By way of duty and gratitude to God for such amazing mercies but to fear the LORD thy God to walk in all his wayes and * Chap. 6. â—… to love him and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul 13 To keep the commandments of the LORD and his statutes which I command thee this day for thy good 14 Behold * Psa. 148. â—… the heaven m The airy and starry heaven and the heaven of heavens n The highest or third heaven 1 King 8. 27. 2 Cor. 12. 2. called the heaven of heavens for its eminency as the song of songs king of kings holy of holies c. is the LORD thy God's * Exo. 19. â—… Psal. 24. 1 the earth also with all that therein is o With all creatures and all men which being all his he might have chosen what Nation he pleased to be his people 15 Onely the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them p He shews that God had no particular reason nor obligation to their fathers any more than to other persons or people all being equally his creatures and that his choice of them out of and above all others proceeded onely from Gods good pleasure and free love and he chose their seed after them even you above all people as it is this day 16 Circumcise therefore * Jer. 4. 4 Colos. 2. 11 the foreskin of your hearts q Rest not in your bodily circumcision but seriously set upon that substantiall work which is signified and designed thereby cleanse your hearts from all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness which is fitly compared to the foreskin which if not cut off made persons profane unclean and odious in the sight of God Compare Deut. 30. 6. Ier. 4. 4. and 9. 25. Rom. 2. 28 29. Col. 2. 11. and be no more stiff-necked 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and * Rev. 17. 14 Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which * 2 Chron. 19. 7. Job 34. 19 Act. 10. 34. Rom. 2. 11. Gal. 2 6. Eph. â—… â—… Col. 3. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 1â—… regardeth not persons r Whether Iews or Gentiles but deals justly and equally with all sorts of men and as whosoever fears and obeys him shall be accepted of him so all incorrigible transgressours shall be severely punished and you no less than other people therefore do not flatter your selves as if God would bear with your sins because of his particular kindness to you or to your fathers nor taketh reward 18 He * Psâ—…â—…8 5. 146. 9. doth execute the judgment s i. e. Plead their cause and give them right against their more potent adversaries and therefore he expects you should do so too of the fatherless and widow and loveth the stranger in giving him food and râ—…iment 19 * Lev. 19. 33 34. Love ye therefore the stranger for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt 20 * chap. 6. 13. Mat. 4. 10. Luk. 4. 8. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God him shalt thou serve and to him shalt thou * chap. 13. 4. cleave t With firm confidence true affection and constant attendance and obedience and swear by his Name 21 * Exod. 15 2. He is thy praise u Either 1. the object and matter of thy praise as Exod. 15. 2. whom thou shouldest ever praise Or rather 2 the ground of thy praise i. e. of thy praise-worthiness he who makes thee honourable and glorious above those people whose God he is not and he is thy God that hath done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen 22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt * Gen. 46. 27. Exod. 1. 5. Acts 7. 14. with threescore and ten persons and now the LORD thy God hath made thee * Gen. 15. 5. as the stars of heaven for multitude CHAP. XI 1 THerefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God and keep his charge and his statutes and his judgments and his commandments alway 2 And know a i. e. Acknowledge and consider it with diligence and thankfulness ye this day for I speak not with your children which have not known and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God his greatness his mighty hand and his stretched-out arm 3 And his miracles and his acts which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt and unto all his land 4 And what he did unto the army of Egypt unto their horses and to their chariots * Exod. 14. 27. how he made the water of the Red-sea to overflow them as they pursued after you and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day b The effect of which destruction continueth to this day in their weakness and fear and our safety from all their further attempts against us 5 And what he did unto
Ancient and Modern Interpreters having his spear in his hand r Either as an Ensign of Majesty for in old times Kings carried a Spear instead of a Scepter as Iustin and others note Or as an Instrument of Self-defence or Cruelty as occasion required and all his servants were standing about him 7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him Hear now ye ‡ Heb. sons of Iemini Chap. 9. Benjamites s You that are of my own Tribe and Kindred from whom David designs to translate the Kingdom to another Tribe will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds t Will he distribute Profits and Preferments amongst you Benjamites as I have done and intend still to do will he not rather prefer those of his own Tribe before you 8 That all of you have conspired against me and there is none that ‡ Heb. uncovereth mine ear sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse u This he suspected partly from Ionathan's passionate Love for David which he had formerly and constantly declared and from his late discontent and departure from his Father mentioned Chap. 20. 33. and partly from David's confidence in Invading the Land with Four hundred Men which he thought he would never presume to do without some encouragement or promise of Assistance from Ionathan and there is none of you that is sorry for me or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me to lie in wait x i. e. To design against my Crown and Life which will appear to be a most groundless suspicion and false Accusation as at this day 9 ¶ Then answered * Psal. 52. title Doeg the Edomite which was set over the servants of Saul and said I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob y See on Chap. 21. 7. to Ahimelech the son of * Chap. 14. 3. Ahitub 10 And he enquired of the LORD for him z This is not Recorded Chap. 21. and therefore some think that Doeg to curry-favour with Saul feigned this for it is certain David chargeth him with the Sin of Lying Psal. 52. 3. though it is not improbable that he told other Lies also not here expressed and withal he was guilty oâ—… concealing part of the Truth which in this case he was obliged to declare for Ahimelech's just Defence to wit the cunning pretence and artifice whereby David circumvented Ahimeleth Others think this was true because Ahimelech seems to confess it v. 15. though that may be spoken by way of concession If it were so as Doeg declares this was no new thing Then he might add that it was not so though this be not here mentioned for it is evident That all his Answer or Apology is not here expressed for here is not a word of the Victuals or Sword which he gave him and * Chap. 21. 6 9. gave him victuals and gave him the sword of Goliah the Philistine 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest the son of Ahitub and all his fathers house a Of the House of Eli which God had threatned to cut off Chap. 2. 31. the priests that were in Nob and they came all of them to the king 12 And Saul said Hear now thou son of Ahitub b He shews his Contempt and Anger that he would not vouchsafe to Name him See before on Chap. 20. 