unclean shall not pass over it p Either to disturb or defile it Unclean Persons shall in a good measure be kept or cast out of my Church by the strict exercise of good Discipline here and hereafter not one unclean Person shall enter into my Kingdome ‖ Or for he shall be with them but it shall be for those q But this way shall be appropriated unto those Persons above-mentioned the Weak and Blind and Lame whom God will Heal and Save ver 3. 4 5 6. The pronoun Relative is put without an Antecedent as it is in many other places But this and the following Clause is and may well be rendred otherwise and he to wit God who is oft designed by this Pronoun and is easily understood out of the Context shall be to or with them walking in the way their Companion and Guide in their Way which is a great felicity that fools may not err therein the way-faring men though fools shall not err therein r The Way shall be so plain and straight that even the most foolish Travellers who are described by this Character that They know not the way to the City Eccles. 10. 15. cannot easily mistake it 9. No lion shall be there nor any †Heb. robber of or among beasts ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there s It shall not onely be a plain but a safe Way free from all annoyance or danger from mischievous Creatures This is the same Promise for substance with that Isa. 11. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain but the redeemed shall walk there 10. And the * Chap. 51. 11. ransomed of the LORD t They whom God shall Rescue and Redeem from their corporal Slavery in Babylon and especially from their spiritual Bondage under Sin and Satan shall return and come to Zion u Shall come again to Zion from whence they had been carried away Captive Or shall return to wit to the Lord now mentioned and come to Zion i. e. joyn themselves to God's Church and People with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and * Rev. 21. 4. sorrow and sighing shall flee away x Which Expressions are too magnificent and emphatical to be satisfied by the return of the Iews from Babylon to their own Land which was accompanied and followed with many Sighs and Sorrows as appears both from sacred and other Historians and therefore must necessarily be understood of Gospel-times and of the Joy and Happiness purchased by Christ for his People begun here and continued to all Eternity CHAP. XXXVI 1. NOw * 2 Kin. 18. 13. 2 Chr. 32. 1. it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Iudah and took them 2. And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Ierusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army and he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the high way of the fullers field 3. Then came forth unto him Eliakim Hilkiahs son which was over the house and Shebna the ‖ Or secretaâ—… scribe and Ioah Asaphs son the recorder 4. And Rabshakeh said unto them say ye now to Hezekiah Thus saith the great king the king of Assyria What confidence is this wherein thou trustest 5. I say saist thou but they are but †Heb. a word of lips vain words ‖ Or but counsel and strength are for the war I have counsel and strength for war now on whom dost thou trust that thou rebellest against me 6. Lo thou trustest in the * Ezek. 29. 6 7. staff of this broken reed on Egypt whereon if a man lean it will go into his hand and pierce it so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him 7. But if thou say to me We trust in the LORD our God is it not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away and said to Iudah and to Ierusalem Ye shall worship before this altar 8. Now therefore give ‖ Or hostages pledges I pray thee to my master the king of Assyria and I will give thee two thousand horses if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them 9. How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my masters servants and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen 10. And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it the LORD said unto me Go up against this land and destroy it 11. Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Ioah unto Rabshakeh Speak I pray thee unto thy servants in the Syrian language for we understand it and speak not to us in the Jews language in the ears of the people that are on the wall 12. But Rabshakeh said Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall that they may eat their own dung and drink their own piss with you 13. Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews language and said Hear ye the words of the great king the king of Assyria 14. Thus saith the king Let not Hezekiah deceive you for he shall not be able to deliver you 15. Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD saying The LORD will surely deliver us this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria 16 Hearken not to Hezekiah for thus saith the king of Assyria ‖ Or seek my favour by a present †Heb. make with me a blessing Make an agreement with me by a present and come out to me and eat ye every one of his vine and every one of his fig-tree and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern 17. Untill I come and take you away to a land like your own land a land of corn and wine a land of bread and vineyards 18. Beware lest Hezekiah perswade you saying the LORD will deliver us Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria 19. Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad where are the gods of Sepharvaim and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand 20. Who are they amongst all the gods of these lands that have delivered their land out of my hand that the LORD should deliver Ierusalem out of my hand 21. But they held their peace and answered him not a word for the kings commandment was saying Answer him not 22. Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah that was over the houshold and Shebna the scribe and Ioah the son of Asaph the recorder to Hezekiah with their cloths rent and told him the words of Rabshakeh The History related here and in the Three
example in the worship of Idols * chap. 34. 13. Num. 33. 52. Deut. 7. 5 35. 12. 3. but thou shalt utterly overthrow them s i. e. The people lest thou be ensnared by their counsel or example and quite break down their images t Or statues or pillars or any thing else erected in honour to their false Gods See Gen. 28. 18. and 35. 20. 25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God and * Deut. 28. 5 8. he shall bless thy bread and thy water u i. e. Thy meat and thy drink that they shall be able to nourish thee and giâ—…e thee comfort which without my blessing they will never be able to do and * chap. 15. 26. Deut. 7. 15. I will take sickness away from the midst of thee 26 * Deut. 7. 14. There shall nothing cast their young nor be barren x Here was a double mercy God gave them strength both to conceive and to retain the conception till the natural and proper time of bringing forth came in thy land the number of thy dayes I will fulfill y I will preserve thee so as thou shalt live as long as the course of nature and temper of thy body will permit when evil men shall not live out half their days Psal. 55. 23. 27 I will send my fear z i. e. A great terrour or a terrour wrought by me See Exod. 33. 2. Iosh. 24. 12. before thee and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come and I will make all thine enemies turn their †Heb. necks backs unto thee 28 And I will send Hornets a Properly so called as may be gathered from Ios. 24. 12. Deut. 7. 20. Hornets are of themselves very troublesome and mischievous but these it is very probable were like those Egyptian flies Exod. 8. 21. of an extraordinary higness and perniciousness Nor is it strange that such creatures did drive many of these people from their habitations for many heathen writers give us instances of some people driven from their seats by frogs others by mice others by bees and wasps of which see Herodotus Diodorus Plin. Aelian Iustin c. before thee which shall drive out the Hivite the Canaanite and the Hittite b He names these three people either for all the rest because they were the most potent about the time of Israels first entrance into Canaan and gave them most trouble or because these three were more infested with Hornets than the other Nations as being more numerous and dangerous from before thee 29 * Deut. 7. 22. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year lest the land become desolate c Void of inhabitants in a great measure because thy present number is not sufficient to occupy and manage their whole land and the beast of the field multiply against thee 30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee until thou be increased and inherit the land 31 And * Josh. 1. 4. I will set thy bounds d Compare this place with Gen. 15. 18. Numb 34. 3. from the Red-sea even unto the sea of the Philistines e i. e. The Mediterranean or Mid-land sea upon whose coast the land of the Philistines lay and from the desert f Of Egypt or Arabia whereof see Gen. 16. 7. Exod. 15. 22. unto the river g To wit Euphrates as it is expressed Deut. 1. 7. and 11. 24. which is oft called the river by way of eminency All within these bounds were given them by God but upon conditions which they manifestly broke and therefore were for the most part confined to a much narrower compass for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand and thou shalt drive them out before thee 32 * chap. 34. 15. Deut. 7. 2. Thou shalt make no covenant with them nor with their gods h To worship them as they made a covenant with Iehovah to worship him The sence is Thou shalt not engage thy self either to the people or to their Gods but shalt root out both 33 They shall not dwell in thy land lest they make thee sin against me for if thou serve i Or for thou wilt serve this will be the fruit of thy cohabitation with them thou wilst thereby be drawn to Idolatry their gods * chap. 34. 12. Deut. 7. 16. Josh. 23. 13. Judg. 2. 3. 1 Sam. 18. 21. Psal. 106. 36. it will surely k Or and assuredly this will be a snare l An occasion of further sin and utter ruine unto thee CHAP. XXIV 1 AND he said unto Moses Come up a After thou hast gone down and acquainted the people with my will and received their answer then come up again This sence is gathered from the repetition of this command after that was done ver 12. unto the LORD thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu b Aaron and his two eldest sons whom by this special honour and favour he prepared for that office to which they were to be called chap. 28. and seventy of the Elders of Israel c Not the seventy governours which were chosen after this time as appears from Num. 11. 24. compared with Numb 33. 16. but seventy persons selected by Moses out of those rulers chosen and mentioned Exod. 18. 25. and possibly these were the chief heads of those several families which went with Iacob into Egypt which were about 70. See Gen. 46. 26 27. and worship ye afar off d Though they may come up into the mount further than the people yet do thou and let them especially keep their distance and what worship either thou or they shall offer to me shall be performed afar off from the top of the mountain whither thou onely shalt be admitted and that not to pray to me but onely to receive laws and oracles from me See ver 2. 2 And Moses alone e i. e. Without the persons now mentioned though not without Ioshua his minister as some conceive from ver 13. though even there Moses seems to ascend into the mount without Ioshua shall come near the LORD but they shall not come nigh neither shall the people go up with him f To any part of the mount as Aaron and Nadab c. did but they shall tarry at the bottom See Exod. 19. 12. 3 And Moses came g Down from the mount to the people after he had received the laws from God and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice and said * chap. 19. 8. Ver. 7. Deut. 5. 27. All the words which the LORD hath said will we do h This they so readily and rashly promise because they were not sensible of their own weakness and because they did not understand the comprehensiveness and spirituality and strictness of Gods law but
and by making God great they make us little in our own eyes Though this clause as well as that which follows may have respect to their afflictions mentioned v. 15. and that he might prove thee good at thy latter end p i. e. That after he hath purged and prepared thee by afflictions he may give thee and thou mayest receive and enjoy his blessings with less disadvantage whilest by the remembrance of former afflictions thou art made thankful for them and more cautious not to abuse and forfeit them again 17 And thou say in thine heart My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth 18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth q So this word is used Numb 24. 18. Iob 20. 18. Prov. 31. 29. that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers as it is this day 19 And it shall be if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them I testifie against you this day that ye shall surely perish 20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face so shall ye perish because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God CHAP. IX 1 HEar O Israel thou art to pass over Jordan this day a i. e. Shortly within a little time the word day being oft put for time as Iob. 8. 56. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Revd. 16. 14. within two moneths for Moses spake this on the first day of the eleventh moneth Deut. 1. 3. and they passed over Ierdan on the tenth day of the first moneth Ios. 4. 19. to go in to possess nations b i. e. The land of those nations for that onely they were to possess but as for the Nations or people they were not to possess but to destroy them Thus they are said to 〈◊〉 Gad Ier. 4â—… 1. i. e. the Country and 〈◊〉 of Gad as it is there explained greater and mightier than thy self c This he adds partly that they might not be surprized when they find them to be such partly that they â—…ght not trust to their own strength but wholly rely upon Gods help for the destroying of them and after the work was done might ascribe the pâ—…se and glory of it to God alone and not to themselves cities great and * Chap. 1. 28. fenced up to heaven d As the Spies reported Deut. 1. 28. See on Gen. 11. 4. 2 A people great and tall the children of * Num. 13. 28 â—… the Anakims whom thou knowest and of whom thou hast heard say e Either from the spies or rather from common same for this seems to be a proverb used in those times Who can stand before the children of Anak 3 Understand therefore this day that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee as a * Chap. â—… â—…4 Heb. 12. 29. consuming fire he shall destroy them and he shall bring them down before thy face so shalt thou drive them out and destroy them quickly f Without great difficulty or long wars as the LORD hath said unto thee 4 Speak not thou in thine heart after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee saying * Rom. 11. 6 20. 1 Cor. 4 4. 7. For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land but * Gen. 15. 16. for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee 5 Not for thy righteousness or for the uprightness of thine heart g Neither for thy upright heart nor holy life which are the two things which God aâ—…ove all 〈◊〉 regards 1 〈◊〉 29 17. Psal. 15. 1. 2. And consequently he 〈◊〉 all merit And surely they who did not deserve this earthly 〈◊〉 could not merit the Kingdom of Glory dost thou go to possess their land but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee and that he may perform * Gen 12. 7. 13. 1â—… 15. â—… 17. 8. â—… 4. â—… 1â—… the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob h To shew my faithfulness in accomplishing that promise which I graciously made and confirmed with my oath By which words it is implyed that this land was not given to them for the righteousness of their fathers though they were righteous and holy persons and much less for their own righteousness which they had not as it follows 6 Understand therefore that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness for thou art a * Exod. 32. 9. 34. 9. stiff-necked people i Rebellious and perverse and so destitute of all pretence of righteousness such were the people but there were divers particular persons amongst them truly righteous and holy and yet even their righteousness is denyed to be the procuring cause of this land 7 Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness * Exod. 14. 11. 16. 2. 17. 2. Num. 11. 4. 20. 2. 25. 3. from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt until ye came unto this place ye have been rebellious against the LORD 8 Also * Exod. 32. 4. Ps. 106. 19. in Horeb k When your miraculous deliverance out of Egypt was fresh in memory when God had but newly manifested himself to you in so stupendious and dreadful a manner and had taken you into covenant with himself when God was actually conferring further mercies upon you ye provoked the LORD to wrath so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you 9 * Exod. 24. 12 15. When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you then * Exod. 24. 18. 34. 28. I abode in the mount forty dayes and forty nights I neither did eat bread nor drink water l i. e. I wholly abstained from all meat and drink Compare 1 King 13. 8 9 13. 2 King 6. 22. 10 * Exod. 31. 18. And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the singer of God m Immediately and miraculously which was done not onely to procure the greater reverence to the law but also to signifie that it was the work of God alone to write this Law upon the Tables of mens hearts See Iâ—… 31. 33. 2 Cor. 3. 3. 7. and on them was written according to all the words which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire * Exod. 19. 17 20. 1. in the day of the assembly n i. e. When the people were gathered together by Gods command to the
bottom of Mount Sinai to hear and receive Gods ten Commandements from his own mouth 11 And it came to pass at the end of fourty dayes and fourty nights that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone even the tables of the covenant 12 And the LORD said unto me * Exod. 3â—… 3. Arise get thee down quickly from hence for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them they have made them a molten image 13 Furthermore the LORD spake unto me saying I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people 14 Let me alone o Stop not the course of my fury by thy intercession that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven and I will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they 15 So I turned and came down from the mount and the mount burned with fire and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands 16 And * Exod. 32. 19. I looked and behold ye had sinned against the LORD your God and had made you a molten calf ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the LORD had commanded you 17 And I took the two tables and cast them out of my two hands and brake them before your eyes p Not by an unbridled passion but in zeal for Gods honour and by the direction of Gods spirit to signifie to the people that the covenant between God and them contained in those tables was broken and made void and they were now quite cast out of Gods favour and could expect nothing from him but fiery indignation and severe justice See on Exod. 32. 19. 18 And * Psa. 106. 23. I fell down q In way of humiliation and supplication on your behalf before the LORD as at the first forty dayes and forty nights I did neither eat bread nor drink water because of all your sins which ye sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD to provoke him to anger 19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you But the LORD hearkned unto me at that time also 20 And the LORD was very angry with Aaron r Though he was onely accessary as being perswaded and in a manner compelled to comply with your desire to have destroyed him And I prayed for Aaron also the same time 21 And * Exod. 32. 20. I took your sin s i. e. The object and matter of your sin as sin is taken Isa. 31. 7. the calf which ye had made and burnt it with fire and stamped it and ground it very small even until it was as small as dust and I cast the dust thereof into the brook t That there might be no monument or remembrance of it left that descended out of the mount 22 And at * Num. 11. 1 3. Taberah and at * Exod. 17. 7. Massa and at * Num. 11. 34. Kibroth-hattaavah ye provoked the LORD to wrath 23 Likewise * Num. 13. 3. when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea saying Go up and possess the land which I have given you then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God and ye believed him not nor hearkned to his voice 24 Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you 25 Thus I fell down before the LORD forty dayes and forty nights u The same mentioned before v. 18. as appears 1. By comparing this with Exodus where this History is more fully related and where this is said to be done twice onely 2. By the occasion and matter of Moses his prayer here following which is the same with the former 3. By the words here following as I fell down at first which shew that this was the second time of his so doing as I fell down * Ver. 18. at the first because the LORD had said he would destroy you 26 I prayed therefore unto the LORD and said O LORD God destroy not thy people and thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness x i. e. Through the greatness of thy power which appeared most eminently in that work as is noted v. 29. which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand 27 Remember thy servants y i. e. The promise made and sworn to thy servants which was mentioned above v. 5. Abraham Isaac and Jacob look not unto the stubborness of this people nor to their wickedness nor to their sin 28 Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say * Num. 14. 15. Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them and because he hated them he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness 29 Yet they are thy people z Whom thou hast chosen to thy self out of all mankind and publickly owned them for thine and hast purchased and redeemed them from the Egyptians and thine inheritance which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched-out arm CHAP. X. 1 AT that time a When God was newly appeased by my intercession the LORD said unto me * Exod. 34. 1. Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first and come up unto me into the mount and make thee an ark of wood b Either a temporary Ark for this use till the other was finished or the famous Ark as may seem by comparing this with v. 5. It is not evident in what order these things were done nor is it strange if Moses in this short and general relation neglect the order of time as being nothing to his present purpose 2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest and thou shalt put them in the ark 3 And I made an ark of * Exod. 25. 1 10. Shittim wood and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first and went up into the mount having the two tables in mine hand 4 And * Exod. 34. â—… he wrote on the tables according to the first writing the ten †Heb. 〈◊〉 commandments which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly and the LORD gave them unto me 5 And I turned my self and came down from the mount and put the tables in the ark which I had made and there they be as the LORD commanded me 6 And the children of Israel took their journey c This following History comes in manifestly by way of parenthesis as may appear from ver 10. where he returns to his former discourse and it seems to be here inserted Either 1. Because the Priests and Levites here mentioned were the Guardians and Keepers of the Ark and Tables here mentioned
