they were grown would ye stay for them from having husbands o It is unreasonable for me to expect it or for you to perform it nay my daughters for ‡ Heb. I have 〈◊〉 bitterâ—… it grieveth me much for your sakes p That you are left without the comfort of Husbands or Children that I must part with such dear and affectionate Daughters and that my circumstances are such that I cannot invite nor incourage you to go along with me For her condition was so mean at this time that Ruth when she came to her Mothers City was forced to Glean for a living Chap. 2. 2. that * Job 19. 21. the hand of the LORD is gone out against me 14 And they lift up their voice and wept again and Orpah kissed her mother in law q i. e. Departed from her with a kiss as the manner was Gen. 31. 28. 1 King 19. 20. but Ruth clave unto her 15 And she said Behold thy sister in law is gone back unto her people and unto her gods r Which she saith partly to try Ruths sincerity and constancy partly that by upbraiding Orpah with her Idolatry she might consequently turn her from it and partly that she might intimate to her that if she went with her she must embrace the True God and Religion * See Jos. 24. 15. 2 King 2. 2. Lâ—… 24. 28. return thou after thy sister in law 16 And Ruth said ‖ Or be not against me Intreat me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee for whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God s I renounce those Idols which my Sister hath returned to and I will Worship no other God but thine who is indeed the onely True God 17 Where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried the LORD do so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me 18 When she saw that she ‡ Heb. strength â—…ed her self was stedfastly minded to go with her then she left speaking unto her 19 ¶ So they two went until they came to Bethlehem and it came to pass when they were come to Bethlehem that all the city was moved about them and ‖ That is the women they said Is this Naomi t Is this she that formerly lived in so much Plenty and Honour Oh how marvellously is her condition changed that she is returned in this forlorn and desolate condition 20 And she said unto them Call me not ‖ That is pleasant Naomi u Which signifies pleasant or chearful or amiable call me ‖ That is bitter Mara x Which signifies bitter or sorrowful for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me 21 I went out full y With my Husband and Sons and a plentiful Estate for our support and the LORD hath brought me home again empty why then call ye me Naomi seeing the Lord hath testified against me z i. e. Hath born witness as it were in Judgment and given Sentence against me and declared my Sin by my Punishment and the Almighty hath afflicted me 22 So Naomi returned and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter in law with her which returned out of the countrey of Moab and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest CHAP. II. AND Naomi had a kinsman of her husbands a mighty man of wealth of the family of Elimelech and his name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi Let me now go to the field and glean a Which was permitted to the Poor and the Stranger Deut. 24. 19. both which she was nor was she ashamed to confess her Poverty nor would she eat the bread of idleness whereby she sheweth her self to be a prudent and diligent and vertuous woman as she is called Ruth 3. 11. ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace b For though it was their duty to permit this Levit. 19. 9. and 23. 22. yet either she was ignorant thereof or thought that being a Stranger it might be grudged or denied to her or at least that it became her modestly and humbly to acknowledge their kindness herein And she said unto her Go my daughter 3 And she went and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers and her ‡ Heb. hap haâ—…pened hap was c For it was indeed a chance in reference to Second Causes but ordered and designed by Gods Providence to light on a part of the field belonging unto ‖ Called Mat. 1. 5. Booz Boaz who was of the kindred of Elimelech 4 ¶ And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem and said unto the reapers The LORD be with you and they answered him The LORD bless thee d They expressed and professed their Piety even in their civil Conversation and worldly Transactions which now so many are ashamed of and call it Hypocrisie or vain Ostentation thus to do 5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers Whose damsel is this 6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi e i. e. That came with Naomi when she came back for otherwise as Ruth did not go from thence so she could not properly be said to come back out of the countrey of Moab 7 And she said I pray you let me glean f She did not boldly intrude her self but modestly ask leave of us and gather after the reapers amongst the ‖ Or handfuls sheaves so she came and hâ—…h continued even from the morning until now g She is not retired through idleness for she hath been diligent and constant in her labours that she tarried a little in the house h Not in Naomi's house as many understand it as may be gathered from v. 18 19. but in the little House or Tent which was set up in the Fields at these times and was necessary in those hot Countries where the Labourers or others might retire for a little repose or repast at fit times Being weary with her continued labours she comes hither to take a little rest 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth Hearest thou not my daughter Go not to glean in another field neither go from hence but abide here fast by my maidens i Not by the young Men to avoid both occasion of sin and matter of scandal Herein he shews his Piety and Prudence 9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap and go thou after them have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee k So as to offer any incivility or injury to thee Touching is oft taken for hurting Gen. 26. 11. Psal. 105. 15. and when thou art athirst go unto the vessels and drink of that which the young men have
‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 gathered the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work that have the oversight of the house of the LORD 10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king saying Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book and Shaphan read it before the king 11 And it came to pass when the king had heard the words of the book of the law i i. e. The dreadful Comminations against them for the sins still reigning among the people Quest. Did Iosiah never see and read a Copy of this Book before this time If he did not how could he do so much towards the Reformation of Religion as he did before If he did why was he not sooner convinced and humbled by it Ans If Iosiah had not yet seen a Copy of this Book which is not impossible yet there was so much of the Law left in the minds and memories of many of the people as might easily persuade and direct him to all that he did till this time or if Iosiah had seen and read it before which seems more probable yet the great Reverence which he justly bare to the Original Book and the strange and remarkable and seasonable finding of it had very much awakened and quickened him to a more serious and diligent reading and attentive consideration of all the passages contained in it than he used before that he rent his clothes 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam the son of Shaphan and Achbor the son of Micaiah and Shaphan the scribe and Asahiah a servant of the kings k Who most constantly waited upon the Kings Person otherwise all of them were the Kings Servants saying 13 Go ye enquire of the LORD l Either what he intends to do with us or what we shall do to him to appease his wrath for me and for the people and for all Judah concerning the words of this book m Whether the Curses here threatned must come upon us without remedy or whether there be hope in Israel concerning the prevention of them that is found for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book to do according unto all that which is written concerning us 14 So Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asahiah went unto Huldah the prophetess n For we read of Women Prophetesses both in the Old and New Testament as Miriam Exod. 15. 20. Deborah Iudg. 4. 4. Hamah 1 Sam. 2. Elizabeth and the Blessed Virgin Luk. 1. and Philip's Daughters Act. 21. 9. Quest. But why did he send to this Woman and not rather to Zephaniah or Ieremiah who were Prophets in Iosiah's days Ans. Either First Because the Kings earnest affection in this business required great haste and she was in Ierusalem which is therefore noted in the following part of the Verse when Ieremiah might at this time be at Anathoth or in some more remote part of the Kingdom and the like may be said of Zephaniah who also might not be a Prophet at this time though he was afterward in the days of Iosiah which is all that is affirmed of him Zeph. 1. 10. Or 2. Because the King or his Courtiers had longer and greater experience of the eminency of her Prophetical Gifts than of Ieremiah's who began not to Prophecy till the thirteenth Year of Iosiah Ier. 1. 2. and being well assured of her Fidelity in delivering the Mind and Counsel of God to those that enquired of her they rightly concluded that it was much more considerable what Message God sent than by whom it was conveyed to them the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah the son of Harhas keeper of the ‡ 〈◊〉 garâ—… wardrobe now she dwelt in Jerusalem in ‖ 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 part the colledge o Where the Sons of the Prophets or others who devoted themselves to the study of God's Word used to meet and discourse of the things of God and receive the Instructions of their Teachers Others both Ancient and Modern render it in another or the second part to wit of the City i. e. in the Suburbs which also were Fortified and Walled about by Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 5. and they communed with her 15 ¶ And she said unto them Thus saith the LORD God of Israel Tell the man that sent you to me 16 Thus saith the LORD Behold I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read 17 Because they have forsaken me and have burnt incense unto other gods that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands p Gods made with hands This she adds to aggravate their folly and contempt of God in preferring such vain and idle things before him therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched 18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD thus shall ye say to him Thus saith the LORD God of Israel As touching the words which thou hast heard 19 Because thine heart was tender and thou hast humbled thy self before the LORD when thou heardst what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants thereof that they should become a desolation and a curse and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I also have heard thee saith the LORD 20 Behold therefore I will gather thee unto thy fathers and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace q i. e. In a time of publick Peace and the Tranquility of thy Kingdom or so as thou shalt not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place as the following words explain it for otherwise he died in Batttel chap. 23. 29. Besides he died in Peace with God and was by death translated to everlasting Peace and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place And they brought the king word again CHAP. XXIII AND * 2 Câ—…r 34. 30. the king sent and they gathered unto him all the elders a The chief Governors both of Church and State of Judah and of Jerusalem 2 And the king went up into the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him and the priests and the prophets b Either Ieremiah Zephaniah Urijah or the Sons or Disciples of the Prophets and all the people ‡ Heb. from 〈◊〉 even â—…to great both small and great and he read c He caused to be read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD 3 ¶ And the king stood by the pillar d Of which see on chap. 11. 14. and 2 Chron. 34. 31. and made a covenant before the LORD
cannot be denyed by any man of sence upon supposition that this place speaks of and this power given to the Priest or Judge reacheth to all controversies or questions of faith and manners as the Papists would extend it For put case these Priests or Judges should give a sentence directly contrary to the express words of Gods Law Thou shalt worship a graven Image as Aaron did in the case of the calf thou shalt prophane the Sabbath thou shalt dishonour thy Father and Mother thou shalt Murder Steal commit Adultery c. I ask were the people in this case bound to do as the Judge determined or not If any say they were such a bold and wicked assertion must needs strike all sober Christians with horrour and if they say they were not then this must needs be taken for a limitation But if this place speak onely of particular suits between man and man as is apparent from the notes on v. 8. And in all such cases although the Judge be hereby confined and tied to his rule in giving the sentence yet it seems but fit and reasonable that people should be bound simply to acquiesce in the sentence of their last and highest Judge or else there would have been no end of strife and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee to the right hand nor to the left 12 And * Hos. 4. 4. the man that will do presumptuously a i. e. That will proudly and obstinately oppose the sentence given against him This is opposite to ignorance and errour Exod. 21. 13 14. †Heb. not to hearken and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God or unto the judge even that man shall die and thou shalt put away the evil b Either 1. The evil thing that scandal that pernicious example Or 2. That evil refractary pernicious person whose practise herein tends to the dissolution of all Government and the ruine of the Common-wealth of Israel from Israel 13 And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously 14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee and shalt possess it and shalt dwell therein and shalt say I will set a King over me c He onely foresees and foretells what they would do but doth not seem to approve of it because when they did this thing for this very reason here alledged he declares his utter dislike of it 1 Sam. 8. 7. like as all the nations that are about me 15 Thou shalt in any wise set d i. e. Appoint or instal If you will chuse a King which I shall suffer you to do I command you to observe this in your choice him king over thee whom the LORD thy God shall chuse e Approve of or appoint So it was in Saul and in David God reserved to himself the nomination both of the Family and of the person See 1 Sam. 9. 15. 10. 24. and 16. 12. 1 Chron. 28. 4 5. One * Jer. 30. 21. from among thy brethren f Of the same nation and Religion partly because such a person was most likely to maintain true Religion and to rule with righteousness gentleness and kindness to his subjects and partly that he might be a fit type of Christ their supream King who was to be one of their brethren shalt thou set king over thee thou mayest not set a stranger over thee g To wit by thy own choice and consent but if God by his providence and for their sins should set a stranger over them they might submit to him as appears from Ier. 38. 17. Ezek. 17. 12. Mat. 22. 17. which is not thy brother 16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself g To wit excessively beyond what the State and Majesty of his place required Hereby God would prevent many sins and mischiefs as 1. Pride of heart and contempt of his people 2. Oppression and Tyranny and the Imposition of unnecessary burdens upon his people 3. Carnal confidence which by this means would be promoted See Psal. 33. 17. Prov. 21. 31. 4 Much commerce with Egppt as it here follows which was famous for Horses as appears from Exod. 14. 23. 1 King 10. 26 28. 2 Chron. 1. 16. and 9. 28. Isa. 31. 1 3. Ezek. 17. 5. nor cause the people to return to Egypt h Either for habitation or for trade This God forbad to prevent 1. Their unthankfulness for their deliverance out of Egypt 2. Their confederacies with the Egyptians their trusting to them for aid which they were very prone to and their infection by the Idolatry and other manifold wickednesses for which Egypt was infamous 3. Their multiplication of Horses as it here follows to the end that he should multiply horses forasmuch as the LORD hath said i When or where Answ. Either implicitely when he shewed his dislike of their return to Egypt as Exod. 13. 17. Numb 14. 3 4. or expresly at this time The Lord hath now said it to me and I in his name and by his command declare it to you unto you * chap. 28. 68. Hos. 11. 5. ye shall henceforth no more return that way k In the way that leads to that place 17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself l As the manner of other Kings was that his heart turn not away m To wit from God and his law Either 1. To Idolatry and Superstition to which women are oft times prone and especially such women as he was likely to chuse even the Daughters of Neighbouring and Idolatrous Kings and Princes as Solomon did Or 2. To other manifold sins and violations of his duty to his people either by neglect and contempt of his business through effeminacy and sloath or by oppressing his people and perverting justice to comply with the vast and exorbitant desires of his Wives m Least this should lift up his heart in confidence and pride which God abhorrs and beget in him a contempt of his people and least it should encline or engage or enable him to burden his people with immoderate exactions They are not simply forbidden to be rich if God made them so either by the voluntary gifts of their subjects or by the spoils of their enemies which was the case of David and Solomon and Iehoshaphat c. but they are forbidden either inordinately to desire or irregularly to procure great richs by grinding the faces of their poor people or by other wicked arts and courses as the manner of their neighbouring Kings was neither shall he greatly multiply to himself n silver and gold 18 And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom that he shall write o Either with his own hand as the Jews say or at least by his command
a whoring after it l Committing Superstition or Idolatry with it or going thither to enquire the Will of God whereby they were drawn from the true Ephod instituted by God for this end which was to be worn by the High-Priest onely which thing became a snare m An occasion of Sin and Ruine to him and his as the next Chapter sheweth Though Gideon was a good man and did this with an honest mind and a desire to set up Religion in his own City and Family yet here seems to be many Sins in it 1. Superstition and Will-worship Worshipping God by a device of his own which was frequently and expresly forbidden 2. Presumption in wearing or causing other Priests to wear this kind of Ephod which was peculiar to the High-Priest 3. Transgression of a plain Command of Worshipping God ordinarily but at one place and one Altar Deut. 12. 5 11 14. and withdrawing people from that place to his 4. Making a fearful Schism or Division among the People 5. Laying a Stumbling-Block or an occasion of Superstition or Idolatry before that people whom he knew to be too prone to it unto Gideon and to his house 28 ¶ Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel so that they lifted up their head no more n i. e. Recovered not their former Strength or Courage so as to Conquer or Oppress others as they had done and the countrey was in quietness forty years o i. e. To the fortieth year from the beginning of the Midianitish Oppression see on Iudg. 3. 11. in the days of Gideon p i. e. As long as Gideon lived 29 ¶ And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house q Not in his Fathers House as he did before nor yet in a Court like a King as the People desired but in a middle state as a Judge for the preservation and maintenance of their Religion and Liberties 30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons ‡ Heb. going out of his thigh of his body begotten for he had many wives 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem r She dwelt there and he oft came thither either to execute Judgment or upon other occasions she also bare him a son whose name he ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 called Abimelech s i. e. My Father the King so he called him probably to gratify his Concubine who desired it either out of Pride or Design 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age t His long Life being Crowned with the continuance of his Honour Tranquility and Happiness and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrite 33 And it came to pass as soon as Gideon was dead that the children of Israel turned again u Whereby we see the Wicked temper of this people who did no longer cleave to God than they were in a manner constrained to it by the Presence and Authority of their Judges and went a whoring after Baalim x This was the general name including all their Idols whereof one here follows and made Baal-berith y i. e. The Lord of the Covenant so called either from the Covenant wherewith the Worshippers of this God bound themselves to maintain his Worship or to defend one another therein or rather because he was reputed the God and Judg of all Covenants and Promises and Contracts to whom it belonged to maintain them and to punish the violaters of them and such a God both the Grecians and the Romans had their god 34 And the children of Israel remembred not the LORD their God who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side 35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal namely Gideon according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel CHAP. IX ANâ—… Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his * Chap. â—… â—… mothers brethren and communed with them and with all the family of the house of his mothers father saying 2 Speak I pray you in the ears of all the men of Shechem ‡ What is good whether c. Whether is better for you either that all the sons of Jerubbaal which are threescore and ten persons reign over you a He supposeth that they would take that Government which their Father modestly refused and that the multitude of his Sons would occasion horrible Divisions and Confusions and Contests about the Sovereign Power all which they might avoid by chusing him King and so they might enjoy the Monarchy which they had long and oft desired or that one reign over you Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh b Your Kinsman of the same Tribe and City with you which will be no small Honour and Advantage to you 3 And his mothers brethren c i. e. Kinsmen as that word is oft used as Gen. 14. 16. and 29. 12. spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words and their hearts inclined ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 to follow Abimelech for they said He is our brother d They were easily perswaded to believe and follow what served their own Interest 4 And they gave him threescore and ten e Agreeably to the number of his Enemies Gideon's 70 Sons pieces of silver f Not Shekels as some fancy which were too small a Sum for this purpose but far larger pieces the exact worth whereof it is neither possible nor needful for us now to know out of the house of Baal-berith g Out of his Sacred Treasury for even they who were very parsimonious and base in their Expences about Gods Service were liberal in their Contributions to Idols having since Gideon's Death built this Temple which he would never have suffered whilest he lived and endowed it with considerable Revenues wherewith Abimelech hired * Chap. 11. â—… vain and light persons h Unsettled idle and necessitous persons the most proper Instruments for Tyranny and Cruelty which followed him 5 And he went unto his fathers house at Ophrah and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal i The onely persons who were likely to hinder him in establishing his Tyranny being threescore and ten persons k Wanting one who is here expressed And these Synecdochical expressions are frequent in Scripture See Gen. 35. 26. and 42. 13. Numb 14. 32 33. Ioh. 20. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 5. upon one stone l Whereby he would signifie that this was either 1. An act of Justice in cutting them all off in an orderly matter for some supposed Crime probably as designing Sedition and Rebellion Or 2. An act of Religion in avenging the dishonour and injury done to Baal by Gideon Iudg. 6. 27 28. upon his Children whom he offered up as so many Sacrifices to Baal upon this Stone which served for an Altar and for this reason it seems