27. and he answered ‡ Hebr. behold me Here I am my Lord. 13 And Saul said unto him Why have ye conspired against me thou and the son of Jesse in that thou hast given him bread and a sword and hast enquired of God for him that he should rise against me to lie in wait as at this day 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king and said And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David c He doth not determine the differences between Saul and David nor affirm what David now was but onely declared what David had formerly been both really and in Publick Fame and Opinion which is the kings son in law and goeth at thy bidding and is honourable in thine house 15 Did I then begin to enquire of God for him be it far from me let not the king impute any thing d Or this thing to wit which thou now chargest me with That I should Assist David in any evil Design against thee or of thy suspition concerning him For as for Saul's Attempts upon David well might Ahimelech impute them wholly to the violence of Saul's Passion and Disease seeing even Ionathan did so as may be gathered from 1 Sam. 20. 2. unto his servant nor to all the house of my father for thy servant knew nothing of all this e ‡ Heb. little or great less or more 16 And the king said Thou shalt surely die Ahimelech thou and all thy fathers house 17 ¶ And the king said unto the ‖ Or Guard ‡ Heb. runners â—…ootmen that stood about him Turn and slay the priests of the LORD because their hand is with David and because they knew when he fled and did not shew it me But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD f Choosing rather to offend the King by disobeying his wicked and bloody Command than to offend God by shedding the Blood of such Innocent and Sacred Persons 18 And the king said to Doeg Turn thou g Or go about to wit from man to man till thou hast killed all and fall upon the priests And Doeg the Edomite h Which is noted to wipe off the stain of this Butchery from the Israelitish Nation and to shew why he was so ready to do it because he was one of that Nation which had an implacable hatred against all Israelites and against the Priests of the Lord. turned and he fell upon the priests and * Chap. 2. 31. slew on that day fourscore and five persons i With his own hand which was not difficult when no resistance was made that did wear a linnen ephod k Not at that time as some fancy but usually such as used to Minister to the Lord in a linnen Ephod which Priests and Levites used to do See Exod. 28. 40. c. 1 Sam. 2. 18. 19 And Nob the city of the priests smote he l Either Saul or Doeg with the help of some others whom Saul appointed to that work By this barbarous and bloody Fact Saul thought to affright all his Subjects from giving any countenance or assistance to David l Either Saul or Doeg with the help of some others whom Saul appointed to that work By this barbarous and bloody Fact Saul thought to affright all his Subjects from giving any countenance or assistance to David with the edge of the sword
Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself and ‡ Heb. blessed thanked the king and Joab said To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight my lord O king in that the king hath fulfilled the request of ‖ Or thy his servant y i. e. Restored Absalom at my request Whereby Ioab thought to establish himself for ever and that he should be both the Fathers and the Sons favourite Quest. Whether David did well in granting this request Ans. Although there be some circumstances which in part extenuate David's fault herein as Amnon's high provocation of Absalom Absalom's being out of the reach of David's Justice where also he could and would have kept himself if David had not promised him impunity the extream danger of Absalom's infection by Heathenish principles and practises the safety of David's Kingdom which seemed to depend upon the Establishment of the Succession and that upon Absalom to whom the hearts of the people were so universally and vehemently inclined if the matter was really so and not pretended or magnified by the art of this subtil Woman yet it seems most probable that David was faulty herein because this action was directly contrary to the express Laws of God which strictly command the Supreme Magistrate to execute Justice upon all wilful Murtherers without any reservation Gen. 9. 6. Numb 35. 30 31. And David had no power to dispence with Gods Laws nor to spare any whom God commanded him to destroy for the Laws of God did bind the Kings and Rulers as well as the people of Israel to observe and obey them as is most evident from Deut. 17. 18 19. and from Ios. 1. 8. and many other places And indeed we may read David's sin in the Glass of those tremendous Judgments of God which befel him by means of his indulgence to Absalom For although Gods Providences be in themselves no Rule to Judge of the good or evil of Mens actions yet where they comply with Gods word and accomplish his threatnings as here they did they are to be taken for the tokens of Gods displeasure 23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem 24 And the king said Let him turn to his own house and let him not see my face z Lest whilst he shewed some mercy to Absalom he should seem to approve of his sin and thereby wound his own conscience and lose his honour and encourage him and others to such like attempts and that by this means Absalom might be drawn to a more thorough humiliation and true repentance So Absalom returned to his own house and saw not the kings face 25 ¶ ‡ Heb. and as Absalom there was not a beautiful man in all Israel to praise greatly But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty a This is here noted as the occasion of his pride and insolency and of the peoples affections to him and consequently of the following Rebellion from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him 26 And when he polled his head for it was at every years end that he polled it because the hair was heavy on him therefore he polled it he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels b Whereas ordinarily the hair of a Manss head which grows in a years space comes not to half so much But some Mens hair grows much faster and is much heavier than others But others understand this not of the weight but of the price of his hair which was sold by him that Polled it at that rate after the kings ‡ Heb. stone weight 27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons c All which died not long after they were born as may be gathered from chap. 18. 18. where it is said that Absalom had no son and one daughter whose name was Tamar d So called from her Aunt Chap. 13. 