his men were oft exposed to was no small favour and priviledge which Nabal was bound both in justice and gratitude and prudence to requite 8 Ask thy young men and they will shew thee wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes for we come in a good day l i. e. In a day of Feasting and Rejoycing when men are most chearful and liberal when thou maist relieve us out of thy abundance without damage to thy self when thou art receiving the Mercies of God and therefore obliged to pity and relieve distressed and indigent Persons Deut. 12. 12. and 14. 26 29. and 15. 7. give I pray thee whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants m To us who have been and still are ready to serve and guard thee and thine Or the word Servants may be onely used as a word of respect frequently used in Scripture where Inferiors speak to Superiors especially when they be suppliants and beg some favour and to thy son n So he calls himself to shew that respect and affection which he bore to Nabal as being elder and wealthier than himself and of the same Tribe with himself and a Branch of so worthy a Family as Nabal's was David 9 And when Davids young men came they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David and ‡ Heb. rested ceased 10 ¶ And Nabal answerd Davids servants and said Who is David o What relation or obligation have I to David and who is the son of Jesse There be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master p Hereby he taxeth both David as one revolted from and risen up against Saul his Lord and Master and his Soldiers as Runagates from their Masters and Creditors c. See chap. 22. 2. 11 Shall I then take my bread and my water q He speaketh thus either because in those hot and dry parts Water was scarce and precious or Water is here put for any kind of Drink as Bread is oft taken for all sorts of Meat and my ‡ Heb. slaughter flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be 12 So Davids young men turned their way and went again and came and told him all those sayings 13 And David said unto his men Gird ye on every man his sword r Having resolved and sworn to revenge himself of Nabal as is expressed verse 21 22. And they girded on every man his sword and David also girded on his sword and there went up after David about four hundred men and two hundred abode by the stuff s See chap. 17. 22. and 30. 24. 14 ¶ But one of the young men told Abigail t Wisely considering the mischievous effects likely to follow so churlish a message Nabals wife saying Behold David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master and he ‡ Heb. flew upon them railed on them 15 But the men were very good unto us and we were not ‡ Heb. shamed hurt neither missed we any thing as long as we were conversant with them when we were in the fields 16 They were a wall u i. e. A defence against wild Beasts and Robbers and Enemies unto us both by night and day all the while we were with them keeping the sheep 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do for evil is determined against our master and against all his houshold x Which it was easie to guess either from some threatning expressions which David's men used or from the consideration of David's great power and that rage which so high a provocation was likely to produce in Military Persons for he is such a son of Belial that a man cannot speak to him y To wit without hazard to himself and therefore I acquaint thee rather than him with this matter 18 ¶ Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves z Which she did without his leave and against his mind because it was a case of apparent necessity for the preservation of her self and Husband and all the Family from imminent ruin And surely that real and urgent necessity which dispenseth with Gods positive commands might well dispense with the Husbands right in this case and two bottles of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched corn and an hundred ‡ Or 〈◊〉 clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs and laid them on asses 19 And she said unto her servants Go on before me behold I come after you a For she knew she could quickly overtake them but she told not her husband Nabal 20 And it was so as she rode on the asse that she came down by the covert of the hill b In the lower part and under the shadow of the Hill or of the Trees that grew upon it so that David did not see her till she met him and behold David and his men came down c To wit from another opposite Hill against her and she met them 21 Now David had said d Either in his journey or as soon as he heard that reproachful answer Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow e Whom he thought unworthy to be named for his barbarous ingratitude and churlishness hath in the wilderness so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him and he hath requited me evil for good 22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David f i. e. Unto David himself But because it might seem ominous and unnatural to Curse himself therefore by a Figure called Euphemismus instead of David he mentions David's Enemies See 1 Sam. 20. 16. The words may be thus rendred So and more also let God do for the Hebrew Lamed being very oft so used the Enemies of David i. e. Let God work for them and give them as much Prosperity and Success as Nabal hath hitherto had Or let God utterly destroy their Enemies and especially my self the chief of them if I do not destroy this man if I leave of all that pertain unto him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall g i. e. Any of the Males for they onely do so and of them this Phrase is manifestly understood 1 King 14. 10. and 21. 21. and 2 King 9. 8. And men not wholly barbarous have generally spared Women in such cases Qu. Why then was Abigail so much concerned and afraid Answ. Partly from humanity and the horror of so general and dreadful a Slaughter of her Family and nearest Relations and partly because when the Sword was once drawn she knew not where it would rest nor whether she should escape for she knew nothing of this limitation of David's threatning till she came to him 23 And when Abigail saw David she hasted and lighted off the ass and fell before
God Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God m Who by his Zeal for thee hath manifested himself to be thy God and Friend in a singular manner and therefore will hear thy Prayers for me though he will not regard mine because I have forsaken him and his Worship and pray for me that my hand may be restored me again And the man of God besought ‡ Heb. the 〈◊〉 of the LORD the LORD n To assure Ieroboam that what he had said was not from ill-will to him and that he heartily desired his Reformation not his Ruine and the kings hand was restored again o Partly to assure him that the stroke was from God partly because he Repented of that Violence which he intended against the Prophet for which God inflicted it and partly that this goodness of God to him might have led him to Repentance or if he continued Impenitent leave him without all excuse and became as it was before 7 And the king said unto the man of God Come home with me and refresh thy self and I will give thee a reward p Horrid Stupidity He desires to requite the Instrument but takes no notice of the chief Cause and Author of this great and wonderful Mercy which was God 8 And the man of God said unto the king * â—…o Numb 〈◊〉 18. and 24. 〈◊〉 If thou wilt give me half thine house I will not go in with thee neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place 9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD q My refusal of thy favour is not from any contempt or hatred of thy Person but in obedience to the just Command of my God who hath forbidden me all further Converse or Communication with thee saying Eat no bread nor drink water r To wit in that place or with that People Whereby God declares how detestable they were in Gods Eyes not because their Idolatry was so bad as that of the Heathens but because they were vile Apostates from the True God and embraced this Idol-worship against the light of their own Consciences meerly to comply with the Kings humour and command and because their vicinity and Relation to the Tribe of Iudah made this more dangerous as to their infection by it nor turn again by the same way that thou camest s That by thy avoiding the way that led thee to Bethel as execrable although thou wentest by my special Command thou mightest teach all others how much they should abhor that way and all thoughts of going to that place or to such people upon any trivial and unnecessary occasion 10 So he went another way and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel 11 ¶ Now there dwelt an old prophet t A Prophet of the Lord one to whom and by whom God did sometimes impart his mind as is manifest from ver 20 21. and one that had a respect to the Lords holy Prophets and gave credit to their Predictions all which the following Relation shews but whether he was an holy and good Man may justly be doubted seeing all those qualifications might meet in a vicious man to and by whom he may Reveal some part of his Mind as he did to Balaam Numb 23. c. and in such his other qualities are sometimes found and we find him in a downright and premeditated Lye and that without any great temptation to it ver 18. And albeit an holy Prophet might possibly have continued in the Kingdom of Israel he would never have gone from his own habitation to dwell at Bethel the chief Seat of Idolatry unless with design to Preach against it which it is evident he did not his Sons seem to have been present at and to have joyned with others in that Idolatrous worship v. 11. and that not without their Fathers connivence in Bethel u For thither he came to dwell probably expecting some great advantages from Ieroboam but he came out of Samaria 2 King 23. 18. where he either was born and had lived before Or his usual dwelling was at Bethel but had lately been at Samaria and was now returned to Bethel and his ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 sons x Who probably were eye and ear-witnesses of what had passed came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel the words which he had spoken unto the king them they told also to their father 12 And their father said unto them What way went he for his sons had seen what way the man of God went which came from Judah 13 And he said unto his sons Saddle me the ass So they sadled him the ass and he rode thereon 14 And went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak y Being faint and weary with his journey and possibly with the heat which makes him chuse this shady place and especially with hunger and thirst ver 9. And he might easily guess that this was the old Prophet by his age and carriage and it may be by his Prophetical Mantle and by the Character which his Sons had given him and he said unto him Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah And he said I am 15 Then he said unto him Come home with me and eat bread 16 And he said I ‡ Heb. cannot â—…eut 12. 16. 〈◊〉 17. 5. and â—… Cor. 10. 21. may not return with thee nor go in with thee neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place z i. e. In Bethel where thou desirest me to do it 17 For ‡ Heb. a word 〈◊〉 it was said to me by the word of the LORD Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest 18 He said unto him I am a prophet also as thou art and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD saying Bring him back with thee into thine house that he may eat bread and drink water But he lied unto him a Not with evil design against him but out of curiosity to know all the truth and circumstances from his own mouth and to express his kindness to him and to relieve his pressing hunger whereby possibly he thought to please God and to compensate for his miscarriages But his sin was great for he did not onely tell a premeditated lye but also made God a lyar and to contradict himself and all this without any pretence of necessity or benefit to himself 19 So he went back with him and did eat bread in his house and drank water 20 ¶ And it came to pass as they sat at the table b There the Prophet meets with a severe Judgment where he was pleasing himself with this seasonable refreshment that the word of the LORD came c By secret instinct into his mind as sometimes God spake to Moses
and other Prophets when they were in company with others unto the prophet that brought him back d So he makes this Prophet publickly to call himself lyar and to pronounce a terrible Sentence against him to whom he professed so much kindness Indeed the Hebrew words are ambiguous and by others rendred thus to the Prophet whom he had brought back which agrees very well with the Hebrew Phrase and may seem to be the best Translation by comparing v. 23. where the very same Phrase iâ—… so rendred and ver 26. where this message is said to be spoken to him But these Arguments are not cogent not that from v. 23. because it is a common thing for the same Phrase in divers Verses and sometimes in one and the same Verse to be diversly used nor that from v. 27. for that may be rendred concerning him And Therefore our Translation is better as is manifest from v. 21. 21 And he cried e With a loud Voice the effect of his passion both for his own guilt and shame and for the Prophets approaching â—…sery and his unhappy influence both in procuring and iâ—… denouncing of it unto the man of God that came from Judah saying Thus saith the LORD Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth f i. e. The word of command coming out of his mouth A Metonymy of the Cause for the Effect of the LORD and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee 22 But camest back and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place of the which the LORD did say to thee Eat no bread and drink no water thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers g i. e. Thou shalt not die a natural but a violent death and that in this journey before thou returnest to thy native habitatition and thy Carkass shall not be buried in the proper Sepulchre which was esteemed a kind of Curse and a note of Infamy as the contrary was reckoned an honour and blessing See chap. 14. 13. Isa. 14. 19 20. Ier. 22. 19. and 26. 24. 23 ¶ And it came to pass after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk that he sadled for him the ass That he might sooner come to his home and if possible escape the Judgment threatned But it is observable he doth not accompany him his guilty Conscience making him to expect and fear to be involved in the same Judgment with him to wit for the prophet whom he had brought back 24 And when he was gone a * Chap. 20. 36. lion met him h For there were many Lions in Iudea and this was brought hither by Gods special Providence by the way and slew him i Why doth God punish a good man so severely for so small an offence Ans. First His sin was not small for it was a gross disobedience to a positive command Obj. But he supposed and was told by another Prophet that God had repealed his command and so was deceived Ans. He had no sufficient discharge from the former command for he neither was assured that the old man was a Prophet nor that the message he delivered was from God but had reason to suspect the contrary or at least to enquire the mind of God in this doubtful point which he grosly neglected to do and willingly believed the message because it suited with his own inclination and necessity Add to this that he being a Prophet was obliged to the greater exactness in obedience to all Gods Precepts and therefore this sin was much greater in him than in another because hereby God was dishonoured and the Authority and Success of his message blasted and Ieroboam and the Idolatrous Israelites hardened in their wicked courses for the prevention whereof it was necessary that God should exercise severity towards him Ans. Secondly As his sin was not so small so his punishment was not so great as may be imagined For as to his outward man his Bodily death which was a Debt that he owed to God and Nature in this way was not so painful and terrible as many other kinds of death and as to his Soul God by giving him a Gracious admonition both of his sin and danger ver 21 22. awakened him to true Repentance which doubtless he practised and so was prepared for his death and by this sudden death freed from all the miseries of an evil time and world and speedily let in to Eternal Glory Ans. Thirdly As the world and all men in it were made for Gods Glory and all their Lives and Deaths ought to be laid out in his Service so it cannot seem strange nor harsh if God should bring his deserved Death upon him in this manner for the accomplishment of his own Glorious Designs as to vindicate his own Honour and Justice from the imputation of partiality to assure the Truth of his Predictions and thereby provoke Ieroboam and his Idolatrous followers to Repentance to justify himself in all his Dreadful Judgments which he intended to inflict upon Ieroboam's House and the whole Kingdom of Israel for their Cursed Apostacy and to warn all succeeding sinners not rashly to venture upon small sins and especially to take heed of greater sins for which they might expect far sorer punishments and his carcase was cast in the way k His Life and Soul being gone his Dead Body falls to the ground and lies there and the ass stood by it the lion also stood by the carcase l See on v. 28. 25 And behold men passed by and saw the carcase cast in the way and the lion standing by the carcase and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt 26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof he said It is the man of God who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion which hath ‡ Heb. broken torn him and slain him according to the word of the LORD which he spake unto him m Or rather concerning him for so the Particle Lamed is oft used as Gen. 20. 13. Psal. 3. 2. and 91. 11. compare with Matth. 4. 6. See the Notes on v. 20. 27 And he spake to his sons saying Saddle me the ass n Being secure as to himself because so many others had been there without any harm and because he perceived the Prophet's Death was a Judgment of God and that for special reasons And they saddled him 28 And he went and found his carcase cast in the way and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase the lion had not eaten the carcase nor ‡ Heb. broken torn the ass o Here was a concurrence of Miracles That the Ass did not run away from the Lion according to his nature and custom but boldly stood still as reserving himself for the carrying of the Prophet to his Burial that
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.
1. Act. 16. 6 7. who might do this either immediately by his own power or by an Angel or by a strong wind shall carry thee whither I know not s Such transportations of the Prophets having doubtless been usual before this time as they were after it See 2 King 2. 16. Ezek. 3. 12 14. Mat. 4. 1. Act. 8. 39. and so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find thee he will slay me t Either as a cursed impostor that hath deluded him with vain hopes or rather because I did not forthwith seize upon thee and bring thee to him to receive punishment but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth u He speaks not these nor the following words in way of vain boasting but onely for his own necessary vindication and preservation that he might move the Prophet to pity and spare him and not put him upon that hazardous action which yet he was resolved to do if the Prophet peremptorily required it 13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD how I hid an hundred men of the LORDS prophets by ‡ Heb. fifty fifty fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water 14 And now thou sayest Go tell thy lord Behold Elijah is here and he shall slay me 15 And Elijah said As the LORD of hosts x The Lord of all the Creatures which are called Gods hosts Gen. 2. 1. Deut. 4. 19. Psal. 103. 21. and 148. 2. and are all subject to his Command He mentions this Title as his Shield under the Protection whereof he did and durst venture to come into Ahab's presence liveth before whom I stand I will surely shew my self unto him to day 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him and Ahab went to meet Elijah 17 ¶ And it came to pass when Ahab saw Elijah that Ahab said unto him Art thou he * Act. 16. 20 that troubleth Israel y Have I at last met with thee O thou great disturber of my Kingdom the Author of this Famine and of all our Disquiets and Calamities 18 And he answered I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house z These Calamities are not to be imputed to my passions but thine and thy Fathers wickedness which God punisheth by this means He answered him thus boldly because he spoke and acted in Gods Name and for his Honour and Service whose Vassal Ahab was in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and thou hast followed Baalim 19 Now therefore send a To wit Messengers that this controversy between thee and me may be decided the true cause of these heavy Judgments discovered and removed that so this Plague may be removed and gather to me all Israel b By their Deputies or Heads and Representatives that they may be Witnesses of all our Transactions unto mount Carmel c Not that Carmel in Iudah 1 Sam. 15. 12. but another in Issachar by the Midland-Sea Ios. 19. 26. Ier. 46. 18. which he chose as a very convenient place being not far from the Center of his Kingdom to which all the Tribes might conveniently resort and at some good distance from Samaria that Iezebel might not hinder his design and a very high Mountain Amos 9. 3. and that upon the Sea whence he might have the opportunity to discover the Rain at its first approach which he did chap. 42 c. and the prophets of Baal d Which were dispersed in all the parts of the Kingdom four hundred and fifty and the prophets of the groves e Which attended upon those Baals or Idols which were worshipped in the Groves which were near the Royal City and much valued and frequented by the King and the Queen 1 King 15. 13. and 16. 33. 2 King 13. 6. and therefore were maintained at the Queens Charges four hundred which eat at Jezebels table 20 So Ahab f He complied with Elijah's motion partly because it was so fair and reasonable that he could not refuse it with honour nor without the discontent of all his people this being proposed in order to their deliverance from this terrible Famine partly because the urgency of the present distress made him willingto try all means to remove it partly from a curiosity of seeing some extraordinary Events and principally because God inclined his heart to close with it sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel 21 And Elijah came unto all the people and said How long halt ye between two ‖ Or thoughts opinions g Why do you not make straight paths with your Feet as the Phrase is Heb. 12. 13 Why do you walk so lamely and unevenly being so unsteddy in your opinions and practises and doubting whether it is better to Worship God or Baal If the LORD be God h Whom you pretended to worship in the Calves 2 King 10. 16. 31. compare Exod. 32. 4. follow him i Worship him and him onely and that in such place and manner as he hath commanded you and not by the Calves but if Baal k If Baal can prove himself to be the True God * See Josh. 24. 15. then follow him And the people answered him not a word l Being convinced of the reasonableness of his proposition taught by experience that Iehovah had sent this Judgment and that Baal could not remove it which had staggereed them in their Opinion about Baal yet not daring to disown Baal for fear of the displeasure of the King then present 22 Then said Elijah unto the people I even I onely remain m To wit here present publickly to own and plead the cause of God for he opposeth himself onely to Baal's 450 Prophets because they onely were present the Prophets of the Groves being it seems not permitted by Iezabel through her pride or obstinacy or care and kindness to them to go thither See chap. 22. 6. As for the other Prophets of the Lord many of them were slain by Ahab or Iezabel others banished or hid in Caves a prophet of the LORD but Baals prophets are four hundred and fifty men 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks n He attempts the decition of this controversy not by Gods word which was either rejected or despised or grosly neglected by the generality of that People but by a Miracle to which all that had common sense must needs submit and let them chuse one bullock for themselves o Which they judge best and fittest for their purpose and cut it in pieces and lay it on wood and put no fire under and I will dress the other bullock and lay it on wood and put no fire under 24 And call ye on the name of your ‖ Or God gods and I will call on the Name of the LORD and the God that answereth by