time this Particle being used in some Latitude as is frequent for that this happened before and was the occasion of their desire of a King may seem from chap. 12. 12. Although it is possible that Nahash his preparation and declared intention of Warring against them might cause that desire and that Nahash did not actually come against them which is here related till their King was chosen Nahash the Ammonite b Either the same with him 2 Sam. 10. 2. or his Father and Predecessor came up c To War probably to revenge and recover their former great loss by Iephthah Iudg. 11. 33. and encamped against Jabesh-gilead d Which was beyond Iordan and near the Ammonites who dwelt in part of Arabia and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash Make a covenant with us e To wit upon good conditions so as we shall enjoy our Religion and Properties and we will serve thee f In other things we will be thy Subjects and Tributaties The occasion of this offer was that they saw no likelihood of relief from their brethren the Israelites in Canaan who were remote from them and then weak and divided and scarce able to defend themselves from the Philistines 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them On this condition will I ‡ Hebr. 〈◊〉 See Exod. 〈◊〉 32. Gen. 1â—… 18. Jer. 34. 1â—… make a covenant with you that I may thrust out all your right eyes g Partly for a Reproach as it here follows and partly to disable them from managing offensive weapons in Battel for their left Eye served onely or chiefly for Defence being covered by those large shields which then they used and held in their left hand He leaves them one Eye that they might be fit to serve him in any mean and base office and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel 3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him ‡ Hebr. 〈◊〉 us Give us seven days respite h Which it is very probable and Iosephus and others Affirm That Nahash granted out of a foolish self-confidence and contempt of the broken condition of the Israelites which he thought utterly unable to give them any relief at least in so short a time that we may send Messengers unto all the coasts of Israel and then if there be no man to save us we will come out to thee 4 ¶ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul i Partly because it was not far from them and partly because it belonged to the Benjamites who had a special obligation to take more care of that place from whence they had their Wives Iudg. 21. 10 c. And partly because Saul their new chosen King was there and told the tidings in the ears of the people and all the people lift up their voices and wept k Both in compassion towards them and for fear of themselves lest it should shortly be their own lot 5 And behold Saul came after the herd out of the field l For being onely Anointed King and not publickly inaugurated nor owned nor presented by the generality of the People nor having yet had any opportunity of doing any thing worthy of his Place he thought sit to forbear all Royal State and to retire to his former private and Country Life which howsoever despised in these latter vain ambitious and slothful Ages of the World was anciently in great esteem among the Greeks and Romans whose Princes and Generals did frequently exercise themselves in it Though some conceive that he now lived in some State and that he had been in the fields onely to recreate himself and that his coming after the Herd was but accidental and is mentioned onely to usher in what follows of the Yoke of Oxen. and Saul said What aileth the people that they weep and they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh 6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul m Inspiring him suddenly with more than ordinary Courage and Zeal and Resolution to ingage himself and the people for their Rescue Compare Iudg. 3. 10. and 6. 34. and 11. 29. when he heard those tidings and his anger was kindled greatly n Against Nahash for so insolent and barbarous a Proposition 7 And he took a yoke of Oxen and hewed them in pieces and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel o Wisely considering that the sight of Mens Eyes do much more affect their Hearts than what they onely hear with their Ears by the hand of Messengers saying Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel p Whom he joyns with himself both because he was present with him as appears from v. 12. and that hereby he might gain the more Authority to his Command and strike the greater Terror into all despisers of it so shall it be done unto his oxen and the fear of the LORD q Either 1. A great fear great things being oft thus expressed as Cedars of God Mountains of God c. Or 2. A Fear sent upon them by God as Gen. 35. 5. that they should not dare to deny their help fell on the people and they came out ‡ Hebr. as one 〈◊〉 with one consent 8 And when he numbred them in Bezek the children of Israel were three hundred thousand r This great Terror drew so many forth which is not so strange to him that knows what none deny That the Land of Canaan contained vast Numbers of People in a little compass and the men of Judah thirty thousand s Who are numbred apart to their honour to shew how readily they to whom the Kingdom was promised Gen. 49. 10. submitted to their King though of another and far meaner Tribe and how willing they were to hazard themselves for their Brethrens Rescue although they might have excused themselves from the necessity of defending their own Country from their dangerous Neighbours the Philistines 9 And they said unto the messengers that came Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead To morrow t To wit the day after your departure hence or return home for it seems probable that some few days had been spent in the gathering and disposing of the Forces and bringing them towards those parts by that time the sun be hot ye shall have ‖ Or deliverance help And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh and they were glad 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said To morrow we will come out unto you and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you u They did and might reasonably and justly understand their own condition before proposed v. 3. if none came to save them which they were not now obliged to repeat although they conjectured that their Enemies would understand it absolutely whose Error therein they were no more obliged to Correct than to prevent their Destruction Nor did they tell any lye herein but onely
thereabouts were either well-willers to David or at least moved with compassion at the sad and sudden change of so great and good a King which was able to affect an heart of stone wept with a loud voice and all the people passed over the king also himself passed over the brook ‖ Called 〈◊〉 18. 1. 〈◊〉 Kidron t Which was near Ierusalem See Matth. 26. 36. Ioâ—… 18. 1. and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness u Which was between Ierusalem and Iericho 24 ¶ And lo Zadok also and all the Levites were with him bearing the ark of the covenant of God x As a pledge of Gods presence and assistance and that David might enquire at it upon occasion and they set down the ark of God y Either in expectation of drawing forth more people to David's party if not from theâ—…r Loyalty to their Lawful King yet from their Piety and Reverence to the Ark or that all the people might pass along and the Ark might come in the rear of them for their safeguard and encouragement and Abiathar went up z Either 1. From the Ark which now was in the low ground being near the Brook Cedron to the top of the Mount of Olives whence he had the Prospect of the City and Temple as appears from Mark 13. 3. where he could discern when the people ceased to come out of the City after David which when they did he gave notice to David that he should wait no longer but March away and carry the Ark with him Or 2. From the Ark to the City which was in an higher ground that so he being High-Priest might use his Authority and Interest with the People to perswade them to do their duty in going forth to defend and help their King against his Rebellious Son and there he staid until all those whom he could perswade were gone forth until all the people had done passing out of the city 25 And the king said unto Zadok Carry back the Ark of God into the City a Partly out of Care and Reverence to the Ark which though sometimes it was and might be carried out to a certain place yet he might justly think unfit to carry it from place to place he knew not whither and to expose it to all the hazards and inconveniences to which he himself was likely to be Exposed partly out of respect to the Priests whom by this means he thought he should expose to the Rage of Absalom as he had before Exposed them to Saul's Fury on another occasion 1 Sam. 22. And partly that by this means he might have the better opportunity to search ouâ—… and to Counter-work Absaloms Plots which was so necessary not onely for himself but for the defence and maintenance of the Ark and all Gods Ordinances and of the true Religion if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation b i. e. The Tabernacle which David had lately built for it Chap. 6. 17. in which the Ark and God by means thereof ordinarily dwelt And hereby he insinuates another reason of his returning the Ark to Ierusalem because there was the Tabernacle made for the receit of it 26 But if he thus say I have no delight in thee c I will not receive thee into my Favour nor restore thee to thy Throne and City and to the enjoyment of my Ark and Ordinances behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him d Ready to obey him and to submit to his Will and Pleasure concerning me 27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest e Either because Abiathar was gone from him v. 24. and not yet returned or because David put more confidence in Zadok * â—… Sam. 9. 9. Art not thou a seer f i. e. Either 1. A Prophet for such were called Seers 1 Sam. 9. 9. 2 Sam. 24. 11. Amos 7. 12. And such he may be called either because he really had the gift of Prophecy or because as the name of Prophets is sometimes given to those who had not Propheâ—…ical Gifts but were onely Officers and Ministers devoted to and employed in God's Worship and Service as 1 Sam. 10. 5 c. 1 King 18. 4 13. Compare 1 Chron. 25. 1 2 3. So it is reasonable That the name of Seers be extended to the same Latitude and therefore he may properly and fitly be called a Seer as he was with and under Abiathar the Chief Governour of the House and Worship of God who by his Office was to Instruct and Direct the People in those matters whereby he had many opportunities both of sifting out Absalom's Counsels and of minding the People of their Duty to David as he saw opportunity Which sence suits well with David's Scope and Design Or 2. a seeing or discerning or observing man for so the Hebrew Verb raah is oft used And this suits well with David's mind Thou art a wise man and therefore fit to manage this great business which requires Prudence and Secrecy return into the city in peace g As men of Peace giving over all thoughts of War and devoting your selves entirely to God's Service and * See chap. 17. 〈◊〉 your two sons with you Ahimaaz thy son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar 28 See I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness until there come word from you to certifie me 29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem and they tarried there 30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Oliveâ—… ‡ Heb. going 〈◊〉 and weepâ—… and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went baâ—…e foot h In Testimony of his deep Sorrow and Humiliation and Shame for his Sins whereby he had procured this Evil to himself for these were the Habits of Mourners 2 Sam. 19. 4. Esth. 6. 12. Isa. 20. 3 4. Ier. 14. 3 4 and to take an Holy Revenge upon himself for his former Delicacy and Luxury and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they went up weeping as they went up 31 And ‖ Or David told one told David i Or David told i. e. David being hereof informed acquaints his friends and followers with it to stir them up to â—…oyn with him in the following Prayer against him saying Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom And David said O LORD I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness k Either infatuate him that he may give foolish Counsel oâ—… let his Counsel be rejected as foolish or spoiled by the foolish Execution of it 32 And it came to pass that when David was come to the top of the mount where he worshipped God l Looking towards Ierusalem where the Ark and Tabernacle was Compare 1 King 8. 44 48. Dan. 6.
3. 3 4. 7 And ‡ Heb. his words were with Joab he conferred with Joab the son of Ze ruiah and with Abiathar the priest and they ‡ Heb. helped after Adonijah following Adonijah helped him t Either because they thought the right of the Crown was his or rather from secret grudges because they perceived themselves neglected by David and possibly by Solomon too and from carnal policy that they might secure and advance their own Interest which they saw to be in manifest danger 8 But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and * Chap. 4. 18. Shimei and Rei and * 2 Sam â—…3 8. the mighty men which belonged to David u His great and famous Commanders and the Guards and Soldiers under them were not with Adonijah 9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattel x Partly for a Sacrifice and partly for Feasts that he might engage God to be on his side and draw a multitude of people after him by the stone of Zoheleth which is by ‖ Or the well Rogel En-rogel y Or the fountain of Rogel or of the Fuller a place nigh to Ierusalem See Ios. 15. 7. and 18. 16. 2 Sam. 17. 17. and called all his brethren the kings sons z Either because he knew they envied and were discontented with Solomon and therefore would favour him or that he might engage them so to do and all the men of Judah the kings servants a Except these here excepted v. 10. 10 But Nathan the prophet and Benaiah and the mighty men b Because he knew they favoured Solomon his Competitor and Solomon his brother he called not 11 ¶ Wherefore Nathan spake c Being prompted to it both by his Piety in fulfilling the will of God declared to him and by him to David concerning Solomon's Succession 2 Sam. 7. 13. 1 Chron. 22. 8 9. and by his prudence as knowing that Adonijah hated him for being the principal instrument of Solomon's advancement unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon d Who being retired and private in her appartment was yet ignorant of what was done abroad and who was likely to be most zealous in the cause and most prevalent with David saying Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of * 2 Sam. 34. Haggith doth reign and David our lord knoweth it not e So far is he from consenting to it as thou mayest fear or others think that they have not yet acquainted him with it 12 Now therefore come let me I pray thee give thee counsel that thou mayest save thine own life and the life of thy son Solomon f For he will never reckon himself safe till his Competitor and his Friends be taken out of the way 13 Go and get thee in unto king David and say unto him Didst not thou my lord O king swear g i. e. Thou didst Swear which David himself owneth v. 30. which probably he did to satisfie Bathsheba's doubts and fears about it and to oblige himself to a compliance with the Divine will declared about it See chap. 2. 15. and 1 Chron. 28. 5. unto thine hand maid h So she calleth her self to testify her reverence and subjection to him not onely as her Husband but as her King saying * 1 Chr. 22. 9. Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne i Another expression of the same thing to signify David's sincerity and fervency in his Swearing which adds to his obligation Why then doth Adonijah reign k How comes this to pass Or why doâ—…t thou suffer it 14 Behold while thou yet talkest there with the king I will also come in after thee and ‡ Heb. â—…ill uâ—… confirm thy words 15 ¶ And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber and the king was very old and Abishag the Shunammite ministred unto the king 16 And Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance unto the king and the king said ‡ Heb. what to thee What wouldest thou 17 And she said unto him My lord thou swarest by the LORD thy God l To whom thou art highly obliged whose name thou justly fearest and honourest and therefore thou wilt'st not pollute it by Perjury but make Conscience of thy Oath unto thine handmaid saying Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne 18 And now behold Adonijah reigneth and now my lord the king thou knowest it not m This she adds partly lest she should seem to accuse the King of inconstancy and perfidiousness and partly to aggravate Adonijah's crime from that gross neglect and contempt of the King which did accompany it 19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattel and sheep in abundance and hath called all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the captain of the host but Solomon thy servant n Who is not so presumptuous as Adonijah usurping the Throne before his time but carries himself modestly and submissively as thy Son and Servant and Subject hath he not called 20 And thou my lord O king the eyes of all Israel are upon thee o The generality of the People are in suspence whether Adonijah's practices be with thy consent or no and wait for thy Senâ—…ence which they will readily embrace that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king p She speaks onely in general as owning the Kings Prerogative to give the Crown to which of his Sons he pleased if he had not restrained himself by his Oath to Solomon after him q i. e. After thy death Whereby she taxeth Adonijah's ambition who usurped the Crown whilst his Father lived 21 Otherwise it shall come to pass when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers r i. e. Die as his Fathers did See Gen. 47. 30. that I and my son Solomon shall be counted ‡ Heb. shall be sinners offenders s We shall be punished with death as Malefactors as guilty of practising against the right Heir of the Crown and transferring the Kingdom to Solomon and covering our ambitious designs with a pretence of Religion 22 ¶ And lo while she yet talked with the king Nathan the prophet also came in t To discourse with the King which made it fit for her to withdraw as she did v. 28. 23 And they told the king saying Behold Nathan the prophet And when he was come in before the king he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground 24 And Nathan said My lord O king hast thou said u Is this done by thy consent without which it seems strange that he durst attempt it Adonijah shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne 25 For he is gone down this day and hath slain oxen and fat cattel and
Transgressing it as the manner of men is 37 For it shall be that on the day thou goest out and passest over the * 2 〈◊〉 â—… 23. brook Kidron g A Brook nigh unto Ierusalem of which see 2 Sam. 15. 23. 2 King 23. 4. Which he particularly names because that was the way to Bahurim his former and settled Habitation but this is not to be understood exclusively to other ways and places for the restraint was general that he should not go forth thence any whither ver 36. to wit as far any other way as Cedron was which also appears from the following History for when he went to Gath he went not over Cedron which lay Eastward from the City but Westward as Gath lay thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die thy blood shall be upon thine own head h The blame and guilt of thy Blood shall lie upon thy self onely 38 And Shimei said unto the king The saying is good i Thy Sentence is much more merciful than I expected or deserved as my lord the king hath said so will thy servant do k And Shimei did not onely promise it but also swore to it being required by Solomon to do so as is manifest from ver 42 43. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days 39 And it came to pass at the end of three years that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath l A King but subject and Tributary first to David and then to Solomon This might be either that Achish who shewed so much kindness to David 1 Sam. 27. and 28. or his Son who in requital of this kindness was still permitted to enjoy the Title and Honour of a King but not the full Power whence it was that Achish could not or durst not keep these Servants though they had fled to him for Protection but suffered Shimei to take them away from his Royal City and they told Shimei saying Behold thy servants be in Gath. 40 And Shimei arose and sadled his ass and went to Gath m Which though highly dangerous he attempted partly because he was bimded with Covetousness and Rage against his Servants which two Lusts have done and daily do ingage men to such Courses and Actions as are no less dangerous to their lives than this is partly because he thought length of time had worn this out of Solomon's mind and other mens thoughts and that this being done secretly and spâ—…eddy would never have come to Solomon's ears or that Solomon would not be severe in this Case where it was not wantonness nor contempt of his Authority but the necessity of his Houshold-concerns which put him upon it and partly because God withdrew from him the light of common Prudence and wholly left him to his own Mistakes and Folly and Lusts and withal to the Instigation of the Devil whose Cunning and powerful Artifices and Inâ—…ations he could not resist without Divine help to Achish to seek his servants and Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And it was told Solomon n Who doubtless had his Spies appointed to observe him in all his Motions that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and was come back again 42 And the king sent and called for Shimei and said unto him Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD and protested unto thee saying Know for a certain that on the day thou goest out and walkest abroad any whither that thou shalt surely die And thou saidst unto me The word that I have heard is good 43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I have charged thee with o He was Guilty both of Rebellion against the express and just and as himself called it good Command of the King and of Perjury against God which were two high and hainous Crimes His Oath he calls the oath of the Lord because it was taken in God's Presence and he was called upon as witness of it and as the Avenger of all Violations of it and because the Law of God obliged him to the performance of it 44 The king said moreover to Shimei Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to p For which thy own Conscience accuseth thee and there is no need of other Witnesses that thou didst to David my father therefore the Lord shall return q Heb. hath returned which seems most proper God hath Punished thee for thy former Wickedness by suffering thee to fall into further Crimes and expose thy self to thy deserved Death thy wickedness upon thine own head 45 And king Solomon shall be blessed and the throne of David r That Royal Power and Dignity conferred upon David to him and his Heirs for ever shall be established s By the Execution of such Righteous Judgments as this is before the LORD t In the Presence of that God who is both an Observer and Rewarder of all such Righteous Actions or under Gods inspection and by his Blessing for ever 46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiadah which went out u Carrying Shimei along with him to the place of Execution which was not fit to be in the King's Presence and sell upon him that he died and the * kingdom was established in 〈◊〉 1. 1. the hand of Solomon x His secret and worst Enemies being taken out of the way CHAP. III. AND * Chap. 7. 8. Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt a As being a powerful neighbour and took Pharaohs daughter b Upon what conditions is not here expressed but it is probable she was first Instructed in and Proselyted to the Jewish Religion as may be gathered 1. Because he was not yet fallen from God but loved the Lord and walked in the statutes of David ver 3. And therefore would never have Married a gross Idolater which was so contrary to God's Law and so pernicious in its Consequences 2. Because â—…e is no where â—…eproved for this Fact as he is for loving many other strange women 1 King 11. 1. 3. By comparing Psal. 45. and the Book of Canticles whereby it plainly appears that this Action had something extraordinary in it and was design'd by God to be a Type of Christ calling his Church to himself and to the true Religion not onely out of the Iews but even out of the Gentile World and brought her into the city of David c Of which see Chap. 2. 10. Into David's Palace there until he had made an end of building his own house and the house of the LORD d i. e. The Temple appropriated â—…o the Worship and Honour of God and the * Chap. 9. 15 19. wall of Jerusalem round about e Which though in some sort Built by David 2 Sam. 5. 9. yet Solomon is here said to Build either because he
Men and the affairs of all Kings and Kingdoms are governed and of which he had lately seen so eminent an Instance it was a foolish as well as wicked course even unto Rehoboam king of Judah and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah 28 Whereupon the king took counsel and made two calves of gold o In imitation of Aaron's Golden Calf and of the Egyptians from whom he was lately come And this he the rather presumed to do because he knew the people of Israel were generally very prone to Superstition and Idolatry as their whole History sheweth and that Solomon's example and countenance given to false Worships had exceedingly strengthned those inclinations and therefore they were in a great measure prepared for such an Attempt especially when his Proposition tended to their own ease and safety and profit which he knew was much dearer to them as well as to himself than their Religion and said unto them It is too much for you p Too great a trouble and charge and neither necessary nor safe for them as things now stood to go up to Jerusalem * Exod. 32. 8. behold thy gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt q Not as if he did himself believe or thought to persuade the people to believe That these Calves were properly and truly that very God of Israel who brought them out of Egypt which was so monstrously absurd and ridiculous that no Israelite in his right wits could believe it and had been so far from attaining his end and satisfying his people that this would have made him both hateful and contemptible to them but his meaning was that these Images were visible Representations in and by which he designed to Worship the True God of Israel as appears partly from that Parallel-place Exod. 32. 4. where see my notes partly because the Priests and Worshippers of the Calves are said to Worship Iehovah and upon that account are distinguished from those belonging to Baal 1 King 18. 21. and 22. 6 7. And partly from Ieroboam's design in this Work which was to quiet the peoples minds and remove their scruples about going to Ierusalem to Worship their God in that place as they were commanded which he doth by signifying to them That he did not intend any alteration in the substance of their Religion nor to draw them from the Worship of the True God to the Worship of Ashteroth or Milcom or any of those Baals which were set up by Solomon but to Worship that self-same God whom they Worshipped in Ierusalem even the True God and the God of their Fathers who brought them out of Egypt but onely to vary a circumstance and that as they Worshipped God at Ierusalem by and before one Visible Sign even the Ark and the Sacred Cherubims there so his Subjects should Worship God by another Visible Sign even that of the Calves in other places and as for the change of the place he might suggest to them that God was present in all places where Men with honest minds did call upon him that before the Temple was built the best of Kings and Prophets and People did Pray and Sacrifice to God in divers High-places without any scruple notwithstanding that restraint of God to one place Deut. 12. 5 c. That God would dispence with them also in that matter because going to Ierusalem was very dangerous to them at this time and God would have Mercy rather than Sacrifice and God had been pleased to dispense with his own Ordinances in cases of necessity or great inconvenience as he did with Circumcision for 40 years in the Wilderness 29 And he set the one in Bethel and the other put he in Dan r Which two places he chose for his peoples conveniency Bethel being in the Southern and Dan in the Northern parts of his Kingdom 30 And this thing became a sin s i. e. A cause or occasion of great wickedness among that People not onely of Idolatry which is called Sin by way of Eminency not onely of the Worship of the Calves wherein they pretended to worship the True God but also of the Worship of Baal and of the utter desertion of the True God and of all sorts of impiety and abominable Sins as is manifest from the History of that Kingdom in which there was not one good King and very few of the people who were not guilty of hainous Crimes as the Prophets witness for the people went t The Kings Counsel and Example seduced them though it did not excuse their Sin and they willingly walked after this his wicked commandment Hos. 5. 11. to worship before the one ‡ Heb. of the Calves even unto Dan u Which is not here mentioned exclusively for that they went also to Bethel is evident from ver 32 33. but for other reasons either because that of Dan was first made or best frequented the people in those parts having been long leavened with Idolatry See Iudg. 18. 30. or to shew the peoples readiness to comply with the King's Command and their Zeal for Idols that those who lived in or near Bethel had not patience to stay till that Calf was finished but all of them were forward to go as far as Dan which was in the utmost borders of the Land to Worship an Idol there when it was thought too much for them to go to Ierusalem to Worship God 31 And he made an house of high places x Or an house i. e. Houses or Chappels in the high-places Besides the famous Houses or Temples which he Built at Dan and Bethel he Built also for his Peoples better accommodation lesser Temples upon divers high-places which were esteemed Sacred and Venerable because their Pious Ancestors had served God in them and thereby Ieroboam might not seem to bring in a new Religion but onely to revive the old and made priests of ‡ Heb. the extremities the * Chap. 13. 33. Ezek. 44. 7 8. lowest of the people y Which he might do either 1. Because the better sort refused it as an office below their quality or 2. Because such would be satisfied with mean allowances and so he could put into his own Purse a great part of the rich Possessions and Revenues of the Levites which doubtless he seized upon when they forsook him and went to Ierusalem 2 Chron. 11. 13 14. which also was very necessary for his present and pressing Occasions the rather because he durst not yet lay grievous Taxes upon that People who had newly cast off Rehoboam for that very Reason Or 3. Because mean persons would depend upon his favour and therefore be very pliable to his humour and firm to his Interest and zealous to promote the Worship of the Calves But the Words in the Hebrew properly signifie from the ends of the people which is and may be Translated thus out of all the