1. she was a woman of a fair countenance 28 ¶ So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem and saw not the kings face 29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab to have sent him to the king e That by his mediation he might be admitted into the Kings favour and presence but he would not come to him and when he sent again the second time he would not come f Partly because perceiving David's affections to be cold to Absalom he would not venture his own Interest for him especially in desiring that which he feared he should be denied partly lest by interceeding further for Absalom he should revive the remembrance of his former Murther and meet with the reproach of one Murtherers interceeding for another and partly because by converse with Absalom he observed his temper to be such that if once he were fully restored to the Kings favour he would not onely eclipse and oppose Ioab's interest and power with the King but also attempt high things not without danger to the King and Kingdom as it happened 30 Therefore he said unto his servants See Joabs field is ‡ Heb. near my place near mine and he hath barley there go and set it on fire g That Ioab may be forced to come to me to complain of and demand reparations for this injury and Absaloms servants set the field on fire 31 Then Joab arose and came to Absalom unto his house and said unto him Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire 32 And Absalom answered Joab Behold I sent unto thee saying Come hither that I may send thee to the king to say Wherefore am I come from Geshur It had been good for me to have been there still h Rather than here because my estrangement from him now when I am so near to him is both more grievous and more shameful to me But the truth of the business was this Absalom saw that his Father had accomplished his design in bringing him thither having satisfied both his own Natural affection and his peoples desire of Absalom's return from banishment but that he could not without restitution into the Kings presence and favour compass his design i. e. confirm and improve that interest which he saw he had in the peoples hearts now therefore let me see the kings face and if there be any iniquity in me let him kill me i For it is better for me to die than to want the sight and favour of my dear Father Thus he insinuates himself into his Fathers affections by pretending such Respect and Love to him It seems that by this time Absalom having so far recovered his Fathers favour as to be recalled he began to grow upon him and take so much confidence as to stand upon his own justification as if what he had done had been no iniquity at least not such as to deserve death For so much this speech intimates 33 So Joab
the baseness and cowardise of their King but meerly from the Righteous and Dreadful Judgment of God who was now resolved to reckon with them for their filthy Apostacy are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria and Joash his son reigned in his stead 10 ¶ In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah o By which compared with v. 1. it may be gathered that Iehoahaz had two or three Years before his death made his Son Iehoash King with him which is very probable because he was perpetually in the state of War and consequently in danger of an untimely death and because he was a Man of valour as is implied here ver 12. and declared 2 Chron 25. began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria and reigned sixteen years 11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat who made Israel sin but he walked therein 12 And the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 13 And Joash slept with his fathers and Jeroboam sat upon his throne and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel 14 ¶ Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died and Joash the king of Israel came down unto him and wept over his face p Noâ—… for any true Love and Respect to him for then he would have followed his counsel in forsaking the Calves and returning to the Lord but for his own and the Kingdoms inestimable loss in him and said O my father my father the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof q See 2 King 2. 12. 15 And Elisha said unto him Take bow and arrows And he took unto him bow and arrows 16 And he said to the king of Israel ‡ Heb. Make thine hand to ride Put thine hand upon the bow And he put his hand upon it and Elisha put his hands upon the kings hands 17 And he said Open the window east-ward r Either towards Syria which lay North-East-ward from the Land of Israel or towards the Israelites Land beyond Iordan which lay East-ward from Canaan and which was now possessed by the Syrians Either way this Arrow is shot against the Syrians as a token what God intended to do against them and he opened it Then Elisha said Shoot and he shot And he said The arrow of the LORDS deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek s Not in the City but in the Territory of it where it seems there was a great Battel to be fought between the Israelites and Syrians Of Aphek see 1 Sam. 4. 1. and 29. 1 1 King 20. 30. though it is possible there might be several Cities of that name Or as in Aphek i. e. thou shalt smite them as they were smitten in the City and Territory of Aphek i. e. utterly destroy them See 1 King 20. 26 29 30. the Particle as being oft understood as hath been formerly and frequently proved till thou have consumed them t i. e. The Syrians not all that people but their Armies or at least that which was to be at Aphek where a dreadful Battel was to be fought Or if this be meant of all the Syrian Armies this is to be understood conditionally if he did not hinder it by his unbelief or neglect signified in the following Verses 18 And he said Take the arrows and he took them And he said unto the king of Israel Smite upon the ground u The former sign portended Victory and this was to declare the number of the Victories and he smote thrice and stayed 19 And the man of God was wroth with him and said Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice x Quest. Wherein was Iehoash his fault or why was the Propher angry with him Ans. The Prophet himself did not yet know how many Victories Iehoash should obtain against the Syrians but God had signified to him that he should learn that by the number of the Kings strokes And he was angry with him not simply because he smote onely thrice but because by his unbelief and Idolatry he provoked God so to over-rule his heart and hand that he should smite but thrice which was a token that God would assist him no further Although his smiting but thrice might proceed either from his unbelief or negligence For by the former sign and the Prophets Comment upon it he might clearly perceive that this also was intended as a sign of his success against the Syrians and therefore he ought to have done it frequently and vehemently 20 ¶ And Elisha died and they buried him y In or near Samaria and the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year z In the Spring when the Fruits of the Earth grew ripe 21 And it came to pass as they were burying Or were about to bury as that Particle is oft used in the Hebrew Tongue a man that behold they spied a band of men a Coming towards them but at some distance and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha b Not daring to carry the dead Corps further to the place appointed for his burial they made use of the next burying-place where Elisha was buried and there they removed some Stone or opened some Door and hastily flung down their dead Corps there and when the man c i. e. The mans dead Body or the Coffin in which he was put ‡ Heb. went down was let down and touched the bones of Elisha d Which might easily be the Coffin and Linen in which Elisha's Body was put and the Flesh of his Body being now consumed for this was some considerable time after his death he revived and stood up on his feet e Which Miracle God wrought there partly to do honour to that great Prophet and that by this Seal he might confirm his Doctrine and thereby confute the false Doctrine and Worship of the Israelites partly to strengthen the Faith of Ioash and of the Israelites in his promise of their success against the Syrians and partly in the midst of all their Calamities to comfort such Israelites as were Elisha's followers with the hopes of that Eternal life whereof this was a manifest pledge and to awaken the rest of that people to a due care and preparation for it 22 ¶ But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz 23 And the LORD was gracious unto them and