y All of you how numerous soever till ye be left as ‖ Or a tree bereft of branches or boughs or a mast a beacon upon the top of a mountain and as an ensign on an hill z Till you be generally Destroyed and but few of you left 18. And therefore a Because of your general Destruction and great Misery which is frequently mentioned in Scripture as a motive to God's Mercy as Deut. 32. 36. and in many other places as hath been oft observed already But some render this Hebrew particle Yet or notwithstanding as it is supposed to signify Isa. 51. 21. Ier. 16. 14. Ezek. 39. 25. Hos. 2. 14. will the LORD wait b Patiently expect your Repentance and stop the course of His judicial Proceedings against you that you may have an opportunity of making your Peace with Him and of preventing your utter ruine that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he * Psal. 7. 6. Ch. 33. 3 10. be exalted c He will lift up and bestir himself and will Work gloriously on your behalf as this Phrase is used Psal. 21. 13. and 46. 10. Isa. 33. 10. and oft elsewhere and as the following Verses explain it that he may have mercy upon you for the LORD is a God of judgment d Who carrieth himself towards his People for of them onely he speaks in this place not with furious Passion but with judgment and discretion or with equity and moderation for judgment is oft opposed to Fury and rigorous Justice as Psal. 112. 5. Ier. 10. 24. and 30. 11. * Psal. 2. 12. 34. 8. Pro. 16. 20. Jer. 17. 7. blessed are all they that wait for him e This waiting upon God in his way with Faith and Patience is a surer way to your Safety and Happiness than seeking to Egypt or any other carnal Remedies 19. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Ierusalem thou shalt weep no more f For although the time is coming when this People shall be banished from Ierusalem and carried Captives into Babylon yet after a set time they shall return to Ierusalem and have a fixed and comfortable Abode there Which was in part accomplished upon their return from Babylon but more fully in the times of the Gospel when many of them were and the whole Body of them shall be brought into Christ's Church which is oft called Zion and Ierusalem both in the Old and New-Testament he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee g Whereas now He seems to be deaf to thy Prayers 20. And though the LORD give you the bread of adversity and the water of ‖ Or oppression affliction h And although in that time and state of the Church you will be subject to many outward Straits and Afflictions This Phrase is borrowed from Deut. 16. 3. and 1 Kings 22. 27. He seems to allude to the condition of besieged Cities and particularly of Ierusalem as it was straitned and distressed by Sennacherib and as it should be far more straitned by the Chaldeans of which see 2 Kings 25. 3. Heb. And the Lord will give c. Or The Lord indeed will give c. yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more i As they have been in former times both in Israel and Iudah when the Godly Prophets and Ministers were but few and when they were persecuted and banished by their wicked Rulers But in the New-Testament God hath made better provision for his Church sending his Son the great Teacher of the Church into the World and pouring forth the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit in abundance and increasing the number of able and faithful Ministers and promising a continued Succession of them to the end of the World Mat. 28. 19 20. but thine eyes shall see thy teachers k Thou shalt have their presence and their instruction and assistance 21. And thine-ears shall hear a word l As oft as need requires thou shalt hear the voice of God's Word and Spirit directing thee in thy Course behind thee m A Metaphor borrowed either 1. from the custom of Shepherds who use to follow their Sheep and to recall them when they go out of the way Or 2. from Travellers who when they are gone out of the right way are oft-times recalled and admonished of their Errour by some other Passenger or Person who is behind them and therefore discerns their mistake which he could not so easily discover if he were before them saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye * Josh. 1. 7. turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left 22. * Ch. 2. 20. 31. 7. Ye shall defile n To shew your contempt of it and to make it unfit for your own or any others use also the covering o The Leaves or Plates wherewith their wooden Images were frequently covered of which see Exod. 38. 17 19. Numb 16. 38 39. of †Heb. the graven images of thy silver thy graven images of silver and the ornament p Or the coat or covering Heb. the Ephod as this very Word is rendred Exod. 28. 8. and 39. 5. which was a costly and glorious Robe The Idolaters spared no Cost in the making and adorning of their Idols And among others the Image of Iupiter in Sicily had a Coat put upon it made all of massy Gold of thy molten images of gold thou shalt †Heb. scatter cast them away as a menstruous cloth q Thou shalt so deeply abhor Idolatry that thou shalt cast away with indignation all the Monuments and Instruments thereof thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence 23. Then shall he give the rain of thy seed r Or rather as others render it to or for thy seed when thou hast newly sown thy Seed which was called the former rain or such as thy Seed requires which may include both the former and the latter Rain Their Sins the cause of all God's judgments which had befallen them being removed by their sincere Repentance and God's gracious Pardon God showreth down all his Blessings upon them that thou shalt sow the ground withal and bread of the increase of the earth s Which shall be the Fruit of thy own Land and Labour which is a great Mercy and Comfort and it shall be fat and plenteous t Thy Bread shall be excellent for quality which is called fat Deut. 32. 14. and abundant for quantity in that day shall thy cattel feed in large pastures 24. The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat ‖ Or savoury †Heb. leavened clean u Or as Learned Mr. Gataker renders it Threshed which agrees well with the following Clause Corn being first Threshed and then winnowed The Sence is There
borders q The utmost parts or Walls The Church is here evidently compared to a Building whose Foundation Pavement Gates and Windows were named before of pleasant stones 13 And all thy children shall be * Ch. 11. 9. Jer. 31. 34. Joh. 6. 45. 1 Cor. 2. 16. 1 Thes. 4. 9. 1 Joh. 2. 20. taught of the LORD r Not only outwardly by his word which was made known to all the Jews under the Old Testament but inwardly by his Spirit which is poured forth under the New Testament both upon a far greater number of persons and in a far higher measure and with much more efficacy and success than it was under the Old and great shall be the peace s 1. Inward Peace of Mind or Conscience arising from the clear discoveries of Gods Love and Reconciliation to us and wrought by the spirit of adoption which is more abundantly given to Believers under the Gospel whereas the spirit of bondage was more common and prevalent under the Law 2. Outward Peace Safety and Happiness which is more fully promised in the following verses and which God when he sees fit will confer upon his Church of thy children 14 In righteousness t Either 1. As the means of thy Establishment This Kingdom shall not be set up and settled by fraud or Tyranny as other Kingdoms frequently are but by Justice Or rather 2. As the effect of the establishment Thine affairs shall be managed with Righteousness which is the Glory and Felicity of any society and not with oppression as it follows Justice shall be freely and impartially executed shalt thou be established thou shalt be far from oppression u Either by thine own Governours or by forreign Powers for thou shalt not fear x Thou shalt neither have any just cause of fear nor be given up to the torment of fear without cause and from terrour for it shall not come near thee 15 Behold they shall surely gather together y It is true there will not want some that shall combine and make an attempt against thee but not by me z As they do this without any such commission from me as Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar had Isa. 10. 6 7. Ier. 25. 9. so they shall not have my help in it without which all their endeavours will be vain and unsuccessful whosoever shall gather together a To battle as is manifest from the following words of which kind of gathering this word is used Psal. 140. 2. and elsewhere against thee b Heb. with thee But to fight with a man is all one with fighting against him shall fall for thy sake c For that Respect and Love which I bear to thee Or before thee as this particle is sometimes used so as thine Eyes shall behold it 16 Behold I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work and I have created the waster d Both the Smith that maketh all warlike Instruments and the Souldier that useth them are my Creatures and totally at my Command and therefore they cannot hurt you without my leave to destroy e To destroy only whom and when I please 17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper f And as they cannot do any thing against thee without my leave so I assure thee I will not suffer them to do it and if any Smith shall make any weapons to be employed against thee he shall not succeed in it and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn g And I will deliver thee not only from the fury of War but also from the strife of Tongues from all the threatnings and boasts and reproaches of thine Enemies and from all the claims and pretences which they have of any right and power over thee So thine Enemies shall neither prevail against thee by violence nor by pretences of Justice This is the heritage h This blessed condition described in this Chapter is the portion allotted to them by me of the servants of the LORD and their righteousness i Either 1. The Reward or Fruit of their Righteousness as Righteousness is used Psal. 112. 3 9. Or 2. Their Right or the righteous Administration of all their concerns whereby they are preserved from all manner of oppressions as Righteousness was used v. 14. is of me k I give it and I will continue it to them and who then can take it away from them saith the LORD CHAP. LV. 1 HO * Joh 4. 14. 7. 37. Rev. 21. 6. 22. 17. every one a Not only Jews but Gentiles The Prophet having largely discoursed of Christ ch 53. and of the Church of Christ ch 54. doth here invite all persons to come to Christ and to his Church that thirsteth b For the Grace of God and the blessings of the Gospel This thirst implies a vehement and active and restless Desire after it not to be satisfied with any thing short of it come ye to the waters c Which are mentioned either 1. As the place where they were to buy the following commodities it being usual to convey provisions to Cities by Rivers Or rather 2. As the commodity to be bought the Graces and comforts of Gods Spirit which are frequently compared to Waters as Isa. 12. 3. 35. 6 7. Ioh. 7. 37 38. and elsewhere and which are designed by all these Metaphorical Expressions of Waters Wine Milk and Bread and he that hath no money d Even those who are most poor in the World and those who are most worthless and wicked if they do but thirst may be welcome come ye buy e i. e. Procure or receive that which is freely offered to you if you do but come for it and are willing to take it Thus buying is used Pro. 23. 23. Rev. 3. 18. Nor can this be understood of buying properly because here is no price paid and eat yea come buy wine and milk f Which are Synecdochically put for all sorts of provisions which also are to be understood of Spiritual and Gospel-Blessings as is evident from the following words without money and without price 2 Wherefore do ye †Heb. weigh spend money e All your time and strength and cost in seeking it for that which is not bread f For those vain or foolish things which can never nourish or satisfie you such as worldly goods or your own Inventions Superstitions and Idolatries and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me g Unto my Doctrine and Counsel and eat ye that which is good h That which is truly and solidly and everlastingly good and not such things which though they be called and seem to be good yet really are evil and most pernicious to men and let your soul delight itself in fatness i In this fat and
to stand the most miserable condition that men can fall into Psa. 36. 12. 7 I will mention q Whether this ought to be the beginning of a new Chapter or no is not material but certainly here begins a new matter which contains the Prophets prayer either in his own name or the Church's to the end of chap. 64. wherein he begins with mentioning the great kindnesses that God had shewn the Iews and that Emphatically setting it forth with the greatest advantages and the more either to aggravate their great unkindness or to give them some hope of finding him the like again in their distresses or by way of argument with God to shew them mercy because he had been so good to them the loving kindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us and the great goodness towards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses 8 For he said r viz within himself of old when he made a Covenant with our Fathers and brought them out of Egypt Surely they are my people s In Covenant though they are unworthy of me yet I cannot but look upon them as my people their enemies would persuade themselves O they are not God's People but cast ouâ—…s that none cared for or looked after but God will own them children that will not lie t That will keep my Covenant they will not deal falsly with me that are under such obligations or I presume they will not though they did go after their Idols and prove unfaithful to me in serving Baal and Ashteroth c. Now I presume they will do so no more thus Parents are apt tenderly to think of those Children that they have been indulgent to that they will not offer to abuse their kindness thus God thinks the best of them or he intimates here what they are obliged to do though he knew they would do otherwise or they will not degenerate after I have renewed them so he was their Saviour u viz. On these hopes and on these Conditions he undertook the charge of them Exod. 19. 5 6. Psal. 81. 8 9. 10. or he so â—…e alone was their Saviour when none to save none to uphold then he saved them not Cyrus Zerubbabel Nehemiah c. But Christ himself 9 * Judg. 10. 16. In all their affliction he was afflicted x Because of all the afflictions they endured in Egypt this notes the Sympathy that is in Christ he having the same Spirit in him that the Church hath and her head and Father or in all their afflictions no affliction so the words may be read their afflictions were rather favours then afflictions all that befell them from the red Sea through the wilderness and then Tzar is taken actively he afflicted not this may note his Clemency their sting was taken out either way it maâ—… be read according to the different spelling of â—…o whether by Aleph or Vaâ—… The first seems the more genuin they that list to drive this notion further may consult the Latine Synopsis and the English Annotations and the angel of his presence y The same that conducted them through the wilderness called an Angel Exo. 33. 2. and his Presence ver 14. and Iehovah Exo. 13. 21. so that it must be the Lord Jesus Christ who appeared to Moses in the bush as Stephen doth interpret it Act. 7. 35. c. Other Angels are in his presence but they were not always he was ever so therefore so called by way of eminency hence the LXX express it not a Lâ—…gate or Angel but himself saved them z From the house of Bondage brought them thorough the red Sea the wilderness c. Their rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. * Deut. 7. 7 8. in his love and in his pity a This shews the ground of his kindness they were a stubborn Superstitious Idolatrous people yet Christs Love and pity saved them for all that It was because he loved them he redeemed them and he * Exod. 19. 4. Deut. 1. 31. Chap. 46. 3. bore them and carried b He left them not to shift for themselves but bare them as a Father his Child or an Eagle her young onâ—…s he carried them in the arms of his power see Chap. 46. 4. and on the wings of his Providence see Deut 32. 10 11 12. and the Notes on Deut. 1. 31. And he is said to do it of old To remember his ancient kindness for many Generations past Olam signifies an Eternity or a long time past as well as to come from the daies of Abraham or Moses from their Bondage in Egypt to the time of Isaiah and it is used as an Argument to move him to do so still he will carry her till he bring her unto his Father them all the days of old 10 But they rebelled c Many of their Rebellions we read of in Exodus and Numbers in their Travels The Lord tells Moses that they had tempted him ten times and therefore severely threatens them Numb 14. 22 23. There were three principal Times of their Rebellion 1. In the Wilderness where they murmured for want of Bread and Water 2. In Canaan in noâ—… destroying but onely making Tributary suâ—…h Nations as God commanded them to destroy 3. Before the Babylonian Captivity when they set themselves against the Prophets which Stephen chargeth upon them Acts 7. 51 52. Among which also we may reckon all their behaviours under their Iudges and their Kings Or we may understand it of their not answering God's End and Expectation and * Exod. 15. 24. Num. 14. 11. Psal. 78. 40 â—…6 95. 9. Eph. 4. 30. vexed his holy spirit d Spirit of his Holiness they vexed him by their obstinacy against his will and mind and walking contrary unto him not that there are such Passions in God but it is spoken after the manner of men as they are vexed when their will is crossed therefore he was turned to be their enemy e He overthrew them not onely in the Wilderness Psal. 78. 31 33 59 60 c. sending among them fiery Serpents Numb 21. 6. but even in Canaan stirring up against them Adversaries sometimes the Philistines anon the Midianites and then the Moabites c. and he fought against them 11 Then f Or yet he remembred g This relates either 1. To the People and then He is collectively taken and so it looks like the Language of the People in Babylon and must be read he shall remember Or 2. It may look back to their condition in the Wilderness and thus they may properly say Where is he or that God that delivered his People of old to do the like for us now there is a like phrase used by Elisha 2 King 2. 14. Or rather 3. To God as it
Or After seven days the Hebrew Lamed being put for after aâ—… it iâ—… Exod. 16. 1. Psal. 19. 3. Ier. 41. 4. Or within seven days which time God allowed to the World as a further space of Repentance whereof therefore it is probable Noah gave them notice And it is not unlikely that many of them who slighted the threatning when it was at 120 years distance now hearing a second threatning and considering the nearness of their danger might be more affected and brought to true Repentance Who though destroyed in their bodies by the Flood for their former and long impenitency which God would not so far pardon yet might be saved in their Spirits See 1 Pet. 4. 6. And as some preserved in the Ark were damned so others drowned in the deluge might be eternally saved and I will cause it to Rain upon the Earth forty days and forty nights And every living substance n All that hath in it the breath of Life as was said ch 6. 17. that I have made will I †Heb. blot out destroy from off the face of the Earth 5. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him o Which was said chap. 6. 22. and is here repeated because this was an eminent instance of his Faith and Obedience 6. And Noah was †Heb. so of c. six hundred years old when the Flood of Waters was upon the Earth 7. And Noah went in and his Sons and his Wife and his Sons Wives with him into the Ark because of p Or For fear of For fear is ascribed to and commended in Noah Heb. 11. 7. Or from the face of the Waters of the Flood 8. Of clean Beasts and of Beasts that are not clean and of Fowls and of every thing that creepeth upon the Earth 9. There went in q By the secret impulse of their great Creator and Governour See Gen. 2. 19. and 6. 20. two and two r Of which see above ver 2. unto Noah into the Ark the Male and the Female as God had commanded Noah 10. And it came to pass ‖ Or on the seventh day after seven days that the Waters of the Flood were upon the Earth 11. In the six hundredth year of Noahs Life s Either compleat Or rather current or begun otherwise he had lived three hundred fifty one years after the Flood not three hundred fifty onely as it is written Gen. 9. last in the second moneth t Either 1. Of that year of Noahs Life Or 2. of the year Now as the year among the Hebrews was two-fold the one sacred for the celebration of Feasts beginning in March of which see Exod. 12. 2. The other Civil for the better ordering of mens Political or Civil Affairs which began in September Accordingly this second moneth is thought by some to be part of April and part of May the most pleasant part of the year when the Flood was least expected or feared By others part of October and part of November a little after Noah had gathered the Fruits of the Earth and laid them up in the Ark. So the Flood came in with Winter and was by degreeâ—… dried up by the heat of the following Summer And this opinion seems the more probable because the most antient and first beginning of the year was in September and the other beginning of the year in March was but a latter institution among the Jews with respect to their Feasts and Sacred Affairs only which are not at all concerned here the seventeenth day of the moneth the same day were all the Fountains of the great deep u i. e. Of the Sea called the deep Iob 38. 16 30. and 41. 31. Psal. 106. 9. and also of that great abyss or Sea of Waters which is contained in the Bowels of the Earth For that there are vast quantities of Waters there is implied both here and in other Scriptures as Psal. 33. 7. 2 Pet. 3. 5. and is affirmed by Plato in his Phaedrus and by Seneca in his natural questions 3. 19. and is evident from Springs and Rivers which have their rise from thence and some of them have no other place into which they issue themselves as appears from the Caspian Sea into which divers Rivers do empty themselves and especially that great River Volga in such abundance that it would certainly drown all those parts of the Earth if there were not a vent for them under ground for other vent above ground out of that great Lake or Sea they have none Out of this deep therefore and out of the Sea together it was very easie for God to bring such a quantity of Waters as might overwhelm the Earth without any production of new Waters which yet he with one word could have created So vain are the cavils of Atheistical Anti-Scripturists in this broken up x The Fountains are said to be broken up here also Psal. 74. 15. by a Metonymy because the Earth and other obstructions were broken up and so a passage opened for the Fountains As Bread is said to be bruised Isa. 28. 28. and Meal to be ground Isa. 47. 2. Because the Corn of which the Meal and Bread were made was bruised and ground and the ‖ Or Flood-gates Windows of Heaven y Which some understand of the Waters which from Gen. 1. 7. they suppose were placed by God above the visible Heavens and reserved and kept as it were in prison for this very purpose and now the Prison doors were opened and they let loose and sent down for the destruction of the World But others more fitly understand it of the Clouds which are called the windows of Heaven Mal. 3. 10. So 2 Kings 7. 2. 19. Psal. 78. 23. Isa. 24. 18. Which then grew thicker and bigger with Waters nor is there any inconvenience in it if we say that God created a great quantity of Waters for this end which afterwards he annihilated were opened 12. And the Rain was upon the Earth forty days and forty nights z God by this gradual proceeding both awakened to Repentance and gave them space for it 13. In the * Job 21. 25. self same day a On which the Flood began by that terrible shower Heb. In the Body or Essence or Strength of the Day as Gen. 17. 26. Levit. 23. 14. Ios. 10. 27. q. d. Not in the dark or twilight like one ashamed of his action or afraid of the People but when it was clear day or about noon-tide in the publick view of the World entred Noah and Shem and Ham and Iapheth the Sons of Noah and Noahs Wife and the three Wives of his Sons with them into the Ark. 14. They and every Beast after his kind and all the Cattle after their kind and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth after his kind and every Fowl after his kind every Bird b The first word signifies the greater the second
by the passion of an enraged Woman wherewith he thought not fit to comply and probably he had denied her desire if God had not interposed in it because of his son n He doth not say because of his wife from whence may be gathered either that Hagar was not properly his Wife or that this was another of Abrahams infirmities that he had not that affection for her which he should have had Whereby we may also see the excellency of Gods institutions who appointed but one Woman for one man that each might have the intire interest in the others affections and the danger of mens inventions which brought Polygamy into the World whereby a mans affections are divided into several and sometimes contrary streams 12 And God said unto Abraham Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad and because of thy bond-woman o Thus Abraham had better authority for his divorce from Hagar than he had for his Marriage with her Chap. 16. 2. in all that Sarah hath said unto thee hearken unto her voice for in * Rom. 9. 7. Heb. 11. 18. Isaac shall thy seed p To wit the promised seed the Heir of thy Estate Covenant and Promises the progenitour of my Church and People and particularly of the Messias be called q i. e. Reputed and valued both by me and other men The words may be thus rendred by Isaac shall thy seed be For to be called is oft times put for to be as Isa. 1. 26. and 47. 1 5. Matth. 5. 9 19. 13 And also of the son of the bond-woman will I make a * Chap. 17. 20 nation because he is thy seed 14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning r He who before doubted and lingred to do it when Sarahs passion suggested it when once he understands it to be Gods will he makes hast to execute it An excellent example of prudence and piety and took bread s By which may be here understood all necessaries as Mal. 1. 7 12. Matth. 6. 11. and 14. 15. compared with Mark 6. 36. Luke 14. 1. and a bottle of water and gave it unto Hagar putting it on her shoulder and the child and sent her away t Quest. How is it likely that so rich and liberal a person as Abraham would send away such near and dear Relations with so mean accommodations Answ. 1. This might be done by particular command from God to Abraham though it be not here expressed as many things were said by God and done by men which are not mentioned in Scripture as is evident from Iohn 20. 30 31. and 21. 25. and many other places And God might order it thus partly to chastise Abrahams irregular Marriage with Hagar partly to correct and â—…ame the haughty and rugged temper of the Bond-woman and her Son and to prepare them for the receiving of Gods help and mercy and partly that he might more eminently shew his care and kindness to Abraham in providing for such forlorn and neglected Creatures because they belonged to him 2. It cannot be reasonably doubted that Abraham gave her these Provisions onely for the present and intended to send further and better afterward to a place appointed by him which also he did But she missed her way as well might in the Wilderness and thereby came into these straits designed by God for the signification of greater Mysteries as may be gathered from Gal. 4. and she departed and wandred in the wilderness of Beersheba u A place near Gerar so called here by a Prolepsis See ver 31. 15 And the water was spent in the bottle and she cast the child x Not as if she carried him in her arms or upon her shoulders for he was now about eighteen year old but being weak and faint and no doubt much dejected in spirit upon the prospect of his desolate and distressed condition she was forced to support and lead him by the hand but now despairing of his life she lays him down under a shrub under one of the shrubs 16 And she went and sat her down over against him a good way off as it were a bow-shot for she said let me not see the death of the child And she sat over against him and lift up her voice and wept y Who wept Either Hagar for the verb is of the feminine gender or the Lad as the words following seem to intimate And for the change of Genders that is not infrequent in Scripture use 17 And God heard the voice of the lad z He heard his cries tho' not flowing from true Repentance but extorted from him by his pressing calamity and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said unto her what aileth thee Hagar fear not for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is a Though he be in a vast and desolate Wilderness yet my eye is upon him and I will take care of him 18 Arise lift up the lad and hold him in thine hand for I will make him a great nation b i. e. Support or sustain thy languishing child with thy hand for I will bless him and thy care shall not be in vain 19 And God opened her eyes c Not that her eyes were shut or blind before but she saw not the Well before either because it was at some distance or because her eyes were full of tears and her mind distracted and heedless through excessive grief and fear or because God with-held her eyes that she might not see it without his information Compare Numb 22 31. Luke 24. 16. and she saw a well of water and she went and filled the bottle with water and gave the lad drink 20 And God was with the lad and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness and became an Archer d i. e. A skilful Hunter of Beasts and Warriour with men too according to the prediction Gen. 16. 12. For the bow was a principal instrument in War as well as in Hunting Gen. 48. 22. 49. 23 24. And these two professions oft went together See Gen. 10. 9. 21 And he dwelt in th wilderness of Paran e In the borders of that Wilderness by comparing Gen. 14. 6. for the innermost parts of it were uninhabitable by Men or Beasts as antient Writers note and his mother took him a wife f By which we see both the obligation that lies upon Parents and the right that is invested in them to dispose of their Children in Marriage in convenient time Compare Gen. 24. 4. and 28. 2. Iudg. 14. 2. out of the land of Egypt g Rather than out of Canaan concerning whose accursed state and future destruction she had been informed in Abrahams house 22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech h He of whom see Gen. 20. 2. and Phicol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham saying God is with thee