these Idolatrous Priests were manifestly under a Sentence of Death passed upon such by the Sovereign Lord of Life and Death Deut. 13. and 17. so Elijah had sufficient Authority to execure it as being a Prophet and an extraordinary Minister of Gods vengeance against sinners now especially when the Magistrate so grosly neglected his Duty therein 41 ¶ And Elijah said unto Ahab Get thee up g From the River where the King and he had been present at the slaughter of Baal's Priests to thy Tent which probably was pitched on the side of Carmel eat and drink h Take comfort and refresh thy self for neither the King nor any of the People could have any leasure to eat being wholly inrent upon the decision of the great controversy for there is ‖ Or a sound of a noise of rain a sound of abundance of rain i The Rain is as certainly and speedily coming as if I did actually see it or hear the noise which it makes Gods wrath is now appeased and thou shalt have no cause to repent of this days work 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel k Where he might secretly and ardently pour out his Prayers unto God and whence he might look towards the Sea and discern when the Rain was coming and he cast himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees l He either sate or rather kneeled upon his Knees and then cast down his Face to the Ground between his Knees either in token of profound reverence and humility or out of fervency of spirit which oft disposeth men to uncouth gestures which at other times or in other men would be ridiculous but in them and in that case are usual and allowed or that turning away his Eyes from all outward objects he might be more intent and earnest upon his work or pray to God without distraction 43 And said to his servant Go up now m Whilst I continue praying look towards the sea n Whence Clouds and Vapours usually arise Elijah desired to have timely notice of the very first appearance and signification of Rain not out of vanity or ambition but that Ahab and the People might know that it was obtained from Iehovah by the Prophets prayers and thereby be confirmed in the True Religion And he went up and looked and said There is nothing And he said Go again seven times o Let us not be dejected for some disappointments but continue to wait upon God who will Answer me and that speedily 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time that he said Behold there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea like a mans hand And he said Go up say unto Ahab ‡ Heb. Tye or bind Prepare thy ohariot and get thee down that the rain stop thee not 45 And it came to pass in the mean while that the heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel p Not that in Iudah Ios. 15. â—…6 but another City in the border of Issachar and Manasseh Ios. 19. 18. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah q God gave him more than natural and ordinary strength whereby he was enabled to outrun Ahab's Chariot and that for so many Miles together and he girded up his loyns r That his Garments which were then long might not hinder him See 2 King 4. 29. and 9. 1. and ran before Ahab s Partly to shew how ready he was to honour and serve the King if he did not exalt himself above or against God partly that by this humble and self-denying carriage it might appear that what he had done was not from envy or ambition or humane passion but onely from a just zeal for Gods Glory partly that by his presence with the King and his Courtiers who attended upon him he might animate and oblige them to proceed in the well-begun Reformation of Religion and partly to demonstrate that he was neither ashamed of nor afraid for what he had done tho he knew how Iezabel would resent it but durst venture himself in the midst of his Enemies as being confident of the Divine Power and Protection ‡ Heb. till thou come to Jezreel to the entrance of Jezreel CHAP. XIX AND Ahab told Jezebel a For his vindication and her satisfaction all that Elijah had done and withal how he had slain all the prophets b To wit of Baal not of the Groves who were not present as may be gathered from chap. 18. 19 22. and 22. 6. with the sword 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah c She gives him notice of it before-hand partly out of the height of her spirit as scorning to kill him secretly and surreptitiously and resolving to make him a publick Sacrifice partly out of her impatience till she had breathed out her rage which she could do speedily when it required some time and preparation to seize him who was now so much esteemed and favoured by all the People partly because she supposed that he who had the confidence to come thither where it seems she was at this time would still have the same confidence to stay there and be obliged in honour to maintain his ground and principally from Gods all-disposing Providence that so he might have an opportunity of escaping saying Ruth 1. 17. So let the gods do to me and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow at this time d So far was she from being changed by that most evident Miracle that she persists in her former Idolatry and adds to it a mad and monstrous confidence that in spight of God she would destroy his Prophet 3 And when he saw that he arose and went for his life e i. e. To save his life or according to his soul or mind Whereby it may be intimated that he did not flee from Iezreel by the hand or direction of the Lord by which he came thither ch 18. 46. but because of his own fear and apprehension of danger For this may seem to be an act of humane frailty For God had brought him hither and his presence might seem very necessary here to incourage and ingage the King and People to go on to destroy the Priests of the Groves and to purge out Idolatry and his withdrawing as we see did discourage all the rest and occasioned their return to Idolatry again and having had such a late and ample experience of Gods all-sufficiency in protecting him against the King and 450 of Baal's Priests and the current of the people incensed against him for the Famine he had little reason to feat the threats of an impotent Woman whom God could cut off in a moment But Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are Jam.
for chariot and we will fight against them in the plain and surely we shall be stronger than they And he hearkned unto their voice and did so 26 And it came to pass at the return of the year that Benhadad numbred the Syrians and went up to Aphek l Not that in Iudah of which Iosh. 13. 4. and 15. 53. but that in Asher of which Iosh. 19. 30. Iudg. 1. 31. nigh unto which was the great Plain of Galilee And this seems to be one of those Cities which Benhadad's Father had taken from Israel ver 34. Here also the Syrians might Retreat if they should be worsted ‡ Heb. to the War with Israel to fight against Israel 27 And the children of Israel were numbred and ‖ Or were Victualled were all present m i. e. All the Forces of the Israelites were here gathered together to oppose the Syrians so if those had been Conquered all had been lost and went against them n Being perswaded and encouraged so to do partly to prevent the Mischiefs of a Siege in Samaria and the waste of all the rest of their Country and partly by the remembrance of their former Success and an expectation of the same Assistance from God again and the children of Israel pitched before them o Probably upon some Hilly Ground where they might secure themselves and watch for Advantage against their Enemies which may be the reason why the Syrians â—…rst not Assault them before the Seventh Day ver 29. like two little flocks of kids p i. e. Few and Weak and Heartless being also for conveniency of Fighting and that they might seem to be more than they were divided into Two Bodies but the Syrians filled the country 28 ¶ And there came a man of God and spake unto the king of Israel and said Thus â—…aith the LORD Because the Syrians have said q Which he knew either by common Report strengthned by their present choice of a Plain Ground for the Battel or rather by Revelation from God who discovered their secret Counsels 2 King 6. 12. The LORD is God of the hills but he is not God of the valleys therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand and ye shall know that I am the LORD r To wit The Universal Lord of all Places and Persons and Things 29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days and so it was that in the seventh day the battel was joyned and the children of Israel â—…low of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day 30 But the rest fled to Aphek in the city and the wall s Or the walls the Singular Number for the Plural than which nothing more frequent of the City or of some great Castle or Fort in or near the City in which they were now Fortifying themselves or of some part of the City where they lay Which might possibly happen through Natural Causes but most probably was Effected by the Mighty Power of God then sending some sudden Earthquake or violent Storm of Wind which threw down the Wall or Walls upon them or doing this by the Ministry of Angels Which cannot be incredible to any Man except to him that denies the Truth of all the Miracles Recorded in the Old and New Testament which being Attested many of them by Iews and Heathens it is the height of Folly and Impudence to deny For if ever Miracle was to be Wrought now seems to have been the proper time and season for it when the Blasphemous Syrians denied the Soveraign and Infinite Power of God and thereby in some fort obliged him for his own Honour to give a Proof of it and to shew That he was the God of the Plains as well as of the Mountains and that he could as effectually Destroy them in their strongest Holds as in the open Fields and make the very Walls to whose strength they trusted for their Defence to be the Instruments of their Ruine But it may be further observed that it is not said That all these were killed by the fall of this Wall but onely that the wall fell upon them Killing some and Wounding others as is usual in those Cases Nor is it necessary that the Wall should fall upon every Individual Person but it is sufficient to justifie this Phrase if it fell upon the main Body of them for the Words in the Hebrew run thus the Wall fell upon 27000 not of the men that are left as we render it but which were left of that great Army fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left and Benhadad fled and came into the city t Either 1. Out of the Fields as the rest of his Army did Which is distinctly and particularly noted of him because he was the most Eminent Person in it and the Head of it Compare the Title of Psal. 18. Or 2. Aâ—… and from the noise and report of that Terrible Fall of the Wall or Walls which possily might be in the outside or Suburbs of the City from whence he â—…led further into the City ‖ Or from chamber to chamber ‡ Heb. unto a chamber within a chamber into an inner chamber u Or a chamber within a chamber where he supposed he might lye hid till he had an opportunity of making an Escape or of obtaining Mercy 31 ¶ And his servants said unto him Behold now we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings x More merciful than others because that Religion which they had professed taught them Humanity and obliged them to shew Mercy let us I pray thee put sackcloth on our loins and ropes upon our heads y As a testimony of our sorrow for undertaking this War and that we have justly forfeited our Lives for it which we submit to their mercy 〈◊〉 and go out to the king of Israel peradventure he will save thy life 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads and came to the king of Israel and said Thy servant Benhadad saith I pray thee let me live And he said Is he yet alive he is my brother z I do not onely freely Pardon him but Honour and Love him as my Brother 33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him and did hastily catch it a Or they took that Word for a good token and made haste and snatched it i. e. that Word from him i. e. from his mouth they repeated the word again to try whether the King would own it or it onely drop't casually from him or made haste to know whether it was from him i. e. Whether he spoke this from his heart or onely in dissimulation or design for it seemed too good news to be true and they said Thy brother Benhadad b Understand liveth for that he enquired after ver 32. Then he said
rather by the Power and Providence of God which disposeth the hearts of Kings as he pleaseth and inclined them to this course that they might though ignorantly accomplish his word and counsel 32 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat that they said Surely it is the king of Israel And they turned aside d They drew their Forces from their several quarters towards Iehoshaphat to fight against him and Jehoshaphat cried out e To the Lord for help 2 Chron. 18. 31. 33 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel f Which they easily perceived either by their words uttered to God or them or by the difference of his shape and countenance from that of Ahab which probably many of them very well knew that they turned back from pursuing him 34 And a certain man drew a bow ‡ Heb. in his simplicity at a venture g Heb. In his simplicity i. e. ignorantly without care or choice or any design or thought of reaching Ahab Or according to his perfection i. e. with his perfect and utmost strength which is mentioned as the reason why it pierced through the joynts of his Armour and smote the king of Israel between the ‡ Heb. joynts and the breast-plate joynts of the harness h Where the several parts of his Armour are joyned together which possibly were not then joyned with so much art and closeness as now they are wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot Turn thine hand and carry me out of the host i Out of the midst of the Host where the heat of the Battel was into a safer part of the Army See the next Verse for I am ‡ Heb. made sick wounded 35 And the battel ‡ Heb. ascended increased k i. e. Grew hot and violent that day and the king was stayed up l Was supported by Cordials or by his Servants that by his presence he might encourage his Soldiers to Fight more couragiously and that he might see the event of the Battel in his chariot against the Syrians and died at even and the blood ran out of the wound into the ‡ Heb. bosom midst of the chariot 36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host m Probably by Iehoshaphat's order with the consent of the chief Captains of Israel and possibly with the permission of the King of Syria upon notice of Ahab's Death which was the onely thing at which he aimed ver 31. about the going down of the sun saying Every man to his city and every man to his own countrey n The King is Dead and the Battel ended and therefore every man hath liberty to return to his own House and private occasions 37 ¶ So the king died and ‡ Heb. came was brought to Samaria and they buried the king in Samaria 38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria and the dogs licked up his blood o Together with the Water wherewith it was mixed and they washed his armour according * Chap. 21. 19. unto the word of the LORD which he spake p Of which see the Note on chap. 21. 19. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and the ivory house q Heb. the house of the tooth or teeth to wit of Elephants See chap. 10. 18. Not that it was made wholly of solid Ivory but because the other materials were covered or intermixed or adorned with Ivory Compare Amos 3. 15. which he made and all the cities that he built are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 40. So Ahab slept with his fathers and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead 41 ¶ And * 2 Chr. 20. 31. Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab r Who Reigned 22 Years therefore he Reigned about 18 Years with Ahab king of Israel 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign and he reigned twenty and five years s Part by himself and partly with his Sons whom he took into the Fellowship of his Kingdom Of which see more on 2 King 1. 17. in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi 43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father t He took the same care for the Government of his Kingdom and especially for the Reformation of Religion that Asa did of whom see Chap. 15. 11. he turned not aside from it doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD nevertheless the high places were not taken away u Object It is said he did take them away 2 Chron. 17. 6. Answ. He took away those which were Erected to Idols of which he seems to speak there because the high places are there joyned with groves which were generally Erected to Idols and not to the True God as will appear to any one that shall compare all the Scriptures where groves are mentioned but he could not take away those which were Erected to the True God of which this place manifestly speaks as also that Parallel place 1 King 15. 14. where see the notes Or he took them away but not fully or not in the very beginning of his Reign for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places 44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel x With Ahab first and then with his Son This is noted as a Blemish in his Government 2 Chron. 19. 2. and proved of most Mischievous Consequence to Iehoshaphat's Posterity as we shall see 2 King 9. and 10. 45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat and his might that he shewed and how he warred are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah y Whence the most memorable Passages were Translated into that Canonical Book of the Chronicles 46 And the remnant of the Sodomites z Of whom see Deut. 23. 17. 1 King 14. 24. and 15. 12. which remained in the days of his father Asa he took out of the land 47 There was then no king in Edom a deputy a Sent and set over them by the Kings of Iudah from the time of David 2 Sam. 8. 14. until the days of Iehoram 2 Chron. 21. 8. was king 48 Jehoshaphat ‖ Or had ten ships made ships b As it is expressed 2 Chron. 20. 36. Or there were to Iehoshaphat ten ships the Ellipsis of the Verb Substantive and of the Praefix Lamed being frequent in the Hebrew Language Some render the Words he made ten ships so joyning both Texts together and out of both compleating the sence of Tharshish c Either 1. Of the Sea as this Word is thought sometimes to be used Or rather 2. To go to Tarshish
against the Holy Ghost That they might be guilty of many other hainous Crimes which God and the Prophet knew and were guilty of Idolatry which by Gods Law deserved death that the Idolatrous Parents were punished in their Children and that if any of these Children were more innocent and ignorant of what they said God might have Mercy upon their Souls and then this death was not a misery but a real blessing to them that they were taken away from that wicked and Idolatrous Education which was most likely to expose them not onely to Temporal but to an Eternal destruction in the Name of the LORD m Not from any carnal or revengeful passion but by the motion of Gods Spirit and by Gods command and commission as appears by Gods concurrence with him Which God did partly for the terror and caution of all other Idolaters and prophane persons who abounded in that place partly to vindicate the Honour and maintain the Authority of his Prophets and particularly of Elisha now especially in the beginning of his Sacred Ministry And this did beget such a confidence in Elisha that he durst venture to go into Bethel after this was done and such a terror in the Bethelites that they durst not avenge themselves of him and there came forth two she-bears n Possibly robbed of their Whelps and therefore more fierce Prov. 17. 12. Hos. 13. 8. but certainly acted by an extraordinary fury which God raised in them for this purpose out of the wood and tare forty and two children o This Hebrew word signifies not onely young Children but those also who are grown up to maturity as Gen. 32. 22. and 34. 4. and 37. 30. Ruth 1. 5. of them 25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel p Partly to decline the fury of the People of Bethel partly that he might retire himself from men and converse more freely with God and so fit himself more for the discharge of his employment and partly that he might visit the Sons of the Prophets who lived in that place or near it and from thence he returned to Samaria q By the direction of Gods Spirit for the service which he did chap. 3. 11 c. CHAP. III. NOw Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah a Quest. How can this be true when Ahaziah Iehoram's predecessor who Reigned two Years began his Reign in Iehoshaphat's 17th Year 1 King 22. 51 Ans. Either Ahaziah Reigned the greatest part of two Years to wit of the 17th and 18th Years of Iehoshaphat parts of Years being oft called years in the computation of times both in Scripture and other Authors and Iehoram began his Reign towards the end of his 18th Year or Ahaziah Reigned part of this two Years with his Father and the rest after him and reigned twelve years 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD but not like his father and like his mother for he put away the ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 image of Baal * 1 King 16. 31 32. that his father had made b Not from any principle of Conscience for that would have reached the Calves also but either because he was startled at the dreadful Judgments of God inflicted upon his Father and Brother for Baal-worship or because he needed Gods help to subdue the Moabites which he knew Baal could not do or to gratify Iehoshaphat whose help he meant to crave which he knew he should never obtain without this and for this reason it seems Iezabel was willing to connive at it as a trick of State 3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam c i. e. The worship of the Calves which all the Kings of Israel kept up as a Wall of partition between their Subjects and those of Iudah Thus he shews that his Religion was over-ruled by his Interest and Policy the son of Nebat which made Israel to sin he departed not therefrom 4 ¶ And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master d A man of great wealth which in those times and places consisted much in Cattel which enabled and emboldned him to Rebel against his Sovereign Lord. and rendred unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs and an hundred thousand rams with the wool 5 But it came to pass when * Ahab was dead that the king of Moab rebelled e See of this ch 1. 1. It is here repeated to make way for the following Story Ahaziah did not attempt the recovery of Moab either because he was a man of a low spirit and courage or because his Sickness or the shortness of his Reign gave not opportunity for it against the king of Israel 6 ¶ And king Jehoram went out of Samaria f To some place appointed for the Rendezvous of his people the same time and numbred all Israel g To wit such as were fit for War 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah saying The king of Moab hath rebelled against me wilt thou go with me against Moab to battel and he said I will go up I am as thou art my people as thy people and my horses as thy horses h Of which see on 1 King 22. 4. He joyns with him in this War partly because the War was very just in it self and convenient for Iehoshaphat both in the general that Rebels and Revolters should be chastised and suppressed lest the example should pass into his Dominions and the Edomites should be hereby encouraged to revolt from him as they did from his Son and in particular that the Moabites should be humbled who had with others Invaded his Land before this time 2 Chron. 20. 1. and might do so again if they were not brought low for which a fair opportunity was now offered to him and partly because Iehoram had reformed some things and Iehoshaphat hoped by this means to engage him to proceed further in that work 8 And he i Either Iehoshaphat or rather Ioram for the following answer may seem to be Iehoshaphat's said Which way shall we go up And he answered The way through the wilderness of Edom k Which though it was much the longer way yet they thought it best partly to secure the King or Vice-Roy of Edom of whom they might have some suspition from that passage 2 Chron. 20. 22. and to carry both him and his Soldiers along with them into the War both to get their assistance and to prevent them from making a War of diversion against Iudah whilst Iehoshaphat was engaged against Moab and partly that they might invade Moab on their weakest side and where they least expected them God also thus disposed their hearts to make way for the following miracle 9 So the king of Israel went and the king of Judah and the king of Edom l i. e. The Vice-Roy under Iehoshaphat 1 King 22. 47.