house of the LORD a Which Ahaz his Father had shut up ch 28. 24. and repaired them 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the east-street b Which was before the Eastern Gate of the Temple 5 And said unto them Hear me ye Levites sanctifie now your selves and sanctifie the house of the LORD God of your fathers and carry forth the filthiness c That filthy Altar which Ahaz had put in the Place of Gods Altar 2 King 16. 11 c. and the Idols or other abominable or polluting things which were there out of the holy place d The Temple or the Priests Court which also is called an holy Place Levit. 6. 16. 10. 13. Numb 28. 7. 6 For our fathers have trespassed and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. habitation of the LORD and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned their backs e Either 1. Metaphorically they have wilfully and obstinately and contumeliously forsaken me and my House and Worship that posture being a signification of Contempt Or 2. Literally and properly For Ahaz having removed the Altar of God into a By-place 2 King 14. and directing his Worship towards the East after the manner of the Heathens whom he designed to follow and not to the West as the Israelites did by Gods Command in which Quarter the Ark was he must needs consequently turn his Back upon the Altar and House and Ark of God 7 Also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have shut up the doors of the porch and put out the lamps and have not burnt incense nor offered burnt-offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel 8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem and he hath delivered them to †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble to astonishment and to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 25. Kin. 9. 8. hissing f i. e. To such Calamities as all that see and hear of shall be astonished at and hiss at those who by their own Sin and Folly have brought such Miseries upon themselves See on 1 King 9. 8. as ye see with your eyes 9 For lo our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons and our daughters and our wives are g Or were though they were presently released ch 28. 5 14 15. in captivity for this 10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turn away from us 11 My sons h So he calls them indifferently though many of them were elder than himself because he was by his tender Love and Affection as he was by his Office obliged to be a Nursing Father to them See Isa. 49. 23. ‖ 〈◊〉 noâ—… 〈◊〉 be not now negligent i In sanctifying your selves and the Temple v. 5. and in quickning and preparing your selves and the People to Gods Service for the LORD hath * 〈◊〉 â—… 14. 〈◊〉 2 6. chosen you to stand before him to serve him and that ye should minister unto him and ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burn incense 12 Then the Levites arose Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of Merari Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel and of the Gershonites Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah 13 And of the sons of Elizaphan Shimri and Jehiel and of the sons of Asaph Zechariah and Mattaniah 14 And of the sons of Heman Jehiel and Shimei and of the sons of Jeduthun Shemajah and Uzziel 15 And they gathered their brethren and sanctified themselves and came according to the commandment of the king ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the words of the LORD to cleanse the house of the LORD 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD k Not the Holy of Holies into which onely the Highpriest might enter and that but once in a year but the Holy Place to cleanse it and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court l To wit the Priests Court called here the Court by way of Eminency of the house of the LORD And the Levites took it to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron 17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctifie and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end m In 16 Days purging the House and Porch and Courts and all the Chambers belonging to the Temple This is noted to imply partly the Universal Abuse and Defilement of all the Parts of it by Ahaz which required so much time to remove and partly the Diligence of the Priests in this Work 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king and said We have cleansed all the house of the LORD and the altar of burnt-offering with all the vessels thereof and the shew bread table with all the vessels thereof 19 Moreover all the vessels which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression have we prepared and sanctified and behold they are before the altar of the LORD 20 Then Hezekiah the king arose early and gathered the rulers of the city and went up to the house of the LORD 21 And they brought seven bullocks and seven rams and seven lambs and seven he-goats n The Number of seven is famous and customary in Sacred matters and is here used in regard of the vast Numbers and various Kinds of Sins the Guilt whereof yet lay upon the Kingdom which was now to be expiated Indeed in case of one particular Sin of Ignorance done by the People there was but one Bullock to be offered Levit. 4. 13 14. but here the Sins were many and presumptuous c. for a * Lev. 4. 3 14. sin offering for the kingdom o To make Atonement for the Sins of the King and the Royal Family and the Court. and for the sanctuary p For all the Idolatry and Uncleanness wherewith the Temple had been polluted which as it had been cleansed naturally by the Priests Hands so now was to be purged morally by Sacrifices and for Judah q For the Sins of all the People of Judah and he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD 22 So they killed the bullocks and the priests received the blood and * Lev. 8. 14 15. Heb. 9. 21. sprinkled it on the altar likewise when they had killed the rams they sprinkled the blood upon the altar they killed also the lambs and they sprinkled the blood upon the
the Messias Compare Gen. 12. 2 and 48. 20. or rather most Blessed as we translate it the abstract Form and the plural Number being here used emphatically as they commonly are as Ezek. 34. 26. Psal. 5. 10. and 19. 10. and 35. 6. to Note a man in whom all sorts of Blessings are united and met together filled with Blessings and as it were a man of Blessings made up altogether of Blessings as Christ upon a like Reason was called a man of Sorrows Isa. 53. 3. And possibly the Word Man may be understood here as it is in many other places as I have shewed before and the place rendred thus Thou hast made him a Man of Blessings for ever m Of which see on v. 4. thou hast †Heb. gladded him with joys made him exceeding glad with thy countenance n To wit smiling upon him as it must necessarily be understood from the foregoing Words i. e. By thy Grace and Favour manifested and imparted to his Soul and by the Effects of it in saving him from all his Enemies and Calamities 7. For the king trusteth in the LORD and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved o Or removed from his Kingdom as Saul was 8. Thine hand shall find out all thine Enemies p When they seek to hide themselves or flee away from thee should discover and overtake and destroy them Or shall be sufficient as this Verb sometimes signifies as Numb 11. 