was gone the Lawgiver remained there still Nor was their Government and Commonwealth quite destroyed until the destruction of Ierusalem by Titus And therefore some translate the place thus and that with great probability The Scepter shall not depart until the Shiloh come and until which word is repeated out of the former member as is most usual in the Scripture the gathering of the people be to him i. e. until the Gentiles be converted and brought in to Christ. And this interpretation receiveth countenance from Mat. 24. 14. The Gospel shall be preached in all the world and then shall the end come not the end of the whole world as it is evident but the end of the Commonwealth and Government of the Iews when the Scepter and Lawgiver should be wholly taken away from that tribe and people be 11 Binding his foale unto the vine and his asses colt unto the choice vine i He signifies the plenty of vines in Iudahs portion that they shall be planted every where even in the commons and high-ways where men travel and where upon occasion they use to tie the beasts on which they ride to any tree which is near them he washed his garments in wine k Such shall be the plenty of it that if it were convenient men might use wine in stead of water to wash their garments and his cloathes in the blood of grapes l So the wine is called also in Dâ—…t 32. 14. 1 Macc. 6. 34. and by Pliny Hesiod and others As oil is called the blood of the olive 12 His eyes shall be red with wine m Which shews not onely the plenty of wine but also the excellency and strength of it which though not drunk in great quantity or to excess will make the eyes red See Prov. 23. 29. and his teeth white with milk 13 * Deut. 33. 18. Josh. 19. 10. Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea n Acknowledge here and adore the divine providence which directed Iacob thus exactly to foretell the portion 〈◊〉 Zebulon which fell to them 200 years after this and that not by choice or any design of men but meerly by lot His portion was extended from the sea of Galilee to the great Mediterranean sea and to such parts of it where there were convenient havens and he shall be for an haven of ships and his border shall be unto Zidon o Or his side or coast to wit that which is upon the Mediterranean sea is near Sidon understanding not the city but the territory belonging to it unto which that Tribe reached upon the sea-coast For though Aher might seem to intercept them yet he did not reach to the sea Or his coast looks towards Sidon hath it in view and lies commodiously for commerce with that great City which then was the mart of the Nations 14 Issachar is a strong ass p Heb. an ass of bone i. e. of great bulk and bones and strength of body but of little spirit and courage couching down between two burdens q Which are laid upon his back and which he is contented to bear Or lying down i. e. enjoying his ease and rest between the borders to wit of the other Tribes with which he was encompassed and secured from forreign enemies which made him more secure and slothful Or between the orders or folds of cattle as a word very near akin to it and proceeding from the same root signifies Iudg. 5. 16. to the feeding and minding whereof he wholly gave himself neglecting more generous things 15 And he saw that rest r Or rather his resting place as this very word signifies Gen. 8. 9. Psal. 116. 7. and 132. 8. Isa. 11. 10. i. e. his portion or habitation as the Chald. and Syr. translate it So this agrees with the following member where after the manner of the Hebrews the same thing is repeated in other words And if it be objected against this version that it is not said his rest but rest in the general it may be replyed that so it is in the following branch the land though it be apparently meant of his land or portion of land allotted to him Besides the pronouns are often omitted and to be understood in the Hebrew text as may appear by comparing 1 King 10. 7. with 2 Chron. 9. 6. and Psal. 41. 9. with Ioh. 13. 18. and Mat. 3. 12. with Luk. 3. 17. was good and the land that it was pleasant and bowed his shoulder to bear and became a servant unto tribute s Willingly paying whatsoever Tributes were imposed upon him either by the neighbouring Tribes or by forreign powers rather than to forfeit his pleasant and fruitful country and his sweet repose 16 Dan shall judge t i. e. Rule and govern them Though he be the son of my Concubine yet he shall not be subject to any other Tribe but shall have an absolute power within himself What is said of him is to be understood of the rest of the sons of the Concubines and hereby all difference between the sons of the Wives and Concubines is taken away It is said of Dan because he is the first-mentioned of that sort his people as one of the tribes of Israel u As the rest of the Tribes do having distinct Governments and Governours amongst them See Numb 1. 4 16. 17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way an †Heb. an arrow-snake adder in the path x Which covereth and hideth it self in the sand or dust of the high-way watching for men or beast that pass that way He notes the subtilty of that Tribe which should conquer their enemies more by craft and cunning than by strength or force of armes that biteth the horse heels so that his rider shall fall backward 18 I have waited for thy salvation O LORD y I do earnestly wait and hope and pray for thy helping hand to save me and my posterity from the manifold temporal calamities which I foresee will come upon them and especially from spiritual and eternal mischiefs by that Messiah which thou hast promised Iacob in the midst of his great work doth take a little breathing and finding himself weakned by his speech to his children and drawing nearer death he opens his arms to receive it as the thing for which he had long waited as the onely effectual remedy and mean of Salvation or deliverance from all his pains and miseries and particularly from his present horrours upon the contemplation of the future state of his children And this pathetical exclamation may look either 1. backward to the state of the tribe of Dan which he foresaw would be deplorable both for its great straits and pressures of which see Ioâ—… 19. 47. Iudg. 1. 34. and especially for that Idolatry which that Tribe would introduce and promote Iudg. 18. 30. and 1 King 12. 29. whereby they would ruine themselves and most of the other tribes with them
contented with multitudes of partners So this is properly said to be the name of God whereby he is known and distinguished from all other Gods is a * chap. 20. 5. jealous God 15 Lest thou make a covenant r For cohabitation or to suffer them quietly to live among you whom you should drive out with the inhabitants of the land and they go a whoring s i. e. Commit Idolatry which is oft called and compared to spiritual whoredom See Ier. 2. and 3. and Ezek. 16. after their gods and do facrifice unto their gods and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice t To wit of the parts or remainders of his sacrifices whereby thou wilt partake with him in an idolatrous worship because such feasts were a part of the Worship offered to the Idol and were accompanied with solemn benedictions and thanksgivings to the Idol See Numb 25. 2. Psal. 106. 28. Ezek. 18. 6. and 22. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 20. Rev. 2. 20. 16 And thou take of * 1 King 11. 2. their daughters unto thy sons and their daughters * Num. 25. 1 2. go a whoring after their gods and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods 17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods u Nor graven nor any other as it plainly appears both from the nature of the things and from many parallel Scriptures But he mentions molten because their late Idol was of that kind 18 The feast of * chap. 12. 15. c. 23. 15. unleavened bread shalt thou keep seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread as I commanded thee in the time of the month Abib for in the * chap. 13. 4. month Abib thou camest out from Egypt 19 * chap. 22. 29. Ezek. 44. 30. Luk. 2. 23. All that openeth the matrix is mine and every firstling amongst thy cattle whether oxe or sheep that is male x Heb. And for That is as the particle and is oft used the words following here and verse 20. being a particular explication of the general sentence in the beginning of this verse all thy cattle which a particle oft understood shall be born male as it is also explained Exod. 13. 12. the opening or whatsoever to wit of the male-kind openeth the matrix which word is fitly understood cut of the former member which is very usual of Ox or and put for or as it is oft done Sheep 20 But the * chap. 13. 13. firstling of an ass thou shait redeem with a ‖ Oâ—… â—…id lamb and if thou redeem him not then shalt thou break his neck All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem and none shall appear before me * chap. 23. 15. 1 Sam. 9. 7 8. 2 Sam. 24. 24. empty y Either without a gift to me so it is a precept or without benefit to himself so it is a promise See Exod. 23. 15. 21 * chap. 23. 1â—… Deut. 5. 12. Luk. 13. 14. Six dayes thou shalt work but on the seventh day thou shalt rest in earing-time and in harvest thou shalt rest z Which times are expressed because the great profit and seeming necessity of working at that time was likely to be a powerful temptation to make men break the Sabbath 22 * chap. 23. 16. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks a i. e. Which is numbred by weeks being just seven weeks after the Passe-over whence it is called Pentecost i. e. the fiftieth day to wit after the passe-over See Levit. 23. 15. and 25. 8. of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest b So this is a designation of the time and business of the feast of weeks and the feast of in-gathering c To wit of the fruits of the Earth at the †Heb. revolution of the year years end d So it was in regard of the jubilee and civil contracts 23 * chap. 23. 14 17. Deut. 16. 16. Thrice in the year shall all your men-children appear before the LORD God the God of Israel 24 For I will cast out the nations e So thou shalt have no intestine enemy to do thee or thine mischief This God promised to do but upon condition of Israels discharge of their duty in following God in this work of driving them out which they neglecting it was not fully done before thee and enlarge thy borders * Gen. 35. 5. Act. 18. 10. neither shall any man desire thy land f I will not onely tye their hands that they shall make no invasion upon you but I will take off their thoughts and affections from such an enterprize which it was very easie for God to effect many ways when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year 25 * chap. 23. 18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of passeover be left unto the morning 26 * Deut. 26. 2. The first of the first-fruits of thy land g Thou shalt not delay to do this but shalt bring the very first of them Or the first-fruits even the first-fruits of thy land Which limitation seems here conveniently added because they were not bound to bring thither all their first-fruits to wit those of their own bodies their children thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God Thou shalt not seethe a * chap. 23. 19. Deut. 14. 21. kid in his mothers milk 27 And the LORD said unto Moses Write thou these words h Object God saith I will write verse 1. Answ 1. Moses was to write the ritual precepts mentioned here above God wrote the Moral Law 2. Moses wrote what he wrote in a book See Exod. 24. 7. but what was written upon the Tables of stone was written by God himself not by Moses who had no graving instruments with him in the Mount and could not without them writeupon the stone for after the tenour of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel 28 And he was there with the LORD fourty days and forty nights i As he had been before being now to renew the broken covenant This forty dayes fast of his is mentioned four times Exod. 24. 18. and here and Deut. 9. 18. and 10. 10. but it is evident it was performed but twice as the occasion of it happened onely twice he did neither eat bread nor drink water and he * chap. 31. 18. and 34. 1. Deut. 4. 13. wrote k Not Moses but the Lord as appears from verse 1. and from Deut. 10 the relative pronoun being here referred to the remoter antecedent of which there are many instances as Gen. 10. 12. 1 Sam. 21. 14. and 27. 8. Psal. 99. 6. upon the tables the words of the covenants the Ten †Heb. words Commandments 29 And it came to pass when Moses came down from mount Sinai with
ye shall break it 34 Of all meat which may be eaten that on which such water cometh e The meaning is that flesh or herbs or other food which is dressed in water to wit in a vessel so polluted shall be unclean not so if it be food which is eaten dry as bread fruits c. the reason of which difference seems to be this that the water did sooner receive the pollution in it self and convey it to the food so dressed shall be unclean And all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean 35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcass falleth shall be unclean whether it be oven or ranges for pots they shall be broken down for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you 36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit †Heb. a gathering together of 〈◊〉 wherein there is plenty of water f Of which no solid reason can be given whilest such unclean things remained in them but onely the will of the lawgiver and his merciful condescension to mens necessities water being scarce in those countries and for the same reason God would have the ceremonial law of sacrifices to be offered to God give place to the moral law of mercy towards men shall be clean but ‖ Or â—…e that 〈◊〉 that which toucheth their carcass shall be unclean 37 And if any part of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown g Partly because this was necessary provision for man and partly because such seed would not be used for mans food till it had received many alterations in the earth whereby such pollution was taken away See Ioh. 12. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 36. it shall be clean 38 But if any water be put upon the seed h The reason of the difference is partly because wet seed doth sooner receive and longer retain any pollution and partly because such seed was not fit to be sown presently and therefore that necessity which justified the use of the dry seed which was speedily to be sown could not be pretended in this case and any part of their carcass fall thereof it shall be unclean unto you 39 And if any beast of which ye may eat die i Either of it self or being killed by some wild beast in which cases the blood was not poured forth as it was when they were killed by men either for food or sacrifice he that toucheth the carcass thereof shall be unclean until the even 40 And * chap. 1â—… 1â—… 22. 8. Ezek. 4. 14. 44. 31. he that eateth of the carcass of it k To wit unwittingly for if he did it knowingly it was a presumptuous sin against an express law Deut. 14. 21. and therefore punished with cutting off Numb 15. 30. shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even he also that beareth the carcass of it shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even 41 And every creeping thing l Except those before expresly excepted above ver 29 30. that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination it shall not be eaten 42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly m As worms and snakes and whatsoever goeth upon all four n As â—…oads and divers serpents or whatsoever †Heb. doth â—…tiply feet hath more feet o To wit more than four as caterpillars c. among all creeping things that creep upon the earth them ye shall not eat for they are an abomination 43 * chap. 20. 〈◊〉 Ye shall not make your †Heb. souiâ—… selves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth neither shall ye make your selves unclean with them that ye should be defiled thereby 44 For I am the LORD your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and * chap. 19. 2. and 20. 7. 〈◊〉 1. 15 16. ye shall be holy p By which he gives them to understand that all these cautions and prohibitions about the eating or touching of these creatures was not for any real uncleanness in them all being Gods good creatures but onely that by the diligent observation of these rules they might learn with greater care to avoid all moral pollutions and to keep themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and particularly from all familiar and intimate converse with notorious sinners for I am holy neither shall ye defile your selves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth 45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God ye shall therefore be holy for I am holy 46 This is the law of the beasts and of the fowl and of every living creature that †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moveth in the waters and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth 47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten CHAP. XII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel saying If a * chap. 15. 〈◊〉 woman have †Heb. 〈◊〉 conceived seed and born a man-child then * Luk. 2. 〈◊〉 she shall be unclean a Not for any filthiness which was either in the conception or in bringing forth but to signifie the universal and deep pollution of mans nature even from the birth and from the conception seven dayes b For so long or thereabouts nature is employed in the purgation of most women according to the dayes of the separation for her infirmity c i. e. For her monethly infirmity And it may note an agreement therewith not onely in the time Levit. 15. 19. but in the degree of uncleanness which was such that she defiled every thing she touched c. shall she be unclean From uncleanness contracted by the touching or eating of external things he now comes to that uncleanness which ariseth from our selves 3 And in the * Gen. 17. 12. Luk. 1. 59. and 2. 21. Joh. 7. 22. eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised d Which law is here repeated because the womans uncleanness lasting for 7 days was one though not the onely reason why the childs circumcision was put off till the eighth day 4 And she shall then continue e Heb. sit i. e. abide as that word is oft used as Gen. 22. 5. and 34. 10. or tarry at home not go into the Sanctuary in the blood of her purifying f In her polluted and separated estate for the word blood or bloods signifies both guilt as Gen. 4. 10. and uncleanness as here and elsewhere See Ezek. 16. 6. And it is called the blood of her purifying because by the expulsion or purgation of that blood which is done by degrees she is purified three and thirty dayes she shall touch no hallowed thing g She shall not eat any part of the
may be otherwise rendred either thus in the manner of spies so the sence is when he heard that divers of the Israelites came into or towards his country in the nature of spies to prepare the way for the rest or thus by the way of Atharim a place so called as the seventy Interpreters here take it and it seems not improbable then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners d Which God permitted for Israels humiliation and punishment and to teach them not to expect the conquest of that land from their own wisdom or valour but wholly from Gods favour and assistance See Deut. 9. 4. Psal. 44. 3 4. 2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD e Being sensible of their own weakness they indeavour to engage God to help them in the war which they intended to renew and said If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand then I will utterly destroy their cities f I will reserve no person nor thing for my own use but devote them all to total destruction which was the consequent of such vows See Lev. 27. 29. Deut. 13. 15. 3 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanite and they †Gr. anatâ—…tized them 〈◊〉 Heb. utterly destroyed them g When Ans. Either 1. Some time after this under Ioshua who subdued among others the King of Arad Ios. 12. 14. And so this is mentioned here by anticipation that the vow being now made and mentioned the effect or performance of it might be recorded though out of its place and so this verse must be supposed to be added by some of the prophets and inserted into Moses his history as some other passages seem to be Or 2. at this time and so this is not the same Arad with that Ios. 12. 14. nor this the same Hormah with that there mentioned but another of the same name which is most frequent in persons and places in Scripture And this is the more probable because that Arad and Hormah Ios. 12. 14. are two distinct places and had divers kings whereas here the same place is called both Arad and Hormah and because that Arad seems to be at some good distance from this and more within the country and more northward as may be gathered from the other places joyned with it Ios. 12. whereas this Arad was near Edom ver 4. and in the south ver 1. Quest. 1. How could this be now done in the land of Canaan when Moses neither entred himself nor lead the people into that land Ans. Neither Moses nor the whole body of the people did this exploit but a select number sent out for this purpose to punish that king and people who were so fierce and malicious that they came out of their own country to fight with the Israelites in the wilderness and these when they had done this work returned to their brethren into the Wilderness Quest. 2. Why did they not all now go into Canaan when some of them had once entred it and pursue this victory Ans. Because God would not permit it there being several works yet to be done other people must be conquered the Israelites must be further humbled and tryed and purged Moses must die and then they shall enter and that in a more glorious manner even over Iordan which shall be miraculously dried up and give them passage and their cities and he called the name of the place ‖ That is 〈◊〉 destruction Hormah 4 And they * chap. 33. â—… journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red-sea h â—… e. Which leadeth to the Red-sea as they must needs do to compass the land of Edom. to compass the land of Edom and the soul of the people was much ‖ Or 〈◊〉 †Heb 〈◊〉 discouraged because of the way i By reason of this journey which was long and troublesome and preposterous for they were now going towards Egypt and unexpected either because they doubted not but their brethren the Edomites would grant them their reasonable request of passing through their land which disappointment made it worse Or because the successful entrance and victorious progress which some of them had made in the borders of Canaan made them think they might have speedily gone in and taken possession of it and so have saved their tedious travels and further difficulties into which Moses had again brought them 5 And the people spake against God k Against Christ their chief conductor whom they tempted 1 Cor. 10. 9. and against Moses Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness for there is no bread neither is there any water and * chap. 11. 6. our soul loatheth this light bread l i. e. Of small substance and vertue Thus contemptuously do they speak of Manna whereas it appears it yielded excellent nourishment because in the strength of it they were able to go so many and such tedious journies 6 And * 1 Cor. 10. 9. the LORD sent fiery serpents m Such there were many in this wilderness Deut. 8. 15. which having been hitherto restrained by God are now let loose and sent among them They are called fiery from their effects because their poison caused an intolerable heat and burning and thirst in the bodies of the Israelites which was aggravated with this circumstance of the place that here was no water ver 5. among the people and they bit the people and much people of Israel died 7 Therefore the people came to Moses and said We have sinned for we have spoken against the LORD and against thee pray unto the LORD that he take away the serpents from us and Moses prayed for the people 8 And the LORD said unto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent n i. e. The figure of a serpent in brass which is of a fiery colour This would require some time God would not speedily take off the judgment because he saw they were not thoroughly humbled and set it upon a pole o That the people might see it from all parts of the camp and therefore the pole must be high and the serpent large and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live p This method of cure was prescribed partly that it might appear to be Gods own work and not the effect of nature or art and partly that it might be an eminent type of our salvation by Christ. See Ioh. 3. 14 15. The serpent signified Christ who was in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8. 13. though without sin as this brazen serpent had the outward shape but not the inward poison of the other serpents the pole resembled the cross upon which Christ was lift up for our salvation and looking up to it designed our believing in Christ. 9 And * 2 King 18. 4. Joh. 3. 14. Moses
