9 King Solomon made himself a ‖ 〈◊〉 bâ—…d chariot g In which the Royal Bridegroom and Bride might ride together in state as the manner was in the nuptial solemnities of such Persons By this Chariot he seems to understand the Word of Christ dispensed by his Ministers in the Church whereby both Christ is exalted and rides triumphantly in the World conquering his Enemies and subduing the World to the Obedience of the Gospel and all Believers are carried with safety and comfort through this present evil World into those blessed Mansions of heavenly Glory of the wood of Lebanon h i. e. Of Cedars for which Lebanon was famous which wood being incorruptible doth fitly signifie the Word of the Gospel which endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 25. and is called the everlasting Gospel Rev. 14. 6. in opposition to the Legal institutions which were to continue onely until the time of reformation as we read Heb. 9. 10. 10 He made the pillars thereof i Whereby the Chariot is either supported or adorned Which may signifie either 1. Ministers who are called Pillars Gal. 2. 9. and that of silver because they are or should be pure and precious like silver Or 2. The firmness and certainty of Christs Word both of his Doctrines and Promises which also are pure as silver Psal. 12. 6. Although there is no necessity that either this or the following particulars should be distinctly applied to several things in or about the Gospel but this in the general may suffice that as all these particulars are added to shew the perfection and Beauty of the Chariot so they do imply that Christs word is every way amiable and perfect and able to make the man of God perfect of silver the ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bottom k Either 1. The couch or seat which was made of or covered with cloath of Gold Or 2. The under and lower part which was at least covered with pure Gold Whereby he may seem to understand the foundation of the Word and Promises which is either Gods Covenant or Christs Mediation in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen thereof of gold the covering l Either 1. The curtains whereby Persons in the Chariot are covered or hid from the sight of the People Or rather 2. The uppermost part of it either in the outside or the inside of it Some render the word the seat or seats of it of purple m Which represents Christs Blood which is our Propitiatory or covering to shelter us from Gods Wrath. the midst n The inward parts especially those between the upper and lower parts which have been already mentioned thereof being paved o Covered and adorned with love p With beautiful and lovely Ornaments such as curious Embroidery enriched with Gold and precious stones Love being here put for lovely Objects as Fear is oft put for terrible things as hath been oft noted Whereby we may understand the Love of Christ to the Sons of Men or his lovely Life and Death and Resurrection c. which is the most amiable part and matter of the Word or Gospel †Heb. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the daughters of Jerusalem q For their delight and comfort who are all concerned and bear a part in this Marriage 11 Go forth r The Bride to wit the Church bids particular believers go forth to see this sight Whereby is implied that Christians must go out of the World to wit in affection and out of themselves by denying themselves and putting off the old man their corrupt Nature if they desire to see and enjoy Christ. O ye daughters of Zion s The same with daughters of Ierusalem for Zion and Ierusalem are oft times promiscuously used in Scripture and behold king Solomon t Looking in and through him upon the Messias who is the King of Peace and of whom Solomon was an illustrious Type with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him u Which being applied to Solomon may design either 1. The Crown Royal wherewith his Mother Bathsheba is said to have crowned him because Solomon was crowned by David's Order upon her suggestion and by vertue of his Promise confirmed by an Oath to her 1 Kin. 1. 16 c. Or 2. That Garland or Crown which was usually worn in nuptial solemnities as may be gathered from Ezek. 16. 12. and is expresly affirmed by divers ancient Writers But being applied to Christ it notes that Honour and Glory which was given to him which though principally done by his Father yet is here ascribed to his Mother i. e. to the universal Church or Congregation of Believers which in respect of his Humanity may be called his Mother partly because he was born in and of her and one of her Members and therefore was subject to her Institutions whence she is represented as a Woman in travel bringing sorth a Man-child to wit Christ Rev. 12. 1 5. and partly because in a Spiritual sense she is said to conceive and bring forth Christ in particular Believers Gal. 4. 19. And this Mother may be said to crown Christ both because it is the great design and business of the Church to advance Christs honour in the World and because she brings forth Believers whom Christ esteems as his Crown and Glory as God calls them Isa. 62. 3. in the day of his espousals x When the Church is betrothed or married to him Ier. 2. 2. Hos. 2. 19. 2 Cor. 11. 2. which is done when the Covenant is made or confirmed between them or when faithful persons are converted and united to Christ and more compleatly when they are received by Christ into his more full and immediate fellowship in the Kingdom of Glory and in the day of the gladness of his heart y When he rejoiceth over his Bride as the Phrase is used Isa. 62. 5. So this is the same thing expressed in other words The Conversion and Salvation of sinners is the joy of Christ as appears from Isa. 53. 11. Luk. 15. 32. and many other places of Scripture CHAP. IV. 1 * Ch. 1. 15. 5. 12. BEhold a These and the following words are evidently spoken by the Bridegroom to and concerning his Spouse thou art fair b Not in thy self but by my beauty being cloathed with my Righteousness and adorned with all the Graces of my Spirit which I acknowledg to be in thee my love behold thou art fair c He repeats it both to confirm the Truth of his Assertion and to shew the sincerity and fervency of his Affection to her thou hast doves eyes d Thou art harmless chaste c. as appears by thine Eyes which commonly discover the temper of the Mind or Person See more of this Phrase Ch. 1. 15. And whereas the beauty of the Spouse is here described in her several parts we need not labour much about the Application of each particular to some
the son of his old age d Being born when Iacob was Ninety one years old Such Children are commonly best beloved by their Parents either because such are a singular blessing of God and a more then common testimony of his favour and a mercy least expected by them and therefore most prized or because they have more pleasing conversation with them and less experience of their misbehaviour of which the elder oft times are guilty whereby they alienate their Parents affections from them The antient Translations Chaldee Persian Arabick and Samaritan render the words thus a wise or prudent son old age being oft mentioned as a token of prudence one born old one wise above his years one that had a gray head as we say upon green shoulders This may seem the more probable both because Ioseph was indeed such a Child and gave good evidence of it in a prudent observation of his brethrens trespasses and a discreet choice of the fittest remedy for them and because the reason here alledged seems proper and peculiar to Ioseph whereas in the other sense it belongs more to Benjamin who was younger then Ioseph and cost his Mother dearer and therefore might upon that account claim a greater interest in his Fathers affections and he made him a coat of many ‖ Or pieces Judg. 5. 30. 2 Sam. 13. 18. colours e Probably made of threds of divers colours interwoven together Compare 2 Sam. 13. 18. This he gave him as a token of his special love and of the rights of the first-born which being justly taken from Reuben he conferred upon Ioseph 1 Chron. 5. 1. 4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more then all his brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him f Their hatred was so deep and keen that they could not smother it as for their own interest they should have done but discovered it by their churlish words and carriages to him 5 And Joseph dreamed a dream g Which it is probable he did not understand for then he would never have told it to them who as he knew very well were likely to make an evil construction and use of it and he told it his brethren and they hated him yet the more 6 And he said unto them Hear I pray you this dream which I have dreamed 7 For * chap. 42. 6 9. and 43. 26. and 44. 14. behold we were binding sheaves in the field h A secret insinuation of the occasion of Iosephs advancement which was from his counsel and care about the Corn of Egypt and lo my sheaf arose and also stood upright and behold your sheaves stood round about i This was a posture of ministry and service as is manifest both from Scripture and from common usage and made obeisance to my sheaf 8 And his brethren said to him shalt thou indeed reign over us or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us and they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words ‖ For his relation of his dreams which they imputed to his arrogancy 9 And he dreamed yet another dream k That the repetition of the same thing in another shape might teach them that the thing was both certain and very observable and told it his brethren and said Behold I have dreamed a dream more and behold * chap. 46. 29. the Sun and the Moon l These were not mentioned in the first dream because in the event his brethren onely went at first to Egypt and there worshipped him as afterwards his father went with them Obj. His father did not worship him in Egypt Ans. 1. He did worship him mediately by his sons who in their fathers name and stead bowed before him and by the presents which he sent as testimonies of that respect which he owed to him 2. It is probable that Iacob did before the Egyptians pay that reverence to his son which all the rest did and which was due to the dignity of his place As the Roman Consul was commended by his Father for requiring him to alight from his horse as the rest did when he met him upon the way and the eleven stars made obeisance to me 10 And he told it to his father and to his brethren and his father rebuked him m Not through anger at Ioseph or contempt of his dream for it follows he observed it but partly lest Ioseph should be puffed up upon the account of his dreams and principally to allay the envy and hatred of his brethren and said unto him What is this dream that thou hast dreamed shall I and thy mother ‖ Either 1. Rachâ—… who was now dead and therefore must rise again and worship thee whence he may seem to infer the idleness of the dream because the fulfilling it was impossible or rather 2. Leah his step-mother one that filled his mothers place being now Iacobs onely wife and the mother of the Family and thy brethren indeed come to bowe down our selves to thee to the earth 11 And his brethren envied him but his father * Dâ—… 7. 28. Luk. 2. 19 51. observed the saying n The words of Ioseph or the thing the dream which he told well knowing that God did frequently at that time signifie his mind by dreams and perceiving something singular and extraordinary in this dream and especially in the doubling of it 12 And his brethren went to feed their fathers flock in Shechem o In the parts adjoyning to Shechem in the lands which he had purchased there Gen. 33. 19. Let none think strange that he should send his sheep so far from him both because that land was his own and because his sheep being exceeding numerous and he but a stranger in the land was likely to be exposed to many such inconveniencies Compare Gen. 30. 36. One may rather wonder that he durst venture his sons and his cattel there where that barbarous massacre had been committed chap. 34. 25. But those pastures being his own and convenient for his use he did commit himself and them to that same good Providence which watched over him then and ever since and still kept up that terrour which then he sent upon them Besides Iacobs Sons and Servants made a considerable Company and the men of Shechem being universally slain others were not very forward to revenge their quarrel where there was any hazard to themselves in such an enterprize 13 And Israel said unto Joseph Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem Come and I will send thee unto them p Having kept him for some time at home and supposing that length of time had cooled their heats and worâ—… out their hatred he now sends him to them and he said Here am I. 14 And he said to him Go I pray thee †Heb. see the peace of thy brethren c. see whether it be well with thy brethren