First A command and then the last clause is an exception from that Law Deut. 20. 19. which being delivered by a Prophet might be obeyed And if this command seem severe it must be considered that the Moabites were a very wicked people perfidious cruel implacable Enemies to Gods People upon all occasions and now in a state of Rebellion Or rather Secondly A prediction of their success that they should have so full and compleat a Victory that they should be able to do all which is here expressed and stop all wells of water and ‡ Heb. grieve make useless mar every good piece of land with stones 20 And it came to pass in the morning when the meat-offering was offered g i. e. The morning-Sacrifice of which Exod. 29. 39 40. which doubtless was attended with the Solemn prayers of Gods People as the Evening-Sacrifice unquestionably was Act. 3. 1. there being the same reason for substance for both times At this time Elisha joyned his Prayers with the Prayers of Gods People especially those at Ierusalem as he had done at a like time 1 King 18. 29. aad this time God chose to answer his and their Prayers and to work this Miracle that thereby he might determine the controversie between the Israelites and Iews about the place and manner of worship and give a publick Testimony from Heaven for the Iews and against the Israelites that behold there came water h Miraculously produced out of some Rock or Vein of the Earth by the way of Edom i From those parts which were towards Edom. and the countrey was filled with water 21 ¶ And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them they ‡ Heb. were cried together gathered all that were able to ‡ Heb. gird himself with a girdle put on armour k Heb. to gird on a girdle i. e. a Military Girdle to which the Sword was fastened 2 Sam. 20. 8. 1 King 2. 5. and upward and stood in the border l Or in that border to wit of their Countrey which was towards Edom which way they understood the Kings came Here they stood probably to defend the passages into their Countrey 22 And they rose up early in the morning and the sun shone upon the water and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood n Because of the morning-Sun which meeting with the Vapours that arose from the Earth and shining through them upon the Water gave it a reddish tincture God also so ordered things that their sences and fancies were disturbed or the Air so disposed that it might seem of this Colour And they might more easily mistake this for Blood because they knew that that ground was generally dry and without any trenches or streams of Water now especially in this dry season there being no noise of Wind and Rain v. 17. And they might justly think that the three Kings being divided in their Religion and Interests and discontented for want of Water might fall into dissentions and heats and mutual slaughters of which they had a late example 2 Chron. 20. 22 23. 23 And they said This is blood the kings are surely ‡ Heb. destroyed slain and they have smitten one another now therefore Moab to the spoil n They were so highly confident that they send no Scouts but March thither with their whole Army and that in great disorder Wherein there was also a Divine hand strengthning them in their mistakes and hardening them to their destruction 24 And when they came to the camp of Israel the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites so that they fled before them but ‖ Or they smoâ—…e in it even smiting they went forward smiting the Moabites even in their countrey o They pursued them to their own Countrey and entred it with and after them the passes which before the Moabites defended being now open for them 25 And they beat down the cities and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone p The Stones which happily had been with great care and pains pickt out of the Land and laid in heaps after the manner they dispersed again and slew the people who should have cleansed them again and filled it and they stopped all the wells of water and felled all the good trees ‡ Heb. until he leâ—…t the stones thereof in Kir-haraseth onely in Kirharaseth q Which was the Royal and strongest City of the Moabites Isa. 16. 7 11. into which the remnant of the Moabites were gathered where also their King was with them left they the stones thereof r The Walls and Buildings of this City onely were left other Cities and in a manner their whole Countrey being utterly destroyed howbeit the slingers s Either First Such as slung small Stones against those that stood upon the Wall to desend it Or rather Secondly Such as slung great Stones against the Walls to break them down according to the manner of those times went about it and smote it t i. e. Made breaches in the Walls by which they might enter into the City and take it 26 ¶ And when the king of Moab saw that the battel was too sore for him he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords to break through even unto the king of Edom u That being unable to defend the City longer he might make an escape which he chose to do on the King of Edom's quarter because he thought either that his was the weakest side or that he would more willingly suffer him to escape because he was not so hearty in the War as the rest but onely forced to it and he might hereafter have some occasion of the King of Moab to joyn with him as before he had 2 Chron. 20. 22. but they could not 27 Then he took his eldest son x Either First the King of Edom's Son whom in his eruption he took and then Sacrificed Compare Amos 2. 1. But First That place speaks of the king not of the kings son and of the burning of his bones not of the offering of a living man for a Burnt-Offering Secondly This would not have made the besiegers to raise their siege but to have followed it more warmly to revenge so barbarous an action Thirdly The following clause that should have reigned in his stead agrees not so well to the Edomites whose King was onely Iehoshaphat's Vice-Roy and therefore his Son had no right to succeed him as it doth to the Moabites whose King was revolted from Israel and intended to keep that Kingdom to himself and Children Or rather Secondly His own Son whom he Sacrificed partly to obtain the favour of his God according to the manner of the Phoenicians and other people in grievous and publick Calamities whereof we have manifest testimonies both in Scripture as Ps. 106. 37. Ezek. 20. 31. and in
amongst others his obstinate cleaving to the Idolatry of the Calves and the Whoredoms and Witchcrafts of his Mother Iezabel 2 King 9. 22. and the Wickedness of his People which was the true and proper cause of this and all their Calamities and lays the blame of all upon Elisha either supposing that he who had the Spirit of Elijah resting upon him had brought this Famine by his Prayers as Elijah had formerly done 1 King 17. 1. or because he had encouraged them to withstand the Syrians by promising them help from God in due time or because he would not by his intercession to God and the working of a Miracle deliver them from these Calamities as he easily could have done But he did not consider that the Prophets could not work what Miracles and when they pleased but onely as far as God saw fit whose time was not yet come otherwise it was Elisha's Interest as well as theirs to be freed from this distress 32 But Elisha sat in his house u In the House where he Iodged for he had no House of his own having forsaken all when he followed Elijah 1 King 19. 20 21. and the elders x So they might be called Either First From their age Or rather Secondly From their office which was either Ecclesiastical or Civil so they were either the Sons of the Prophets or rather some Godly men who were then in some Power and Office either in the Court or Army or City as may seem probable from what he requires of them And though Ioram was a wicked King and most of his Officers probably like himself yet there were some of them whom Elisha's Holy Life and Powerful Ministry and Glorious Miracles and the great and publick benefits procured by him had won to God and to the True Religion at least to the profession of it among which Iehu might be one and these were here sitting with him either to receive comfort and counsel from him in this distressed time or rather to solicite him to use his Power with God for their relief which accordingly he doth and in compliance with them not out of any fear of the King from which he very well knew by frequent experience and certain assurance that God both could and would deliver him he gives the following answer chap. 7. 1. sat with him and the king sent a man from before him y Or one of them who stood before his face one of his Guard or some other Officer to take away his head as it follows but ere the messenger came to him he said to the elders z Being admonished by God of his danger See ye how this son of a murderer a The genuine Son of that wicked Ahab the Murderer of the Lords Prophets 1 King 18. 4. and 21. 9. whose son he is not by Birth onely but also by his Manners and Bloody disposition Compare Ioh. 8. 44. This expression may seem very harsh and unfit nor is it to be drawn into imitation by others but it must be considered that he was an extraordinary Prophet intrusted with a Power in some sort superior to that of Ioram and had Authority to controle and rebuke him in the Name of the King of kings hath sent to take away mine head b To kill me before he hear what I have to say Look when the messenger cometh shut the door and hold him c Not the King but the Messenger who was last mentioned that he may not break in upon me and take away my life before the King comes fast at the door Is not the sound of his masters feet behind him d You shall not need to hold him long for the King is just at his heels coming as is probable either to recall his rash and furious sentence or at least to debate the matter with the Prophet and to procure relief 33 And while he yet talked with them behold the messenger came down unto him e To wit to the Door where also we are to understand that he was held fast that he could not come at the Prophet till the King came as the Prophet had commanded them to do and he said f Either 1. The Messenger in the Kings name and words Or Secondly The King himself who though not here named may be presumed to be present both by the Prophets prediction of his speedy coming and by the presence of the lord on whose hand the king leaned chap. 7. 2. Behold this evil g This dreadful Famine which is now so extream that Women are forced to eat their own Children is of the LORD h He hath inflicted it and for ought that I see he will net remove it Thus he lays all the blame upon God not as he ought upon his own and his Mothers wickedness which provoked God who doth not willingly afflict to send this heavy Judgment upon him what should I wait for the LORD any longer i Thou bidst me wait upon God for help but I perceive I may wait long enough before deliverance comes I am weary with waiting I can wait no longer CHAP. VII THen Elisha said a Either to the Messenger to be reported to the King or rather to the King being then come to him as it is expressed ver 18. and to his Courtiers who were come with him ver 2. Hear ye the word of the LORD Thus saith the LORD b The Lord whom you have so highly offended and at present despise and refuse to wait upon of his own meer Grace and Bounty hath sent you the glad tidings of your deliverance To morrow about this time shall a measure c Heb. Seah a Measure containing six Cabs or 144 Egg-shells or about a Peck and a Pottle of our Measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel d Compare this with chap. 6. 25. and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria 2 Then ‡ Heb. a lord which belonged to the King leaning upon his hand a lord on whose hand the king leaned e When he walked See chap. 5. 18. answered the man of God and said Behold if the LORD would make windows f Through which he could Rain down Corn as once he did Manna in heaven might this thing be And he said Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shalt not eat thereof g A just punishment for such peremptory unbelief whereby he made not onely the Prophet but even God himself in whose Name it was evident Elisha said and did this and other things a lyar 3 ¶ And there were four leprous men at the entring in of the gate h To wit of the City out of which they were shut by virtue Gods Law Lev. 13. 46. and 14. 3 either the dwelling-place of the Lepers was near the Gate or they were come very near the Gate for fear of the Syrians and they said one to another Why sit
said unto him Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart d Dost thou heartily approve of and affect me and my present Proceedings as my Heart doth as sincerely cleave to thee as thine own heart doth And Jehonadab answered It is If it be give me thine hand e As a sign of friendship and consent See Gal. 2. 9. These may be the words either 1. Of Iehu and so here is an Elipsis If it be for And Iehu said If it be Comp. 1 King 20. 34. Or 2. Of Iehonadab who having said It is adds If it be i. e. If thine heart be with mine as thou saist it is give me thine hand But this the Elipsis is larger than the former And it seems not so decent and proper for Iehonadab a Stranger and Subject to speak thus to the King as for the King to say so to him And he gave him his hand and he took him up to him in the chariot 16 And he said Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD f i. e. For the Vindication of his Honour and Quarrel and for the Execution of his Commands Do not believe my Words but mine Actions which thine Eyes shall behold So they g i. e. 〈◊〉 Servants opened the door of his Chariots and lift up Iehonadab into it made him ride in his chariot 17 And when he came to Samaria * 2 Chr. 22. 8. he slew all that remained unto Ahab h Either all his Houshold or rather all his Kindred and Relations though more remote from him in Samaria till he had destroyed him according to the saying of the LORD * 1 King 21. 21. which he spake to Elijah 18 And Jehu gathered all the people together i By their Representatives their Elders or Rulers as was usual to whom he imparts his mind and they being generally Corrupt and Time-servers and such as had no sence of Religion in them durst not oppose his Resolution but seemed to comply with it and said unto them Ahab served Baal a little but Jehu shall serve him much k As if he had said My quarrel is onely with Ahab's Family and not with Baal which my actions shall manifest Which words being manifestly false and spoken with a design to deceive cannot be excused from Sin though they were uttered with a pious intention this being an unmovable Principle That we must not do the least Evil of Sin that the greatest good may come Rom. 3. 8. And if Iehonadab did concur with Iohn herein it was a Humane Infirmity 19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal all his servants l Either 1. All his Ministers of whom there may seem to have been several sorts whereof two are here distinctly mentioned his Prophets and Priests and the rest of the Inferior sort may be comprehended under this general Title of Servants because they were to attend upon the others in their Sacred Ministrations And these being once destroyed Iehu rightly concluded that the rest would fall of course And this sence may seem to be favoured by ver 22. wherein Vestments were brought forth for all these worshippers of Baal which were not commonly used by the People in the Worship either of God or of Baal but onely by the Priests or Ministers Or 2. All his Worshippers as the same word is Translated in the close of this Verse Quest. How could all these be contained in one House of Baal Answ. Well enough for the number of Baal's Worshippers had been vastly diminished by the Ministry of Elijah and Elisha and the rest of the Prophets and by Ioram's neglect and disuse of that Worship For the generality of the Israelites had too much knowledge to have any real and Religious respect to such sensless Idols onely they practised it in compliance with the humour of their King and Queen and for worldly or wicked ends and therefore when the King deserted it they generally forsook it some few silly and besotted persons excepted who are here gathered together Besides this House or Temple of Baal might be very large and capacious and probably was so because it was the chief of that sort as being in the King's City and nigh his Palace and for the use of the King and Queen and the whole Court and for great and high Solemnities Moreover as the name of the House or Temple of God at Ierusalem oft signifies not onely the Principal Building but all the other Buildings and Courts belonging to it in which all the Worshippers stood when they Worshipped so it might be here and so there was space sufficient for all the Worshippers of Baal which can reasonably be thought to have been at this time in all Israel and all his priests let none be wanting for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal m I will offer to him a noble and acceptable Sacrifice not of Sheep or Oxen c. as they understood it but of his own beloved Priests and Prophets and Servants as he meant it whosoever shall be wanting he shall not live But Jehu did it in subtilty n With another design that he might both certainly Discover and utterly Destroy them all without any further trouble or danger of Sedition oâ—… Tumult in his Kingdom to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of â—…aal 20 And Jehu said ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 Proclaim o Heb. Sanctifie Prepare your selves and all things necessary for this Solemn day and Sacrifice and Feast which I intend to keep a solemn assembly for Baal and they proclaimed it 21 And Jehu sent through all Israel and all the worshippers of Baal came so that there was not a man left that came not p Either 1. Because they thought Iehu was serious and sincere in his Professions it being natural and usual for men too easily to believe what they wish to be true And for the Priests which Iehu destroyed before ver 11. they might think that was done onely because of their nearness and Relation to Ahab and his Family Or 2. For fear of their Lives for certain Death was threatned to all that did not come ver 19. which considering Iehu's fierce and bloody temper they knew would be Executed whereas if they did come there was more than a possibillity of the sparing of their Lives for Iehu was known to be indifferent and unconcerned in matters of Religion one that had served Baal when his Prince Ahab lived and did so and forsook it when the next Prince Ioram did and therefore it was doubtful whether Iehu had not in good earnest returned to his first love to that Religion which he had formerly embraced and onely deserted in complacency to others Or 3. By God's just Providence deceiving their Minds and enclining their Hearts to come to their own Destruction and they came into the house q i. e. The Temple of Baal and the house of Baal was ‖ Or
that time So that this action cannot be drawn into a President for succeeding times and for other Kingdoms and set the rulers over hundreds k Of whom see Exod. 18. 25. Of these there were five which are named 2 Chron. 23. 1. And these were either 1. Civil or Military Officers But then such small Officers could not have stood him in much stead And why did he not rather engage Captains of thousands or greater Persons whom doubtless he might easily have brought into this Confederacy Or rather Priests or Levites of eminency as their work sheweth ver 5 6 7. and 2 Chron. 23. 1 2. and their distinction from the Captains and Guard with the captains l Or Princes or Nobles or Commanders such as he knew were weary of her Idolatrous and Tyrannical Government and Faithful to their King and the guard m Possibly those who had been the former King's Guard who had been displaced by Athaliah as persons whose fidelity she suspected and brought them to him into the house of the LORD n i. e. Into the Courts of that House which oft come under the name of the house or Temple of the Lord for into the House none but the Priests or Levites might enter and made a covenant with them o To restore the King to his Kingdom and Religion to its Purity and took an oath of them p For their Secrecy and Fidelity in the present Design in the house of the LORD and shewed them the kings son 5 And he commanded them saying This is the thing that ye shall do a third part of â—…ou q Either 1. A third part of you i. e. of the whole Number including those that come in and those that go out on the Sabbath even they that enter in on the Sabbath and so the two other Third parts were to consist of those that went out on the Sabbath as some gather from ver 6 7. Or rather 2. A third part onely of those that enter in on the Sabbath who seem to be plainly divided into Three Thirds here and ver 6. as those that went forth on the sabbath are expresly distributed into Two Parts ver 7. that enter in * 1 Câ—… 〈◊〉 25. on the sabbath r i. e. That come into the Temple on the Sabbath-day For the understanding of this matter you must know That the Levites were in and from David's time distributed into Twenty four Courses which were to do the Work of the Temple successively and by turns each Course consisting of about a Thousand Men for his week of which see 1 Chron. 23. and 24. shall even be keepers of the watch of the kings house s Either 1. Of that Bed-chamber where the King now was But it is unlikely and without Example either that one Bed-chamber or the Temple or any part of it should be called the kings house And besides the King's Person is secured by other persons ver 7. Or rather 2. Of that part which leadeth to the King's Palace which Athaliah now Possessed and whence they might expect Opposition 6 And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur t The Chief gate of the Temple called the High-gate 2 King 15. 35. and the foundation-gate 2 Chron. 23. 5. and the east-gate Ier. 19. 2. and the middle-gate Ier. 39. 3. and the gate of the entrance Ezek. 40. 15. and a third part at the gate behind the guard u Either 1. The King's Guard Or 2. The Guard of the Temple for such a Guard there was and a Captain of the Guard called the Captain of thâ—…â—…le Act. 4. 1. and 5. 24. This Gate was in the South-â—…â—…d as some think is that which is called Sippim or the threshold-gate 2 Chron. 23. 4. so shall ye keep the watch of the house ‖ Or from breaking 〈◊〉 that it be not broken down x i. e. So you shall Guard all the Gates or Entrances into the House or Temple of God that neither Athaliah nor any of her Soldiers may break into the Temple and Defile it or Destroy it as she will doubtless indeavour to do Or and ye shall keep the watch of the house Massach as the LXX and other Interpreters render it who think this was the name of an House not far from the Temple in which or against which they were to keep a Guard 7 And two ‖ Or Companies ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath y i. e. Who having finished their Course and Week should have gone home but were detained 2 Chron. 23. 8. even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king z Whilest the rest guard the doors and entrances into the Temple these shall have a special Care of the King's Person part on his Right and part on his Left Hand 8 And ye shall compass the king round about a When you have set your Watches and Guards all the rest of you shall draw near to the King to preserve his Royal Person from all Assaults and Dangers every man with his weapons in his hand and he that cometh within the ranges b Or Fences i. e. the Walls wherewith the Courts of the Temple were Invironed See ver 15. Or your Ranks or Order If any of Athaliah's Guards shall attempt to break in upon you or within your Bounds let him be slain and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in c Whether the King shall go out of the Temple to offend or subdue his Enemies or retire hither to Defend himself do you always accompany him 9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath with them that should go out on the sabbath and came to Jehoiada the priest 10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king Davids spears and shields d Offensive and Defensive Weapons which he gave to the Captains both for themselves and for all their Soldiers for they all came into the Temple unarmed to prevent suspition These are called David's either because they were such as he had taken from his Enemies which he had dedicated to God and laid up in the Temple as Monuments of God's goodness to him See 1 Sam. 21. 9. 2 Sam. 8. 7 11. 1 King 7. 51. Or because David had made a Sacred Armory in the Temple whence Arms might be taken upon extraordinary Occasions for the Defence of the Temple or City of God that were in the Temple of the LORD 11 And the guard stood every man with his weapon in his hand round about the king from the right ‡ 〈…〉 corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple e From the South-east to the North-east side along by the altar f The Altar of