incestuous or any prohibited mixtures of man and woman Obj. 1. This Law seems harsh and too severe for the innocent Bastard Ans. 1. It was onely an exclusion from Government which was a tolerable burden 2. It was a necessary caution to prevent and brand the sin of uncleanness to which the Jews were more than ordinarily prone Obj. 2. Pharez and Iephthe were both Bastards yet advanced to great Honour and Authority Answ. God gives laws to us and not to himself and therefore he might when he saw fit confer what favour or power he pleased upon any such person as he did to these But some add that the Hebrew word mamzer signifies not every Bastard but a Bastard born of any strange Woman as the word may seem to intimate and as such persons generally seem to have been because of that special provision that there should be no whore of the daughters of Israel as it is here below v. 17. shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD even to his tenth generation d Or his tenth generation as it is in the Hebrew and so in the following verses shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD 3 * Neh. 13. 1. An Ammonite or Moabite e This may be understood either 1. Of the Males onely or the children of such fathers as Interpreters commonly take it Or rather 2. Of Females also or of all that were born either of such Fathers or Mothers as may be gathered from Ezra 10. and Nehem. 13. where the Children of strange Wives were separated from Israel no less than the Children of strange fathers And it is an allowed maxime that the birth follows the belly And whereas the Children of Rahab and Ruth are produced to the contrary it may be said as it was before that these were extraordinary instances and that God when he pleased might exempt any particular person of them from this curse though the Israelites might not do so shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever f So it seems to note the Immutability and perpetuity of this Law that it should be inviolably observed in all succeeding ages and not dispensed with for any merit in the persons or any pretence whatsoever But why then should this clause be added onely here seeing the foregoing laws are as inviolable as this It seems therefore to extend the duration of this exclusion of them from the Congregation of the Lord beyond what was said at first and to be added by way of aggravation even to their tenth generation shall they not enter yea even for ever i. e. they shall never enter as it is expressed without any mention of the tenth Generation Neh. 13. 1. that they should not come into the Congregation of God for ever 4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way g As the manner of those times was to waite and provide for Strangers and Travellers see Gen. 14. 18. and 18. 2 3. and 19. 1 2. Iudg. 19. 18 19 20 21. which was the more necessary because in those times and Countries there were no such publick houses of entertainment as now there are among us Their fault then was unmercifulness to Strangers and Pilgrims and Afflicted Persons which was aggravated both by their relation to the Israelites as being the children of Lot and by the special kindness of God and of the Israelites to them in not fighting against them as they had just occasion to do and as they did by others Deut. 2. Obj. Qu. How doth this agree with Deut. 2. 28 29. where the Moabites which dwell in Ar are said to have sold them meat and drink Answ. 1. It is one thing voluntarily to meet them and kindly to relieve them with bread and water which they are here denyed to have done and a quite differing thing to sell them bread and water when they are upon their very borders and their own interest forced them to do so 2. It may seem that it was onely these Moabites that dwelt in Ar did so as is said Deut. 2. 29. and that all the rest of the people neglected or refused to do it and therefore the sin being so general and national no wonder if the punishment be so too 3 These and the following words both here and Nehem. 13. 1. are to be taken distributively and this first member of the verse belongs to the Ammonites who did not meet them with bread c. and the latter part to the Moabites who together with the Miaianites but not with the Ammonites hired Balaam c. when ye came forth out of Egypt and * Num. 〈◊〉 because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia to curse thee 5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee h i. e. Forced Balaam to bless thee who was hired and inclined to curse thee if possibly he could because the LORD thy God loved thee 6 Thou shalt not seek their peace i i. e. Make no Contracts either by Marriages or Leagues or commerce with them but rather shalt constantly keep a jealous eye over them as enemies who will watch every opportunity to ensnare or disturb thee This counsel was now the more necessary because a great part of the Israelites lived beyond Iordan in the borders of those people and therefore God sets up this wall of partition betwixt them as well knowing the mischief of bad Neighbours and Israels proneness to receive infection from them Each particular Israelite is not hereby forbidden to perform any Office of humanity to them but the body of the Nation are forbidden all friendly and familiar conversation with them nor their †Heb. â—… prosperity all thy dayes for ever 7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite k The children of Edom onely the Amalekites are excepted by Gods particular order and upon special reason Deut. 25. 17 18 19. for he is thy brother l By Esau Iacobs brother thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian because thou wast a stranger in his land m And didst receive habitation protection and provision from them a long time which kindness thou must not forget for their following persecution It is ordinary with great men and others that one injury or offence blots out the remembrance of twenty courtesies but God doth not deal so with us nor will he have us to deal so with others but commands us to overlook and forget injuries and to remember kindnesses 8 The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation n Supposing their Grand-father or great Grand-father turned Proselyte and the Children continue in that faith received by such ancestours 9 When the host goeth forth against
which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab * chap. 6. 2 3. beside the covenant b i. e. That entring into or striking of covenant The covenant was but one in substance but various in the time and manner of its dispensation which he made with them in Horeb. 2 And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them * Exâ—…d 19. 4. Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his land 3 * Chap. 4. 34. 7. 19. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signs and those great miracles 4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day c. d This verse comes in by way of correction or exception to the foregoing clause in this manner I said indeed ye have seen c. v. 2. and thine eyes have seen c. but I must recal my words for in truth you have not seen them in seeing you have not seen and perceiving you have not perceived them you have perceived and seen them with the eyes of your body but not with your minds and hearts you have not seen them to any purpose you have not yet learned rightly to understand the word and works of God so as to know them for your good and to make a right use of them and to comply with them Which he expresseth thus the Lord hath not given you c. not to excuse their wickedness but partly to direct them what course to take and to whom they must have recourse for the amending of their former errours and for a good understanding and improvement of Gods works and partly to aggravate their sin and to intimate that although the hearing ear and the seeing eye and the understanding heart be the workmanship of God Prov. 20. 12. and the effects of his special grace Deut. 30. 6. Ier. 31. 33. and 32. 39 c. yet their want of this grace was their own fault and the just punishment of their former sins their present case being like theirs in Isays time who first shut their eyes and ears that they might not see and hear and would not understand and then by the tremendous but righteous judgment of God had their hearts made fat and their eyes and ears closed that they should not be able to see and hear and understand as is manifest from the history of their carriage in the wilderness 5 And I have led you fourty years in the wilderness your cloths are not waxen old upon you and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot d So far that it was necessary for you to throw them away and to get new ones See on Deut. 8. 4. 6 Ye have not eaten bread e i. e. Common bread purchased by your own mony or made by your own hands but Heavenly and Angelical bread Deut. 8. 3. Psal. 78. 24 25. You have subsisted without bread the staff of life neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink f But onely water out of the rock that ye might know that I am the LORD your God g The Lord Omnipotent and All-sufficient for your provision without the help of any Creatures and your God in covenant with you who hath a true affection to you and fatherly care of you even when ordinary means fail 7 And when ye came unto this place * Num. 21. 〈◊〉 33. chap. 2. 32. and 3. 1. Sihon the King of Heshbon and Og the King of Bashan came out against us unto battel and we smote them 8 And we took their land and * Num. 32. 33. an inheritance unto the Reubenite and to the Gadite and to the half tribe of Manasseh 9 * chap. 4. 6. Josh. 1. 7. 1 King 2. 3. Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them that ye may †Heb. 〈◊〉 dently So 〈◊〉 prosper in all that ye do 10 Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God h In his presence who sees your hearts and carriages and before his Tabernacle where it is probable they were now called together and assembled for this work See v. 2. your captains of your tribes your elders and your officers with all the men of Israel 11 Your little ones your wives and thy stranger i Such strangers as had embraced their Religion that is in thy camp from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water k All sorts of persons yea even the meanest of them such as these were Ios. 9. 27. all sorts and ranks of servants 12 That thou shouldest †Heb. 〈◊〉 enter into covenant l i. e. Into covenant or agreement confirmed by a solemn oath with the LORD thy God and into his oath l i. e. Into covenant or agreement confirmed by a solemn oath which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day 13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself and that he may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. 14 Neither with you onely do I make this covenant and this oath 15 But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God * See 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5. 〈◊〉 and also with him that is not here with us this day m i. e. With your prosperity For so the covenant was made at first with Abraham and his seed by which as God engaged himself to continue the blessing of Abraham upon his posterity so he also engaged them to the same duties and conditions which were required of Abraham So it is even among men where a King confers an estate upon a Subject and his Heirs for ever upon some certain conditions all his Heirs who enjoy that benefit are obliged to the same conditions But whatsoever becomes of mans right God the Creatour and Soveraign Lord of all men and things hath an unquestionable right and power to oblige all persons that are or shall be to such conditions as he pleaseth and especially to such conditions as are for their own benefit which is the present case 16 For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt n Where you have seen their Idolatries and learned too much of them as the Golden Calf shewed and therefore need to renew your covenant with God where also we were in dreadful bondage whence God alone hath delivered us to whom therefore we are deeply obliged and have all reason to renew our covenant with him and how we came through the nations o i. e. With what hazards if God had not appeared for us which ye passed by 17 And ye have seen their abominations and their †Heb. 〈◊〉 gods
and gradually chap. 23. 11 12. but now he answers speedily and fully at once because the business here required more haste So Gracious is our God that he considers even the degree of our necessities and accommodates himself to them 9 So David went he and the six hundred men that were with him and came to the brook Besor where those that were left behind stayed 10 But David pursued he and four hundred men l A small number for such an attempt but David was strong in Faith giving God the glory of his Power and Faithfulness for two hundred abode behind which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor o 11 ¶ And they found an Egyptian in the field m Whom by his Habit they guessed to be a Soldier that had been engaged in that expedition and brought him to David and gave him bread and he did eat and they made him drink water n Partly out of humanity and compassion to a perishing creature and partly in prudence that by him they might learn the true state of their Enemies 12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins and * See Judâ—… 15. 19. when he had eaten his spirit came again to him for he had eaten Chap. 14. â—… no bread nor drank any water three days and three nights o Which is to be understood Synecdochically of one whole day and part of two others as the same Phrase is taken Matth. 12. 40. as appears from the next Verse where he saith three days agone I fell sick but in the Hebrew it is this is the third day since I fell sick 13 And David said unto him To whom belongest thou and whence art thou And he said I am a young man of Egypt p God by his Providence so ordering it that he was not one of that Cursed Race of the Amalekites who were to be utterly destroyed but an Egyptian who might be spared servant to an Amalekite and my master left me q In this place and condition which was barbarous inhumanity for he ought and easily might have carried him away with the Prey which they had taken But he paid dear for this cruelty for this was the occasion of the ruin of him and of all their company And God by his secret Providence ordered the matter thus for that very end So that there is no Fighting against God who can make the smallest accidents serviceable to the production of the greatest effects because three days agone I fell sick 14 We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites r i. e. The Philistines as is manifest from v. 16. who are so called Zeph. 2. 5. and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah and upon the south of Caleb s This is added by way of rejection q. d. that part of the South of Iudah which belongs to Caleb's Posterity Ios. 14. 13. and we burnt Ziklag with fire 15 And David said to him Canst thou bring me down to this company And he said Swear unto me by God that thou wilt neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master and I will bring thee down to this company t For his Master had told him whither they intended to go that he might come after them as soon as he could 16 ¶ And when he had brought him down behold they were spread abroad upon all the earth u Secure and careless because they were now come almost to the Borders of their own Countrey and the Philistines and Israelites both were otherwise engaged and David as they believed with them So they had no visible cause of danger and yet then they were nearest so their destruction eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and out of the land of Judah 17 And David smote them from the twâ—…light ‖ The word signifies both the Morning and Evening twilight But the latter seems here intended partly because their Eating and Drinking and Dancing was more customary and proper work for the Evening than for the Morning and partly because the Evening was more convenient for David that the fewness of his Forces might not be discovered by the Day-light Object It is not likely that David would fall upon the Amalekites before his Men who had been tired with a long and hasty March were refreshed Answ. Nor is it said that he did It is probable that when he came near them he reposed himself and his Army in some secret place whereof there were maâ—…y in those parts for a convenient Season and then Marched on so as to come to them at the Evening time even unto the evening of the ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next day and there escaped not a man of them save four hundred young men which rode upon camels and fled 18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away and David rescued his two wives 19 And there was nothing lacking to them neither small nor great neither sons nor daughters neither spoil nor any thing that they had taken to them David recovered all 20 And David took all the flocks and the herds x To wit which the Amalekites had taken from the Philistines or others which they drave before those other cattel y Before those who belonged to Ziklag and said This is Davids spoil z i. e. The Soldiers who lately were so incensed against David that they spake of Stoning him now upon this success Magnifie him and Triumphantly celebrate his Praise and say concerning this spoil David purchased 〈◊〉 by his Valour and Conduct and he may dispose of it as he pleaseth 21 ¶ And David came to the two hundred men which were so faint that they could not follow David whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor and they went forth to meet David and to meet the people that were with him a To congratulate the Victory which it is probable David had sent a Messenger to acquaint them with and when David came near to the people he ‖ Or asked â—…hem how they did saluted them b He spake kindly to them and did not blame them because they went no further with them 22 Then c When those 200 men required or expected a part of the Spoil and they gathered from David's words and carriage that he intended to give it to them answered all the wicked men and men of Belial d So he calls them for their covetousness and injustice and churlishness to their brethren By which Expressions we may judge how hainous and odious those Sins are in Gods sight of ‡ Heb. men those that went with David and said Because they went not with us e Which was from their impotency not by choice or design Herein therefore was their iniquity and unreasonableness they
and his Angels sitting in the third Heaven but that he saw a representation of the Divine Presence in the Air attended with good and bad Angels standing by him f In the posture of Ministers to receive and execute his Commands on his right hand and on his left 20 And the LORD said Who shall ‖ Or deceive perswade Ahab g This is not to be grosly understood as if God did ask and take counsel from his Creatures or were at a loss to find out an expedient to accomplish his own Will did consider several ways and then close with that which upon debate appeared to be best all which it is ridiculous to imagine concerning a God of perfect and infinite knowledge but onely to bring down Divine things to our shallow capacities and to express the various means which God hath to execute his own Designs that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead And one said on this manner and another said on that manner 21 And there came forth a spirit h An evil spirit came out of the knot or company of them standing possibly on the left had and presented himself before the Throne as having something to say to the Lord. and stood before the LORD and said I will perswade him 22 And the LORD said unto him Wherewith And he said I will go forth and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets k I will inspire a lye into the minds and mouths of his Prophets And he said * Judg. 9. 23. Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also l I will give them up into thy hands and blind their minds and leave them to their own ignorance and wickedness which will certainly lead them into dreadful mistakes go forth and do so m This is not a command but onely a permission which is oft expressed in the Imperative Mood as 1 Sam. 16. 10. Matth. 8. 22. Ioh. 13. 27. I will not hinder thee from tempting them nor give them Grace to withstand their temptation whereby thou maist be assured of success 23 Now therefore behold the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee 24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah n The chief of the false Prophets who was much in the Kings favour upon which he now presumed went near and smote Micaiah on the cheek o In way of contempt and scorn Iob 16. 10. Ier. 20. 2. Lament 3. 30. Mark 14. 65. and said * 2 Câ—… 18. 〈◊〉 Which way went the spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee p i. e. In what manner went it Forasmuch as I and my Brethren have consulted the Lord and answered in his Name and have the same spirit which thon pretendest to have and not a lying spirit as thou dost falsly and maliciously affirm How is it possible that the same spirit should tell us one thing and thee the quite contrary 25 And Micaiah said Behold thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt go ‖ Or from chamber to chamber into ‡ Heb. a chamber in a chamber an inner chamber to hide thy self q Out of a just fear and expectation of the deserved punishment of a false Prophet and of the great Author and Abettor of this pernicious War and of Ahab's destruction 26 And the king of Israel said Take Micaiah and carry him back r To wit into Prison where it seems he was before shut up for so the Lords Prophets were used by Ahab And some think he was the deliverer of that unwelcome message â—…hap 20. 41 42. unto Amon the governour of the city and to Joash the kings son 27 And say Thus saith the king Put this fellow in the prison and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction s i. e. With a very course and sparing Diet whereby he may be onely supported to endure his torment See Deut. 16. 3. 2 Chr. 18. 26. Isa. 30. 20. until I come in peace t Until I return in triumph which I doubt not I shall do in spight of all his malicious suggestions to the contrary and then I shall call him to an account for all his lyes and impudence 28 And Micaiah said If thou return at all in peace the LORD hath not spoken by me u I acknowledge my self to be an Impostor and to deserve Death And he said x i. e. Micaiah the person last named being assured of the truth of his Prophecy calls all the people to be witnesses of it Hearken O people every one of you 29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah y Who though a good man yet was easily deceived in this matter partly because Micaiah was a person unknown to him and both he and the other Prophets pretending to give their answer in the Name of the Lord it seemed hard to him to determine the controversy which onely the event could decide and therefore it is no wonder if he was overborn by the vast disproportion of 400 Prophets to one and by his Relation and Obligation and Affection to Ahab and partly because the War was Just and Lawful to recover his own rights which the Syrian King unjustly detained from him went up to Ramoth-gilead 30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat ‖ Or when he was to disguise himself and enter into the battel I will disguise my self z i. e. Put off my Imperial habit that the Syrians may not know me and direct their main Force against me which they will assuredly endeavour as knowing that this War proceedeth from me and is likely to die with me and then thou shalt see that this Man is a false Prophet and I shall have the success which I desire and expect notwithstanding all his presages and enter into the battel but put thou on thy robes a Thy Royal Robes which thou maist do without any danger because thou art not the object either of the Syrians rage or of this false Prophecy And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battel 31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots b And the men that fought from them or with them i. e. his whole Army Possibly the Chariots and the whole Army were distributed into thirty two several parts and each Captain ruled those Chariots and Soldiers attending upon them which fell to his share saying Fight neither with small nor great save onely with the king of Israel c This he ordered either in Policy truly supposing this to be the best way to put an end to the War or with design to take him Prisoner that thereby he might wipe out the stain of his own Captivity and recover the honour and advantage which then he lost or