22. Iudg. 21. 14. for all thiâ—…e Fnemies To wit to Conquer them thou shall need no forreign Succours to help thee thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee 9. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven q Or Thou shalt put them as the Hebrew word Properly signifies as it were into So there is only an Ellipsis of the Preposition Beth which is most frequent a fiery Oven i. e. Like Wood which when it is cast in there is quickly consurned in the time of thine †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 34. 16. anger the LORD shall swallow them up r i. e. Destroy them as this Phrase is oft used as 2 Sam. 20. 19 20. Psal. 56. 1 2. Prov. 1. 12. in his wrath and the fire shall devour them 10. * Job 18. 16 19. Their fruit s Either 1. The fruit of their Labours Or rather 2. Their seed or Children as it is explained in the next Branch oft called a Man's Fruit as Deut. 28. 4. Psal. 127. 3. and 132. 11. Lament 2. 20. God will take away both Root and Branch the Parents and all that wicked Race shalt thou destroy from the earth and their seed from among the children of men 11. For they intended evil against thee t i. e. Against God not directly but by Consequence because it was against David whom God had anointed and against the Lords people whose injuries God takes as done to himself Zech. 2. 8. they imagined a mischievous device which they are not able to perform u Such Supplements are usual after this Verb as Exod. 8. 18. Psal. 101. 5. anâ—… 139. 6. Isa. 1. 13. Or for which they were unable or insufficient Or but they did not prevail as this Verb signifies Psal. 13. 4. and 129. 2. This Glause seems to be added to teach us this great and necessary Lesson that men are justly punished by God for their wicked Intentions although they be hindred from the Execution of them contrary to what some Jewish Doctors and others have taught 12. Therefore ‖ Or thou shalt set them as a Bâ—…tt shalt thou make them turn their †Heb. Shoulder back x i. e. Flee away at the first sight of thee whereby also they will be a fit mark for thine Arrows Or Thou shalt set them as a Butt to shoot at as the like Phrase is used Deut. 7. 10. Iob. 7 20. and 16. 12. when thou shalt * Psal. 7. 13. make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them y Or against them the word Face being oft redundant 13. Be thou exalted LORD in thine own strength z By thy own Power or by the manifestation thereof whereby thou wiltst have the whole Glory of the work so will we sing and praise thy Power PSAL. XXII The ARGUMENT That question mentioned Act. 8. 34. is very Proper here Of whom speaketh the Prophet this Psalm of himself or of some other Man It is confessed that David was a Type of Christ and that many Psalms or passages of the Psalms though properly and litterally understood of David yet had a farther and Mystical reference to Christ in whom they were accomplished But there are some other Psalms or passages in the Psalms as also some Chapters or passages in other Prophets especially in Isaiah who lived not very long after David which either by those sacred Pen-men or at least by the Holy Ghost inspiring them which is one and the same thing were directly Primarily and Immediately intended for and are Properly and litterally to be understood of the Messias though withal there may be some respect and allusion to the state of the Pen-man himself who being a Type of Christ it is not strange if there be many Resemblances between them And this seems to be the state of this Psalm which is understood of the Messias by the Hebrew Doctors themselves and by Christ himself and by his Apostles as we shall see And there are many passages in it which were most litterally accomplished in him and cannot in a tolerable Sence be understood of any other as we shall see in the particular Verses And therefore I doubt not that David though he had an Eye to his own Condition in divers passages here used yet was carried forth by the Spirit of Prophecy beyond himself and unto Christ to whom alone it truly and fully agrees To the chief musician upon ‖ Or the 〈◊〉 of the Morning Aijeleth Shahar a Or the hind of the Morning To note that the Person here designed was like an Hind comely and meek and every way Lovely but withal Persecuted by wicked men as that oftentimes is in the Morning when she comes out of her lurking and Lodging place and when the Hunters use to go abroad to their Work Or this was the Title of some Musical instrument or Tune or Song which was usually sung in the Morning a Psalm of David 1. MY * Mat. 27. 4â—… Mark 15. 34. God b Whom notwithstanding thy forsaking me I heartily Love and in whom I trust who art my Friend and Father though now thou frownest upon me my * Psal. 31. 14. God c The Repetition Notes the depth of his distress which made him Cry so earnestly and the struglings of his Faith with his Fears and Sorrows why hast thou forsaken me d i. e. Left me in the hands of Malicious men withdrawn the Light of thy Countenance
the Earth Or 2. the Earth it self which is the Foundation of the World Or rather 3. the firm standing of the Earth upon its Foundations notwithstanding all the Assaults which the Waters of the Sea or within the Earth make against it which is a singular work of God's Providence 30. * Joh. 1. 1. Then I was by him n Conversant with him and united to him as was said before as ‖ Or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one brought up with him o As one tenderly and dearly beloved by him and I was daily his delight †Heb. 〈◊〉 ing rejoycing always before him p He and I had constant and intimate and sweet converse together 31. †Heb. sporâ—… ing Rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth q In contemplating the wonderful wisdom and goodness of God in the making and ordering of all his Creatures and of Man especially and my delights were with the sons of men r To uphold them by my Power and Providence to reveal my Self and my Fathers mind and will to them from Age to Age to assume their Nature and to redeem and save them which I would not do for the fallen Angels 32. Now therefore s Seeing I have such a true love to you and seeing I am so thoroughly acquainted with my Fathers mind and so excellently qualified to be your Counseller and Ruler hearken unto me O ye children for * Ps. 119. 1. â—… 128 1. Luke 11. 2â—… blessed are they that keep my ways 33. Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it not t Or do not make it void or unprofitable to you by your own sloth or wilfulness 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors u As Servants and Clients and others wait at the doors of Princes or Persons of eminency for place or power or wisdom that they may be admitted to speak or converse with them 35. For who so findeth me findeth i life and shall * Ch. 9. 11 1â—… 2. †Heb. 〈◊〉 forth obtain favour of the LORD 36. But he that sinneth against me x By the neglect or contempt of or rebellion against my commands wrongeth his own soul y Is guilty of self murder and of Soul murder all they that hate me z i. e. Who reject and disobey my counsels and live wickedly which in God's account is an hating of him as is here implyed and elsewhere as Exod. 20. 5. Deut. 7. 10. 32. 41. love death a Not directly or intentionally but by consequence because they love those practices which they know will bring certain destruction upon them CHAP. IX 1. WIsdom hath built her house a For the reception and entertainment of her Guests as appears from the following passages This house is opposed to the Harlots House mentioned Prov. 7. 