relieved them which was done upon the Sabbath day see 2 Kings 11. 5 7. or that in which the Guard or Watchmen of the Temple kept their station or that under which the King used to sit to hear God's Word and see the Sacrifices which is called the covert of the Sabbath because the chief times in which the King used it for those ends was the Weekly Sabbath and other solemn days of Feasting or Fasting which all come under the name of Sabbaths in the Old Testament upon which the King used more certainly and solemnly to present himself before the Lord than at other times that they had built in the house and the kings entry without e By which the King used to go from his Palace to the Temple see on 1 Kings 10. 5 12. turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria f i. e. That he might ingratiate himself with the King of Assyria by his publick contempt and rejection of that Religion which had been the onely Partition-Wall between the Kings of Iudah and other Kings and which possibly the present King of Assyria did vehemently dislike and hate and therefore required these things from Ahaz 19 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah 20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XVII IN the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah ‡ Heb. reigned began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign a Quest. How can this be true seeing it is said that he reigned or began to reign in Israel in the twentieth year of Iotham chap. 15. 30. which was the Fourth Year of Ahaz as was there noted Ans. He usurped the Kingdom in Ahaz his Fourth Year but either was not owned as King by the generality of the People or was not accepted and established in his Kingdom by the Assyrian till Ahaz his Twelfth Year Or in his Eight First Years he was onely a Tributary Prince and the King of Assyria's Viceroy and after that time he set up for himself which drew the Assyrian upon him in Samaria over Israel nine years b To wit after his confirmation and peaceable possession of his Kingdom For in all he reigned Seventeen or Eighteen Years to wit Twelve with Ahaz who reigned Sixteen Years and Six with Hezekiah 2 Kings 18. 10. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD but not as the kings of Israel that were before him c For he neither worshipped Baal as many of his predecessors did nor compelled the People to worship the Calves one of them that of Dan being destroyed or carried away before as the Hebrew Writers affirm nor as some add hindred those by force who were minded to go to Ierusalem to worship And yet the measure of the Israelites sins being now full vengeance comes upon them without remedy Compare 2 Kings 23. 26. 3 ¶ Against him came up Shalmaneser d The Son or Successor of Tiglath-pileser The ancient Hebrew Writers make him the same with Sennacherib who Eight Years after this time invaded the kingdom of Iudah See chap. 18. 10 13. it being very frequent in the Eastern parts for one man to be called by several Names especially by the People of several Countries Iosephus affirms that he met with his Name in the Annals of the Tyrians which were extant in his days He came against him either because he denied the Tribute which he had promised to pay or that he might make him Tributary king of Assyria and Hoshea became his servant and ‡ Heb. rendred gave him ‖ Or tribute presents e Swore Fealty to him and engaged to pay him a Tribute 4 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt f By Heathen Writers called Sua or Sabacus that by his assistance he might shake off the Yoke of the King of Assyria who now was and for many Years had been the King of Egypt's Rival See 2 Kings 18. 21. Ier. 37. 5. and brought no present to the king of Assyria as he had done year by year therefore the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison g To wit after he had come up against him and taken him with Samaria the particular Relation whereof here follows 5 ¶ Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years 6 ¶ * Chap. 18. 10. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan and in the cities of the Medes h This is added to distinguish this place from the former which was either in Assyria or in the Mountainous and less inhabited parts of Media Hither he carried them partly to replenish his own Country and partly because these places were at so great a distance from Canaan that this would cut off all hopes and thoughts of returning to their own Country 7 For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt and had feared other gods 8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen i i. e. According to the Laws and Customs of the Heathen is the Worship of their Baals and other of their sins whom the LORD had cast out from before the children of Israel and of the kings of Israel which they had made k i. e. Which the Kings of Israel had ordained concerning the Worship of the Calves and against their going up to Ierusalem to worship 9 And the children of Israel did secretly thâ—…e things that were not right against the LORD l This belongs either 1. to their gross Idolatries and other abominable practises which they were ashamed to own before others Compare Ezek. 8. 12. Or 2. to the worship of Calves And so the words are otherwise â—…ndered and that agreeably to the Hebrew Text thâ—…â—…ed or disguised or covered things that were not 〈◊〉 against or before or towards the Lord i. e. They 〈◊〉 their idolatrous worship of the Calves with fair preâ—…ences of necessity the Two Kingdoms being now divided and at enmity and of their honest intention of serving the true God and retaining the substance of the Iewish Religion from which they alledged that they differed onely in circumstances of Worship their God and they built them high places in all their cities from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city m In all parts and places both in Cities and in the Country yea in the most uninhabited and neglected parts
had said by all his servants the prophets So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day 24 ¶ And the king of Assyria l Either Shalmanezer or rather his Son and Successor Esarhaddon Ezra 4. 2. because this was a work oâ—… some time and as his Father had projected and possibly began this so he executed or finished it whence it is ascribed to him rather than to his Father brought men from Babylon m Which then was subject to the Assyrian Monarch but a few years after revolted from him and set up another King as appears both from sacred and profane Histories and from Cuthah and from Ana and from Hamath and from Sepharvaim n Several places then in his Dominion and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel and they possessed Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof 25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there that they feared not the LORD ‖ They did not acknowledg nor worship God in any sort therefore o For this gross neglect and contempt of God which was contrary to the Principles and Practises of the Heathens who used to worship the Gods of the Nations where they lived and gave that honour to their false gods which here they denied to the true Hereby also God asserted his own right and soveraignty over that land and made them to understand that neither the Israelites were cast out nor they brought into that land by their valour or strength but by God's Providence who as he had cast the Israelites out for their neglect of God's service so both could and would in his due time turn them out also if they were guilty of the same sins the LORD sent lions among them which slew some of them 26 Wherefore they spake p i. e. They wrote or sent messengers to him for relief to the king of Assyria saying The nations which thou hast removed and placed in the cities of Samaria know not the manner of the God of the land q They supposed the true God to be like one of their Topical Deities who had their particular Countries and Provinces allotted to them therefore he hath sent lions among them and behold they slay them because they know not the manner of the God of the land 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded saying Carry thither one of the priests r i. e. One of the chief of the Priests with others to be under his inspection and direction as may be gathered from the following words where it is said of the same person or persons let them go c. and then let him teach c. Nor is it probable that one Priest could suffice for the instruction of the Inhabitants of so many and distant parts whom ye brought from thence and let them go and dwell there and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land 28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the LORD s i. e. The manner of God's Worship as it was practised in Israel as may be gathered both from the quality of this person who was an Israelitish Priest and from the place of his residence Bethel a place infamous for the worship of the Calves and from the manner of their making Priests by this man's direction ver 32. 29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own t Or worshipped as that Verb is sometimes used of which see Exod. 32. 35. i. e. those whom they worshipped in the places from whence they came whose names here follow and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans u i. e. The former People or Inhabitants not of the City but of the Kingdom of Samaria had made every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt 30 And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth and the men of Cuth made Nergal and the men of Hamath made Ashima 31 And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim 32 So they feared the LORD and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places x See the Notes on 1 Kings 12. 31. which sacrificed for them y To wit unto the true God For as to the worship of their own gods they needed no instruction and would not permit a person of another Religion to minister therein in the houses of the high places 33 * 〈◊〉 1â—… They feared the LORD z They worshipped God externally in that way which the Israelites used and served their own gods after the manner of the nations ‖ 〈◊〉 â—…ho carâ—… 〈◊〉 away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom they carried away from thence a These words belong either 1. to both the foregoing branches and to the Israelites and then the sense is They trod in the steps of their predecessors the Israelites who in regard of their several Tribes are both here and elswhere called Nations who did many of them worship both God in their Calves and Baal too Or 2. to the last branch onely but then the words must be otherwise rendred they served their own gods after the manner of the Nations from which they brought or carried them or from whence they these new Inhabitants were brought i. e. each of them served the god of the country or place whence he was brought as is related above ver 30 31. But these Nations could not so properly be said to be carried away or to be carried away captive as this Hebrew word signifies as the Israelites and therefore the former interpretation seems more proper 34 Unto this day they b Either 1. the Samaritans whose Religion he hath hitherto been describing and to the description whereof he reâ—… ver 41. So the following Verses are a digression wherein he designs onely to take an occasion to compare them with the Israelites and to aggravate the sins of the Israelites above theirs which he doth ver 35 c. and then returns to the former description ver 31. Or rather 2. The Israelites who are the principal Subjects of this whole Discourse and of whom he unquestionably speaks ver 35. and thence to ver 41. of whom also the last words of ver 33. are to be understood and from thence he takes an occasion to return to his main business to relate and aggravate the sins of Israel and thereby to justifie his severe proceedings against them to all the World So the sense of the place is this As the Israelites before their captivity gave these Nations an ill Example in serving the Lord and Baal together so or after their former manner they do unto this day in the land of their captivity do after the former manners they fear not the LORD c Though they
Dish that hath been used first wholly empty it of all that is in it then throughly cleanse and wipe it and lastly turn it upside down that nothing may remain in it so will I deal with Ierusalem thoroughly empty and purge it from all its wicked Inhabitants and that so as to cut off all hopes of restitution 14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance r i. e. The Kingdom of Iudah the onely remainder of all the Tribes of Israel which I did once chuse for my Inheritance but now notwithstanding that priviledge will utterly reject and forsake them and deliver them into the hand of their enemies and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies 15 Because they have done that which was evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt even unto this day s This sore Judgment though it was chiefly inflicted for the sins of Manasseh and his Generation yet had a respect unto all their former sins the guilt whereof was upon this occasion revived See Exod. 32. 34. 16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood t The Blood of those Prophets and Righteous Men who either reproved his sinful practises or refused to comply with his wicked commands and worship very much till he had filled Jerusalem ‡ Heb. from mouth to mouth from one end to another beside his sin u i. e. His Idolatry which is elsewhere called evil and corruption and here sin by way of emmency which is the more considerable because it is here compared with horrid cruelty and implied to be worse than that and more abominable in Gods sight because it doth more directly and immediately strike at the Glory and Purity of the Divine Majesty by respect unto which all sins are to be measured And this expression God here useth in opposition to the gross error of most men who look upon Idolatry as a small sin as a meer mistake of the mind as the fruit of a good intention and as an excess proceeding from Zeal in Religion wherewith he made Judah to sin in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD 17 â—… Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did and his sin that he sinned are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah 18 And â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his own house x Not in the Sepulchre of the Kings either by the peoples designation who judged him unworthy of that honour or rather by his own choice and command as a lasting Testimony of his sincere Repentance and Abhorrency of himself for his former Crimes in the garden of Uzza y Or of King Uzziah who possibly planted or enlarged it and Amon his son reigned in his stead 19 〈◊〉 was twenty and two years old when he began to reign and he reigned two years in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah 20 And he did thâ—… which was evil in the sight of the LORD as his father Manasseh did 21 And he walked in the way that his father walked in and served the idols that his father served and worshipped them 22 And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers and walked not in the way of the LORD 23 ¶ And the servants of Amon conspired against him and slew the king in his own house 24 And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead 25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah 26 And he was buried in the sepulchre in the garden of Uzza and * Matth. 1. 10. Called â—…osias Josiah his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XXII JOsiah * 2 Chr. 34. 1. was eight years old when he began to reign and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Jedidah the daughter of Adajah of Boscath 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left 3 ¶ And it came to pass in the eighteenth year a Not of his Life but of his reign as it is expressed 2 Chron. 34. 3 8. What he did before this time see 2 Chr. 34. 3 c. of king Josiah that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam the scribe b The Kings Secretary to the house of the LORD saying 4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest that he may sum the silver c i. e. Take an exact account how much it is and then dispose it in manner following which is * Chap. 12. 4. brought into the house of the LORD which the keepers of the ‡ Heb. threshold door d Who were Priests or Levites as appears from chap. 12. 9. 2 Chron. 8. 14. and 23. 4. and 34. 9. have gathered of the people 5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work that have the oversight of the house of the LORD e i. e. The care and oversight of the workmen which also were Levites 2 Chron. 34. 12. and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD to repair the breaches of the house 6 Unto carpenters and builders and masons and to buy timber and hewen stone f Either hewed or cut out of the Quarries or to be hewed and fitted to the Building to repair the house 7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand because they dealt faithfully g i. e. Because it was found by experience that they dealt faithfully Verbs signifying the being of a thing are oft put for the manifestation of it 8 ¶ And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe I have found the book of the law h That Original book of the law of the Lord given or written by the hand of Moses as it is expressed 2 Chr. 34. 14. which by Gods Command was put beside the Ark Deut. 31. 26. and probably taken from thence and hid by the care of some godly Priest when some of the Idolatrous Kings of Iudah persecuted the True Religion and defaced the Temple and which the Iewish Writers affirm burnt all the Copies of Gods Law which they could find and now found among the Rubbish or in some secret place in the house of the LORD and Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan and he read it 9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought the king word again and said Thy servants have
which by a Synecdoche are contained under this one kind Thus their Spiritual blemish puts them into the very same state which corporal blemishes brought them Lev. 21. 17 c. And thus he mitigates their punishment he shuts them out from Spiritual Services but allows them natural and necessary Provisions among their brethren 10 And he defiled Topheth which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom e Of which see Ios. 15. 8. Nehem. 11. 30. Ier. 7. 31. and 19. 6 11. that no man might * Lev. 18. 21. Deut. 1â—… 10. make his son of his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech f See on Lev. 18. 21. Deut. 18. 10. 11 And he took away the horses g Either â—… The Carved or Graven Horses to which were â—…yned a Graven Chariot in which there might be the Picture of the Sun which the Heathens used to represent in this manner Or rather 2. Living Horses For 1. Such the â—…stern Nations used to Consecrate to the Sun to signify the swifness of his motion 2. These Horses are mentioned apart from the Chariots and are said to be given to the sun which is not said of the Chariots and to be taken away when the 〈◊〉 more burnt c. and a certain place is here allotted to the Horses not to the Chariots that the kings of Judah had given to the sun h Either to be Sacrificed to the Sun or to draw those Chariots in which the Kings or some other in their stead and by their appointment went forth every Morning to worship the rising Sun for both these were the customs of the Armenians and Perâ—… as Xenophon testifies at the entring in of the house of the LORD i i. e. By the Gate of the outward Court of the Temple for the Courts are oft contained under the name of the House or Temple by the chamber of Nathan-melech the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 or officer chamberlain k Or officer to whom the care of these Horses was committed which was in * 1 Chr. 26. 18. the suburbs l Either 1. Of the City of David or rather of the Temple in certain outward Buildings belonging to the Temple and the uses thereof See Ezek. 45. 2. Heb. in Parvarim a place near the Temple called also Parbar 1 Chr. 26. 18. though it be not now known either where it was or why it was so called and burnt the chariots of the sun m Which were made for the honour and worship of the Sun as was before expressed with fire 12 And the altars that 〈◊〉 on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz n i. e. Upon the Roof of the Kings House They were so mad upon their Idols that they were not content with all their publick high places and Altars but made others upon their House-tops for the worship of the Heavenly bodies See Ier. 19. 13. Zeph. 1. 5. which the kings of Judah had made and the altars which * Chap. â—…1 â—… Manasseh had made o Quest. How could this be when Manasseh had taken them away before 2 Chr. 33. 15 Ans. Either these Altars were not so fully destroyed as they should have been the foundations of them being left through the neglect of the Officers appointed to do that work upon which Amon built his new Altars Or if they were wholly rooted out Amon's new Altars are called by his Fathers name because they were built by his example and in the very same place where his Fathers Altars were as the Wells which Isaac digged in the same place where Abraham had digged them before were therefore called by their ancient names Gen. 26. 15. See more on the next Verse in the two courts p The Priests and the Peoples See ch 21. 5. of the house of the LORD did the king beat down and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 from thence brake them down from thence and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron q Partly to shew his derestation of them and partly to abolish the very remembrance of them as far as he could 13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem which were on the right hand of the ‖ That is the mount oâ—… 〈◊〉 mount of corruption r i. e. The Mount of Olives 1 King 11. 7. here called the mount of corruption for the gross Idolatry there practised which is oft expressed by the name of corruption See Exod. 32. 7. Deut. 32. 5. In the Hebrew is an elegant allusion between Mâ—…seah anointing and Moshâ—…ith corruption as there is between Bethel and Bethaven Hos. 4. 15. which * 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon the king of Israel had builed s Not the same individual Altars which doubtless either Solomen upon his repentance or some other of Iosiah's Godly predecessors had taken away long before this time but other Altars built by Manâ—…sseh or Amon which because erected by Solomon's example and for the same use and in the same place are called by his name this brand being left by the Holy Ghost upon his name and memory as a just punishment of that abominable practise and a mean to deter others froâ—… the like for Ashtoreth t Of which and the rest see on 1 King 11. 5 6 7. the abomination u i. e. The Idol so called because it was abominable and made them abominable to God of the Zidonians and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon did the king defile 14 And he * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deâ—… 7. 5â—… â—… brake in pieces the ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 images and cut down the groves and filled their places with the bones of men x i. e. Of the Idolatrous Priests which he caused to be taken out of their Graves v. 18. 15 ¶ Moreover the altar that was at Bethâ—…el y Quest. How could he rightly do this seeing Bethel was a part of the Kingdom of Israel not of Iudah Ans. Either First This City was now under the Kingdom of Iudah to which it was added by Abijah long since 2 Chron. 13. 19. Or Secondly He did this by vertue of that ancient right which David and his posterity had to the Kingdom of Israel which though suspended for a time by God's grant of the Ten Tribes to Ieroboam and the succeeding Kings of Israel yet these being all extinct it might seem to return to him at least so far as to pluck up Idolatry out of the Land of Israel as he had opportunity and especially out of those parts of it which bordered upon Iudah Or Thirdly The King of Babylon having ingaged in a War with the Assyrian Hezekiah's great enemy and having thereupon occasion for Hezekiah's friendship did as some suppose enlarge his Dominion and give him some power over the Kingdom of Israel at least as to matters of Religion Which may seem not improbable from 2 Chron. 30. 1 4 5 6. And