and took it 8 ¶ Then the king of Syria warred against â—…el and took counsel with his servants saying Heb. in the 〈◊〉 of such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In such and such a place 〈◊〉 be my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thither I will send my Forces to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to lye in Ambush where the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pass ver 9. 9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel saying Beware that thou pass not such a place for thither the Syrians are come down 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place h Either Spies to try whether the Prophet spake Truth or rather Soldiers to secure the Place and Passage Designed which the man of God told him and warned him of and saved himself i Either his Person when he was to pâ—…ss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or his People or Places of Importance there not once nor twice k 〈◊〉 muâ—…h more frequently 11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing and he called 〈◊〉 servants and said unto them Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel 12 And one of his servants said ‡ Heb. no None my lord O king but Elisha the prophet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israel telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed-chamber 13 ¶ And he said Go and spie where he is that I may send and fetch him l For though I cannot conceal my 〈◊〉 from him yet I may possibly take him by force 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 not much inferior to his Knowledge And it was told him saying Behold he is in Dothan A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…chem Gen. 37. 17. and not far from 〈◊〉 14 Therefore sent he thither horses and chariots and a ‡ Heb. heavy great host and they came by 〈◊〉 and compassed the city about 15 And when the ‖ 〈…〉 servant of the man of God n Who having been with him but a little time even since Gehazi's dismission had not yet seen any Experiments of his great Power or if he had his Faith might easily â—…e shaken upon so great and sudden a danger was risen early and gone forth o Either out of the Gates of the City where he might see them or out of his House into the Streets of the City where he might learn this by the Common Fame and Tumult of the People behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compassed the city both with horses and charâ—… and his servants said unto him Alas my maâ—… how shall we do 16 And he answered Fear not for * 2 Chron. 〈◊〉 they that be with us are moe than they that be with them 17 And Elisha prayed and said LORD I pray thee open his eyes that he may see p That by some Visible Appearance he may see the Invisible Guard of Angels which incompass and defend us And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man and he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire q Which is useful both for Defence to those that are surrounded by it and Offence to the Enemies who shall attempt to break through it found about Elisha r Either the Mountains were round about the City and therefore round about Elisha who was within it or he saw in a Vision Elisha upon the Mountain encompassed with Fiery Horses and Chariots 18 And when they came down to him s Either in the City into which they easily got admission when they Declared That the onely end of their coming was to take Elisha or in the Field without the City whither he went to meet them Elisha prayed unto the LORD and said Smite this people I pray thee with blindness And he smote them with blindness t Not with a Total Blindness that they could see nothing for then they would not have followed him but with a partial Blindness that they could not distinctly discern the Man they sought which might be by some alteration made by God in their Brain or in the Air. See the notes on Gen. 19. 11. according to the word of Elisha 19 ¶ And Elisha said unto them This is not the way neither is this the city u To wit where you will find the Man for whom you seek which was very true because he was now come out of the City and if they had gone on in that way into the City they had found that Elisha was gone thence There is indeed some Ambiguity in his Speech and an intention to deceive them which hath ever been esteemed Lawful in the State of War as appears from the use of Stratagems ‡ Heb. come ye after me follow me and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek x And so he did though not in such manner as they expected and desired But he led them to Samaria y Which seemed to them to be some small and ordinary City their sences being still deluded by a Divine Operation 20 And it came to pass when they were come into Samaria that Elisha said LORD open the eyes of these men that they may see And the LORD opened their eyes and they saw and behold they were in the midst of Samaria 21 And the king of Israel z To whom Elisha had doubtless sent notice of his Intentions that he might accordingly prepare himself said unto Elisha when he saw them My father a Now he gives him this title of Reverence and Affection because of a great and present benefit he received from him though otherwise he hated him and would not hearken to his Counsel shall I smite them shall I smite them b The repetition of the question shews his great desire to smite them and that with utter Destruction 22 And he answered Thou shalt not smite them Wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow c It is against the Laws of Humanity and Custom of War to kill Captives though thou thy self hast taken them with thy own Sword and Bow which may seem to give thee some colour of Right to destroy them but much more unworthy will it be in cold Blood to kill these whom not thy Arms but God's Miraculous Providence hath put into thy hands set bread and water before them d i. e. Give them Meat and Drink which may refresh and strengthen them for their Journey Which was an action of singular Piety and Charity in doing good to their Enemies which was much to the Honour of the True Religion and of no less prudence that hereby the hearts of the Syrians might be both mollified towards the Israelites and afraid to Oppose that People who had such an Invincible Protector that they may eat and drink and go to their master 23 And he prepared great provision for them and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away e Refreshed but Disarmed as is
as need required besides those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah CHAP. XVIII 1 NOw Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance and joyned affinity with Ahab a For Joram his eldest Son married Athaliah Ahabs Daughter ch 21. 6. 2 King 8. 18. This Chapter is for substance the same with 1 King 22. where it is explained 2 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And †after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria and Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance and for the people that he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him and perswaded †him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-Gilead And he answered him I am as thou 〈◊〉 and my people as thy people and we will be with thee in the war 4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel Inquire I pray thee at the word of the LORD to day 5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men and said unto them Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battel or shall I forbear And they said Go up for God will deliver it into the kings hand 6 But Jehoshaphat said Is there not here a prophet of the LORD †〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 besides b that we might inquiâ—…e of him 7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat There is yet one man by whom we may enquire of the LORD but I hate him for he never prophesieth good unto me but always evil the same is Micajah the son of Jimla and Jehoshaphat said Let not the king say so 8 And the king of Israel called for one of his ‖ 〈◊〉 oâ—…ficers and said †〈◊〉 Fetch quickly Micajah the son of 〈◊〉 9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne clothed in their robes and they sat in a ‖ 〈◊〉 void place at the entring in of the gate of Samaria and all the prophets prophesied before them 10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron and said Thus â—…aith the LORD With these thou shalt push Syria until 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they be consumed 11 And all the prophets prophesied so saying Go up to Ramoth gilead and prosper for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king 12 And the messenger that went to call Miâ—…ajah spake to him saying Behold the words of the prophets declare good to the king ‖ with one assent let †Heb. with one 〈◊〉 thy word therefore I pray thee be like one of theirs and speak thou good 13 And Micajah said As the LORD liveth even what my God saith that will I speak 14 And when he was come to the king the king said unto him Micajah shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to â—…attel or shall I â—…orbear And he said Go ye up and prosper and they shall be delivered into your hand 15 And the king said to him How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the Name of the LORD 16 Then he said I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains as sheep that have no shepherd and the LORD said These have no master let them return therefore every man to his house in peace 17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat Did I not tell thee that he would not prophecy good unto me ‖ Or but for evil but evil 18 Again he said Therefore hear the word of the LORD I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left 19 And the LORD said Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead and one spake saying after this manner and another saying after that manner 20 Then there came out a * Job 1. 6. spirit and stood before the LORD and said I will entice him And the LORD said unto him Wherewith 21 And he said I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets And the LORD said thou shalt entice him and thou shalt also prevail go out and do even so 22 Now therefore behold the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee 23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and smote Micajah upon the cheek and said which way went the spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee 24 And Micajah said Behold thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go ‖ Or from chamber to chamber into †Heb. a chamber in a chamber an inner chamber to hide thy self 25 Then the king of Israel said Take ye Micajah and carry him back to Amon the governour of the city and to Joash the kings son 26 And say Thus saith the king Put this fellow in the prison and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction until I return in peace 27 And Micajah said If thou certainly return in peace then hath not the LORD spoken by me And he said Hearken all ye people 28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead 20 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat I will disguise my self and will go to the battel but put thou on thy robes So the king of Israel disguised himself and they went to the battel 30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him saying Fight ye not with small or great save onely with the king of Israel 31 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat that they said It is the king of Israel therefore they compassed about him to fight but Jehoshaphat cried out and the LORD helped him and God †Heb. incited ver 2. moved them to depart from him 32 For it came to pass that when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel they turned back again †Heb. from after him from pursuing him 33 And a certain man drew a how †Heb. in his simplicitâ—… at a venture and smote the king of Israel †Heb. between the joynts and between the breast-plate between the joynts of the harness therefore he said to his chariot-man Turn thine hand that thou mayest carry me out of the host for I am †Heb. made sick wounded 34 And the battel increased that day howbeit the king of Israel staid himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even And about the time of the sun going down he died CHAP. XIX 1 ANd Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace a Safe being miraculously delivered from eminent danger as was related ch 18. 31
according to the Rules of Gods Law 4 Arise for this matter belongeth unto thee l Because thou hast both skill to manage it and Authority both from God and from the Persian King to do it we also will be with thee be of good courage and do it 5 Then arose Ezra and made the chief priests the Levites and all Israel to swear that they should do according to this word And they sware 6 Then Ezra rose up before the house of God and went into the chamber m That he with the Princes and Elders as it follows v. 8. might consult about the Execution of their resolution of Johanan the son of Eliashib and when he came thither he did eat no bread nor drink water for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away 7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem 8 And that whosoever would not come within three days according to the counsel of the princes and the elders all his substance should be †Heb. devoted forfeited and himself separated from the congregation n Either by Banishment Or rather by Excommunication from the Church and People and House and publick Worship of God of those that had been carried away 9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin o Not only of these two Tribes as appears from the following Catalogue where there are Priests and Levites but all the Isralites v. 25. who are thus described partly because the greatest part of them were of these Tribes though others were mixed with them and partly because they all now dwelt in that Land which formerly was appropriated to those Tribes gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days it was the ninth month on the twentieth day of the month and all the people sat in the street of the house of God p In that street of the City which was next to the Temple and within the view of it that so they might be as in Gods presence whereby they might be awed to a more faithful and vigorous prosecution of their work And this place they might chuse rather than the Court of the People because they thought it might be polluted by the delinquents who were all to come thither trembling because of this matter and for †Heb. the showers the great rain q Which they took for a token of Gods displeasure amongst them 10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said unto them Ye have transgressed and †Heb. have caused to dwell or have brought back have taken strange wives to encrease the trespass of Israel 11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers and do his pleasure r You have sinfully pleased your selves now please God by your Obedience to his command and separate your selves from the people of the land and from the strange wives 12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice As thou hast said so must we do 13 But the people are many and it is a time of much rain and we are not able to stand without neither is this a work of one day or two for ‖ Or we have greatly offended in this thing we are many that have transgressed in this thing 14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand s Let the great Council called the Sanhedrim be settled and meet to judge and determine of all particular causes and let all them which have taken strange wives t To wit of these heathen Nations such as were not proselyted to the Jewish Religion before their Marriage or since revolted from it in our cities come at appointed times and with them the elders of every city and the Judges thereof u Who are best able to inform the great council of the quality of the persons and of all matters of Fact and Circumstances until the fierce wrath of our God ‖ Or till this matter be dispatched for this matter be turned from us x i. e. Until the thing be done and Gods Wrath thereby removed 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah †Heb. stood or were appointed over were employed about this matter y To wit to take due care that the business should be executed in the manner proposed that the Officers and Delinquents of every City should come successively in convenient time and order as these should appoint and to take and keep an exact account of the whole transaction and of the names of the Cities and Persons whose causes were dispatched and to give notice to others â—…o come in their turns and to prepare the business for the hearing of the Judges And these two were Priests as their Coadjutors or helpers were Levites that so they might inform the persons concerned if any matter of doubt did arise and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them 16 And the children of the captivity did so and Ezra the priest with certain chief of the fathers after the house of their fathers and all of them by their names were separated z i. e. Sequestred themselves from all other business and gave themselves wholly to this and sate down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter 17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month 18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives namely of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren Maasejah and Eliezer and Jarib and Gedahah 19 And they gave their hand a i. e. They covenanted or swore by giving their hand which was the usual gesture in those cases Of which see Levit. 6. 2. Ezek. 17. 18. that they would put away their wives and being guilty they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass 20 And of the sons of Immer Hanani and Zebadiah 21 And of the sons of Harim Maasejah and Elijah and Shemajah and Jehiel and Uzziah 22 And of the sons of Pashur Elioenai Maasejah Ishmael Nethaneel Jozabad and Elasah 23 Also of the Levites Jozabad and Shimei and Kelajah the same is Kelita Pethahiah Judah and Eliezer 24 Of the singers also Eliashib and of the porters Shallum and Telem and Uri 25 Moreover of Israel b i. e. Of the people of Israel distinguished from the Priests and the Levites hitherto named who before were called Iudah and Benjamin v. 9. where see the notes of the sons of Parosh Ramiah and Jeziah and Malchia and Miamin and Eleazar and Malchijah and Benajah 26 And of the sons of Elam Mattaniah Zechariah and Jehiel and Abdi and Jeremoth and Eliah 27 And of the sons of Zattu Elioenai Eliashib Mattaniah and Jeremoth and Zabad and Aziza 28 Of the sons also of
water-gate eastward 38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them a To wit on the other side of the City Northward and Eastward and I after them and the half of the people upon the wall from beyond * Ch. 3. 11. the tower of the furnaces even unto the * Ch. 3. 8. broad wall b Which they made thicker and stronger than the rest of the Wall for some special reason 39 And from above * 2 Kin. 14. 1â—… the gate of Ephraim and above the * Ch. 3. 6. old gate and above * Ch. 3. 3. the fish-gate and the tower of Hananeel and * Ch. 3. 1. the Tower of Meah even unto the sheep-gate and they stood still in the prison gate c Waiting as also their Brethren did that they might go together in due order into God's House there to perfect the solemnity 40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God d i. e. In the Courts of the Temple and I and the half of the rulers with me e And Ezra and the other half with him as appears by comparing this with v. 31 36. 41 And the priests Eliakim Maasejah Miniamin Michajah Elioenai Zechariah and Hananiah with trumpets 42 And Maasejah and Shemajah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer and the singers †Heb. made their voice to be heard sang loud with Jezrahiah their overseer 43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced for God had made them rejoice with great joy the wives also and the children rejoiced so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off f Either their loud voices and instruments were heard to a great distance or the fame of it was spread far and near 44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures for the offerings g Such as they had lately ingaged themselves to give or other voluntary or prescribed offerings for the first-fruits and for the tithes to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions ‖ That is appointed by the law of the law h i. e. The foresaid first-fruits and Tithes and other things which God by his Law appointed for them for the priests and Levites †Heb. for the joy of Iudah for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites †Heb. that stood that waited i Partly for the eminent Gifts and Graces which they observed in many of them and partly for the great benefit which they had now received by their Ministry and therefore for the competent provision which hereby was made for them that so they might wholly wait upon their office to the Peoples Edification and Comfort 45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God k i. e. That Ward or Charge or Business which God had prescribed to them and the ward of the purification l And in particular the charge of purification i. e. of taking care that no unclean person or thing might enter into the House or Courts of the Lord which care did certainly belong to the Porters as is expressed 2 Chron. 23. 19. and at this time and in some sort as it seems to the singers who besides their proper imployment were also over the business of the house of God as is affirmed ch 11. 22. Which being a general expression may-well comprehend if it doth not principally design this that they should take care to keep the House of God free from all pollution And possibly as the Porters were to take care that no unclean thing might enter there so if it should through their madvertency enter in the Singers were to remove it * 1 Chr. 25. 26. according to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son 46 For in the days of David * 1 Chr. 25. 1 c. and Asaph m of old there were chief of the singers n There were some overseers whose Office it was to see that the Singers were fit for and diligent in their work and therefore they took care of it at this time and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God n And Heman and Ieduthun 1 Chron. 25. 1. but Asaph only is mentioned here as the most eminent and useful in that work 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the porters every day his portion and they ‖ That is set apart sanctified holy things o i. e. They sequestred or set apart the First-fruits and Tithes from their own share and devoted them to the use of the Levites to whom they belonged And so did the Levites by the Tithe of the Tithes Thus they all conscientiously paid their dues to God or his Assigns and did not profane those things which God had sanctified nor take them to their own common use as divers ungodly or covetous persons had formerly used to do when they had opportunity unto the Levites * Num. 18. 26. and the Levites sanctified them unto the childeren of Aaron CHAP. XIII 1 ON that day a Not now presently after the dedication of the wall and gates and City but upon a certain day as that phrase is very commonly used in Scripture without any relation to the time or things mentioned next before it to wit when Nehemiah was returned again from the Persian court to Ierusalem from which he had been absent for some considerable time in which some errours and abuses had crept in which now he endeavours to remove †Heb. there was read they read in the book of Moses in the †Heb. ears audience of the people b Partly because it was not only the Priests but also the peoples duty to study and understand Gods Law and their own duty and partly that the people hearing that this was the express mind and will of the great God might the more willingly yield to the following duties some of which were attended with difficulty and required self denial and therein was found written * Deut. 23. 3. that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God c i. e. Not be incorporated into the common wealth of Israel nor be joyned with any Israelite in marriage relation as appears from v. 3. That practice being a plain comment upon this law But of this and the next verse see the notes on Deut. 23. 3 4. for ever 2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water but * Numb 22. 5. Josh. 24. 9. hired Balaam against them that he should curse them howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing 3 Now it came to pass when they heard the law that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude d i.