8. and it is to be understood either 1. of the heavenly House or the Palace of Glory Or rather 2. of the Church which Christ the Wisdom of the Father hath erected and established in the World in which this following Feast is made which is called God's House 1 Tim. 3. 15. Heb. 3. 3 4. she hath hewn out her seven b i. e. Many Pillars whereby is intimated both the beauty and the stability of the Church pillars c Prophets and Apostles and Ministers of Holy things which in Scripture are called Pillars as Gal. 2. 9. and elsewhere 2. * Matth. 22. 〈◊〉 She hath killed †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her beasts d i. e. Made provision for the Guests which is meant of the Ordinances Gifts Graces Comforts and Eternal Felicities which God doth offer and give to men in and by the Church she hath mingled her wine e Either 1. with Spices to make it strong and delightful this mixed Wine being mentioned as the best Prov. 23. 29 30. Or 2. with Water as they used to do in those hot Countries partly for refreshment and partly for wholesomness Whereby also may be intimated that Wisdom teacheth us temperance in the use of our comforts she hath also furnished her table f With all necessaries and now waits for the Guests 3. She hath sent forth her maidens g Her Servants to invite the Guests Ministers of the Word whom he calls Maidens partly for the decency of the parable for Wisdom being compared to a great Princess was fit to be attended upon by Maidens and partly to shew that God by his Word did work sweetly though strongly and did allure and draw rather than drive sinners to repentance * Ch. 8. 2. she crieth upon †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 places the highest places h Either upon the tops of the Houses which were flat Or rather from such high seats as those from which Judges delivered their Sentences and Officers made Proclamations for the conveniency of the Peoples better hearing of the city 4. Whoso is simple i Ignorant and weak and subject to delusion and willing to learn to shew that Wisdom rejects those Scholars who are proud and self conceited let him turn in hither as for him that wanteth understanding k Heb. heart which signifies understanding Ier. 5. 21. Hos. 7. 11. she saith to him 5. * â—…ant 5. 1. 〈◊〉 55. 1. Come eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled 6. Forsake the foolish l i. e. The wicked and their courses and society you must either forsake them or me for we are irreconcilable enemies and live and go in the way of understanding m Which leads to it and is prescribed by it 7. He that reproveth aâ—… scorner n The connexion may be conceived thus Having invited the simple he forbids the invitation of scorners Or thus He sheweth who he meant by the foolish v. 6. even scorners and wicked men as they are here called and he presseth his last advice of forsaking them because there was no good but hurt to be got by conversation with them getteth to himself shame o Partly from the scorner who will revile and deride him and partly from others because he is frustrated in his design and hope and by his imprudence hath brought an inconvenience upon himself and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot p A censure or reproach 8 * â—…at 7. 6. Reprove not a scorner q An obstinate and incorrigible sinner who scornfully rejects and despiseth the means of amendment Thus Physicians deny Physick to Persons in desperate condition lest he hate thee r Whereby thou wilt not onely expose thy self without necessity to his malice and rage but also make thy self utterly uncapable of doing him that good which possibly thou mightest do by other more prudent and proper means rebake a wise man s Who is opposed to the Scorner to intimate that Scorners
evil of punishment in the day of his calamity when he shall flee to God for help * Job 13. 15. 19. 26. Ps. 23. 4. 1 Cor. 15. 19. 2 Cor. 1. 9. but the righteous hath hope i Of deliverance from it or of great and everlasting advantage by it in his death k In his greatest dangers and distresses yea even in I eath it self which therefore he can receive with comfort and confidence 33 * 〈◊〉 12. 23. Wisdom resteth l Is laid up and hid there and not vainly nor rashly uttered by him but only upon necessary or fit occasions in the heart of him that hath understanding but that which is in the midst m i. e. In the heart which is expressed by this very word Psal. 64. 6. and elsewhere That Folly which is there instead of Wisdom or that small degree of Wisdom or Knowledg which they have of fools is made known n. r They will publish it in all times and companies without any consideration or discretion 34 Righteousness exalteth a nation o Maketh it honourable in the Eyes of God and of all other Nations as it did the ancient Romans but sin is a reproach †〈…〉 to any people p Brings contempt and ruine upon them by provoking both God and men against them 35 The kings favour is toward a wise servant but his wrath is against him * 〈◊〉 17. 2. that causeth shame q Both to himself by his foolish management of the Kings affairs commited to him and to the King who made so foolish a choice of a Servant CHAP. XV. 1 A * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 15. soft a Mild or gentle answer b Which may imply a foregoing charge or accusation although the word is and may be rendred speech or discourse turneth away c From the speaker wrath but grievous words d Fierce and vexatious Replies or Speeches stir up anger e Kindle it and cause it to flame forth 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledg aright f Expressing what he knows prudently and gracefully taking due care both what and when and to whom and in what manner he speaks * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12. 23. 〈◊〉 16. but the mouth of fools †〈…〉 poureth out g Plentifully continually promiscuously and vehemently as a Fountain doth Waters as this word signifies foolishness 3 * 〈◊〉 3â—… 21. 〈◊〉 5 21. 〈◊〉 16. 17. 〈◊〉 1â—… 〈◊〉 13. The eyes of the LORD h His Knowledg and Providence are in every place beholding the evil i Who are first mentioned because they either doubt of or deny Gods Providence and the good 4 †〈…〉 A wholsom tongue k Which â—…ereth sound and comfortable and useful Counsels is a tree of life l Is greatly useful to preserve the present Life and to promote the Spiritual and Eternal Life both of the Speaker and Hearers but perverseness therein m All sorts of false or corrupt Speeches is a breach of the Spirit n Disturbs and wounds and oft-times corrupts and destroys the Spirits or Souls both of the Speaker and Hearers 5 * 〈◊〉 10. 1. 〈◊〉 18. 〈◊〉 21. 32. A fool despiseth o Doth not regard nor obey it which is an evidence of contempt his fathers p Who hath both Love to him and Authority over him which greatly aggravates his Folly instruction but he that regardeth reproof q The reproof of any person whatsoever and much more of a Father is prudent 6 In the house r Or Family Whereby he implies that it is not only enjoyed by him but also left to his posterity of the righteous is much treasure but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble s Though he may obtain great revenues yet they are attended with much trouble vexation either because they are strangely blasted and taken from them or because they are imbittered to them by their own insatiable desires or tormenting cares and fears or the horrours of their guilty Consciences or by divers other ways 7 The Lips of the wise disperse knowledge t Freely communicate to others what they know as they have opportunity but the heart of the foolish doth not so u Either because he hath no knowledg to disperse or because he hath not an heart to perform his duty or to do good to others Or as others render it and as the last Hebrew word is rendred Gen. 42. 