the same power seems to have been continued and some kind of League made between the King of Babylon and Manasseh who thereupon was restored to his Kingdom 2 Chron 33. 13. and after him Iosiah who therefore was so zealous in his quarrel against the King oâ—… Egypt 2 Chron. 35. 20 c. Or Fourthly He did it in purseance of God's prediction concerning this action 1 King 13. 2. which in a matter so good and so agreeable to God's wiâ—… and word as the extirpation of Idolatry unquestionably was had the force of a warrant or command upon him to do it as God's prediction of the Conversion of the Gentiles by the Messias was a command to his Apostles to Preach to them Act. 13. 47. and the high place * 1 〈◊〉 which Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin had made both that altar and the high place z Which seems to have been some little Temple or House erected for that Worship or for the Priests attending upon it he brake down and burnt the high place and stampt it small to powder and burnt the grove 16 And as Josiah turned himself a Iosiah's care and zeal was so great that he would not trust his Officers with these things but would see them done with his own Eyes he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount and sent and took the bones out of the sepulchres and burnt them upon the altar and polluted it according to the * 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed who proclaimed these words b 300 years before it was done 17 Then he said What title is that that I see c It was the manner then as now it is to set up little Pillars or Stones by or upon the Graves of the higher sort of Men upon which the name of the Person and some Remarkable passages relating to him were Engraven And the men of the city told him It is the sepulchre of * 〈◊〉 13. the man of God which came from Judah and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Beth-el 18 And he said Let him alone let no man move his bones so they let his bones ‡ 〈◊〉 escape alone with the bones of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. the prophet that came d Which were now mixed together out of Saâ—…aria e The place of his Birth or former abode though now he were in Bethel 1 Sam. 13. 11. 19 And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria f By what Authority he did this see on ver 15. which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger Josiah took away and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Beth-el 20 And he ‖ 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. 18. slew all the priests of the high places g Either 1. The Priests which Ieroboam had made of the meanest of the People whom he â—…ew both for their Preâ—… Usurpation of that Sacred Office which of it self â—…as Punishable with Death by God's Law 〈◊〉 3. 10. and for their Idolatry Or rather 2. The Priests of Baalim by comparing this Verse with the former where speaking of these same High Places he â—…oth not say which Ieroboam made as is usual when he speaks of the High Places of the Calves but which the other kings of Israel made who were divers of them Worshippers of Baal and by considering the Parallel place 2 Chron. 34. 4. where it is said they brake down the altars of Baalim c. By this Relation it appears and from the nature of the thing and common practise in like cases it is more than probable that after the departure of the King of Assyria divers of the Israelites who had retired to other parts and kept themselves out of the Conquerors hands returned together with their Priests to their own Land and to their old trade of Worshipping Idols to whom peradventure they ascribed this their Deliverance from that Judgment which Iehovah had brought upon them that were there upon the altars h According to that Famous Prophecy 1 King 13. 1 2. and burnt mens bones upon them and returned to Jerusalem 21 ¶ And the king commanded all the people saying * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Keep the passover i Having abolished False Worship he now endeavours to set up the True Worship of the True God unto the LORD your God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is written in this book of the covenant k In this Book which I have found wherein is contained the Covenant made between God and Israel and the terms of it 22 Surely there was not holden such a passover l i. e. Celebrated with such Solemn care and great Preparation and numerous Sacrifices 2 Chron. 35. 7 8 9. and universal Joy of all good men which was much the greater because of their remembrance of the former wicked and miserable times under Manasseh and Amon and the good hopes they now had of the happy Establishment of their Nation and the True Religion and of the prevention of God's Judgments denounced against them from the days of the judges m Or from the days of Samuel the last of the Judges as it is expressed 2 Chron. 35. 18. None of the Kings had taken such care to prepare themselves the Priests and People and accurately to observe all the Rites and diligently to purge out all uncleanness and to renew their Covenant with God so solemnly as Iosiah now did that judged Israel nor in all the days of the kings of Israel nor of the kings of Judah 23 But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem 24 ¶ Moreover the workers with familiar spirits and the wizards n Of which see on Levit. 19. 31. and 20. 27. Numb 22. 5. Deut. 18. 11. and the ‖ 〈◊〉 images and the idols and all the abominations o Three words noting the same thing to shew That all the Instruments and Monuments of Idolatry were Destroyed as God had Commanded that were spied p i. e. All that were discovered not onely such as were in the place and state of Worship but such as their Priests or Zealotâ—… had removed and indeavoured to hide and secure in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem did Josiah put away that he might perform the words of * 〈◊〉 â—…0 27. 〈◊〉 18. 11. the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD 25 And * Chap. 18. â—… like unto him was there no king before him q To wit for his diligent Study in God's Law and 〈◊〉 exact Care and unwearied Industry and fervent Zeal in rooting out of Idolaters and all kinds and appearances of Idolatry not onely
in Iudah but in Israel also and in the Establishment of the True Religion in all his Dominions and in the conforming of his own Life and his Peoples too as far as he could to the holy Law of God though Hezekiah might excel him in some other particulars of whom therefore the like is said above Chap. 18. 55. that turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him 26 ¶ Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah r Because though the King was most hearty in his Repentance and acceptable to God as was said before and therefore the Judgment was delayed for his time yet the people were generally corrupt and secretly averse from Iosiah's pious and excellent Reformation and inclined to their old Lusts and Idols as appears from the complaints of the Prophets especially Ieremiah and Zephaniah against them and by the following History wherein we see that as soon as ever Iosiah was gone his Children and the Princes and the People suddenly and greedily returned to their former Abominations * Jer. 15. 4. because of all the ‡ Heb. angers provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal s The Sine of Manasseh and of the men of his Generation who complied and concurred with him in his Idolatrous and cruel practises Chap. 24. 3 4. are justly punished in this Generation partly because of God's Soveraign Right of Punishing Sinners such as these unquestionably were when and upon what occasion he sees sit partly because of that publick Warning and Declaration of God That he would visit the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and principally because these men had never sincerely Repented of their own nor of their Fathers Sins but their hearts still hankered after them which though not yet seen by men was manifest to God who therefore pronounced this Terrible Sentence against them 27 And the LORD said I will remove Judah also out of my sight as I have removed Israel and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen and the house of which I said t To wit upon the conditions in sundry places expressed which they broke and therefore God justly made them to know his breach of promise as he threatens Numb 14. 34. * 1 King 8. 29 My Name shall be there 28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah 29 ¶ * 2 Chron. 35 〈◊〉 In his days Pharaoh nechoh u Called Necos by Herodotus who makes mention of this Fight wherein as he saith Neâ—…os conquered the Syrians in Magdalo king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria x i. e. The King of Babylon who having formerly Rebelled against the Assyrian his Lord had now conquered him as appears by the course of the Sacred and the concurrence of the Prophane History and therefore is here and elsewhere called the Assyrian and the king of Assyria because now he was the Head of that Empire to the river Euphrates y i. e. Against Carchemish by Euphrates as it is expressed 2 Chron. 3â—… 20. which the Assyrian had taken from the Syrians Isa. 10. 9. Pharach's Confederates who therefore sendeth Forces against the Assyrian that he might both help them and secure himself and king Josiah went against him z Either to defend his own Country from Pharaoh's Incursions or to Assist the King of Babylon with whom he seems to have been in League as was noted before and he slew him a i. e. Gave him his Deaths Wound there though he died not till he came to Ierusalem 2 Chron. 35 23 24. at * Zech. 12. 11 Megiddo when he had seen him b i. e. When he Fought with him or in the first Onset Thus Fighting is called a looking in the face 2 King 14. 8. 30 And his servants carried him in a chariot dead c i. e. Mortally Wounded as in the former Verse and as we commonly say of a sick man past hopes of Recovery that he is a dead man Compare Gen. 20. 3. from Megiddo and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own sepulchre and * 2 Chron. 36. 1. the people of the land took * 1 Chron. 3 1â—… â—…er 22. 11. Shallâ—… Jehoahaz the son of Josiah d Who was younger than Iehoiakim by comparing ver 31. with 36. yet preferred by the People before the elder Brother either because Iehojakim refused the Kingdom for fear of Pharaoh whom he knew he should hereby provoke or because Iehoahaz was the more Stout and Warlike Prince whence he is called a Lion Ezek. 19. 3. though indeed he shewed his Courage more against his People than his Enemies but they judged that he was most able and willing to defend them against the Conquering Army and anointed him e As they used to do in such Extraordinary Cases because this was a troublesome time and he was not the right Heir to the Crown and therefore needed this Solemn Rite of Confirmation which Solomon had in the same Circumstances and made him king in his fathers stead 31 ¶ Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign and he reigned three months in Jerusalem and his mothers name was * Chap. 24. 18. Hamutel the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah 32 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD according to all that his fathers f i. e. His grand Parents Manasseh and Amon. He restored that Idolatry which his Father had destroyed partly to gratifie the generality of the people who had made him King and who were inclined to their old Superstitions even in Iosiah's time as was observed before though restrained from the outward acts by fear and partly to sweeten the King of Egypt who possibly was a Zealous Idolater by his compliance with him in the Worship of Idols had done 33 And Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands g Either because he presumed to take the Kingdom without his leave and consent or because he renewed the War against Pharaoh as some affirm and by him was Conquerred and taken Prisoner at Kiblah h An eminent City in Syria of which see Numb 34. 11. 2 King 25. 6. where Pharaoh now was to finish or make good his Conquests whither Iehoahaz was carried to receive his Sentence in the land of Hamath ‖ Or because he Reigned that he might not reign i Or because he had reigned i. e. Taken the Kingdom without right and without his leave Or according to the other reading in the beginning of his Reign the word reigning being commonly used for beginning to reign when he was scarce warm in his Throne in Jerusalem
more dignity and Power in the Disposal of them 23 Of the Amramite and the Izharite the Hebronite and the Uzzielite b Or As concerning the Amramite c. The meaning is The persons here following were of these or the most of these Families Onely here is none of the Family of the Uzzielites either because that Family was now extinct whence it is that we read no more of them in the Scripture but onely in this place and Numb 3. 27. or because there was none of them fit to be employed and trusted in these Matters 24 And * Ch. 23. 16. Shebuel the son of Gershom the son of Moses was ruler of the treasures c The Prince or Chief over all the Treasures and Treasurers mentioned either before or afterward as his very Title shews which is peculiarly given to him and to none of the rest 25 And his brethren by Eliezer d Another Son of Moses Exod. 18. 4. Rehabiah his son and Jeshajah his son and Joram his son and Zichri his son and * Ch. 23. 18. Shelomith his son 26 Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicate things which David the king and the chief fathers the captains over thousands and hundreds and the captains of the host had dedicated 27 †Heb. out of the battels and spoils Out of the spoils won in battels did they dedicate to †Heb. strengthen maintain e Heb. To strengthen it either to make that Building strong and substantial by these and other Charges or rather to repair it when it should be built for which they might the rather take particular Care because it was likely that every one would contribute to the building of the Temple and there would be no want for that use but few would provide for the Repairs of it when by the Injury of Men or Time it should receive any Damage the house of the LORD 28 And all that Samuel the * 1 Sam. 9. 9. seer and Saul the son of Kish and Abner the son of Ner and Joab the son of Zerujah had dedicated and whosoever had dedicated any thing it was under the hand of Shelomith f Who is particularly named here and v. 26. because they were chiefly committed to his trust he being it seems a person of Eminent Wisdom and Faithfulness and of his brethren 29 Of the Izharite Chenaniah and his sons g Who are probably thought to have been 1600 for that Sum added to the 1700 v. 30. and the 2700 v. 32. make up those 6000 Levites which were Officers and Iudges 1 Chron. 23. 4. were for the outward business h For that business of the Lord and of the King as it is explained here v. 30 32. which was to be done without the Temple and without Ierusalem for what was to be done within them was committed to other hands as we have seen over Israel i Synecdochically i. e. over part of Israel even over the Midland part and that which lay upon the Sea Coast for the other parts of the Land on both sides of Iordâ—…n are here committed to others v. â—…0 31 32. for officers and Judges k Who shall be Officers and Judges over the People in the several Cities and Towns or Parts of the Land to determine Questions and Controversies which might arise among them And the reason why the Levites were instrusted with these Matters was because the Common or Municipal Law of Israel by which they had and held all their Rights was no other than the Law of God whereof the Priests and Levites being the best and established Interpreters must needs therefore be the most proper Judges of things depending thereupon 30 And of the Hebronite Hashabiah and his brethren men of valour a thousand and seven hundred were †Heb. 〈◊〉 charge officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward l In those parts of the Land of Canaan which border upon Iordan or are not very remote from it in all business of the LORD m i. e. In all things which did or should concern the House or Worship of God partly to take care that such Monies as were either imposed by a Tax or freely given by the People towards the building or repairing of the Temple or towards the Sacrifices and other Holy Ministrations should be gathered and received and faithfully sent up to Ierusalem to be employed in that Work partly to see to the Execution of all the Laws of God among the People and to restrain or punish wilful Offenders against it and in the service of the king n Not that all the Kings Businesses were managed by them for it is apparent both from the nature of the thing and from Scripture that the Kings Military Affairs were managed by his Captains and his Political or Civil Affairs were managed by the Princes and Judges and Officers of other Tribes but because they served the King in the Execution of his Decreas made pursuantly to the Laws of God by which the several Rights of King and People were established and all things both in Church and Commonwealth were to be ordered Now as the King was the Principal Person intrusted with the Execution of Gods Laws so these Levites chiefly were his Eyes by which he saw his Peoples Transgressions and his Hands by which he inflicted due and deserved Censures upon them for their Miscarriages And the doing of this was very much for the Service of the King whose Throne was established and secured by such Righteous Administrations Besides they were to take care by their Couâ—…sel and Authority to keep the People in Obedience to their King which the Levites were most obliged and best able to do 31 Among the Hebronites was * Chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jerijah the chief even among the Hebronites according to the generations of his fathers In the fortieth year n Which was his last year in which he made all the Orders and distributions of Families and Offices recorded in these Chapters of the reign of David they were sought for and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead o Which place is here named either because they were seated in or near that Place but for what cause it is now unknown or because they were numbred there by some Person sent by David to that Purpose 32 And his brethren men of valour were two thousand and seven hundred p Which is a very great number to be employed about two Tribes and an half when all the rest of the Tribes had onely 1700 v. 30. besides those under Chenaniah of whom see on v. 29. But the reason hereof is plain because the Tribes without Iâ—…rdan being more remote from the Kings Court and from the place of publick and solemn Worship needed more than ordinary help to instruct and keep them in the Practise of the True Religion and the