for my safety and success 17 So Mordecai †Heb. 〈◊〉 went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him CHAP. V. 1 NOW it came to pass on the third day a Of which see the notes on ch 4. 16. that Esther put on her * Chap. 6. â—… 8. 15. royal apparel b That she might render her self as amiable in the Kings Eyes as she could and so obtain her request and stood in the inner court of the kings house over against the kings house and the king â—…at upon his royal throne in the royal house over against the gate of the house 2 And it was so when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court that she * Chap. 5. â—… 7. 3. obtained favour in his sight and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand c In testimony that he pardoned her presumption and accepted her person and was ready to grant her petition so Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter d In token of her thankful acceptance of the Kings great favour and of her reverence and submission to his Majesty whereof that might possibly be an usual token and it may be at the kings call and invitation to her to come near to him 3 Then said the king unto her What wilt thou queen Esther and what is thy request * See 〈◊〉 â—… 23. it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom 4 And Esther answered If it seem good unto the king let the king and Haman e Whom she invited partly that by shewing such respect to the Kings great favourite she might insinuate her self into the Kings good opinion and affection and partly that if she saw fit she might then present her request to the King come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him 5 Then the king said Cause Haman to make hast that he may do as Esther hath said so the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared 6 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine f Either 1. At the latter end of the feast when they used to drink Wine more freely whereas in the former part most of their drink was water Or 2. At her banquet which is so called because it consisted not of meats which probably the King had plentifully eaten before at his own Table but of Fruits and Wines which banquets were very frequent among the Persians What is thy petition and it shall be granted thee and what is thy request even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed 7 Then answered Esther and said My petition and my request is 8 If I have found favour in the â—…ight of the king and if it please the king to grant my petition and †Heb. 〈◊〉 to perform my request let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them and I will do to morrow as the king hath said g. f I will acquaint thee with my humble request She did not present her petition at this time but delayed it till the next meeting either through modesty or because she was a little daunted with the Kings presence and had not yet good courage to propose her request or in policy because she would further engage the Kings affection to her by a second entertainment and would also intimate to him that her petition was of a more than ordinary nature and principally by direction and disposition of the divine providence which took away her courage or utterance for this time that she might have a better opportunity for it the next time by that great accident which happened before it 9 Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart but when Haman saw Mordecai in the kings gate that he stood not up nor moved for him h Partly lest he shouldâ—…eem or â—…e interpreted to give him that adoration which he hitherto had justly denied partly because by his bloody and barbarous design and practise he had put off all humanity and forfeited all respect and partly to shew how little he â—…eared him and that he had a firm confidence in his God that he would deliver him and his people in this great exigency which he was the more encouraged to hope because God had enclined Esthers heart to that pious valiant resolution of interceding with the King which he doubted not would meet with good success he was full of indignation against Mordecai 10 Nevertheles Haman refrained himself i From taking present vengeance upon Mordecai to which he was strongly inclined which he might easily have effected either by his own or any of his servants hands without any expectation or fear of inconvenience to himself who having obtained licence to destroy an whole nation could easily get a pardon for having killed one obscure and infamous member of it Herein therefore Gods wise and powerful providence appeared in disposing Hamans heart contrary to his own inclination and interest and making him as it were to put fetters upon his own hands and when he came home he sent and †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called for his friends and Zeresh his wife 11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches k Partly to gratify his own vain-glorious humour and partly to aggravate Mordecai's impudence in denying him civil respect and to alleviate his own vexation caused by it and the multitude of his children and all the things wherein the king had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the princes servants of the king 12 Haman said moreover Yea Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but my self and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king l Thus he makes that matter of glorying which was designed for and the occasion of his 〈◊〉 ruine So ignorant are the wisest men and subject to faâ—…al mistakes rejoycing when they have most cause of fear and grief and sorrowing for those things which tend to joy and comfort 13 Yet all this availeth me nothing m i. e. Gives me no content Such torment did his envy and malice bring upon him so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the kings gate n Enjoying that honour and priviledge without disturbance and denying me the worship due to me by my place and by the Kings command though this last and the chief cause of his rage he was somewhat ashamed to express Either Mordecai was come having laid by his sackcloth for this time that he might be in a capacity of coming thither and so of understanding how matters proceeded Besides this was a private fast and so he was not oblig'd alwaies to wear his sackcloth in publick during the whole time of the fast though he did once
from my presence 8 I will * 〈◊〉 21. 12. early y Speedily and without delay as soon as I arise in the Morning or as soon as I am seated in the Throne that so I may both prevent all that mischief which otherwise they might do and hinder the infection of others by their evil example and discourage and deter all my Subjects from the like practices Heb. In the mornings i. e. every Morning as the same phrase is used also Iob 7. 18. Psal. 73. 14. Isa. 33. 2. The Morning was the time allotted for the exercise of judgment See Ier. 21. 12. destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD z Either 1. from Ierusalem which though now in the hands of the Jebusites he looks upon by an eye of faith as if he had it in possession which he designed for the chief and Royal City of his Kingdom and for the seat of the Ark and worship of God And therefore this place above all others was to be purged and preserved from wickedness and wicked men Or 2. from the whole Nation or Commonwealth of Israel for David did intend and was obliged to reform not onely that one City but his whole Kingdom which also may come under the name of a City as being combined and united under one Government for which reason the name of City is given both to the whole Church of Christ as Isa. 26. 1. Heb. 12. 22. Revel 20. 9. and to the great Anti Church the Kingdom of mystical Babylon Revel 11. 8 13. and 17. 18 c. PSAL. CII A Prayer ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the LORD a This Psalm contains a form of Prayer and Expostulation with God composed for the use of all true Israelites in the name and behalf of their Mother the Church of Israel It seems to have been composed in the time of their Captivity and near the end of it v. 13 14. But as the literal Ierusalem was a type of the spiritual or of the Church of God and of Christ and the rebuilding of the former a type of the reviving and edification of the latter so the Psalmist looks through that mercy of the rebuilding of the City of Ierusalem and the Temple to the further progress and to the end and perfection of that work which was in the coming of the Messiah by whom it was to be compleated and by whom the Gentiles were to be brought to the knowledge and worship of the true God 1 HEar my prayer O LORD and let my cry come unto thee 2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble encline thine ear unto me in the day when I call answer me speedily 3 For my days are consumed ‖ Or as some 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 Psal. 37. 〈◊〉 like smoke b Which passeth away in obscurity and swiftly and irrecoverably Or into smoke as Wood or any combustible matter put into the fire wasteth away in smoke and ashes and my bones c The most strong and solid parts of my body which seemed safest from the fire are burnt as an hearth d Either as an Hearth is heated or burnt up by the Coals which are laid upon it or as the Hearth being so heated burns up that which is put upon it 4 My heart is smitten and withered like grass e Which is smitten and withered by the heat of the Sun either whilst it stands or after it is cut down so that I forget to eat my bread f Because my mind is wholly swallowed up with the contemplation of my own miseries 5 By reason of the voice of my groaning * 〈◊〉 19. 20. 〈◊〉 â—… 8. my bones cleave to my ‖ Or 〈◊〉 skin g My flesh being quite consumed with excessive sorrows 6 * 〈◊〉 30. 29. I am like a pelican h Or bittern as the same word is translated Isa. 34. 11. Zeph 2. 14. It is a solitary and mournful Bird as also the Owl here following is in the wilderness I am like an owl of the desert 7 I watch and am as a sparrow i Which hath lost its Mate and then is very sad and solitary as some report although that be uncertain and improbable But this Hebrew word doth not onely signifie a Sparrow but in general any Bird as Levit 14. 4. Deut. 14. 11. Dan. 4. 9 11 30. And so it may here design any one or more sort of Birds which used to sit alone watching and mourning upon house-tops alone upon the house-top 8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day and they that are mad against me are sworn against me k Or and being mad or enraged at or against me they sweat against me they swear they will do me yet more mischief or they swear by me they make use of my name and misery in their forms of swearing and imprecation as when they would express their malicious and mischievous intentions against another they swear that they will use him or make him as miserable as a Jew See the like expressions Numb 5 21. Isai. 61. 15. Ier. 29. 22. 9 For l So this Verse gives a reason either of his great sadness expressed v. 6 7. or why they swore by him in the sence last given Or Surely as this Particle is oft used Or Therefore because of those bitter reproaches last mentioned I have eaten ashes like bread m The sence is Dust and ashes are as constant and familiar to me as the eating of my Bread I cover my head with them I sit yea lye down and roll my self in them as Mourners oft did 2 Sam. 13. 19. Iob 2. 8 12. and 16. 15. Isai. 47. 1. Mich. 1. 10. by which means the ashes might easily be mingled with their meat as tears were with their drink in the next Clause and * Psal. 42. 3. 8â—… 80. 5. mingled my drink with weeping n He alludes to the custom of mingling their Wine with Water 10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath o Because I do not onely conflict with men but with the Almighty God and with his anger for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down p As a man lifts up a person or thing as high as he can that he may cast it down to the ground with greater force Or he aggravates his present reproach and misery by the consideration of that great honour and happiness to which God had formerly advanced him as Iob did ch 29. 30. and the Church Lam. 1. 7. 11 * Psal. 109. 23. 144. 4. Eccl. 6. 12. My days q Our hopes and comforts and happiness days being oft put for happy days or an happy state as Psal. 37. 18. Lament 5. 21. as elsewhere they are put more generally for the events which happen in those days in
12 c. The people asked and he brought quails z He speaks of the first giving of Quails Exod. 16. 13. which God gave them as a refreshment notwithstanding their Sin in desiring them which he graciously pardoned and not of that second giving of Quails which God gave them in judgment Numb 11. and therefore would not have been numbered here amongst Gods favours vouchsafed to them and †Psal. 78. 24 25. satisfied them with the bread of heaven a With Manna which came out of the Air which is commonly called Heaven 41. * Exod. 17. 6. Num. 20. 11. 1 Cor. 10. 4. He opened the rock and the waters gushed out they ran in the dry places like a river b They flowed in Channels which God provided for them and followed the Israelites in their March as is noted 1 Cor. 10. 4. Hence they complained no more of want of Water till they came to Kadesh Numb 20. which was many Years after this time 42. For he remembered * Gen. 15. 14. his holy promise and Abraham c Or rather with as this Particle is oft used Abraham made with or to Abraham his servant 43. And he brought forth his people with joy and his chosen with †Heb. singing gladness 44. * Deut. 6. 10 11. Josh. 3. 17. And gave them the land of the heathen and they inherited the labour of the people d The Fruits of their labour their Cities Vineyards Oliveyards c. 45. ‖ Deut. 4. 1. 40. 6. 24 25. That they might observe his statutes and keep his laws Praise ye the Lord. PSAL. CVI. This Psalm was unquestionably composed in the time of the Israelites Captivity and Dispersion as is manifest from v. 47. but whether it was that of Babylon or some other of a later date is neither easie nor necessary to determine 1. †Heb. Hallelujah PRaise ye the Lord O * 1 Chr. 16. 34. Psal. 107. 1. 118. 1. 1â—…6 1. give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever a He deserves our Praises notwithstanding all our sufferings which are not to be imputed to him for he is Gracious and Merciful but only to our own Sins 2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord who can shew forth all his praise b i. e. His Praise worthy actions by an usual Metonymy 3. Blessed are they that keep judgment c That observe and practise what is just and right towards God and Men which in the next clause he calls doing righteousness and he that doth righteousness at all times d In Adversity as well as in Prosperity And this clause may belong either 1. to the last foregoing Words that doth righteousness at all times constantly and perpetually Or rather 2. to the first Words they are blessed at all times even in the Day of their calamity which therefore ought not to hinder us from this great and just Duty of praising God And so this verse coheres with the former 4 Remember me e Or us for he speaks here in the name and on the behalf of the whole Nation as is evident from v. 6 7 47. of which he oft speaks as of one Person O Lord with the favour †Heb. of thy People that thou be arest unto thy people f With those favours and blessings which thou dost usually and peculiarly give to thy People such as the pardon of all our Sins by which we have procured our present miseries and a compleat deliverance and that improved to thy praise and glory as well as to our own comfort as is clearly implyed v. 47. O visit me with thy salvation g Give me that salvation or deliverance which thou hast promised and which none but thou canst give 5. That I may see h i. e. Enjoy as the next clause explains it and as this word is frequently used the good of thy chosen i Of thy chosen People which thou usest to give to thine Elect or to such as are Israelites indeed that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation k With such joy as thou hast formerly afforded unto thy beloved Nation or People that I may glory l That we may have occasion to glory in Gods Goodness towards us with thine inheritance m Either in the Congregation of thy People that we thy People may jointly and solemnly praise thy Name Or as thy People who are commonly called Gods inheritance in former ages have frequently done for the Particle with is sometimes used as a Note of comparison as it is in the very next Verse and Iob 9. 26. Eccles. 2. 16. 7. 11. 6. * Dan. 9. 5. We have sinned with our fathers n As our Fathers did and have not been made wiser or better by their examples as we should have been we have committed iniquity we have done wickedly 7. Our fathers understood not o Or considered not to wit so as to be rightly affected with them to give thee that Love and Praise and Trust and Obedience which they deserved and required thy wonders in Egypt they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies †Exod. 14. 11 12. but provoked him at the sea even at the Red sea p When those wonders of thy Power and Goodness in Egypt were but newly done and fresh in memory 8. Nevertheless he saved them for his names-sake q That he might glorifie his name and vindicate it from the Blasphemous 〈◊〉 which the Egyptians and others would have cast upon it if they had been destroyed This Argument was urged by Moses Numb 14. 13 c. ‖ Exod. 9. 16. that he might make his mighty power to be known 9. * Exod. 14. 21. He rebuked the Red sea also and it was dried up so he led them through the †Psal. 136. 13. Isa. 63. 11 12 13. depths as through the wilderness r As securely as if they had walked upon the dry Land 10. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them s Of Pharaoh who pursued them with cruel Rage and Hatred and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy 11. * Exod. 14. â—… 15. 5. And the waters covered their enemies there was not one of them left 12. ‖ Exod. 14. 31. 15. 1. Then believed they his words they sang his praise 13. * Exod. 15. 24. 17. 2. †Heb. they made hast they forgat They soon t Even within three days Exod. 15. 22 23. forgat his works they waited not for his counsel u They did not wait patiently and believingly upon God for supplies from his hand in such manner and time as he in his own counsel had appointed and thought fit 14. * Num. 11. 4. 33. 1 Cor. 10. 6. But †Heb. lusted iâ—… lust lusted exceedingly
redeemer t Heb. their near kinsman to whom it belongs to avenge their wrongs and to recover and maintain their rights of which see Lev. 25. 25. Numb 35. 12. Thus God is pleased to call himself to shew how much he concerns himself for the relief of oppressed and helpless persons is mighty he shall plead their cause with thee 12 Apply thine heart unto instruction u Content not thy self with outward hearing or reading of it but affectionately receive it into thine heart and lay it up there as choice Treasure and thine ears unto the words of knowledg 13 * Ch. 13. 24. 〈◊〉 19. 18. 〈◊〉 22. 15. 〈◊〉 29. 15 17. With-hold not correction from the child for if thou beatest him with a rod he shall not die x It is a likely mean to prevent their corruption and the destruction which commonly follows it as the next verse explains this 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt de liver his soul from hell 15 My son if thine heart be wise my heart shall â—…rejoice y In the good success of my Counsels and in thy Piety and Happiness which is as truly desirable and pleasant to me as my own ‖ Or 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 rejoice even mine 16 Yea my reins shall rejoice z I shall rejoice not onely in shew and profession but inwardly and with all my soul. when thy lips speak right things 17 * Psal. 37. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 3. 31. 〈◊〉 â—…4 1. Let not thine heart envy sinners a Let not the consideration of their present impunity and prosperity stir thee up either to envy them or to approve and imitate their evil courses but be thou in the fear of the LORD b Reverence the presence of the Divine Majesty and dread his power and justice and those judgments which he hath prepared for sinners and thou wilâ—…t see no cause to envy but rather to 〈◊〉 them all the day long c Not only when thou art in trouble but in all times and conditions 18 * Ch. 24. 14. For surely there is an ‖ Or reward end d An expected and happy end for such as fear God which was required v. 17. Or a reward as this Hebrew word is rendred Prov. 24. 20. and thine expectation shall not be cut off e Thou shalt certainly enjoy that good which thou expectest as the wicked shall lose that Happiness which they enjoy 19 Hear thou my son and be wise f Rest not in hearing but see that thou growest wiser and better by it and guide thine heart g Order the whole course of thine affections and actions in the way h In Gods way oft called the way as hath been observed before 20 * 〈◊〉 5 22. Luke 21. 34. Rom. 13. 13. Eph. 5. 18. Be not amongst wine-bibbers i Avoid their conversation and company lest thou be either insected or injured by them amongst riotous eaters †Heb. of their flesh of flesh 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness k Immoderate sleep and idleness which is as ready a way to Poverty as Gluttony or Drunkenness is shall cloth a man with rags 22 * Chap. 1. 8. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee l And therefore desires and seeks thy good in all his counsels and despise not thy mother when she is old m When the infirmity of age is added to that of her sex which is apt to breed contempt 23 * Ch. 4. 5 7. Buy n Purchase it upon any terms spare no pains nor cost to get it the truth o The true and saving knowledg of Gods Mind and Will concerning your Salvation and the way that leads to it and sell it not p Do not forget it nor forsake it for any worldly advantages as ungodly men frequently do also wisdom and instruction and understanding q Whereby you may love and practise the truth known and received 24 * Ch. 10. 1. 15. 20. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him 25 Thy Father and thy mother shall be glad r He repeateth this again as a powerful Argument to prevail with all Children that are not void of natural affection to labour to be wise and good that so they may glad the hearts of their Parents to whom they have such high and indelible obligations and she that bare thee s With so great pain and hazard and brought thee up with such tender care whom thou canst not better require shall rejoice 26 My son give me thine heart t Receive my Counsels with thy whole heart Selomon speaking in Gods Name and cause requires the heart to be given to him and let thine eyes observe u Let thy mind seriously and practically consider my ways x Either 1. The ways in which I have walked my evil practices take warning by my sad example Or 2. The ways which I prescribe to you as the Apostles called the Gospel which they preached their Gospel 1 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 8. 27 * Ch. 22. 14. For a whore is a deep ditch y In which a man is in evident danger of perdition and out of which it is exceeding difficult to escape and a strange woman is a narrow pit 28 * Chap. 7. 12. She also lieth in wait ‖ Or as a robber as for a prey z Watching all opportunities of ensnaring young men to their destruction and increaseth the transgressors among men a She is the cause of innumerable sins against God and against the Marriage Bed against the Soul and Body too and by her wicked Example and Arts involveth many persons in the guilt of her sins 29 * Isa. 5. 11 22. Who hath woe b From the 〈◊〉 of Lust he proceeds to that of drunkenness which doth frequently accompany it who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath babling c The sin of much and impertinent talking or 〈◊〉 noise or clamour which is usual among Drunkards See 〈◊〉 20. 1. who hath wounds without cause d Upon every sleight occasion which men enflamed with Wine are very apt to take who hath redness of eyes 30 They that tarry long at the wine they that go to seek mixt wine e Either mixed with Water or with other ingredients to make it strong and delicious Heb. mixture mixed drinks of several sorts suited to their Palats 31 Look not thou upon the wine f Earnestly so as to inflame thine Appetite towards it in which sense men are forbidden to look upon a Woman Job 31. 1. Mat. 5. 28. when it is red g Which was the colour of the best Wines in that Countrey which therefore are called Blood Gen. 49. 11. Deut. 32. 14. and such were used by them in