or at least with such as were forreigners which he did upon prudential reasons both because he would not have them to pry into the state of Egypt ver 12. and because he would by that opportunity understand the state of other lands and improve that knowledge for his masters service to all the people of the land and Josephs brethren came and bowed down themselves before him h Thus unwittingly fulfilling Iosephs dream Gen. 37. 7. with their faces to the earth 7 And Joseph saw his brethren and he knew them but made himself strange unto them and spake †Heb. hard things with them roughly unto them i Partly to bring their sin to remembrance partly to get the knowledge of the true state of his Father and Family and partly to further the following design and make way for his and their greater happiness and he said unto them Whence come ye And they said From the land of Canaan to buy food 8 And Joseph knew his brethren but they knew not him k Because his visage was much altered by his beard and by other things it being about 20 years since they saw him and his Egyptian Language and Habit and Carriage together with the great dignity of his place prevented all suspicious concerning their brother 9 And Joseph * chap. 37. 5. remembred the dreams which he dreamed of them and said unto them Ye are spies l This he saith not because they were so or he thought them to be so but that he might search out the truth of their affairs speaking too much like a Courtier or Politician to see the nakedness of the land m i. e. The weak parts of it and where it may be best assaulted or surprized you are come 10 And they said unto him Nay my Lord but to buy food are thy servants come 11 We are all one mans sons n And therefore not spies for it is not likely either that a father would venture so many of his sons upon so hazardous an employment or that such a work would have been trusted in the hands of one family onely we are true men o Who honestly and truly mean what we pretend and have no other design in our coming hither thy servants are no spies 12 And he said unto them Nay but to see the nakedness of the land you are come 13 And they said Thy servants are twelve brethren the sons of one man in the land of Canaan and behold the youngest is this day with our father and one * Iam. 5. 7. is not p i. e. Is dead as that phrase oft signifies both in Scripture as Gen. 37. 30. and 44. 2â—… Iâ—…r 31. 15. Mat. 2. 18 18. and in other Authors as Homer Eâ—…ripides c. They concluded with great probability that he was dead chap. 44. 20. because for 20 years together they had heard nothing either of him or from him which may seem strange considering the nearness of Egypt and Canaan but this came to pass partly from his own long imprisonment and afterward from his great and high employments partly from his loathness to bring so much mischief to his father and brethren as the discovery of his case might have produced and principally from the over-ruling Providence of God which for its own glorious design disposed of Iosephs mind and affairs so that he either did not send to his fathers house or that the messages were intercepted there being not then those conveniencies for mutual correspondencies which now there are And it is not improbable that Ioseph might be further acquainted with the mind of God in this matter by dreams which may seem to have been familiarly afforded to him together with the interpretation of them See Gen. 40. 8. and 41. 16. 14 And Joseph said unto them That is it that I spake unto you saying Ye are spies q This justifies my accusation for it is not probable that one man should have so many soâ—…s all grown up and living together in one Family and that he should expose them all to the perils of such a journey 15 Hereby ye shall be proved * See 1 Sam. 1. 26. 17. 55. by the life of Pharaoh r As sure as Pharaoh lives It seems to be the form of an oath in use among the Egiâ—…tians as afterwards the Romans used to swear by the Name Genius Health and Life of their Emperors Compare 1 Sam. 1. 26. and 17. 55. 2 King 2. 2. Ezek. 33. 11. And it is not strange that Ioseph through humane infirmity was carried by the stream of the general practise of the Court especially when the law of God was not yet delivered concerning the appropriation of Oaths unto God ye shall not go forth hence except your youngest brother come hither 16 Send one of you and let him fetch your brother and ye shall be †Heb. bound kept in prison that your words may be proved whether there be any truth in you or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies 17 And he †Heb. gathered put them all together into ward seven days 18 And Joseph said unto them the third day This do and live s I will spare your lives and not punish you with death as spies and you shall carry provisions that your family also may live * Neh. 5. 15. for I fear God t And therefore will not be cruel to you nor to your brother whom you shall leave with me This might have raised some suspition concerning Ioseph but that they knew there were divers among the heathens who did own the true God though they worshipped Idols with him 19 If ye be true men let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison * In which you are now imprisoned and are still like to be so if you accept not this condition go ye carry corn for the famine of your houses 20 But * chap. 43. 5. bring your youngest brother unto me so shall your words be verified and ye shall not die and they did so u i. e. Resolved and promised to do so Thâ—…se things are oft said to be done in Scripture which were sincerely resolved upon as hath been noted before 21 And they said one to another We are verily guilty x This is the just punishment of that great wickedness which though we could cover from men yet we now see and feel was known to God who is now reckoning with us for it Thus divine Vengeance overtakes them and conscience tortures them for a sin committed above 20 years before and their affliction brings them to repentance concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us y Compare Gen. 49. 23. Yet this passage is not mentioned in that history chap. 37. Learn hence that the silence of the Scripture is no good argument that such or such a thing was
sacrifice of the feast of the Passeover beleft until the morning And in that 2 Chron. 35. 14. where there is mention of the fat it is manifestly restrained to the burnt-offerings which are there distinguished from the Passeover ver 11 12. 19 The first of the first-fruits k This seems to be a general rule extending to all the fruits which the earth first produced in every kind of which the very first are here enjoyned to be offered unto God before they should presume to eat any of them It may seem to be repeated here where the year of rest is mentioned to teach them the first-fruits were to be given to God of all that the earth produced not onely by their labour and seed as might be thought from ver 16. but also of its own accord as is here implyed of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God * Deut. 14. 21. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mothers milk l He names one kind under which he understands a lamb or a calf c. according to the use of Scripture-stile This law many understand literally and that it is forbidden to them because the Idolaters had such a custome whereof yet there seems to be no sufficient proof nor if there were doth it seem to be a rite of that importance or probability to entice the Israelites to imitate it that there needed a particular law against this more than against an hundred such ridiculous usages which were among the heathen and are not taken notice of in the book of Gods laws The words may be rendred thus Thou shalt not seethe or rost for the word bashal signifies to rost as well as to boyl as it is evident from Deut. 16. 7. a kid being or whilest it is which is to be understood there being nothing more common than an Ellipsis of the verb substantive in his mothers milk which it may be said to be either 1. whilest it sucks its mothers milk and so it may admit of a twofold interpretation 1. that this is to be understood of the Passeover of which most conceive he had now spoken v. 18. in which they used either a lamb or a kid Exod. 12. 5. and then the word bashal must be rendred rost 2. that this speaks not of sacrifice to God wherein sucking creatures were allowed Exod. 22. 30. Levit. 22. 27. 1 Sam. 7. 9. but of mans use and so God ordained this partly because this was unwholesome food and principally to restrain cruelty even towards brute-creatures and luxury in the use of them Or rather 2. whilest it is very tender and young rather of a milky than of a fleshy substance like that young kid of which Iuvenal thus speaks Qui plus lactis habit quà m sanguinis i. e. which hath more milk than blood in it And it may be said to be in its mothers milk by an usual Hypallage when its mothers milk is in it i. e. whilest the milk it sucks as it were remains in it undigested and unconverted into flesh even as a man is oft said to be in the spirit when indeed the spirit is in him And what is here indefinitely prohibited is elsewhere particularly explained and the time defined to wit that it be not offered to God before it was eight days old And this interpretation may receive light and strength from hence that the law of the first-fruits which both here and Exod. 34. 26. goes immediately before this law doth in Exod. 22. 30. immediately go before that law of not offering them before the eighth day which implies that both of them speak concerning the same thing to wit the first-fruits or first-born of the cattel which were not to be offered to God while they were in their mothers milk saith this place or till they were 8 days old saith that place And consequently if they might not be offered to God they might not be used by men for food 20 * chap. 33. 2 14. Num. 20. 16. Behold I send an Angel m To wit Christ the Angel of the covenant as may be gathered both from the following words because pardon of sin which is Gods prerogative Mark 2. 7. is here ascribed to him and Gods name is in him and by comparing other Scriptures as Exod. 32. 34. Acts 7. 38 39. 1 Cor. 10. 9. See Exod. 13. 21. and 14. â—…9 before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared 21 Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions n i. e. He will severely punish you for them by a common Meiosis as Exod. 20. 7. Understand if you continue obstinate in your sins for my Name is in him o Heb. Is in his inward parts i. e. is intimately united to him according to Ioh. 10. 38. I am in the father and the father in me It not onely signifies that he acts in his name and by his power and authority which even the Apostles did and other Ministers of the Gospel do and therefore it is unreasonable to think no more is ascribed to this Angel but that his divine nature or essence is in him whence he is called the Lord our righteousness Ier. 23. 6. and God who will not give his glory to another Isa. 42. 8. hath given it to Christ that all men should honour the son even as they honour the father Ioh. 5. 23. which never was nor can be said of any Angel without blasphemy Add to this that the word name is oft put for the thing or being whether it be humane or divine as is manifest from Deut. 28. 58. Psal. 20. 1. and 115. 1. Isa. 30. 27. Act. 1. 15. Revel 3. 4. and 11. 13. And so it must be here because this name is not said to be given to him as it would be if it were properly taken but to be in him or in his inwards which agrees well to the Divine nature or essence but not to the meer name 22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak p All that I have already commanded and shall further prescribe by him unto Moses * Gen. 12. 3. Deut. 30. 7. Jer. 30. 20. then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies and †Or I will afflict them that afflict thee an adversary unto thine adversaries 23 * Ver. 20. For mine Angel shall go before thee and * chap. 33. 2. bring thee in unto the Amorites and the Hittites * Josh. 24. 11. and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites and I will cut them off 24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods nor serve them q i. e. Give them neither outward worship with thy body nor inward with thy mind * Lev. 18. 3. Deut. 12. 31. Nor do after their works r i. e. Nor follow their