all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid 12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers who were ancient men that had seen the first house o Which divers of them might very well do because it was destroyed not quite Sixty years ago as is manifest from 2 King 25. 2 Chr. 36. Ezek. 40. 1. when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes wept with a loud voice p Partly because of the poor and small preparations made for this in comparison of what was made for the other Temple partly because this Temple was divested and destitute of those things which were the principal Glory of the former Temple to wit the Ark and the Urim and Thummim c. partly because these foundation-stones were far inferiour to the former both for quantity and price 1 King 7. 9 10. and partly because these foundations were of a far narrower compass than the former for although the foundations of this House of the Lord strictly so called were at least of equal largeness with those of the former by comparing 1 King 6. 2. Ezra 6. 1 2 3. yet the Foundations of the whole building belonging to the first Temple and adjoining to it or in the courts of it were far larger than these and many shouted for joy 13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people for the people shouted with a loud shout and the noise was heard afar off CHAP. IV. 1 NOw when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin a The Samaritans as appears from v. 2 10. heard that †Heb. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of the captivity built the temple unto the LORD God of Israel 2 Then they came to Zerubbabel and to the chief of the fathers and said unto them let us build with you b This they spake not sincerely as appears from their disposition and designs discovered in the following History but that by this conjunction with them they might pierce into their counsels and thereby get an opportunity to sin â—…me matter or pretences of Accusation against them for we seek your God as ye do c For so they did though in a mongrel way see 2 Kin. 17. 26 c. and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur d Son of Sennacherib and after him King of Assyria 2 Kin. 19. 37. Who brought or sent these persons hither either 1. In the days of Salmanasar who lived and reigned in Assyria but Eight years before Esarhaddons Reign and so Esarhaddon might be one of his most eminent Commanders and the man by whom that colony was sent Or 2. In the reign of Esarhaddon who sent this second Colony to supply and strengthen the first which brought us up hither 3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said unto them †Heb. iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us Ye have nothing to do with us e As being of another Nation and Religion and therefore not concerned in Cyrus his Grant which was confined to the Israelites and to the worshippers of the true God to build an house unto our God but we our selves together f i. e. Who are united together by Cyrus his Grant in this work Or alone as this word is somtimes used as Iob 34. 29. Psal. 33. 15. Hos. 11. 7. will build unto the LORD God of Israel as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us 4 Then the people of the land g Heb. of that land the present Inhabitants of that Province to wit the Samaritans weakned the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in building h By false Reports and Threats and other means described 5 And hired counsellers against them i Who by their Artifices and Interests in the Persian Court should give some stop to their work to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus King of Persia k For though Cyrus still favoured the Jews yet he was then diverted by his Wars and his Son Cambyses was left his Vice-roy who was a very wicked Prince and an Enemy to the Jews and their Religion even until the reign of Darius king of Persia l Heb. and until c. i. e. Not only in the Reign of Cyrus but also of Cambyses and of the Magician after whom was this Darius of whom see chap. 5 6. 6 And in the reign of †Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahasuerus m Which is supposed by divers learned men to be from this time a common Name to divers succeeding Kings of Persia. And this makes it seem doubtful who this was This was either 1. Xerxes the fourth and rich King of Persia as he is called Dan. 11. 2. Or rather 2. Cambyses the Son and Successor of Cyrus as may appear 1. Because none but he and Sâ—…nerdis were between Cyrus and this Darius 2. Because Cambyses was known to be no friend to the Jewish Nation nor Religion and therefore it is very improbable that these crafty and malicious and Industrious Enemies of the Jews would omit so great an opportunity when it was put into their hands in the beginning of his reign wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem 7 And in the days of Artaxerxes n Either 1. Artaxerxes the Son of Xerxes Or 2. Smerdis the Magician Or rather 3. The same Cambyses called by his Chaldee name Ahashuerus v. 6. and here by his Persian name Artaxexes By which name he is here called in the Inscription of this Letter because so he was called by himself and others in the Letters written either by him or to him wrote ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishlam Mithridath Tabeel and the rest of their †Heb. socieâ—… companies unto Artaxerxes king of Persia and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue and interpreted o Or exposed or declared The sense is It was written in the Chaldee or Syrian Language and in the Syrian Character for sometimes the Chaldee or Syrian words are written in the Hebrew Character and Hebrew words are oft written in an English Character in the Syrian tongue 8 Rehum the chancellour and Shimshai the ‖ Or secretary scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort 9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellour and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their †Chald. sociâ—… companions the Dinaites the Apharsathchites the Tarpelites the Apharsites the Archevites the Babylonians the Susanchites the Dehavites and the Elamites p Several people thus called from the several places of that vast Assyrian Empire from whence they were fetched and who were united together into one Body and sent as
who hast done great things O God who is like unto thee 20 Thou which hast shewed me great and sore trouble shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the * Psal. 63. 9. 88. 6. depths of the earth y i. e. From the Grave for I was like one Dead and buried and past all hope of Deliverance without thy Almighty assistance 21 Thou shalt encrease my greatness z I am assured that thou wilst not onely restore that Royal Majesty which my Son hath invaded to me but also increase my Honour and Power and comfort me on every side 22. I will also praise thee †Heb. with the â—…nstrument of Psaltery with the psaltery even thy truth O my God unto thee will I sing with the harp O thou holy one of Israel 23 My lips shall greatly rejoyce when I sing unto thee and my soul which thou hast redeemed 24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long for they are confounded for they are brought unto Shame that seek my hurt PSAL. LXXII A Psalm ‖ Or of for Solomon That this Psalm was made by David is Evident from v. 20. and that it was made with Respect to Solomon is no less certain from the very Title of it And that David or at least the Holy Ghost which dictated this Psalm did look beyond Solomon and unto the Messiah of whom Solomon was an Illustrious and unquestionable Type seems as manifest from divers Passages of this Psalm which do not agree to Solomon nor to any other King but the Messiah and from the Confession of the Jewish Doctors themselves who so understand it It must therefore be acknowledged that as many others are So this Psalm is also a mixt Psalm belonging to Solomon in part and obscurely and imperfectly but unto Christ more clearly and fully divers Expressions being designedly so ordered that the Reader might be led by them to the Contemplation of Christ and of his Kingdom upon this occasion Which was the more necessary for the support and Comfort of God's true Israel because the Spirit of God foresaw Solomon's dreadful Apostacy and the great Miscarriages and Calamities of his Successors and of the Kingdom under their hands and therefore was pleased to fortifie their Hearts with that glorious Condition which they should certainly enjoy under the Messiah who should certainly come 1 GIve the king a Solomon who was now anointed King his Father yet Living 1 Kings 1. â—…9 And this Psalm may seem to be made for that great and solemn Occasion thy judgments b i. e. Either 1. Thy Statutes and Precepts which are oft called God's Iudgments which as thou hast given already in thy Book so give them to him a second and a better way by writing them upon his Heart or by giving him a solid knowledge of them and an hearty Love and Obedience to them Or rather 2. Thy manner of Government or Administration â—…which is oft called Iudgment as Psal. 94. 15. Isa. 28. 6. c. that he may follow thy Example in governing thy People as thou governest them to wit in Righteousness as it follows He saith Iudgments in the plural Number because though the Office of judging and ruling was but one yet there were divers parts and Branches and Acts of it as to acquit the Innocent to Condemn the Guilty c. in all which he begs that Solomon may be directed to do as God doth or would have him to do in such Cases O God and thy righteousness c That Grace of Righteousness which is a part of thine Image and is absolutely necessary for good Government unto the kings son 2 He shall judge d To wit if thou givest him what I have desired And by this prediction he doth â—…acitly admonish him of and oblige him to the performance of his Duty herein Or Let him Iudge the Future being put for the Imperative as hath been oft observed So it is a Prayer thy people e For they are thine more than his and therefore he must not govern them according to his own Will and Pleasure but according to the Rules of thy Word and for thy Service and Glory with righteousness and thy poor f Or thy aflicted or oppressed ones for such are thine in a special manner thou art their Judge and Patron Psal. 68. 5. and hast Commanded all thy People and especially Kings and Magistrates to take a singular Care of them because they have few or no Friends with judgment 3 * See ver 16. Jer. 3. 23. The mountains g He mentioneth the Mountains and Hills as bringing forth this blessed Fruit Either because such places are usually Barren and therefore this was an Evidence of extraordinary Fruitfulness and a special blessing of God Or because they are dangerous to Passengers in Regard of the Robbers and Wild beasts which commonly abide there Whereby it is implyed that other places should do so to and that it should be common and universal shall bring peace h All manner of Prosperity and Felicity which the Hebrews frequently express by that word to the people and the little hills by righteousness 4 He shall judge i i. e. Vindicate them from their Potent oppressours as judging is used Psal. 43. 1. and oft elsewhere the poor of the people he shall save the children of the needy k Whom the Rich peradventure did seize upon for Bond-men upon some Pretence or other and shall break in pieces the oppressour 5 They shall fear l Or Reverence or Worship as this Word is used Isa. 29. 13. Compared with Mat. 15. 9. and elsewere thee m Either 1. Thee O King to whom he suddenly turneth his Speech And so this is Hyperbolically true of Solomon but truly and litterally of Christ. Or rather 2. Thee O God of whom he had spoken before and that in the second Person v. 1 2. as it is here whereas he never speaks of the King in the whole Psalm in the second Person but constantly in the third And â—…o the Sence is This shall be another blessed Fruit of this righteous Government that together with Peace true Religion shall be established and that throughout all Generations as it here follows Which was begun in Solomon's days and continued though not without Interruption in the time of his Successors the Kings of Iudah and afterwards until Christ in and by whom this Prediction and Promise was most fully accomplished Heb. With the Sun and before the Moon i. e. Whilst they continue in the Heavens Others expound it thus both Day and Night as the twelve Tribes are said to serve God Act. 26. 7. But the former Interpretation seems more probable by Comparing this Verse with v. 17. as long as the sun and moon endure * Psal. 89. 36 37. throughout all generations 6 * Hos. 6. 3. He shall come down n To wit
Particle is sometimes put indefinitely Or Then when thou didst set David in the Throne thou spakest in vision t Which then was the usual way by which God spake to the Prophets Numb 12. 6. to thy holy one u To thy holy Prophets the singular number being put for the plural especially to Samuel and Nathan for part of the following message was delivered to the former and part to the latter and saidst I have laid help x I have provided help and relief for my people which I have put into safe hands upon one that is mighty y Upon a person of singular courage and wisdom and every way fit for so great a charge I have exalted one chosen out of the people z One whom I have pickt and chosen out of all the people as the fittest for the Kingly Office one enriched with eminent gifts and graces c. 20 * 〈◊〉 16. â—… I have found a This is spoken of God figuratively after the manner of men to imply the great scarcity of such persons and the difficulty of finding them out David my servant with my holy oyl b Both with material oyl 1 Sam. 16. 13. 2 Sam. 5. 3. and with the gifts and graces of my holy Spirit which are oft signified by oyl or unction as Psal. 45. 8. compared with Heb. 1. 9. Isai. 61. 3. 1 Ioh. 2. 20 27. have I anointed him 21 * 〈◊〉 8â—… 17. With whom my hand shall be established c i. e. Constantly abide to protect and assist him mine arm also shall strengthen him 22 * 〈◊〉 â—… 10. The enemy shall not exact upon him d Not conquer him or make him tributary Or shall not deceive or circumvent him as this word is used Gen. 3. 13. 2 Kings 18. 29. nor the son of wickedness afflict him e To wit so as to overthrow or destroy him 23 And I will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him 24 But my * 〈◊〉 61. 7. faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him f Faithfulness in making good all my promises to him and mercy either in doing more for him than I have promised or in pardoning his sins for which I might justly make him to know my breach of promise and in my name g By my favour and help shall his horn be exalted 25 I will set his hand h i. e. Establish his power and dominion also in the sea i The midland Sea and his right hand in the rivers k To wit Euphrates called Rivers in the Plural Number as Nilus also is Isai. 18. 1. Ezek. 29. 3 4. in regard of divers branches of it and rivers which flow into it So here is a description of the utmost bounds of the promised land Exod. 23. 31. Numb 34. 3. to which the Israelitish power was extended by David and Solomon 26 He shall cry unto me Thou art my father l He shall find me to be a true and a kind father to him and shall familiarly and confidently make his addresses to me as such for all necessary supplies and assistances which Parents willingly afford to their children as need requires my God and the rock of my salvation 27 Also I will make him my first-born m As he calls me father v. 26. so I will make him my son yea my first-born who had divers priviledges above other sons This and the following passage in some sort agree to David who may well be called Gods first-born as all the people of Israel are Exod. 4. 22. and so is â—…raim Ier 31. 9. Nor can I see fit wholly to exclude David here of whom all the foregoing and following Verses may and some of them must be understood But this is more fully and properly accomplished in Christ and seems to be ascribed to David here as a type of Christ and that our minds might be led through David to him whom David represented even to the Messias to whom alone this doth strictly and literally belong higher than the kings of the earth n This also was in some sort accomplished in David partly because he had a greater power and dominion than any of the Neighbouring Kings yea than any other Kings of his age and in those parts of the world except the Assyrian Monarch nor is the expression here universal but indefinite and if it had been said higher than all the Kings yet even such universal expressions admit of some limitation or exception as is manifest and confessed and partly because David had many priviledges wherein he did excel all other Kings of the Earth of his Age without exception which probably he did in the honour and renown which he got by his military atchievements and by that wisdom and justice wherewith he managed all his Dominions but certainly he did in this that he was a King chosen and advanced by the immediate order and appointment of God himself that he was set over Gods own peculiar and beloved people that he was intrusted with the care and Patronage of the true Religion and the worship of God in the World and especially that he was not onely an eminent type but also the Progenitor of the Messias who is King of kings and Lord of lords and God blessed for ever 28 * Isai. 55. 3. My mercy o Declared and promised to him and his Seed as it here follows will I keep with him for evermore and my covenant p Of which see 2 Sam. 7. 12 13 c. shall stand fast with him 29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever q i. e. To sit upon the Throne for ever as the next words explain it This was accomplished onely in Christ the eternal King of the Church and of the World who was of Davids Seed according to the flesh and his throne as the days of heaven r i. e. For ever as he now said as long as the World shall have a being It shall be as unchangeable and durable as the Heavens themselves which are of an incorruptible nature See the like expression Deut. 11. 21. Ier. 31. 35 36. 30 If his children forsake my law s Of this and the two next Verses see the notes on 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. and walk not in my judgments 31 If they †Heb. profane my statutes break my statutes and keep not my commandments t By this variety of expressions he implies that God will pardon not onely their lesser but even their greater sins 32 Then * 2 Sam. 7. 14. will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes 33 Nevertheless my loving kindness u My mercy promised to David * Heb. I will not make void from him will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness †Heb. to lie to fail 34 My covenant will I not break nor
more solid knowledge and constant performance of thy precepts quicken me p Do thou preserve and maintain both my natural and spiritual life in thy righteousness q According to thy justice or faithfulness which obligeth thee to make good thy promises VAU 41 Let thy mercies come also unto me r Let promised mercies be performed to me O LORD even thy salvation according to thy * Ver. 49. word 42 ‖ Or so shall I answer him that reproveth me in a thing So shall I have wherewithal to answer him that reproacheth me s That chaâ—…geth me with folly for my piety and trust in thy promises for I trust in thy word t Or because I trust c. This was the matter of their reproach 43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth t Do not deal so with me that I shall be altogether ashamed to mention thy word which I have so often affirmed to be a word of truth and infallible certainty of which I have often made my boast for I have hoped in thy judgments u Either in thy word and promises or in thy judicial administrations and government of the world which as it is matter of terrour to the wicked so it is matter of comfort and hope to me 44 So shall I keep thy law continually x So shall I be obliged and encouraged to the constant and perpetual study and observation of thy Laws for ever and ever 45 And I will walk †Heb. at large at liberty y Or I shall walk at large as it is in the margent I shall be delivered from all my present straits both of the outward and inward man and enjoy great freedom and comfort in thy ways for I seek thy precepts 46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings z Who commonly entertain all godly discourses with scorn and contempt and will not be ashamed 47 And I will delight my self in thy commandments a Whereas other Princes place their delight in the glories and vanities of this world and the study and practice of Religion is generally irksom and loathsom to them thy Law shall be my chief delight and recreation which I have loved 48 * Gen. 14. 2â—… 23. Exod. 6. 8. My hands also will I lift up b To lay hold upon them to receive and embrace thy precepts and promises by faith and love and chearfully and vigorously to put them in practice for as the hanging down of the hands is a gesture of sloth and listlesness as 2 Chron. 15. 7. and elsewhere so the lifting up of the hands is the posture of a man entring upon action as Gen. 41. 44. 2 Sam. 20. 21. unto thy commandments which I have loved and I will meditate in thy statutes c My deepest thoughts as well as my hands shall be exercised in them ZAIN 49 Remember the word d Thy promises unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope e By thy command requiring it of me and by thy grace working it in me 50 This f To wit thy word as is evident both from the foregoing and following words is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me g Hath preserved my life in manifold dangers and hath revived and cheared my spirit 51 The proud have had me greatly in derision h For my godliness and trust in thy word as the following words imply yet have I not declined from thy law 52 I remembred thy judgments of old i Thy former and ancient dispensations to the children of men in punishing the ungodly and protecting and delivering thy faithful servants whose experience is my encouragement O LORD and have comforted my self 53 Horrour k A mixed passion made up of indignation at their persons as sinful and abhorrency of their sins and dread and sorrow at the consideration of the judgments of God coming upon them hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law l For the dishonour which they bring to God the scandal and mischief to others and their own certain ruine 54 Thy statutes have been my songs m The matter of my songs my delight and recreation in the house of my pilgrimage n Either 1. in this present world which I do not owne for my home wherein I am a stranger and pilgrim as all my fathers were Psal. 39. 13. Comp. Gen. 47. 9. Or 2. in mine exile and in the wildernesses and other places where I have been oft forced to wander when I was banished from all my friends and from the place of thy Worship and had no other support or comfort but the remembrance of thy statutes 55 I have remembred thy Name o Thy holy Nature and Attributes thy blessed Word and thy wonderful Works all which come under the title of Gods Name O LORD in the night p When darkness causeth fear in others I took pleasure in remembring thee and when others abandon all business and wholly give themselves up to rest and sleep my thoughts and affection were working towards thee and have kept thy law q This was the fruit of my serious remembrance of thee 56 This r This comfortable and profitable remembrance and contemplation of thy name and statutes of which he spoke v. 54 55. I had because I kept thy precepts s Which if I had wilfully and wickedly broken the remembrance of these things would have been sad and frightful to me as now it is comfortable because I kept them CHETH 57 * 〈◊〉 142. 5. Thou art my portion t Whereas other men place their portion and happiness in worldly things I have chosen thee for my portion and chief treasure as he said Psal. 16. 5. 73. 26. and thou hast an all-sufficient and an excellent portion for me O LORD I have said u I have not onely purposed it in my own heart but have professed and owne it before others and I do not repent of it that I would keep thy words 58 I intreated thy †〈◊〉 face favour x Thy gracious presence and merciful assistance as it follows with my whole heart be merciful unto me according to thy word 59 I thought on my ways y I seriously considered both my former counsels and courses that I might be humbled for my past errours and might now amend them and my duty in all my future actions and turned my feet unto thy testimonies z And finding that my feet had too often swerved from thy rule I turned them to it And although the ways of sinful pleasure and advantage were presented to my mind yet I rejected them and turned my self wholly to thy ways 60 I made haste and delayed not a Being fully convinced of the necessity and excellency of obedience I presently resolved upon it and