shew of helping yet is not onely unhelpful to a Man for chewing his Meat but also troublesome and painful and as a Foot out of Joynt doth not help but hinder and pain him that attempts to walk upon it 20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather y When it is most seasonable and necessary and as vinegar upon nitre z Which dissolves the Nitre and makes it useless and ineffectual so is he a He is no less absurd and impertinent that singeth songs to an heavy heart b Whose grief is not relieved but increased by it as common experience sheweth and divers learned Authors have observed 21 * 〈◊〉 23. 4. 〈◊〉 5. 44. 〈◊〉 12. 20. If thine enemy be hungry give him Bread c By Bread and Water he understands all things necessary for his subsistence to eat and if he be thirsty give him water to drink 22 For d Understand in so doing which words are expressed Rom 12. 20. where this Text is quoted thou shalt heap * 〈◊〉 11. 6. 〈◊〉 10. coals of fire upon his head c Either 1. in a bad sense Thou shalt hereby aggravate his sin and occasion a more speedy and grievous vengeance from God which like fire from Heaven shall fall upon his Head and consume him Not that he persuades him to do a kindness with an evil intent with an expectation or desire or design of bringing God's wrath upon him but onely he foretels what would happen and dissuades him from taking vengeance and provokes him to kindness instead of it because vengeance is God's peculiar work which he will certainly inflict upon such Persons which argument is used to that very purpose by St. Paul Rom. 12. 19. Or 2. in a good sense Thou shalt melt him into repentance and inflame him with love and kindness to thee for so unexpected and undeserved a favour he shall be as neartily grieved and tormented with the Thoughts of his vile and wicked carriage to thee as a Man would â—…e that had burning Coals of Fire heaped upon his Head But if these Coals of Fire do not melt him but still he hardens his Heart against thee they will consume him Thus either by the one or by the other way thou shall be secured and deliverd from him The Metaphor may seem to be taken from Founders who melt the hardest Metals by heaping Coals of Fire upon them And the Head may be here mentioned rather than any other part because in Scripture Phrase both Blessings and Curses are said to fall upon mens Heads i. e. upon them heads being frequently put for Persons and the LORD shall reward thee f Thy charity to him shall be fully recompensed to thee if not by him yet by God which is far better 23 * 〈◊〉 37. 22. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 northâ—… bringeth 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 backâ—… tongue 〈◊〉 counâ—… The North-wind driveth away rain so doth an angry countenance g In the hearer who by his countenance sheweth his dislike of such Persons and practices a backbiting tongue h Heb. a secret Tongue which privily slandereth his Neighbour as it is expressed Psal. 101. 5. and as the manner of Back-biters is But this Verse is otherwise rendred in the Margent and by diverse others The North Wind bringeth forth as this Verb properly and most frequently signifies and as it is rendred by all the Ancient Interpreters and by many others Rain which it doth in Iudea because the Sea lies Norward as well as Westward from it as also in Africa as Aristotle observes though it drive away Rain in Countries of another situation so doth a backbiting Tongue cause an angry Countenance it causeth much anger and mischief both to the Person slandered and to the slanderer and to other Persons who may be concerned with or for either of them as is manifest from common experience 24 * 〈◊〉 19. 13. 〈◊〉 8. 19. It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top than with a brawling woman and in a wide house 25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul so is good news from a far countrey i Because it comes thither more rarely and difficultly after it hath been long expected and earnestly desired all which circumstances make it more acceptable 26 A righteous man falling down k Either 1. into sin So the sense is When a just Man is either allured or terrified into any sinful practice before wicked men or into any base and servile compliance with their Lusts he who by his excellent counsels was like a Fountain or well of life as his Mouth is called Prov. 10. 11. sending forth refreshing streams for the benefit of many is now corrupted and rendered unserviceable Or rather 2. into misery of which kind of falling this word is constantly used and never to my remembrance of falling into sin And so the sense is this When righteous men are oppressed and devoured by the wicked the state of that Commonwealth is as deplorable as if the publick Fountains from whence all the People fetch their Water were corrupted and it is a sign that the Fountains of Justice are poisoned before the wicked is as a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring 27 * It is not good l To wit for the health of the Body to eat much honey so for men m Which words are easily understood both out of the foregoing clause where the Honey is supposed to be eaten by men and out of the following words which are evidently meant of them Vers. 16. to search their own glory n Industriously to seek for honour and applause from men is not glory o Is not onely sinful but shameful also and a sign of a vain and mean spirit The Negative Particle not is here understood out of the former part of the Verse as it is Psal. 1. 5. 9. 18. 28 * Ch. 16. 32. He that hath no rule over his own spirit p Over his passions and especially his anger which is signified by this word Prov. 16. 2. Eccles. 10. 4. is like a city that is broken down and without walls q Exposeth himself to manifold dangers and mischiefs CHAP. XXVI 1 AS snow in summer and as rain in harvest a Unbecoming and unseasonable so honour is not seemly for a fool b Because he neither deserves it nor knows how to use it but his folly is both increased and publickly manifested by it 2 As the bird by wandring c From place to place by its perpetual restlesness it secures it self from the Fowler that he cannot shoot at it nor spread his Net over it as the swallow by flying so the curse causless shall not come d. f To wit upon the innocent Person but he shall escape from it like a Bird c. 3 * Ps. 32. 9. Ch. 10. 13 A whip for the horse a bridle e Which was
s Give up themselves to eating and drinking excessively and intemperately as it is explained in the next verse in the morning t The fittest time for Gods service and for the dispatch of weighty affairs and for sitting in judgment Psal. 101. 8. Ier. 21. 12. Which circumstance is added as a plain evidence of men that wholly devote themselves to vanity and Luxury which must needs occasion gross neglect of the great concerns of the Kingdom the oppression of the people to support such extravagancies and a woful and general corruption of the people by their example and otherwise which makes him say Wo to that people 17 Blessed art thou O land when thy king is the son of nobles u Not so much by Birth as even the worst of Kings commonly are and have been as by their noble and worthy dispositions and endowments and carriages for such an one is opposed to the Child in the former verse Sons of nobles are put for noble persons as the sons of men for men and the sons of physicians for physicians and * Prov. 31. 4. thy princes eat in due season x So as may further and not hinder their main business for strength y To refresh and strengthen their Natures that they may be fit for action and business and not for drunkenness z Not only nor chiefly to please their palaâ—…es and indulge themselves in sensuality 18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through a That House which is neglected by its owner and not repaired must needs come to ruine Whereby he intimates that the sloth and carelesness of Princes in the management of publick affairs which is an usual attendant upon that Luxury of which he hath now discoursed is most destructive both to themselves and to their people 19 A feast is made for laughter and * Ps. 104. 1â—… Wine †Heb. 〈◊〉 gâ—…ad the liâ—…e maketh merry b The design and effect of feasting and drinking Wine is that Men may exhilarate their Minds with the society of their Friends and with the use of the Creatures but money answereth all things c It procures not only Meat and Drink for Feasting but for all other things as the Heavens are said to answer the Earth when they give it those showers which it desires and needs to make it fruitful Hos. 2. 21. And this clause seems to be added as an aggravation of the sin and folly of Luxury because Princes do thereby wast that Money and Treasure which is so highly necessary for the support and preservation of themselves and of their Kingdoms and are forced to squeeze Money out of their People by oppressive and dishonourable and dangerous practices that they may have more to spend in riotous courses 20 * Ex. 22. 28. Curse not the king d Having spoken of the miscarriages of Kings he now gives a caution to their Subjects that they should not thence take occasion to speak irreverently or contemptuously of them or wish or design any evil against their Persons or Government For though vices may be condemned wheresoever they are yet both Reverence and Obedience are due to Magistrates as they are Gods Vicegerents and Ordinances notwithstanding their vices as is manifest from Rom. 13. 1 c. 1 Pet. 2. 13 c. no not in thy ‖ Or 〈◊〉 thought e In the most secret manner by giving way to such thoughts or affections for these will very probably break forth into such words and practices and curse not the rich f The Princes or Governours under the King who are commonly rich or any other rich men who can oppress or punish thee by their Wealth as well as Kings can do it by their Power in thy bed-chamber g Where thy Wife or Servant may hear thee and afterwards through folly or passion discover it to thy ruine for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter h The King will hear of it by unknown and unsuspected hands as if a Bird had chanced to be at the window when thou didst speak the words and did hear them and carry the report of it unto the King It is a proverbial expression as when we say Hedges have Ears and the Walls will speak Hence Kings are said to have long Ears CHAP. XI 1 CAst thy bread †Heb. upon 〈◊〉 face of the 〈◊〉 upon the waters a Solomon having discovered diverse vanities and amongst others the vanity of heaping up Riches he now teacheth us that it is our Interest as well as Duty not so much to lay them up as to lay them out in pious and charitable uses and having taught us the true and best use of worldly things for our present comfort and benefit which is to enjoy them with a chearful and contented Mind he now directs us to the best improvement of them for our future and greater advantage and having acquainted us with our duty towards our Superiours he now directs us in our carriage towards our Inferiours and especially to such of them as are poor The sense of these words is either 1. Cast thy seed which is here called Bread as it is also Iob 28. 5. Isa. 28. 28. and elsewhere beside for so the Hebrew particle al is oft used the waters i. e. either by the Rivers side or in moist and waterish grounds which usually are very fruitful Or 2. Cast freely and liberally bestow thy bread i. e. thy Money or Provisions which are oft signified by the name of bread By saying thy bread he cautions us that we give away only that which is our own and not that which is anothers as they do who give either what they get from others by fraud or power or what they owe to others and are unable to pay and so exercise Charity to the hindrance of Justice or of the payment of their just debts upon the waters i. e. upon those poor Creatures upon whom by reason of their unthankfulness or inability to make any returns to thee it may seem to be as utterly lost as the seed which a man casts into the Sea or River This sense agrees much better 1. With the words for he doth not barely mention the waters for then the particle al might have been translated beside but the face i. e. the surface or top of the waters in which and such like cases al constantly signifies upon 2. With the design and scope of the place which is to persuade men to be liberal and charitable notwithstanding the discouragements which they meet with in so doing of which see the next clause and the next verse for thou shalt find it b It shall not be lost as covetous men or thine own corrupt heart may suggest but it shall certainly be restored unto thee either by God or by Men
from a just Fear lest Gods Judgment should have fallen more heavily upon them if it had found them in the Practice of Idolatry and that by this Profession of Repentance they might if it were possible either prevent or mitigate their Calamity 21 To go into the clefts of the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the LORD and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth 22 Cease ye from man a Seeing God will undoubtedly bring down the highest and proudest of the Sons of Men into so much Contempt and Misery from henceforth never admire nor place your trust in Man whose breath is in his nostrils b Whose Breath upon which his Life and Strength depends is in his Nostrils and therefore is quickly stopp'd and taken away for wherein is he to be accounted of c What one real and valuable Excellency is there in him to wit considered in himself and without dependence upon God CHAP. III. FOr behold a Look upon it as a thing as certain as if it were already done the Lord the LORD of hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the stafâ—… b All the Supports of their State and Church the whole stay of bread c Called elsewhere the staff of bread whereby is understood either 1. the Nourishing power of Bread which wholly depends upon Gods Blessing or rather 2. Bread it self as this Phrase is understood Levit. 26. 26. Psal. 105. 16. Ezek. 4. 16. and directly explained Ezek. 5. 16. Bread which is the Staff of Life and the whole stay of water 2 The mighty man d Strong and valiant Men. and the man of war the judge e The Civil Magistrates and the prophet f Either strictly so called the want of whom is matter of grief see Psal. 74. 9. or largely so as to include all skilful and faithful Teachers and the †Heb. diviner or ghesser prudent g Whose Wisdom and Conduct was necessary to preserve them from ruine and the ancient h Whose Wisdom was increased by long Experience 3 The captain of fifty i There shall not be a Man left able to command and manage Fifty Soldiers and much less such as could command Hundreds or Thousands which yet were necessary and the †Heb. a man eminent in countenance honourable man k Men of high Birth and Place and Power and Reputation and the counsellor l Wise and Learned Statesmen and the cunning artificer m Who could make either Ornaments for Times of Peace or Instruments for War which therefore Conquerors took away from those Nations whom they subdued 1 Sam. 13. 19 20. 2 Kings 24. 14. and the †Heb. skilful of charm eloquent oratour n Heb. The skilful of charm Whereby he understands either 1. Charmers whom he threatens to take away not as if such Persons were Blessings to a People or the removing of such were a Curse but only because they made great use of them and trusted to them And so he signifies that God would remove all the Grounds of their Confidence both right and wrong and make their Case desperate As in like manner and for the same reason God threatens the Israelites that they should be as without a sacrifice so without Teraphim Hos. 3. 4. or 2. as most understand it such as could powerfully perswade and as it were charm that ungovernable Beast the Multitude of Common People by their Eloquence to do those things which were necessary for their Peace and Safety For this word may be taken in good sence as divination is Prov. 16. 10. 4 And I will give * Eâ—…cl 10. 16. children o Either 1. in Age whose Minority corrupt Ministers of State commonly abuse to great Mischiefs or 2. in Understanding Experience and Manners foolish froward unteachable c. to be their princes and babes shall rule over them 5 And the people shall be oppressed p By the command or connivence of such Childish Rulers every one by another and every one by his neighbour the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable q Foolish and unworthy Men shall by wicked Arts gain the Favour and abuse the Power of the Prince and thereby behave themselves insolently towards their Betters 6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father r Whereas Envy ordinarily reigns in near Relations when one Brother is advanced far above all the rest saying Thou hast cloathing s We are utterly undone and have neither Food nor Raiment but thou hast something yet left to support the Dignity which we offer to thee and to enable thee to execute thine Office be thou our ruler t He sheweth that Misgovernment should cause the Dissolution of the Government and that the former Governours should be removed either by Foreign Force or by Domestick Insurrection and let this ruine be under thine hand u To wit to heal it as it is explained in the next Verse Undertake the Charge of this tottering State 7 In that day shall he †Heb. lift up the hand swear x Heb. he shall lâ—…ft up understand either i. his Voice he shall cry aloud to shew his earnestness in refusing the Offer or 2. his Hand which was the usual gesture in Swearing Gen. 14. 22. Deut. 32. 40. c. to shew his Resolvedness saying I will not be an †Heb. binder up healer y A Repairer of the Ruines of the State for in my house is neither bread nor cloathing z I have not sufficient Provisions either of Food or Raiment for my own Family much less as you falsely suppose for the Discharge of so high a Trust. make me not a ruler of the people 8 For Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is fallen because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD to provoke the eyes of his glory a Of his glorious Majesty whom they ought to reverence and adore 9 ¶ The ‖ Or hardning shew of their countenance doth witness against them b Their Pride and Wantonness and Impiety manifestly shews it self in their very Looks and Carriages and will be a swift Witness against them both before God and Men. and they declare their sin c They act it publickly casting off all Fear of God and Reverence to Men and they glory in it as * Gen. 13. 13 18. 21. 19. 5. Sodom they hide it not d As Men do who have any remainders of Modesty or Ingenuity wo unto their soul for they have rewarded e i. e. Procured a fit Reâ—…ompence for their Wickedness even utter Ruine Or they have done for this Word is oft so used without any signification of a Recompence as Psal. 7. 4. They cannot blame me but themselves
Consciences made them dread both the present Judgment here and the terrible Consequences of it hereafter Heb. Who shall dwell for us c. i. e. in our stead Who will interpose himself between God's Anger and us How shall we escape these Miseries That this is the Sence of this Question may be gathered from the Answer given to it in the following Verse in which he directs them to the right Course of removing God's Wrath and regaining His Favour 15. He that * Psal. 15. 2. 24. 4. walketh †Heb. in righteousnesses righteously u Who is just in all His dealings with Men of which the following Clauses explain it Which is not spoken exclusively as if Piety towards God were not as necessary as Righteousness towards Men but comprehensively this being one Evidence and a constant companion of Piety and speaketh †Heb. uprightnesses uprightly x Who speaks truly and sincerely what He really intends he that despiseth y That refuseth it not for politick Reasons as Men sometimes may do but from a contempt and abhorrency of injustice the gains of ‖ Or deceits oppressions that shaketh his hands from holding z Or from taking or receiving as this Verb signifies Prov. 4. 4. 5. 5. 28 17. That will not receive much less retain Bribes of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of †Heb. bloods blood a Who will not hearken or assent to any Counsels or Courses tending to shed innocent Blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil b That abhorreth the very sight of Sin committed by others and guardeth his Eyes from beholding occasions of Sin of which see on Iob. 31. 1. 16. He shall dwell on †Heb. heights or high places high c Out of the reach of danger his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure d God will furnish him with all necessaries 17. Thine eyes shall see the king e First Hezekiah and then Christ as before in his beauty f Triumphing over all Enemies and Ruling his own People with Righteousness in which two things the beauty and glory of a King and Kingdome doth chiefly consist they shall behold †Heb. the land of far distance the land that is very far off g Thou shalt not be shut up in Ierusalem and confined to thine own narrow Borders as thou hast been but thou shalt have free Liberty to go abroad with honour and safety where thou pleasest even into the remotest Countries because of the great renown of thy King and the enlargement of his Dominions 18. Thine heart shall meditate terrour h This is Either 1. a Premonition concerning a future Judgment as if he said Before these glorious Promises shall be accomplished thou shalt be brought into great straits and troubles Or rather 2. a thankful Acknowledgment of deliverance from a former Danger as if he had said When thou art delivered thou shalt with pleasure and thankfulness recal to mind thy former Terrours and Miseries * 1 Cor. 1. 20. Where is the scribe where is the †Heb. weigher receiver where is he that counted the towers i These Words are Either 1. words of Gratulation and Insultation over the Enemy Thou shalt then say Where are the great Officers of the Assyrian Host They are no where they are not they are dead or slain Or rather 2. the words of Men dismayed and confounded such as proceeded from the Iews in the time of their distress and are here remembred to aggravate the present Mercy For the Officers here mentioned seem not to be those of the Assyrian Army who were actually fighting against the Iews and Ierusalem for then he would rather have mentioned the Captains of the host as the Scripture commonly doth in these cases than the scribes and receivers c. but rather of the Iews in Ierusalem who upon the approach of Sennacherib began to make Military preparations for the defence of the City and to chuse such Officers as were necessary and usual for that end such as these were to wit the scribe whom we call Muster-Master who was to make and keep a List of the Souldiers and to call them together as occasion required The receiver who received and laid out the Money for the Charges of the War and he that counted the Towers who surveyed all the parts of the City and considered what Towers or Fortifications were to be made or repaired for the Security of the City And unto these several Officers the People resorted with great distraction and confusion to acquaint them with all Occurrences or to quicken them to their several Works or to transact Matters with them as occasion required 19. * 2 Kin. 19. 32. Thon shalt not see a fierce people k As Moses said of the Egyptians Exod. 14. 13. So I say of the Assyrians that fierce and warlike People whom thou hast seen with great Terrour near the Walls of Ierusalem thou shalt see them again no more a * Deu. 28. 49. Jer. 5. 15. people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive l A forreign Nation whose Language is abstruse and unknown to thee of a ‖ Or ridiculous or barbarous stammering tongue m Of which see on Isa. 28. 11. that thou canst not understand 20 Look upon Zion n Contemplate Zions beauty and safety and her glorious and peculiar Priviledges It is an Object worthy of thy deepest Meditation the city of our solemnities o This he mentions as the chief part of Zions Glory and Happiness that God was solemnly Worshipped and the solemn Assemblies and Feasts kept in her thine eyes shall see * Psal. 46. 5. 125. 1 2. Ierusalem a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken p Which was but very obscurely and imperfectly fulfilled in the literal Zion but was clearly and fully accomplished in the mystical Zion the Church of God in the times of the Gospel against which we are assured that the gates of Hell shall not prevail Mat. 16. 18. 21. ‖ Or but there glorious is the LORD we shall have a place c. But there q In and about Zion the glorious LORD will be unto us a place †Heb. broad of spaces or hands of broad rivers and streams r Though we have nothing but a small and contemptible Brook to defend us yet God will be as sure and strong a Defence to us as if we were surrounded with such great Rivers as Nilus or Euphrates which were a great security to Egypt and Babylon wherein shall go no galley with oars neither shall gallant ships pass thereby s But although they shall have from God the security of a great