34. and elsewhere is not right or the place may be rendred the heart of foolish understand out of the former clause as is very usual disperseth by his Lips that which is not right foolish and corrupt discourse which is fitly opposed to knowledg 8 * 〈…〉 The sacrifice x All the religious services yea the best and most costly of them one kind being put for all the rest of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD but the prayer y The cheapest and meanest services of the upright is his delight 9 The way z The Conversation or Course of Life This verse seems to contain a reason of the foregoing God hates wicked mens religious Performances because they are accompanied with ungodly Lives and they pull down with one hand what they build with another of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness a That earnestly desires and constantly and diligently endeavours to be holy and righteous in the course of his Life although he doth not attain to that perfect Righteousness which he thirsts after 10 ‖ Or instruction Correction is grievous b He hateth Reproof because it is a reproach to him and because it strikes at that sin which he loveth unto him that forsaketh the way c Gods way emphatically called the way here as also Psal. 119. 1. 139. 24. Prov. 2. 13. and he that hateth reproof shall die d i. e. Be destroyed both here and for ever which is a more grievous thing than an harsh reproof 11 * Job 26. 6. Hell and destruction e Put for the place of destruction by an usual Metonymy the place and state of the damned of which men know nothing but by divine Revelation are before the LORD how much more then * 2 Chr. â—… â—…0 Psal. 7. 9. 44. 21. Joh. 2. 24 25. 21. 17. Acts 1. 24. the hearts f Whose thoughts and affections though they lie deep discover themselves by outward signs and actions of the children of men 12 A scorner loveth not g i. e. Hateth and avoideth it for more is here understood than is expressed as it is Prov. 11. 21. 12. 3. and elsewhere one that reproveth him neither will he go unto h Seek their Company and Conversation as his duty and interest obligeth him the wise i i. e. The godly because he
not thy ‖ Or 〈◊〉 10 Gr. strength g The vigour of thy Mind and Body which is greatly impaired by inordinate Lusts as all Physicians agree and frequent experience sheweth unto women nor thy ways h Thy Conversation or course of Life to that * 〈…〉 which destroyeth kings i The same thing repeated in other words as is very usual in these Books To the immoderate Love of Women which is most destructive to Kings and Kingdoms as was well known to Solomon by the example of his father David and by many other sad instances left upon record in all Histories 4 * 〈◊〉 10. 17. It is not for kings O Lemuel it is not for kings to drink wine i To wit to Drunkenness or excess as the next verse explains it nor for princes strong drink 5 Lest they drink and forget the law k The Laws of God by which they are to govern themselves and their Kingdoms and †〈◊〉 alter pervert the judgment †〈◊〉 of all 〈◊〉 of affliâ—… of any of the afflicted l Which may easily be done by a drunken Judge because Drunkenness deprives a man of the use of Reason by which alone men can distinguish between right and wrong and withal stirs up those passions which encline him both to precipitation and partiality 6 * 〈◊〉 104. 15. Give strong drink unto him m Which is to be understood comparatively to him rather than to Kings partly because he needs a liberal draught of it more than Kings do and principally because if it proceed to excess in him it is only a private inconvenience but in Kings it is a publick mischief and grievance that is ready to perish n Sorely afflicted and overwhelmed with sorrow as it is explained in the following words for such need a cordial and wine to thâ—…se that be 〈◊〉 bitter 〈◊〉 of heavy hearts 7 Let him drink and forget his poverty o For Wine moderately used allayeth mens Cares and Fears and cheareth their Spirits Psal. 104. 15. and remember his misery no more 8 Open thy mouth p Speak freely and impartially as becomes a King and Judg to do for the dumb q For such as cannot speak in their own Cause either through Ignorance and Infirmity or because of the dread of their more potent Adversaries or of the Majesty of the King sitting in judgment in the cause of all †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are appointed to destruction r Who without such succour from the Judge are like to be utterly ruined whom therefore both Justice and Charity oblige thee to preserve 9 Open thy mouth * 〈◊〉 19. 15. 〈◊〉 1. 16. judg righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy 10 * 〈◊〉 12. 4. 〈◊〉 18. 22. 〈◊〉 19. 14. Who can find †Heb. a woâ—… of strength 〈◊〉 of activity 〈◊〉 47. 6. 〈◊〉 1. 42. a virtuous woman s Whom he may take to Wife Such a person is hardly to be found Compare Eccles. 7. 28. And here he lays down several Characters or Qualifications of an excellent Wife which are here delivered in Alphabetical order each verse beginning with a several and the succeeding Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet which method is used in some and but in a few places of Scripture to oblige us to the more diligent consideation and careful remembrance of them as things of more than ordinary importance And such this matter is partly because the good or bad Education even of private Families which depends much upon the Mothers qualifications hath a mighty influence upon the welfare or misery of Common-wealths and partly because the right Education of Royal Families is in itself a very publick Blessing and therefore it is the interest and happiness of whole Kingdoms that their Kings should have virtuous and pious Wives for her price is far above rubies 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her t For the prudent and faithful management of all his domestick affairs which are committed to her care so that he shall have no need of spoil u The sense is either 1. He shall want no necessary Provisions for his family which are somtimes called spoil or prey as below v. 15. Psal. 111. 5. Luk. 11. 22. Or 2. He shall not need to use indirect and unlawful courses to get Wealth by cheating or oppressing his Subjects or others as Princes have oft done to maintain the Luxury of their Wives and as Solomon himself afterwards did of which see on 1 King 12. 4 10 11. because all shall be abundantly supplied to him by her Providence 12 She will do him good and not evil x She will improve and not waste his Estate all the days of her life 13 She seeketh wool and flax y That she may find employment for her servants and not suffer them to spend all their time unprofitably in ease and idleness and worketh willingly with her hands z She encourageth them to work by her example which was a common practice among Princesses in those first and purest ages of the world Not that it is the duty of Kings Queens to use manual or mechanical operations but that it is the duty of all persons the greatest not excepted to improve all their Talents and particularly their time which is one of the noblest of them one way or other to the service of that God to whom they must give an account and to the good of that community to which they are related and obliged 14 She is like the merchants ships she bringeth her food from afar a By the sale of her home-spun commodities she purchaseth the choicest goods which come from far Countries 15 She riseth also while it is yet night b Early in the morning to redeem time and giveth meat c Distributeth all her necessary provisions to her houshold and a portion d Either 1. Of Work which she allots to them Or rather 2. Of Provisions for them for so this word is used Gen. 47. 