is usual 11 * Psal. 89. 3 4. â—…3 c. The LORD hath sworn in truth y Not falsly or deceitfully as men sometimes do but sincerely and faithfully what he will inviolably observe and fulfil as the next clause expounds this unto David he will not turn from it * 2 Sam. 7. 12. 1 Kings 8. 25. 2 Chr. 6. 16. Luke 1. 69. Acts 2. 30. Of the fruit of †Heb. thy belly thy body z Some of thy posterity will I set upon thy throne 12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them their children also shall sit upon my throne for evermore 13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion a Not strictly but largely taken either for the whole mountain whereof Zion and Moriah were two parts or tops or for Ierusalem which was in a great part built upon Mount Zion whence it is oft called Zion as hath been noted again and again For he speaks here of that place which he chose to be his rest for ever as it follows v. 14. which unequestionably was the Temple whence also it appears that this Psalm was not written by David nor before the building of the Temple he hath desired it for his habitation 14 * Psal. 68. 16. This is my rest for ever here will I dwell b I will no more wander to several places as I have done but here I have fixed my abode for I have desired it 15 * Psal. 147. 14. I will ‖ Or surely abundantly bless her provision c I will plentifully provide for Ierusalem and all that live in her or resort to her for Worship nor shall they seek my face in vain I will satisfie her poor with bread 16 I * 2 Chr. 6. 41. will also cloath her priests with salvation d With my saving graces and blessings with righteousness as thou didst desire v. 9. and moreover with that protection and benediction which by my promise belongs to righteous persons and her saints shall shout aloud for joy 17 * Ezek. 29. 21. Luke 1. 69. There e In Ierusalem the seat of the Kingdom and which is no small advantage to that family the onely place of my presence and worship in the world will I make the horn of David to bud f His power and glory to flourish and increase and to be propagated to his posterity I have ordained a ‖ Or candle See 1 Kings 11. 36. lamp g A successor or succession to continue for ever in his family as this phrase is expounded 1 Kings 11. 36. 15. 4. and particularly one eminent and glorious light to wit the Messias who shall come out of his loyns and revive and vastly enlarge his Kingdom for mine anointed 18 His enemies will I cloath with shame h For the shameful and unexpected disappointment of all their vain hopes and wicked designs but upon himself i Upon him and his posterity which are nothing else but a mans self multiplied shall his crown flourish PSAL. CXXXIII A song of degrees of David This Psalm was composed by David upon the happy occasion of the ending of the Civil Wars between the two Houses of Saul and David In which having felt the sad effects of discord and division both the King and People were more sensible of the great blessing of reconciliation and unity 1 BEhold how good and how pleasant it is a You have been harassed by a Civil War take notice of this blessed change with thankfulness to God for it for brethren b For us who are brethren not onely by nature and blood but also by combination in one and the same Commonwealth and by the profession of the same Religion to dwell †Heb. 〈◊〉 together together in unity 2 It is like the * Exod. 30. 25 30. precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard c It is no less grateful and refreshing than that oyl which was plentifully poured forth upon Aarons head at the time of his Consecration to the Priestly Office which was exceeding pleasant not onely for the extraordinary fragrancy of it but because by this together with the other Rites prescribed he was initiated into that sacred Office which was so acceptable to God and so comfortable and beneficial to the people as being the happy instrument of making atonement to God for them and of procuring and maintaining their peace with God upon which all their happiness of this life and of the next depends that went down to the ‖ Or â—…ollar skirts d Or skirt for the Hebrew word is of the Singular number Not to the lower skirt or bottom of his Sacerdotal garment for that the sacred Oyl was poured forth in so great plenty is not probable nor was it necessary or convenient but to the upper skirt of it or the mouth of it as this Hebrew word properly signifies or to the collâ—…r of his upper Priestly garment which the oyntment falling upon his beard might easily reach of his garments 3 As the dew of * 〈◊〉 4. 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hermon e It is no less grateful than the dew is which fâ—…lls upon that great and goodly hill of Hermon whereby it is both refreshed and made fruitful and as the dew that ‖ 〈◊〉 25. 21. descended upon the mountains of Zion f And as the dew which falleâ—…h upon the mountains of Sion i. e. either upon the several parts and ridges or tops of that mountain whereof one was peculiarly called Sion and another Moriah or upon the mountains which are round about Ierusalem Psal. 125. 2. which is oft called Zion as Psal. 132. 13. And these may be opposed to Hermon which was remote and beyond Iordan But peradventure which yet I propose with all submission this dew is not to be taken literally for the falling of the dew availed very little to the refreshment or improvement of the hills of Sion and Moriah especially as now they were filled with buildings but Allegorically for the favour or blessing of God which is frequently called and compared to the dew as Prov. 19. 12. Isa. 18. 4. Hos. 14. 5. Mich. 5. 7. And thus it may seem to be explained in the following clause and so the sence of the place is this It is as desirable as the natural dew which falls upon mount Hermon nay which is more as that blessed and heavenly dew of Gods ordinances and graces which he hath commanded to fall upon the mountains of Sion i. e. either upon mount Sion the Plural number being put for the Singular as it is Psal. 132. 7. and oft elsewhere as I have observed in several places or upon the mountains of Zion and Moriah and others which are round about Ierusalem as was now said And if it seem strange that the dew should be taken literally in the first
and countenance as Psal. 10. 4. In whose heart Pride rules is an abomination to the LORD though hand join in hand n Though they have many Friends and Assistants See the same Phrase Prov. 11. 21. he shall not be †〈…〉 unpunished 6 By mercy and truth o Either 1. By Gods Mercy or Grace and by his truth in performing his Promises made to sinners in Christ. Or 2 By mens Mercy and Truth as those very words are jointly used Prov. 3. 3. 20 28. and elsewhere and as in the following clause the fear of the Lord is a Grace or Disposition in men by a merciful and just and faithful frame of heart and course of Life which are here opposed to Sacrifices as mercy is Hos. 6. 6. by which the hypocritical Jews expected to obtain the expiation of their sins iniquity is †〈…〉 purged p Not meritoriously but instrumentally as they qualifie a man to offer up acceptable Prayers to God for the Pardon of his sins and to receive and apply to himself that pardon which Christ by his Blood hath purchased for all sincere Believers who are filled with Mercy and Truth and other Graces and by the fear of the LORD q By a filial Reverence or Respect unto God and by an holy fear of offending God and by a dread of Gods judgments men depart from evil r They are kept from abusing pardoning Mercy and from returning to Folly or Wickedness So he sheweth that Justification and Sanctification are constant and inseparable Companions 7 When a mans ways please the LORD he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him s By disposing their hearts to kindness towards him 8 * Psal. 37. 16. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right t This was in effect said before Prov. 15. 16. and is here repeated partly because of the great importance and usefulness of this truth and partly because men are very hardly brought to a serious belief of it 9 * Ver. 1. A mans heart deviseth his way u Considers and proposeth to himself what he will do but the LORD directeth his steps x Over-ruleth and disposeth all their designs and actions as he pleaseth and not as they list 10 †Heb. diviâ—… A divine sentence y Heb. Divination which is somtimes taken in a good sense for Prudence as it is Isa. 3. 2. A great sagacity and piercing judgment to discern dubious and difficult cases is z Or should be for the verb is wanting in the Hebrew and this may be supplied as well as is And he seems not so much to speak of the matter of Fact as if it were thus in all Kings which is notoriously and confessedly untrue as of the duty of Kings in whom Wisdom is a necessary qualification For thus the two following Proverbs concerning Kings v. 12. 13. must be understood otherwise they are repugnant to common Experience in the lips of the king a Either 1. Of wise Kings who onely are worthy of that Name and Office King being here put for a wise King as a Name is put for a good Name and a Woman for a good Woman Eccles. 7. 28. and then this is true in fact as it was in David 2 Sam. 14. 17. and in Solomon 1 Kin. 3. 28. Or 2. Of Kings in general in the sense before given for seeing the word is generally expressed without any limitation both here and v 12 13. it may seem presumption to confine it to those few Kings which are or were wise and good * Chap. 20. 8. his mouth transgresseth not b Or Shall or should not transgress or go beyond the bounds of Religion and Justice in judgment 11 * Lev. 19. 36. Chap. 11. 1. A just weight and balance are the LORD's c Are Gods work as it follows made by his direction and appointment so as no man can corrupt or alter them without violating Gods Rights and Authority and incurring his displeasure †Heb. all the stones all the weights d Heb. the stones which they then used as weights See on Prov. 11. 1. of the bag are his work 12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness e They should not onely abstain from all wicked practices but abhor them both in their own persons and in all their servants and subjects It is too plain that he speaks not of the common practice but of the duty of Kings as on v. 10. And such affirmative expressions are oft used in Scripture to express mens duty onely as 1 Cor. 6. 19. your body is i. e. should be the temple c. and 7. 32. careth c. i. e. ought to care for * Ch. 20. 28. 25. 5. 29. 14. the throne is established by righteousness f And which is implied weakned and sometimes overthrown by unrighteousness and therefore this is necessary for their own security and happiness 13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings g All wise and good Kings do and all Kings should delight in employing such Counsellors Judges and Officers under them as are just and faithful in their Counsels and Sentences and Actions because such bring great honour and advantage to them and they love him that speaketh right 14 * Ch. 19. 12 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death h Is as terrible as if many Messengers were sent to denounce the sentence of death and to execute it but a wise man will pacifie it i Will use all prudent and lawful means to pacifie it 15 In the light of the kings countenance is life k His Favour and smiling Countenance is most sweet and refreshing especially to him that was under a Sentence of death v. 14. and * Ch. 19. 12. his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain l As acceptable as those clouds which brings the latter Rain whereby the fruits are filled and ripened a little before the Harvest of which see Deut. 11. 14. Iob 29. 23. Iam. 5. 7. 16 * Ch. 8. 11 19. How much better m It is inexpressibly and unconceivably better as this Phrase implies Psal. 31. 19. 36. 7. 92. 5. c. is it to get wisdom than gold n Because it brings a man more certain and compleat and lasting comfort and advantage and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver 17 The high-way of the upright o Their common road in which they constantly purpose and desire and customarily use to walk although somtimes through frailty or temptation they slip into the by-paths of sin is to depart from evil p From the evil of sin and consequently from the evil of punishment he that keepeth his way q That takes heed to walk in that high-way preserveth his soul r From that mischief which befalls those that walk
that Christ though he withdrew himself from her yet left a sweet savour behind him inâ—…using into her and stirâ—…ing up in her the Graces of the Spirit such as Repentance which is bitter as Myrrhe earnest desire after Christ c. and my fingers with †Heb. passing or running about Nah. 1. 8. Heb. sweet smelling myrrhe upon the handles of the lock t Heb. with 〈◊〉 passing or flowing upon the handles of the lock which place the Bridegroom had touched when he attempted to open it 6 I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself u Denied me his gracious and comfortable presence as a just punishment for my former neglect and â—…olly and was gone x Either she repeats the same thing to shew how deeply she was affected with it Or this is added to imply that he had not only stepped aside but was quite gone away my soul failed y Heb. went out of me I fainted and was ready to die away through excessive passion as this Phrase is used Gen. 35. 18. 42. 28. and elsewhere when he spake z Or for what he spoke for those endearing Expressions related v. 2. which then I did not heed but this sad occasion brings them to my remembrance as oft times that word which is ineffectual when it is preached is afterwards brought to a mans Mind and produceth blessed effects I * Ch. 3. 1. sought him a By diligent enquiry and importunate Prayer but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no answer b That so he might both chastise her folly and quicken her desires and prepare the way for a more hearty welcome and his longer abode with her 7 The watch-men that went about the city c The Governours of the Church as Ch. 3. 3. who though by their place and office they be obliged to comfort and protect the faithful do frequently discourage and oppress them as they manifestly did both in the days of Isaiah and Ieremiah and the other holy Prophets and in the time of Christ and his Apostles and in divers other Ages found me they smote me they wounded me d With bitter Calumnies and Persecutions the keepers of the walls e The same with the Watch-men whose Office it is to keep the Gates and Walls of the City took away my vail f Which was an ornament of her Sex Isa. 3. 23. and a badge of her Modesty Gen. 24. 65. or an ensign of her Relation and Subjection to Christ Gen. 20. 16. 1 Cor. 11. 5. And so the taking of this Veil away signifies their contemptuous and injurious usage of her their endeavours to blast her Reputation and to represent and treat her as a common and impudent prostitute and as one that had no Relation to Christ. from me 8 I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem g Of whom see on ch 1. 5. 2. 7. The Church having passed the Watch-men and patiently born and in a manner forgotten their injuries proceeds in the pursuit of her beloved and enquires of every particular Believer or Professor whom she meets concerning him if ye find my beloved †Heb. what that ye tell him that I am sick of love h That I am ready to faint for want of his presence and the tokens of his Favour Use all your interest and importunity with him on my behalf 9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved i Wherein doth he excel them Which Professors of Religion might ask because they were ignorant of Christs Excellency and true Believers might ask it that they might be more fully informed of it and might give the Spouse occasion to discourse of that subject which was very grateful to them * Ch. 1. 8. O thou fairest among women k Whose Beauty may command the Respects and Affections of the most worthy persons and therefore we conclude it must be some person of transcendent excellency with whom thou are so highly enamoured What is thy beloved more than another beloved that thou dost so charge us 10 My beloved is white and ruddy l Which two colours rightly mixed together make a Face beautiful Or the white may note his pure and spotless Innocency and the brightness of his Glory and Majesty and the ruddy colour may intimate his bloody passion which made him amiable both to God and Men. †Heb. a standard-bearer or taller than ten thousand the chiefest m Heb. the standard bearer for such are usually persons of great Eminency both for Stature and Courage and Dignity among ten thousand n Among all persons Angels or Men. A certain number is put for an uncertain There are other Kings and Priests and Prophets but none to be compared with him 11 His head is as the most fine gold o It shines like Gold not in respect of the Hair which is black as it followeth but by reason of his Crown of pure Gold upon his Head Rev. 14. 14 Whereby she implies that her Bridegroom was a King which she declared above ch 3. 11. his locks p In which a part of Mans Beauty consists I shall not trouble my Reader with a distinct application of this and the following particulars unto some special part or excellency of Christ because such things are meer conjectures without any solid grounds and the only design of this description seems to be this to set forth the beauty of Christ under the notion of a most compleat and amiable person in whom there is no defect nor blemish from the crown of his Head to the sole of his Feet are ‖ Or curled bushy and black as a raven q Which is mentioned partly because this was esteemed a beauty and partly because it was an evidence of his Youth and vigor as grey hairs are characters of age and infirmity Hos. 7. 9. 12 * Ch. 1. 15. 4. 1. His eyes are as the eyes of doves r Lovely and pleasant chaste and innocent by the rivers of waters s Where they delight to abide and wherewith they bath themselves and wash their Eyes where also their Eyes are most lively and beautiful both by the reflection of the waters and from that pleasure which they take in such places washed with milk t Which may belong either 1. To the Eyes which are supposed to be washed with water as white and pure as Milk Or 2. To the Doves which are intimated to be of a milk-white colour which in those parts was most esteemed which colour also made the Eyes appear more lovely and †Heb. sitting in fulness that is fitly placed set as a precious stone in the soil of a Ring fitly set u Neither sinking into the Head nor standing out too much but in a moderate and comely scituation Heb. sitting in fullness which may note a full and competently large Eye which is esteemed one
very dust of the ground was which about or under the feet of those whom they adored and thou shalt know that I am the LORD for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me g Their hopes and expectatioâ—… shall not be disappointed but abundantly satisfied e Kings and Queens shall have a sincere affection and tender regard unto thee and thy Children which was in some sort fulfilled by Cyrus Ahashuerus and some few others of the Persian Kings or Queens but much more truly and fully by those many Kings and Emperours of the Gentile world which after Christs time did both themselves embrace the true Religion and also set it up in their several Dominions 24. Shall the prey bee taken from the mighty h Here he starteth an objection against the forementioned promises How can Gods Church be delivered when she is become a prey to and is in the hands of her most potent enemies or †Heb. the capâ—… of the west the lawfull captive delivered i He who was taken Captive in a just War as Gods People might in some sort be said to be because God himself had delivered them into their enemies hands and that justly for their sins So here is a double impediment to their deliverance out of their Corporal and Spiritual bondage the great Power of the enemy which kept them in bnodage and the Justice of God which pleads against them and against their deliverance 25. But thus sayth the LORD Even the †Heb. the captivity captives of the mightie shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered for I l I the Almighty God will undertake thy quarrel and this work and therefore it must necessarily be accomplished will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will save thy children k Or of the violent which is opposed to the lawful Captive in the foregoing verse and it is hereby intimated that although God was just in delivering them into Captivity yet their oppressors were guilty of injustice and violence both in desiring and indeavouring to keep them in perpetual bondage beyond the seventy years which God had fixed and in their cruel usage of them 26. And I will feed them that oppresse thee with their own flesh m I will make them eat their own Flesh either through hunger as Levit. 26. 29. Isa. 9. 20. or through rage and madness Or I will make thine enemies to destroy one another and that greedily and with delight as the next clause implies All their enemies are here represented as one body and so when one part of them devoured another it was their own flesh that was destroyed and they shall be drunken with their own * Rev. 14. 20 and 16. 6. blood as with ‖ Or new wine sweet wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the mighty One of Jacob. CHAP. L. 1 THus saith the LORD a This is another Sermon begun here and continued in the next Chapter The main scope of it is to vindicate Gods Justice and to convince the Jews that they were the causes of all their calamities which they imputed to God Where * Hos. 2. 2. is the bill of your mothers divorcement b God had formerly espoused the Israelites to himself in a kind of Matrimonial Covenant but seemed to cast them off when he sent them to Babylon and did wholly reject them afterward from being his People and took the Gentiles into their stead which great and wonderful change was foretold in the Old Testament as hath been already observed and we shall see again and accomplished in the New And because God foresaw that those strange dispensations would provoke the Jews to murmur and quarrel with God for casting them off without sufficient cause as indeed they were always prone to accuse God and to vindicate themselves he bids them produce their Bill of divorce For those Husbands which put away their Wives meerly out of Levity or Passion were obliged to give their Wives a Bill of divorce which vindicated the Wives Innocency and declared that the Husbands Will and Pleasure was the cause of the Divorce of which see the notes on Deut. 24. 1. Mat. 19. 3. whom I have put away or which of my * See 2 Kings 4. 1. creditors is it to whom I have sold you c Have I any creditors to whom I was obliged or willing to sell you for the payment of my Debts Produce then the Bill of sale to witness against me Parents might and in some cases were forced to â—…ll their Children to their Creditors of which see on Exod. 21. 7. 2 Kin. 4. 1. Behold for your Iniquities have ye sold your selves and for your transgressions is your mother put away d You can blame none but your selves and your own sins for all your captivities and miseries 2 Wherefore e The general Accusation delivered in the last words he now proveth by particular Instances when I came f When I first by my Prophets and at last by my Son came unto them to call them to Repentance and to redeem and deliver them as it is explained in the following clauses of this verse was there no man g That regarded and received me that complied with my Call and Offer of Grace as it follows Whereby he implies that the Generality of the Jews were guilty of gross Infidelity and obstinate Disobedience and therefore might justly be rejected when I called h Called them to Repentance or to come unto me or to do my Will as Masters call their Servants was there none to answer i To come at my Call to obey my Commands * Num. 11. 23. Ch. 59. 1. Is my hand shortned at all that it cannot redeem Or have I no power to deliver k What is the reason of this horrible contempt and Rebellion Is it because you expect no good from me but think that I am either unwilling or unable to save you Because you see no Miracles wrought for you to save you from the Babylonians and because my Son your Messiah cometh not with Pomp and Power as you expect but in the form of a Servant poor and exposed to contempt and death do you therefore believe that my power to deliver you is less than it was Behold * Nah. 1. 4. at my rebuke I * Ex. 14. 21. dry up m Heb. I will dry up or I can dry up the future verb being put potentially As I did it once so I can and will do it again when occasion requires it the sea I make the * Josh. 3. 16. rivers a wilderness n As dry and fit for travel as a Wilderness their fish stinketh because there is no water and dieth for thirst l This Phrase is borrowed from Psal. 106. 9. and it is used Mat. 8. 26. At my