thought it consisted onely in the external performances and abstinences expressed 4 And Moses wrote i To wit in a book Heb. 9. 19. And the ten commandments God himself wrote also in tables of stone Exod. 31. 18. all the words of the LORD and rose up early in the morning and builded an altar k Representing God in Christ as one party in the covenant under the hill and twelve pillars l Representing the people of Israel the other party So here are the outward signs and symbols of a covenant made between God and the Israelites according to the twelve tribes of Israel 5 And he sent young men m It matters not whether they were the first-born or others it is sufficient that they were persons appointed and authorized for the present service not without Gods direction of the children of Israel which offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen n One kind as the principal is named for all for there were offered also goats as appears both from Heb. 9. 19. and from hence that burnt-offerings were usually made of the goats Lev. 1. 10. Numb 7. 28. unto the LORD 6 And Moses took half of the bloud o Of the beasts killed which for conveniency of sprinkling was mixed with a little water Heb. 9. 19. whereby also Christ was most fitly represented who came by water and blood 1 Ioh. 5. 6. and put it in basons and half of the bloud he sprinkled on the altar ‖ To signify as well that God was appeased and atoned by this blood as it represented the blood of Christ as also that Christ was sanctified with his own blood Heb. 9. 12. 7 And he took the book of the covenant p Wherein Moses had written the conditions of this covenant to wit the words and laws of God above ver 4. and read in the audience of the people q i. e. In the hearing of a great number of them or of some in the name of all the people by whom it was read or otherwise published to all the people successively and they said * Verse 3. All that the LORD hath said will we do and be obedient 8 And Moses took the bloud r The other half of the blood which was put in the basons for this end ver 6. and sprinkled it on the people s Either upon the 12 pillars representing the people or upon the peoples representatives to wit the Elders mentioned ver 1. as when the people are commanded to lay on their hands the Elders do it in their name and stead Lev. 4. 15. Deut. 21. 2. or upon those of the people which were nearest him which was imputed to all the rest and was to be taken by them as if it had reached unto them all Now this sprinkling of the bloud upon the people did signify 1. their ratification of the covenant on their parts and their secret wishing of the effusion of their own blood if they did not keep it 2. the sprinkling of their consciences with the blood of Christ and their obtaining redemption justification and access to God through it alone See Heb. 9. 20 22. and 13. 20. and said Behold * 1 Pet. 1. 2. the bloud of the covenant t Whereby the covenant is made and confirmed as was usual both in Scripture Mat. 26. 28. Luk. 22. 20. and among heathens which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words 9 Then went up u In obedience to that command of God given ver 1. Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the Elders of Israel 10 And they saw the God of Israel x Not any visible resemblance of the Divine nature which is expresly denied Deut. 4. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 16. and was refused to Moses when he desired it Exod. 33. 18 20. and therefore surely would never be granted to the Elders of Israel but some glorious appearance or token of Gods special presence or rather the second person in the Trinity who now shewed himself to them in an humane and glorious shape as an essay and testimony of his future incarnation This may seem probable 1. because here is mention of his feet 2. because this way of Christs appearance was not unusual See Gen. 18. c. 3. because the person who delivered the law in Sinai was Christ as appears from Act. 7. 38. though he be there called an Angel a name oft given to Christ as hath been sormerly shewed and there was under his feet as it were a paved work * Ezek. 1. 26. and 10. 1. of a Saphire stone y Which is of a clear sky-colour mixed with golden spots like stars in the sky and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness z Or for clearness A clear sky in Prophetical style signifies Gods favour as a cloudy sky notes his anger 11 And upon the nobles a Or separated or select ones i. e. the persons who were singled out to go up with Moses ver 1. 9. the same of whom it is said here and ver 10. that they saw God of the children of Israel he laid not his hand b i. e. Did not hurt or destroy them as they might expect according to the vulgar opinion Gen. 16. 13. and 32. 20. c. and the conscience of their own guilt as being now before their Lord and Judge And so the phrase of putting or stretching forth the hand is most frequently used as Gen. 37. 22. 1 Sam. 26. 11 23. Esth. 2. 21. Iob 1. 11 12. Psal. 138. 7 c. also they saw God and did eat and drink c So far were they from being destroyed that they were not affrighted at this glorious appearance of God but were refreshed and comforted by it and did joyfully eat and drink together in Gods presence celebrating the sacred feast made of the remnant of the peace-offerings according to the manner Thus God gave them a taste of his grace and mercy in this covenant and an assurance that he would not deal with them according to the rigors of the law but for the sake of the blood of Christ typically represented here would graciously pardon and accept all those that sincerely though imperfectly obey him 12 And the LORD said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount and be d i. e. Abide as that verb is used 1 Tim. 4. 15. and elsewhere there and I will give thee * chap. 31. 18. and 32. 16. tables of stone e He chose that material partly as very durable yet so that it was capable of being broken which God foreseeing their wickedness intended to do and partly for signification to note the hardness of their hearts upon which no impression could be made but by the finger of God and a law and commandments f Or the law and because that is ambiguous to the moral and ceremonial and judicial he addes even the commandment
providence of God until the Lord Jesus did come Since which time those characters are miserably confounded Which is no small argument that the Messias is come 3. To set bounds both to the insatiable avarice of some and the foolish prodigality of others that the former might not wholly and finally swallow up the inheritances of their brethren and the latter might not be able to undo themselves and their posterity for ever which was a singular priviledge of this Law and People and ye shall return every man unto his family r From whom he was gone being sold to some other Family either by himself or by his Father 11 A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you ye shall not sow s Though it come immediately after a seventh year wherein also this was forbidden to you neither reap that which groweth of it self in it nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed 12 For it is the jubilee it shall be holy unto you t So it was because it was sequestred in great part from worldly employments and dedicated to God and to the exercise of holy joy and thankfulness and because it was a type of that holy and happy Jubilee which they were to expect and enjoy by and under the Messias ye shall eat the increase thereof u Such things as it produced of it self For the year before nothing was sowed out of the field x Whence they in common with others might take it as they needed it but must not put it into barns See ver 5. and Exod. 23. 11. 13 In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession 14 And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour or buyest ought of thy neighbours hand ye shall not oppress one another y Neither the seller by requiring more nor the buyer by taking the advantage from his brothers necessities to give him less than the worth of it 15 According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbour and according unto the number of years of the fruits z Or Of years of fruits or of fruitful years for there were some unfruitful years to wit such wherein they were not allowed to sow or reap c. he shall sell unto thee 16 According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it For according to the number of the years of the fruits a Or For the number of the fruits The meaning is he selleth not the land but onely the fruits thereof and that for a certain time doth he sell unto thee 17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another but thou shalt fear thy God for I am the LORD your God 18 Wherefore ye shall do my statutes and keep my judgments and do them and ye shall dwell in the land in safety 19 And the land shall yield her fruit and ye shall eat your fill and dwell therein in safety 20 And if ye shall say What shall we eat b A like objection See Exod. 34. 23 24. the seventh year behold we shall not sow nor gather in our increase 21 Then I will command †i. e. Give Commanding is oft used in Scripture either for the performance of promised blessings as Deut. 28. 8. Psal. 111. 9. and 133. 3. or for the execution of threatned judgements as Isa. 5. 6. Amos. 9. 4. both being acts of Gods providential will as the command is of his legislative will my blessing upon you in the sixth year and it shall bring forth fruit for three years c Not compleatly but in great part to wit for that part of the sixth year which was between the beginning of harvest and the beginning of the seventh year for the whole seventh year and for that part of the eighth year which was before the harvest which reached almost until the beginning of the ninth year And by this expression we may understand the meaning of that eminent passage of Christs being three days and three nights in the grave to wit one whole day and part of two days Of which more if God please in its proper place This is added to shew the equity of this command As God would hereby try their Faith and exercise Obedience so he gave them an eminent proof of his own exact providence and tender care over them in making provisions suitable to their necessities Albeit it be also probable that divers of them especially such as were more solicitous or distrustful of Gods providence did lay up something of the fruits of former years against this time 22 And ye shall sow the eighth year and eat yet of old fruit d Of the sixth year principally if not solely until the ninth year until her fruits e i. e. The fruits of the eighth year come in ye shall eat of the old store 23 The land shall not be sold ‖ Or to be quite cut off †Heb. for cutting off for ever f Or absolutely and properly so as to become the propriety of the buyer Or to the extermination or utter cutting off to wit of the seller from all hopes and possibility of Redemption for the land is mine g Procured for you by my power given to you by my meer grace and bounty and the right of propriety reserved by me and to be disposed of by you onely to such persons and in such manner as I shall have ordained for ye are * Psal. 119. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 11. strangers and sojourners with me h i. e. In my land or houses thus he is said to sojourn with another that dwells in his house Thus the poor decayed Israelites and the strangers are said to live with them i. e. with the other Israelites to wit in the land or houses here ver 35 36 40 45. Or before me in my sight or in my account Howsoever in your own or other mens opinions you pass for Lords and Proprietors yet in truth according to which my judgment always is you are but strangers and sojourners not to possess the land for ever but onely for a season and to leave it to such as I have appointed for it 24 And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption i i. e. A right of redemption in the time and manner following for the land 25 If thy brother be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his possession k To wit in the fields but not in cities ver 29. and if any of his kin come to redeem it l Or If the redeemer come being near akin to him to whom the right of Redemption belonged Ruth 3. 2 9 12. Ier. 32. 7. who in this act was an eminent Type of Christ who was made near akin to us by taking our flesh that he might perform the work of Redemption