22. Lev. 10. 13 14. Prov. 30. 8. and no where to my remembrance of an allotment of work And so this clause agrees best with the former expressing the same thing in other words according to the manner to her maidens 16 She considereth e Whether it be fit for her use and of a reasonable price and how she may purchase it This excludes the rashness as her proceeding to buy it excludes the inconstancy which is oft incident to that sex a field and †Heb. taketh it buyeth it with the fruit of her hands f With the effects of her diligence she planteth a vineyard g She improveth the Land to the best advantage 17 She girdeth her loins with strength h She useth great diligence and expedition in her employment for which end men in those times use to gird up their
to stand the most miserable condition that men can fall into Psa. 36. 12. 7 I will mention q Whether this ought to be the beginning of a new Chapter or no is not material but certainly here begins a new matter which contains the Prophets prayer either in his own name or the Church's to the end of chap. 64. wherein he begins with mentioning the great kindnesses that God had shewn the Iews and that Emphatically setting it forth with the greatest advantages and the more either to aggravate their great unkindness or to give them some hope of finding him the like again in their distresses or by way of argument with God to shew them mercy because he had been so good to them the loving kindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us and the great goodness towards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses 8 For he said r viz within himself of old when he made a Covenant with our Fathers and brought them out of Egypt Surely they are my people s In Covenant though they are unworthy of me yet I cannot but look upon them as my people their enemies would persuade themselves O they are not God's People but cast ouâ—…s that none cared for or looked after but God will own them children that will not lie t That will keep my Covenant they will not deal falsly with me that are under such obligations or I presume they will not though they did go after their Idols and prove unfaithful to me in serving Baal and Ashteroth c. Now I presume they will do so no more thus Parents are apt tenderly to think of those Children that they have been indulgent to that they will not offer to abuse their kindness thus God thinks the best of them or he intimates here what they are obliged to do though he knew they would do otherwise or they will not degenerate after I have renewed them so he was their Saviour u viz. On these hopes and on these Conditions he undertook the charge of them Exod. 19. 5 6. Psal. 81. 8 9. 10. or he so â—…e alone was their Saviour when none to save none to uphold then he saved them not Cyrus Zerubbabel Nehemiah c. But Christ himself 9 * Judg. 10. 16. In all their affliction he was afflicted x Because of all the afflictions they endured in Egypt this notes the Sympathy that is in Christ he having the same Spirit in him that the Church hath and her head and Father or in all their afflictions no affliction so the words may be read their afflictions were rather favours then afflictions all that befell them from the red Sea through the wilderness and then Tzar is taken actively he afflicted not this may note his Clemency their sting was taken out either way it maâ—… be read according to the different spelling of â—…o whether by Aleph or Vaâ—… The first seems the more genuin they that list to drive this notion further may consult the Latine Synopsis and the English Annotations and the angel of his presence y The same that conducted them through the wilderness called an Angel Exo. 33. 2. and his Presence ver 14. and Iehovah Exo. 13. 21. so that it must be the Lord Jesus Christ who appeared to Moses in the bush as Stephen doth interpret it Act. 7. 35. c. Other Angels are in his presence but they were not always he was ever so therefore so called by way of eminency hence the LXX express it not a Lâ—…gate or Angel but himself saved them z From the house of Bondage brought them thorough the red Sea the wilderness c. Their rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. * Deut. 7. 7 8. in his love and in his pity a This shews the ground of his kindness they were a stubborn Superstitious Idolatrous people yet Christs Love and pity saved them for all that It was because he loved them he redeemed them and he * Exod. 19. 4. Deut. 1. 31. Chap. 46. 3. bore them and carried b He left them not to shift for themselves but bare them as a Father his Child or an Eagle her young onâ—…s he carried them in the arms of his power see Chap. 46. 4. and on the wings of his Providence see Deut 32. 10 11 12. and the Notes on Deut. 1. 31. And he is said to do it of old To remember his ancient kindness for many Generations past Olam signifies an Eternity or a long time past as well as to come from the daies of Abraham or Moses from their Bondage in Egypt to the time of Isaiah and it is used as an Argument to move him to do so still he will carry her till he bring her unto his Father them all the days of old 10 But they rebelled c Many of their Rebellions we read of in Exodus and Numbers in their Travels The Lord tells Moses that they had tempted him ten times and therefore severely threatens them Numb 14. 22 23. There were three principal Times of their Rebellion 1. In the Wilderness where they murmured for want of Bread and Water 2. In Canaan in noâ—… destroying but onely making Tributary suâ—…h Nations as God commanded them to destroy 3. Before the Babylonian Captivity when they set themselves against the Prophets which Stephen chargeth upon them Acts 7. 51 52. Among which also we may reckon all their behaviours under their Iudges and their Kings Or we may understand it of their not answering God's End and Expectation and * Exod. 15. 24. Num. 14. 11. Psal. 78. 40 â—…6 95. 9. Eph. 4. 30. vexed his holy spirit d Spirit of his Holiness they vexed him by their obstinacy against his will and mind and walking contrary unto him not that there are such Passions in God but it is spoken after the manner of men as they are vexed when their will is crossed therefore he was turned to be their enemy e He overthrew them not onely in the Wilderness Psal. 78. 31 33 59 60 c. sending among them fiery Serpents Numb 21. 6. but even in Canaan stirring up against them Adversaries sometimes the Philistines anon the Midianites and then the Moabites c. and he fought against them 11 Then f Or yet he remembred g This relates either 1. To the People and then He is collectively taken and so it looks like the Language of the People in Babylon and must be read he shall remember Or 2. It may look back to their condition in the Wilderness and thus they may properly say Where is he or that God that delivered his People of old to do the like for us now there is a like phrase used by Elisha 2 King 2. 14. Or rather 3. To God as it