18. 5. not onely in general but especially in this Threatning which I now deliver in his Name and Authority and not from my own Imagination or Passion Or 2. Who is now present with me and a Witness of what I say and let him punish me severely if I speak not the Truth there shall not be dew nor rain g This was a Prediction but was seconded with his Prayer That God would verifie it as it is Recorded Iam. 5. 17. And this Prayer of his was not voluntary and malicious but necessary and all things considered truly Charitable that by this sharp and long Affliction God's Honour and the Truth of his Word and Threatnings which was now so horribly and universally contemned might be Vindicated and the Israelites whom their present Impunity and Prosperity had hardned in their Idolatry might hereby be awakened to see their own Wickedness and the vanity of their Calves and other Idols and their dependance upon God and the necessity of returning to the True Religion these years h i. e. These following years which were three and an half Luk. 4. 25. Iam. 5. 17. but according to my word i i. e. Until I shall declare That this Judgment shall cease and shall pray to God for the removal of it 2 And the word of the LORD came unto him saying Get thee hence and turn thee East-ward and hide thy self by the brook Cherith k Thus God rescues him from the fury of Ahab and Iezabel who he knew would seek to destroy him Qu. Why did not Ahab seize upon him immediately upon these Words Answ. 1. This must be ascribed to God's over-ruling Providence who hath the hearts of all men in his hands and hath oft protected his Prophets and Servants in such cases 2. He might say this not by word of Mouth but by Letter and Message sent to him as that Word is sometimes used as Exod. 18. 6. that is before Jordan 4 And it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook and I have commanded l i. e. I have Decreed or Appointed Or I shall command i. e. Effectually move them by Instincts and Inclinations which I shall put into them which shall be as forcible with them as a Law or Command is to Men. God is said to command both Brute-creatures as Amos 9. 3. Ionah 2. 10. and sensless things as Iob 38. 11 12. Psal. 78. 23. Isa. 5. 6. and 45. 12. when he causeth them to do the things which he intends to Effect by them the Ravens m Which he names and chuseth for this Work partly to succour the Prophets Faith against human Infirmity by the credibility of the thing theâ—…e being many Ravens in those parts and those delighting to reside near brooks of Water and that sort of Creatures being apt and accustomed to seek Provisions and to carry them away to the places of their abode and partly to shew his care and power in providing for the Prophet by those Creatures which are noted for their greediness in Monopolizing Provision to themselves and for their Malignity and unnaturalness towards their own young that by this strange and noble experiment he might be taught to trust God in those many and great difficulties to which he was likely to be Exposed Obj. The Ravens were unclean Levit. 11. 15. Answ. They were Unclean for Meat but not for the touch But howsoever that Ceremonial Law was over-ruled by necessity and by the Law-givers Dispensation to feed thee there 5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith that is before Jordan 6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh n Not raw but boiled by the Ministry of some Angel or Man and left in some place or places till the Ravens came for it in all which there is nothing incredible considering the Power and Providence of God in the morning o i. e. For Dinner and Supper according to the custom See Gen. 43. 25. Ruth 2. 14. Luk. 14. 12. Act. 10. 9. 10. and bread and flesh in the evening p Heb. at the end of days i. e. Of a year for so the Word days is oft used as by many in Exod. 13. 10. Levit. 25. 29. Numb 9. 22. Iudg. 17. 10. 1 Sam. 1. 3. and 27. 7. And this seems to be a convenient time for the drying up of the Brook which was gradually dried up And so this agrees well with Chap. 18. 1. in the third year of which see the notes there and he drank of the brook 7 And it came to pass ‡ Heb. at the end of days Gen. 4. 3. and 2 Sam. 14. 26 after a while q that the brook dried up r God so ordering it partly for the Punishment of those Israelites who lived near it and had hitherto been refreshed by it partly for the trial and exercise of Elijah's Faith and to teach him to depend upon God alone not on any Creature for his support and partly to shew his own alsufficiency in providing for his People because there had been no rain in the land 8 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto him saying 9 Arise get thee to * Luk. 4. 26. called Sarepta Zarephath s A City between Tyrus and Sidon called Sarepta by St. Luke Chap. 4. 26. by Pliny and others which belongeth to Zidon t To the jurisdiction of that City which therefore was Inhabited by Gentiles See Luk. 4. 25. And God's providing for his Prophet first by an Unclean Bird and then by a Gentile whom the Iews esteemed Unclean was a notable presage of the Calling of the Gentiles and of the Rejection of the Iews and dwell there behold I have commanded u i. e. Appointed or Provided as before ver 4. for that she had as yet no Revelation or Command of God about it appears from ver 12. a widow-woman there to sustain thee 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath and when he came to the gate of the city behold the widow woman was there gathering of sticks and he called to her x Knowing by Divine suggestion that this was the woman designed and said Fetch me I pray thee a little water in a vessel that I may drink 11 And as she was going to fetch it he called to her and said Bring me I pray thee a morsel of bread in thine hand y Which he said onely to try her and to make way for what follows 12 And she said As the LORD thy God liveth z By which she discovers That though she was a Gentile yet she owned the God of Israel as the True God I have not a cake but an handful of meal in a barrel and a little oyl in a cruse and behold I am gathering two sticks a i. e. A few sticks that number being oft used indefinitely for any small number both in Scripture as Hos. 6. 2. and
towards the end of the Third Year it makes up these Three Years and Six Months Iac. 5. 17. Or 2. From the time of his going to Sarepta which probably was a Year after the Famine begun See on Chap. 17. 7. and so this might be in the middle of the Third Year which also makes up the Three Years and Six Months saying Go shew thy self unto Ahab b To acquaint him with the cause of Judgment ver 18. and to advise him to remove it and upon that condition to promise him Rain and I will send rain upon the earth c According to thy Word and Prayer which thou shalt make for it Thus God takes care to maintain the Honour and Authority of his Prophet and in Judgment remembers Mercy to Israel for the sake of the Holy Seed yet left among them who suffered in this common Calamity 2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab d Wherein he shews a strong Faith and resolute Obedience and invincible Courage that he durst at God's Command run into the mouth of this raging Lion which was a degree of Martyrdom and there was a sore famine in Samaria 3 And Ahab called ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 ahu Obadiah which was ‡ Heb. over 〈◊〉 house the governour of his house e Being valued by Ahab for his great prudence and fidelity and therefore indulged as to the worship of the Calves and Baal now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly f Quest. How could he and some other Israelites be said to fear the Lord when they did not go up to Ierusalem to Worship as God had Commanded Ans. Although they seem not to be wholly excusable in this neglect because they should have preferred Gods Service before their Worldly commodity according to the good example of the Priests and Levites and the generality of the Godly People who did so 2 Chron. 11. 13 16. yet because they Worshipped God in Spirit and Truth and performed all Moral Duties to God and their Brethren and abstained from Idolatry and being kept from Ierusalem by violence they thought necessity and the apparent hazard of their Lives would excuse them from Ceremonial Services and God bare with their infirmity herein 4 For it was so when ‡ Heb. Izebel Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD that Obadiah took an hundred prophets g Which name is not onely given to such as are endowed with an extraordinary Spirit of Prophecy but to such Ministers as Devoted themselves to the Service of God in Preaching Praying Praising God and the like as 1 Sam. 10. 10 11 12. and in this place compared with v. 22. where Elijah saith I onely remain a prophet of the Lord to wit strictly so called and Matth. 10. 41. 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. and 14. 29. and hid them by fifty in a cave and fed them h With the hazard of his own life and against the Kings command as wisely considering that no command of an Earthly Prince could over-rule the command of the Supreme Lord the King of kings or discharge him from those acts of Piety to God and Charity to Men which Gods Law indispensably required with bread and water i Either properly which was a great kindness in those circumstances or figuratively i. e. with meat and drink 5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah Go into the land unto all fountains of water and unto all brooks k About which Grass was most probably to be found in that great drought peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive ‡ â—…eb that we cut not off 〈◊〉 selves from the beasts that we lose not all the beasts 6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it Ahab went one way by himself l Not daring to trust any other Obadiah excepted lest being bribed by such as had Grass for their own use they should not give him a true account and Obadiah went another way by himself 7 ¶ And as Obadiah was in the way behold Elijah met him and he knew him and fell on his face m By this profound reverence shewing his great Respect and Love to him and said Art thou that my lord Elijah 8 And he answered him I am go tell thy lord n Ahâ—… whom though a very wicked man he owns for Obadiah's lord and King thereby instructing him that he did well in owning him as such and that the wickedness of Kings doth not exempt their Subjects from obedience to their Lawful commands Behold Elijah is here 9 And he said What have I sinned o Wherein have I so offended God and thee that thou shouldest inflict this punishment upon me and expose me to certain ruin by this means that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me 10 As the LORD thy God liveth there is no nation or kingdom p To wit near to his own where he could in reason think that Elijah had hid himself Nothing is more frequent than to understand general expressions with such limitations whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee and when they said He is not there he took an oath of the kingdom and nation that they found thee not q Not that he could force other Kingdoms to take an Oath but that by his persuasions he prevailed with the chief persons in several Kingdoms for his satisfaction to Swear that they did not know of Elijah's being among them Which was not hard for him to obtain For Ahab was a great Prince and had a great interest among the Neighbouring Kings The King of Tyre was his Father-in-law the King of Moab Tributary to him Iehoshaphat his Friend and Relation to whom the King of Edom was Tributary We read also of all the kings of Arabia and of all the Kings of the Hittites and of Syria 1 King 10. 15 29. which as they corresponded with Solomon so how far they might be Allied to or Confederate with Ahab we know not nor what Articles or Agreements were between him and them among which this might be one That they should deliver up to one another all their fugitive or banished Subjects upon demand which might give sufficient ground for his desire or expectation of this Oath Quest. How then could Elijah lye hid in the House of the Widow of Sarepta Ans. That might easily be either because she her self or at least others did not know particularly who he was or because she used all possible care to conceal him her Conscience and Interest both obliging her so to do or because God secured him there 11 And now thou sayest Go tell thy lord Behold Elijah is there 12 And it shall come to pass as soon as I am gone from thee that the Spirit of the LORD r The Holy Ghost to whom the inspiration and conduct of the Prophets is commonly ascribed in Holy Scripture as Isa. 48. 16. and 61. 1. Matth. 4.
being fitly supplied out of the former branch of the Verse as is very usual in Scripture He would not use his power against me but for me by enabling me to plead my Cause and giving Sentence according to that Clemency and Benignity which according to his gracious Covenant he useth towards his Children Or He would put or sit his heart this very Verb of putting or setting being elsewhere used in this defective manner for putting or setting the Heart as Iob. 7. 17. Isa. 41. 10. as it is fully expressed Isa. 57. 1. Ezek. 40. 4. 44. 5. upon the Preposition Beth in being sometimes used for al upon as Neh. 2. 12. Isa. 21. 13. me to wit to hear me and all my reasons meekly and to judge favourably and to help and deliver me as that and the like Phrases commonly signifie in Scripture use 7. There n At that Throne of Grace as it is called Heb. 4. 16. where God lays aside his Majesty and Power and judgeth according to his wonted Grace and Clemency the Righteous o Such as I do and dare avow my self to be to wit in sincerity though not in perfection might dispute with him p Humbly and modestly propounding the grounds of their confidence and the Evidences of their Righteousness so q Upon such a fair and equal hearing should I be delivered for ever from my judge r Either 1. From the severe Censures of all corrupt and partial Judges such as you my Friends are Or rather 2. From the damnatory sentence of God for he is not only pleading before him but also with him He would give sentence for me and against himself This and some such Expressions of Iob cannot be excused from Irreverence towards God and too great a confidence in himself for which therefore God sharply reproves him hereafter and Iob abhorreth himself 8. * Chap. 9. 12. Behold I go forward s i. e. Towards the East which in Scripture is accounted the forepart of the world as the Hebrew name of it signifies because of the light of the Sun which ariseth there and draweth the Eyes of men towards it but he is not there t To wit so as I would have him as a Judge to hear and determine my cause of which he is here speaking For otherwise he knew and believed that God was essentially present in all places and backward u i. e. Towards the West So also the North is called the Left-hand and the South the Right-hand v. 9. because so they all are to a man who looks towards the East He names all the several parts of the World to shew his eager desire and restless endeavours to find out God and to present himself before him but I cannot perceive him 9. On the Left hand where he doth work x To wit in a special and peculiar manner more than in other parts of the World for so indeed God did work in those parts which were Northward from Iob because there Mankind among whom God delights to be and to work were most numerous and most ingenious to discern Gods works There also was the Seat of the Assyrian Empire which was eminent in Iob's time and afterwards of the other successive Empires In and by all which God did many great and glorious works But this Hebrew word is by others and that very properly and fitly rendred when or whilest he worketh to wit in an eminent manner So this is added to aggravate Iob's unhappiness We may certainly find any man when and where he is working But I saith he search for God even when and where he is working and yet cannot find him out but I cannot behold him he hideth himself y To wit from me He withdraweth his favour and will not afford me his presence and audience on the Right hand that I cannot see him z Either 1. I cannot discern his Counsels and Ways and the Reasons of his severe dealings with me Or rather 2. He doth not appear to me as a Judge to examine my Cause and Arguments but condemns me without hearing me 10. But a Though I cannot see him yet my comfort is that he seeth me and my heart and all my Actions Or For as this particle commonly signifies So this Verse contains a reason why he so vehemently desired that he might plead his cause with or before God he knoweth †Heb. the way that is with 〈◊〉 the way that I take b He cannot be deceived nor blinded either by the artifices of bold Accusers or Advocates or by his own misapprehensions or passions but he exactly knows the way that is with me i. e. the disposition of my heart and the whole course or manner of my Life when he hath tried me c If he would examine me throughly which above all things I desire I shall come forth as Gold d Which cometh out of the Furnace pure from all dross I would appear upon a fair hearing that I am free though not from all sin as he had confessed before yet from that hypocrisie and those gross enormities wherewith my friends charge me 11. My Foot hath held e his steps f i. e. Made a free and fixed choice and taken fast hold of them been firmly and strongly settled and resolved to continue in them as the word signifies his way have I kept and not declined g Either 1. Actively the steps or ways in which God himself walks the paths of Holiness Justice Mercy c. wherein he walked with or after God as the Phrase is Gen. 5. 24. 2 Kings 23. 3. following his Example Or 2. Passively the steps or paths which God hath appointed men to walk in as Ch. 21. 14. 12. Neither have I gone back h i. e. Not turned aside to any crooked or sinful path or course of Life human Infirmity excepted Heb. I have hid or laid it up as men do their best Treasures or what they most love and value The Phrase notes an high estimation of it an hearty affection to it and a diligent care to preserve it from the Commandment of his Lips †Heb. I have hid or laid up I have esteemed i the word of his Mouth more than ‖ Or my appointed portion my necessary food k Or my appointed food or my dayly portion i. e. that food or provision which is necessary for the support of my Life as this word is used Gen. 47. 22. Prov. 30. 8. 31. 15. which is more prized and desired than all the riches in the world 13. But he is in one mind l i. e. Notwithstanding all these Evidences of my sincere Piety and all my Prayers to him he still continues in the same mind and course of afflicting me Or But he is i. e. if he be against one or against any man as that word is oft used as he now setteth himself against me Or But he is one the
thou fillest with thy * 〈◊〉 41. 8. hid treasure y i. e. Not only with common mercies as Food and Raiment but with thy choicest and most precious good things such as men use to hide or keep in their treasures with extraordinary Wealth and Glory and all the Delights and Comforts of the present Life ‖ Or their Chilâ—… are full they are full of Children z When many of the faithful Servants are barren these are blessed with a numerous Posterity Or their Children are filled or satisfied as well as their Parents There is abundantly enough both for them and for their Children and to spare for their Childrens Children as it follows and leave the rest of their substance to their babes 15. As for me a I do not envy this their Felicity but my Hopes and Happiness are of another Nature I will or shall behold thy face b I do not place my Portion in earthly and temporal Treasures as they do but in beholding God's face i. e. In the enjoyment of God's presence and favoâ—…r which is indeed enjoyed in part in this Life but not fully and to Satisfaction of which David here speaks as appears from the last Clause of this Verse The sight of God and of his face being frequently spoken of both in the Old and New Testament as a priviledge denied even to the Saints in this Life and peculiar to the next Life as is manifest from Exod. 33. 20. Iudg. 13. 22. Mat. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 1 Ioh. 3. 2. in righteousness c With the Comfort of a good Conscience bearing me Witness that notwithstanding all the Calumnies and Censures of mine Enemies I have been and am upright and righteous in the Course of my Life both towards thee and towards all men Which Testimony will enable me to look God in the Face with boldness when mine Enemies being Conscious to themselves of gross and manifold righteousness towards thee and me and others will be afraid to appear in thy Presence I shall be satisfied d I am now greatly distressed and dissatisfied and mine Enemies are fitted and satisfied with good things but my turn will come the time is coming wherein I shall be abundantly satisfied to wit with beholding thy Face which is to me more Comfortable and Satisfactory than all the Possessions of this World when I awake e Either 1. When I shall be delivered from my present Distresses and Calamities But these never are in Scripture nor indeed can fitly be called by the name of Sleep which is every where spoken of as a state of â—…est and quietness as Psal. 127. 2. Ioh. 11. 12 13. and consequently deliverance from them cannot be compared to awaking Or rather 2. When I shall arise from the Dead For Death is very frequently called Sleep both in Scripture as 1 Kings 1. 21. Isa. 26. 19. Ier. 51. 39 57. Dan. 12. 2. Ioh. 11. 11 13. and in other Authors and consequently Resurrection from the Dead is justly and fitly called an awaking as it is Iob 14. 12. Dan. 12. 2. Ioh. 11. 11. And since the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the just to a blessed and endless Life was not unknown to the Holy men of God in the Old Testament as it were very easie to prove nor to David in particular as appears from Psal. 16. 10 11. and from divers other Passages it cannot be imagined but David would Support and Comfort himself in his greatest Agonies with the Consideration thereof this being incomparably the most weighty and effectual Argument and ground of Comfort which he could possibly use And this also best suits with the Context for David is here opposing his Hopes and Portion to that of his Enemies and having noted not without a secret reflection and reproach upon them for it that their Portion was in this Life v. 14. it was most Consonant to the place and to the thing it self that he should seek and have his Happiness in the future Life with thy likeness f Or Image By which may be understood either 1. Christ the Son of God who was known to David and other Prophets as is Evident and that under the name of the Son of God Psal. 2 7 12. Prov. 30. 4. Hos. 11. 1. Comp. with Mat. 2. 15. who being exactly like to his Father might most fitly be called his likeness or image as he is Heb. 1. 3. Or 2. the image of God stamped upon his glorified Soul which must needs afford him infinite Delight and Satisfaction Or 3 God himself or the face of God mentioned in the former Clause and explained here by another Phrase as is very usual in these Writings And this Interpretation may receive strength from Numb 12 8. Where beholding the similitude of the Lord is evidently the same thing which is elsewhere called 〈◊〉 his face and from Heb. 10 1. Where the image doth not note the likeness or Representation but the truth and existence of the thing PSAL. XVIII The ARGUMENT This Psalm with some few and small Variations is written 2 Sam. 22. It was composed by David towards the end of his Reign and Life upon the occasion here mentioned To the chief musician a Psalm of David the 2. Sam. 22. servant of the LORD a Who esteemeth it a greater Honour to be thy Servant than to be King of 〈◊〉 and who doth intirely devote himself to thy Service and Glory who spake unto the LORD the words of * this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul b i. e. After the Death of Saul and the Conquest of all his succeeding Enemies and his own firm establishment in his Kingdom And he said 1. * Psal. 144. â—… I Will love thee e O LORD my strength d From whom alone I have received all my strength and success and settlement and in whom alone I trust as it follows v. 2. c Most affectionately and with my whole Soul as the Hebrew word signifies I can return thee no better thing for all thy Favours than my Love and Heart which I pray thee to accept By loving him he understands not only his inward affection but also all the outward Expressions and Testimonies of it praising and glorifying and serving of him 2. The LORD is my rock e To which I flee for refuge as the Israelites did to their Rocks See Iudg. 6. 2. 1 Sam. 13. 6. and fortress and my deliverer my God †Heb. my Rock Or Cliâ—… my strength * Heb. 2. 13. in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn f By which I have both defended my self and subdued mine Enemies It is a Metaphor from those Beasts whose strength lyes in their Horns The Horn is oft put for Power as Psal. 92. 10. Amos 6. 1â—… and elsewhere of my salvation and my high tower
8. and all 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 their Hâ—…s for joy as it is v. 1. for the shields of the earth x Either 1. The protection of the People of all the Earth Or rather 2. Their Princes or Rulers who are fitly called Shields Hâ—…se 4. 18. because by their Office they are or should be the common Parents and Protectors of all their People to defend them from all Oppression and Injuries These saith he are the â—…rds i. e. At his disposal or subject to his Dominion both as to their Hearts and Kingdomâ—… And so this is here Conveniently added as the Reason of that great and improbable Event sorâ—… told in the foregoing Words that the Princes of the People which of all others were most lofty and wilful and incorrigible should joyn and subject themselves to the Lord and to his Church belong unto God he is greatly exalted y By this means God shall be greatly Glorified and appear to be far above all the Princes of the World and above all other Gods PSAL. XLVIII THE ARGUMENT This Psalm was Composed upon the Occasion of some eminent Deliverance vouchsafed by God to the City of Jerusalem from some potent Enemy and dâ—…eadful Danger Either that in Johoshaphat's time 2 Chron. 20. or that under Hezekiah 2 Kings 18. and 19. In both which times they were Holy Prophets by some of whom this Psalm might be made A song and Psalm a Of which see on Psal. 30. which hath the same Title for the sons of Korah ‖ Or of 1 GReat is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God b In Ierusalem which he hath chosen for his dwelling Place in the mountain of his holiness c i. e. In his holy Mountain either Zion where the Ark and Tabâ—…rnacle was Or rather Moriah where the Temple now was Although both of them are supposed by some to be but one Mountain having two Tops and it is certain that both are frequently called by one Name to wit Zion 2. * Psal. 50. 2. Ezek. 20. 6. Dan. 8. 9. 11. 16. Beautiful for situation the joy of the whole earth d Ierusalem may be so called here as it is also Lament 2. 15. not actually as if all People did rejoyce in it or for it but Fundamentally or Causally because here was very great cause or ground of rejoycing for the Gentile World if they had understood themselves or their true Interest Because here God was graciously present and ready to hear and Answer the just Desires and Prayers not onely of the Israelites but of any stranger of what Nation soever according to Soâ—…mon's Prayer 1 Kings 8. 41. c. and here the Gentiles might find that God whom like blind Men they groped for as the Greek Phrase implies Act. 17. 27. and here they might be informed of the Nature and Properties as also of the Mind and Will of the Almighty and everlasting God of which they were so grossly Ignorant and of that Messias who was the Dâ—…sire of and Consequently matter of great Joy unto all Nations Hagg. 2. 7. and 2. Prophetically because the â—…ful Doctrine of the Gospel was to go from thence unto all Nations of which see Iâ—…a 2. 2 3. Mich. 4. 1 2. yet these Words may be and are by others rendred and understood thus the Ioy of the or this for here is an Emphatical Article whole Land is mount Zion on the sides of the north e i. e. Which is on the Northern part of Ierusalem But because Iosephus and some others affirm thâ—…t Mount Zion stood Southward from Ierusalem this Clause possibly may be added to signifie that Zion is not here to be understood strictly and Properly for that Mountain or part of the Mountain so called but for that other Mountain or part of the same Mountain upon which the Temple was built which was strictly called Moriah but is here called Zion because that Name was far better known in Scripture as being oft put for the Temple as Psal. 137. 3. Isa. 18. 7. Ier. 51. 10. Lam. 5. 18. and for the whole City and for the Church of God in a multitude of places of Scripture * Math. 5. 35. the city of the great king f i. e. The City of God as it was now called v. 1. who justly calls himself a great King Mal. 1. 14. as being King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19. 16. 3. God is known in her palaces g To his People by sensible and long Experience and to all neighbouring Nations by their own Observation for a refuge h i. e. In the Habitations or to the Inhabitants of that City Possibly he may here point at the Kings Palace and the Temple which was the Palace of the King of Heaven which two Palaces God did in a singular manner Protect and by Protecting them he Protectâ—…d the whole City and People i Uader whose shadow we are more safe and secure than other Cities are with their great Rivers and impregnable Fortifications 4. For lo the kings i Either those Kings Consederate against Iohoâ—…haphat 2 Chron. 20. or tâ—…e Assyrian Princes whom they Vain-Gloriously called Kings Iâ—…a 10. 8. were assembled they passed by k In their March towards Ierusalem Or they pasâ—… away i. e. Departed without the Success which they desired and Considently expected together 5. They saw it l Thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look upon it but not come into it nor shoot an 〈◊〉 tâ—…re nor cast a Bank against it as is said upon this or the like Occasion 2 Kings 19. 32. and so they marvelled m Not so much at the structure or strength of the City as at the wonderful Works wrought by God on their behalf they were troubled and hasted away n See 2 Kings 19. 35. 6. Fear took hold upon them there and pain o Partly at the Tidings of Tirhakah's coming against them 2 Kings 19. 9. and Partly for that Terrible slaughter of their Army there v. 35. as of a woman in travail 7. Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east-wind p This is not reported as a Matter of Fact for we Read of no Ships in those Expeditions to which this Psalm relates nor did any Ships come near Ierusalem because that was aâ—… a great Distance from the Sea and from any navigable River running into the Sea but onely added by way of Illustration oâ—… Allusion The Sence is Thou didst no less violently anâ—… suddenly destroy these Proud and Raging Enemies of Ierusalem than sometimes thou destroyest the Ships at Sea with a fierce and Vehement Wind such as the Eastern Winds were in those Parts Exod. 14 21. Iob. 27. 21. Ier. 18. 17. Ezek. 27. 26. The Words are and may be rendred thus Thou diast break them as such Ellipsis of the Pronoun and of the note of similitude being very frequent as I have again and again shewed the Ships of the
Mount Zion He saith Zion rather than Ierusalem to intimate that he loved Ierusalem for Zions sake or for the Temple which is oft said to be in Zion which place he loved and chose for his peculiar dwelling place more than all the dwellings of Jacob e More than all other places of the Land of Canaan in which the Israelites dwelt For although the Tabernacle was for a season in some other parts of the Land yet the Temple the place of God's fixed residence was no where but in this City e i. e. The City gates being oft put for cities as Deut. 15. 7. and 16. 5. Psal. 9. 14. 3 Glorious things are spoken of thee O city of God f O Ierusalem though thou and thy Temple are yet in some sort in your ruines and desolate and contemptible not onely to thine enemies but also in the eyes of thine own People yet comfort thy self with these great and glorious things foretold concerning thee in the Holy Prophets as Isa. 62. 1 7. and 65. 18 c. and 66. 10 c. Zech. 1. 14 c. and 2. 4 12. and 8. 3 c. and 12. 2 c. Among other things it was â—…oretold that the glory of the latter house should be greater than of the former Hagg. 2. 9. All which Prophecies are to be understood as this place also is of a Spiritual and Evangelical Glory accruing to the Ierusalem as by the birth and presence of Christ in it so also by the accession of all People and Nations to it of which he speaks in the next Verse Selah 4 I will make mention g i. e. I will reckon or account them in the number of my Children and Subjects of * Psal. 89. 10. 〈◊〉 â—…1 9. Rahab h i. e. Egypt so called Psal. 89. 10. Isa. 51. 9. but whether from its pride or natural strength or figure or shape is not material and Babylon i Under these two and Philistia the old and constant enemies of Israel he seems to understand all the keenest enemies of the Israel or Church of God who shall now be not onely reconciled but united to them which also was foretold under the similitude of the wolfs dwelling with the lamb c. Isa. 11. 6. to them k Or with or among them as the prefix â—…amed is frequently used that know me l To wit truly clearly affectionately and practically so as to love serve and obey me as this Phrase is very frequently used in Scripture And upon this account not onely Heathens but wicked Israelites are said not to know God as 1 Sam. 2. 12. and oft elsewhere behold m The notice of it as a thing new and strange and comfortable Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia n The Nations on every side of them for Tâ—…rus was on the North Ethiopia or Arabia for that seems rather to be meant by Câ—…sh as hath been before observed on the South those nearest to them and those more remote from them that lived in the uttermost parts of the earth as this very Land is called Matt. 12. 42. this man was born there o Or saying this man c. for this cohereth with the first words thus I will make mention of Raâ—…ab c. saying this man i. e. these Men or People now mentioned the singular number put collectively for the plural and the Scripture oft speaks of a Nation as of one man as Psal. 25. 22. and 130 8. was born there or in her as it is expressed Verse 5. to wit in Zion born by Adoption and Regeneration See Ioh. 1. 12. and 3. 3 7. Gal. 3. 26. and 4. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 23. The Gentiles shall be ingraffed into the Jewish Church and into all their Priviledges 5 And of Zion p i. e. Of Ierusalem or the Church of God it shall be said q This and that man r i. e. Men of this and that Nation i. e. of every Nation indifferently Jews or Gentiles according to that prediction that Egypt and Assyria and Israel should be all joyned together and blessed and owned by God for his People Isa. â—…9 24 25. Heb. Man and man i. e. every man or all sorts of men without difference of Nations as this very Phrase man and man Lev. 17. 10. 13. is rendred every or what-man and as by day and day is meant every day or from day to day â—…st 3. 4. Psal. 61. 8. was born in her and the Highest himself shall establish her s And this shall not be a sudden and transient but a lasting work Zion shall continue in its strength and fertility because the Almighty God is her Founder and Protector and will finish the work which he hath begun b It shall be mentioned by God as was said Verse 4. and it shall be observed and acknowledged by men as a great and wonderful work of God 6 The LORD shall count when he writeth up the people t Or his people So it is onely a defect of the Pronoun his which is very frequent and easily understood out of the foregoing word the Lord. The sence is when God the Maker and Governor of this City shall take a survey of all his Citizens and Subjects It is an allusion to Princes or Governors of Cities that use to write and keep a Register of all their people Hence holy Men and true Israelites are said to be written among the living in Ierusalem Isa. 4. 3. Or in the writing of the house of Israel Ezek. 13. 9. that this man was born there Sclah 7 As well the singers as the players on instruments u There shall be great rejoycing and praising God both with vocal and instrumental musick for this glorious and stupendious work of the Conversion of the Gentiles He describes Evangelical Worship by Legal Phrases and Customs as the Prophers frequently do shall be there all my Springs are in thee x i. e. In Zion or the Church These words may be here added as the burden or matter of the Song which these singers are supposed to have sung and that either 1. In their own names and in the name of all the Zionites or people of God So the sence is all our desires and delights are in thee all the springs of Mercy Grace and Glory flow to us onely in and thorow thee for springs or fountains are oft put for all precious or desirable things as Psal 36. 9 Isa. 12. 3. Hos. 13. 15. Or 2. In God's name whose words were frequently sung by the singers in the Old Testament 2. So the sence is all the Springs or Fountains of good things or of my Blessings are in Zion or in the Church out of which no true Blessings are to be expected or found And this seems best to suit with the Phrase my Springs partly because it seems more proper to call them God's Springs who is the author and giver of them than mens Springs
in the next verse by this description of them him or them that hated peace although David sought peace with them v. 7. And so he speaks either 1. of the Philistins among whom he sojourned for a time But he did not seek peace with them but sought their ruine as the event shewed not did they wage war against him whilst he lived peaceably among them Or rather 2. the Courtiers and Souldiers of Saul and the generality of the Israelites who to curry favour with Saul sought Davids ruine and that many times by treachery and pretences of friendship of which he oft complains in this Book whom as he elsewhere calls Heathen as Psal. 9. 5 59. 5. it is not strange if he compare them here to the savage Arabians And amongst such persons David was oft forced to sojourn in Sauls time and with them he sought peace by all ways possible but they hated peace and the more he pursued peace the more eagerly did they prosecute the war as it here follows 6 My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace 7 I am ‖ 〈◊〉 a man of 〈◊〉 for peace but when I speak they are for war PSAL. CXXI A song of degrees The matter of this Psalm sufficiently sheweth that the Psalmist was conflicting with great difficulties and oppositions and looking hither and thither for help as men in such cases use to do and then turning his eyes to God and his Providence and encouraging himself by Gods promises made to his people 1 ‖ Or shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills whence should my help come I Will lift up mine eyes unto the * Psal. 87. 1. 133. 3. hills a Either to Sion and Moriah which are called the holy mountains Psal. 87. 1. or rather 2. to the hills in general whereof there were many in the land of Canaan and upon which the forces which he hoped would come to his aid might be seen at a great distance from whence cometh b Or may come Heb. will come my help 2 * Psal. 124. 8. My help cometh from the LORD c From God alone and therefore to him alone will I turn mine eyes which made heaven and earth 3 He will not suffer thy foot d He speaketh as it were from God to himself but withal to the encouragement of his followers and of all good men to be moved e To wit so as to fall into mischief he that keepeth thee will not slumber f Will not overlook nor neglect any thing which is necessary for thy preservation 4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep 5 The LORD is thy keeper the LORD is thy shade g Both to refresh thee and keep thee from the burning heat of the Sun as it is expressed in the next verse and to protect thee by his power from all thine enemies for which reason God is oft called a shadow in Scripture upon thy right hand h Partly to uphold thy right hand which is the chief instrument of action and partly to defend thee in that place where thine enemies oppose thee of which see on Psal. 109. 6. And compare Psal. 16. 8. 109. 31. 6 The sun shall not smite thee i With excessive heat by day nor the moon k With that cold and moisture which comes into the air by it and with it Intemperate heats and colds are the two springs of many diseases He alludes both to the condition of Souldiers or Travellers who are exposed to the open air by day and by night and also to the cloudy Pillar which defended the Israelites both by day and by night The sence is He shall protect thee from all evils both by day and night by night 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in l Shall guard and assist thee in all thy expeditions and affairs and actions either at home or abroad So this phrase is used Numb 27. 17. Deut. 28. 6. from this time forth and even for evermore PSAL. CXXII A song of degrees of David This Psalm seems to have been written by David for the use of the people when they came up to Ierusalem to the solemn Feasts 1 I Was glad when they said unto me Let us go a Exhorting one another to it as Deut. 33. 19. Or we will go The sence is It delighted me much to hear that the people who had so long lived in the neglect or contempt of Gods worship were now ready and forward in it into the house of the LORD 2 Our feet †Heb. were standing So Gr. shall stand b Thither we shall come and there we shall make our abode during the times of solemn worship within thy gates O Jerusalem c In that City where the Ark is now fixed We shall wander no more from place to place as the Ark was removed 3 Jerusalem is built as a city that is * See 2 Sam. 5. 9. compact together d Partly in its buildings which are not dispersed as they are in Villages nor divided into two Cities as it was before but united and enlarged 1 Chron. 11. 7 8. and principally in its Government and Religion which was distinct and opposite before David took the Fort of Zion from the Iebusites 4 * Exod. 23. 17. Deut. 16. 16. Whither the tribes e Not some few pious people of each Tribe as in Sauls time and under the Judges but whole Tribes nor onely one or two of the Tribes as it was during the late Civil Wars but all the twelve Tribes go up the tribes of the LORD e Whom God hath chosen to be his people and whom he hath invited and required to resort thither unto the testimony of Israel f Unto the Ark which is oft called the Testimony as Exod. 16. 34. Levit. 16. 13. 24. 3. Numb 17. 4. and more fully the Ark of the Testimony as Exod. 26. 33 34. and elsewhere because of the Tables of the Covenant laid up in it which are called Gods Testimony and the Tables of the Testimony as Exod. 25. 16. 31. 18 c. And this may well be called the Testimony of or to Israel because it was given by God to them and for their good Or by or according to the Testimony of Israel i. e. Gods command given to Israel which may be alledged here as the reason which moved them to this journey to give thanks unto the name of the LORD g To worship God this one eminent part and action thereof being put for all the rest 5 For h This is added as another reason inviting and obliging them to go up to Ierusalem and as another commendation of this City there †Heb. Do sit are set thrones of judgment i The supreme Courts of Justice for
the Passover when it giveth his colour in the cup when * Cant. 7. 9. it moveth it self aright h When it sparkleth and frisketh and seems to smile upon a Man 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like ‖ Or a Cockatrice an adder i It hurts the Body in many respects impairs the vigor of the Mind wastes the Estate and Reputation wounds the Conscience and without Repentance will destroy the Soul 33 Thine eyes shall behold k With evil intent or lustfully which is the effect of drinking much Wine as is noted in Scripture Gen. 19. 31 35. Hos. 4. 18. and other Authors strange women and thine heart shall utter perverse things l Thine Heart which when thou hadst the use of thy wit concealed will then discover its wickedness by filthy and perverse speeches 34 Yea thou shalt be as he that lieth down m To sleep of which that word is frequently used †Heb. in the heart of the Sea in the midst of the sea n In a Ship in the midst of the Sea This Phrase notes the temper and condition of the Drunkard the giddiness of his Brain the unquietness of his Mind and especially his extream danger joyned with great security or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast o The worst part of the Ship both for its perpetual tossings and for the hazard of him that sleeps in it 35 They have stricken me p I cannot deny that I exposed my self by my Drunkenness to manifold abuses and injuries shalt thou say and I was not sick q I was not then sensible of it neither do I now find any great hurt by it it was but the effect of a present frolick at which I have no cause to be much troubled they have beaten me and †Heb. I knew it not I felt it not when I shall awake I will seek it yet again r At present I find some inconvenience and my condition requires sleep to settle my self and when I am composed and refreshed I purpose to return to my former course But that which Solomon here expresseth seems rather to be the Language of their Hearts or Lives than of their actions Compare Prov. 1. 11. CHAP. XXIV 1 BE not thou * Ps. 37. 1. c. 73. 3. Ch. 3. 31. 23. 17. Vers. 19. envious against evil men neither desire to be with them a Their Company or manner of life 2 * Ps. 10. 7. For their heart studieth destruction b How they may oppress and destroy others which yet at last falls upon their own heads and their lips talk of mischief 3 Through wisdom is an house built and by understanding it is established c There is no need that thou shouldst raise thy Self and Family by ruining others as the manner of wicked men is which thou maist more easily and effectually do by Wisdom and the fear of God 4 And by knowledge d Which in Scripture Phrase includes the love and practice of that which we know shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches 5 * Ch. 21. 22. Eccles. 9. 16. A wise man †Heb. is in strength is strong e Is couragious and resolute and able by Wisdom to do greater things than others can accomplish by their own strength yea a man of knowledg †Heb. strengtheneth might increaseth strength 6 * Ch. 11. 14. 15. 22. 20. 18. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war f War is better managed by Wisdom than by strength So this proves what he said in the last Verse and in multitude of counsellors there is safety 7 Wisdom is too high g Either 1. really it is above his reach or capacity Or 2. in his opinion he judgeth it too hard for him he despairs of attaining it he pretends the impossibility of it because he will not put himself to the charge or trouble of getting it as on the contrary Wisdom is said to be easie to him that understandeth Prov. 14. 6. because he seriously giveth his mind to it and therefore easily and certainly attains to it for a fool h For a wilful Fool or a wicked Man whose lusts enfeeble and darken his Mind and make it uncapable of Wisdom he openeth not his mouth in the gate i Either 1. he can say nothing for himself when he is accused before the Magistrate for which he gives frequent occasion Or 2. he knows not how to speak acceptably and profitably in the publick Assembly among wise men 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person k Heb. a Master of mischief The sense is Though he cover his wicked devices with fair pretences and would be better esteemed yet he shall be noted and branded with that infamy which is due to him 9. The thought of foolishness is sin l The very inward thought or contrivance of evil of which he spake v. 8. even before it break forth into action is a sin in God's sight and it is hateful to God Or foolishness is put for foolish or wicked men by comparing this with the next clause where the scorner is opposed to it So the sense is All the Thoughts of wicked men are onely evil and that continually as is said of man in his corrupt estate Gen. 6. 5. and therefore abominable to God †Or but. and the scorner m He who not onely deviseth and practiseth wickedness but obstinately persists in it and rejects all admonitions against it is an abomination to men n Is abominable not onely to God as all sinners are but to all sober men 10 If thou faint o If thou art impatient and unable to bear sufferings if thy resolution flag and thou givest way to despondency or dejection of Mind in the day of adversity thy strength is †Heb. â—…row small p Heb. is narrow it lives in a little compass it is as strait as thy condition is for there is an Elegant allusion in the Hebrew words The sense is This is a sign that thou hast but little Christian strength or courage for that is best known by adversity 11 * Ps. 82. 4. If thou forbear to deliver them q When it is in thy power to do it lawfully that are drawn unto death r To wit unjustly or by the violence of lawless men and those that are ready to be slain s That are in present danger of Death or Destruction 12 If thou sayest Behold we knew ‖ Or him it not t I was ignorant either of his innocency or of his extream danger or of my power to relieve him doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it u That this is onely a frivolous excuse and that the true reason of thy neglect was thy want of true love
rejoyce in his salvation 10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest f The powerful and gracious Presence of God which is oft signified in Scripture by God's hand shall have its constant and setled abode it shall not move from place to place as it did with the Tabernacle nor shall it depart from it as it did from Ierusalem but shall continue in his Church even to the end of the World Mat. 28. 20. and Moab g The Moabites which having been constant and implacable Enemies to Israel are Synechdochically put for all the Enemies of God's Church as the Edomites upon the same account are Isa. 34. 6. 63. 1. shall be ‖ Or threshed trodden down under him h Under his Feet as appears by the following Similitude even as straw is ‖ Or threshed in Madmenah trodden down for the dunghill i As easily and as effectually as the Straw which being left upon the Ground and mixed with the Dung which lies there is trampled upon by the Feet of Men and Beasts 11 And he k Either 1. Moab who being plunged into a Sea of Troubles shall endeavour to swim out of it but to no purpose or rather 2. the Lord who is designed by this very Pronoun he both in the latter Clause of this Verse and in the following Verse whose Power they shall be no more able to resist than the Waters can resist a Man that swims who with great facility divides them hither and thither shall spread forth his hands l Or siretch forth his hands to the utmost to smite and destroy them in the midst of them as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands m Which he doth to the uttermost to swim and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands n With all that Wealth which they have gained by Rapine and spoiling of God's People and others But the Words are otherwise rendred by others with or by as this Hebrew Particle is used Esth. 9. 25. the arms of his hands which he may mention because the Strength of a Man and of his Hands consisteth in his Arms whence also the arm in Scripture is oft put for Strength or by the motion or stroke of his hands as all the ancient Translators do in effect render it And this seems to agree best with the Metaphor here borrowed from one that swimmeth which is performed in that manner 12 And the * Chap. 26. 5. fortress of the high fort of thy walls o All thy walled Cities and Fortifications to which thou trustest shall he bring down lay low and bring to the ground even to the dust CHAP. XXVI IN that day a When God shall do such glorious Works for the Comfort of his People and for the Ruine of his and their Enemies as he hath described in the foregoing Chapter shall this song be sung in the land of Judah b In the Church of God which in Scripture is oft signified by the Titles of Iudah and Ierusalem and Sion or the like We have a strong city c Ierusalem or the Church which is oft called or compared to a City as Psal. 87. 3. Revel 3. 12. 11. 2. 21. 2. * Chap. 60. 18. salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks d God's immediate and saving Protection shall be to his Church in stead of Walls c. But I conceive with submission the Words may very fitly be thus rendred He will set or put or make her walls and bulwarks salvation i. e. as safe as Salvation it self or in safety there being onely a defect of the Preposition which is very frequent in Scripture 2 * Psal. 118. 19 20. Open ye the gates e Of the City mentioned v. 1. that the righteous nation f Either 1. those godly Jews who are returning from Babylon or 2. the whole Body of righteous and holy Men whether Jews or Gentiles For he seems to speak here as he apparently did in the foregoing Chapter of the Times of the Gospel which keepeth the †Heb. truths truth g Which is sincere and stedfast in the Profession and Practice of the True Religion may enter in 3 Thou wilt keep him in †Heb. peace peace perfect peace whose ‖ Or thought â—…r imagination mind is staied on thee h Heb. the fixed thought or mind i. e. the Man whose Mind and Thoughts are fixed and setled upon thee by Faith as the next Clause explains it the Qualification being put for the Person so qualified as folly and wisdom are put for a Fool and a Wise man Prov. 24. 9. Mic. 6. 9. and peace for a Man of peace Psal. 120. 7. thou wilt keep in peace peace i. e. in all manner of peace in constant and perfect peace In the foregoing Verse the Righteous were admitted into the City and here they are preserved and defended in it by God's Almighty Power because he trusteth in thee 4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever i In all Times and Conditions for in the LORD JEHOVAH is †Heb. the rock of ages Deut. 32. 4. everlasting strength k Heb. the rock of ages a sure Refuge to all those that trust in him through all generations therefore you may safely trust in him and that for ever 5 For he bringeth down l Heb. he hath brought down which yet may be put for the future he will bring down c. You may trust him for he can and doth raise some and throw down others according to his own good pleasure them that dwell on high m He speaks not so much of heighth of Place as of Dignity and Power in which sence also he mentions the lofty city in the next Clause the * Chap. 25. 12. 32. 19. lofty city n Which may be understood either of proud Babylon or collectively of all the strong and stately Cities of God's Enemies he layeth it low he layeth it low even to the ground he bringeth it even to the dust 6 The foot shall tread it down even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy o God will bring it under the Feet of his poor and weak and despised People 7 The way of the just is uprightness p Or most even or plain Heb. evenness or plainness Which is understood either 1. of the Rectitude or Goodness of his Actions or Course or rather 2. of the good Success of his Affairs for this suits best with the Coherence When the way of the Wicked is rugged in which they easily stumble and fall into mischief of which he spoke v. 5 6. the path of Just men is plain and smooth and they walk safely and comfortably in it thou most upright dost weigh the path of the just q The sence of the Words thus rendred is Thou O God who art most upright
And particularly the Captivity of the Iews in Babylon and their Deliverance out of it is largely expressed by this very Similitude Ezek. 37. 11 c. together with my dead body l As I my self who am one of your number and of these Dead men shall live again You shall be delivered together with me Which he might add to meet with an Objection for they might think that God would take some special Care of this Holy Prophet and would preserve him when they should be destroyed No saith he As I am at present like a dead Carkass no less than you so you shall be restored to Life no less than I. If the Supplement of our Translation seems to be too liberal it may be rendred to the same purpose as my body the Particle as being oft understood as I have divers times observed As my dead Body shall rise so shall theirs also we are equally dead and shall equally live again shall they arise m Unto Life as appears from the former Clause awake n Out of your sleep even the sleep of death as it is called Psal. 13. 3. Death being oft compared to a Sleep as Ioh. 11. 11. Act. 7. 60. and Restauration to Life unto awaking as 2 Kings 4. 31. and sing ye that dwell in the dust o You that are dead and buried in the Dust as the Dead are said to sleep in the dust Dan. 12. 2. for thy dew p The Favour and Blessing of God upon thee which is oft compared to the dew as Hos. 14. 5. Mich. 5. 7. The Pronoun thy is here taken not efficiently but objectively as thy curse Gen. 27. 13. is the Curse coming upon thee is as the dew of herbs q Which gently refresheth and reviveth them and maketh them to grow and flourish and the earth shall cast out the dead r. qAs an abortive Birth is cast out of the Womb to which the Grave is compared Iob 1. 21. But because the Verb here used doth not signifie to cast out but to cast down which seems not proper here these Words may be and are both by ancient and later Interpreters rendred otherwise and thou wilt cast down the land of the giants or of the violent ones of the proud and potent Tyrants of the World For the Word here rendred dead is elsewhere rendred giants as 2 Sam. 21. 16. 18. See also on Iob 26. 5. Prov. 9. 18. 21. 16. But then the Words seem to be better rendred and thou wilt cast the giants down to the ground Either 1. thou O God who is oft understood in such Cases or rather 2. thou O my People to whom he speaks in the foregoing Clauses of the Verse thy dead body and thy dew and here continueth his Speech thou wilt or shalt cast c. thou shalt subdue even thy most Giant-like and mighty Enemies Which though it be properly God's Work the Church is oft said to do because she by her Prayers engageth God to do it And so as the former Clauses of the Verse speak of the Deliverance and Prosperity of God's Church and People so this Clause speaks of the Destruction of their Enemies which usually accompanieth it 20 Come my people s Having foretold the wonderful Deliverance and great Happiness of God's People and the utter Destruction of their Enemies lest they should think they were now entring into the possession of this Felicity he adds what here follows and intimates that for the present they were to expect Storms and to prepare for them and patiently to wait God's time for the Accomplishment of so great a Mercy enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee t Withdraw thy self from the Company and Conversation of the Wicked World lest partaking with them in their Sins thou dost also partake of their Plagues pour out thy Prayers to God in thy Closet as this may be explained by comparing Mat. 6. 6. put thy self under the protection of my Providence and Grace by Faith and Prayer He alludes to the common practice of Men who when there are Storms or Dangers abroad betake themselves into their own Houses or Chambers for safety or as some think to that History Exod. 9. 19 20. or to that Command of not going out of their houses Exod. 12. 22. or to the like Charge given to Rohab as the Condition of her Preservation Ios. 2. hide thy self as it were * Psal. 30. 5. Chap. 54. 7 8. 2 Cor. 4. 17. for a little moment u Whereby he intimates that all their Afflictions how long and tedious soever they may seem are but short and momentary in comparison of that Happiness which is reserved for them until the indignation x The dreadful Effects of God's Anger those sore Judgments of God mentioned in the following Verse be overpast 21 For behold the LORD * Mic. 1. 3. cometh out of his place y Cometh down from Heaven which God in Scripture is frequently said to do when he undertaketh any great and glorious Work either of Delivering his People or of Destroying their Enemies The Speech is borrowed from the manner of Princes who come out of their Palaces either to fit in Judgment or to fight against their Enemies which is the Case here to punish the inhabitants of the earth z All the Enemies of God and of his People for these are here opposed to God's People Therefore take heed you be not found in the number of them for their iniquity the earth also shall disclose her †Heb. bloods blood and shall no more cover her slain a The innocent Blood which hath been spilled upon the Earth shall be brought to light and shall be severely revenged upon the Murderers For the Phrase see on Gen. 4. 10. Iob 16. 18. Ezek. 24. â—… CHAP. XXVII IN that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan a What kind of Creature the Leviathan is see in my Notes on Iob 41. 1 c. Whence it is evident that it was a very great and terrible Sea-monster But here it is certain that the Expression is metaphorical and that by this Leviathan Serpent and Dragon for all signifie the same thing he understands some very powerful Enemy or Enemies for the Singular Number may be here put for the Plural as it is in many other places of God and of his Church or People which may well be called by these Names partly for their great Might and partly for the great Terrour and Destruction which they cause upon the Earth as the Leviathan doth in the Sea He seems to have a special respect to some particular Enemy and Oppressor of God's People either the Assyrian Emperour who now was so or rather the Babylonian who should be so Some understand this of the Devil But although it may be applied to him in a mystical sence it seems to be literally meant of some
name and in the name of Gods People put on strength d Cloath and adorn thy self with mighty works put forth thy strength O arm of the LORD awake as in the ancient days in the generations of old Art thou not it that hath cut e Heb. hewed with thy Sword Rahab f Egypt so called here and Psal. 87. 4. 89. 10. either from its Pride or strength or from the shape and figure of that Land and wounded the * Ps. 74. 13 14. Ezek. 29. 3. Ch. 27. 1. dragon g Pharaoh so called Psal. 74. 13. Ezek. 29. 3. 32. 2. 10 Art thou not it which hath * Ex. 14. 21. dried the sea h Art not thou the same God and as potent now as then thou wast the waters of the great deep that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed i For thy people whom thou didst redeem and bring out of Egypt to pass over 11 Therefore k Or So. Heb. And. This verse contains an answer to the Prophets Prayer It is true I did these great things and I will do the like again * Ch. 35. 10. the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be * Ps. 7. 16. upon their head l Like a Crown of Glory But for the accomplishment of this magnificent Promise we must needs look beyond their return from Babylon into their own Land when they met with many discouragements and troubles and calamities and extend it unto the coming of Christ by whom these great things were procured and actually conferred upon his People they shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away 12 I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou m How unreasonable and distrustful art thou O my Church how unlike to thy self how unsuitable in these despondencies unto thy own professions and obligations that thou shouldest be afraid * Ps. 118. 6. of a man that shall die and of the son of man which shall be made * Ch. 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. as grass n Of a weak Mortal and perishing Creature 13 And forgettest the LORD thy maker o And dost not consider the infinite power of that God who made thee and who will plead thy cause that hath * Job 9. 8. Ps. 104. 2. Ch. 40. 22 42. 5. 44. 24. stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor as if he ‖ Or â—…ade himselâ—… 〈◊〉 were ready to destroy p As if it were in his power to destroy thee in a moment and where is the fury of the oppressour q What is become of the power rage of the Babylonians Is it not all gone Are not they broken and thou delivered He speaks of the thing as if it were already done because it should certainly and suddenly be done Where is it It is no where it is quite lost and gone as this Phrase is frequently used as Psal. 42. 3. Zech. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 55. 14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed r God is not slack as you think but maketh haste to fulfil his promise and to rescue his captive and oppressed People from all their oppressions and miseries and that he should not die in the pit nor that his bread should fail 15 But I am the LORD thy God ‖ Or that â—…leth tâ—…e sea when the waves thereof roar that * Job 26. 12. Jâ—…r 31. 35. divideth the sea whose waves roared the LORD of hosts is his name 16 And I have put my words * Deu. 18. 18. Ch. 49. 2 3. in thy mouth s These great and glorious Promises which are in thy mouth are not the vain words of Man a weak and unconstant and unfaithful Creature but the words of the Almighty unchangeable and faithful God and therefore they shall be infallibly accomplished These words are manifestly spoken by God either 1. To Isaiah by whom these promises were delivered Or 2. To Christ of whom and to whom many things are said in this Prophecy as we have already seen and will further appear And such abrupt and sudden Apostrophe's to persons not mentioned in the foregoing words are not unusual in this Prophesie as hath been observed Or rather 3. To Israel to Gods Church and People to whom he speaks both in the foregoing and following verses For Gods Word is frequently said to be put into the mouths not only of the Prophets but of the People also as Isa. 59. 21. as also Deut. 30. 14. Ios. 1. 8. c. and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand t Have protected thee by my Almighty power See the same Phrase Isa. 49. 2. that I may plant the heavens and * Ps. 11. 3. 60. 2. 75. 3. lay the foundations of the earth u I have given thee these Promises and this protection in all thy calamities to assure thee of my care and kindness to thee and that I will reform thee in a most glorious manner and bring thee unto that perfect and blessed estate which is reserved for the days of the Messiah which in Scripture Phrase is called a making of new Heavens and a new Earth Isa. 65. 17. 66. 22. 2 Pet. 3. 13. and elsewhere and say unto Zion Thou art my people x That I may own thee for my People in a more illustrious manner than ever I have done 17 * Ch. 52. 1. Awake y Either 1. Out of the sleep of security Or 2. Out of the sleep of death Heb. Roâ—…ze up thy self come out of that forlorn and disconsolate condition in which thou hast so long been This sense suits best with the following words awake stand up z Upon thy feet O thou who hast falln and been thrown down to the ground O Jerusalem which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury a Which hast been sorely afflicted for so this Metaphor is used Psal. 75. 8. Ier. 25. 15 c. 49. 12. thou hast * Ps. 75. 8. drunken the dregs of the * Zâ—…ch 12. 2. cup of trembling b Which striketh him that drinketh it with a deadly horrour and ‖ Or sucked them out wrung them out c Drunk every drop of it See on Psal. 75. 8. 18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up d When thou wast drunk with this Cup and not able to go neither thy Princes nor Prophets nor Priests were able or willing to lead and support thee 19 * Ch. 47. 9. These two things e Either 1. Those who were now